Former student makes it to final of TV talent show
A FORMER Burton and South Derbyshire College (BSDC) student has reached the final of the Romanian version of The Voice.
Melissa Antonesi had a successful run on season 11 of the TV singing competition, defeating the other 80 hopeful contestants across the four teams, to make it to the final, where she was eventually placed 3rd overall.
In 2017, Melissa moved to the UK to pursue her training in the performing arts industry, where she began with Level 3 Performing Arts (Acting) at BSDC.
After achieving her Level 3 qualification, she left BSDC and, after further training, achieved a BA Hons in Musical Theatre at ICTheatre School in Manchester.
After this, Melissa knew she had to do something to get her talent noticed, so she applied for The Voice. She said: “My dream was to become a performer and I knew I had to go through all the foundational training first to work my way up to success, so when I was 17, I applied for the Acting course at Burton and South Derbyshire College.
“I appreciated the inclusivity of my course the most. Being a foreign student and not so confident at the time, the acceptive environment played a major role in my development, both academically and personally.
“I also enjoyed the creative opportunities and diverse performances we got to put on - it helped me discover myself as a performer.”
Referring to The Voice, Melissa said: “The Voice wasn’t something I had planned or even thought about before - it all happened so fast.
“With every step further I got in the competition, I started to believe in myself and just let myself enjoy every moment. My goal became less about winning and more about learning all I could from the professional team around me.”
Melissa is currently working as a professional singer, performing solo as well as with her own band, all around Romania.