Buffalo Grove teen on way to becoming next American Idol
Nikki Rodrigues had two reasons to celebrate Sunday night.
It was not only the Stevenson High School senior’s 18th birthday. It was also the night her successful audition for “American Idol” aired.
She nailed her rendition of “July” by Noah Cyrus. After the last note sounded, a jubilant Rodrigues murmured, “I killed that.” One of the judges, Luke Bryan, heard the remark and teased her about it.
“I’m very humble, so I said that very quietly because I was really glad I didn't mess up,” the Buffalo Grove teen said. “And then Luke repeated it, and I'm like, 'Oh, no, this is gonna get aired.’”
Now, people are reaching out to her and confirming she did, indeed, kill it.
After punching her golden ticket to Hollywood, she is in line to join other suburban American Idol alums like Season 9 winner Lee DeWyze of Mount Prospect and Wheeling’s Haley Reinhart, who placed third in Season 10.
Rodrigues was discovered by producer Melissa Elfar, who found her on TikTok, where she has been posting since she was 10. Sunday’s “American Idol” episode was taped in October.
She thanked her mom, Monick Sardenberg, and dad, Miesher Rodrigues. They waited with her at singing lessons and getting her first guitar, the one she still plays.
“My mom and dad both supported me so much with music and making sure that I'm always believing in myself and that my dreams are never too big,” she said.
Music has been a powerful connection between Rodrigues and her father, who plays guitar with her.
She also credits her choir teachers at Stevenson, Roland Hatcher and Kirstin Snelten, as well as private singing teacher Sarah Hibbard.
“I always use music as the way to connect people and help people,” she said. “I personally just only like singing mostly songs that have really strong messages. My main goal with singing is that I hope people can feel something when they listen to my music and it helps them.”
Her musical influences include singer and rapper Post Malone. She said she and her dad attended one of his concerts.
“I love that he doesn't put himself in a box,” she said, admiring his ability to move among different genres.
She sees music as her future. She was recently accepted by the University of Southern California — being in Los Angeles will lead to more opportunities, she said. She is also working on an EP with producer John Merikoski, scheduled for release in May.
Rodrigues said she would love to tour in Brazil and sing songs in Portuguese — her parents are Brazilian and she is fluent in the language.
“I see myself 10 years from now releasing a bunch of original music,” she said. “I see myself going on tours and connecting with people around the world.”
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