About Amanda Mena

Amanda Mena began her musical journey at just ten years old in the former Lynn YMCA music studio, a place she credits as the foundation for virtually every opportunity that followed. She often reflects on her path as a true “Cinderella Story,” shaped by the supporters, mentors, and experiences she encountered through the YMCA. Her early training and vocal coaching prepared her for her first national breakthrough at age thirteen, when she won the televised competition La Voz Kids in Miami, performing to a worldwide audience. That same year, she earned a scholarship to St. Mary’s High School and even performed at a congressional election event attended by Joe Biden. At fourteen, she sang the National Anthem at a Boston Red Sox game before 35,000 people—her first major stadium performance. As she continued to grow as an artist, she met early supporters who helped open doors to future opportunities.

High school became a pivotal period in her career. At sixteen, Amanda auditioned for NBC’s America’s Got Talent, received the Golden Buzzer, and went on to perform in three nationally televised AGT shows, ultimately reaching the Finals. Those appearances led directly to an invitation to perform on Broadway in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, where she sang “I Feel the Earth Move.” Soon after, Hollywood producer Kenny Ortega invited her to sing a tribute to Aretha Franklin at the Imagen Foundation Awards in Los Angeles. She also performed at the Pioneer Institute’s 30th Anniversary Dinner, which resulted in an introduction to leaders at the New England Conservatory and an opportunity to tour Berklee College of Music and meet Phil Lima, Berklee’s Head of Voice. Lima encouraged her to audition for the Fidelity Young Artists Competition, a prestigious platform that selects performers to sing with the Boston Pops.

The following year, while still a high school student, Amanda won that competition and performed with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall. Her performance caught the attention of conductor Keith Lockhart, who invited her to return to sing at the televised Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on the Fourth of July, where she performed a solo and a duet with Queen Latifah and Arlo Guthrie. Additional major events soon followed, including performances at the Kuwait–American Foundation Gala in Washington, D.C., the Aurora Games Opening Ceremony on national television, the New England Patriots Opening Game National Anthem, and the National Women’s Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Seneca Falls, where she performed for honorees such as Jane Fonda and Sonia Sotomayor. She closed out the year with a live New Year’s Eve performance at Boston’s First Night celebration, broadcast on NBC.

Even during the challenge of the 2020 pandemic, Amanda’s artistry continued to flourish. She performed at the Harvard Club’s Most Influential Women Event, returned to sing the National Anthem for the Patriots’ season opener, and delivered a virtual tribute performance for Aretha Franklin’s induction into the Women’s Hall of Fame. She also earned a spot on American Idol, advancing to Hollywood Week on ABC and traveling to Los Angeles for the finals.

In 2021, Amanda began her next chapter at Berklee College of Music, spending four years surrounded by some of the most talented young artists from around the world. Her studies included a transformative semester at Berklee’s Valencia, Spain campus. By the time she graduated, she had been selected as the top vocal performer for Berklee’s commencement concert at Boston University’s Agganis Arena, performing before 18,000 people—a moment she describes as unforgettable.

In 2022, after realizing she had performed at more than 100 major events but had never headlined her own show, she collaborated with supporters to create her first full production at City Winery Boston. With an all-star Berklee band and dancers from the conservatory, she successfully staged two sold-out performances. Amanda often says she learned as much from building a major show from the ground up as she did in her formal education.

Today, as the Main Recording Studio at the new YMCA Music & Performing Arts Center is named in her honor, Amanda is committed to giving back to the community that shaped her. She is developing a Resource Guide for young performers at the Lynn YMCA—a roadmap she never had herself. This guide will help students learn how to access programs such as Berklee’s summer intensives, audition for the Fidelity Young Artists Competition, contact professional sports teams to perform national anthems, navigate auditions for major TV shows like American Idol and America’s Got Talent, and even plan and execute their own full-length performance at venues such as City Winery. Over time, she intends to expand the guide with new opportunities inspired by future YMCA students.

Amanda’s hope is that every young artist who enters the Lynn YMCA Music & Performing Arts Center will see what is possible, feel empowered to pursue big dreams, and use this roadmap to help chart their own extraordinary journeys.