Rising Star

Jesse Kinch recounts his journey to the top

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“It was the greatest feeling ever to know that America recognized what I did,” said Jesse Kinch, recalling the experience of competing in “Rising Star,” the ABC singing competition that concluded last month with the 20-year-old Kinch as its first winner.

Kinch, who lives in Seaford, began recording tracks at age 8, and by the time he was 11, he was playing in a band with older musicians. He said he always made sure he had the opportunity to learn by getting close to musicians who were better and more experienced, and he began attracting attention by performing at local clubs and posting YouTube videos. He didn’t know back then that those videos would be seen by an executive producer of “Rising Star” before the show’s debut.

He was given the opportunity to audition for the show, and eventually made it into a group of the top 30 competitors, meaning that he would make an appearance on the show. “A few weeks later I went to L.A.,” he recounted. “From the moment I got off the plane, I went to a studio and worked right away.”

Allowed to perform any song he wished, Kinch decided on “I Put A Spell On You,” and his producers said his rendition of the song would put a spell on everyone.

Aside from all the photo shoots, interviews and preparation in Los Angeles, he said, “You have to be careful. Everything’s happening, but there are a lot of sketchy people trying to lure you in. You have to realize who your friends are.”

Kinch said he made a lot of friends along the way who helped him get where he is now, mentioning the producers at “Rising Star,” his fans and his hometown friends. But most important, he said, he would never be so devoted to music if it weren’t for his parents. They introduced him to what became his favorite music and supported him from the beginning. He recalled not being very social while attending Island Trees High School, but he had his friends, and his role models were the music teachers.

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