The World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) were held in Ls Vegas July 13-21, and local performer Zuri Bosmediano helped put Voorhees on the map.
The event, recognized as the Official Talent Olympics, draws talent from over 70 countries to complete in a variety of categories and connect with international entertainment leaders.
At just 18 years old, the 2026 Eastern graduate earned a coveted spot on Team USA after a competitive audition process.
Zuri began a background in theater in elementary school, which fostered a passion for singing. This passion led her to participate in local events, like Voorhees Got Talent, where she came in second place, and the high school talent show, where she also came in second.
Her connection to WCOPA started when the director, who happened to be her SAT tutor, attended one of Eastern’s musicals, which led Zuri to audition for Team USA.
Selection to participate in WCOPA is by invitation only, ensuring that only the finest talent from each country competes. Contestants undergo a rigorous screening and qualification process, adhering to WCOPA guidelines. National directors and scouts in each country oversee the selection process, while contestant-at-large procedures apply for countries without a director.
She, ultimately, was invited to join the team for the 2026 competition, where she represented the United States in both the Broadway and Pop Vocal categories, performing “Never Enough” from The Greatest Showman and Billie Eilish’s “Lovely”.
The WCOPA hosts a wide array of competition categories designed to showcase diverse talents across multiple disciplines. The Broadway category allows performers to choose to act out iconic Broadway scenes, including both dramatic and musical theater performances. The Pop Solo Vocal category allows performers to compete with popular hits, showcasing your vocal range and crowd appeal.
Her performances earned her a great amount of recognition. She made it through the preliminaries and to the semi-finals, beating out 170 contestants as overall performer. She also won gold in the Broadway category.
Building onto this excitement was the invitation to participate in the competition’s “go-sees”, where judges and talent managers invite participants with high potential to explore their talents further. Zuri was invited on two go-sees that allowed her to meet with managers from LA.
Following this summer experience Bosemdiano will begin Temple University to study Film & Media Arts, with a special interest in horror, fantasy, and sci-fi. She intends to continue writing and performing her own music and to explore the variety of extracurricular programs at Temple, like the choir, a cappella groups, and the free student recording studio.
