Glendale's Jordin Sparks might have won "American Idol" last week, but now the Old Pubelo has its own singing star — Tucson Benihana Karaoke Champion Aaren Lesco.
The 22-year-old bartender won the competition on May 17, after nearly three months of competition.
"Week after week, whoever got the highest score would be invited to come back," said Tess Wang, manager of Benihana Tucson (6091 N. Oracle Road, 297-5555), which has karaoke on Wednesdays and Thursdays weekly. Scoring was based on a high-tech karaoke microphone that judged the singers on pitch accuracy (like in karaoke video games "SingStar" and "Karaoke Revolution"); for the finals, three human judges (including Wang) chose the winner. The song that won the competition for Lesco? "I Turn to You," by Christina Aguilera.
Lesco's next stop is competing for the vaunted title of Benihana National Karaoke Champion at Benihana's National Conference in Anchorage, Alaska, this Saturday and Sunday, and she says that when she gets to the big stage, she's going to stick with the song that got her this far.
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We caught up with her for some karaoke advice and her thoughts on the big sing-off.
Do you have a background in singing?
"I've been singing my whole life, pretty much. I do karaoke like six nights a week. It's my passion, my addiction."
Other than Benihana, where do you karaoke around town?
"The River's Edge (4635 N. Flowing Wells Road, 887-9027) and Putney's (6090 N. Oracle Road, 575-1767) are my favorite places. Sometimes the C-Note (1302 W. Roger Road, 888-1331)."
What made you decide to enter a karaoke contest?
"I recently did three, but I've never really been in the contest kind of circle. I don't really like contests, I just want to go out there."
Was the competition at the finals pretty fierce?
"Everybody had already won before, in their days. So everyone they picked to compete got to compete on the last day. It was nerve-racking, that's for sure."
Now that you're on your way to the national competition, what are your thoughts? Excited? Nervous? And why the heck is it in Anchorage?
"That's the corporate office for Benihana. They're going to have the owner and the big corporate guys be the judges, I think. I'm so excited, I'm not nervous at all. I don't even think it's hit me yet."
What are your big karaoke numbers?
"My favorite types of songs are just, like, pop. I do Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson a lot."
Since you're the champ and all, what tips do you have for us less-polished karaoke-ers?
"I would say know the song that you're going to sing. Stage presence is really important. Smiling. I usually try to work the crowd. I don't sit there in front of the screen and read off of it if I'm performing. I try to make my way around the whole bar."
