Banner photo by Stephen Johnson.
It’s no secret FFA members are talented, and many prove how impressive their talents are during annual showcases and competitions at both the state and national levels. We caught up with two former National FFA Talent competitors to hear how their experiences performing set them up to pursue their interests and passions.
Finding the Confidence to Succeed
Emma Long, a Pickens County FFA alumna from north-central Georgia, dazzled attendees and judges in 2018 with her winning performance of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” during the 91st National FFA Convention & Expo.
Emma Long shares her musical talents during the National FFA Talent competition in 2018.
“I played piano and sang, and I could feel how engaged the audience was with the performance,” says Long, who served as the 2020-21 Georgia FFA state president. “To say it was surreal would be a total understatement. It was magical.”
It was only her second time competing at the national level. When reflecting on her first time performing in 2017, Long says she was a “nervous, intimidated freshman who had a lot to learn.” By the time she took the stage as a sophomore the following year, she was ready – and it showed.
“Anyone who wants to perform needs two things: passion and experience,” Long says. “You also can’t be afraid to fail. Failure is part of the process, and if you don’t give up, you’ll eventually succeed.”
Today, Long is a junior at Oklahoma State University majoring in agricultural education. She continues to pursue her music career on the side while also writing her first novel.
“I’m still figuring out exactly where I want my career to go, but I definitely plan to put out an album or two,” she says. “I know it won’t be easy. Thankfully, I’ve learned the power of resilience and that hearing ‘no’ won’t stop me.”
A Catalyst for New Opportunities
For Alex Miller, an alumnus of the Garrard County FFA in Lancaster, Ky., competing in the talent competition at the 92nd National FFA Convention & Expo in 2019 served as a catalyst that took him to heights he never could have imagined.
Before he began traveling across the country as a singer-songwriter, Alex Miller performed in the National FFA Talent competition in 2019.
“It was an honor to perform one of my original songs, ‘I’m Over You So Get Over Me,’ at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and I’ll never forget it,” Miller says. “I didn’t win, but having the experience of performing at the national FFA convention and making it into the top 15 boosted my confidence. From there, I competed on American Idol in 2021, and before I knew it, I was opening for Brett Young during his concert at the 94th National FFA Convention & Expo [in 2021].”
Miller hasn’t slowed down. Over the past few years, the 20-year-old singer-songwriter has toured across the country, singing original songs like “Girl, I Know a Guy” and “Gettin’ Lucky in Kentucky” at venues such as Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and events such as the Washington State Fair and New York State Fair.
He reflects fondly on his time in FFA and is thankful for the lessons he learned as a member — the importance of working hard, never giving up and being true to yourself.
“You have to believe in yourself and let your light shine,” says Miller, who was awarded the American FFA Degree in 2023. “You have something unique inside of you. Harness that, and you’ll be shocked at how far you can go.”
To learn more about many talented FFA members and the Wrangler-sponsored National FFA Talent program, visit ffa.org/tag/talent/.
