When she was younger than she is now, her father started noticing that 10-year-old Tatum Burns had an exceptional singing voice. Not long thereafter she started taking music lessons. Now she has moved one step closer to her goal of becoming a professional singer.
Last weekend, Tatum was selected as one of 25 performers who will compete for a $20,000 management contract during the “2017 Columbus Got Talent Showcase” this Saturday at the Northland Performing Arts Center.
“She started singing as a young kid and at 6 years old she’d be in the shower singing and it didn’t sound like a 6-year-old in my shower,” her father, Jason Burns, the owner of Cowaburger and Jump Start Music in Hillsboro, said.
Today, in addition to rehearsing vocally a couple days a week, Tatum takes piano, guitar and dancing lessons. She will start taking flute lessons next year. She sings regularly with the Good News Gathering children and adults programs, and elsewhere when asked.
“She rehearses a couple days a week for church or whatever else she’s involved in, so five or six days a week she’s working on music, and that’s what she loves to do,” Jason said.
Jason said that last weekend Tatum was one of hundreds of people of all ages and backgrounds who turned out at the Ramada Inn in Westerville to audition for the “2017 Columbus Got Talent Showcase.” They were broken into groups of 20 or so, then the top four in each group were asked to come back for the main event this weekend.
Tatum was the only non-adult in her group, according to Jason. After they had all auditioned, the group was called back on stage. Some of the group was asked to step forward, then the judges announced that the ones that had stepped forward had qualified for “Columbus Got Talent.”
“I thought, wow, why did I make it,” Tatum said.
For her audition, Tatum sang “You Are Perfect” by Pink. That’s what she will sing again this weekend when she plans to keep chasing her dream.
“I’m hoping to get a break for a music career or an acting career,” the Hillsboro Elementary fifth-grader said. “People, when I was very young, they talked about my singing and getting on the Disney channel. I thought it would be cool if I could get on Disney.”
One day not long ago, Jason said, Tatum told him and his wife, Brandie, that she’d like to try out for “American’s Got Talent.” He suggested she try something smaller first. He started researching online and found “Columbus Got Talent.”
“What’s unique about this contest is that even if you don’t win, you can still be a winner,” Jason said. “There will be scouts from Nashville and other places there and they’ll contact some of the contestants the next day. The show also has an After Care Program where they continue to work with contestants so maybe they can make it on the next show.”
Tatum answered with a confident, “Yes,” when asked if she thought she could win Saturday’s contest. And if she doesn’t?
“I’ll try again,” she said. “Every note is one step closer to yes.”
When she grows up Tatum said she wants to be a singer or a nurse.
“‘Because if God gives you a talent, then use it,” Tatum said.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522 or on Twitter @13gillilandj.
