LYNN — Amanda Mena, the city’s golden buzzer singer, will perform live on “America’s Got Talent” Tuesday night. She’ll take the stage the same night voting begins on the nationally televised singing competition.
The show’s quarterfinals begin Tuesday at 8 p.m. In June, the Lynn resident sang a goosebumps-raising rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” that caught the attention of all four celebrity judges, including Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel and Simon Cowell.
The most enthusiastic reaction came from judge Melanie “Mel B” Brown. The former Spice Girl hit the golden buzzer, a button that each judge can hit only once during a season which allows the performer to skip the intermediate steps and go straight to the live shows in Hollywood. Tuesday’s airing will be the first time Mena has been back on the show since her initial audition.
“Everyday I feel so grateful to be given this opportunity,” she said. “All the feedback has been amazing, a dream come true, and something that motivates me more and more.”
The St. Mary’s High School rising sophomore has a long history of showcasing her vocal talents. She has performed for events at her high school as well as for YMCA, where she has been a member since she was 7 years old. Mena also competed on the 2014 season of “La Voz Kids,” the Spanish version of “The Voice Kids,” and won.
“This is so much different,” she said. “All the different talents and ages, that’s what makes this show so unique and more competitive.”
During her performance on Tuesday, Mena will perform a popular hit song while weaving in and out of Spanish and English. At only 15 years old, the vocalist has spent years practicing both languages, so singing them simultaneously would come off as effortless. She said it isn’t as easy as it appears on screen, but she loves to do it and that’s what motivates her.
“I have to do everything I can to show what I’m capable of,” she said. “Not a lot of people know about the Dominican or Latin cultures so I love being able to bring my background on stage.”
Even though the show is a major talent competition, Mena said it was easy making friends with some of the other contestants. Although the outpouring of support from around the world has been amazing, Mena said the love from her home city, and especially everyone from St. Mary’s and the YMCA, is like nothing else.
The Lynn YMCA is hosting a community viewing and voting party for anyone who wants to watch Mena perform. It begins right before the show airs live at Lupita’s Sports Bar and Grill, 519 Washington St., Lynn.
To vote for the local singer, there are a few different options viewers can choose from. Viewers can download the America’s Got Talent app on their cellphones, go online to www.nbc.com/americas-got-talent, call the toll-free phone number that will be listed during the show, or visit the show’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.
