Meet Nicolina, ‘American Idol’s 18-Year-Old Powerhouse Vocalist
ABC/Eric McCandless Reading Time: 2 minutes
Nicolina Bozzo has officially made it into the Top 10 of American Idol Season 20. The 18-year-old singer wowed the judges in her audition and has remained a frontrunner in the competition thanks to her powerhouse voice.
Nicolina Grew Up Doing Musical Theater
For her audition, Nicolina performed “She Used to Be Mine” from the musical Waitress. She shared in an interview that it was the first Broadway show she ever saw. She later went to see it again in her home city of Toronto, Canada.
Nicolina also gained a following on TikTok thanks to her cover of the song. Growing up, the singer participated in musical theater. She’s also trained with Darnell Thomas at The Institute for the Performing Arts. Nicolina has appeared in Grease, Mamma Mia!, and more.
Nicolina shared on the show that her family was close growing up, but things “went downhill” after her parents got a divorce. She said that singing has helped her “use those emotions for the better and not let them get me down.”
American Idol isn’t the first talent show Nicolina has tried out for. She previously auditioned for America’s Got Talent Season 16, but her audition didn’t air. She shared that a casting producer for American Idol reached out to her about auditioning, and the rest is history.
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The Singer Has an EP Out Called ‘Moving On’
Last year, Nicolina released an EP called Moving On, featuring the songs “Take Me Down,” “I Didn’t Love You Anyway,” and “Moving On.” She’s also released her covers of “Everything I Wanted” by Billie Eilish and her audition song “She Used to Be Mine.”
Nicolina also frequently posts cover performances on her TikTok account. She even recently posted a rehearsal video from American Idol in which she sings “My Heart Will Go On,” one of her rejected songs from the Judge’s Song Contest this past week.
“I hope people can learn that I am simply a vessel for music to live through and that music is something so helpful and therapeutic for me,” Nicolina said in an interview. “I hope my music can be helpful and therapeutic for those listening.”
Tune in to American Idol this Sunday on ABC to see Nicolina perform in the Top 10 for Disney Night.
I just her.I had goosebumps last night when she was singing. Oh wow. I really hope she WINS.