She’s a little bit Country, a little bit Rock ‘n Roll, but on Wednesday, May 24, at Fox 50’s Gimme The Mike” contest finale, Holland Marie Stroud, of Clayton, N.C., was all winner. The rising Campbell University junior belted out the Faith Hill/Tim McGraw ballad, “Like We Never Loved at All,” besting contestants from across the state to win the 2006 competition’s grand prize.A “HUGE Elvis fan,’ Stroud also describes herself as loving Country music, especially the vocals of Martina McBride, Alison Kraus, Trisha Yearwood and Faith Hill. She is a vocal performance major at Campbell and a member of the Campbell University Choir. Stroud also sings in a country music show called “Rockin’ Country, featuring three guys and three girl performers. “We sing and dance to high paced new country music,” she said.Campbell voice teacher, Miriam Anderson, first met Stroud at Johnston Community College, where she taught voice. She recognized Stroud’s potential and convinced her to come to Campbell to continue her studies.”She’s a very talented country singer,” Anderson said. “Although I teach classical technique, including proper use of the diaphragm, and Holland sings Country music; her training will serve her in any style of music she chooses.”Anderson calls Stroud a natural soprano who can sing a broad spectrum of music. “She can really sell a song,” said Anderson. “I’m real proud of what she has achieved.”One of Stroud’s most exciting moments was being selected to participate in the Gimme The Mike competition.”I know that it is kind of a cliché and sounds really generic, but it is a really big honor to be in a competition with so much talent,” she said. “It really puts a new perspective on things and makes me really proud.””Gimme The Mike” is a singing competition in which four singers take the stage each week before a live studio audience. A panel of judges picks one winner who immediately advances to the season finale. Each week, the audience gets to vote on the remaining singers for the Wild Card Playoff Show, which gives weekly Wild Cards a second chance to compete with the winner or Ultimate Wild Card. The finale features the five weekly finalists joined by the Ultimate Wild Card competing for the grand prize package.This season’s grand prizes included the opportunity to open for a national act at Longbranch Entertainment Complex, singing on the side stage at Alltel Pavilion, a demo at Osceola Recording Studio, a consultation with Murphy to Manteo music management company and Four Southwest Airline tickets to anywhere they fly.”It’s a great opportunity to give talented singers exposure,” said Kevin Kolbe, Creative Services manager for Fox 50. “We are very happy with Holland Marie’s success and the show.”
Campbell junior wins Fox 50’s Gimme The Mike contest