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by Carrie Hirsch

Beaufortā€™s own Candice Glover, winner of the twelfth season of American Idol, plays the role of ā€˜Candyā€™ in the Arts Centerā€™s Southeastern premiere of Saturday Night Fever, based on the popular film starring John Travolta. Gloverā€™s character, donned in platform shoes and glitzy disco duds, belts out upbeat songs and dances alongside ā€˜DJ Montyā€™. Glover, who was launched into the spotlight on television in 2012, began singing as a child at her familyā€™s church on Saint Helena Island.

Glover passionately admits to have been bitten by the musical theater bug and her enthusiasm for her role in Saturday Night Fever is contagious: ā€œIā€™ll do musical theater all day – itā€™s so much fun! I did a Broadway review called ā€œHome for The Holidaysā€ for about two months, and even though it wasnā€™t a musical theater show, it still really prepared me for being on stage in front of an audience. We did eight shows a week but weā€™re doing six here. So I just kind of fell in love with it. The idea of the audience being right there to give you that instant reaction – to cheer or to cry or whatever the case may be and the way we can feed off the audienceā€™s energy.ā€ Glover has performed for millions of TV viewers and at concert venues, but explains that she still gets nervous. ā€œTo get nervous is a good sign because you want to do a good job. I also enjoy being on stage with Vince Ortega (ā€˜Montyā€™) and the other performers on stage – heā€™s hilarious! He makes me feel a lot more comfortable so I donā€™t feel like Iā€™m out there by myself! Every night when I finish my performance, itā€™s always in my mind – you couldā€™ve done better. I want to make sure that Iā€™m very good at what Iā€™m doing. My goal in life is to take over the world!ā€ says Glover, laughing.

In May, Glover released her latest original single entitled ā€œBreak Meā€. She also casted and directed the video along with legendary producer Earl Cohen. ā€œIt feels really good that I have creative control over my career because at one point I did not. When I put my first album out after American Idol, that had nothing to do with me. It was just crafted together with me in mind. But I can perform songs that Iā€™ve written like ā€œBreak Meā€ because I created it from my own heart and my own mind. When we go through dark times, something as beautiful as ā€œBreak Meā€ can come out of it,ā€ she adds with a wisdom well beyond her millennial years. The shoot for her new video will be on location on Beaufortā€™s historic waterfront and will feature the permanent highway sign that reads ā€œSt. Helena Island Home of 2013 American Idol Winner Candice Gloverā€.

Glover is now planning on how to best give back to her community. ā€œI always say it doesnā€™t matter where you came from, what matters is where youā€™re going. Even after I went on American Idol I didnā€™t know what was in store for me. Iā€™ve always wanted to help young women because Iā€™ve gone through so much. I want to help teach them know what itā€™s like to be confident and what itā€™s like to know yourself.ā€

Fame has not turned Candice Gloverā€™s head ā€“ if anything, it has made her appreciate her Lowcountry roots more than ever. ā€œWhen Iā€™m on the road, the thing I miss the most is my grandmaā€˜s cooking and I miss my family,ā€ she says with a smile. ā€œIā€™m really close to my family and I miss being home. But mostly I miss the food!ā€

Saturday Night Fever runs through July 29, 2018. Tickets are available at www.artshhi.com or at the box office 843-842-2787.

Photo Credit: Candice Glover and the cast of Saturday Night Fever, Jordan Sturm Photography