FLEMINGSBURG — A local restaurant was packed with friends and family as the community gathered to watch on of their own compete on national television.
A viewing party was held at the Flemingsburg Dairy Queen for the community to watch and cheer on Wallingford native MaKenzie Thomas, as she attempts to advance in the live performances on NBC’s “The Voice.” Attendees were served free fountain drinks and could view Thomas’ performance on a large, widescreen TV.
Enoch Thomas, MaKenzie Thomas’ father, said seeing his daughter perform live and doing something she has wanted to do ever since she was a child has been a great experience.
“It’s been awesome, a little surreal,” he said. “We’ve been watching her sing since she was 3 years old, and have always, as parents you have a bias there but, knew that she had an amazing voice — she always has — and she just loves music.”
Having triumphed over the blind auditions and invited to join team Jenifer Hudson, winning her battle round with a song by Mariah Carey, then subsequently moving the artist to tears when Carey saw Thomas’ knockout round performance, the Fleming Countian performed Monday night to garner votes to enter into the top eight contestants and another round of live performances.
“She’s always put in the work, loved the music,” Enoch Thomas said. “She has a musical background in the family, as she’s mentioned on the show, ‘My Parents,’ but then seeing her on this and seeing your child on TV brings in another element. You see her and you recognize her, yet you have those moments where you see her singing with Jennifer Hudson, and you kind of wonder if it’s sunk in yet. She could be, before too long, a very big star.”
At the viewing party, which was also being held at the Refuge Youth Center next door from Dairy Queen, visitors wore Team MaKenzie shirts and wrist bands while cheering and applauding whenever Thomas made an appearance on TV.
One of the most energetic attendees, and who was constantly reminding everyone to vote for Thomas, was her mother Teresa Thomas. Teresa Thomas said seeing her daughter fills her with a great deal of joy, emotion and pride.
“I’ve always known from when MaKenzie was little that she would do something with singing,” she said, “but watching her go through this, I’m amazed at how well she is handling this; and for me every week is very nerve wracking for me, but at the same time I’m so overjoyed and happy for her to see her following her dream because this is what she always wanted to do.”
According to Enoch Thomas, all he and his wife had to do to acquire the Dairy Queen for the viewing was simply asking owner John Sims Jr. and he happily agreed. Sims said such community involvement is simply a quality of small towns like Flemingsburg.
“It’s been great, it’s like any small town anywhere you go — here, Maysville, wherever — the community support is pouring over with love,” Sims said.
Even MaKenzie Thomas and her family are immensely grateful for all of the support from locals and from places seemingly out of nowhere.
“Community support has been great,” Enoch Thomas said, “we’re here tonight, DQ. The support online has been phenomenal. Local family, friends, community support, has been phenomenal. Every time she’s (MaKenzie) on the air, me and Teresa’s phones just go crazy after she performs, so much that we just can’t answer everybody, we’re up till hours trying to communicate with people and there’s just so many.”
Not only has this competition given an eye opening experience for MaKenzie Thomas by giving her a taste of what her dream would be like, but it has also provided several avenues for her to pursue her career.
“We’ve had to turn down I can’t tell you how many offers already,” Enoch Thomas said. “We have to right now, she’s busy with this, but career-wise, if she goes home on Wednesday after the results, she’ll have no problems going out and doing music for her career.”
