If singing makes her happy, it can't be that bad

It all began on a coffee table in her parents’ living room, but Izabella Ozwald hopes it will end on a Hollywood stage.

Izabella, a 15-year-old Smithton High School sophomore, found her singing voice at the age of 2. She said she would climb onto the table and belt out “If It Makes You Happy” by Sheryl Crow.

The budding performer, who has attended Smithton schools since kindergarten, never took voice lessons. Instead, she learned songs listening to her mother, Gina Foster, and a karaoke machine.

“My mom was in a band years ago,” Izabella said. “That’s awesome.”

Izabella’s first performance in front of an audience came when she asked to perform at her great-grandparents’ wedding anniversary. She was 10 years old and chose to sing Patsy Cline’s “Walking After Midnight.”

She doesn’t really practice, preferring instead to listen to music and just sing along. Her favorite music styles include country, blues and alternative rock, but she doubts she would ever perform an alternative song live.

“Alternative rock is fun,” she said, “but I wouldn’t perform it.”

Izabella’s natural talent was pretty much unknown to her classmates until she approached Lori Sartain, coordinator of the Miss Pettis County pageant, about performing at the event. Izabella said Lori asked her to sing for her before agreeing.

“She heard me sing,” Izabella said, “and she said ‘Yes, definitely.’ ”

Izabella was asked to perform at the 2010 Miss Pettis County pageant last Thursday as well. She sang three songs, including “American Honey” by Lady Antebellum, and was graced with whistles, yells and loud clapping at the conclusion of each song.

While Izabella enjoyed the pageant performance, she said she was worried because she had recently attended a choral camp at Missouri State University where she sang for six hours a day for four days.

“I lost my voice,” she said, “and it had just came back before the pageant.”

Although she admits to a few nerves, she said that all goes away once she hits the stage.

“Music is my life,” she said. “I think this is an amazing gift.”

Opening her mouth and hitting just the right note is what makes singing worthwhile.

“I just love being able to make it sound good,” she said.

Izabella prefers to perform country music, and her idols include Carrie Underwood and Martina McBride. Her favorite group is Lady Antebellum.

“I love the way their voices blend,” she said, “and I love the messages of their songs.”

The teenager describes herself as a fun-spirited person who is up for anything. She hopes to bring her singing voice and outgoing personality to Nashville, Tenn., next weekend to audition for the 10th season of “American Idol,” the show that launched the career of Underwood.

She also plans to give the Missouri State Fair Idol contest a shot when she turns 16. Izabella plans to join the school choir in the fall and might even give sports a try, she said.

“I’m considering soccer and basketball,” she said.

While Izabella’s heart is set on a singing career, she said college is not out of the question.

“I’ll go into nursing or teaching,” she said.

Class acts
Each Monday, the Democrat will tell the story of a student in the area who performs exceptionally well, in and out of the classroom. If you know a student, in kindergarten through college, who has made a difference or does something unique, let us know about it. E-mail your suggestion to tfennell@sedaliademocrat.com or awalther@sedaliademocrat.com or call 826-1000, ext. 211.