Ardaygii ka qalin jabiyay Dugsiga Sare ee Minnetonka Frankie Torres '18 ayaa qalbi jabtay markii ay ka laabatay fursaddii ay ku heesi lahayd xafladdii xagaaga ee Minnetonka Schools All-Class All-Friends Reunion oo ay la yeelatay kooxdeeda, Midnight Rambler. Waqtigaas ma aysan wadaagi karin wararka, laakiin sababta ay u ahayd fursad xiiso leh oo ay ku ballaarin karto xirfadaheeda heesaha iyo bandhigga - iyo sidoo kale inay dhisto saaxiibo badan oo cusub - iyadoo ah tartame ka tirsan Xilliga 26 ee bandhigga tartanka heesaha ee NBC, The Voice .

Mid ka mid ah daqiiqadihii ay ugu jeclayd waayo-aragnimada waxay ahayd baaritaankeedii indho la'aanta ahaa, halkaas oo ay ku gaartay "afar kursi oo wareeg ah." Ka dib markii ay heestay "Sixir Nin," dhammaan garsoorayaasha bandhigga ayaa isku dayay inay ku daraan kooxahooda. "Aad bay u cajiib badnayd. Ma aanan fileynin in afarta kursi ay wareegaan ama inta ay ii dagaallamayeen," ayuu yiri Torres. "Taasi waxay ahayd waayo-aragnimadaydii ugu fiicnayd masraxa. Waxay sidoo kale ahayd mid xiiso leh in Snoop Dogg uu i weydiiyo wax ku saabsan Lake Minnetonka iyo Prince." 

Torres, oo ka soo qalinjabisay Iskuulada Minnetonka laga bilaabo fasalada K-12 ee Dugsiga Hoose ee Clear Springs, Dugsiga Dhexe ee Minnetonka West, iyo Dugsiga Sare, had iyo jeer waxay lahayd jacayl muusig iyo bandhig. Waxay aad ugu lug lahayd kooxda heesaha dugsiga sare, iyadoo ka qaybgashay Chamber, Concert, iyo Dona Voce, oo ah kooxda afarta haween. "Wax badan ayaan ka bartay Kooxda Minnetonka marka la eego aragtida muusikada iyo codkayga," ayuu yiri Torres.

She was also a student leader for the high school’s Coffee House Concert series, where she loved the variety of musical styles that were represented in one night, “from electric to acoustic!” She concluded, “It was probably my favorite part of music at Minnetonka because I could perform with my full rock band and share it with others. The community there was so fun.”

Reflecting on the decision to try out for The Voice, she shared, “I actually first auditioned [for the show] as a freshman in high school, and made through some of the initial parts, but then I got ill.” Later on, after college, Torres had a friend audition and make it into Season 24 of the show, and so this spring, she decided to try out again. “It was kind of on a whim!”

Inaad qayb ka noqoto bandhigga waxay ahayd geedi socod dheer xagaagii, halkaas oo dhammaan waxyaabaha aan tooska ahayn la duubay kahor. "Waxaan samaystay saaxiibo badan," ayuu yiri Torres. "Isku xidhka ayaa i xasuusiyay kooxda heesaha dugsiga sare, xawaaruhuna wuxuu ahaa go-go-go." 

Torres ayaa u gudubtay wareegyada 10-ka ee tartanka. Waxay la wadaagtay in waxa ugu muhiimsan ee ay baratay intii ay ku jirtay waayo-aragnimadeeda ay ahayd qiimaha kalsoonida nafta. "Inaad ku jirto warshadaha muusikada waa mid adag, sidaa darteed waxaan ka shaqeynayaa inaan ku kalsoonaado doorashooyinkayga, kartideyda iyo dhammaan shaqada aan qabtay - inaan kalsooni yeesho xitaa cabsi gudaha ah." 

Torres lives and works in Minnesota, where she is a staff member at St. David’s Center for Child Development, working with young adults with physical and mental disabilities. She performs with her band, Midnight Rambler, and is working on her own songwriting and performance, as well. Going forward, she looks forward to continuing to find out who she is as an artist. “I’m looking to find my voice, message and sound and not be afraid to pinpoint it,” said Torres. “My biggest piece of advice for others is to not let those future career anxieties get in your way. Getting out of the mindset of the arts as a hobby into believing it as a career is important. The thing that will push you back is not the odds, but your own limits on yourself, so push those out of your way!”

Photos submitted courtesy of Frankie Torres