The 2019 Annual Alief Idol was hosted on November 16 as part of the annual Alief Community Proud event. This year, the competition displays flexibility in the addition of a staff category with staff participants from all schools in Alief to be able to showcase their singing skills. The top three of the staff category chosen in the semifinals would head into the finals. One of the competitive singers, Mr.Cairee Mayfield, a Choir teacher from Albright Middle School shares his thoughts on his journey to Alief Idol’s final round.   

“I was happy to perform today”, said Mayfield. “I’m honored and Alief proud to be part of the first set of teaching staff to participate in Alief Idol”. 

As it is the first time Alief Isd staff are given the opportunity to participate in Alief Idol, it is a very different experience to go through for teachers than students as teachers have jobs in teaching as well on top of practicing singing. Being a teacher and practicing singing can be very challenging to execute in combination due to managing time, an aspect in Mayfield’s preparation for the final round which he greatly makes a priority. 

“Time management is the key,” said Mayfield. “I remember having to practice between classes in the back at my desk while the students were working on independent work for the day”.

In the Alief Idol competition, contestants would have to perform different songs in each stage of the competition until they arrive at the final. The preparation for these kinds of challenges is key to maintain consistently.

“The hardest part was the song choice,” said Mayfield. “It wasn’t the actual singing part that proved difficult, but what to sing so I can fully commit to it when practicing. I had to ask myself how I can stay true to my style and genre of music I want to sing. Family and friends helped a lot when I came to them for ideas and suggestions”. 

As a competitor competing against numerous talented singers to be able to achieve a position as an Idol finalist, there is to be a purpose and a drive to these competitors to persist and move forward to win. Unlike the other competition, Mayfield had a unique and different motivation that wasn’t supportive family or friends, but an additional advantage in him being a teacher ― his students.

“When my own students found out I was participating in the Idol competition, the support was tremendous,” said Mayfield. “And somehow, my previous students that are now in high school and even some in college had also found out I was participating. Then they come and visit and that drove me to really commit to going through the process. Sometimes, you never know anything until you try”.