Competitors of note in Lakewood Ranch

As a child, Lakewood Ranch’s Alana Sherman would come home from school and spend hours in her computer room singing along to YouTube videos and singing in her room in front of a mirror.

Sherman and her cousins would dress up, choreograph dances and perform concerts for their families.

Now Sherman has gone from using a hairbrush as a microphone to singing on a national stage on “American Idol.”

Sherman has made it into the top 24 on “American Idol.” 

“It’s been an amazing learning experience,” she said. “It’s so nice being around people that share the same passion as you. I think that’s the most beautiful thing.”

“American Idol” has given Sherman, along with Lakewood Ranch’s Conyer Walker, an opportunity to share their talents on a bigger stage than open-mic nights or in restaurants.

Both Sherman and Walker received golden tickets, meaning their auditions advanced them to the next round of the show. While Sherman remains alive, Walker has since been eliminated.

“This has always been my dream, but I never expected it to happen the way it did,” Sherman said. “God works in mysterious ways, and no matter what, he has a plan for all of us. I guess this was my plan, and I’m grateful for it.”

A year ago, Sherman was working as an Uber Eats driver when an “American Idol” scout messaged her on Instagram after hearing her audition recording for Fox TV’s “The Four” from three years ago.

Sherman was asked to audition, so she auditioned for the producers of “American Idol” followed by the executive producers before going in front of Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, who are the three celebrity judges of the singing competition.

Walker had broken up with a girl he was dating for seven years when he decided to audition for “American Idol.” He filled out the registration to audition and was asked to audition via Zoom.

After four hours on a Zoom call singing in front of producers and being passed to other producers, he was told he would be sent to California to audition in front of the judges.

Walker said he’s been singing since he could walk and would use a golf club as a guitar playing in front of the TV trying to be like other musicians. His inspirations growing up were Hank Williams Jr. and Eric Church. Church is still his favorite artist.

When he was 17, Walker was given a guitar, and he hated it so much that he didn’t play it for six months until in the spur of a moment, Walker decided to pick it up and learn how to play every song from Keith Whitley’s “Greatest Hits.”

Although Walker was a fan of such musicians as Michael Jackson and Elton John, he said his voice was meant for country music.

“My dad always said, ‘Never try to be something that you’re not,’ so when I sing, country music is what comes out,” he said. “It’s just natural.”

Sherman said singing Dua Lipa’s “Break My Heart” in front of Perry, Bryan and Richie was nerve-wracking, but afterward, she said she realized she had nothing to worry about.

“They’re so nice, and they’re helpful and really care,” Sherman said. “They’re beautiful on TV, and they’re beautiful in person. The feedback they gave me was appreciated. I’m grateful they believed in me and let me move on.”

Walker said the audition process and his time on “American Idol” was surreal.

“It’s almost like you walk into a virtual reality thing, and then you turn the corner, and [the judges] are sitting there,” Walker said. “I never have stage fright when I play because, what’s the worst somebody can say? Or you’ll eventually like me, hopefully. Every time I got up in front of them, it didn’t get easier each time.”

Sherman said she is always nervous before stepping in front of a crowd, but she’s found ways to calm herself.

“I started to realize nerves are good because it just shows you care about what you’re doing,” Sherman said. “It’s helpful when you people are in the crowd because you can feed off the energy, and it’s nice making people smile and feel something.”

Walker said he gets lost in the music when he’s performing.

“Everybody has a thing that makes them go into a flow state, they go into a zone to where it’s almost like meditation,” Walker said. “When I’m up there, I’m in my own little world doing my thing, and the real kicker on that is people seem to enjoy it as much as I enjoy when I’m doing it.”

As Sherman continues in the competition, she said she wants to take more risks and continue to learn from the judges. She’s hoping to someday sell out stadiums and travel the world.

Although he has been eliminated, Walker said he’s not giving up on his music career. He plans to start writing his own songs and move to Nashville, Tenn., next year.