Leslie Hunt After Idol

The Chicago Tribune spoke with Chicago native Leslie Hunt after her elimination Thursday night and asked her if she regretted performing a jazz number of Wednesday. "I feel like I could drive myself crazy with second-guessing," said the 24-year-old, who sang -- and even scatted -- Nina Simone's "Feeling Good." "At the time it seemed like a great idea. It's always gotten a great response when I've sung it before." Noting that AJ Tabaldo, also eliminated on Thursday sang the same song, Hunt said, "We did extremely different versions but I might have received some bad marks for that."

She said she was upset by her ouster, which she referred to in her goodbye song when she sang, "Why did I decide to scat? America doesn't like jazz." "I'm not a jazz singer," said Hunt, who plans to return to Chicago and keep pursuing a music career. "But maybe I am kind of a different niche. Sometimes it does feel like [Idol] is all about the belting and hitting the power notes. Maybe it's a blessing" to leave.

"Overall, it was a really positive experience," Hunt added. "It could be really stressful and it was eye-opening, but no pain, no gain. It took me a little while to bounce back, but I'm resilient."

TAYLOR HICKS AFTER IDOL

Taylor Hicks talked to the Sun Journal in Maine.

On his record sales being compared to those of Chris Daughtry and Katharine McPhee: "You know, it's funny: People want to try and compare us, and that's hard to do because I'm not singing rock and I'm not singing country. So to compare us - I find that interesting because we're in different genres. If I was a rocker, I could see that [comparison], but I'm a blue-eyed soul performer."

On seeing himself at the beginning of the curve, not the end: "You have to start out small and work your way towards a bigger goal, and that's what I am doing right now, playing the musical theaters and clubs all across the country. It's better to start out small."

On being focused on his artistry: "You really have to work towards being ... your own voice and your own singer, and that's what I've done. My thinking right now is that I've done 2½-minute TV segments for the last six or seven months, whereas prior to the 'American Idol' experience I was performing four hours a night. And that's something I look forward to getting back to."

IDOL NIGHT ...

... at the Museum of Television & Radio's 24th annual William S. Paley TV Festival occurred last Thursday in Hollywood, right after the live elimination show. Attending were Ryan Seacrest (who cut out before the Q&A began) Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, Idol executive producer and director Ken Warwick, executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz and Fox alternative programming exec Mike Darnell.

The Washington Post reports that among the things the judges argued about was which "Idol" winners they spotted right away. Simon said they pegged Fantasia Barrino, Ruben Studdard and Carrie Underwood. Paula and Randy insisted Kelly Clarkson be added. Simon said no. Randy conceded the point but insisted he was the first to spot Fantasia. Paula said she was the first to spot Elvis. Simon cracked that she was around then. Simon noted the other judges also loved last season's winner, Taylor Hicks. "I couldn't stand him," Simon said, noting that he turned out to be right because the second runner-up, Chris Daughtry, is the one who's sold the albums, not Taylor. "If it becomes a popularity contest, it's like winning 'Big Brother' -- nothing's going to happen," Simon said about last season's outcome.

The panelists recalled how in the show's first season, not so many people auditioned and stars stayed away from the guest-judging idea. Now the show is fighting them off -- both auditioners and professional singers. Warwick said Janet Jackson wanted to be on "Idol" this season but they couldn't squeeze her in. "I don't blame you; I wouldn't have her," Simon said to Warwick, adding that maybe 10 years ago he would have put her on the show.

The Beatles night we'd been promised this season is a bust because Paul McCartney can't make it. "Ringo was available," Simon cracked. When the panelists were reminded that whenever a singer appears on "Idol," his or her catalogue sales go through the roof, Cowell retorted, "Except Neil Sedaka. His went backwards."

Simon also said he did not like the inclusion of Prince on last year's finale because he declined to sing a duet with the finalists, insisting he perform alone. And about this year's deplorable crop of male competitors, Simon said, to wit: Yes, they are bad, but do not be disheartened because they are still so much better than the first season, when the best guy singer was Justin Guarini.

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© 2007

The Results Show

Ronnie Gill in Newsday writes:

And then there were 16. Another four “American Idol” semi-finalists fell by the wayside last night in the second thinning of the herd. One last cut next Thursday will determine the sixth season’s 12 finalists.

Host Ryan Seacrest said over 32 million votes were cast on Tuesday and Wednesday. Those not garnering enough to remain in the competition were: Nick Pedro, 25, from Taunton, Mass., who sang “Fever.” Judge Simon Cowell told him he has a good voice but lacked charisma; Alaina Alexander, 24, of West Hollywood, Calif., who received universally bad reviews from all three judges for her rendition of the Dixie Chicks’ “Not Ready to Make Nice,” with Randy Jackson noting, “It was a mess for me.”; AJ Tabaldo, 22, of Santa Maria, Calif., who won the judges’ hearts with “Feeling Good,” but apparently not those of the viewers; and Leslie Hunt, 24, from Chicago, who also sang “Feeling Good” to lukewarm praise.

Surprisingly, the two contestants many felt are the worst –- Antonella Barba, 20, from Point Pleasant, N.J. and Sanjaya Malakar, 17, from Federal Way, Wash. –- survived to sing another week. Also still in the running is Coram native Jared Cotter, 25.

Kellie Pickler, a finalist from last season, returned to sing “I Wonder,” from her debut gold album “Small Town Girl.” Dressed in a too-tight, very low-cut blue dress, hair coiffed short and wearing heavy makeup, Pickler looked more like a 40-year-old housewife than the fresh-faced 19-year-old who sang on the “Idol” stage last year.

More in the morning ...

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© 2007

Doolittle? No, Do a Lot!

This season Idol may well turn out to be the War of Amazon Voices. Melinda Doolittle came back last night (not that she was any slouch last week) to prove that she's not ready to let LaKisha Jones walk off with this competition in Week 1. And how glorious for the viewers, to have each woman raise her game each week. We can only benefit. What a season this could turn out to be!

Melinda chose to dedicate "My Funny Valentine" to her two best friends. We love standards, but this is not one of our favorite songs, perhaps because it can ruined so easily. It can also be deadly dull with the wrong arrangement and singer. So we must admit that when we heard the opening strains of the music, we winced a bit, remembering (not particularly fondly) Constantine Maroulis pouting his way through an overorchestrated jazzy version during Season 4.

But this wasn't Constantine, this was Melinda Doolittle, who proved what a pro she was. All I could write on my pad was "Perfect Phrasing!" Melinda honed every word like a finely crafted piece of wood, gently twisting, turning and manipulating each syllable to perfection. I've never heard the song sung that well, and doubt I will again. As a colleague of ours, who shares our love of the standards, wrote in an e-mail: "If this woman does not win, the show is fixed. Her My Funny Valentine may well be the best performance I've ever seen on that show! As far as I'm concerned, the others should all start packing." And you know, he could be right. But I think Melinda and LaKisha will be battling it down to the end.

Randy told Melinda she had come out to win it and that she was incredible. Paula said, "Just astounding, out of this world. I applaud you." Simon added, "That was incredible. Without question, the best vocal we've had throughout the competition. You're a breath of fresh air. It was a fantastic performance."

The evening started out with Gina Glocksen dedicating Heart's "Alone" to her boyfriend. We thought the song suited Glocksen well, but her performance was not going to make anyone forget Carrie Underwood's from Season 4, which was far more powerful. Also we really think Gina needs a stylist's help with both her hair and her clothing. Her hair just hangs there and Simon thought her clothing could look a little edgier and we agree. Randy thought the song choice was good but that it started out a little pitchy, but Paula said she did an excellent job. Simon said he liked the song choice, but thought the vocal felt forced at the end. He also said he felt confused as to who Gina is, and that when they put her through she was a little more edgy.

You know what? We really get tired of Alaina Alexander getting up there every week, screwing up and then sucking up to the judges with her whiny "Just tell me what I can do to improve" routine. As Simon has said before and repeated last night (but not to her directly): Just sing well. Alexander has been playing the "Just Tell Me" game since the Hollywood rounds and needs to can it. Actually, she needs to be canned, but according to DialIdol's predictions, that won't be this week. Alaina dedicated The Dixie Chicks' "Not Ready to Make Nice" to her mother, who weepily watched the film tribute in the audience. Alexander's rendition was universally panned by the judges. Randy said "It was a mess for me. It was all over the place," but Paula tried to placate Alaina with "The pitch was a little bit off but not nearly as bad as this guy [Randy] says." Simon, who loves analogies, added "It was like Randy running a 100-meter sprint, i.e. three quarters of the way through the race he would run out of steam and that’s exactly what happened, you ran out of steam three quarters of the way."

LaKisha Jones came back with Gladys Knight's "Midnight Train to Georgia," dedicated to her grandmother, and even if it was not a show-stopper like last week's "And I Am Telling You, I'm Not Going," it was still a stunner. I could listen to this lady sing all day. She not only has a big voice, but a rich one to boot. Randy thought her performance was hot, while Paula told her "I loved it and I loved you." Simon said, "You are a phenomenally good singer. I don't think it was as good as last week because I don't think you came out with that 'I'm going to prove a point' attitude, which I liked last week." He also critiqued her clothes, which received catcalls from Randy and Paula, because he found her orange (or "salmon," as Ryan described it) blouse too colorful and distracting.

Next up was joke-of-the-evening Antonella Barba (though according to DialIdol, she, too, won't be going home any time soon). OK, you're a singer who got creamed trying to sing Aerosmith. You reached way beyond your voice skills. So who do you come back and try to emulate the next week? Celine Dion?!!! The girl must be crazy! She dedicated "Because You Loved Me" to her brother, then set out to destroy it. She started out sounding nervous and shaky, then, with a quavering voice, hit every note exactly wrong except, ironically, the hardest note in the whole song.

Time for the critiques. Uh-oh. When Randy starts off telling you how beautiful you are to soften the blow, normally Paula's domain, you know bad things are going to follow. And they did. Jackson said it was completely the wrong song, way too big for her, the pitch was all over the place and it didn't work. Paula the apologist told Antonella she had made leaps and bounds from last week (liar, liar pants on fire, Paula). Simon simply said, "I thought you were worse than last week." Antonella screwed up her face than shot back to him, "I think I'll listen to Paula. After all, you were wrong about Jennifer Hudson." Huh? Did we just hear you say your name in the same sentence with Jennifer Hudson's? All we can say is this, Antonella. Last night you proved one thing: If you are going to make a living by opening your mouth, it's not going to be by singing.

And to you America, we have only one thing to say: Get off your asses and vote for anyone other than this off-key tart or she's going to wind up in the finals next Thursday night!

Perky and lovely Jordin Sparks followed Outtatunella Barba. This 17-year-old is always a pleasure to watch. She emotionally dedicated Christina Aguilera's "Reflection" to her brother, and remained caught up in the emotion during and after the song. It wasn't her best effort, but it was still far superior to ones such as Barba's or Alexander's. Randy told her she picked a really good song and had a few pitchy moments, but that he was so impressed with where she is and what she's done. Paula called her infectious and a brilliant, talented girl. And Simon said although it wasn't her best, compared to a lot of other people, it was excellent, and that at 17 years old she has massive potential.

Stephanie Edwards, if DialIdol is too believed, is in grave danger of being eliminated tonight, and it makes us mad! Edwards has consistently given solid performances (if not with songs we particularly loved) and the thought of Barba or Alexander remaining at her expense is infuriating. Last night she dedicated Beyoncé's "Dangerouly in Love" to her parents. Personally, we preferred her selection and performance last week, mostly because we find this song annoying and rhythmless (although we do applaud her trying to select age-appropriate songs). Randy thought she was so much better than last week (not), while Paula said she was fantastic and brilliant. Simon thought it was a terrific performance and said that he liked that she was coming out and putting her mark down (hmm, marking her territory like a dog?).

We're not quite sure how we feel about Leslie Hunt, and we think that's part of her problem. She has a nice voice, but not much else distinguishes her, and that could hurt her in the end. She dedicated Nina Simone's "Feeling Good" to her late grandfather. AJ Tabaldo sang the same song the night before, and even though we didn't rave about it, we actually liked his version better, even though Hunt tried to add her own twist to it by opening a capella and scatting near the end. Trouble is, very few people scat well, and she wasn't one of them. Hers sounded forced. Anyway, it was no better than just OK for us. Randy thought it was a little bit on the pitchy side and was just "aight" for him, though Paula told Leslie she was back in her element. Simon said Leslie's problem was that she'd just been whacked by three or four big, big voices, and so he thought she was getting a little bit lost in the competition, adding "I think you're doing as best as you can."

Haley Scarnato, for us at least, is a white-bread singer: There's just nothing interesting about her, except for the fact that she's pretty. She needs to add something to the dough to seem less bland. Like Barba, she dared to take on an icon's song, choosing Whitney Houston's "Queen of the Night," and dedicating it to her fiancé. Although nowhere as bad as Barba, and better than we expected, it still sounded forced. Unfortunately her fiancé watched as she got pummeled by the judges. Randy said it wasn't great for him and that vocally it wasn't on point. Of course, Paula jumped in to say she was leaps and bounds better than last week. And although Simon gave it an "A" for effort, he said if you're going to take on a Whitney song you do it at your own peril, because you're always going to be compared, so "vocally, you came out badly on that." She almost started crying when he added that he thought she was one of the vulnerable girls last night.

Last up, in the pimp spot, was Sabrina Sloan. And although she didn't outdo last week's pimp spot singer (LaKisha), or even last night's performance by Melinda, she nonetheless delivered a wonderful rendition of Whitney Houston's "All the Man That I Need," dedicating it to her grandmother. Randy thought it was very nice overall and Paula told her she was fantastic, adding "Bravo." Simon called it very good, but cautioned her not to confuse power with shouting. He also said he preferred her last week.

Top 5 in descending order: Melinda Doolittle, LaKisha Jones, Sabrina Sloan, Stephanie Edwards, Jordin Sparks

Bottom 5 in descending order: Antonella Barba, Alaina Alexander, Leslie Hunt, Haley Scarnato, Gina Glocksen

Should go: Antonella Barba, Alaina Alexander
Will go: Gina Glocksen, Leslie Hunt

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© 2007

A League of Her Own

"I am very tempted to say to 23 people book your plane tickets home." -- Simon Cowell, speaking after LaKisha Jones performed "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"

Oh, yes, we agreed. In what was the only true show-stopping performance of the competition so far, LaKisha Jones, who we already liked, became our hero. We even relistened to Jennifer Hudson's version of the song afterwards, and it paled next to LaKisha's, whose lush vocals, emotion and power blew us away. Awesome, just awesome. And we were also bowled over by LaKisha's incredible humility. We really don't think that she yet understands what an amazing national treasure her voice is.

And LaKisha wasn't the only great performance. The girls definitely rule after Wednesday night. Their song choices as well as their performances were better. Instead of just standing on the stage singing, most of the women truly connected with their audience. As Randy rightly put it, if the 12 finalists didn't have to be an equal number of males and females, at this point he would select 8 women and 4 men, just about the numbers we came up with.

But once again, it appears VotefortheWorst.com's insidious plans will affect tonight's elimination. Not surprisingly, they selected Antonella Barba as their female counterpart to Sundance Head. This girl really needs to go home. Vocally, she is a lightweight compared to most of the other ladies, and if not the worst performer of the night, she was definitely in the bottom two. Yet, according to DialIdol.com, she placed second in number of votes received. If true, it's not funny anymore. We realize that VFTW is skewing the results more dramatically now because, compared with the finale, fewer people vote in the early rounds (although we actually had a lot of trouble getting through to LaKisha's line last night). Long-term, the true fans will wrest back control of the results. But it is disheartening to see failure on the stage being rewarded because of nefarious forces. Plus, we really don't want to be subjected to another week of singing by the worst.

The evening started and ended with strong performances, with many others sprinkled in between. First up was Stephanie Edwards, who gave us chills as she belted out "How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore." "How could this be?" we thought. Already the first lady was better than all of the men had been the night before. Randy noted that the performance was pitchy, but that Stephanie sang it with conviction, while Paula called her a star and a wonderful performer. Simon said the song choice was good, the performance was terrific and a million times better than anything the boys did the night before, adding that Stephanie looked like she came out and said she wanted to win "American Idol."

Stephanie was followed by two of the evening's more forgettable performances. Amy Krebs didn't do justice to Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me," and the arrangement had a really bad ending. The phrasing has to be done just right to make this song work, whether sung by a man or woman; i.e. George Michael has done a great version of it. Randy termed it a medium middle-of-the-road performance that was a little too safe and Paula agreed. Simon cut deeper, telling Amy, "When you sing you have the personality of a candle" and that unless she did something to stand out, "two singers later I'm going to forget you" (he was right). Perhaps he went a bit overboard when he said even her hair and outfit were forgettable. She looked fine, it was totally a singing issue.

Dog-walker Leslie Hunt didn't fare much better with Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman." Hunt has an interesting voice but is not a powerhouse singer, but you don't need to be Aretha to make this song work. Carole King, who wrote the song, does a great version, but invests it with a lot of feeling, and Leslie didn't. Again, it all comes down to phrasing. Randy thought the song was too big for Leslie, but Paula thought she did a great job. Simon said it wasn't great and that Leslie looked embarrassed and ungainly when she performed. When booing ensued, Ryan, saying he understood what Simon meant (is that a first?), clarified that Simon felt Leslie appeared to be out of her comfort zone.

Sabrina Sloan was a nice surprise with Aretha Franklin's "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)," in a performance that built strength as the song progressed. Never mind Amy and Leslie, was Sabrina already making us forget Stephanie Edwards? (Sadly, Sabrina is third from last on DialIdol's talley and is definitely in danger of being eliminated tonight). Randy excitedly told her "That's the way to sing, that's the one to beat. That was hot," as Paula gave her a standing ovation. Simon declared the performance the best one so far.

And then disaster struck. Antonella Barba offered a weak, pitchy version of Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing." Forget Aerosmith, Barba's no Lindsey Cardinale, the Season 4 finalist whose smoky voice did this song so much more justice. We don't even think Barba knew how bad she was until Randy asked her what she thought he was going to say. You could almost she the light bulb go on over her head as she realized she was in trouble and said, "You felt my nerves?" In what is becoming his trademark Season 6 gesture -- as if it pains him to criticize the contestants -- Randy sighed, then head in hands leaned down toward the desk, before straightening up again and telling her, "It just wasn't good" and that it was pitchy and bland. Paula, sensing Antonella was about to start crying, tried to shore her up with "It wasn't bad, you had some pitch problems," then went into her "you're an amazingly beautiful girl" routine (ahem, who can't sing worth a crap).

Never afraid to step on feelings, Simon jumped in with: "The good news is you're attractive" (uh-oh). "The bad news is it didn't work. It was way, way, way too big for you." Antonella's smile was beginning to waver now and we saw a shot of her parents in the audience. Her father, who didn't seem to get what was about to happen, had an idiot smile on his face, while the pasted-on smile on her mother (who is even better looking than Antonella and looks like her sister) was beginning to melt and droop, as Simon told Antonella "You've seriously damaged your chance of staying here another week." Antonella looked shocked and incredulous, with saucer-sized eyes. Incredible! She never saw it coming. But, fortunately, it looks like VFTW will prove Simon wrong. And, if she does survive, we're sure Antonella won't realize it's because she's become a national joke.

Thankfully, Jordin Sparks was up next. We just adore this 17-year-old from Seattle with a big old voice and bigger, bubbly personality. In the past Simon has criticized her for being too sugary, and, before singing, she told Ryan that maybe there will be one or two less lumps tonight. She was so spirited and fun we wanted her to succeed and she didn't disappoint with Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason," an interesting song selection. Randy wanted her to challenge herself more, telling her that her voice is so big that there is probably no song that is too big for her. Paula thought the song selection was great and that Jordin should "Go for it, go for it, go for it." Simon said she has a very good voice and advised her to "Push yourself and you may surprise a few people in this competition."

Nicole Tranquillo, who has had very little face time, was an unknown quantity coming into this round and might remain so if she goes home tonight. She has a powerful voice, but her version of Chaka Khan's "Stay" was a nasally mumble that didn't work. Now and then her voice would poke through the mess she was singing -- or screaming -- but it was not enough to redeem the performance. Randy told her it just wasn't working and was too rough for him (and us, and the world), but Paula felt she could really sing and had great range and control. Simon said "It was indulgent, it was aggressive, it looked unnatural, it looked fake," adding "It looked like you'd been over-reheasing it" and telling her that song choice was very important and "that wasn't you."

Next up was Haley Scarnato, who we've had doubts about since she got her Golden Ticket in San Antonio. She sang Celine Dion's "All Coming Back to Me Now," and it was far too vibrato for our taste, although Haley looked great (oh god, we're beginning to sound like Paula). It was "just OK" for Randy, who said it was a good song choice for her because she had a Broadwayish voice, but added that he had wanted to be wowed a little bit more. Paula thought Haley did a nice job but was disappointed that she chose to sing the same song she sang during the Hollywood rounds. Simon asked her age (24), then told her she "sounded 40" and that "Everything about you tonight is old. It was a little boring, I thought." And forgettable, too, we'd add.

Melinda Doolittle, who will never have to go back to being a backup singer after Idol, should make it to the final five. In fact, we think she and LaKisha could be battling it out for the top spot (why is it that the two best singers in this competition are also the two most humble?). But there was no shyness when Melinda sang Aretha Franklin's "Since You've Been Gone." Hello, did anyone sing earlier in the evening? We can't seem to recall anyone prior to Melinda! She did an AMAZING job. Randy said she blew it out of the box and that she was da bomb, while Paula called her a front-runner and firecracker. In what might have been a shot meant for Chris Sligh, Simon said "It's interesting that over the last two nights we have seen some people with little talent and a huge amount of arrogance, and you are the opposite." Cowell, who has been taken with her (as he is with LaKisha) since her audition, added, "You are an incredible singer, you have a fantastic story, you're a fantastic person. I really hope you do well."

For the woman who weeps all the time because she's "emotional and passionate," Alaina Alexander 's performance was a crying shame. It would have been the perfect time to take a bathroom break. It's never a good idea to be boring, bland and occasionally pitchy, but to do that to The Pretenders' "Brass in Pocket (I'm Special)" following someone as good as Melinda Doolittle will probably prove lethal. Randy said Alaina really wasn't great and a little pitchy, while Paula said she didn't feel it and thought that Alaina really didn't make the song her own. And Simon, bless his soul, pointed out to Alaina that "You kept singing that line 'I'm special' and it wasn't. I think you lost it halfway through." In an odd turn, when Ryan asked what Alaina could do to get better, Simon asked Ryan if he was trying to date Alaina. As Alaina stood there looking stunned and confused, Ryan answered that it didn't deserve a comment, which Simon said meant "Yes." Hello, what was going on there? It certainly was more interesting than Alaina's performance.

Gina Glocksen was next with "All by Myself," which started a bit weak, but ended strongly. Gina told Ryan that before her performance she would have rated her confidence as a "6" out of 10, but afterwards it was "12," because she hit the final note that she had been having trouble with in rehearsal. Randy said "Big girl, big voice, big song," adding that it had a nice quality, and Paula said she chose the right song to sing. Simon said he didn't "think you hit that big note though, but we'll see."

In the pimp spot, and deservedly so, was the wonderful LaKisha Jones, who you already know was great. Interestingly, Ryan, going into a commercial break prior to her performance, said "We'll be right back with a show-stopper from LaKisha Jones." A little editorializing prior to the performance? Hmmm, have the producers already picked the winner? And, thank you LaKisha, finally someone had the lyrics right. We kept hearing LaKisha sing "You're gonna love me." And we did.

Best of the Evening (in descending order): LaKisha Jones, Melinda Doolittle, Sabrina Sloan, Stephanie Edwards, Jordin Sparks

Worst of the Evening (in descending order): Alaina Alexander, Antonella Barba, Amy Krebs, Nicole Tranquillo

Mediocre and Forgettable (in any order): Gina Glocksen, Leslie Hunt, Haley Scarnato

Should Go: Alaina Alexander, Antonella Barba
Will Go: Alaina Alexander, Amy Krebs

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© 2007

Getting to Know the Top 24: Part 3

LAKISHA JONES
Age: 27
Hometown: Fort Meade, MD
Audition City: New York
Details: Grew up in Flint, Mich; gospel is her favorite type of music but she has trained formally in classical music.
Video link

20 Questions
Favorite male pop artists? n/a
Favorite female pop artists? Kelly Clarkson
Formal singing training? I have training in classical and opera.
Other talents? Skating / Acting.
If you don’t make it on American Idol, what will you do? Go back to working, but still singing.
Personal goals? To provide a good life for me and my daughter.
What album would your friends be surprised you own? Kelly Clarkson.
Your American idol? Grandma [Ruth Morris].
Any rituals or things you do before you perform? Pray, drink cool tea.
Most embarrassing moments? Bra strap broke in Hollywood week.
Proudest moment? When I gave birth to my daughter [Brionne].
Your definition of an American Idol? A leader
Favorite judge and why? I don’t have a favorite. They all have been very kind to me.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? Not much. What you see is what you get.
How has this changed your life? It has given me an opportunity I’ve been waiting for.
Lucky charms? No
Heroes? Mother, grandmother
Toughest obstacle? Trying to break into the music industry.
Was the audition process fair? Yes, not everyone can sing and if it’s your time, you will make it.
If you win, who will you thank first? God Almighty.

LESLIE HUNT
Age: 24
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Audition City: Los Angeles
Details: Is a dog walker who is studying to become a dog trainer; she also plays the piano.
Video link

20 Questions
Favorite male pop artists? Beck, White Stripes, Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson
Favorite female pop artists? Bjork, Aretha Franklin, Feist, Nina Simone, Fiona Apple, Joni Michell
Formal singing training? My mom has given me some pointers here and there.
Other talents? I can write one heck of an essay. Oh yeah, and I compose music.
If you don’t make it on American Idol, what will you do? I will continue on this path like my hair’s on fire!
Personal goals? To share my deepest joys and sorrows through my music.
What album would your friends be surprised you own? My friends know better than to be surprised by anything I do.
Your American idol? Nina Simone.
Any rituals or things you do before you perform? I visualize the emotions behind the music and go deep into my own little world.
Most embarrassing moments? I’ve been known to fall down a decent amount.
Proudest moment? Making it into the top 24!
Your definition of an American Idol? Someone sincere, versatile and PASSIONATE!
Favorite judge and why? RaNDY: He’s both warm AND honest.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? That I value alone time just as much as time spent with others.
How has this changed your life? Because of this, there’s a chance that I could do what I LIVE FOR for a living!
Lucky charms? No.
Heroes? The doctors that saved my life in Brazil. And I’ve always looked up to Ella Fitzgerald.
Toughest obstacle? Living my life with lupus.
Was the audition process fair? For sure.
If you win, who will you thank first? My parents, because they instilled this gift in me.

MELINDA DOOLITTLE
Age: 29
Hometown: Brentwood, TN
Audition City: Memphis
Details: Is a graduate of Belmont University in Nashville and has a bachelor’s degree in Commercial Music; is a backup singer on stage and in the studio.
Video link

20 Questions
Favorite male pop artists? Stevie Wonder, Jonny Lang, Donny Hathaway
Favorite female pop artists? Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight
Formal singing training? Yes – college (Music Major) and vocal lessons ever since
Other talents? Um… I love to make people laugh.
If you don’t make it on American Idol, what will you do? Keep traveling and singing
Personal goals? To represent Christ well and do everything 150%
What album would your friends be surprised you own? Tchaikovsky
Who is your American idol? My mommy!
Any rituals or things you do before you perform? Pray and warm up
Most embarrassing moments? Crying EVERY time I advance another round
Proudest moment? Actually auditioning for AI
Your definition of an American Idol? Someone who, when given the platform, represents who they truly are and can convey it in a way that makes the audience want to know more
Favorite judge and why? Simon! He’s so real with ya – Even when I don’t like it, I love it!
What would people be surprised to learn about you? [blank]
How has this changed your life? I’m singing lead now. Who knew?!
Lucky charms? My Bible.
Heroes? My mom, dad, my vocal coach [Janet Kenyon]
Toughest obstacle? Fear
Was the audition process fair? I think it was, although I have seen some great people go home.
If you win, who will you thank first? Jesus and my mommy.

NICK PEDRO
Age: 25
Hometown: Taunton, MA
Audition City: New York
Details: Made it to Hollywood last season; has performed at talent shows and is an account executive.
Video link

20 Questions
Favorite male pop artists? Stevie Wonder, Michael Buble
Favorite female pop artists? Not sure, I enjoy Lauryn Hill’s music.
Formal singing training? Handful of lessons.
Other talents? Drawing and painting.
If you don’t make it on American Idol, what will you do? God knows.
Personal goals? Take care of my family and be remembered as a good person.
What album would your friends be surprised you own? My friends wouldn’t be surprised by anything I have—I like everything.
Your American idol? My mother and grandmother for all they’ve done for me.
Any rituals or things you do before you perform? I think about the meaning of the lyrics. Most embarrassing moments? Peeing my pants in the first grade—hey, I had to go!
Proudest moment? Telling everyone in my second grade class that my sister was born.
Your definition of an American Idol? Someone who can be looked up to and emulated.
Favorite judge and why? All are so different — I like how their personalities clash and blend.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? That I’m a formally trained artist. How has this changed your life? Not sure I can say now—too soon to tell.
Lucky charms? No.
Heroes? My mom, grandfather, and grandmother.
Toughest obstacle? Self doubt.
Was the audition process fair? Yes.
If you win, who will you thank first? God.

NICOLE TRANQUILLO
Age: 20
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Audition City: Memphis
Details: Is a vocal major at the University of the Arts; began taking voice lessons when she was 12 years old.
Video link

20 Questions
Favorite male pop artists? Justin Timberlake / Stevie Wonder
Favorite female pop artists? Beyonce / Mariah Carey / Whitney Houston / Alicia Keys
Formal singing training? Yes – 10 years
Other talents? Piano, guitar, hip hop dance
If you don’t make it on American Idol, what will you do? Go back to the University of the Arts and finish my degree
Personal goals? Recording contract, tour, multiplatinum albums, marry my boyfriend JP, have kids
What album would your friends be surprised you own? Hanson “Mmm bop”
Your American idol? Anyone who has ever supported me ... My family, my boyfriend, teachers, close friends
Any rituals or things you do before you perform? Breathe and calm down.
Most embarrassing moments? Falling face-first while walking down the hallway in high heels in junior high.
Proudest moment? Getting into college, making it this far on “American Idol.”
Your definition of an American Idol? A talented and humble individual who believes that music is a healing power that touches people’s lives.
Favorite judge and why? Paula Abdul because she is such a talented and beautiful person on the inside and out.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? I am an avid hip-hop dancer and sometimes teach hip-hop on the side.
How has this changed your life? This experience has changed my life in so many ways! It has opened up so many doors for me and has given me the opportunity of a lifetime!
Lucky charms? Yes, my Chamilia charm bracelet.
Heroes? My parents, my brother, my boyfriend.
Toughest obstacle? Overcoming those everyday growing pains.
Was the audition process was fair? Absolutely. I think the judges have enough experience to know who the next American Idol could be.
If you win, who will you thank first? The judges for believing in me and America for voting!

PAUL KIM
Age: 25
Hometown: Saratoga, CA
Audition City: Los Angeles
Details: Is working as a pool maintenance technician; grew up with a love of soul music and enjoys gardening.
Video link

20 Questions
Favorite male pop artists? Danny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Anthony Hamilton, Luther Vandross, Charlie Wilson
Favorite female pop artists? India.Arie, Alicia Keys, Angie Stone, Mariah Carey, Sade
Formal singing training? No.
Other talents? Horticulture expert, I cut my own hair, I play basketball, I have a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
If you don’t make it on American Idol, what will you do? Go back to school and my job. Personal goals? To ultimately find eternal happiness.
What album would your friends be surprised you own? Kenny G.
Your American idol? My father—I only hope that I can one day be half the man that he is.
Any rituals or things you do before you perform? Pray, push-ups.
Most embarrassing moments? When Paula Abdul made a grown man like me cry.
Proudest moment? n/a
Your definition of an American Idol? Anybody with heart that can carry a tune.
Favorite judge and why? Randy — he has a real ear for making good music.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? I have an undying love for nature (plants, the ocean).
How has this changed your life? I like the fact that I haven’t had to go back to my day jobs. Lucky charms? My maori fishhook and my lucky drawers.
Heroes? My parents.
Toughest obstacle? n/a
Was the audition process fair? Yes, but so many amazing singers went home.
If you win, who will you thank first? God and my mama.

AND NOW, A WORD FROM OUR SPONSORS ...

For those who can't get enough Idol on TV, the marketing juggernaut continues to roll out. Debra Byrd (known as “Byrd”), who is the vocal coach and vocal arranger for American Idol and Canadian Idol, as well as the American Idol North American music tours, and whose credits include the 2006 High School Musical Tour, ABC-TV’s “All My Children,” various feature films and Broadway shows, has created the Vocal Help Now! DVD to share the singing tips, secrets, and exercises she has previously only shared with world-renowned singers and actors to help maximize their vocal and audition performances. The DVD features appearances by Season 1 Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, as well as finalists Kimberly Caldwell and Anthony Fedorov, Rob James (Canadian Idol, Season 4), James Pickens Jr. ("Grey's Anatomy"), 2005 Tony Award-winner Adriane Lenox and "Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk" writer-producer Zane Mark, among others.

Each DVD purchased will also include a voucher for a free bottle of Vocal-eZe Professional Throat Spray, an herbal product. The company claims Vocal-eZe is endorsed by Tim McGraw, Rob Thomas, Joss Stone, Nickelback, ISM, By All Means Necessary and Alana Grace and has been ordered repeatedly by Sting, Lynard Skynard, Evanescence, Alanis Morissette, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Rascal Flatts, Pam Tillis, Mary J Blige, Motley Crue and The Bellamy Brothers. The DVD has a suggested retail price of $19.99 and will be available at Guitar Center beginning March 5, 2007. Orders can also be placed through www.vocalhelpnow.com.

And the cream of the Idol crop is, no doubt, Dreyer's which has created five new "American Idol" flavors for its Edy's brand of slow-churned ice cream: Choc 'N Roll Caramel, Hollywood Cheesecake, Soulful Sundae Cone, Triple Talent and Take the Cake. Consumers can vote here for their slow-churned favorite and be entered to win tickets to Idol's finale show. The winning Dreyer's "American Idol" ice cream flavor will earn a permanent spot in the slow-churned ice-cream line-up. No purchase is necessary.

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