Walking down the hall you might spot him: tall, blonde hair, colored jeans, Converse, and a smile showing off his courage. Freshman Bailey Gravitt is true to himself, despite the harsh words and looks from others.
“I started singing in seventh grade because I was bullied,” Gravitt said. “I fell back on music, I listened to the lyrics, and the lyrics either were my life or they impacted my life.”
This year, Gravitt performed in the Tigers Got Talent show. He won over the hearts of the judges and the audience with his final, and winning piece, “On the Outside Looking In” by Jordan Pruitt.
“When I won, I obviously felt great,” Gravitt said. “It was one of the best moments of my life. Winning really balanced everything out. All the bad that had happened in 2012 was balanced out with winning something this important at the end of 2012. It was pure happiness.”
There were many reactions to Gravitt winning the first place prize, some thinking he won because he made the judges cry. Others were dedicated fans who went to Twitter to show their support with #teambailey. His supporters were few and fierce, tweeting, campaigning and supporting him every step of the way.
“I support him because he has a really good message,” freshman Karlee Harmon said. “He went through all the bullying and he stayed himself, so I support him.”
Gravitt’s mother played a big part in his win and gave him courage.
“After I won, things didn’t really change, I got a few apologies but mostly still bullied about how I shouldn’t have won,” Gravitt said. “My mom is beyond supportive, she gives me the best advice too. She says, ‘Success is the best revenge.’”
Gravitt said he is different from others, but he embraces those differences. He has dreams, confidence and courage that are big, and he’s determined to show others what it’s like to be “on the outside looking in.”
“I’m not what everyone wants me to be. This is a small-minded town, my dreams are bigger than the town I live in,” Gravitt said. “I am different than [everyone]. I channel that into music, I channel it into my personality and I channel it into my style. Because of the things they say, I make music, and music makes me who I am.”
