Elmhurst's 'Snooki' Goes Country

ELMHURST, IL — Elmhurst's Nicole Polizzi shares a name with the "Jersey Shore" star best known as "Snooki."

Like her famous counterpart, the local Polizzi is pursuing an entertainment career. But the 2018 York High School graduate is not interested in the reality show realm. Rather, she wants a country music career.

The 20-year-old knows she cannot avoid the "Jersey Shore" connection. Her friends in high school and college often call her "Snooki."

This spring, Polizzi got her first big break. She was hired as a singer in the Dollywood show "Forever Country" in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. She plans to perform until she returns next month for her final year at the School of Music at Belmont University in Nashville.

In an interview, Polizzi said she considered herself fortunate to be part of Dolly Parton's production, where she sings country songs from the 1990s and early 2000s.

"I missed the audition deadline by an hour," she said. "I had to call HR and bug the company for two weeks, calling them every day. After two weeks, I got a call from the entertainment department. They set up an appointment."

When she showed up, she sang for 30 seconds and got an offer. They asked her to work through February, but she wanted to finish college.

"I'm really grateful to be offered such a large contract for May through August. They only had a couple of spots," Polizzi said.

Going into college, she envisioned herself becoming a pop artist. She wasn't exposed to country growing up. That changed when she was in Nashville. Now, she's all in.

She said she likes what she is doing this summer and aims to remain a professional singer. She thinks country music needs more female artists.

"I don't see myself doing anything else in my life," Polizzi said.

As it happens, she is not the first in her family to go into entertainment. Her uncle, comedian Tom Dreesen, was Frank Sinatra's opening act for 14 years. Now 81, Dreesen also played roles in shows such as "Murder, She Wrote" and "WKRP In Cincinnati."

"He has been super supportive of me. He has given great advice," Polizzi said. "Before my audition, he calmed my nerves."

At York High School, Polizzi performed in musicals all four years. She also belonged to the choir, among other things.

In "Forever Country," she said she is the youngest performer by far. She called her job offer "cool and very shocking."

"I cannot speak more highly of Dollywood," she said. "It's a genuinely great company to work for. I'm going to be sad leaving.