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2019 Former American Idol Contestant

2nd,

October Casey McQuillen Hits The Road And

| The Internet
EXAMINER By Brad Balfour dents they matter; their

words matter, their actions
aving a laser-like
matter, their hearts matter.”
focus on success,
With McQuillen’s new
IRISH H27-year old single, “Hold Me,” out now,
s i n g e r / s o n g w r i t e r
Casey McQuillen has she’s dovetailing concert
been on the fast track appearances with her YMT
since she was kid. A dates. During October,
veteran of American McQuillen opens for former
Idol Season 13, this “Voice” winner Nick
powerhouse vocalist is Howard on a four-city
again in the public spot- Germany tour and then in
light taking her her anti- November and December
bullying, self-empower- she joins singer-songwriter
ment You Matter Tour Stephen Kellogg on a 10-city
[YMT] into schools tour across the Northeast
around the country and Mid-Atlantic states.
throughout October She’ll also do solo-acoustic
which is National shows in Los Angeles, New
Bullying Prevention York and Boston.
Month. Endorsed by Though she didn’t make
GLAAD and recognized it all the way to finals, being
by the United Nations, a former American Idol con-
McQuillen has already testant gave her insight in
performed at over 150 what it takes to make it —
schools for over 35,000 but also to experience disap-
kids and is debuting her pointment. “Students are
“YMT 2019” event at always excited that I was on
even more schools this “American Idol.” At the
fall. As she explained, beginning of the “You
“I never met a 15-year- Matter” Tour, they per-
old who thinks they ceived me as famous, confi-
came out of middle dent and successful. But as I
school unscathed. It’s walk them through my expe-
hard to hold on to self- rience on the show, they
confidence at a time in start to see it from my per-
your life when you spective. They see the pres-
have so many insecuri- sure I placed on myself, my
ties, whether it be about fear of disappointing every-
your appearance, one I knew, and the shame I
grades or friends; it’s felt for being cut. By the
universal.” end, they see how my inse-
To raise awareness and curities distorted my percep-
create empathy with kids, tion of reality. When I final-
she transformed her power- ly recognized this duality —
house act into something that I saw failure while oth-
more. As she noted, “When ers saw success — I realized
I realized I had a fan base of that I was holding myself
young people from my time back because I feared what
on American Idol, it felt nat- people would think.
ural to use my platform to Students deal with these
help other kids deal with insecurities on a daily basis,
those issues I had dealt with. whether it be auditioning for
I was picked on a lot while the school play or running
growing up. No one wakes for student council. It’s uni-
up in the morning and versal. I am thankful for the
decides they’re going to talent I have but I don’t
harass the sick kid at lunch. overestimate it either.”
But all of us have moments After realizing all this, she
of insecurity, and sometimes regained her confidence and
we can be cruel. Without understood that, “it’s not
even realizing it, people can just about treating others
break someone’s heart. I go the way you want to be
to schools and I tell the stu- treated, it’s also about treat-