Contestent Bios'

2014 Englewood's Got Talent ~ The Contestants

Name	Connection to Englewood	When have you performed on stage before?	Whose “talent” do you admire? WHY?	Do you have aspirations of becoming a professional entertainer? What are you doing now to help you achieve this goal?	Is there anyone you would you like to thank for your success/talent?	Anything else? (SOMETHING QUIRKY!)
Myshya Spencer 18	I live and go to school in Englewood. I’m a senior at Dwight Morrow high school.	I was a finalist in the last two years of Englewood Idol, I also participated in school musicals.	I admire Melanie Sunga talent. She is so talented and driven.	I just want to sing!!
Omarr Kaba 16	I live in and go to school in Englewood, New Jersey. I attend the Academies @ Englewood in Englewood. I am in the 11th grade. I am in the Finance Academy.	I have performed on the Bergen Pac stage three times before; twice in the Dwight Morrow Marching Band and once in a choir behind Kenny Rodgers. I have also performed on stage at my school for Black History Month Assemblies. I was also in a play that was performed on the High School stage when I was in Middle School.	I admire the talents of Chris Brown, Tori Kelly, Amber Riley and Naya Rivera because they have amazing voices and are very charismatic. I also admire the talents of all of my fellow EGT contestants.	Yes, I have aspirations for becoming a professional entertainer. In order to help achieve my goal, I am partaking in lots of opportunities to showcase my voice, like EGT.	I would like to thank God for blessing me with my talent. I would also like to thank my mom and the rest of my family for their support towards me as I chase my dreams. I would also like to thank my friends for encouraging me to audition for EGT.	I also love to dance, act, play drums and make others laugh. I’m obsessed with music. I’m 6’4. I’m very soft-spoken at random times.
Zishan Huang 38	I teach kindergarten Mandarin at Quarles.	I perform dances since I was seven in different auditoriums in China, such as the stage in my former workplace, in Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Guangzhou, and in my elementary school to high school. I also participated in several dance competitions as a team in China. The last time I perform a Mongolia dance in the auditorium at DMHS was in March 10 2013 for the Chinese New Year Celebration.	Singing. Because I am not good at singing.	When I was young I was dreaming of becoming a dancer but my parents told me that dance should be my interest but not do it as a career and I had to follow my parent’s directions. But now I think they are right.	I am very thankful for my parents to help me make this decision that I want to learn dance. I loved to move a lot and not sit still and I love listening to music and dance when I was young. I have great passion in dancing and I will not be tired when I dance. I had such a great time in practicing and performing in different places. Because of the performance and competitions I had the chances to visit a lot of places with my team.
Raheem 17	I go to Dwight morrow highschool I am in 11th grade.	I have performed in a few school events and a few outside of school. I performed with a few friends this year for the black history month assembly for school. I did it my freshman and sophomore year as well.	I admire Rod Dyrdek’s talent. From his skateboarding to his business he established. He is just a smart person with many talents and put them all to use. I admire how he does business how he thinks and how he stays humble and gives back.	Yes I do, I am doing a lot to achieve this. I am in a group with a few friends in school and we’re making shirts, coming out with a lot of new music so people can get the feel of us then try to take off with everything else. Clothing lines, music, tours etc.	I would like to thank my mom for supporting me with my music, my father was once a musician he played guitar so I would like to thank him for the music genes. I would also like to thank my friend taurean for helping me through rough time and giving me a different perspective on music, including mine.
Natalie Saldarriaga 17	I live and go to school in Englewood.	I just performed at Englewood Idol in January!!	I admire Amy Winehouse and Solange for their beautiful unique music.	I want to continue to sing for the rest of my life. I’m just having fun being able to participate in talent shows such as Idol and Englewood’s Got Talent.	I would like to thank my family for the support and thank them for not killing me for singing loud in the house all day long.	I can’t wait for April 4th! It’s going to be so much fun.
Jennifer Donnelly 36	I am a teacher in the Englewood Public School District. I have taught in Englewood since 2001. I am currently teaching Kindergarten at Quarles, however, I have taught grades 3-5, as well. I grew up in Englewood and went through the entire school system from Kindergarten at Lincoln School up through graduating from Dwight Morrow High School in 1995. My family had lived in Englewood since the early 1900s and although no one is currently living here, I will always consider Englewood my home.	I have performed at various talent shows, open mikes, and coffee houses throughout high school and college. My most noteworthy performance was at Amateur Night at the Apollo. It was such an amazing night. I didn’t win, but most importantly, I didn’t get booed off the stage!	I grew up listening to Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, and Whitney Houston. I always aspired to sing with such heart and soul. More recently, I love listening to Alicia Keys, Adele, Jazzmine Sullivan, and John Legend. I can listen to them for hours on end. Their passion always comes through when they sing.	I am currently not pursuing a career as a professional entertainer. I simply love to sing and will continue to whenever I have the chance. I love being an educator and that is the career I plan to continue right now.	I want to thank my brother, Alex. We have been singing and performing together since before we could walk or talk. Through the years, we would reminisce about old duets we used to sing and it always took me back to a special place and time. He has always been my most honest and faithful supporter and I am very lucky to have him by my side.	When I was pregnant with my daughter, Tala, I used to sing to her all the time. Since she was born, I’ve continued to sing to her to make her laugh or calm her down. She can’t talk yet, but I’m convinced that she tries to sing along and “out-perform” me. Hopefully, we’ll see her singing at Englewood’s Got Talent in a few years!
Arabelle Luke 22	I was born and raised in Englewood. I also live and work in Englewood as a substitute teacher.	As a former A@E student, I have performed in a number of musicals in High School and I was a recurring contestant of Englewood Idol. Attending Rutgers University, I was a part of the Livingston Theatre Company and was cast in Rent. Tommy, and Hairspray. I was also part of Rutgers University’s only all female a cappella group Shock Wave. With them, I performed at a number of campus events and with Varsity Vocals International Championship of Collegiate A cappella (ICCAs). I also performed at the fireworks on Dwight Morrow campus this past 4th of July celebration.	I really admire Justin Timberlake as an artist overall. Not only is he an electrifying performer and skilled singer, he is a thoughtful producer and a fellow beat boxer! Seeing the way he utilizes all of his talents to make music and give incredible performances gives me something to strive for. I also admire a beat boxer named Butterscotch. She is so creative with her voice and percussion and she stands out in the beat boxing world despite the fact that most beat boxers are men.	I do have aspirations to become a professional entertainer. At the moment, I am taking singing classes, writing, and practicing beat boxing. I go to events in the city to see other people perform. Most of all I am meeting and collaborating with other artists I meet in the area. With their input, I will be coming up with some original material to showcase.	I wouldn’t be anywhere if it were not for the support of my family and friends. You guys have the patience to listen to my passionate musical outbursts and are not afraid to express your honest feedback. It would be impossible for me to learn, grow, and improve without those things.
Jasmine Epps 25	Lives in Englewood NJ attend Ebenezer Baptist Church with Pastor Jovan Davis. Works at Janis Dismus Middle School.	My last performance on stage was at my high school in a cast for dream girls and it was AWESOME enjoyed it felt it and I knew this is where I was meant to be in stage.	Growing up I always admired the late Whitney Houston. Her voice is just something beyond lol i just so want to be like her. Soft but yet commands to be notice I loved that about her.	I do want to take my singings career to the next level I have been writing music, attending auditions, doing events, and just making a name for myself and putting myself out there.	First and formost my lord and savor jesus Christ he blessed me with this wonderful gift and I am forever grateful secondly my mother for helping get start in the choir in supporting me n all I do. Friends, family, EBC of Englewood, And DJ KP Block
Melanie Sunga 16	I live in Englewood. I work for Ms. Aronson. x) I worship at St. Cecilia’s in Englewood. I go to school at Dwight Morrow High School/Academies @ Englewood. I’m a junior at A@E.	Englewood Idol 2012: I was a semi-finalist. Englewood Idol 2013: I was an accompanist. Englewood Idol 2014: I was a finalist. I’ve also performed at school events in the auditorium and cafeteria.	I admire Demi Lovato’s talents because I’ve watched her grow as a performer since she was in Barney. All she does is get better and better. I want to be able to be as successful as she is. She has a way to connect with her audience through the struggles she’s been through. She’s a real artist, which I want to be.	Yes, I do aspire to be a professional performer. I am trying my best to get involved in everything to showcase my musical abilities, both performing and production.	I want to thank Ms. Aronson and my supporters for believing in me. Also, I’d love to thank my parents for giving birth to me. Haha. Lastly, I’d love to thank whoever brought be down. They’ve only made me stronger as a person and performer.	I dye my hair a lot. I’m thinking of asking Ms. Aronson to give me community service hours for the work I’ve done. LOL. I get SUPER nervous before performing EVERY TIME. I feel like I’ll faint. I love having both perspectives of a contestant and musical director. It balances my outlook behind the curtains and infront.
Shayna Condé 21	I attend church in Englewood through Metro Community Church.	I have been performing on stage since 5th grade. I started writing and performing spoken word in 8th grade and have been a participant in state wide and national Fine Arts competitions since 8th grade for my writing and showmanship. I have also worked in several musicals as an actress and as stage crew.	I admire the talent of fashion designers Zuhair Murad and the late Alexander McQueen. Although their styles are similar in their surrealist approach to fashion, what inspires me most is that they are the first, and only, designers to give me an emotional response their work. Fashion design has been an art form that is very close to my heart since high school and I only hope that one day might create something that will inspire the artist in someone else. As far as writers go, William Shakespeare and George R.R. Martin are my favorite classical and contemporary writers because of their fearlessness and the unapologetic nature of their craft. Shakespeare was one of the first of his time playwrights to play with the scansion of the traditional form of iambic pentameter. Not only that, but his works became the archetype for countless works after him. Martin, from some of his first works in Dreamsongs I and II all the way through to the filming of his internationally acclaimed series Game of Thrones, has dedicated both the mountains and valleys of his career to the integrity of his work. As a contemporary writer, his work ethic is more than commendable and the story of his career is an inspiration.	I don’t know exactly what I want to do with my life but I know that I love the stage and I love writing. I wouldn’t say that I want to be an “entertainer” because I don’t want to entertain people; I want to make people think through my artistry, to make people uncomfortable. I would love to do that for a living, not necessarily entertain people. Right now I am in college studying English (creative writing) and Music Industry with a minor in Musical Theatre. I am giving more than 100% of myself to each of these areas of my life right now and trying to get as much out of my professors as possible before I graduate. Other than attending as many spoken word and poetry events as possible, nothing else is in my hands.	As cliqued as it is, I want to thank God, the Father, for my talents, first and foremost. All of my spoken word and part of my poetry are about and/or inspired by scripture. I give my praise and credit to where it is due and it all comes from Him. I, also, would like to thank my mom, Andrea Robinson-Frias, for always believing in and reinforcing the writer in me since I was too young to remember. I love you, Mama Dearest. Finally, since artists inspire artists, I want to thank my church community of Metro. Thanks for giving me an opportunity to share my work with you before anyone else and for creating a constructive and uplifting house of worship for my art and the artistry of countless others.	Be careful when you meet an artist: there’s a 50% chance they’re enlightening and hilarious and the most interesting person you’ll ever meet and a 50% chance they just left the asylum.

Click to return to home page.