Lauren Spencer-Smith shot to widespread fame after she made the top 20 of American Idol in 2020, becoming the first Canadian to do so. (Lauren Spencer-Smith)

By Alex Rawnsley

2020 IN REVIEW

Top Stories of 2020: Lauren Spencer-Smith shoots to superstardom on American Idol

Dec 20, 2020 | 11:30 AM

NANAIMO — A local singing talent burst onto the global scene in a big way through her performances on American Idol in 2020.

Lauren Spencer-Smith, who grew up in Port Alberni but is now based in Nanaimo, captured widespread attention after becoming the first Canadian to make it to the top 20 on the popular singing competition.

Her dream of winning the competition fell short when she failed to make the top 10, however Spencer-Smith said in May the experience was invaluable.

“I’m so appreciative of everyone who took the time to vote and tune into the show,” she told fans in a social media post. “Although some might say this is a huge disappointment it is a huge accomplishment for all of my and my friends who were part of the top 20!”

When COVID-19 impacted production of American Idol in the spring, contestants returned to their home bases in March and awaited further instructions.

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Spencer-Smith setup at her father’s property on Sprout Lake near Port Alberni and used the backdrop in her virtual performances on the show. It was a far cry from performing in front of live crowds in Los Angeles and Hawaii.

“At first I was disappointed because I love being busy, being in the city and doing music every day but it’s nice to have the relaxing life,” she told NanaimoNewsNOW in April.

During quarantine, Spencer-Smith has turned her focus to growing her audience on social media and writing original music.

She’s worked with producers in Los Angeles and friends from American Idol to craft a handful of new songs based on her own life and personal experiences.

“I’m writing about love, I’m writing about boys or school or how I was picked on in school or if people didn’t believe in me.”

Her goal is to release a song by early next year with a view of more in the months ahead, an EP and even another album.

Spencer-Smith was also nominated for a Juno award for her debut album ‘Unplugged’, which was recorded during a concert at Nanaimo’s Port Theatre in July 2019.

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley