A Boston grandmother has found fame as a singer during lockdown, unexpectedly fulfilling a lifelong ambition.
When Terri Hafner Riley was stuck in lockdown due to COVID-19, a friend suggested she try OUT the Quarantine Karaoke page on Facebook.
You see, Riley had always harboured a dream to be a professional singer, and at fifty-three years of age, the veteran and teacher’s aide began to wonder if the pandemic could be an opportunity to finally pursue her passion.
As a child, Riley would stand at the top of the stairs and sing, dreaming of becoming a performer one day, she told WBZ-TV in the United States.
Riley’s first Quarantine Karaoke performances were given in her pyjamas in her living room and sung into her phone. She performed hits by artists such as Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks, and quickly gained popularity.
“I couldn’t even keep up with the comments,” she told WBZ-TV.
“I like to reply to every single one, at least like their comments, and I just couldn’t keep up. I kept hearing ping, ping, ping.”
Riley is now a featured singer on the Quarantine Karaoke Facebook page. She has professional gear, such as a microphone and a tripod for her camera, and is hoping to start a band with her husband, who plays guitar.
