For the first time ever- some of the best singers in Maine between the ages of 13 and 17 gathered in one spot for four straight weekends for the first season of “Maine Teen Idol.”
Ellsworth Eagle Finley Harmon sang her way from the opening weekend to a spot as a finalist- and she made the entire community proud. While she didn’t take home the top prize, Harmon describes the experience as one of the most rewarding of her musical journey so far- and for good reason, too! 12 brave singers took the stage at the beginning of the fall, and Harmon finished in the top 3 in her first ever big-scale singing competition.
“I haven’t been proud of something as much as I’ve been proud of this,” says Ellsworth High School senior Finley Harmon. “It was an incredible experience, whether I won or didn’t win.”
Harmon first learned about the competition through local singer Julia Gagnon, a recent American Idol finalist with whom Harmon and her band had performed over the summer. Encouraged by Gagnon—and with a little extra push from her mom—Harmon decided to audition.
“I’m not usually a big fan of putting myself out there- I was definitely a little nervous about doing it,” Harmon admits. “But once I started doing it and got the hang of it, I was okay.”
It wasn’t for lack of experience- but it was one of the first times Finley had gone through anything like the Maine Teen Idol competition, from being the lone performer on stage, to the elimination process, and the whole nine yards of a singing contest. Watch the recap of the season finale from Maine Teen Idol's youtube page below!
“I think it was my first time really being the only person on stage- but I think having experience with my band really helped me with that,” Harmon says. “The only competitions I've really done are for group things, for jazz band. You do get a rating on your solo, but it's not like first, second, third- there's no winner technically, nobody's eliminated. The whole elimination process was definitely different.”
Despite that, Finley shined- the same way she does as the lead singer for our EHS Jazz Band, and the same way she does when she takes the theater stage.
Throughout the competition, Harmon performed a wide range of songs- starting with Jessica Rabbit’s “Why Don’t You Do Right”, and moving to Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie”, Renee Rapp’s “Snow Angel”, as well as selections from Adele, Lake Street Dive, and the Tedeschi Trucks Band. She leaned into her love of and experience with jazz and blues, staying true to her style while also adapting to the judges’ feedback.
“They were really looking not just for the best singer, but the best all-around performer,” Harmon explained. “I’ve always been a little nervous on stage, but by the end I was all over the stage, interacting with the crowd. That was a big improvement for me. I'm just so used to focusing on my vocals. To get over it, I really just was like, ‘If I want to win, this is what I’ve got to do.’ And none of these people know me except for the people that are here for me -- so it helped knowing that the audience was there to see me, and they wanted me to perform. They're going to think it's better if I put myself out there more- and I think that helped in my favor a lot.”
For Harmon, the competition wasn’t just about advancing rounds—it was about growth. She credits the experience with boosting her confidence, sharpening her performance skills, and connecting her with new friends across the state.
“It ended up being a completely different experience than I thought it would be—in a good way,” she said. “I met lots of friends who I’ll stay connected with for a long time.”
“All around, I think it was a good experience—and I’m happy I did it.”
To listen to Finley CRUSH it at the competition - click the photo below to find a ton of different clips! Some have been recorded from the event's Facebook page. Maine Teen Idol also has videos from each round on their Facebook page - check it out here!
