Correction appended
On Friday, eager audience members at the finals of "Dartmouth Idol" were handed multicolored ballots listing the six finalists as they entered Spaulding Auditorium to decide who would be this year's victor. The 2012 competitiors Phoebe Bodurtha '15, Charli Fool-Bear Vetter '15, Nick Knezek '12, Emily Liu '12, Hayley Lynch '15 and Monte Reed '12 each performed multiple songs, culminating in Reed's victory, which was determined by the audience's votes.
Liu finished second and Bodurtha finished third in this year's competition, which was co-hosted by Angela Dunnham '13, Jonathan Katz '12 and Ben Ludlow '12.
"I don't think it's hit me yet that I won," Reed said. "It's so unreal. It's pretty mind-blowing to think that all of the hard work and dedication, the long hours and the preparation all paid off and that the audience and the judges actually liked my performances."
The judges for this year were Chicago-based vocal coach Janet Salter and Dartmouth Glee Club alumna Elizabeth Roberts '00, who were joined by last year's "Idol" finalists Michelle Shankar '12 and Ethan Weinberg '12. During the first half of the show, each contestant performed one song, after which they received feedback from the judges. Roberts called Reed, who first sang "Mad World" by Tears for Fears, was called a "responsible superhero" for his song choice and powerful vocal abilities.
"You could just blow us away with the power in your voice," Roberts said. "But instead, you chose to perform a really intimate song, which is powerful in such a different way."
Reed followed with Michael Buble's "Feeling Good," a much higher-energy number. Reed won $500 in cash and received the opportunity to record two songs in a studio.
"I can't wait to get in the recording studio, especially because this is my last year here and I definitely want to go into the music business after graduating," he said. "Having the opportunity to record will hopefully be a great way to get a jump start in the industry."
Reed said that "Idol" does not have a cutthroat, competitive vibe but is a great opportunity for singers from all different areas of campus to come together and put on a show for the entire community.
Bodurtha also said she enjoyed the fun, cooperative atmosphere of Idol.'
"I would definitely recommend that anyone who has an interest in singing try out for Idol' because it was such an amazing experience," Bodurtha said. "We all really bonded during rehearsals."
Salter said she was impressed by Bodurtha, who sang "The House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals and "Love on Top" by Beyonce, and was surprised that such a "big voice could come out of such a small person."
"You just took this night to a whole new level," Shankar said of Bodurtha. "Your song filled the room, and it was just beautiful."
Fool-Bear Vetter, who opened the show, sang "Rumor Has It" by Adele and later "Unbreak My Heart" by Toni Braxton.
"After tonight, we're not going to be saying Charli can sing that song like Adele," Shankar said. "We're going to be saying that Adele sounds like Charli."
Knezek, who first performed the classic song "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green, was praised for his ability to "take an iconic song and make it [his] own."
Liu, the fourth contestant to perform, belted out her rendition of "I'm The Only One" by Melissa Etheridge.
"I absolutely loved that," Weinberg said. "It was a really believable song, and I loved that you had fun with the band."
Liu's next song, "Through the Fire" by Chaka Kahn, had a very different vibe, but Weinberg said it was his favorite performance of the night.
Lynch performed a medley of songs "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, "Survivor" by Destiny's Child and "Hot Stuff" by Donna Summer and was praised for her choice of songs "outside of [her] comfort zone."
After the performances were over, the audience's ballots were collected. Gospel Choir director and "Idol" Walt Cunningham announced the winners.
"I really think that everyone who auditions for Idol is a winner," Cunningham said in an interview with The Dartmouth. "It takes a lot of courage to come out for this type of competition, and I really respect that. There's a lot of talent on this campus."
