All of us gave it all we’ve got, overcame a whole lot just being on the show and learned a lot about ourselves. We’re just normal people trying to do what we love and follow our dreams.
American Idol transcends age, gender, ethnicity, everything.
As far as talent goes, we had pretty much everything, and I think that’s why this year was so successful.
At first, it was hard to sit down and read the things that people were saying. A lot of people would’ve worked their way up to this position and would’ve gotten a thick skin over a few years’ time. For me, though, all this happened in a few months.
Being a part of Skechers is exciting. It is such a hip company with a great attitude and image.
Everybody knows what’s going on. Even if they don’t watch it they know what’s happening.
Everything’s completely different, and it’s been hard. Fortunately, I have a lot of wonderful people around me, and I think I’m handling things pretty well.
I can’t believe this is happening to me. The weirdest thing is it was just a dream, and now it’s actually real. It’s hard to believe sometimes.
I got to meet some of the best people I’ve ever met, and we all grew as people and as entertainers.
I had my first date in 1999 when I was 16 years old. I was so excited! I walked into the living room to watch out the window for him and my dad was cleaning his shotguns! My mom yelled at him for a while and, uh, the guy never asked me out again…
I hate chick flicks. I won’t see them. I won’t rent them.
I like to dance around the house when I’m getting ready. It gets my day going.
I want my permanent address to be in Oklahoma. Someday, when I get married and I have kids, that’s where I want to raise my kids.
I want people to think of me as a nice person. I really am so blessed. All of this has been a great experience and I thank the American public so much for putting me in this position. I appreciate every second of it.
I wondered how people would take me being a country music singer. I thought about deviating from that and singing other things. But… it doesn’t really make sense for me to try to be something that I’m not.
I’m a horror-movie fan: Halloween , A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th. I freak myself out sometimes when I’m home alone.
I’m fighting a losing battle here: I’m trying to lose some weight. I love chocolate; that’s one of my biggest downfalls. I haven’t gotten a whole lot of chocolate, thank goodness, because I’d probably be about 300 pounds.
I’m not worried. I’m just so grateful to be in the position that I’m in. I’m just going with the flow right now, and I think my album will come together quite nicely because I think everybody is on the same page.
It’s been pretty crazy. I’ve been in L.A. or New York or Nashville or all over the place. I got to go home for about a total of a week.
It’s especially going to be great to get out there and perform in front of big crowds without having to worry about the competition aspect of it.
It’s nice to know you have support. Last night I got a marriage proposal. I just laughed.
I’ve heard all kinds of crazy rumors about myself. I’ve even heard that I’m pregnant! I’ve become real good about laughing things off – I figure I’d better get used to it.
I’ve never really been anywhere, and now I get to go everywhere. I just have to make sure there’s enough memory on my computer to hold all my pictures.
My very first magazine cover was the National Enquirer.
Right afterwards there was a whole, whole lot of press to do, so the week after, all day, every day, was press so I didn’t really get a chance to celebrate.
So many people always try to help me carry my luggage and help me do things I can do myself. If I can do it myself, I’m going to do it myself. I’m not going to let other people do it for me, and I think that’s a big part of where I came from. I’m not a real prissy girl.
Sometimes a girl’s gotta have some chocolate!
The only other time I’ve been away from home was when I went to college. And that was just an hour away, so I could always go home if I needed to.
There are a few people I’ve expressed interest in working with. It’s amazing to me that all these big names want to work with me.
There’s a lot of things that are said on the American Idol message board. I quit reading them because most of the people are very mean.
There’s not ever much of anything going on in my head.
This is the best night of my life. And it’s going to get better.
Throw caution to the wind and just do it.
We don’t have milk cows. People have so many stereotypes of people from where I come from – Oklahoma. We don’t ride around in covered wagons, either.
When I first got to Hollywood. I was just walking around, taking pictures of the palm trees and stuff like that. And this guy walked up to me and asked if I’d seen any stars and I said, ‘No, it’s been kind of cloudy today.’
