Junior Heaven Conner sits in the dim lighting of the Prophet Bar counting the minutes until she gets to perform. She considers all the things that could go wrong with either herself or the band, getting slightly nervous. After all, there are lots of risks to performing live. She pushes the nerves away though, and soon it’s her turn. She stands and heads onstage, feeling confident and ready to rock the performance.
Conner sings professionally along with a select group of others at showcases every year. These showcases have helped her with her singing career by introducing her to producers who work in the music business. She models as well, which helps her tremendously with her singing career.
“It’s really good exposure,” Conner says. “Modeling is really great to open you up to opportunities to be able to sing.”
Conner doesn’t just sing at showcases, though, and has even performed as far away as Jamaica. Her grandfather, who was road manager for Bob Marley, organized the event and invited her to sing there. Over seventy thousand people attended, but she didn’t get nervous.
“You would think I’d get nervous, but I didn’t,” Conner said. “I think if I’m doing it for the purpose that I want- that if I know why I’m about to sing- I don’t get nervous.”
Throughout her three-year professional singing career, she has met people who are extremely well-known within the entertainment business. One such person is Linda Septien, who runs a music school and is creative director for Kidz Bop.
“She is it,” Conner says. “She is the bomb for music directors.”
Even after getting to meet such important people, and traveling to places as far away as Jamaica to perform, her favorite part about singing is still the performance itself.
“It’s fun for me. It gives me a platform to express myself and express who I am in real life,” Conner said. “I feel like it’s what I’m supposed to do.”
