The following 16 students have been named as semifinalists for the 2025 Artist of the Year in vocal music out of 119 nominees. The students were chosen by a panel of teachers based on written statements, artistic résumés, performance videos and sometimes a portfolio of original music/arrangements.
Students are placed into divisions based on the number of years they have been studying vocal music. Students with a combination of four years of vocal training in middle school, high school and private training are placed into Division 1. Students with less than four years of combined training are placed into Division 2. A minimum of two Division 2 students are guaranteed to be invited to be semifinalists.
Meet the other semifinalists
Dance
Film & TV
Theater
Instrumental music
Fine arts
Media arts
During the final round of adjudication, students are interviewed by a panel of distinguished artistic professionals and faculty members from Southern California colleges. Interviews include a live presentation by the student followed by a conversation with the student.
Five top students will be chosen in each discipline – four finalists plus the Artist of the Year. The finalists and Artists of the Year will be announced next Sunday, April 27 online and in print in a special section of The Orange County Register.
On Wednesday, May 7, an awards celebration will be held at Memorial Hall on the campus of Chapman University and is free and open to the public. This event will include performances and presentations by the top students.
This program is generously sponsored by the Chapman University College of Performing Arts and Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Additional support is provided by Arts Orange County and individual donors.
If you would like to support Artist of the Year with a donation, you can contribute here. Donations will be made to Arts Orange County on behalf of Artist of the Year.
If you are interested in helping Artist of the Year grow by becoming a sponsor of this program, send an email to ocartistoftheyear@aoy.scng.com.
Madison Becerra, senior, Orange County School of the Arts
Division 1
“My ability to let everything out on stage and run an emotional marathon during each performance is my most valuable artistic habit, one that I continue to refine. I am hyper-aware of other people that can resonate with this feeling and use music as an outlet for their emotions. I strive to be a part of a space where singers can confide in their music and embrace those that are just as impassioned as I am, a safe haven. Using my talent and artistry to inspire other people to open their minds and hearts to new possibilities and perspectives on life is the greatest gift an artist can give.”
Lal Besir, senior, Orange County School of the Arts
Division 1
“I dream of creating art that is so powerful it can help the world on a global scale. My creativity and passion to create social change and education are showcased in this project. Watching it grow inspires me to create more projects like this in the future, encouraging others to share their own stories through their art. I have learned how to incorporate my other resources, like my internships at Parnassus Society and Turkish Women’s Initiative, as well as my connections through The Colburn School, to find solutions to problems that occur throughout the process. Leading this project has given me a taste of the kind of power music has to amplify voices and spread messages.”
Jenna Currey, junior, Los Alamitos High School
Division 1
“No matter what I am singing about, I can find something within the song to relate to which, in turn, makes it easier for the audience members to find their own way to relate through their own interpretations. Each time, there is a shared moment when we can all respond to some aspect of a song and share in the universal and elevated energy of the room. It is the moment where both the audience and the singer almost feel as one.”
Ava Gange-Brown, junior, Tesoro High School
Division 1
Ava Gange-Brown of Rancho Santa Margarita, a junior studying at Tesoro High School, is a vocal music semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Steve Wylie)
“Sharing my voice in front of an audience is powerful, in which I gain strength. Singing has also helped my focus. Being diagnosed with ADHD in 5th grade, It’s been a constant cycle of struggling with time management, maximum effort, and feeling lesser than others. Singing involves learning and practicing songs, requiring concentration, and it has helped me develop a sharper focus and attention in work and study. I’ve always felt that I’m a nuisance or a bother because of my inability to learn as quickly as others. It has made me a very anxious and self-conscious individual causing me to believe I’m not good enough at anything. After being in choir, I finally felt like I was good at something, giving me hope for the future, which is a feeling I’d never really had before.”
Claire Harmsen, junior, Orange County School of the Arts
Division 1
“I’ve always felt the desire to create, but even more so the need. Artists are different than other types of people in that we feel very deeply and channeling those emotions into creation is often the only way to explain how we truly feel. One of the ways I channel my experiences into art is through songwriting. Crafting lyrics that reveal my lived experiences is my version of a journal entry. It’s not always enough to say what I’m feeling, and creativity is what reveals my sense of self. I am an artist because my need to create is as crucial as eating and sleeping. Creating is as instinctive as breathing and ultimately, it is my driving sense of purpose.”
Danica Joy Hemmens, senior, Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts
Division 1
Danica Joy Hemmens of Costa Mesa, a senior studying at Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts, is a vocal music semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Theresa Bangle)
“My work in vocal music has affected other aspects of my life in many ways. By pursuing musical theater and vocal music, I have learned a lot about all the compassion that there could possibly be. When I perform a song, I don’t just sing it. I feel each and every word and phrase, and compare it to my life. Therefore when I’m around friends, family, or truly just out in public, I feel for people. When in vocal lessons, I have cried and felt so much empathy for characters that don’t even exist because of their story and their songs. This has strongly shaped me into an empathetic, compassionate, and loving person in the real world.”
Nadia Jaramillo, senior, Santa Ana High School
Division 2
Nadia Jaramillo of Santa Ana, a senior studying at Santa Ana High School, is a vocal music semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Ceclilia De La Riva)
“Music has given me my life, it has given me my voice and it has brought me community. The thunder of support that I receive at the end of each performance, no matter if I make a mistake or not, let’s me know that I am supported for being who I am. I want to continue to sing as I go into university. For each school I’ve applied to, I’ve made sure that they offered minors and open music ensembles. Although I don’t want to major in music, I still want to keep it in my life because it has changed me for the better.”
Zoe McLaughlin, junior, Fullerton Union High School
Division 1
Zoe McLaughlin of Fullerton, a junior studying at Fullerton Union High School, is a vocal music semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Kayla Monson)
“My appreciation for vocal music really came early in life for me and I loved how just hearing a few songs when I was younger would eventually lead me into other corners of this large subgroup. It eventually led me to being in choir, learning music theory, and discovering musical theater which I was very fond of after getting to hear that I got to sing, dance, and act! Vocal music I really do believe started my love and passion for the arts and single handedly helped me decide what I want to do in the future.”
Alicia Rose Montano, senior, Brea Olinda High School
Division 1
Alicia Rose Montano of Brea, a senior studying at Brea Olinda High School, is a vocal music semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Rocky Bomgarrs)
“To be a true artist you have to take risks and put everything out there for the audience to see. Art in any form should be personal. You should show that in anyway you possibly can. I believe any form of art without heart and soul is not true art. As artists we have to put are hearts on the line to be heard.”
Nicolas Nguyen, senior, Garden Grove High School
Division 2
Nicolas Nguyen of Garden Grove, a senior studying at Garden Grove High School, is a vocal music semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Danny Nguyen)
“An experience that truly shifted my perspective about (my passion for vocal music) was going to my first live concert for an artist named Conan Gray. …(W)hen I had experienced my first live concert, I was truly awestruck by what vocal music was capable of. Being able to hear the expression of the singer’s voice, and how he was able to shift from somber to upbeat yet express such a strong emotion of both was powerful to me. I had looked around the room to see others around me, feeling the same, strong emotions as the singer did, and so did I. Being in a room, where we all shared the same emotion and connection had sparked this passion for me.”
Amiah Robinett, junior, Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts
Division 1
Screenshot
“People really connect with music whether that be because of the lyrics or the voice singing behind it. I truly believe music speaks to the soul and can help people remember, feel, and connect. Being an artist for me is about exploring my identity, experimenting with different styles, and finding confidence in my voice.”
Joseph Santagata, senior, Los Alamitos High School
Division 1
“I’ve always aspired to be a singer or a performer of some kind. It’s been my dream ever since I was little. When it comes to my performances and the impact I want them to have, I don’t really care if they’re ‘perfect’ as long as I was able to make the audience feel something. Of course, I think almost all musicians strive for some sort of perfection, and I’m no different than that, as it’s really rewarding to know that you were able to perform something to the very best of your ability. However, my main priority when performing is to be able to deliver the message of a song to the audience in a way that is genuine and from the heart.”
Chloe Schiffman, senior, University High School
Division 1
“Though I love writing songs, the moments I cherish most are when I share them and witness their impact. The true essence of ‘art’ emerges not only in solitary moments with my guitar, but in the connections forged through the music. I’ve written songs since I was young, but it wasn’t until I saw how my music resonated with others that I realized my creations were more than just melodies and lyrics — they were forms of art.”
Avalina Thomas, junior, El Dorado High School
Division 1
Avalina Thomas of Placentia, a junior studying at El Dorado High School, is a vocal music semifinalist for Artist of the Year in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Geneva Aguilera)
“Over the past years I’ve focused on classical and pop music, two genres I’m really comfortable in. More recently, I’ve discovered I’m not as two-dimensional in my musicality as I had thought. It wasn’t until a few years ago when I dove into songwriting that I discovered a deep passion for putting music to emotions, especially ones I had difficulty expressing. I found songwriting as an outlet for me and an escape from the repetitiveness of high school life. I owe a lot to my guitar and piano no matter how basic the chords I play may be, because everytime I express myself through my songwriting I feel a shift in perspective. As the problems of day to day life make the walls seem like they are closing in, I feel renewed inspiration and remember why I sing.”
Lavinia Lotus Watkins, junior, Milena Kitic Vocal Studio
Division 1
“Being an artist is challenging because it is not easy to be so vulnerable, especially in front of the public. But there is also a great joy in making one’s personal experience into a communal one. Each piece I sing I try to feel it as if I were experiencing it in that moment. … No matter what the feeling is behind the piece — which can range from anger, despair, grief, delight, serenity, or exaltation — my audience will experience that same evocative nature of the music, which hopefully is reached through means of my musicianship, storytelling and heart.”
Jaden Yoo, senior, Orange County School of the Arts
Division 1
“Music therapy is still an evolving field, with a developing program potential. I aspire to take it to the next level — integrating cutting-edge research with the vocal experience that I already have and will continue to gain to develop innovative approaches to healing with music. … As an artist I seek to improve music’s role in society, and create an understanding that music is more than just a creative outlet — it is a lifeline. My goal is to uplift the music therapy system, ensuring that it is developed, standardized, and embraced as a key aspect of mental healthcare. Even in the darkest moments, the work I want to show is that things happen for a reason — and through music, healing, and resilience, beauty can emerge.”