Name    Simon  Gottlieb

Do you have a website for your talent?              https://youtube.com/@simongottlieb9530?si=EIozuA2w3DEdr6om

Instagram           si_r_g

Youtube Channel link              https://youtube.com/@simongottlieb9530?si=EIozuA2w3DEdr6om

Do you have a favorite charity?              https://www.stjude.org/promotion/impact-giving-pm.html?sc_dcm=58700008005633531&sc_cid=kwp&sc_cat=b&&&&&ds_rl=1291300&ds_rl=1285465&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwvvmzBhA2EiwAtHVrb9IGYKtY0jK8IpsVNQTp5kay8yqmt8gaJqGFe3NUOjBBJh7Aq5vMkBoCxFgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Your Home State             Pennsylvania – PA

What is your special talent and how long have you been doing it?

My special talent is singing. I have been taking vocal lessons since I was a junior in High School. I will be a Junior in College this Fall.

Why do you love performing this talent so much?

Singing offers an emotional level of communication that dialogue just is unable to capture. Whether it’s the melody, the symphony of instruments together, or the angelic harmonies, singing in musical theater (and in general) has a more lasting impression on the audience.

What is your biggest talent dream and why?

My biggest dream is to make it to Broadway. I love to perform, especially in live theater. And Broadway is THE place to do it. Specifically, I would love to get a lead in a show such as Dear Evan Hansen, Big Fish, or A Chorus Line.

Did you ever feel a struggle to keep going or sometimes want to give up? If so, how did you overcome it?

I have definitely felt a struggle. There is always going to be someone better than you at singing, dancing, acting, throwing, catching, learning, math, reading, or any other subject in the world. This fact gave me a lot of anxiety for a long time. But it also helped me to realize that I can’t control how good someone else is, but I can control how prepared I am. So now, every audition, interview, test, or show, I am constantly trying to be as prepared as possible.

Why do you think it is important for talent to learn the spirit of contribution to the greater good and use their talent for good?

It’s a win win! Everyone loves charity. Performers love fame. This is a great way to spread awareness about different organizations all over the country, while also giving performers a chance to do what they love in front of millions of people. And what makes this program so cool is that those millions of people are able to read, learn about, volunteer with, and contribute to the charities that the performers love.

Who are some of your biggest influences and how do they inspire you?

Ed Sheeran is a huge inspiration of mine (I know, not the most common answer). Ed Sheeran was on a TV show where the host asked him if he could always sing. He responded by playing a recording of his younger self singing. To everyone’s surprise, young Ed Sheeran sounded nothing like the brilliant performer we know today. So I love this story because it shows that LITERALLY ANYONE has the ability to sing, it just depends on how much work you are willing to put into it.

What’s your favorite memory of performing your talent?

I did Moana jr. at the Walnut Street Theatre in spring of 2022. And there was this moment that always gave me chills (and still even gives me chills to think about). It’s towards the end of the movie where Moana is by herself and is struggling to figure out who she is and what her purpose is. The song “I am Moana” starts with the spirit of her grandmother coming to comfort her. As the song continues, more and more spirts of her ancestors come on stage until her whole family is there. At the climax of the song, everyone freezes as the song’s underscoring stops and it’s just Moana as she sings “I am Moana”. This was my favorite part of the show just because of how powerful it is, and how crazy the audience would go each time we did it. This is definitely one of my all time favorite memories of me performing.

What is your best piece of advice you would give to any talent out there?

This is a saying that I live by not just as a performer, but as a person: KYW, aka Know Your Worth. It is very easy to compare yourself to someone else and see what they have and what you don’t, and become insecure about those things. I do this all the time. But focusing on my worth and what I bring has been able to get me out of my head and given me the chance to be proud of who I am. It has also given me the chance to learn new skills that I can add to my “worth”.