It's every aspiring musician's dream to get that once in a lifetime big break.
There are many reality shows like American Idol, The Voice and the X Factor providing that opportunity.
Up and coming Local singer songwriter Ben Westphal, who's a student at Gustavus, was one of the lucky few that performed in front of some of the biggest names in pop music.
"It was probably one of the most incredible experiences of my entire life," Westphal said during an interview on the X Factor.
The 19-year-old earned the right to participate on the show after he submitted an online audition video of some of his songs on a whim the day before deadline.
"I got a call back from one of the producers and they wanted me to come to Kansas City," Westphal said.
He received four yeses from all the judges after performing an original song, "Nothing Wrong With Me."
"I got LA Reid to bob his head and Britney Spears to smile and the crowd was cheering my name," said Westphal. "It was an amazing feeling, and it boosted my confidence; four powerful people in the music industry to get me through."
The approval of the judges allowed him to advance to the boot camp rounds. He was one of 120 musical acts to compete for the final 25 spots.
Unfortunately, Ben was eventually eliminated, but this isn't the end of the road for him. He's already preparing to re-audition for X Factor next summer.
"What I like about music is that it never gets old, I can keep playing my guitar all day."
If you're interested in hearing more, you can find Ben Westphal's music on MySpace.
