The search for Glen Cove Downtown Business Improvement District’s (B.I.D.) Teen Idol is happening now.
The second annual Downtown Sounds Teen Idol vocal contest, which began on July 7, features four contestants aged 13 to 18 from the Gold Coast area. Every Friday at 7 p.m. before the Downtown Sounds concert series attendees are treated to four performances as each contestants takes the stage to perform.
This year’s contestants are Tatiana Andino-Mendez, a 17 year old student from Glen Cove High School, Charlotte Dilgard-Clark, a 14 year old from Glen Cove’s Robert M. Finely Middle School, Stasia Kulpa, a 16 year old student at Our Lady of Mercy Academy, and Tammy Pattugalan, a 17 year old from Our Lady of Mercy Academy.
A panel of judges decides who will move on to the next week. Along with the judges each week audience members are encouraged to help by voting for who they believe should be this year’s Teen Idol.
Our rotating panel of judges includes musicians, composers, and other talented figures in the industry. One judge, Lou-Ann Thompson is a local singer-songwriter and manager of Glen Floors. Another, Teddy Christman is the Artistic Director of the Christman Opera and Performing Arts Coordinator at DDI Company as well as a pianist, composer, vocal coach. John Gatto is a producer/guitarist and original member of the original Good Rats, who were signed to Warner Brothers and toured all over the world. Mark Newman is a songwriter and guitarist who has performed with artists including Sam Moore, John Oates, Jim McCarty and Bobby Whitlock.
“The Downtown Sounds Teen Idol contest has been an excellent way to showcase our local teens, and it’s also a lot of fun,” said Jill Nossa, executive director of the Glen Cove Downtown BID. “The participants are so supportive of each other, and the community is really into it again this year. It’s great to see a lot of younger people and families come downtown and cheer on the contestants.”
The first week of the competition saw all four girls compete; after a minor audio issue, all the contestants were invited back the next week to perform. The contest continued July 21 as Andino-Mendez, Kulpa, and Pattugalan performed. On Friday, July 28 at 7 p.m. the final two contestants will compete to see who will be 2023’s Teen Idol.
The winner of the Teen Idol Contest will perform at the August 4 Downtown Sounds concert and sing the National Anthem at Glen Cove’s National Night Out on August 1.
