By Carlotta Grandstaff
Call her the singing barista. Or the latte-slinging songstress. “Most people in Darby call me Annie,” says Analicia Schrader, the Hamilton woman who serves up the cappuccinos, the espressos, the lattes and the americanos for the hunters, the skiers, the bleary-eyed and other south-bound morning people from her perch at Darby Espresso.
In mid-January, Schrader heads to Chicago to audition for television show “The Voice.” She’s been singing since she was a little girl, but this will be her first performance before a live crowd of this magnitude.
“I’m going to be so nervous. It’s much easier to sing in the privacy of your own bedroom.”
At the urging of her brother, Schrader applied for the Chicago audition and will perform an a cappella version of the song “Cold” by the band Crossfade. If she makes it through round one in Chicago, it’s off to Los Angeles for the next round. She’s not entirely sure what happens after that because for now, she has a lot on her mind.
“I’ve never been to a big city before. Never been in an airplane. A lot of firsts. I’m so excited.”
Schrader is raising money to help pay for her $2,000 trip to Chicago, where auditions are scheduled for January 18 and 19. So far, she’s collected $350, some of it from her customers at Darby Espresso.
“I guess there’s no turning back now,” she says with a smile. “So, we’re on our way.”
Link to Bitterroot Singer to Audition for The Voice Facebook Fundraising Page: https://www.facebook.com/analiciathevoice
Link to Analicia’s music page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Analicia/131225946921252
Link to Analicia’s donation site: http://www.gofundme.com/5xcxoo
For more information, call 273-8050.