By Britney Milazzo
Just as the water main broke outside the Vacanti family’s residence three weeks ago, Joshua Vacanti, 16, got a call from “America’s Got Talent.”
“I answered the phone and immediately said: ‘Call back later, I’m in the middle of a crisis,’ before I even knew who was on the phone,” said Vacanti’s mother, Diane.
Luckily, a few hours later, they did.
Vacanti, 16, a sophomore at Lockport High School received a special invitation by judge and producer Nigel Lythgoe to head out to New York City on Sunday for his first audition for the show.
“Nigel asked me to sing ‘Hallelujah,’ ” Vacanti said.
Lythgoe discovered Vacanti after he found several videos on YouTube.com of him singing, Vacanti said. There are five videos that include the songs “Listen,” “Hero” and “I Look to You.”
“His uncle actually decided to register Josh online,” Diane said. “And Nigel choose the top three contenders to audition in New York.”
Vacanti will be auditioning in front of Simon Cowell and the producers of “America’s Got Talent.” “I’m most looking forward to meeting Simon,” Joshua said.
The teen said he’s not nervous yet — but will be, once he heads to the Big Apple. He specializes in gospel and soul-sounding music. “Even if I sing a modern song, I try to make it my own with a gospel twist.”
Joshua started singing at his church when he was 5. “I was born and raised in the church,” he said. “And want to extend my roots into singing.”
Vacanti and his family are members of the Assembly of God Church in Lockport.
“We’re extremely proud of him,” his mother Diane said. “He works hard and is an amazing singer.”
Joshua enrolled in several local talent competitions in the past, winning first place at the Historic Palace Theatre’s 2008 “Spotlight on Talent” show and the 2008 Niagara Falls Idol competition.
He also entered the Italian Idol contest in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls area, the Fine Arts Festival and the LHS solo festival and qualified for state and national competitions.
A combination of practice and prayer will help Joshua make it to the second audition in 2010, which will be aired on TV.
“I know whatever happens is in God’s hands,” he said.
