The Audition

This weekend I auditioned for a TV show called "America's Got Talent." Normally, I would never in a zillion years do something like this. Why? Because those shows are not for good singers. They are for phenomenally gifted singers. So why bother?
But one of the show's casting agents asked me if I would send her a non-band video of me singing. I recorded a few things and didn't think any of them were very good, so I kept putting it off until the casting agent demanded I send her one. She told me she ran it by the producers and they wanted me to come in for a private audition.
Srsly, the video was ridiculous. Emo  Kari playing a Jewel cover in her bathroom. I was almost embarrassed to send it.
So I figured I had to do it if I was being asked and was skirting the open call auditions.
So last Saturday I threw on a flannel shirt, my ripped jeans and chucks and headed to this hotel downtown where they were doing the auditions.
They were running behind so I had a half hour to wander around. I found this gorgeous grand piano and used it to warm up.
Outside the audition room was like a circus. There were break dancing troupes doing backflips and people riding unicycles and playing bagpipes and belly dancers and drum circles.
I was the only singer in the group but I'm curious how one can judge if like I'm a better at singing than that guy over there is at juggling. Apples to oranges.
Anyway,  I get called in to this giant ballroom where there is a 3X3 peice of hardwood flooring in the center of the room. There's a panel of 5 producers and a camera behind them.
The producer tells me that I'll sing first and then they'll ask me some questions.
So I start singing  (Criminal- Fiona Apple) and I was happy with how pretty the room's acoustics were making me sound. Then my voice started shaking a little and after that I was super paranoid about being nervous and they were staring emotionless at me. So I made sure to look at each of them in the eyes and smile and be as flirty as humanly possible while singing.
After it was over they clapped, which I thought was odd. Normally no one claps at an audition.
They asked me about where I was from and what I did for a living. They asked if I was nervous and I said a little because I'm used to loud crazy rock shows and this was certainly different. They asked if I got nervous on stage. I said it is much easier singing for a crowd of people than for a few.
They asked me if I would be available for the show's filming in a few weeks. I said I thought I could manage taking a few days off to film a show.
Then that was it, they said to reach out to the casting agent if I didn't hear from them soon.
The super hot guy who escorted me back to the lobby said I did a really great job and had a great voice.
And then I put my Aviators on and walked home.
bizarre day.
Not expecting to get a call back but kinda hoping I do. Would be a very welcome boost of vocal confidence in a time when I need it most.
I swear, I'm having the weirdest month...