Senior Leo Kollen has always been involved in singing and performing at KO, and his senior year is no different. On Saturday, Jan. 24, KO hosted its annual Wyvern Invitational A Cappella Festival, otherwise known as WIAF, and Leo and his a cappella group, Crimson 7, performed extraordinarily well. Leo’s solo in the song “Valerie” by Amy Winehouse won the prestigious award of best male solo performance, beating eight other groups who performed as well.
Leo’s impressive vocals and ability to perform in front of an audience are two key qualities that won him his award. Leo thrives under pressure and is able to forget about the hundreds of eyes watching him in the audience. “The important thing is to just throw it all out there and make sure that you know what you practice and how you’ve done and just to let the audience feel how you’re feeling about the song,” Leo said.
Leo believes that having a sheer connection to the song he is singing is what makes his performance stand out. Because he is so in touch with the song, the lyrics, and the emotions that come with it, Leo admits that he is able to let his mind relax on stage. “Usually, before I’m on stage is when I’m having all the nervous feelings,” Leo explained. “And then once I actually begin to sing, I can let my mind wander because I know I can just go through the motions.”
For him, it is more about digging deep and feeling the performance rather than putting pressure on himself to perform perfectly when he is on stage. In order to accomplish that, Leo focuses on what he has rehearsed and just enjoys the experience. “It can feel really uplifting to sing,” Leo said. “I sing just because I enjoy it and enjoy singing with other people.”
Music has always been an important aspect of Leo’s life. From singing with his family as a little kid to auditioning for a vocal program in elementary school, Leo displayed his joy and passion for expressing his talent and performing. Leo has grown so much as a musician and has really left a mark on the performing arts program at KO.
Leo gets his inspiration to sing from many different aspects of his life. Music has been a way for Leo to connect with his family. “My oldest brother,” Leo said, “he sang. And so I’ve always watched him. My dad also plays piano at home, so our house has always been pretty musical.” Leo also looks up to artists such as Stevie Nicks, Stevie Wonder, and other older musicians.
Because music has always been such an important part of Leo’s life, he is excited to find ways to enjoy it in the future as he attends college overseas in the Netherlands. Even though Leo is not planning on studying music in college, he is looking forward to the many opportunities outside of school that will allow him to stay in touch with his gift. “The city that I’m moving to, there’s this student coalition of singers, and they host lessons and dance classes and other things,” Leo explained. “So I’ll definitely be doing that. And there’s a lot of leadership opportunities at my university in order to get involved.”
Leo has continued to impress the entirety of KO with his musical talents and vocal abilities and we cannot wait to see what else he will accomplish in his final year of high school. We wish him the best of luck in the next chapter of his life and are looking forward to seeing him finish the year off strongly!
