Abby Thibodaux has always taken pride in her knowledge of country music, but now she’ll have the trophy to prove it. The mass communication junior earned the title of champion and $10,000 on Country Music Television’s “The Singing Bee,” a game show testing contestants’ knowledge of song lyrics. The episode aired on May 11, and Thibodaux took the grand prize after successfully singing “Voices” by Chris Young. Thibodaux said she has been watching “The Singing Bee” religiously since it first aired in 2007 on NBC. She described her journey to get on the show as “a process.” Even though Thibodaux doesn’t consider herself a singer, she said she has always been comfortable on stage. It started with an e-mail to the producers of “The Singing Bee” during her freshman year at Nicholls State University. But after a Skype audition, producers told Thibodaux they were looking for older contestants. About a year later, the producers called Thibodaux and asked if she would like to audition again. The producers then told Thibodaux she was chosen to go to California for the show. Contestants are given a study guide with possible songs to prepare for the show a week before taping, but Thibodaux didn’t utilize it. She said she would rely on the songs she knew and hope for the best. “I was super excited flying out to California,” she said. “I didn’t want to get my hopes up because just because they fly you out there doesn’t mean you’re going to play.” But play she did, and Thibodaux took the game for all it was worth. Thibodaux said she thinks her victory wasn’t just luck, but that the producers of the show want certain people to win. “There is nothing really special about me, I’m just kind of like everyone else, and they want someone to win who is like everyone else that people can relate to,” she said. After winning, secrecy was crucial. Thibodaux said if she discussed her success with anyone except fellow cast members, she faced a hefty lawsuit. Thibodaux received her prize money a week after taping the show and said she is only willing to spend $1,000, then invest the remaining cash. In the future, Thibodaux said she wants to host a game show like “The Singing Bee” and be a positive representative for young women and Louisiana. She hasn’t received her trophy yet, but she knows exactly what she wants to do with it: put it on display in her apartment for everyone to see.
 
—- Contact Marylee Williams at [email protected].