SAFFORD – The final 2026 Gila Idol preliminary was held Thursday night at OneAZ Credit Union on Main Street in Safford.
The judges selected Autumn Espersen, Hunter Chamberlin and Jenny Berentine to advance to the Gila Idol finals on March 26 at the David M. Player Center for the Arts.
Chamberlin and Berentine have been in the finals before but Espersen is a first-time performer – not just for the Gila Idol competition but this was her first time singing solo in front of an audience. She said that she has sung in choirs before but she has never sang solo in front of an audience before.
“I’m so excited,” Espsersen told Gila Valley Central. “I’ve never had this opportunity before, and this is like a dream come true.”
Berentine was scheduled to perform last week but was in an automobile accident and was unable to attend the preliminary at Manor 415.
“I kind of thought that I wasn’t going to get in this time,” Berentine told Gila Valley Central, “Because things just kept happening. But I’m really excited.”
Tiffany Aaron and Traci Finn were selected for Callback night, which will take place on Thursday, March 12 at the Graham County Chamber of Commerce. Moriah Parrish was selected as an alternate. The week before the finals, the public will have the opportunity to vote on the alternates and the winner will take the final spot for the finals.
