This Wednesday (Sep. 21) local New Orleans talent Arrianne Keelen will take the stage at the Apollo Theatre for the second time for a showcase of the winners of Amateur Night at the Apollo’s Making a Star competition.

While the legendary Harlem theater is trying to make a star, I get a feeling throughout our phone interview that Keelen has always been one. The daughter of a music teacher, singing came naturally to Keelen, who first began developing her voice at the age of three. She sang with a choir at church and at home with accompaniment from her mother on the piano. By thirteen she was directing the church choir herself, and it had become clear that her musical capabilities were considerable.

So it was no surprise to friends and family when Keelen won the 1998 WYLD FM 98/AM 940 talent show in New Orleans with an original composition titled, “I Still Love You.” Jokingly coy about her age, the singer tells me she was “the first three year old to ever win the competition.” It was a victory that provided her first opportunity to perform at the Apollo as an amateur night contestant, where she reprised her original song. It was also where the night’s emcee, comedian Steve Harvey, called her back on stage for an unprecedented and impromptu encore performance, telling the audience “this girl can sing!” Without much time to consider a song, Keelen settled on one of her favorites, Whitney Houston’s “I Believe in You and Me.”

“Like me, Whitney has that gospel backing and so I love the spirit that she brings to songs,” Keelen say. “If there’s ever an impromptu moment where I have to pick a song, that’s what I pick.”

The performance earned her a standing ovation.

Despite having such an affirming experience, Keelen’s musical ambitions were deferred once she became a devoted mother and wife, though she continued to musically minister to her community and at events across the country.
That all changed earlier this year when a friend tipped her off about auditions for another Apollo Theater and Essence Fest-sponsored talent show, an opportunity Keelen knew she had to take.

It paid off. Keelen made it to the top two, and was immediately whisked off to the Superdome for her final challenge, opening for Mariah Carey at Essence Fest. Keelen recalls the day as utterly exhilarating, describing her VIP treatment and numerous celebrity sightings, but it was not until she began to sing on stage that things truly became surreal: Andra Day joined her for an unexpected duet, and Keelen was declared as the night’s winner.

Tomorrow night, Keelen will travel to Harlem for her second  go at Amateur Night at the Apollo, where she will be the only contestant chosen through a live competition (all other performers were selected via online submissions). She says things will be different this time around, not only because she’s a more experienced and confident performer, but also because this final step in her Apollo journey is a showcase of talents rather than another competition. Keelen plans to do some networking too, because she doesn’t want to let her aspirations escape her this time around.

When questioned her about plans for the future, Keelen explains, “I’m looking forward to releasing a new single called “Here With You.” it’s a very smooth soulful song that I’m really proud of. I’m putting the finishing touches on that. From there the sky’s the limit, so I’m just faithful in what’s next for me.”