About Us
BC Idol returns this week for the ninth year. The competition looks to be as fierce this year as it was in 2012. It’s a grueling process, one that can leave the contenders with a sense of pride at the end of the day. Especially the winner.
When I first sat down with Ricky Scheiber-Camoretti, A&S ’15 and one of the winners of BC Idol 2012, the first words out of his mouth were, “Let me establish that I’m kind of a big deal.”
He wasn’t joking. As the reigning BC Idol on campus, Scheiber-Camoretti is a living legend. The duties for the title are numerous, the expectations high. It’s a thankless job that requires serenading unsuspecting people on a day-to-day basis.
But he says he doesn’t mind, he understands it’s all part of the job: “I go from dorm to dorm. I walk through each floor, girls' floors of course, and the guys' ones too when I’m in the mood. And then whoever comes out, I’m just like ‘Hi, do you know who I am? I’m the BC Idol. Let’s jam.’”
While most people at BC go out of their way to avoid eye contact, let alone conversation with random strangers, Scheiber-Camoretti is going to miss the gig come Thursday when a new BC Idol is crowned. He’s grown accustomed to the celebrity lifestyle: “You just get used to people following you around, recording your every move. I mean, it’s whatever, comes with the job. The future BC Idol should expect that. We are gods among men, and will be treated as such.” Such a statement could only be justified by such an angelic voice.
[youtube]mbCJyavQU4Y[/youtube]
But that doesn’t mean Scheiber-Camoretti is cocky about his star-status at BC. He doesn’t want to make people uncomfortable: “You don’t want to be ostentatious about it honestly. Like, I know as BC Idol I am the coolest guy on campus. Can I go around rubbing that into people’s faces? No. Not cool. It’s an implied status. I don’t have to go around shouting it.” The BC Idol crown is an invisible one, to be worn with humility and grace. Ricky embodies both of those characteristics.
But he’s not the only one with these qualities; there have been eight previous BC Idol winners. Together they form a super alliance, working together to solve problems like world hunger with their acoustic guitars and dazzling smiles. “We tried dealing with the economic squalor of the country once, but didn’t get very far with that,” says Scheiber-Camoretti.
Luke Kuechly: an honorary BC Idol.
This exclusive group of BC’s elite meets monthly in a top secret location: “We meet in Carney, since no one really goes there any more. It’s the last place where you’d expect the BC Idols to be, so we go there to escape the paparazzi. I won’t tell you what room number; I’d have to kill you.” Despite the secrecy, Scheiber-Camoretti says they have honorary guests at the meetings occasionally: “Luke Kuechly comes sometimes, just because he can. He’s on a similar level with us, so sometimes he listens in.”
It seems like Scheiber-Camoretti was tailor-made for the BC Idol lifestyle. So why would he want to give up the power? Why would he be willing to give up his throne? When asked why he wasn’t in the running for BC Idol again this year, Scheiber-Camoretti sighed, “I’m not allowed to join the competition. They were like, ‘Ricky, man, you’re just too good.’ But like, I won as a freshman, what do I have to live for now? I will be performing before the competition kicks off though.”
And despite this bleak outlook, Scheiber-Camoretti has a point. He is just TOO good. How can the 2013 BC Idol live up to that skill, that smile? They can’t. They can only hope to give it their best effort. For any of you hopefuls out there hoping to emulate his style, here are some pointers from the reigning BC Idol:
5. You need to be “that guy” with the guitar.
“Strap in the front, guitar in the back. Just carry it around smiling at people, and they’re like, ‘oh wow. That guy has a guitar.'”
4. Actually playing the guitar is optional.
“You don’t even really have to know how to play it. As long as you have three to four chords down you’re golden. Just play those chords over and over again in different variations. PEOPLE WILL THINK YOU’RE PLAYING AN ORIGINAL SONG. It’s such a panties dropper, every time.”
3. Flash the guns.
“You have to make sure to wear shirts that are tight enough. That way, when you flex your arms, your shirt rips and people know how jacked you are. It’s very important for the BC Idol to be ripped.”
2. Headshots are the key to any Idol’s success.
“That’s how I interview for jobs and things now, I just give them my headshot first. It just says BC IDOL 2012 across the top, that’s my résumé.“
1. Have fun.
“Well, on a serious note: To win BC Idol you have to get on that stage, not as a performance, but as something fun to do. You know, just go up there and have fun with it.
[youtube]-Y9ozoXfAf8[/youtube]
Make sure to catch Ricky’s performance at the 9th annual BC Idol competition on Thursday Feb. 28. Performance starts at 7 p.m. in Robsham Theater.
Screenshots by Emily Akin
School, major and year: A&S, English, 2015
Hometown Charlton, MA
Favorite Beyonce lyric: "I probably won't make no money off this, oh well."
