Singing a solo in front of 85,000 people might be a nightmare for some, but not for three OU students.

Leslie Gile, Kevin Wright and Jordan Killion will take turns singing the national anthem at the OU home football games this season. They were chosen out of 29 students who auditioned, including many graduate voice students. William Wakefield, director of bands, said this year’s audition group was very strong.

Wakefield said the vocal audition is only one part of the decision-making process.

“They may sound great singing in the shower, but it comes down to the delivery and courage,” Wakefield said. “We want someone who is prepared to sing in front of an audience of 85,000 people. They need a mature-sounding voice, and have to show poise, no matter what the situation, temperature or circumstance.”

Voice performance senior Leslie Gile said she was ecstatic when she found out she was going to sing the anthem on Oct. 16 and Nov. 13.

“My dad went to OU, so I’ve loved OU football since I was little,” Gile said. “Being able to sing the anthem at the games means a lot to me, and it makes my family proud.”

She has performed the national anthem before at small functions, but she said she still thinks she will be nervous when she sings on game day.

“It’ll be a good kind of nervous, though,” Giles said.

Supply chain management senior Kevin Wright said he is also honored to be chosen to sing the national anthem.

“I know how good those singers [who auditioned] are,” Wright said. “I was surprised, but I knew I was good enough to make it.”

Wright said he’s been singing as a hobby since high school and is involved in three different choirs at OU. He sang the anthem before last week’s game against Florida State and will sing Saturday as well.

“I’m really glad I [got] to sing it those two weeks,” Wright said. “[It’s] cool because one game is on Sept. 11, and we’ll be honoring the Armed Forces.”

The fact that Wright isn’t a music major didn’t stop him from being involved in the School of Music.

“They have voice lessons and classes for non-majors, and it’s pretty easy to get involved,” Wright said. “Everyone in the music school is really nice, and if you’re interested in music, they’ll do what they can to help you get involved.”

Voice junior Jordan Killion said auditioning was a last minute decision that his voice professor talked him into.

“I wasn’t too sure about it, but my professor motivated me, told me I’d knock ‘em dead, and what could it hurt?” Killion said.

Killion is no stranger to music performance: he is a second-year member of the Pride of Oklahoma and has sung in OU choirs as well. His father, Jamie Killion, also sang the national anthem during the 2007 and 2009 football seasons.

Jamie said he was thrilled and very proud when he found out his son would be singing the anthem on Oct. 30. He has a lot of faith in his son; he said he knows Jordan is very capable of singing the anthem well, and is looking forward to hearing his son perform.

“Last year when I sang the anthem, Jordan was on the front row of the band playing his trumpet, which was really cool,” Jamie said. “I’ll be in the stands this year, and I’m really excited to hear him sing.”

Wakefield said they’ve had some really great singers perform the “Star-Spangled Banner,” and he’s confident that Gile, Wright and Killion will continue that tradition.

“It’s an honor for those chosen,” Wakefield said.