Young Singers Kate Springsteen, Katlyn Frosland Take Talents to Hollywood
By Stephen Underwood

Kate Springsteen (from left) and Katlyn Frosland, St. Ignace voice students of Martin Bell, entertain the gathering with their rendition of “Dancing in the Streets” at the Chamber of Commerce’s Business-After-Hours at the Pavillion Tuesday, June 19. The performers were raising funds for a trip to Hollywood, California, where they have qualified to sing in a competition.

Talented young singers, dancers, and combination performers from cities big and small around the country will converge on Hollywood, California, August 8 through 10 for the first FAMEUS National Finals. But will there be any other small town like St. Ignace sending not one, but two performers to the competition? And from a single voice teacher?

Kate Springsteen, Katlyn Frosland, and their teacher, Martin Bell, are proud of what they have produced together. They have been seen at Locals by the Bay and the Pavillion dedication, entertaining crowds with their individual voices and their well-known duet, “Dancing in the Street.”

The stage at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel, however, is much bigger.

“Kate and Katlyn really are both wonderful singers and performers,” said Mr. Bell, adding that how they do in the competition will not change that fact. “All I do is show them what to do. The people who pick it up and run with it are the ones who excel. Both girls have wonderful motivation, and competition like this is what most singers have to do if they’re going to make it these days.”

The new event takes its name and is inspired by the movie and television series “Fame,” with “US” stuck on the end to make a play on the word “famous” and emphasize the national scope of the competition. It was developed by Debbie Allen, who starred in and choreographed for both the original 1979 film and 1982 TV series. The young actress Raven-Symone will host the event, which is expected to include appearances by Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Bernie Mac, and Phylicia Rashad.

Miss Springsteen, 16, and soon to be a senior at LaSalle High School, competed in a similar event last year. She went to the New York International Music Festival, actually a five-city event that included the Las Vegas venue where she performed and made the finals. Miss Frosland, age 12 and entering eighth grade at St. Ignace Middle School, saw what her fellow student did last year and wanted a similar opportunity.

They have taken slightly different paths to these finals, with Miss Frosland qualifying second in the junior pop vocal category in a regional event May 7-8 in Detroit, and Miss Springsteen using the Chicago regional May 14-15 to win the senior jazz vocal division.

In 2001, Miss Springsteen came to work with Mr. Bell as an eighth-grade student with a growing interest in singing. She wasn’t sure at first if she liked some of the Motown and R&B music he encouraged her to work with, but now she has made her mark with not just that, but by reviving classic blues and jazz standards, many of which she has performed in different events around St. Ignace.

Fans are familiar with her versions of “Respect,” by Aretha Franklin and other better-known tunes. In performing “Come Rain or Come Shine” and a revved-up “Blues in the Night” by Harold Arlen, however, she is tackling some of the most difficult pieces of the 1930s and 1940s.

She performed “Blues” last year in Las Vegas and has done an easier version locally. Mr. Bell, however, said she is far from the same singer who took the stage last year or even has been seen at area venues. “She’s not shown this to the world yet,” he after being stunned by a late July dress rehearsal, “but she’s come light years (in the past year).”

Her embrace of these styles, plus a hard-core work ethic have put her in position to do very well, he added. “Kate’s got what used to be ‘happening’ and brought it up to date. And she does exactly what I ask in practicing, with a vengeance.”

Miss Springsteen agrees that “redoing older songs and making them more modern” has been a special strength of hers. Building and recording a resume of a wide variety of songs, with different mixes, has expanded her talents. There’s no substitute for hard work, either.

“Vocal and breathing exercises for an hour every night,” she said with a smile, as if revealing a grueling secret formula.

Miss Frosland started singing on her own as a child and when her family realized she had talent, they enrolled her in singing lessons at Lake Superior State University at age 7 or 8.

“But it became too far to go every week,” she said. “Then we saw Martin Bell’s ad in the paper. When he started working with me he said he’s been looking for a singer like this for a long time.”

Fast forward more than three years, many local performances and karaoke contests, and a couple of CDs later, Miss Frosland found herself on a stage in Detroit, ready to sing Jessica Simpson’s “Angels” with some tough acts to follow. In one sense, there was Miss Springsteen herself. “After Kate went to Las Vegas, I knew I wanted to enter a big contest the next year,” Miss Frosland said.

More significantly, there were some competitors with fancy costumes, props, and backup dancers that she was succeeding. “I really had to do it by the power of my voice,” she said.

“She (Katlyn) did a great job right after the (eventual) winner,” said Mr. Bell. “She hit every note.

“Katlyn’s good at blues and she’s good at pop,” he added. “And she has soul.”

“I’ve made a ton of progress in the last year and he’s really helped me a lot,” said Miss Frosland. “I think my voice sounds more grown up now.”

She added that her uncle, John Schieding, has introduced her to some of the older pop/rock music she likes to sing. At a recent “Locals by the Bay,” she impressed with her version of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart.”

“My whole family is into that type of music,” she said. “My uncle plays the guitar and has shown me a lot of stuff.”

She’s never been out of Michigan, save for Sault Ste. Marie, Canada, in her life and has a lot of gratitude for the opportunity to do so. “I give all the credit to my mom and her fiance (Wendy Frosland and Ron Mink), my grandma and grandpa (Katie and Mike Frosland), and Martin Bell,” she said. “And we’d never be able to go out there if it wasn’t for everybody in town. Thanks to my aunt, Cheryl Schlehuber, and everyone else, we’re able to go and stay out there.”

While the New York International Music Festival Miss Springsteen competed in last year “ranks at the top,” according to Mr. Bell, he expects that this new event could ascend to the same level, given the way it’s being produced and the star power.

“It’s very clear that Debbie Allen is trying to help these kids,” he said. “This has the earmarks of a great contest.”