Calistogan shines, wins IDOL NV 2025. Local teen sings her way to top honors.
Calistoga native and resident Myka Suhr has always enjoyed singing, but performing in a local competition was something she had only ever dreamt of. That is, until her mother signed her up for her first ever competition, IDOL NV, which Myka won on Jan. 19.
Myka, 15, who went to school in Calistoga until eighth grade and now attends St. Helena High School, has been a long-time participant in school choirs. It was her mother Sharon Suhr, however, who signed her up for the valley-wide IDOL NV youth singing competition. Between winter break, the holidays and family vacations, Myka had less than six days to prepare for auditions.
“I kind of went into auditions not really putting a ton of pressure on myself,” Myka said. Ultimately, she added, she was there for the experience and to have fun. “I can’t imagine my life without music, without singing. I like it so much because it’s an outlet for expressing emotions in a way that just speaking can’t.”
Myka won the competition, surpassing nine other finalists, with her performance of “Stay” by Rihanna. Accompanying Myka on stage was her sister Monica Suhr, 17, who played the piano and created a special arrangement for the song.
Myka said she was particularly thankful for her sister’s presence on stage.
“Honestly, it was really great having her there because half of the kids at semifinals and then finals had already done the competition last year, and they were familiar with each other from even other drama performances in the area,” she said. “So honestly, my sister and I were a little bit out of place, and I was super grateful for her to be there.”
Monica, a senior at St. Helena High School, started taking piano lessons in kindergarten and now takes private lessons in Calistoga. The morning of the final performance, Monica said she woke up thinking her sister had a chance at winning.
“I’d say it’s easy and effortless when it comes to (performing together), because we’ve been singing and playing together at home for so long that it’s just kind of routine,” Monica said. “We can add our own pieces of individualism and work together on that. So that’s really cool.”
Myka does not recall when or how she began to love singing but said it has always been a part of her life and remembers her mother singing to her and her siblings all the time. “When your parents are singing to you, you kind of develop that ear for music,” she said.
Sharon said of her daughters’ performance, “I was just really proud of them, and I thought it was just super special that they could do this together before her sister Monica goes off to college next year. So, a really fun memory.”
She recalled the first song Myka penned when she was in first or second grade. She had just started piano lessons alongside her sister and wrote a song called “I Hate Piano Lessons.”
“We chuckle at that, how she (wrote) her first song when she was little when she was angry about practicing,” Sharon said. Myka took up guitar instead.
Evy Warshawski, co-founder and director of E&M Presents, which produces the contest, launched the first IDOL NV in 2007 when she was executive and artistic director at the Napa Valley Opera House.
“We held similar IDOLs twice again, skipping a year each time,” Warshawski said. The competition ended when she left the Opera House. She and her husband, Morrie, later founded the nonprofit E&M Presents to bring more family-oriented entertainment to the valley. Last year, they decided to bring back IDOL NV.
“It felt like time to give IDOL a try again,” Warshawski said. “This year was the second consecutive year we produced the event.”
Auditions were held in December and January. Judges, all professionals in music, theater and performing arts in Napa Valley, evaluated the performances, and the best-scored singers moved on to the semi-finals and then the finals, held at the Napa Valley Performing Arts Center.
“Myka caught the attention of the judges at auditions, the semis and finals. And remember, the judges change each time,” Warshawski said. “I believe she chose just the right song for her voice, and her delivery was so natural. Backing her up on piano was her sister Monica, and that lent a really nice live musical quality to the overall presentation. Also, I love the fact that she didn’t think she would win, so she went out there almost on a fluke, encouraged by her mom to give it a try.
“All the singers gave it their all; each one could have taken the top spot,” Warshawski added.
The contest is a community effort, Warshawski emphasized. Sponsors include Amplifi Napa Valley, Festival Napa Valley, Community Projects and the Gasser Foundation. Through these partnerships, contestants are able to make industry connections.
For her first-place performance, Myka won a $1,600 cash prize, plus tickets to BottleRock Napa Valley and a goodie bag with other gift certificates. Myka also won the opportunity to make a live recording.
Sharon said the family is looking forward to the opening of the Brannan Center in Calistoga, where construction is expected to be completed this fall. “We feel like that’s going to be a fantastic place for anybody interested in the performing arts, and we hope that in the future (Myka) might be able to sing there,” she said.
Myka, who had always had the dream to perform, said that winning IDOL NV has enabled her to consider a future in the performing arts.
“All of a sudden, winning this competition, so many doors have opened, and all of a sudden, it feels really real that my future could potentially have something like that,” she said. “And even if nothing comes of it, you know, at least I tried.”
