As the heated stage lights glow brighter and brighter with anticipation, Mia Pfirrman takes a breath to clear her head as a rush of adrenaline washes over her body. She closes her eyes and begins to sing the familiar song she had been practicing for months, knowing full well that the next few minutes will determine her fate.
As a Temple City High alumna, Pfirrman graduated in 2013 and was a member of Brighter Side Singers her junior year, as well as a member of Choir all four years. She recently auditioned for the seventh season of “The Voice,” a reality television singing competition show. All four judges pushed their buttons for her, but Pfirrman eventually chose Adam Levine to be her coach.
“Auditioning for something like ‘The Voice’ was nothing I had ever imagined myself doing,” Pfirrman said. “I’ve been a big fan of the show ever since the first season, but I never thought I had what it took to be up there on that stage—on national television! It was extremely surreal! But I felt more ready for this than anything else I’ve ever had to prepare for.”
Although Pfirrman’s love of singing was always a constant in her life, her experiences at TCHS helped fuel her passion.
“Music runs through my veins,” Pfirrman said. “My dad was an amazing musician back in the day and he came across my mom while trying to find a really groovy lead singer after starting an 80’s pop band. But as funny as this sounds, my graphics teacher Mr. Hollinger had a huge influence on my singing career. Throughout the entire year, he pushed me to practice different types of songs and try out different genres. He wanted to help better my career, and for that I will always be thankful for him.”
After graduating TCHS, Pfirrman went on to enroll in Citrus College’s music department. Although Pfirrman is no stranger to the spotlight, she was not always immune to stage fright. However, her experiences in college helped her overcome the jitters.
“I have battled some serious wars with stage fright in my life,” Pfirrman said. “Luckily, I got over that after being in a class called Pop Rock. My teacher found us multiple gigs on the weekend and he really helped me loosen up. Before that, I would get so nervous to the point where I couldn’t breathe right. I would always be so upset afterwards because I knew that I could have done better. Yes, I still get nervous but it is nowhere near as bad as it used to be.”
Although, this is the beginning of an exciting new journey for Pfirrman, she has already long begun fulfilling her life goal.
“As cliché as this is about to sound, my goal in life is to make my parents happy,” Pfirrman said. “They decided to put their dreams aside to raise their family. What’s a better way to repay them than continuing out that same dream of theirs? I am so happy I had the courage to audition for ‘The Voice’ because it is slowly, but surely, changing my life in the best way possible! Keep watching NBC’s ‘The Voice’ every Monday and Tuesday to witness nothing but ridiculous talent this season. I’m so blessed to be a part of it.”
TCHS School Newspaper