Nanaimo teenager Lauren Spencer-Smith鈥檚 career has taken giant steps in recent months, thanks to a viral hit, an appearance on U.S. network television and a Juno Award nomination.
It鈥檚 about to get even better. On聽Sunday, the 16-year-old singer-songwriter will appear before judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie on American Idol, with a ticket to Hollywood on the line.
If her versions of songs by Lady Gaga and Pink are successful, she will inch closer to the biggest door-opening opportunity of her life.
鈥淚 honestly loved it. It was amazing,鈥� Spencer-Smith said of her audition, which she recorded in November. 鈥淭he atmosphere there was so positive.鈥�
Although she can鈥檛 discuss the outcome 鈥� American Idol has tight confidentiality agreements with its participants, forbidding them from revealing any details 鈥� the Grade 11 student at Dover Bay Secondary School is ready for viewers to see what she can do on stage.
Spencer-Smith is already well ahead of her competition. In November, she bypassed American Idol鈥檚 early-audition cattle-call, where hopefuls from across North America perform in front of the show鈥檚 producers, and joined those who made the cut for a regional audition in Sunriver, Oregon.
鈥淚 actually had a casting director reach out to me,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey have a team of people that go out and find artists. They don鈥檛 just wait for artists to come to the show. A lot of people go to open calls. I didn鈥檛 go to any of that. I just sang straight in front of the judges.鈥�
During her two-day Oregon shoot, Spencer-Smith said, she got to know some of her fellow contestants, many of whom were several years older than her. 鈥淲e all made friendships within seconds, just because everyone shares a love for music. That connection with everyone was instant.鈥�
It started with a cellphone video of her singing Lady Gaga鈥檚 Always Remember Us This Way 鈥� which she also sang during her American Idol audition 鈥� with her dad in a truck that went viral on Facebook last March, eventually amassing more than 20 million views on Facebook.
That led to an appearance on comedian Steve Harvey鈥檚 daytime talk show in May, which prompted the Family Feud host to quip: 鈥淎 voice like this at 15 years old? This a bad girl right here.鈥�
Then on Jan. 28, she received her first Juno Award nomination. Her independent album Unplugged Vol. 1, recorded live on July 27 during a concert at Nanaimo鈥檚 Port Theatre, earned a nod for adult contemporary album of the year 鈥� for which she will compete with the likes of Bryan Adams.
Asked if she would attend the Juno ceremony in Saskatoon on March 15, Spencer-Smith said, somewhat cryptically, that she 鈥渨asn鈥檛 sure.鈥� Perhaps a conflict of interest, where future American Idol activity is concerned? Spencer-Smith declined to answer.
She was more clear on where she would be a little more than a year from now, however.
Asked if Nanaimo would be her home base after she graduates from high school in 2021, she said 鈥渄efinitely not.鈥�
鈥淚 want to live in L.A. I鈥檝e wanted to live in L.A. since I was eight, honestly. I have worked with people in L.A., so it would be great to be around them. But I鈥檓 not going down there specifically for anyone. I鈥檓 going down there for myself. That鈥檚 where I want to be.鈥�
She is planning to graduate from Dover Bay one semester early next year, but won鈥檛 be able to move south right away, as she doesn鈥檛 turn 18 until months later. 鈥淵ou have to be 18 to live on your own鈥� in the U.S., she said. 鈥淚f I was 18, I would be there the day after I graduate. I鈥檇 be out of here.鈥�
Spencer-Smith has had the support of her teachers and classmates as she pursues her journey. The native of Portsmouth, England, has been singing since she was three; by six, she was performing at elementary school talent shows.
Those familiar with Spencer-Smith would not be surprised at her rising career, given that she joined country star Keith Urban on stage at Duncan鈥檚 Sunfest Country Music Festival in 2015, when she was just 11.
鈥淢ost of my teachers are pretty supportive. I鈥檝e had a few who weren鈥檛 on board, until I started actually doing it. Then they were on board because it has been a lot of hard work since I was a kid, working toward this. It doesn鈥檛 just fall into place. But so many exciting things are all happening at once.鈥�
American Idol airs at 8 p.m. Sunday on ABC.
