Bridgewater Teen to Open for Professional Singer in Concert

All it took was a bombarding of emails to get one 15-year-old Bridgewater resident her chance at a little bit of fame.

Now Somerset County Vocational and Technical High School 10th grader, and Bridgewater resident, Cailin Marie Toole is preparing to perform Saturday on a New York City stage at Webster Hall as the opening act for singer Ryan Beatty.

“I am looking forward to this performance very much,” Toole said. “I’m working on keeping my voice healthy, strengthening it and not overworking it from practicing too much.”

“I am looking forward to getting up on the stage and doing what I love,” she added. “It’s an amazing opportunity to share my music with the audience. I’m also looking forward to meeting Ryan Beatty, he is very talented.”

Toole said she has been singing for her entire life, but only recently decided that this is what she wanted as her future career.

“I like to sing popular music as well as musical theater,” she said. “I do write my own songs.”

And Toole’s first single, called “Run Away,” will be on iTunes in the near future.

But it was YouTube that got Toole her big gig in New York.

Toole said she had followers on Twitter who watched her sing in YouTube videos, and they contacted Beatty’s agent.

“They knew that Ryan Beatty was going to be in New York City, so they bombarded his agent with emails containing my YouTube channel,” she said. “And then for a few days, there was some formal talk between mine and Ryan’s manager, and I am now opening for him.”

Toole said she is nervous about the performance, but is doing her best to remain calm to prepare.

“I feel that if you aren’t getting nervous, there is something wrong,” she said. “You need to have the feeling of wanting to succeed.”

“A way of keeping my nerves from getting in the way of my performance is really just taking deep breaths and assuring myself that this is a fun thing and I have nothing to worry about,” she added.

Toole has already had some experience with performing and being recognized for her talents. She was a finalist in an online original song contest and won an over-the-phone mentoring session with celebrity vocal coach Nick Cooper.

In November, Toole was a top 12 finalist for Quality Services for the Autism Community, a talent show in which she performed at the Midtown Theatre in New York City.

And in June, Toole was a first place solo artist in Bridgewater’s Got Talent.

“Bridgewater’s Got Talent was such an amazing and fun opportunity,” she said. “It was great to get in front of people from the music industry.”

Toole’s main goal is to have a record deal one day, and continue to make music.

“My goals for the future are never-ending, I’m always finding out things I want to do,” she said. “I love to perform, it is my passion and it is an amazing way to express myself.”