This is.... American Idol!!!

The things we do for our children!

The past two days was dedicated to Mattea's American Idol audition experience. Since they lowered the age limit to 15 she was eligible to audition. The first thing you have to do is get your ticket. First lesson: Go on the first day --- early. We went on the second day --- early. Your ticket is your place in line.

I thought we would wait in line for a ticket for hours... we got up at 3am, drove to San Francisco, paid $30 for a parking spot, went up to the line of 2 people, and got our ticket. Less then 5 minutes! By 7:30 am we were trying to figure out what to do for the rest of the day!

Luckily, it's San Francisco. We ate a good breakfast then went to Cow Hollow to shop and get pedicures. After our toes were looking good we dropped the top on the convertible and drove the Presidio, taking in the Golden Gate at Chrissy Field. Then it was over to Haight Ashbury for some thrift store shopping and people watching. After checking into the hotel, we made our traditional dinner of raw oysters and grilled cheese at the Ferry Building. We were in bed by 8:30pm --- because wake up was at 3!

Lesson #2: Unless you got one of the first tickets, you do not have to be there at 5 am. But we were! Only to be ushered into a parking lot corral to sit on the asphalt for 3 hours. I will not tell you where we got our blanket... but thank GOD we had it!!!!

There were a lot of negatives about the whole thing... but one of the best things was meeting all the people. We steered clear of the crazies - though they were entertaining; the Tranny Granny on roller skates and transformer boy.

We hung out with the real kids with real dreams. Many had driven down from Seattle, or just flew in from LA and Arizona. I really became invested in everyone's success, watching for their turn to see if they got a ticket to the next round.

So we didn't have a great place in "line". We waited 12 HOURS before Mattea got to audition.

There are at least 7,000 people there... you do not go straight to Randy, Kara, and whoever else they have judging now that Paula and Simon are out. You go to 2 television/music producers sitting in a tent.

There are ten tents for this so they can herd all these people through. It can NOT be fun for those "judges". I got to listen to thousands of people, warming up and showing off in the halls. Less than 1% of them have the right combo --- the voice, the looks and the "IT". Those first judges suffer through it all.

You sign a release form, understanding that you may be completely humiliated by the process and it may be on television and if you make it you basically agree that the "producer" owns you.

I have to admit... I wanted Mattea to do well, I want her to be successful... but I want her to own herself. Her being 15 and going into that kind of lifestyle makes me uncomfortable.

There she is... back of the line.... about 5,000 people have gone ahead of her.

Yeah... she's auditioning in 10 minutes, but still has time for the ever important text message. Mattea had the right attitude the WHOLE day. When a bitchy stage mother got all up in our grill about a seat, Mattea said, "I'm not going to wish anybody bad." She found a friend with a ukulele and they toured the stadium serenading the crowd. She smiled, laughed and truly enjoyed herself.

You go up in groups of four. One person steps forward, sings their song for about 20 seconds, they stop them and they step back. The next one goes, then the next. If they like you, they let you sing longer, if they still like you, they ask you to sing another song. At this point so late in the day, if they still like you, they get "THE PRODUCER" - Simon Fuller or Nigel Lythgoe - to come hear you sing, before they give you a ticket to the 2nd level.

In this photo, there is a girl singing, her group lined up behind her. In that group is a brunette in a black shirt with black hair. She had a good voice, a little screechy when she belted it, but nice tone and inflection. She was good-looking... and she had an "it" factor. She went through.

Mattea is in the last group.

Mattea sang "Sunday Morning" by Maroon 5. She looked at the judges, she gave them the "it", she NAILED it. They let her sing the first 2 verses, the chorus, and well into the second verse. The male judge even laid his head in his hand a stared at her dreamily. I was in shock!

Then they asked her to sing a second song!

And I think Mattea went into shock.

She quickly decided on "Someone to Watch Over Me." She was so good... so composed, even though I could tell that her pulse was starting to race.

They stopped her after a while, the next people went, and they let them all go with a "There were some great singers in this group, but not right for Season 10."

She didn't get a "Golden Ticket" for American Idol. But Mattea is a Golden Girl to me and all of her friends, family and fans!

Namaste,

C H E Z...... Mattea's Momma ;-)

If you'd like to hear some of Mattea's singing visit her YouTube channel.

 

 

Comments

[Jessie]

I feel like I got a tour backstage of American Idol. Love the pictures too! Thank you for sharing!

[Sharon Bennett]

Congrats to your girl for getting as far as she did. One of our roomates went also and he has made it through 2 rounds going for a third. yesterday they told him to wait for a call in September. WOW! Thanx for sharing the pics.

[Jul]

Interesting look behind the scenes - thanks!

[Sandy]

Wow! That's great that not only did they let her sing her first song but asked her to sing a second! Sorry to hear she didn't get in this year but there's always next year. :)

[Erin]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Idol "machine". Even though the competition was incredibly fierce, Mattea so TOTALLY should have gotten in. I really love the videos of her songs. But for whatever reason, it wasn't her time yet. She has the talent, the "it". All will be revealed in the fullness of time.

[Susan]

Cool to learn about how this whole audition process works...what a brave and amazing young woman!