Name: May MacLeod
Age: 11
Nationality: British-Chinese
Instrument: Voice
Genre: Choir/Theater
How did you become interested in singing and performing?
I’m not sure where it came from, but I have lots of pictures of myself dancing and in costumes since I was in nursery, maybe 5 or 6 years old. When I was in Year 4 in England, around 7 or 8 years old, I started going to drama school, doing one hour of singing, one hour of dancing and one hour of drama. They thought I was very good at singing and asked if I was interested in joining the choir. Then I starred in a school performance as Alice in Alice in Wonderland. That was 2005.
How do you think being in a choir has shaped or molded your personality?
I used to be kind of shy, but now I’m not! It’s made me a lot more confident, and I’ve gotten to know more friends.
What’s the best part of being the lead singer/soloist?
Lots of little children look up to you.
What’s the hardest part about singing?
Nowadays, going up on high notes is hard, because you can get really nervous when you’re about to sing on stage. I try to act like I’m not, but I really am. So sometimes hitting high notes can be difficult. I’m not very good at learning lines, either. I usually learn them last minute.
What do you love most about singing?
It’s a good way of expressing yourself. Sometimes, if I’m really angry or annoyed, I’ll start singing. It just makes you feel better. And hearing a whole choir sing in harmony is really nice, too. It’s really pretty.
May was born in Beijing and lived in England for three years before coming back in 2006. She is currently in Year 6 at BSB and will star as the Artful Dodger in IFC’s production of Oliver! on May 29-31
