IU Kokomo student earns Silver Ticket for American Idol audition

KOKOMO, Ind. - Kelsey Temme has waited a lifetime for a moment like this.

Temme, an Indiana University Kokomo sophomore, won an American Idol Silver Ticket, a special VIP pass that grants her a guaranteed live audition with one of the show's executive producers, through a contest on WISH TV's Life.Style.Live! program.

She saw a post on social media inviting Indiana residents to enter a video of themselves singing, and local producers selected two for viewer votes. Temme received more than 1,000 votes for her rendition of Jessie Murph's The Man That Came Back to win the Silver Ticket.

She's excited for the chance to fulfill a longtime dream - and to keep a promise to her grandmother.

"I've wanted to do this a long time, probably since I was 13, but I had to be at least 16 to do it," said Temme, from Kokomo. "One of my grandma's wishes before she passed was that I would do a show like this. I didn't think it was going to happen for me anymore. I'd crossed it off the list. I'm excited to do this for her."

She's selecting songs for her audition with executive producers, which will happen next week via Zoom. The producers decide if she moves forward to perform in front of judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Ritchie, and Carrie Underwood later this fall.

"That would be life-changing," she said. "Even if I get there and I don't make it past that point, to get that far would be incredible in itself. It's going to open so many doors for me, and I will get their feedback to help me grow as a singer."

Temme grew up singing, starting with elementary choirs in the Northwestern School Corp., followed by middle and high school choirs and theater. She also sings with her church worship team, which she credits for growing her confidence to perform in front of an audience.

She will balance her American Idol competitions with classes at IU Kokomo, where she is a radiography student in the School of Nursing and Allied Health Professions. She learned about her Silver Ticket while in class.

"My dad texted me while I was in the middle of my microbiology lab," she said. "My Apple watch dinged and it said, 'Congratulations, you won!'" she said, adding that her classmates and professor were excited for her.

"I was talking to my professor, and she said, 'What I'm hearing is that you may need a few exceptions for due dates,'" Temme said. "She and my chemistry teacher were both very supportive."

She would love to pursue a career as a performer of pop, worship, and country music, in addition to medical imaging.

"One hundred percent if I had the opportunity, I would love to," Temme said "Getting there sometimes takes a minute. The show would be a great place to start."

Temme hopes to follow the example of her favorite American Idol winner.

"I'm a big Kelly Clarkson fan," she said. "I really loved her season. It showed that when you win, you can make it big."

Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.