Ever since her childhood, Pascack Valley senior Evie Higgins has dreamt of performing. From children’s theater to the stages of American Idol, Higgins has worked hard to achieve her goals.

Before the audition, Higgins had been involved in many performances locally, as well as singing the national anthem for the WNBA at the Barclays Center and Mohegan Sun Arena this past summer.

Evie has had a lot of experience in the performance industry.

“I sent in a couple of videos of me singing to a casting producer at American Idol,” Higgins said. “I really did not think I would hear back. Pretty much the next day, the casting producer reached out and wanted to meet me.”

At first, she was asked to perform a variety of songs for the producers to get to know her style and personality, and hear the kind of music Higgins would be performing.

As a varsity cheer captain, PVTV reporter, PV Chamber Choir and B Naturals performer, and New Jersey All-State Chorus member, Higgins keeps music and performance relevant in every aspect of her life. With a full resumé, there was a lot of personality from Higgins for the Idol producers to play with.

“We went through so many songs before we settled on what I would perform and what my persona would be,” Higgins said. “The producers decided that my story would be about a cheer captain that sings rock music because they’re very different. It would make good TV.”

The producers asked Higgins to do a cheer for the judges, and wear her Valley cheer uniform on her audition.

“When I found out I made it to the judge’s round I was excited and proud I had made it this far,” Higgins said. “I remember telling my mom, ‘oh wow, this is a big deal!’”

Her audition process was nothing close to ordinary.

In the week before her audition with the judges, Higgins was put on antibiotics for an upper-respiratory infection.

“I could barely talk, let alone sing,” Higgins said. “I was really hoping I would be healed enough to give a good performance for my audition.”

Then on the plane to Nashville, Higgins was walking down the aisle when she collapsed and fainted. The flight crew and her mother helped her get back to her seat and made sure she was okay.

“Thankfully by the time of my audition, I was fine,” Higgins said.

Higgins had a lot of waiting time before her audition where she had to record videos and take pictures for the show.

“I was interviewed by Ryan Seacrest, and he was very interested in hearing about PVTV and my assignment of reporting on the Multicultural Festival,” Higgins said. “In addition to my singing and cheer background.”

Higgins described her time before her audition as a chance to see what the behind-the-scenes of making a TV show looks like.

“The producers told me to make mini vlogs of my experience at American Idol,” Higgins said. “I was nervous at first because that isn’t normally what I do, but now I have documented memories of my time there which is really great.”

Higgins explained that there was a lot of waiting and staying ready as the production assistants would bring contestants individually into the room to audition for the judges.

“One guy had a guitar, and a girl started singing, and she was just so good. Then another girl joined in and she was incredible too,” Higgins said. “Everyone there was super talented.”

Higgins met and performed for three celebrity judges: Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan.

“When it was my turn to perform, I went on stage and introduced myself to the judges. I sang Piece of My Heart by Janis Joplin and The House of the Rising Sun by The Animals,” Higgins said.

Evie Higgins’s episode will be on Season 21 of American Idol, which started on Feb. 19 on ABC TV.

“I cannot wait to continue with music in the future,” Higgins said. “This was an incredible opportunity and a major moment in my life.”