Dasharra Bridges recalled as a teen singing at church, hitting a bad note and freezing up. She cried and a cousin had to cover for her.
Stage fright has been a problem for the 31-year-old Kennesaw single mom ever since.
But “Alter Ego,” a new reality show on Fox, is giving her a shot at stardom without actually having to perform on a big stage in front of a live audience and famous judges. Instead, an avatar does all the heavy lifting on her behalf.
The show, which debuts Wednesday, Sept. 22, will feature her avatar Queen Dynamite. (She will be the first singer that night.)
It’s an obvious companion show to Fox’s breakout hit “The Masked Singer,” which focuses on celebrities hidden in elaborate costumes. This show focuses on people who are seeking a chance to perform without the judges knowing what they actually look like, which is an echo of “The Voice” opening auditions.
She donned a special suit, with technology turning her movements into a 3-D character on a computer.
Bridge is one of 20 contestants vying for $100,000 and an opportunity to create an album, with feedback from the four judges: Alanis Morisette, will.i.am, Nick Lachey and Grimes.
She will only be revealed to the judges when she is either eliminated or wins the competition.
Learn more about Bridges:
Age: 31
Born: Rochester, New York
Currently resides: Kennesaw, where she moved two years ago with her two children, now ages 7 and 12
Why she moved to Atlanta: “I know the film industry is really big down here. I felt like God led me here, and I’m here for a reason.”
Job: author of “Journey Of A Single Mother”
Why ‘Alter Ego’ works for her: “This show is my second chance to do something that I had put on a back burner.”
Why she has had stage fright: “I believe honestly it was fear of messing up. And hitting a wrong note. You always had to push me to sing on stage.”
Her back story: She grew up in poverty in Rochester. A teen mom, she had a difficult time in her 20s making ends meet. She had a peeping tom stalker in her neighborhood. “It was the scariest time of my life,” she said. “It was hard to protect my kids.”
On her alter ego Queen Dynamite: “I’m really small. I’m only 4 feet, 11 inches. My avatar is 6 feet, 4 inches! I wanted her to be the opposite of me. She’s very fierce. She can own the room.” The graphic designers, she said, made her character look amazing. “I was shocked,” she said. “Every move I did, she did. Her smile was my smile in avatar form. It was crazy!”
Her stage fright today: “I broke that fear! It’s gone! The vocal coaches, the producers helped me. They helped with my mind. It was more than a singing show. It helped all of us on the show work through our issues. I’m now singing notes I never thought I could sing!”
Her singing inspirations: Lauryn Hill, Pink, Whitney Houston.
On TV
“Alter Ego,” debuting 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 22 and 23 on Fox
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