[MUSIC PLAYING] >> ♪ I TRIED TO CUT THESE CORNERS ♪ >> ♪ TRIED TO TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT ♪ >> ♪ I KEPT ON FALLING SHORT OF SOMETHING ♪ >> ♪ I COULD'VE GAVE UP THEN, BUT... ♪ >> ♪ THEN AGAIN I COULDN'T HAVE 'CAUSE... ♪ >> ♪ I'VE TRAVELED ALL THIS WAY FOR SOMETHING TAKE IT IN BUT DON'T LOOK DOWN I'M ON TOP OF THE WORLD, EH I'M ON TOP OF THE WORLD, EH WAITING ON THIS FOR A WHILE NOW I PAID MY DUES TO THE DIRT I'VE BEEN WAITING TO SMILE, EH BEEN HOLDING IT IN FOR A WHILE, EH TAKE IT WITH ME IF I CAN BEEN DREAMING OF THIS SINCE A CHILD I'M ON TOP OF THE WORLD ♪ >> [VOCALIZING] >> ♪ AND I KNOW IT'S HARD WHEN YOU'RE FALLING DOWN AND IT'S A LONG WAY UP WHEN YOU HIT THE GROUND GET UP NOW, GET UP GET UP NOW AND I KNOW IT'S HARD WHEN YOU'RE FALLING DOWN AND IT'S A LONG WAY UP WHEN YOU HIT THE GROUND GET UP NOW, GET UP GET UP NOW I'M ON TOP OF THE WORLD ♪ JOSH GROBAN: HOW ABSOLUTELY AWESOME WAS THAT?

THE YOUNG ARTISTS YOU JUST SAW ARE ALL THIS YEAR'S SPOTLIGHT GRAND PRIZE FINALISTS.

WELCOME.

I'M JOSH GROBAN, AND I'M THRILLED AND HONORED TO BE YOUR HOST FOR THE SPOTLIGHT 2021 GRAND FINALE.

IT'S ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL TO ME BECAUSE AS A LOS ANGELINO, I WAS ALSO A SPOTLIGHT ARTIST WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

I DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE GRAND FINAL--I DID OK, ANYWAY--BUT SPOTLIGHT HELPED ME ON MY OWN PATH AND MADE ME REALIZE HOW DETERMINED AND HOW RESILIENT I NEEDED TO BE TO BECOME A BETTER ARTIST.

LET'S TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT WHAT SPOTLIGHT'S ALL ABOUT AND THEN MEET OUR FIRST PERFORMER-- SELENA HAMILTON.

ANNOUNCER: THE MUSIC CENTER SPOTLIGHT IS AN INCREDIBLE, FREE, ALL-YEAR-LONG PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES COACHING AND FEEDBACK AND TREMENDOUS PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

THE PROGRAM HAS PROVIDED MORE THAN 49,000 YOUNG ARTISTS WITH OVER $2.5 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS.

1,500 STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN 7 DIFFERENT PERFORMING ARTS CATEGORIES, AND FROM THAT, 14 STUDENTS ARE CHOSEN AS GRAND PRIZE FINALISTS.

IN ITS 33 YEARS, SPOTLIGHT HAS LAUNCHED SOME OF THE WORLD'S LEADING PERFORMING ARTISTS, AND WHILE MANY GO ON TO PROFESSIONAL CAREERS IN THE ARTS, OTHERS TAKE THE EXPERIENCE AND DISCIPLINE GAINED TO SUCCEED IN WHATEVER DREAM THEY FOLLOW.

HAMILTON: I LOVE SHOPPING, THINK I JUST LOVE PUTTING, LIKE, PIECES TOGETHER, KIND OF LIKE DANCE.

I STARTED DANCING WHEN I WAS 4, AND I HAVE NEVER STOPPED SINCE.

THE THING I LOVE IS HOW I GET TO EXPRESS MYSELF THROUGH MY MOVEMENT.

I'M NOT A VERY GOOD SPEAKER, SO IT'S, LIKE, NICE TO HAVE DANCE TO LAY BACK ON.

THE BIGGEST THING I'VE HAD TO OVERCOME IS SOCIAL MEDIA AND KNOWING THAT EVERYONE'S PATHS ARE DIFFERENT THAN MINE AND NOT TO COMPARE MYSELF TO OTHERS.

IF I HAD TO PUT SPOTLIGHT IN ONE WORD, IT WOULD BE "OPPORTUNITIES" BECAUSE I THINK IT JUST LOOKS GREAT FOR YOUR FUTURE.

IT ALSO GETS YOU PREPARED FOR THE AUDITIONING PROCESS.

[MUSIC PLAYING] [SIMULATED GUNSHOTS] >> REMORSE IS MEMORY AWAKENED.

HER COMPANY... [CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY] ITS PATH IS SET DOWN... [CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY] REMORSE IS GERMAN, A DISEASE NOT EVEN GOD CAN CURE.

[CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY] REMORSE IS... [CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY] HER COMPANY... REMORSE IS MEMORY AWAKENED.

[CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY] REMORSE IS MEMORY AWAKENED... MEMORY AWAKENED... GROBAN: A POWERFUL PIECE, INCREDIBLE.

NEXT UP, A FELLOW SINGER--MEGAN COLTON.

COLTON: WHEN I STEP ON STAGE AND THERE'S THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WATCHING YOU, THERE'S NO BETTER FEELING THAN THAT.

I'M THE SIXTH KID IN MY FAMILY.

I WANT ATTENTION.

HA HA!

SPOTLIGHT CHANGED MY PERFORMANCE.

ONE OF THE ISSUES WAS MY BODY IMAGE.

I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE THE ARIEL, BUT I WAS ALWAYS CAST AS THE URSULA.

IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET OVER THAT, BUT I'M THERE NOW, AND I LOVE MY BODY.

I LOVE HOW I PERFORM.

♪ WHAT DO I DO?

I AM NOTHING WITHOUT YOU TO MY ANGELS BELIEVING IS TOUGH WHEN I'VE LOST MY FAITH DON'T KNOW MY FACE I'M SO BEATEN UP TO MY ANGELS THERE'S NOTHING I SEE THAT'S DIVINE AND I'M WAITING FOR SOME LITTLE SIGN ♪ ♪ SHOW ME SHOW ME I'M SCARED TO THE BONE AND I'M TERRIBLY LONELY WOULD YOU HOLD ME HOLD ME?

JUST SHOW ME A SIGN SHOW ME SOMETHING THAT'S MINE TO MY ANGELS I'M NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO GET OUT OF HERE TO FIGHT MY FEAR NO, I CAN'T GET UP TO MY ANGELS I BEG YOU DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND JUST GIVE ME MY OWN PEACE OF MIND AND POINT ME THE WAY TO THE LIGHT JUST SHOW ME YOU'RE WITH ME ♪ ♪ JUST SHOW ME YOU'RE WITH ME TONIGHT ♪ GROBAN: A BEAUTIFUL VOICE AND A BEAUTIFUL MESSAGE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

NEXT UP, TWO ARTISTS, DANIEL BAE AND ACTOR JORDAN ANDERSON, PERFORMING THE ROLE OF AN EX-CON TRYING TO ESCAPE HIS PAST FROM THE PLAY "SWEAT."

BAE: I REALLY LOVE PLAYING THE VIOLIN BECAUSE I FEEL SO CONNECTED TO IT, FEELS LIKE IT'S ANOTHER EXTENSION OF MY BODY.

I CAN EXPRESS MY FEELING SO MUCH BETTER THROUGH THE MUSIC THAT I'M PERFORMING AND FEEL HAPPY WHEN I PLAY.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE CLASSICAL MUSIC MORE ACCESSIBLE.

SHOWCASING IN A CONTEMPORARY SETTING WOULD MAKE IT MORE FUN.

SPOTLIGHT FEEDBACK IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE NOT ONLY YOU LEARN FROM IT, BUT KEEP GETTING INSPIRED.

[PIANO PLAYING] ANDERSON: I AM A HUGE GEEK.

I LOVE VIDEO GAME CODING.

GAMING IS KIND OF LIKE THEATER, AND YOU GET A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GOOD AT A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS COMING TOGETHER AND BEING ABLE TO CREATE ONE BIG PIECE OF ART AS A TEAM.

WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I NEVER PERFORMED BECAUSE I WAS ALWAYS TOO SCARED TO DO IT, AND FINALLY GETTING UP THE GUTS TO GO ON A STAGE REALLY JUST HELPED ME AS A PERSON GROW.

SPOTLIGHT IS AMAZING.

THE FACT THAT THEY GIVE MONEY TO KIDS, ESPECIALLY GOING INTO COLLEGE, AND BEING ABLE TO SHOW YOUNG ARTISTS WHO ARE GOING INTO A FIELD THAT IS SO COMPETITIVE AND HEART-WRENCHING, "I CAN DO THIS WITH MY LIFE," AND I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL AND GREAT LESSON THAT, YOU KNOW, SPOTLIGHT IS TEACHING.

I RAN INTO JASON.

I WASN'T EXPECTING IT.

IT WAS A WEIRD.

HE LOOKED DIFFERENT.

HE HAD TATS ALL OVER HIS FACE, YOU KNOW, BIG TATS.

HE LOOKED RIDICULOUS.

I HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT INSIDE, YOU KNOW, ARYAN BROTHERHOOD.

JASON, HE LOOKED OLD, LIKE A MAN, LIKE HIS DAD USED TO BEFORE HE DIED.

I DON'T KNOW.

IT JUST KIND OF FREAKED ME OUT, A COUPLE MINUTES, AND YOUR WHOLE LIFE CHANGES.

THAT'S IT.

IT'S GONE.

EVERY DAY, I THINK ABOUT WHAT IF I HADN'T, YOU KNOW?

I RUN IT AND RUN IT, A TAPE, OVER AND OVER AGAIN-- "WHAT IF?"

"WHAT IF?"

ALL NIGHT IN MY HEAD, CAN'T TURN IT OFF.

REVEREND DUCKETT SAYS, "LEAN ON GOD FOR FORGIVENESS.

LEAN ON GOD TO FIND YOUR WAY THROUGH THE TERRIBLE STORM."

I'M LEANING IN THE WIND.

I'M ...

LEANING, AND THEN THERE'S JASON CROSSING PENN, YOU KNOW, AND I'M JUST CHILLING HERE, LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDOW OF A SNEAKER VILLA, NOT THINKING ABOUT ANYTHING, AND HE SEES ME, AND I'LL SEE HIM, AND NEITHER OF US COULD-- IT WAS-- I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT WHAT I WOULD DO, WHAT I WOULD SAY, HOW I WOULD REACT.

I MEAN, WHAT WE DID WAS UNFORGIVABLE, AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, I'M WALKING FAST TOWARDS HIM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO, BUT THE EMOTIONS ARE RIGHT HERE IN MY CHEST, A FIST PRESSING RIGHT HERE.

I'M EXPECTING HIM TO WALK AWAY, DO SOMETHING, BUT HE JUST STANDS THERE LIKE HE'S BEEN WAITING FOR ME ALL THESE YEARS.

WE COME FACE TO FACE.

I'M RIGHT HERE.

I CAN SMELL HIS BREATH.

THAT'S HOW CLOSE WE ARE.

I CAN SEE THE ... VEINS IN HIS EYES.

MY FISTS CLENCHED.

MY FINGERNAILS DIG INTO MY PALMS, AND THEN...IT HAPPENS.

SO WEIRD.

WEIRD.

WE'RE HUGGING.

I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 8 YEARS, I FEEL LIKE I COULD GO HOME.

GROBAN: OUR NEXT TWO PERFORMERS TAKE US INTO THE OPERA AND JAZZ WORLDS.

SAXOPHONIST SANTIAGO LOPEZ WILL PLAY A CHARLIE PARKER CLASSIC, BUT FIRST UP, CATHERINE JOHNSTON WILL PERFORM A PIECE FROM THE OPERA "LA FILLE DU REGIMENT."

JOHNSTON: SOMETHING I'VE LEARNED IN THE PAST YEAR IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE PERFORMING IN PERSON TO CONNECT WITH AN AUDIENCE.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE PERSONAL HOBBIES IS DEFINITELY READING.

I DO EXTENSIVE RESEARCH BEFORE I 100% COMMIT TO A PIECE BECAUSE I NEED TO KNOW ALL ABOUT THE TIME PERIOD, THE CHARACTER THAT I'M SINGING ABOUT, AND THAT REALLY HELPS ME, HOW I AM AS A PERFORMER.

SPOTLIGHT HAS GIVEN ME THE ABILITY TO FORM A GROUP OF FRIENDS THAT LOVES WHAT I LOVE TO DO.

[VOCALIZING] ♪ CHACUN LE SAIT CHACUN LE DIT LE REGIMENT PAR EXCELLENCE LE SEUL A QUI L'ON FASS' CREDIT DANS TOUS LES CABARETS DE FRANCE LE REGIMENT EN TOUS PAYS L'EFFROI DES AMANTS DES MARIS MAIS DE LA BEAUTE BIEN SUPRE... E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E...MME IL EST LA, IL EST LA IL EST LA, MORBLEU LE VOILA, LE VOILA LE VOILA, CORBLEU IL EST LA, IL EST LA LE VOILA LE BEAU VINGT-ET-UNIEME LE BEAU VINGT-ET-UNIEME ♪ ♪ IL A GAGNE TANT DE COMBATS QUE NOTRE EMPEREUR ON LE PENSE FERA CHACUN DE SES SOLDATS A LA PAIX MARECHAL DE FRANCE CAR, C'EST CONNU AH AH AH LE PLUS VAINQUEUR AH AH AH AH AH QU'UN SEXE CRAINT ET QUE L'AUTRE AI-AI-AI-AI-AI-AI-AI-AI- AI-AI...ME IL EST LA, IL EST LA IL EST LA, AH, AH LE VOILA, LE VOILA LE VOILA, AH, AH IL EST LA, IL EST LA LE VOILA LE BEAU VINGT-ET-UNIEME LE BEAU VINGT-ET-UNIEME ♪ LOPEZ: ONE GRANDFATHER INTRODUCED ME TO THE LOVE OF MUSIC, AND THE OTHER INTRODUCED ME TO THE LOVE OF PLAYING GOLF.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT GOLF IS THE CHALLENGE OF TRYING TO BEAT YOURSELF.

IT GOES HAND IN HAND WITH MUSIC TO WHERE YOU NEED TO FIND YOUR RHYTHM.

YOU KNOW, EACH GOLFER IS DIFFERENT JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER MUSICIAN IS DIFFERENT, SO I THINK WITH MUSIC, IT'S KIND OF MY PERSONAL OUTLET TO, LIKE, TELL MY STORY THROUGH MY INSTRUMENT.

IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO GET OUT WORDS, BUT WHEN YOU'RE BEHIND AN INSTRUMENT, YOU CAN REALLY EXPRESS YOURSELF AND TOUCH PEOPLE A DIFFERENT WAY.

SPOTLIGHT IS A GREAT WAY FOR YOU TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE IN YOUR MUSICAL GROWTH.

THIS YEAR, I REALLY MADE IT MY GOAL TO PLAY MY BEST AND REALLY SHOWING THEM, LIKE, WHAT I COULD DO.

♪ 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4 ♪ GORBAN: SANTIAGO, THAT WAS INCREDIBLE--YOU MADE BIRD PROUD--AND, CATHERINE, ABSOLUTELY STUNNING.

CONGRATULATIONS.

NEXT UP, MIA SCHLOSSER.

SCHLOSSER: I LOVE TO BAKE BECAUSE IT'S, LIKE, STRAIGHT OUT JUST REALLY FUN.

THERE'S A VERY BIG STEREOTYPE AROUND BALLET DANCERS HAVING A VERY STRICT DIET, BUT I REALLY LIKE TO EAT WHAT I BAKE.

I LOVE BALLET BECAUSE I'M THE BEST, MOST HAPPIEST VERSION OF MYSELF WHEN I DO IT.

I REALLY LIKE HOW YOU CAN MAKE SOME THINGS SUPER LONG OR SUPER SHORT OR FASTER, QUICK, AND REALLY PLAY WITH THE MOVEMENT.

THE BEST THING ABOUT SPOTLIGHT IS THE KIND WORDS AND THE FEEDBACK.

IT'S JUST HELPED ME A LOT WITH MY CONFIDENCE THIS YEAR.

[HARP PLAYING] [ORCHESTRA PLAYING] GROBAN: YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY SEEN OUR NEXT PERFORMER HANNAH NORDBERG IN THE DRAMA SERIES "EUPHORIA."

TODAY SHE PLAYS A GIRL WHO STRUGGLES WITH BELONGING AND ACCEPTANCE IN A SCENE FROM "BLOOD AT THE ROOT."

FOLLOWING HANNAH IS EMMY CHEUNG, WHO ALSO PLANS TO MAKE A LIFE IN THE WORLD OF DANCE.

NORDBERG: I HAVE BEEN A CROCHETER SINCE I WAS 11 YEARS OLD.

CROCHETING HELPS TO BRING ME DOWN IN BETWEEN SCENES BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND I CAN JUST CALM DOWN AND IT'S A NICE, REPETITIVE PATTERN.

I'VE BEEN ACTING PROFESSIONALLY SINCE I WAS 9 YEARS OLD.

I CAN'T HELP BUT ACT.

I COULD BE COOKING, GRABBING SOMETHING FROM THE FRIDGE, AND LITTLE DO YOU KNOW I'M RECITING SHAKESPEARE.

FAIN, FAIN DENY WHAT I HAVE SPOKE BUT FAREWELL COMPLIMENT.

SPOTLIGHT MEANS GROWTH TO ME.

EVERY YEAR THAT I COME BACK, I CAN FEEL THE CHANGES THAT I'VE MADE, BUT SPOTLIGHT REALLY CATERS TO YOU AS A PERFORMER, AND THEY REALLY CARE ABOUT YOU, AND IT SHOWS.

WHEN I WAS ABOUT 10, I STARTED GETTING IN ALL THIS TROUBLE AT SCHOOL, YOU KNOW.

FIGHTS AND EVERYTHING, JUST MAD ALL THE TIME AND DIDN'T KNOW WHY, SO, YOU KNOW, MAMA SENT ME OVER TO LIVE WITH DADDY IN GEORGIA FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

HE HAD HIMSELF A NEW WIFE AND EVERYTHING, LIVING GOOD IN HOTLANTA WITH A NEW HOUSE AND ALL THAT, YOU KNOW, LIFE WITH A BLACK WOMAN.

HER NAME'S SHARON, AND SHE WAS COOL AS HELL, TREATED ME LIKE A DAUGHTER, HAD A BUNCH OF NIECES AND NEPHEWS, AND SHE TOLD THEM TO CALL ME COUSIN.

THEY'D SAY, "WHAT UP, CUZ?"

AND I REMEMBER FEELING FOR THE FIRST TIME LIKE I BELONGED SOMEWHERE, AND I STOPPED BEING SO ANGRY ALL THE TIME--ANGRY AT MAMA AND DADDY, ANGRY AT MYSELF, EVEN, ANGRY AT THE WORLD.

THEY USED TO CALL ME BLACK BY ASSOCIATION, ALL OF MY FRIENDS AND PLAY COUSINS IN HOTLANTA, BUT HERE, THEY JUST CALL ME FAKE OR WANNABE OR ACTING BLACK, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK?

IF ACTING BLACK MEAN BEING LIKE SHARON, MEAN FINDING FAMILY AND LOVE IN PLACES YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT THEM, IF IT MEANT NOT BEING ANGRY UNLESS YOU GOT GOOD REASON, THEN MAYBE WE SHOULD ALL BE ACTING BLACK MORE OFTEN.

THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY ABOUT THAT.

CHEUNG: I LOVE THAT DANCING TAKES ME INTO MY OWN SPACE WHERE I'M FREE TO BE ANYTHING I WANT.

SOMETIMES I CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SHY, BUT ON STAGE, I'M SUPER OPEN.

I HAVE, OF COURSE, HAD MY FAIR SHARE OF MESS-UPS ON STAGE, BUT WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS MAKE A COLLAGE VIDEO JUST TO LOOK BACK AND LAUGH ON.

THE BEST THING ABOUT SPOTLIGHT HAS BEEN THE INCREDIBLY POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT.

I CAN FEEL IT IN THE FEEDBACK FROM ALL THE JUDGES THAT THEY REALLY WANT TO HELP ME GROW AS AN ARTIST.

[SAMPHA'S "(NO ONE KNOWS ME) LIKE THE PIANO" PLAYING] SAMPHA: ♪ NO ONE KNOWS ME LIKE THE PIANO IN MY MOTHER'S HOME ♪ ♪ YOU WOULD SHOW ME I HAD SOMETHING SOME PEOPLE CALL A SOUL ♪ ♪ AND YOU DROPPED OUT THE SKY OH, YOU ARRIVED WHEN I WAS 3 YEARS OLD ♪ ♪ NO ONE KNOWS ME LIKE THE PIANO IN MY MOTHER'S HOME ♪ ♪ YOU KNOW I LEFT I FLEW THE NEST AND YOU KNOW I WON'T BE LONG AND IN MY CHEST YOU KNOW ME BEST AND YOU KNOW I'LL BE BACK HOME ♪ ♪ AN ANGEL BY HER SIDE ALL OF THE TIMES I KNEW WE COULDN'T COPE ♪ ♪ YOU TOOK HOLD OF ME AND NEVER, NEVER NEVER LET ME GO ♪ ♪ NO ONE KNOWS ME LIKE THE PIANO IN MY MOTHER'S HOME ♪ GROBAN: I LOVE THAT ALL THESE TEENAGERS HAVE INTERESTS AND PASSIONS THAT GO BEYOND THEIR ART.

AS AN ARTIST, EVERYTHING YOU DO HELPS MAKE YOU A WELL-ROUNDED PERSON AND AN EVEN BETTER PERFORMER.

YOU'LL SEE WHAT I MEAN WITH THESE NEXT TWO PERFORMERS--OBOIST FENGYANG JU AND NATALIE STEELE.

JU: WHEN I PLAY MY OBOE, I FEEL THAT I AM ON THE TOP OF THE WORLD.

THE OBOE HAS, LIKE, A UNIQUE SOUND LIKE A ANGEL FROM THE HEAVEN AND, LIKE, SINGING OUT LIKE... ♪ AH... ♪ YOU GUYS WOULD NOT EXPECT ME AS BEING A HIP-HOP DANCER.

I TOTALLY ROLL NICE SONGS.

I LOVE PLAYING DRONES BECAUSE I CAN BE LIKE A BIRD AND JUST SEE WHERE, LIKE, HUMAN NORMALLY CAN'T SEE.

THIS IS MY THIRD TIME ATTENDING SPOTLIGHT.

THIS IS THE, LIKE, REALLY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU WOULDN'T GET FROM SCHOOL TO, LIKE, PROGRESS YOURSELF, LIKE, TECHNICALLY, MENTALLY, EVERYTHING.

I THINK SPOTLIGHT HELPED ME A LOT.

[PIANO PLAYING] STEELE: I REALLY FELL IN LOVE WITH BALLET AROUND THE AGE OF 6, AND I SAW POINTE SHOES, AND EVERY LITTLE GIRL LOVES POINTE SHOES, AND HERE I AM TODAY.

ONE THING YOU DEFINITELY MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT ME IS THAT I LOVE TO SKATE AND I LOVE TO SURF.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE BALLET BUT JUST ON THE OCEAN, ON A BOARD, WHICH WHEN I'M DANCING, MY TEACHER ACTUALLY SAYS, "THINK OF IT LIKE YOU'RE SURFING," SO I CANNOT GET OVERWHELMED.

I HAVE A LOT OF SELF-DOUBT, SO SPOTLIGHT HAS GIVEN ME SO MUCH CONFIDENCE, AND IT'S BEEN SUCH A GREAT LEARNING PROCESS, IT'S JUST SUCH A NURTURING AND INSPIRING ENVIRONMENT.

[ORCHESTRA PLAYING] GROBAN: WELL, THAT WAS INCREDIBLE, AND I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF INVESTING OUR TIME, TALENT, AND RESOURCES ON YOUNG ARTISTS, AND WE DO IT BECAUSE THEY ARE OUR FUTURE.

COMING UP, PERCUSSIONIST J.J. LYBBERT WILL TAKE US BACK TO THE SPOTLIGHT JAZZ CLUB, BUT FIRST, AVA KOONTZ WILL PERFORM AN ARIA FROM THE OPERA "DER FRIESCHUTZ."

KOONTZ: RIGHT BEFORE I GO ON TO PERFORM, I CHANNEL MY INNER SHARPAY EVANS... [TRILLS] AND THEN THE PERFORMANCE SEEMS TO ALWAYS GO WELL.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT SINGING IS THE ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT RACES, RELIGIONS AROUND THE WORLD THROUGH MY MUSIC.

SOMETHING YOU'D NEVER GUESS ABOUT ME IS THAT I LOVE FOLDING FANCY NAPKINS.

I LOVE HOW ACCOMPLISHED I FEEL AFTERWARD.

THE BEST THING ABOUT SPOTLIGHT IS, YOU ARE WELCOMED FROM EVERYONE THE MOMENT YOU WALK INTO THE DOOR.

[PIANO PLAYING] ♪ TRUBE AUGEN, LIEBCHEN, TAUGEN EINEM HOLDEN BRAUTCHEN NICHT TRUBE AUGEN LIEBCHEN, TAUGEN NICHT TRUBE AUGEN LIEBCHEN, TAUGEN EINEM HOLDEN BRAUTCHEN NICHT ♪ ♪ DASS DURCH BLICKE SIE ERQUICKE UND BEGLUCKE, UND BESTRICKE ALLES UM SICH HER ENTZUCKE DAS IST IHRE SCHONSTE SCHONSTE PFLICHT DAS IST IHRE SCHONSTE SCHONSTE PFLICHT ♪ ♪ LASS IN ODEN MAUERN BUSSERINNEN TRAUERN DIR WINKT ROS'GER HOFFNUNG LICHT SCHON ENTZUNDET SIND DIE KERZEN ZUM VEREIN GETREUER HERZEN SCHON ENTZUNDET SIND DIE KERZEN ZUM VEREIN GETREUER HERZEN HOLDE FREUNDIN ZAGE NICHT HOLDE FREUNDIN HOLDE ZAGE NICHT HOLDE FREUNDIN ZAGE NICHT HOLDE FREUNDIN HOLDE ZAGE NICHT HOLDE FREUNDIN HOLDE FREUNDIN ZAGE NICHT ZAGE NICHT ♪ LYBBERT: I STARTED PLAYING THE DRUMS WHEN I WAS 4 YEARS OLD.

MY DAD WAS A DRUMMER IN COLLEGE, AND I JUST KIND OF PICKED UP THE DRUM SET.

I LOVE HOW, LIKE, YOU CAN HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON IN YOUR FEET AND THEN SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT IN YOUR HANDS, JUST A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT LIMBS DOING A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

I LOVE TO FIND INSPIRATION IN THINGS, LIKE, OTHER THAN MUSIC.

BIKING RELATES TO MUSIC A LOT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO CHANGE GEARS.

TO ME, SPOTLIGHT IS AN INSPIRATION FOR, LIKE, YOUNG MUSICIANS TO WANT TO SHOW THEIR ART TO A BIGGER AUDIENCE.

WITH SPOTLIGHT, THERE'S 8 JUDGES THAT PROVIDE REALLY IMPORTANT FEEDBACK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND IT CAN BE REALLY COOL.

GROBAN: THIS HAS BEEN THE BEST NIGHT FOR ME IN A LONG TIME.

I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL OF OUR GRAND PRIZE FINALISTS AS WELL AS ALL OF THE YOUNG ARTISTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS YEAR'S SPOTLIGHT PROGRAM.

I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF THE YOUNG PERFORMERS OUT THERE TO JUST, SAY, GO AFTER YOUR DREAMS.

KEEP DOING WHAT YOU LOVE, NO MATTER WHAT.

THERE ARE GOING TO BE TRIALS.

THERE ARE GONNA BE MOMENTS WHERE YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU GOT IT, BUT THAT'S WHERE THE GROWING HAPPENS.

BEFORE WE MEET OUR LAST PERFORMER, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE EVERYONE WHO MADE THE SPOTLIGHT 2021 GRAND FINALE POSSIBLE.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

OUR FINAL PERFORMER IS CHRISTIAN TYLER DOREY PERFORMING THE CLASSIC "AS WE STUMBLE ALONG," AND WHILE THIS YEAR HAS PROVIDED SOME STUMBLING AND BUMBLING OPPORTUNITIES, TO SAY THE LEAST, THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHTER THAN EVER FOR THESE YOUNG PERFORMERS, AND THIS CELEBRATION OF THEIR TALENT IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

IT'S ALL YOURS, CHRISTIAN.

DOREY: I AM OBSESSED WITH FASHION.

FASHION IS ABOUT BEING ABLE TO EXPRESS YOURSELF BEYOND WHAT'S VISIBLE IN WORDS, AND IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHY I LOVE PERFORMING SO MUCH.

I STARTED PERFORMING WHEN I WAS 4 YEARS OLD AFTER SEEING THE TV SHOWS.

I TOLD MY MOM, "I WANT TO DO THAT."

BILLY PORTER IS SUCH A HUGE INSPIRATION BECAUSE HE'S FEARLESSLY HIMSELF.

ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT SPOTLIGHT IS THAT IT ENABLES YOU TO DO WHAT YOU LOVE.

I'VE STRUGGLED WITH MY CONFIDENCE AS A PERFORMER, AND BEING ABLE TO HEAR THAT I'M SPECIAL, I COULDN'T BE MORE THANKFUL TO BE GIVEN THAT MESSAGE.

[MUSIC PLAYING] ♪ AS WE STUMBLE ALONG ON LIFE'S FUNNY JOURNEY AS WE STUMBLE ALONG INTO THE BLUE WE LOOK HERE, AND WE LOOK THERE SEEKING ANSWERS EVERYWHERE NEVER SURE OF WHERE TO TURN OR WHAT TO DO STILL, WE BUMBLE OUR WAY ON LIFE'S CRAZY LABYRINTH BARELY KNOWING LEFT FROM RIGHT NOR RIGHT FROM WRONG AND THE BEST THAT WE CAN DO IS HOPE THE BLUEBIRD WILL SING A SONG AS WE STUMBLE ALONG IT'S A DISMAL, LITTLE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE IT CAN BORE YOU TILL YOU'VE NOTHING LEFT TO GIVE 7 OVERRATED WONDERS 7 UNDERRATED SEAS 6 EXCRUCIATING CONTINENTS ANTARCTICA?

OH, PLEASE STILL, YOU MUSTN'T LET IT LICK YOU THIS PLANET, OH, SO BLAND KEEP YOUR EYEBALL ON THE HIGHBALL IN YOUR HAND AS WE STUMBLE ALONG ON LIFE'S CROWDED DANCE FLOOR AS WE PUSH AND WE SHOVE WE LIVE, AND WE LEARN AND WHEN WE FINALLY LEAVE THE BAR AND WE SEE THAT MORNING STAR WE PULL OUR BOOT STRAPS UP AND HOMEWARD TURN TILL WE STUMBLE AWAY ON DAWN'S BLINDING SUNBEAM BARELY KNOWING LEFT FROM RIGHT NOR RIGHT FROM WRONG AND THE BEST THAT WE CAN DO IS HOPE THE BLUEBIRD WILL SING A SONG AS WE STUMBLE ALONG AS WE STUMBLE, TUMBLE CRUMBLE, PLUMBLE AS WE STUMBLE ALONG ♪ ANNOUNCER: MAJOR FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS AND THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ARTS & CULTURE.