Image: American Idol / YouTube

By Dylana Kneeshaw

AMERICAN IDOL COMPETITION

Vocal instructor for Kamloops’ American Idol contestant proud of pupil’s progress

Apr 19, 2022 | 4:15 PM

KAMLOOPS — Cameron Whitcomb has come a long way since his initial audition for American Idol — and the vocal instructor who worked with him leading up to the show’s live performances is nothing but proud.

“He (Whitcomb) was given exercises that were custom-made for him, and then he did those exercises. He worked really, really hard at home,” explains Elevation Voice Academy owner and lead vocal instructor Sabrina Weeks. “If there was ever a person that I’d met that wanted it, it was him.”

Back in October of 2021, Whitcomb contacted Weeks to inquire about vocal lessons, saying he was a “contestant on a competition.” They quickly got to work with twice-weekly sessions that were focused on vocal techniques and exercises.

“After watching Cameron (on TV) I think that people would assume that he’s this super crazy, fast-going, high-energy dude,” says Weeks. “But when I met him, he was just sweet and calm and respectful — and he had a great voice. He just really needed some tweaks.”

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Watching Whitcomb on TV from Kamloops, Weeks says it was obvious to her that he had learned a lot about what his voice could do. It was also evident how excited he was to sing to crowds for the televised performances.

“What I noticed is, as time went on, he started to put into practice the little things that we worked on together — and some of the bigger things, too — and his confidence grew and grew and grew,” says Weeks.

Now that Whitcomb’s American Idol run has come to an end, his vocal teacher hopes the young singer will take what he’s learned and continue to grow.

“I hope that what Cameron continues on with is more stage experience because you really need that 10,000 hours, like what was mentioned on the show. You need that,” she notes. “You need to understand every circumstance, and what every stage is going to feel like, and what different people feel like.”

It’s not clear what will be next for the pipeliner when he returns to Kamloops, but Weeks has her fingers crossed that he’ll find a way to stay in music.

“He was immediately an exceptional singer when I met him. Like that’s all him. His voice? God-given,” adds Weeks.