The fifth annual Cortez Idol competition starts Saturday, which means one of 20 finalists will soon be crowned the best singer in the Four Corners.
The karaoke-style voice contest, modeled after the “American Idol” TV show, has become a tradition at Blondie’s Trophy Room since the bar’s former owner started it in 2013. The 20 final contestants, chosen after two weeks of auditions, will compete every Saturday through March 4 in performances from a wide variety of genres, until the winner goes home with a $1,000 cash prize. This year, Jill Carlson, Aaron LeMay and Brad Sitton will be the judges, while local DJ P.A. Jackson will be the host.
Each night of the competition is open to the public, and will have a different theme. Saturday will be “80s Hair Band Night,” with songs available by Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard and other metal bands. Other themes will include ’60s and ’70s soul, Madonna and a double performance night in which contestants will perform a rap and a British Invasion song. The grand finale night, which is scheduled for March 4, will include a chance for the audience to vote for a favorite singer. Costumes are encouraged for every performance.
Carlson said about 40 people auditioned for the contest this year. Most of those who made it into the final 20 are high school or middle school students, which she said is unusual.
“I’m always a little shocked, because you think Cortez isn’t going to have a plethora of talent,” Carlson said. “But we really do have a lot of people who are very talented singers.”
Some contestants have come from as far away as Farmington. Some finalists have also gone on to compete in the similar Durango Idol contest.
Cortez Idol draws a crowd, which is good news for Blondie’s, since the audience is encouraged to buy food during each event. In previous competitions, some spectators call to reserve tables on performance nights.
Everyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Carlson and the other judges hope this year’s performances will encourage more people in the county to brush up on their singing and maybe even audition for next year’s contest.
“Every year, we just try to do what we can to keep people coming back,” Sitton said. “And people always show up.”