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The heat is on
Updated: Friday, July 31, 2009
Three singers compete in Colgate Country Showdown’s local final
MYRTLE POINT — It’s been an original year for the Colgate Country Showdown.
At every stage of the local competition, there’s been more original music than ever before.
That trend will culminate Saturday, when for the first time a local final will feature three contestants who have original songs — Trevor Berrian, Melanie Mullins and Micah Langley, all of North Bend.
When Langley performs his “Fall Into Me,” he’ll be the 10th competitor this year to do an original song. Mullins has done a couple of originals, while nearly all of Berrian’s songs have been his own.
In the first of two local finals, held Wednesday at the Coos County Fair, Clint Guevara was the only contestant to perform original songs.
Berrian was looking forward to having more competition in the songwriting category, in which contestants can earn up to three bonus points. (There’s a 10-point scale for the five regular categories — marketability, vocal/instrumental ability, originality, stage presence and talent.)
“They’re both great performers,” Berrian said of Mullins and Langley. “It will be a good show.”
Berrian, 18, planned to repeat a couple of his songs, including “Take Me Back,” which he did Tuesday for the second time in the competition. The first-time contestant was happy with his performance Tuesday, when judges chose the finalists.
“It sounded good to me on stage, so it gave me more energy,” he said.
Mullins, 23, found her inspiration in a different source: her 31⁄2-year-old daughter, Lily.
“It was so fun because Lily was in the front row waving at me the whole time,” Mullins said. “For the first time the other day, she told me to turn up the music when I was singing to her, so that made me feel good.”
Mullins, who reached the local final two years ago, said she was glad to be placed in the Saturday group for two reasons: so that her husband, Brian, could attend and she’ll have more time to figure out what to sing. She wasn’t sure whether one of her original songs would make the set because she didn’t have the music recorded and can’t bring a piano to the fair.
Another plus her in the Saturday group is the competition: “I absolutely love Trevor and Micah,” she said.
Langley, 20, returned the compliment.
“It feels good to finally make the finals,” he said. “But Melanie and Trevor are both good, so I’m still nervous.”
Though he’s been writing songs since his early teens, this will be the first time Langley will perform an original. He said his songwriting skills improved while he lived in Eugene with several musical roommates.
He’s also shown growth as a performer this year.
“I think my confidence is higher now than it has been before,” he said. “I feel my stage presence was lacking in previous years, so I understand (being eliminated).”
The change has caught the attention of showdown viewers, especially those who perform themselves. Bay Area Teen Idol contestant Star Moralez, who watched Tuesday’s show from a nearby food booth where she was working, gave her prediction.
“Micah’s the best,” she said.
MYRTLE POINT — It’s been an original year for the Colgate Country Showdown.
At every stage of the local competition, there’s been more original music than ever before.
That trend will culminate Saturday, when for the first time a local final will feature three contestants who have original songs — Trevor Berrian, Melanie Mullins and Micah Langley, all of North Bend.
When Langley performs his “Fall Into Me,” he’ll be the 10th competitor this year to do an original song. Mullins has done a couple of originals, while nearly all of Berrian’s songs have been his own.
In the first of two local finals, held Wednesday at the Coos County Fair, Clint Guevara was the only contestant to perform original songs.
Berrian was looking forward to having more competition in the songwriting category, in which contestants can earn up to three bonus points. (There’s a 10-point scale for the five regular categories — marketability, vocal/instrumental ability, originality, stage presence and talent.)
“They’re both great performers,” Berrian said of Mullins and Langley. “It will be a good show.”
Berrian, 18, planned to repeat a couple of his songs, including “Take Me Back,” which he did Tuesday for the second time in the competition. The first-time contestant was happy with his performance Tuesday, when judges chose the finalists.
“It sounded good to me on stage, so it gave me more energy,” he said.
Mullins, 23, found her inspiration in a different source: her 31⁄2-year-old daughter, Lily.
“It was so fun because Lily was in the front row waving at me the whole time,” Mullins said. “For the first time the other day, she told me to turn up the music when I was singing to her, so that made me feel good.”
Mullins, who reached the local final two years ago, said she was glad to be placed in the Saturday group for two reasons: so that her husband, Brian, could attend and she’ll have more time to figure out what to sing. She wasn’t sure whether one of her original songs would make the set because she didn’t have the music recorded and can’t bring a piano to the fair.
Another plus her in the Saturday group is the competition: “I absolutely love Trevor and Micah,” she said.
Langley, 20, returned the compliment.
“It feels good to finally make the finals,” he said. “But Melanie and Trevor are both good, so I’m still nervous.”
Though he’s been writing songs since his early teens, this will be the first time Langley will perform an original. He said his songwriting skills improved while he lived in Eugene with several musical roommates.
He’s also shown growth as a performer this year.
“I think my confidence is higher now than it has been before,” he said. “I feel my stage presence was lacking in previous years, so I understand (being eliminated).”
The change has caught the attention of showdown viewers, especially those who perform themselves. Bay Area Teen Idol contestant Star Moralez, who watched Tuesday’s show from a nearby food booth where she was working, gave her prediction.
“Micah’s the best,” she said.
Local final
Colgate Country Showdown
Coos County Fair
Date: Saturday
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Colgate Country Showdown
Coos County Fair
Date: Saturday
Time: 1:30 p.m.
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