A TCU student became one of 16 finalists last week in the Fox 4 Good Day Karaoke Contest and could soon be singing the “Good Day” theme song every morning to thousands of viewers across the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Junior radio-TV-film major Lauren King said she auditioned to be the next star of the morning show “Good Day” last Friday when she sang the Emmy-award-winning theme song, “Have you had a Good Day,” to a panel of six judges.

Finalists’ audition tapes were posted Monday on myfoxdfw.com, and whoever receives the most votes by March 2 will get the job, King said.

Singing on “Good Day” will give rising artists valuable exposure and experience, said Jessica Dowdy, associate producer of creative services at Fox 4.

“The ‘Good Day’ theme song is a good tune a lot of people know,” King said. “They’re looking for someone to sing it, do the commercial and promotion of it and just be the artist of the year singing it on the show with the band.”

King is hoping students will show their support by voting for her on the Web site, and said the winner will be announced on the show Friday.

She left her soccer scholarships at the University of Central Arkansas last year because she missed the singing and acting opportunities she had growing up in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, she said.

King recently became a “master artist” at the Septien Center for Artist Training, which directed Jessica Simpson and Ryan Cabrera early in their careers, King said. She will soon be featured on a reality television show, tentatively titled “Pop Academy,” with other “master artists” from Septien, she said.

“This is a passion I have that took me a while to figure out,” King said. “I’m so much happier now because I know what I love and I know what I want to do.”

King said she’s been in the entertainment industry since she was 3-years-old and was a cast member on “Barney and Friends” from ages 5 to 10.

“I was Kathy, the little girl who was always holding her bear,” King said. “It was definitely a good experience, but I grew up real fast.”

Despite her acting role on “Barney,” King said she used to be too shy to sing in front of others until she realized how much it was holding her back.

“I found out how pointless it is to hold something I love and am good at inside like a secret,” King said.

She looks forward to trying out for “American Idol” this year, which she had to miss in the past for three-a-day soccer practices.

“They always look for someone with a story behind them,” King said. “Hopefully, they’ll see the one behind me.”

King also shares the distinction of being one of the only students at Septien.

“A lot of ‘master artists’ don’t go to school, and I don’t think that is very smart of them because there’s a lot of people out there trying to make it in the industry,” King said. “I’m going to have that degree to fall back on and even use.”

However, King is still hoping for the big break so many other celebrities have received in the past, she said. She is scheduled to sing the national anthem March 4 at the TCU baseball game against Vermont.

“Lauren is an incredibly talented singer with an energetic presence on stage,” said Mathew Butler, director of artist development at Septien. “People can’t take their eyes off her when she’s on stage.