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'Alter Ego': Teen mom Dasharra Bridges aka Queen Dynamite hopes to 'find her voice'

For Dasharra Bridges, performing as Queen Dynamite allows her to chase a long-lost dream

Getting a second chance to pursue your dream isn't always an opportunity that is handed out easily. But for the contestants of 'Alter Ego', the show is the perfect chance to showcase their talent. As per the show's logline, it is a "singing competition where contestants reinvent themselves and perform like never before -- as their dream avatar."

With Alanis Morissette, Nick Lachey, Grimes and will.i.am as the judges, contestants take on digital avatars while showcasing their singing talents. The judges and the audience are only privy to this avatar, ensuring that the judging and voting process depends entirely on their performances.

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Up first on the show's season premiere was Dasharra Bridges, whose real name is Dashara Bridges. As Dashara explained it, she has always been a singer, having pursued this passion right since she was a child. However, she became pregnant at age 18 and ended up having a daughter. Being a teen mom was not easy for her, as she had to raise her daughter on her own, seeing that her daughter's father was incarcerated at the time. Seeing that she didn't have enough money for diapers and formula, her singing career took a backseat as her family became her priority. However, through the show, she was hoping to find her voice once again. When it came to picking her 'Alter Ego', her daughter helped her out, leading to the name -- Queen Dynamite. 

You can check out her performance here -- "Queen Dynamite SLAYED the first performance of the night.  #AlterEgoFOX"

Queen Dynamite performed 'Ain't Nobody' by Chaka Khan and the judges were blown away instantly. All of them had only positive reviews to share, seeing that Bridges nailed her performance. Seeing that she was the first to go up on stage, she scored a spot on the Diamond. The Diamond allows the Alter Ego to advance to the next round without relying on the audience's vote or having to face elimination. However, this spot isn't entirely secure as any upcoming performer can take over the spot on the Diamond, depending on the judges' decision. For now, Bridges was the first to secure that spot. Fans had a generally mixed reaction to watching a virtual avatar performing on stage, as opposed to seeing a real person. 

"Queen Dynamite's performance was Dyno-mite! Literately! #AlterEgoFOX" tweeted a fan. "#AlterEgoFOX Queen Dynamite was a wonderful singer, but I'd rather see the actual beautiful woman instead of the weird looking avatar. I really don't get the point." countered another fan. 

With her soulful performance having won over the studio audience, she was voted to proceed to the next round, even though she lost her spot on the Diamond later. It looks like we'll be seeing a lot more of Queen Dynamite! 

'Alter Ego' kick starts Season 1 with a special two-night premiere event, starting Wednesday, September 22 and Thursday, September 23 at 9/8c on FOX.