A Ball State University telecommunications student won a trip to the finale of American Idol in Los Angeles and a $5,000 cash prize after showcasing his singing skills in the shower.
Brendan Nusbaum, along with thousands of other online applicants, entered Garnier Fructis' Sing in the Shower contest earlier in the spring with a pop-inspired rendition of The Romantics hit "What I Like About You."
Contest judges narrowed down the competition to five entries and let the public choose the winner.
Nusbaum said he was shopping with a friend when he received a call from a Garnier representative, who told Nusbaum he had won by a large margin.
"I kind of freaked out in the middle of the Fossil store," he said.
Since winning, Nusbaum said, he has been researching how to spend his prize money.
"I ultimately want to set up a home recording studio," he said. "I don't want to waste money on things I don't need."
He also said that his first trip to Los Angeles convinced him that it is where he wants to move after graduating from Ball State.
"I was like 99 percent sure before and I'm 100 percent sure now since going out there," Nusbaum said.
Nusbaum, along with his dad, left for Los Angeles from the Indianapolis International Airport on May 18. The pair explored the city on a double-decker tour bus and visited places including the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Grauman's Chinese Theatre, he said.
On the second day, Nusbaum said, they visited the Stilo Salon for makeovers from celebrity stylists and attended the American Idol finale before coming back to Indiana.
"It was a short trip, but a really fun one," Nusbaum said.
The aspiring film director and songwriter said he is now focusing his creative energy on other projects, including a summer internship with PBS and developing a new television series at Ball State.
"I hope having this experience will open up the door to many others like it," he said.
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