One Plant City High School senior is ready to shine in the spotlight.
Benji Padgett, a regular performer at the Corner Store in Historic Downtown, has made it to the finals of the 2017 Tampa Teen Idol competition. Padgett will compete for the winning slot Saturday, Jan. 28, at Jefferson High School in Tampa.
Padgett heard about the competition from Kenzie Wheeler, a fellow singer and Plant City resident who won the Tampa Teen Idol competition in its inaugural year. The contest is sponsored by the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Tampa Alumnae chapter.
“I thought it would be a cool experience,” Padgett said. “It’s a good opportunity to get my name out there.”
Padgett was accepted to the preliminary competition after submitting a video audition of Alicia Keys’ ‘If I Got You.’
“I just like it,” he said. “I did Alicia Keys for the semifinals as well. It shows my vocal range.”
Padgett’s love of music began as a toddler. He just released two singles in December, and is a regular performer at Krazy Kup and The Corner Store in Plant City. The vocalist is making a name for himself in the Tampa Bay area as well, often performing at the Red Light Café in Ybor City. His mother, Heather, acts as road manager.
“When they first started Krazy Kup, I wanted to see what it was all about,” Padgett said. “I started performing, and people seemed to like what they heard. Now I’m trying to expand into Tampa, Winter Haven and Ybor City.”
Though he writes his own music, Padgett’s musical inspiration comes from a variety of artists. He began playing piano at age 5, learning to play by ear over the last three to four years. Before becoming a solo performer, he was an original member of Next Radical Generation (NRG).
Today, he is still an active assistant with the youth band at First Baptist Church of Plant City.
“I like a lot of stuff,” Padgett said. “Alternative pop, some Christian and country. I like Tori Kelly and Twenty One Pilots in terms of how they write their songs and the message in their songs. I want my music
to connect to somebody … I want to give people hope. A lot of what gave me confidence was the NRG exposure.”
Padgett is hoping that the Plant City community will come to the finals of Tampa Teen Idol to support one of their own. The winner of the contest is determined by audience votes, not by judges.
The final competition will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at Jefferson High School, 4401 W. Cypress St., Tampa.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.