An eighth-grade student at Franklin Park Middle School in Salem has won the state Junior Talent Show.
13-year-old Ella Draege advanced to the Saturday competition by winning the Junior Division of the Marion County Talent Show at the county fair in August.
Draege sang the same song that won her the Marion County Competition, a cover of Etta James ‘At Last’.
She was one of 23 entrants who had advanced from county fairs around the state. The top four winners were announced at the end of the competition in Springfield in reverse order and Draege was surprised when she was announced as the first place winner.
“It was very nerve-wracking, but going up there and showing confidence definitely was a big part of it, stage presence and making sure that you are not showing your nerves is a very big part of it. Overall, I thought everybody did really well.”
Draege practiced the song several times to get ready for the state competition, including to the hotel staff earlier in the day on Saturday.
Draege has been singing her entire life and is active in the Franklin Park choir and band. While she didn’t play an instrument at Saturday’s competition, she does play both the clarinet and ukulele in the school band.
Draege plans to pursue a career in music and wants to go to college to learn to be a band teacher.
In addition to winning a cash prize, Draege gets to sing at the State Fair Queen contest on Sunday night and could possibly be invited to sing at the State Fair in Springfield this summer.
Ella Draege on stage during the Illinois Junior Talent Show in Springfield.
