After waiting hours in line at the Mariucci Arena at the University of Minnesota last summer, junior Samara Ray finally got her chance to prove she was talented enough to be on the popular show “American Idol.”

“I started out singing in front of the executive producers and then they told me if I could make it or not. They narrowed it down to me and this other girl, and then they chose her even though her voice wasn’t even good,” Ray said. “They didn’t want me because they said my voice was too strong.”

Ray said she found the experience disappointing despite receiving positive feedback and criticism from the producers.

“I didn’t like it because it wasn’t the real judges and what they said about my voice, which is a good thing but they still could’ve let me go (through to the next round),” Ray said.

She said she started singing before elementary school, but church was the first time she sang in front of a large group of people.

“I didn’t start singing in church but church made me like singing more,” Ray said. “It made me less shy and afraid of singing in front of people because (I had opportunities) to sing in front of church, have solos and direct the kids’ choir. It made me not as nervous to perform on a stage in front of a whole bunch of people.”

Singing provides an outlet for Ray to express her emotions and overcome her nerves.

“People at church would sometimes ask me to sing for them and it would just make me feel good. When they asked me I felt like a star,” Ray said. “I sing around school too, out of nowhere and then some of my friends would be like ‘shut up Samara, shut up,’ but it’s just something I do. I sing in the shower and sing in the house, blasting music and singing loud, making everyone annoyed.”

Ray said she loves how singing brings attention to herself.

“I love walking around random places and just start singing, and then people will notice me and smile or say ‘that was good!’” Ray said.

Ray participated in Black History Month last February by singing a gospel song at an assembly in front of the school. She said this opportunity helped her realize the impact of her singing on others.

“The first time I was nervous so I was kind of shaky, but the second time I enjoyed it and just started singing,” Ray said. “I made a couple people cry and it made me feel good because that means people felt something with my voice.”

Although Ray’s passion for singing is strong, she said she doesn’t think she will have a career in singing until later in life.

“I want to do it in a job but that probably won’t come until a while because it takes a while for people to get out there so I’m just going to do culinary arts,” Ray said. “I would rather be a chef than something with singing because singing can come later.”