Once again, Aragon — a local band made up of teens from across the St. Louis metro area, including South County natives Samuel Engel of Oakville and Zion Voegtlin of Lemay— will perform at the Fabulous Fox Theater in the St. Louis Teen Talent Competition, having made it through the preliminary and semi-final rounds.
This year’s performance, showcasing 14 groups and individuals, will take place on Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m.
“I was on cloud nine when I first found out,” Aragon’s drummer Gavin Martin — a homeschooler from Swansea, Illinois — said. “Last year we were having fun, but we didn’t know what to expect. After we did it for the very first time all the way through, I was like, ‘Okay, now I know what to expect. Now I want more of it. I want to do this again.’”
Aragon — who last year performed a cover of Heart’s “Barracuda” — is switching things up this time around by playing an original song titled “Kiss The Sky.” Also new this year is the addition of Voegtlin to the lineup; though a founding member of the band, Voegtlin was unable to participate in last year’s Teen Talent due to scheduling conflicts. He did, however, attend the final performance to support his friends.
“I think this is gonna be a great experience as a musician. I mean, this is big, this is great,” Voegtlin said.
“We were happy to know Zion was able to do it with us this year,” Martin added.
With the full band together, Aragon is looking forward to making even more friends and fans through the process. The band’s lead vocalist and lead guitarist, Aislynn Spraul, mentioned that last year’s performance “opened a lot of doors” in terms of booking shows and connecting with the community.
“(We’re) getting more gigs, learning more songs, kind of just taking bigger steps. We’re definitely upgrading, getting bigger, getting more popular,” Martin said, reflecting on the past year.
Looking forward, Aragon is moving towards creating their own original music in the hopes of one day touring. Engel emphasized that getting a tour is one of the most challenging parts of being a musician — especially for young musicians like the members of Aragon, who have constant conflicting schedules due to school — though it’s necessary for growth and bonding.
“When you’re touring, that’s when your band really just becomes a family,” Engel said.