From America’s Got Talent To GU - Christian Whiteside’s Journey
Published: October 20, 2025
Author: Dave Bell
It’s been quite a journey from his roots on Chicago’s South Side to the glamorous stage of America’s Got Talent in Pasadena, California. But Greenville University freshman Christian Whiteside has enjoyed the ride.
He was part of a 22-member boys’ choir from Leo High School that advanced through AGT’s first three rounds and reached the finals on September 23. Although they eventually finished fourth out of ten acts in the finals, Whiteside called it a life-changing experience.
“America’s Got Talent changed the goals and expectations I had for myself,” he said. “Plus, I believe it will open doors for me. What we did – coming from the South Side of Chicago and competing on a national stage – was a powerful experience.”
Whiteside’s journey with the Leo High School choir began four years ago when he was a freshman and auditioned with Director LaDonna Hill. She valued his singing background, having grown up in a Missionary Baptist Church, and saw lots of untapped potential in his performance skills.
“She looks for effort and enthusiasm in members of the choir,” Whiteside said. “There’s a lot of movement in the songs we perform, and we are constantly learning new choreography.”
His church background also influenced his decision to attend Greenville University. “I was the media guy and photographer for our church’s website,” he said, “and that led me to major in digital media in college. My goal is to start my own photography business.”
He was also recruited to join the newly launched GU bowling team. It’s a sport he learned from his grandfather and continued to participate in during high school. He also played football at Leo High School.
Brayden Kunz, coach of the GU bowling team, said Whiteside missed the first couple of weeks of school to participate in the taping of the final two rounds of America’s Got Talent. But he’s making up for lost time now that he’s back on campus.
“His professors have been very understanding about his participation on the show and are working with him to get everything caught up,” Kunz said. “Christian has a very outgoing personality, and I see him as the ‘glue guy’ on the bowling team – the person who keeps everyone together and in a good mood. Everything is positive with him.”
To establish a spiritual tone on the team, Kunz holds a weekly Bible study for the athletes. Whiteside presented the program the week he returned from Pasadena, sharing his experience and answering questions from his teammates.
“He brings a lightness to the team,” Kunz said of Whiteside. “That helps me as a coach because it draws the team together and keeps things loose. That’s important in bowling.”
As Whiteside reflects on the America’s Got Talent experience, he describes it as a game-changer for him and other members of the Leo High School choir.
“AGT did a lot for us,” he said. “We didn’t dream that we could do something like that on a national stage. But we did. It was so inspiring when people cheered for us and voted for us, and the judges said some really nice things about us. That gives me confidence to take on other challenges in life.”
