Monday, January 20, 2025
Sogna Bella Santana has been carrying a tune since before she could even talk. She would hum along with her grandfather and copy the melodies he sang. By age four, Sogna’s mother signed her up for dance classes, but she couldn’t keep herself from singing along to the songs. Soon after, she began performing in children’s productions, landing several lead roles, including the title role in “Annie.”
Then, on June 26, at just nine years old, Sogna won Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater.
Sogna, originally from Franklin Square, recalled the moment she found out she’d be performing at the famous theater. She said she got off the bus after school and her mother, Gloria, told her she had a surprise for her. “I was like, ‘What is it? A toy?’” Sogna laughed. “But she goes, ‘No. You’re going to sing at the Apollo.’”
“It’s very competitive,” Gloria said. “You have to audition, so you have to be talented already.” For her performance, Sogna sang “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston. Gloria said she got a standing ovation.
After winning Amateur Night, Sogna received a large $5,000 check and was invited back to perform at the Apollo’s Amateur Night: Holiday Special on Dec. 14. Sogna sang “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston again, and then Kelly Clarkson’s cover of “Run Run Rudolph.”
Sogna said she performs anywhere she can. She performs at a senior rehab center, at her church, at her school and even at the Massapequa Uncle Giuseppe’s supermarket on Sundays if there happens to be a microphone available, of course.
While Sogna never had formal training, she does participate in a performing arts studio, American Dance and Drama Studio, under the direction of JoAnn Cifala Sciretta. “This child was born to sing,” Sciretta said. Of all the students Sciretta has had in the 51 years running her studio, she said Sogna has the talent it takes to succeed in the industry.
“She definitely has the equipment,” she said, referring to Sogna’s voice. “As far as students I’ve had over the years, and people I have worked with in theater, she’s on top of the list of making it very big.”
With all the performing Sogna does, Gloria said she’s a surprisingly calm kid. Gloria pointed out that she, herself, is the one who is stressed during Sogna’s performances.
Sogna quickly nodded in agreement with her mother. “I’m at the Apollo and I’m usually playing with the kid contestants,” Sogna said. “And then my mom is talking with the other moms, nerve-wracked!”
Daniel Santana, Sogna’s father, said the night Sogna won at The Apollo, both he and Gloria were in shock. “I don’t even know how Gloria composed herself,” he said. “And that was the first time I actually jumped out of my seat.”
Sogna said right before her performance, she did get nervous, but only for a moment. “I was shaking,” she said. But Sogna learned how to control her nerves through her spirituality. “I pray, and then all my nerves go away,” she said.
In the days leading up to Sogna’s performance at the Dec. 7 tree lighting at Garden City South Park, Sogna said she experienced something very distressing to her. “I wasn’t hitting the notes that I used to,” she said. “I was really upset. I was crying because I just couldn’t do it. And I was just like, ‘Why now?’”
Gloria said Sogna was stressed because she was learning so many songs in a short period of time. She had to learn two songs for America’s Got Talent auditions, two songs for the tree lighting, the national anthem and “God Bless America.”
“I think it kind of mentally blocked her,” Gloria said. At that point, she decided to let Sogna rest for a few days. “I told her not to even think of it. No singing, nothing.”
Suddenly, five days later, Sogna tried singing “Run Run Rudolph” again and finally hit the note. “I hit that first note and I just went, ‘Yeah!’” Sogna exclaimed.
Daniel and Gloria said it takes a careful balancing act to make sure Sogna gets time to be a kid in between her performances and commitments. Sogna said she has many other hobbies, such as sewing, weaving, crafting and watching Disney movies.
“Letting her be a kid is the most important thing for us,” Daniel said. Gloria agreed and said she tries very hard to give her time to relax and enjoy her hobbies. The two said Sogna decides when she wants to stop practicing and start playing.
Sogna has a great attitude about performing, her parents added. When they asked Sogna what she would have done if she lost Amateur Night at the Apollo, she said despite her disappointment, she would just go back and try again.
“It’s going to be a lot of battles and a lot of growing up,” Sciretta said. “But what I’ve seen of her attitude so far, she’s street smart about her talent.”
Daniel said he is humbled to know his daughter is so gifted. Her name, Sogna Bella, translates to “beautiful dream,” which reminds him that Sogna is a gift every day. “She’s a very rare child,” Daniel said. “She’s a really, really old soul. I can’t tell you how many people tell us how blessed we are.”
As for Sogna, her grandfather is what keeps her singing. She said her grandfather performed as a guitarist in a band when he was young. He passed his talent down to Gloria, who dances, and then Gloria passed down the talent to Sogna, who sings. “I want to continue the bloodline,” Sogna said. “I want to do it for my grandpa, who started the whole thing.”
Sogna said she knows how proud her parents are, and she loves the sense of accomplishment she gets from making people happy with her performances. In the future, she said she’d like to perform on America’s Got Talent, American Idol and on Broadway. “And I want to be the next Whitney Houston!” Sogna laughed.
To view Sogna’s performance at the Apollo Theater, visit ApolloTheater.org/Amateur-Night.
