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Singer Hits YouTube High Note

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LATISHA R. GRAY / SARASOTA HERALD TRIBUNE

Published: December 10, 2007

SARASOTA - Most people have to see Nick Pitera sing in person before they really believe it is his voice.

That is because Pitera's speaking voice has the low tone of any other 21-year-old man. But when he sings "Part of Your World," his high pitch sounds like that of a woman.

"I've been singing since I was little," said Pitera, 21. "Kids can sing in a higher register, and I thought it would go away when I went through puberty. It didn't, and I could still hit the notes."

Pitera describes his voice as counter-tenor, or a stronger and higher-pitched falsetto.

His YouTube.com video of him singing the song from Disney's "The Little Mermaid" has received more than 388,000 hits in the past three weeks. More than 2,000 people have commented.

The comments range from shock to disbelief -- and even a few marriage proposals.

The Ringling College of Art and Design senior submitted the video in a contest to visit New York, see the Broadway production of "The Little Mermaid," and attend the cast recording session. Pitera, who once was second in the contest's online voting, found out Friday evening he did not win.

"I was a little disappointed," Pitera said Saturday. "But like I said, it was for fun. The girl who won is really talented."

Singing is a hobby for Pitera. His first love is Disney movies and he is currently finishing his degree in computer animation.

The recent success on YouTube has not changed Pitera's mind about his career path. But his senior thesis will include a few vocal tracks.

"I think the recruiters are looking more from an art side," Pitera said of potential employers. "I do throw it in there that I sing, but not blatantly."

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