Sela Campbell, a Leesburg-based singer songwriter well-known for her performances around Loudoun County and Northern Virginia, is stepping onto an even bigger stage when she appears on the new season of the TV show “American Idol.”
Campbell — a senior at Loudoun County High School in Leesburg — is even featured in some of the promotional videos for Season 22 that debuts this Sunday — February 18 — at 8 p.m. You can see her in the video below walking towards the camera with her guitar at the :15 mark.
The 17 year-old is originally from Haymarket, and that’s where she first started studying guitar and performing at the age of eight. She moved to Leesburg when she was in the 4th grade.
Most of the details about Campbell’s time on the show are shrouded in secrecy — including what episode or episodes she might appear on. This is due to strict rules about what can be released before the show airs.
Nevertheless, Campbell was able to share with us what this opportunity means to her.
“I remember watching American Idol with my grandpa in middle school. It’s so crazy to think that I am going to be a contestant on the show that I watched as a kid,” she wrote in a message to The Burn. “I think that performing around NoVa has given me the experience necessary to participate in Idol. (The many performances) have taught me the importance of hard work. I have been a working musician since I was 11 years old and I have been playing music since I was five. I worked so, so hard over the years. This opportunity means so much to me because it means that my hard work has paid off. It’s rewarding to know that I have, in a way, earned this opportunity through hard work and dedication.”
On behalf of the team at The Burn and our readers, we wish Campbell the best of luck — on the show and in the future. In the meantime, you can enjoy a clip from one of her area performances below — and she has many other music videos on her social media accounts.
(Image at top: American Idol)