MORENCI — Greenlee County will be well represented in the 2023 Gila Idol finals, following Thursday’s performances.
Judges selected Paityn Mattice, Margarita Aguilera and Bella Campbell as finalists at the preliminary at the Morenci Club.
Mattice, who performed the song “All I Ask,” was originally scheduled to perform in the first preliminary Jan. 26, but had to delay due to a tonsillectomy.
“It felt good,” Mattice said. “I didn’t have a lot of practice, so I was a little nervous, but I think, overall, it went pretty good.”
A last-minute judge’s substitution meant that Campbell, who performed the song “Hallelujah,” was singing in front of her mother, Theresa Campbell, who won the 2009 Gila Idol competition.
“My mom’s on stage, but there’s also the fact that she did win, so then I feel like I have to measure up to that,” Bella said.
Like Mattice and Campbell, Aguilera is making a return trip to the finals. She said she was happy with the judges’ feedback following her performance of “A Million Reasons.”
“It really surprised me how much they gave back,” Aguilera said. “I didn’t expect them to say how much my voice matured.”
Two singers will get another chance at making the finals, when they perform at call back night at the Graham County Chamber of Commerce on March 9. They are Blanca Macario, who performed “Talking to the Moon”; and Kienna Van Shaar, who performed “It’s Always Been You.”
The judges also selected one alternate, Mariah Selby, who sang “Always Remember Us This Way.” An alternate will be selected at each preliminary and, in the week before the finals, the public will vote on the performances on GilaValleyCentral.net. The top vote-getter will become a finalist.
Judges were Theresa Campbell, who also performed “You Say”; 2016 Gila Idol winner Olivia Jeffs, who opened the night with a performance of the song, “Bluebird”; and 2017 winner Darryn Kamae.
All of Thursday’s performances can be viewed at Gila Idol 2023 | GilaValleyCentral.Net.
The next preliminary will take place Thursday, March 2, at 6:30 p.m. at the Manor House 415 Event Center.
The winner of the March 23 finals at the David M. Player Center for the Arts will receive $2,000 in cash. Tickets for the finals can be purchased at Gila Idol 2023 Tickets in Safford, AZ, United States (ticketleap.com).
Sponsors for 2023 Gila Idol include Valley Telecom Group; Mack’s NAPA Auto Parts; Richard’s Music Co.; the Double R Bar and Grill; Freeport-McMoRan; Valley Furniture and Appliance; Tyson Richins – Edward Jones Investments; Swire Coca-Cola; Trophies ‘N Tees; Advanced Air Systems; and the Double R Communications family of radio stations, Kat Kountry 94.5 FM, Sunny 102.3 FM and KATO 1230 AM.
