Over the past five years, Beach has auditioned for musical reality shows such as “The X Factor”, “The Voice” and “American Idol.”

Although she did not advance past preliminary rounds, now-17-year-old Beach credits these experiences with motivating her to continue honing her craft.

“I was so upset that I didn’t make it, but I eventually got over it,” she said. “It inspired me a little more to go harder next time and to make more music, because you’re gonna get ‘no’s sometimes and you just have to learn to get through that.”

“I was so upset that I didn’t make it, but I eventually got over it. It inspired me a little more to go harder next time and to make more music, because you’re gonna get ‘no’s sometimes and you just have to learn to get through that.”

— KIRSTEN BEACH

Beach is a singer with the goal of performing in large venues such as Madison Square Garden — a far cry from her aversion to performing publicly when she was younger.

“I decided that a lot of people don’t have opportunities to go and sing and to touch other people by their voice, and I can do this because I have the opportunity and God gave me the talent,” Beach said.

The summer of 2015, she attended the Otis Music Camp for the first time at the encouragement of founder Karla Redding-Andrews, a friend of Beach’s mother.

Since then, Beach gained performance experience through the Otis Redding Foundation’s DREAM Choir, as well as the opportunity to sing at the Evening of Respect, an event facilitated by the organization.

According to Beach, the 2,000-person crowd will be her biggest audience.

“I feel extremely blessed and lucky to be able to be a part of these events in the Otis Redding Foundation,” Beach said. “If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t really be able to put myself out there as much.”