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I actually got up at 4:00 a.m., drove to LA, stood in an outrageously long line, and signed up. Am I selling out? Put it this way, I love Simon Cowell. He can be a righteous prick, but I love that about him. Of course, I won't get anywhere near Simon because he won't be here for the cattle call. There were plenty of moments where I asked if I had lost my damned mind. But I was there, so I may as well go through with it.

What is it like to stand in a ridiculously long line that makes Disney's Splash Mountain look like a few peeps at the liquor store? Not as bad as I thought. I brought two paperbacks with me, but of course, I wound up yacking with the people in front of me the whole time.

So four hours later, I have a wristband and a ticket for tomorrow. I'm going back and forth about whether I should bring my top hat and cane tomorrow because they tell you to dress your best and stand out as much as possible, but then you read between the lines they say don't look like an idiot. I can sing, which means I can pull off my quirky wear. After all, I've never blended in with the crowd. I've been accosted by "What Not to Wear" scouts more times than I'd like to admit, I mean, some have even begged me to be on the show. I'm an entertainer, I'm not supposed to look normal!

I will probably get up at 2 a.m. and get there by 3 because one of the guards told me people had been arriving since midnight. Three a.m. is a good time, I think.

I'm full of fire and brimstone at the moment, I feel like I could go into a boxing ring and knock out a few people with no gloves, my voice is in mint condition. Tomorrow I will go submit myself to competing against thousands of people who may sound just as good or better than me, plus a lot of "are you kidding me?" kooks.

What it all comes down to, if you're what they're looking for.

Then and only then will I face "The Simon."

Chaeya

Knock 'em dead!

I am totally unfamiliar with X Factor.

But I'll be saying a little prayer for you to do your best as it sounds like something you really want to do..


Break a leg lady !

HELL YEA GO FOR IT AND DON"T LOOK BACK!!!

WELL

look all around and enjoy every moment.

Got my vote, stop talking and just do it.

Thanks guys!

Simon Cowell left American Idol and he now has his own talent show coming up on the Fox Channel called "X Factor."

The cool thing about Simon is he has no age limit, so us "older people" can try out. The minimum age is 12. You have to sing acapella, no music of any kind.

In case any of yous are interested, here's the audition schedule:

Miami - April 7th
New York/NJ - April 14th
Seattle - April 20th
Chicago - April 27th
Dallas - May 26th

It's best to register online, plus you'll have to go one day before and get your wristband and ticket to audition.

Chaeya

You can register here: http://thexfactor.blogs.fox.com/2011/03 ... ion-forms/

Good Luck and don't forget to have fun !!!!

Well, you know you got my vote.

Best let you handle it.


I can't sing for crap ...

sanshouheil wrote:Best let you handle it.


I can't sing for crap ...

Why anyone would sing for Crap, even to fertilize flowers, is beyond me but to each their own.

But I know who i will vote for!!!

Go CHAEYA Go, Go CHAEYA Go!

Everyone is on your side lady. JUST DO IT!!




Still gonna remember us, when you're famous?

Okay, guys, been busy the past few days but I blogged about my entire experience:

So occasionally I get these little insane moments where I actually think I could audition for something which would be aired during prime time television. This is exactly what happened when one of my friends urged me to try out for Simon Cowell's "X Factor" show coming this Fall. At first my reaction was a sniff then a smirk. Then later I thought, hmmm, maybe I might get picked. Of course, that little voice in the back of my mind is laughing at me, no gentle cautions, no "go get 'em" siss boom bahs like I get whenever I feel an epic win coming my way. Just laughter.

Still, I wake up at 4 a.m. on the Saturday to go get my wristband at the LA Sports Arena. Even at 4:45 a.m. the line is ridiculously long. I would take a moment and urge people that if they want to do something like this, it is well worth it to get there as early as possible, and I'll tell you why in a little bit.

I got there early enough to where I had my wristband by 10:26 a.m. and I was back home, snug as a bug and in bed in Huntington Beach. There was no turning back at that point. I'd just spent approximately $6 in gas money to go there and back as well as spent four hours of my time waiting in a line feeling like a cow as we were sheparded along. Yep, gotta go through with it. So I wake up at 2 a.m. and I hit the road by 3. I was dressed in my signature Victorian borderline steampunk threads, complete with top hat. That's me, always has been.

When I got there, I got up front, which didn't mean anything since I had my ticket as my placenumber, but still I wanted to get in early so I could sit. Looking at all the hopefuls I realized that I fit right in the middle of "US Standard Picture of Normal" and "Nutty." News people from Fox to ET were scouring the lines interviewing people. They tell you to pump it up and act like a starving dog after his own pile of poop. At the same time, they tell you to act like a star. Honestly, don't most stars act like they don't want to be bothered? And I didn't want to deal with any stupid questions like "why are you here?" Not then anyway. Many people who have been in the business for any certain length of time simply wants to come and when it's time to audition, they turn it on like a light bulb. That's me. I'm a performer, an entertainer, I've had my share of hard times like pretty much every musician on this planet, so I don't really want to go into the hell that is my life on camera or act like a goofball. It's a $5 Million contract, no explanation needed.

The bad thing about something as mega as X Factor is standing in line. It's the worst waiting you'll ever do in your life. The good thing about this is you tend to meet some really nice people. I'm competitive, but not to the point where I can't meet and wish some good lucks to some other hopefuls. So for the experience alone, I say try this at least once in your life. Kick yourself later. (Note: wear comfortable shoes and stop at 7/11 or somewhere for snacks - This place made a killing on their $5 coffee, churros, muffins, lemonade, everything was $5.) The lady next to me bought a coffee, a water and a muffin and she was out of $12.

So I got there at 3:45 a.m. and after much standing in line (in the light, misty rain), reading my paperback I brought, we were finally let into the arena at about 10:30 a.m. Inside the seating was comfortable and I had a pretty good seat, but I did wish I had gotten there around 2 or 3 in the morning the day to get my wristband.

There were 24 stalls where a producer sat with an assistant. They called people by sections. And you could tell these people knew exactly what they wanted because they moved the crowd pretty quick. Of course, you saw plenty of the nutjobs get passes to the next level, I mean just imagine the absolute whackiest, nonsingingest or horriblesingingest band of loonies this side of the Pacific. They make good television though, so I can't fault them for that. And since Simon doesn't have an age limit, they made sure to have a number of elderly people get their golden tickets, that's so us people in our prime can't bitch and complain later that we were left out. You can bet at least one will wind up on the show.

Five hours I sat through the mostly young and the middle aged contestants. Almost every woman fired off bellowing ballads in the vein of Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Hudson. There were a few voices I couldn't hear at all, but they were pretty and they looked television-worthy so they got their gold slips. Then there were a few who wore sparkly dresses that got through. I heard quite a few opera singers and they were let through.

I had gotten quite a bit of attention out on the pavement. I got my photo taken quite a bit, was asked about being the next X Factor despite my hiding in my book. I get quite a bit of attention everywhere I go, but then there's that little voice going, "ain't gonna happen."

This is not being negative, my little voice has helped me quite a bit through the years, and it's never steered me wrong. And I would have listened to it had I not invested so much time. If life has taught me one thing, it's taught me that some of us, some people just don't know what to do with them. That's been my story pretty much my entire career in music. We love you, but we don't know what to do with you.

However, I march onwards, and my section is finally called at about 5:20 p.m. I'm tired and I have a raging headache, but the show must go on. My make up is good, I put a smile on my face. I wish everyone down the line I passed good luck, and I meant it. Now, here is where I tell you to come early. You'll get seen early. By the time I went up, the golden slips that were being thrown about like confetti early on, began to dwindle. The producers as far as I can see haven't even had a break albeit to go to the bathroom. But then, neither have we. So by all means, be that idiot you say you'll never be like and show up at midnight.

I get up to booth no. 7. What do you know, seven is my lucky number. I enter and there's a middle aged guy there with his assistant. He asks me my name and how old I am. I must have flinched because he said "don't worry, there's no age limit here." I get asked why I want to be on X Factor. I tell him the truth, I've been singing a long time, I've worked with a number of people in my life, but have felt like I've always been like a bridesmaid, but never a bride. I want to take it to the next level. He then asks me why I believe I should be the next X Factor. Because I'm unique, I'm bringing something different to the table, and I've worked hard to get where I am. Then I get the green light to sing.

I ripped into my song "Unconditional." I'm doing rock, my voice is in top shape, no note wrong, I'm focused despite all the noise going on around me. I'm also moving, singing directly to him, feeling the words I'm singing. He's looking at me, checking me out, his eyes appear to be seeing down into my very soul, or maybe he was just dazed and was secretly napping with his eyes open.

Then there's silence. He goes, "Can you elaborate more on your pro status?" So he had been paying attention.

"Huh? Well, I've never been signed by a major label if that's what you mean."

"Well, who have you worked with?"

So I tell him, it's somewhat impressive, but not a lot, compared to some of my friends.

He asks me to sing another song, and so I decide to kind of do what all the other chicks are doing and go more on a ballad. I sing "Tell It Like It Is" by Heart and again, I was on top of my game.

When I finished he goes "Thanks very much for coming in, but I'm gonna have to pass."

I meant it when I said I was a professional, not even when I saw a guy in a yellow and blue superman-looking suit getting ready to go in. I don't know whether he got a slip or didn't, but after seeing the guy in the mask and the loin cloth get his, I wouldn't be surprised.

I came away feeling strange, more like bittersweet. I then realized why my voice was laughing. I don't fit the X Factor mold of talent. I sing Rock, and I do everything that goes with it. I'm not good at following rules, if I do anything, it has to be my way, you know, I'm a rebel. I'm rebelious even with my voice. I prefer to write my own songs opposed to doing loads of covers. This is not to diss them, because I'm not, nor am I angry. It stings getting turned down, and of course I went home and let loose a few tears on my way home on the freeway. As much as I've been rejected, I'm not completely beyond reacting. At the same time, I was able to look at the positive. I just wanted to go home to my husband and see my kids. By the time I pulled up to my house, I was back to my old steadfast to keep moving forward self. I have a show coming up at the Key Club and that makes me smile.

I still say, it's worth to try it. One gentlemen who went out the Reject door with me told me he'd be back next year. I wished him luck because television producers are the hardest cats to figure out. You just have no idea what they're looking for. However, that was my first and last time. I came away feeling that if I do this, I want to know I truly got it on my own terms.

I guess seven isn't really my lucky number after all, or maybe it is.

Bravo Chaeya! You showed up, gave it your all, and can stand proud on the audition alone... a gruelling cattle-call process. One of my friends also auditioned and was a no-go. There is simply no accounting for taste:)

I listened to some of your tunes (Reverbnation?). Your tunes are excellent, REALLY excellent, and I have no doubt you can succeed going the Indie route. It may take time but I believe you are on the right track. Focus entirely on self-promotion. Get your tunes on as many free internet radio websites as possible. Look into promoting yourself on Jango. It costs a little but you have a golden opportunity to have your tunes played alongside famous artists you think fit the genre of your tunes. And then the Jango listeners will rate your music and some of them will become fans WHO YOU CAN PROMOTE YOUR MUSIC TO, and that is WORLDWIDE. Having your very own website would be advantageous, one where you can sell your CD's. Personally I could care less what the "experts" think of me. I know I'm good and I know I get repeat gigs. And when the time comes and we produce a CD it is going to be killer. I think you are OVER-QUALIFIED to go on a talent show. Those shows are nothing but glorified karaoke shows. You're WAY past that IMO....