by Joy Thornton
Long Beach native Jeb Vonderbruegge has reached new heights since Gulf Coast Idol in 2019. Vonderbruegge advanced and performed for the judges in Savannah, Georgia. From there, he got the golden opportunity to go to Hollywood.
Throughout all this excitement, the experience could become nerve-wracking, however; Jeb points out that during each round the producers don’t let the contestants in on what happens next.
“It’s a good thing because you don’t really have time to go build it up in your head and get scared about it, “ he says.
Recently, he performed a duet with his partner Alyssa Fair by famous singer Rihanna. Jeb had the chance to work with someone who was going through the same experience as him. This pairing provided the contestants with a way to keep each other in check.
Along this journey, what keeps Jeb motivated is the people who encourage him along the way. The immense amount of support he receives from the judges, his fellow contestants, and his community has had an impact on his experience.
Jeb expresses that, “Even winning Gulf Coast Idol, there was a lot of support. I think that just taught me that no matter what happens, I have people in my corner. That was pretty valuable to me because no matter how scary it gets or how nervous you are, you realize there are people who are really supportive of what you are doing, and even when you don’t believe in yourself that there are people who believe in you.”
