The fourth and final round of the “MSU Idol” competition will be held on Monday at 8 p.m. in Lee Hall auditorium. During the past three weeks at Barnes & Noble, six of the 10 competitors have been cut, leaving four MSU students to perform in the semifinals and finals, which will both be held on Monday.
The initial tryouts took place Jan. 18 in the Campus Activities Board office where each hopeful auditioned alone in front of a panel of four judges. Ten students were then selected to progress to round two, but this time with the theme of “When You Were Born,” requiring that each performer sing a tune that debuted the year of his or her birthday. The only requirement is that each contestant be an MSU student or employee.
“We had a 38-year-old student make the top eight, as well as a freshmen male make the top 10,” said CAB member Patrick Young, who is head of the event. “We opened the auditions to anyone and everyone involved with MSU.”
The second week’s theme was labeled 90s pop; the third week – a love song; and the fourth week – a song from the 70s, where Baleigh Barham, one of the final four competitors, sang and played the guitar to her rendition of Janis Joplin’s “Bobby McGee.” Barham, along with the three other finalists – Sherman Green, Daniel Gregory and Brittany Boggan – must choose a song from the catalogs of Micheal Jackson or Elvis Presley for the semifinals, where two of them will be eliminated. In the final round, it’s the singer’s choice.
Green, from Jackson, is a graduate student studying educational psychology and special education. He likes anything from R&B and gospel to hip hop and alternative music. Batesville native Boggan enjoys her share of Van Morrison, the Allman Brothers and Ben Harper. Communication and broadcasting student Gregory is originally from Murphreesboro, Tenn. He’s into the musical styles of Keane, Down Here and Among Thorns. Lastly, Barham, from Meridian, studies elementary education and admires the female voices of Aretha Franklin, Susan Tedeski (wife of Derek Trucks), Macy Gray and Joss Stone.
Aside from preparing and practicing for “MSU Idol,” Barham rolls the pizza dough at Bin 612, so if anyone has taken a bite of their spinach florentine pizza and enjoyed it, Barham is to thank. She also enjoys a jog every now and then. Barham is unsure of what she’ll sing during the semi-finals, but she’s leaning toward an Elvis hit.
“All of the people I’ve met throughout the competition have been so genuinely nice,” she said. “The entire program has been really laid back and fun.”
The winner of MSU-Idol will receive $250, a gift basket and the funds needed to audition for next year’s American Idol competition. Similar to the actual American Idol program on FOX, the winner will be selected by the audience, which will complete a ballot. In between songs, Melanie Pounds, 2006 MSU Idol, will perform, as well as Danielle Smith, Miss MSU.
The main sponsor of the show is CAB, and admission will be free. The speakers include Student Association presidential candidates Jeremy Johnson and Aaron Rice.

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Boggan