Stunning audiences with her talent and versatility, Amina Gorman ‘26 has spent her three years at Andover exploring a wide range of musical genres. Since her junior year, she has taken on lead roles in plays and performed solos that demonstrate both her passion and dedication to singing.
According to Gorman, music has always been a staple in her life, with both parents instilling it in her life since she was young. However, she wasn’t always the exploratory singer that she is now. Gorman got her start in choral music at her local elementary school before branching out.
“I started singing with a choir when I was seven years old. I got involved with it through my school. My elementary school was connected to a choir program and I started doing it outside of school as well. Both of my parents have always been really into music. My dad is a DJ and my mom used to be a dancer, so I always grew up around music, so it was the natural thing for me to get interested in music in some way,” said Gorman.
Coming to Andover encouraged Gorman to expand her repertoire. While still being involved with Fidelio and Chorus, she joined musical theater, explored pop singing, and even ventured into a cappella territory.
“I used to be a pretty big classical, choral singer before coming to Andover. I didn’t do musical theater at all, and I didn’t really do any pop singing, and I definitely didn’t do any a cappella. Coming to Andover I was able to get out of my comfort zone of just doing choral singing and become the co-head of Keynotes and do the musicals and things I didn’t do before I came here,” said Gorman.
While Gorman admits she is more confident as a choral singer, others recognize her vast talent in every musical space she explores. Gorman’s close friend Alex Giarnese ‘25 expanded on her evolution as a multi-genre singer.
“For the last three years, I have watched Amina become infinitely more confident in her ability to be great. Naturally, she was absolutely show-stopping from the start, but seeing her step outside her comfort zone, playing roles like Donkey in Shrek, and absolutely killing it, is how I know her confidence as a performer has blossomed here at Andover. As a musician she has grown to be so explorative in her styles and ensembles. She goes from musical theater to rock band, to choral and classical voice so seamlessly, and watching her bounce from genre to genre really shows how her versatility has exploded over the last few years,” said Giarnese.
Beyond Gorman’s vocal talent is her stage presence and passion when performing. She hopes to bring joy to her audience and use music as a conductor for human connection rather than just something to be assessed or lauded.
“I just want to inspire people. One of my favorite things about doing the musicals every year is all of the faculty kids that come up and ask for my autograph afterward or write me letters and things like that. That’s just really sweet and it’s a good way to connect with other people, so I want to continue to be able to connect with people through music. I just want to make people smile. That’s really the message,” said Gorman.
