CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A room full of cheers and applause greeted local talent at Gulf Coast Idol, a three-day singing competition in the Coastal Bend giving performers a real shot at the spotlight and a chance to chase their dreams.
The concept was an idea started by local country artist Sergio Espinosa, who wanted to bring the concept to help boost the music scene for local artists. Local singers heard the call when auditions opened, and the entries poured in.
"I heard about it on Instagram, social media," Vanessa Garza said.
The competition will award first, second, and third-place winners along with big prizes. Among the top 10 finalists are Amaris Vasquez and Garza, both of Corpus Christi, who have been singing since they were young.
"I was really nervous but super excited to be able to get some more exposure and be able to network with different artists," Amaris Vasquez said.
The finalists say exposure is key to getting their careers off the ground.
"I'm here to, you know, set a name for myself and put myself more out there than ever before," Garza said.
One of the three judges is music producer Ryan Cantu, also known as Halftime. One of the top prizes is free studio time with him.
"There's not much really going on at all in the music scene in Corpus, so to do something like this.. I really love it," Cantu said.
Cantu says the competition is helping fill a gap and creating real opportunities.
"It's all about networking.. it's just meeting people, whether it's producers, songwriters, engineers, or other artists," Cantu said.
That networking is also building confidence among competitors.
"I feel like this really pushed me to a different level. I've never got to," Garza said.
Other judges in the competition include music artists Aleena Loren and Eros Garcia.
The final night of the competition will take place on Thursday, February 26, when winners will be selected based on community input. The top five contestants have advanced so far, and attendees can look forward to live performances throughout the evening.
Doors open at 7 p.m. at Old Kress Live at 619 N. Chaparral in Corpus Christi.
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