Very few things in this world are as rewarding as working hard on something and being rewarded for that labor. 

This is especially true for senior Sahara Pandit, who earned the best female soloist award at the Lincoln southwest Competition.

But this isn’t the beginning of Pandit’s musical journey, however. She’s been connected to music for quite a long time.

“I’ve been interested in singing my entire life,” Pandit said. “When I was younger I used to have a little TV in my room. And I would always put on music videos and sing and dance to them.”

As Pandit has grown, so have her voice and talents. Her musical gift has majorly influenced her high school experience.

“I would say working in choir and show choir has all shaped me into being better, personally. Even though I haven’t had personal lessons, you know. But as long as you’re focused, and you prioritize it, then it’s still a personal growth.”

This award is a challenging feat, however. It takes a lot of dedication, something Pandit has proven with her seven years in show choir.

“I would say basically, all the years that I’ve worked in show choir and singing and dancing, I’ve been super focused on that and it’s always been a big priority to me,” Pandit said. “So I think that work and energy went into getting [it].”

Despite working for years, Pandit was still surprised to accept this honor.

“First of all, I was so surprised. And then second of all, I was like, Oh, my God, this is full circle,” Pandit said. “I’ve been working for this since middle school and elementary school, so receiving it was super unreal.”

All of the work that Pandit put in finally paid off and it is all thanks to her tireless determination, dedication, and devotion to her craft.

“I would say as long as you work hard with what you have, and focus on what you’re doing. Just perform your best. And I think if you set your mind to it, you can do any[thing].”