Dreams Come True
by Dana Black McGrath, photograph by Becky Thurner
reprinted from Whirl Magazine, Feb. 2005
After one of Margot Bingham's many rehearsals, she and her mom, Lynne, sat down at a local coffee shop to talk about the teen's busy life. At the time, Bingham was preparing for a performance of the musical Pippin at her school, Pittsburgh's Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) High School, where she is a junior in the musical theater program. She also studies voice at CAPA, dance at both Point park University and CAPA, and works regularly as a model with the Docherty Model & Talent Agency.
The recording artist/dance/model was National Miss Black Teen in 2002. She is so stunningly beautiful, mature, and poised, it is easy to forget that she is just 16 years old.
A few years ago, Bingham catapulted into the national limelight when she wrote and recorded a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called "In My Dreams." That song quickly became a part of tributes throughout the country on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the first year in five states and the second year, 32 states. Last year, an accompanying video produced by CAPA and The Mattress Factory was viewed in more than 35 states. Now the Martin Luther King Foundation in Washington, D.C., is considering using the song as a staple in its programming. As a result, Bingham frequently receives email from all over the country.
After that success, she continued to write and record, and is preparing to release a new CD of her original work, untitled as of yet. So far, she has 13 tracks, but is working to narrow that to 12. "I am really excited. The hardest part is the tweaking; the easy part is writing," she explains.
Looking to attract an older audience, she describes the collection as eclectic -- a rock background, R&B vocals, and emotional lyrics -- and a little darker than her previous work. Bingham works with producer Rick Witkowski and backer Charlie Humphrey and hopes to release the CD early next month.
"I write on a daily basis," Bingham says, "It's like a journal." And, like a journal, she doesn't share everything. She records some of the songs she writes, but some are kept private.
She draws inspiration from her own experiences, the experiences of friends, and larger issues. "I love writing. It gets my emotions out on paper."
So what's next for this rising young star?
"I want to be successful in what I do. I want to be successful in singing and performing, maybe even acting one day."
