Carle Place 10th grader Sydney Perruzza recently put her vocal talents to the test as she competed and took home the title of Long Island Idol.
“I didn’t think I was going to win, I was waiting for someone else’s name to be called,” said Perruzza. “When they called mine I was completely shocked.”
Perruzza and her alto voice are familiar to the Carle Place community; she can often be seen in Carle Place plays (she’s currently getting ready for the student-run production of 9 to 5), and performing with the Select Chorus and at Key Club events. Though she has been singing since she was a kid, her outlook on it changed when she won Carle Place Idol in 2013.
“I really had to put myself out there,” said Perruzza. “When I won is when I started to realize I could really sing and I started to perform.”
She tried out for Long Island Idol, a singing competition for kids and teenagers, in 2013 and lost, but decided to try again this year. She sang “Stay” by Rihanna, winning in the high school category.
She shared the victory with her friends and family, who she says have been cheering her on from the start.
“It helps a lot having their support. I don’t think I would be doing it without them,” Perruzza said. “They’re there for everything and are very supportive.”
Since winning Long Island Idol, Perruzza is setting her sights on the big time.
“I’m going to try out for a singing competition like American Idol or something like that. I really want to do this in the future,” she said.
A huge musical theater fan, Perruzza loves shows such as Wicked, The Newsies and Phantom of the Opera. She said she is inspired by pop musicians such as Demi Lovato and Christina Perri.
“They’re such amazing songwriters and performers and that’s what I want to be one day,” Perruzza said.
