Central Star winner uses Melissa Etheridge song to top competition
Sara Enloe has been singing in talent shows and competitions since elementary school.
Last week, her voice and experience garnered her a yearlong recording contract with Moore Media Records.
Enloe, a Waterford senior majoring in Spanish with an advertising minor, won the Central Star singing competition that took place in Carey Hall's Real Food On Campus. On The Fly Productions sponsored the event.
OTF special events co-chairperson Maria Leone said Enloe won with a narrow majority of the approximately 170 votes cast.
"It was maybe five votes apart, if that," said Leone, a New Boston sophomore. "Everybody did really well. I would say it was a close call."
Enloe said she first competed in a talent show in elementary school, and still competes regularly. The day after winning Central Star, she competed in the Honors Program talent show.
"I did Central Star two years ago, and I came in second," said Enloe, a Waterford senior. "They completely revamped it. Before it was based on the audience vote. It was really a kind of popularity contest. This time around they had the people's choice, based on the audience, then they had the top three based on the judges, which I thought was cool."
Enloe was one of approximately 40 people who auditioned to compete in Central Star, of which only 10 were chosen.
"As soon as she had walked out, everybody thought she was amazing," said OTF special events co-chair Sara Kirkpatrick, who sat in on Enloe's audition.
The competition was judged by MMR president Neely Adkins, Program Board president Matt Burza and Alan Gumm, a vocal professor in the School of Music. Each competitor chose a song to perform with a live cover band.
Enloe's selection of "I'm the Only One" by Melissa Etheridge was lauded by the judges and onlookers.
"The judges gave her positive feedback, and told her it was a great song choice, and had great energy," Kirkpatrick said. "She picked a song that wasn't like anybody else's ... I felt like that was really good for her, because that made her stand out."
Enloe had an enthusiastic cheering section, including her family from Waterford, and her grandparents, who drove from Chicago to watch her perform.
More than competing, Enloe enjoyed the experience for the chance to bond with the other competitors.
"It was really fun, and I kind of forgot it was a competition, because the area we were sitting in was a lounge and we were talking about nonsense," Enloe said. "The atmosphere was really relaxed, and I made friends, so that was nice."
Along with a trophy, Enloe's victory entitles her to a one-year contract with MMR to write and record an original single with the label.
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