Snapping his fingers, swaying his hips and doing an impromptu dance move here or there, Brunsell, 11, belted out the words to Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel" — hitting every note.
His personality on stage captivated the attention of the audience and judges at the "Kean Idol" amateur talent contest in Richland at the end of last month. The Brentwood Middle School student won top vocal awards from both.
"He really is quite a little guy to see," said Kathleen Brenneman, director of public relations for St. Barnabas Health Care System. "He has quite a personality on stage. He has quite a stage presence."
Nearly 150 contestants between 5 and 74 years old came from as far away as Ligonier and West Virginia for the "American Idol"-styled competition. "Kean Idol" raises money for St. Barnabas Free Care Fund.
For Brunsell, whose performance experience consists of karaoke and solo performances during school concerts, "Kean Idol" wasn't about the competition but, instead, the music and experience.
"I don't think anybody was competition. I thought we all sang very good. We were all friends, so I didn't see them as competition," he said.
"A lot of kids that were up there had been up there before. We just wanted him to go up there and have fun, and he ended up winning," Lance Brunsell said of his son, who began singing at 4.
"I heard myself and I thought I was good, and I thought maybe this was something I could do for a living," said the younger Brunsell.
Uncle Bryan Brunsel remembers the first time his nephew sang in front of his family. Deven sang Michael Jackson's "Ben," and everyone in the family was brought to tears, Bryan Brunsell recalled.
The family knew then that Deven was destined for something special, his uncle said.
"I think he was just born with it. He has such a passion for singing," said his mother, Renee Rozzi.
Deven Brunsell said he spends many hours in front of the computer watching videos and learning songs and dance moves. But it doesn't take him long to learn one song — just one or two times watching a video, he said.
His favorite tunes include Motown and ballads.
"I think I like them because Michael Jackson was a kid (when he started out), and I'm a kid," said Brunsell, who hopes to some day be on his favorite TV show, "American Idol."
He has plenty of time to look toward the future.
"I sometimes have dreams of what's going to happen to me when I grow up," he said. "Some are recaps of 'Kean Idol' — only I'm on 'American Idol.' "
His parents said they're confident their son can go far.
"With the progress he's making, I don't want to say a mainstream artist, I don't want to get my hopes up, but definitely something in music," Lance Brunsell said.
"I just hope whatever he does, it has something to do with music," Rozzi said.
By Stephanie Hacke
TRIBUNE-REVIEW NEWS SERVICE
Thursday, April 16, 2009
