Local girl wins a spot in 'American Idol'-style show

By KEVIN SWEENEY

Journal Editor

NEW ULM -- LaTasha Booth of New Ulm is hoping she'll be the Fantasia Barrino of Minnesota, after winning a spot in the KMWB-TV show, "Gimme the Mike."

The show, like the Fox TV show "American Idol", auditioned singers from across Minnesota and selected 30 -- including LaTasha -- out of over 450 to appear in weekly competitions.

Unlike "American Idol," the performing finalists won't compete head-to-head each week. Instead, they are assigned, in groups of six, to perform on one show for judging, with one finalist chosen from each group. Viewers can vote after each show for their favorites to select a wildcard contestant from the rest, and the five wildcard contestants will compete for the final spot to complete the field of six in the final show.

Auditions were held June 19 and 20 at Brookdale Center in the Twin Cities, and over 450 people auditioned.

LaTasha is the youngest contestant in the competition, she said. According to the rules, contestants had to be 18 on June 20 to be eligible, and June 20 just happened to be LaTasha's 18th birthday.

LaTasha performed "Nothing Compares to You," by Sinead O'Connor for her audition.

Performers lined up and went, one by one, into a little room where the show's producers waited to hear them sing. Performers had 90 seconds to sing, and then they left, without any critique, and without knowing if they had made the grade.

LaTasha said each audition was taped, and the other contestants could see the auditions on a screen outside the audition room. But the individual contestant couldn't see the reaction of the others outside.

The show will kick off on Sunday, July 18 at 9 p.m. on KMWB-TV, Channel 23. The channel is carried locally on NU-Telecom's Channel 23, but is not available on Time Warner. The show wlll repeat on Monday.

The weekly competitions will begin airing on Tuesdays, starting July 20, at 9 p.m., with repeat showings at 10 p.m. the following Thursday.

The show will include highlights of the auditions, and introduce the 30 contestants to the public.

LaTasha will be competing in the fourth week of the show. Her competition is being taped this Sunday, and the program will air on Aug. 10 at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Aug. 12. LaTasha said she will be performing "Angel," by Amanda Perez.

LaTasha, who graduated in May from New Ulm High School, has always loved singing, she said. She has sung in talent shows, and the school choir. She is also interested in pursuing a modeling career, and the modeling agency she works with told her about the KMWB competition.

She will be going to a modeling talent convention in September at Walt Disney World.