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North Liberty student wins $10,000 for singing in Bill Riley Talent Search
After a few losses, a North Liberty singer finds her voice again
Aug. 31, 2024 5:15 am, Updated: Sep. 5, 2024 4:06 pm
The recent Clear Creek Amana High School graduate, 18, made it look easy as she belted Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” in front of the judges at the 64th Annual Bill Riley Talent Search Competition. But the path to finding her voice hasn’t always been a chain of successes over the last several years.
Where did she learn to sing like that?
“Everybody asks me this question,” Schloss said, “and whether it was from my mom or dad. Honestly, it was neither.”
In first grade, she performed in a talent show, where her vocal chops became self evident. Before long, her parents got her into vocal lessons.
“My love of music has just grown from there,” she said.
But the moment she fell in love with singing was a sixth grade solo for her school choir concert, where she sang “This is Me” from “The Greatest Showman.” The electric response charged her enthusiasm for the art, encouraging her to pursue it even more throughout middle and high school.
That, she said, is when she realized she wanted to do it for the rest of her life.
But falling in love with performing and coming into her own confidence as a singer came at two different times. She credits the latter to her choir teacher.
“Going into high school, I was really scared of whether I’d have opportunities to do fine arts. That year, I was pretty quiet and kept to myself,” Schloss said.
With a little persuasion, her choir teacher prompted her to audition for a solo. The student body’s reaction to a subsequent rehearsal reinforced her decision.
Her competition track record
Schloss’ competitive streak started with her first Bill Riley Talent Search competition in fifth grade, when she got an honorable mention from the judges. There, she met Bill Riley Jr. as he emceed the contest.
Lily Schloss plays the Fairy Godmother in her junior year of high school at Clear Creek Amana High School's production of "Cinderella." The recent graduate won the 64th Annual Bill Riley Talent Search Competition at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 18, 2024. (Lily Schloss)
Lily Schloss, winner of the 64th Annual Bill Riley Talent Search Competition at the Iowa State Fair, is seen on Iowa PBS singing at the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards in 2024. (Iowa PBS)
“That ignited something,” Schloss recalled.
The following year, she didn’t place. The year after that, in March 2019, she placed second. When the first place winner couldn’t make it to the Iowa State Fair to compete at the state level, Schloss went in her place.
That year, she became the Sprouts division champion for the Bill Riley Talent Search Competition.
“If I can do it in the Sprouts division, I can do it in the Senior division,” she told herself. But the following year, she didn’t place.
For the last few years, she took time off from competing to focus on developing her talent with coaching and training. And with maturity came some solace after discouraging placements in competitions.
“My parents are my greatest cheerleaders. They want the best of me in everything,” she said. “Those years I took off, I continued my voice lessons and excelled. I worked on my own performance and maturing my voice.”
This year, the North Liberty teen’s father encouraged her to try again — one more time, before the whirlwind of college started. With reluctance to try again, and doubt she could make it to the Iowa State Fair’s championship, she did it anyway.
Iowa State Fair finalists first must place at a regional county fair months in advance. Those who qualify advance to the State Fair. There, contestants battle against up to 20 others in the first six days of the fair. Only two to four competitors advance from each group.
Then, judges pick a handful of people through three days of semifinals. This year, nine contestants competed for the top prize at the finale.
With each round Schloss advanced, her excitement continued to build, leading up to win on Aug. 18.
Why Whitney Houston?
“I Have Nothing” has a special place in Schloss’ heart, but she feels that the song picked her, rather than the other way around.
“ (Whitney Houston) is one of my singing idols,” Schloss said.
After Schloss picked out a sequin jumpsuit to compete in from the back of her closet, she tried to think of a “showstopping” song to match its tone.
Schloss is a soprano, but Houston was a soprano belter. “I Have Nothing” didn’t require any adaptation, but it did require a lot of conditioning, Schloss said.
“The first time, I couldn’t hit all the notes,” she said. “But after singing it every day, my vocal chords were used to it.”
She’s not sure why she won this year. But she has a suspicion that her passion for the song played a role.
“It was a special performance. I poured my heart and emotion into it,” she said. “Maybe it was that.”
What are you doing with the prize money?
The $10,000 grand prize will be going straight to the college freshman’s tuition as she starts a new chapter in her journey pursuing musical arts. This week, Schloss started her first year triple majoring in musical education, vocal performance and musical theater at the University of Iowa.
Her plan has two phases, as she sees it.
“I would like to pursue performing after college and see what happens,” Schloss said.
And when she decides to settle down, she hopes to be a professor in vocal performance to help others realize their dreams, too.
Comments: Features reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at (319) 398-8340 or elijah.decious@thegazette.com.
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