In the Feb. edition of The Green Room, there was a preview of the annual Singer of the Year Competition. As anticipated, this year’s event was filled with exceptionally talented musicians who demonstrated their love for music and passion for singing. The contest judges had the difficult decision of choosing winners for each award, including the Charles and Reta Ralph Undergraduate Scholarship; the Most Improved Award; the James McDonald Memorial Scholarship; and the highly sought after Singer of the Year Award. At the end of the day, Junior Music Major Ingrid Johnson was awarded the Singer of the Year. I was able to catch up with Ingrid and ask her a few questions about her experience and preparation for the contest.

What does winning the Singer of the Year Contest mean to you?

Ingrid: Winning Singer of the Year means a tremendous amount to me. Like many singers, I tend to focus on the negative or difficult aspects of my instrument; generally, I am not able to step back and look at the whole picture, to the extent where it becomes self-deprecating. This past year especially has been more challenging mentally, emotionally, and vocally because there have been tremendous hurdles that I have had to jump in regards to technique and musicianship. It can be frustrating as a singer because your instrument is part of you, and when something doesn't go exactly how you want it to, you blame yourself and think something is wrong.

What this really does is inhibit you further; by focusing so much on what you are not doing, you can't see what you are doing well. When you strive so hard for perfection, you lose the innate beauty and meaning of music which helps express what cannot be said on paper or in words. Navigating my need for control and perfection was not easy, and certainly has not been resolved overnight. However, I have made so much progress with Dr. Blake that seeing it rewarded was the most amazing feeling and shows me that what I am working towards is actually paying off.

What kind of preparation did you put into this performance, and how long did you prepare for?

Ingrid: Though it may seem simply like a competition, Singer of the Year is so much more. It shows a mere glimpse into the progress people have made over their various years at CSU. In this regard, I don't feel like I prepared specifically for Singer of the Year, more like I was showing people, this is where I am and how I have grown, and the preparation has been more of an accumulation of all the work I have done over the past three years.

What do you aspire to do once you graduate?

Ingrid: Currently, I am making preparations to apply for a Fulbright Scholarship/ DAAD scholarship to hopefully continue studying and performing abroad in Germany. I hope to be able to gain some professional experience after graduating and maybe after a few years consider graduate school, but where life takes me will determine that.

Who would you say has had the biggest impact or influence on your musical career? Why?

Ingrid: That's an easy question, and it is a tie between two people. The first is my voice teacher Dr. [Tiffany] Blake. I can't tell you how much she has gotten me through in the past few years, and I'm not sure she even knows it either. There have been times when I seriously have contemplated whether singing is the right path for me, and no matter what, she has always been supportive and provided me with insight and encouragement – even when I think I don't deserve it. She has also given me more opportunities than I could have ever expected and is always looking out for not only me, but for all of her other students. In the weekly one-hour lesson I have with her, she always creates a welcoming friendly space where there are no boundaries or judgment, where anything can happen.

The second [big influence] would be my mom. She is the most wonderful, supportive person in the world and I would not be where I am now without her. Originally, I was a Design and Merchandising major, because it seemed like something I wanted to do and would help me be successful. While she supported this, she saw that my true passion did not lie there, but in music. It was a part of my daily life, dominating my high school class schedule, and something that I advocated for in a volunteer group. She sat me down one day and told me to ask myself why I wasn't doing music and if I would truly be happy without it. Obviously, this had a profound effect because I am here now. My mom has come to nearly every single voice event I have been in my entire life, and I am so incredibly lucky to have her support.