SINGER FOCUSING ON FUTURE
. Even without making it to final, Escondido resident says ‘America’s Got Talent’ the greatest experience of her life
“To know that I’ve reached so many people across the world by being who I am makes me feel complete.”
Celina Graves
• singer/songwriter
ESCONDIDO
On Sept. 16, Celina Graves’ journey on “America’s Got Talent” came to an end when she didn’t earn enough votes to reach the final round of the NBC television series last month.
But there’s one thing the 31-yearold Escondido singer wants people to know about being eliminated from the show just before the $1 million prize round. As one of the top 15 finalists from more than 80,000 people who tried out for the show this season, she still feels like a winner.
“A lot of people keep saying to me ‘sorry you didn’t make it to the final’ instead of congratulations,” Graves said in an interview this past week. “I’m telling people don’t feel sorry for me. I’m very content and happy with the outcome. I know that this is just the beginning and I thank everyone for the support.”
Graves is already working on an extended-play album of original songs that she wrote with her wife, Erica Graves, and her father, Ed Graves. And when the pandemic subsides, she also plans a global concert tour, because her fan base has expanded to India, Africa, Indonesia and Central America.
She was also recruited on Sept. 25 by the San Diego Padres to sing the national anthem in a pre-recorded video for a Major League Baseball playoff game sometime in October. Not only does Graves love singing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” it will also be a full-circle moment for her family because her dad once sang the national anthem at a Padres game many years ago.
Graves was working security at a North County casino before she landed an on-screen audition with AGT earlier this year. Being a professional singer has been her dream since her teens, but for many years she struggled with anxiety and a lack of confidence. And every time she got close to signing a record contract or getting picked to compete on TV singing competition like “American Idol” in the past, she always hit the same wall with promoters and publicists. They loved her singing but not her image.
As Graves told the AGT judges in her emotional pre-taped audition that aired June 9, she grew up dressing in her brother’s clothes, was mistreated by other girls and feared by business owners for her seemingly tough exterior. But in that epi
However, three separate advertisements Barrios had been running on Facebook are now inactive, and two of those were suspended Tuesday.
Barrios won the most votes in the March primary election but suspended his campaign Monday after a series of high-profile Democratic Party officeholders withdrew their endorsements and political support for the campaign.
Those actions came after The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Barrios was the subject of a criminal investigation for his handling of contributions to the San Diego County Young Democrats political committee between 2015 and 2017, when he volunteered as the group’s treasurer.
Bank records provided to investigators show at least 29 questionable expenses, including dozens of transfers of committee funds directly into a personal account.
Barrios recently had to amend his state-required disclosures twice, after the Union-Tribune and the Voice of San Diego reported discrepancies between what Barrios reported and what other public records indicated.
The Aug. 31 amendment showed that Barrios spent one week early last year working for both Council President Georgette Gómez and for his new employer, the Laborers International Union of North America Local No. 89, at the same time.
“Overlap due to prior employer’s (City of San Diego) request to train my replacement and conduct exit interviews,” Barrios explained in a footnote to his amended filing. “No conf licts arose during this brief period.”
Barrios also had to amend his income disclosure because he initially failed to report that LIUNA Local 89 paid Barrios $86,810 in 2019 for work as a director of community outreach.
Late last year, the Fair
Political Practices Commission fined Barrios more than $4,000 for mishandling almost $8,000 in donations to two other political committees. Barrios admitted to the allegations and called them a mistake.
Last month, Gómez and other elected officials began to withdraw their endorsements. On Monday, labor union officials also distanced themselves from Barrios.
“The leadership of LIUNA Local 89 has concluded that it is in the best interest of the labor movement to withdraw our efforts for Kelvin Barrios,” SecretaryTreasurer Valentine Macedo said in a letter to his members.
Elo-Rivera said in a statement Thursday that Barrios continues to mislead the community by sending mixed signals about his political intentions.
“Barrios’ statements, the active status of his website and his continued political maneuvering indicate that the ‘suspension’ of his campaign was just an attempt to avoid the media’s scrutiny and the democratic process while leaving open the possibility of serving in a position of public trust,” he said. “Out of respect for our community and democracy, it is time for Barrios to officially end his campaign.”
Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, chairman of the San Diego County Democratic Party, declined to comment on Barrios or his status in the council campaign.
The District 9 council seat represents some of the most diverse communities in San Diego, including City Heights, the College Area, Kensington, Talmadge and Mountain View. District residents are 46 percent Latino, 25 percent White, 13 percent Asian, 12 percent Black and a handful of other ethnicities, according to the San Diego Association of Governments.
San Diego County’s Registrar of Voters will send all 1.9 million registered voters mail ballots starting Monday, and military and overseas voters have begun casting ballots. People also can vote in-person at one of 235 “super poll” locations beginning Oct. 31.