Page 17 - Priorities #69

In Real Life
with Sergio Calderon
By Kelly Sargent
Sergio Calderon, a very talented singer, had a summer he will never forget. A few weeks before wrapping up his junior year at Priory, Sergio received an email from a talent scout. He recalls opening the email while in Damian Cohen’s U.S. History class. “I remember sitting next to Emerson and showing him the email; we both ipped out because we thought it was so cool!” he said. That email led to a Skype audition with the casting director, and then an audition for the executive producers of a new music competition television show, Boy Band. Finally, Sergio auditioned for the architects (judges) of the show, which were Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys, Emma Bunton from the Spice Girls, and record producer and rapper Timbaland.
Sergio was cast to compete against 30 other young male vocalists, with the nal prize of becoming a member of a new ve-piece boy band. Throughout the summer, the Priory community watched in anticipation as Sergio advanced week by week. Over the 10-episode period, the competition had whittled down to just eight vocalists and the nal ve would be revealed in the nale. The Priory did not disappoint with votes for Sergio; everyone from classmates, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and even grandparents jumped on whatever electronic devices they had to vote for Sergio.
At the season nale, Sergio’s family and friends anxiously watched in the audience, as the nalists were revealed one by one. Sergio shared what his thoughts were before the nale, “My mom and I were truly convinced that I wasn’t going to make the band. Something that people don’t know is that my mom already had some bags packed up on that last day! Even though we had this nal plan of me going home, I still had a little bit of faith.” On August 24, 2017, the nal ve boys were revealed. Brady Tutton, Chance Perez, Drew Ramos, Michael Conor, and our very own Sergio Calderon were the new members of the boy band, now named, In Real Life.
In Real Life also received a recording contract with Hollywood Records and would spend the next year touring and performing at events and concerts. With Sergio’s sudden life change, it also meant he would not be able to return to Priory for his senior year. “Even though I am living my dream, senior year is something I would’ve loved to live through,” he said. “I miss Priory a lot. It was honestly my second home.”
So what has Sergio’s life been like since the show ended? He has walked the red carpet and attended a lot of award shows, met many artists, performed across the U.S., recorded songs, interviews, photo shoots, and met many adoring fans! A few of Sergio’s favorite moments were debuting their music video on the jumbo screens in Times Square and their recent performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Sergio doesn’t consider himself a celebrity even though he is often recognized and asked for photos. “I want to make sure that I always stay as grounded as possible and that’s the beauty of being in a group with other teenage guys. We just love to have fun and live our dreams,” he remarked. “When people ask for pictures, it is the best feeling ever. I love meeting the people that support us. They are the reason I am here and I’m so lucky for every single fan,” said Sergio.
Sergio credits his parents for his success. “They drove me to many other auditions and gigs that I had before Boy Band.” His mom, Jose na Calderon also made a big sacri ce after Sergio joined the band, “When the show started, my mom decided to leave her job because she had to be with me and that is a big sacri ce,” he explained. “They deserve the world and I love them so much.”
The future of Sergio and his band, In Real Life, will be an exciting time for them as they plan to go on tour and release an EP in the Spring. Sergio still hopes to visit Priory and join his classmates in some senior events. “It’s a very special place that made me very happy. I will miss it so much and hope that everyone’s dreams at Priory will come true. Thank you for everything!!!”
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT