SAFFORD — OneAZ Credit Union was packed with singers and supporters Thursday, for the most recent Gila Valley Idol 2022 preliminary.
Advancing to the finals was Tyler King, of Globe, who performs on weekends in the Phoenix area with the band Plain Jane. She said Thursday’s a cappella performance was “a little different” from performing with her band.
“You know, it’s a competition, so it adds a little bit more of a feeling to it. It’s just exciting and you’re just kind of naked up there,” she said.
King sang “Can We Talk,” while fellow finalist Brianna Richins sang “Only Love.” Richins qualified for the finals in 2020, only to have to wait until 2021 due to the pandemic. She said coming back for another try made her nervous to start.
“Once I started singing, it got better for sure,” Richins said.
The third person the judges decided to advance to the finals was Savanna Clonts, who sang “Talking to the Moon.”
“You can’t sing anything that’s too subtle; you have to pick something that doesn’t really need a background to it, that just brings it all with the song (and) with the lyrics itself,” Clonts said.
Selected to perform again at the call-back night, March 10 at the Graham County Chamber of Commerce, was Kristine Marchione, who sang “Girl Crush,” and Kirana Reed, who sang “Safe and Sound.”
Tanner Johnson, who sang “Ain’t No Sunshine,” was selected as an alternate. One alternate will be selected at each of the six preliminaries, and one of those six will move into the finals based on voting by the public on GilaValleyCentral.net.
Judges for the second preliminary were 2007 winner Molly Dobell, who also performed “How Do I get You Alone”; 2008 Gila Valley Idol winner Adam Crohn; and 2012 winner Ethan McBride, who performed “Feeling Good.”
Also performing was the Gila Valley Chorale, under the direction of McBride.
Performances can be viewed at Gila Idol 2022 OneAZ Credit Union | GilaValleyCentral.Net and on the Kat Kountry Facebook page.
The next preliminary will take place Thursday, March 3, at 6:30 p.m., at Safford Bowl.
The finals will take place March 24 at the David M. Player Center for the Arts, and tickets can be purchased at Gila Idol 2022 Tickets in Safford, AZ, United States (ticketleap.com).
Sponsors of Gila Valley Idol include: Valley Telecom; OneAZ Credit Union; The Stadium Club; Freeport-McMoRan; Richard’s Music; The Double R Grill; Valley Furniture and Appliance; Tyson Richins-Edward Jones Investments; Swire Coca-Cola; Trophies ‘N Tees; and Double R Communications stations Kat Kountry 94.5 FM, Sunny 102.3 FM and KATO Am 1230.
