R&B singer and songwriter Christian Nelson left for New York Tuesday morning to perform at the renowned venue's Amateur Night, which has served as a starting point for platinum-selling superstars such as Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill and Alicia Keys. A first place victory on the spot or a second or third-place win via online/text message voting would earn Nelson some time on the nationally syndicated TV show, “Showtime at the Apollo.”

“I'm looking forward to representing Michigan and bringing something home,” said Nelson, 24, during a recording session with producer Woods Work at Lansing's Hitmaker Studios on Friday. “I just want to be a good representation for this region.”

Nelson and manager Andrew Lathrop went to New York in May to compete against what he estimated to be more than 1,000 people for a chance to audition. An early cut-off time whittled that down to about 300, but an organizer guaranteed Nelson a spot, because he was one of few to remember his number — 289 — after the organizer asked contestants to count off. {mosimage}

Once inside the auditioning area, Nelson remembers all of the performers spontaneously singing to catch the judges' attention. Nelson decided to give an impromptu performance of Musiq Soulchild's popular single, “Love.”

“The crowd went silent, and everyone clapped afterwards,” Nelson remembers. “I was going to perform Joe's “All That I Am” [for the actual audition], but the band had the music for “Love,” so it worked out.”

Performance on a grand stage is nothing new to Nelson. Singing and playing treble clef baritone and piano since he was in grade school, he decided to take music seriously in 2005, leaving college and landing a record deal with Oak Park-based New Venture Promotions.

Nelson left the label after a year because “they didn't measure up to what we were expecting,” and signed with Lathrop his career has blossomed ever since. His music has gotten rotation from local clubs and radio stations, he's performed at Michigan State University tailgates, and he sings the intro for Jazzy T's radio show on WQHH 96.5 FM. He has opened shows for the likes of Sisqo, Jay-Z protégé Memphis Bleek and Detroit emcee Tone Tone, and he is scheduled to share a bill with Fergie and soul songstress Erykah Badu this March in Detroit.

Now Nelson's ready to provide listeners with more material of his own. He hopes to have his debut album, “Timeless,” completed by the end of the year. A sampling of the disc's early cuts shows promise: “Never Wanted” features him struggling to balance a woman's needs with his commitment to his career, opening single “TLC” plays on the well-known “tender loving care” acronym, and “Passion” metaphorically compares the fervor toward a woman to the love for one's art. Nelson said indie label KOCH Records has shown interest in distributing the project.

The New York-based label signed Lansing-turned-Brooklynite Chadwick “Alias” Phillips earlier this year after he won a contest with New York's Hot 97.

“Music comes and goes,” Nelson explained about the album's title. “I want to make something that's everlasting, classic, genuine.”

With what he's done so far, he's well on his way.