The Bronx’s tradition of being a cultural powerhouse is alive and well as five creative acts from young Bronx residents are set to perform next month on one of the most renowned stages in the world.
The budding performers will take the stage at Radio City Music Hall on April 8 for the huge talent showcase, “Garden of Dreams Talent Show,” featuring around 150 young performers from the tristate area who will all have the opportunity to live out their dreams performing at the largest indoor theater in the world.
The annual Garden of Dreams Talent Show, presented by Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. and the Garden of Dreams Foundation, highlights the dedication and perseverance of young people from the tristate area who have faced illness, financial hardship, or the loss or injury of a family member in uniform.
Performers gathered together last week to rehearse for the big day and get feedback from celebrity mentors like Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels, Marc Roberge from O.A.R, composer Chloe Flower, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie and Rockettes Maya Addie and Kaitlyn Gaffney.
One by one the acts were called on stage to rehearse and get feedback from the panel of mentors who sat at the front of the stage.
Bella Cloud, 15, who grew up near Yankee’s stadium but now lives in Fordham, stood on the massive stage, surrounded by cameras, and began rehearsing “From the Start” by Laufey, a song about awkward, unrequited love.
But there was nothing awkward about Cloud, whose powerful vocals made the young singer seem to grow several inches taller. One of the mentors noted that while Cloud initially appeared nervous, the moment she started singing, the music seemed to put her completely at ease.
Cloud told the Bronx Times after her rehearsal, that anxiety is not new to her. She has experienced a lot of it, even having panic attacks at school.
“ Nobody really knew what to do or how to help me,” Cloud said. “Everybody would kind of just look at me funny and I would have to deal with that every morning.”
Performing in front of an audience of nearly 6,000 can be a challenge, but Cloud said she manages her nerves through positive self-talk, reminding herself that everything will be okay.
“ It’s ok to be frightened or scared or overwhelmed,” Cloud said. “At the end of the day, I’m just here to sing. I might miss a note or my voice might crack, but it’s okay because I’m still here.”
The next Bronx performer to take the stage was Shanai Williams, a 23-year-old who grew up on East Tremont but moved all over the Bronx. Williams, a singer-songwriter, performed an original piece, “In Loving Memory” about a past relationship that ended without any communication or closure, leaving Williams heartbroken.
After rehearsal, she told the Bronx Times that even though the relationship ended, Williams still cared for her ex
“ It was sad that it ended, but I couldn’t turn off my feelings,” Williams said. “ I clearly felt so strongly [I had] to write about it.”
Williams was introduced to Garden of Dreams through Covenant House, a service provider for youth in New York City experiencing homelessness. Last year when Williams found herself without housing, she began taking advantage of some of the youth programs Covenant House offered.
One program, a songwriting workshop, led Williams to visit Republic Record’s recording studios where she sang in front of industry professionals, opening doors for her to perform at the Covenant House Gala and the opening of its new music studio which was made possible by a partnership with the Garden of Dreams Foundation. It was there that Garden of Dreams asked Williams to be part of this year’s talent show.
Williams described a quick transformation from a poet to a singer-songwriter – often marked by bouts of imposter syndrome.
“ I wasn’t ready for it then,” Williams told the Bronx Times. “I think now, I’d call myself a singer. I’m getting more used to it. But I definitely didn’t – I felt like I was just singing and I was just ‘trying.’ But now, I’ve put in a lot more work, especially because I’ve had those opportunities.”
Williams said that she’s been feeling confident of her abilities and that the song she will perform at the Garden of Dreams talent show is just one of many to come.
“ I’ve learned that no matter how weird this journey has been and how difficult it has been – I have learned that the universe will use every single little thing that you didn’t think mattered and turn it into something that’s good for you,” Williams said.
The 2025 Garden of Dreams talent show will also feature the Castle Hill Lady Knights from MS127X who will perform a dynamic dance with both step and lyrical elements to Lauren Daigle’s powerful ballad “Rescue.” The Diamond Divas from SCAN-Harbor’s after school program in the South Bronx will perform a hip hop dance and KJ on Key will perform “Golden Hour” by JVKE on the piano.
The Garden of Dreams Talent Show is free and open to the public, but tickets must be reserved in advance. Support the next generation of Bronx performance artists by reserving tickets on the Garden of Dreams Foundation website.
