UPDATE @ 8:30 p.m. Feb. 19:
Dayton native Alexis Gomex advanced tonight to the Top 24 of the “American Idol” competition.
FIRST REPORT, Feb. 12:
Dayton’s local singer making her way through the American Idol competition is Centerville High School and Wright State University graduate Alexis Gomez. She has advanced to the solo round on the popular competition show that launched the careers of Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and others.
Gomez “is really one of those kids who has been singing forever,” said her father Solomon Gomez earlier this season. Alexis had auditioned for two prior seasons of Idol, and is finding this time “so much fun.”
Singing is a family affair, as Alexis fronts her own band with her father, sister, brother, sister-in-law and two of her SouthBrook Christian Church members.
Soloman says his daughter sang in the children’s choir and first sang in public at eight years old. Explaining that singing together with the family has always been for fun, he said, “When we realized this girl can sing, we said ‘holy cow’.”