Bellevue teen competes on Chuang Asia in Thailand in hopes of becoming a star
SEATTLE - Liliana Li, a 16-year-old Newport High School student, is currently competing on the music competition show, "Chuang Asia", in Thailand.
The show, currently airing every Saturday on the Thai television station WeTV, brought 70 contestants from across the world to compete in hopes of making the final lineup for a new girl group.
"I started doing local competitions, and then later on, I started to do more national and global competitions. And I've always wanted to join a show not only to gain experience, but to also put myself out there, so once I saw that Chuang Asia was doing global auditions, I decided to take my opportunity," she tells FOX 13 News.
"She was born for this. That innate talent and drive to perform, coupled with her mother’s driving force, ended up being a perfect combo for success," her father Bennett says.
To compete on the show, Liliana had to take a break from her schooling to follow her dreams.
"We had to withdraw her prior to leaving for Thailand. And the plan is for her to continue her academic studies after Chuang Asia, to best fit her needs by then," her mother says.
Liliana’s love of music has been nurtured since she was a child, and aided by multiple singing coaches in the area.
"I've always loved performing since I was young, so I started dancing when I was four, and I started professionally singing at ten. I've always loved singing, ever since I was born, and I always love the feeling of performing and the audience clapping for me after I was done," she says.
"Liliana went in the program without much of a footprint on social media. As a 15-year-old high schooler, we tried to keep that under wraps to avoid distraction from her study. But things changed rapidly, and now some postings of her performances have gained so much viewership and much-needed followers," her mother says.
Those much-needed followers are what will advance Liliana throughout the competition through online voting.
In order to support her journey on the show, LIliana says, "For Americans, download the Tencent video app to watch us every Saturday, and if you're not American, you can download the WeTV app. Follow us on any social media, like and comment on the videos, and the best way to support me is to, of course, also vote for me, which you can only do on the apps."
As of March 2, Liliana is currently ranked 16 out of the remaining 39 contestants.
The debut girl group she is hoping to join will comprise the top 9 contestants and will be announced on April 6.