The University of Mississippi’s annual Ole Miss Idol singing competition culminated with the crowning of Dasha Hollingshed, a sophomore theater arts major, as the 2025 Ole Miss Idol on Thursday night.
Hollingshed dazzled the audience with a performance of “Beyond” from Disney’s “Moana 2.” Hollingshed said she felt at home on the stage.
“I feel like this is my God-ordained purpose: to be here, to perform, to sing and to storytell,” Hollingshed said. “The confidence just comes with the love and passion that I have for what I Do.”
Hosted by the Students Activities Association (SAA), the competition drew a sizable audience in the Gertrude C. Ford Ole Miss Student Union’s ballroom for nine student performances evaluated by four judges.
Mabry Musgrove, a junior biology major, and Laci Pitts, a junior business management and finance major, are co-directors of entertainment for SAA. Pitts said the judging panel expanded this year to include a wider variety of opinions from its previous three judges.
“I think having that wide range of judges and adding that extra one really helped give good critiques to all the contestants,” Pitts said.
A unique aspect of Ole Miss Idol that distinguishes it from other talent shows is the live feedback contestants receive after their performance. Homecoming King Terrell Atkins, a senior integrated marketing communications major, said he took a constructive approach to his feedback as a judge.
“I was trying not to give a Simon Cowell, like, American Idol moment because all of (the contestants) are so strong that I wanted all of them to go away knowing the strength of their vocal ability in general,” Atkins said. “They all really have a very instinctual creative vision and instinct.”
Attendees heard a wide range of musical genres and approaches during the competition. From Broadway ballads to contemporary Christian music, every contestant left the stage with a hearty round of applause.
Freshman Madison Carroll, a science education major, sang Frank Sinatra’s “Learnin’ the Blues” for her performance.
“Ever since I was younger, I’ve always heard (Sinatra) from my mom, my grandma,” Carroll said. “I’ve just absolutely loved (his music) because his vocal range really just fits my voice and I don’t have to strain myself to sing too low or too high.”
Having recently recovered from laryngitis, Hollingshed said she had originally planned to sing “Reflection” from “Mulan” for the competition.
“I feel like (Beyond) is in a comfortable key where I don’t have to strain my voice,” Hollingshed said. “And I can still do all the runs and the fun things I want to do, but I can also tell the story, as well.”
When asked where she wants to see her vocal talent reach in five years, Hollingshed said she is aiming high.
“The goal is to be on Broadway,” Hollingshed said. “If music is an undiscovered path that I’m going to take, I’ll take it.”
