Lil Rounds spoke with the press following her elimination from American Idol. In the interview she reflects on standing up for herself, losing favor with the judges, connecting with the audience, and what she learned from the experience. Below are her thoughts in her own words and in clear summary.
After her elimination, did she have any words of advice for Allison? “I gave Allison the biggest hug I could. We were both crying—two girls with a lot of emotion. I told her to keep her head up and to continue being Allison. I told her to go out there and nail it each week like she’s been doing and to hold it down for the ladies. We exchanged a few words, but she’s a phenomenal singer and she’s going to do absolutely fabulous.”
How did she feel about being one of the last two women standing? “Allison and I are both really strong singers. I felt that no matter how hard we pushed or how we performed, America could hear we had great voices and would vote. Being the last two women made us want to push a little harder, but we weren’t trying to overdo it—we just did our thing and gave it our best.”
Thoughts on falling from grace with the judges “The judges’ critiques reflected how they felt each performance went. Sometimes their comments pointed out things I could improve, and I took those critiques in stride as constructive. Occasionally they seemed to contradict themselves from week to week, but I planned to use everything they said to grow. I’ll take those lessons into my upcoming recordings and make the most of the feedback.”
On the judges’ constant advice to ‘make a song your own’ “When they said that, I thought I had already made songs my own—especially vocally. Maybe they wanted more musical changes, but I always stayed true to a song’s arrangement while adding my own vocal touches. I identify as an R&B, soulful singer, so I aimed to bring that vibe into every performance because that’s who I am as an artist.”
What did she learn from Idol? “Even amid adversity, you have to keep your head up, stay strong, and move forward. If you give up or drop your head, that’s it. I came back every week and sang my heart out, regardless of the comments. American Idol gave me a great platform—the show generated millions of votes and it’s been a real blessing.”
About sticking up for herself this week “There were times when the judges’ direction felt inconsistent—one week they’d tell me to do one thing and the next week they’d say the opposite. I didn’t want to argue with Simon or the other judges, but I wanted America to know I’m an artist who knows who she is. If I gave the impression I didn’t know what I wanted to be, I wanted to make clear that I’m an R&B, soulful artist and proud of that identity.”
Does she think talking back affected how people voted? “I’m not sure. America kept me in the competition for a while, so I don’t know if my comments made a difference in the end. But I do feel America heard the message I wanted to send. The judges are great, but I came to the show for America—to share my dream and let people see who I am.”
How did she break the news of her elimination to her children? “I haven’t had a chance to see the kids yet, but they watched the show. I explained that my run on American Idol was over for now, and that I’d be coming home to spend time with them before the tour. They’ve been so proud of their mom and tried to understand what’s been happening. They’ve been wonderful throughout this.”
What does she miss about being home with her kids? “I’m ready to take them to the park and just have fun. My husband actually bought me a puppy, so we’re excited to go home, get the puppy, and play with the kids for a bit before the tour. I’m definitely going to miss that time.”
Did Lil think she was going home? “I actually had a feeling it might be my time to go. I started preparing myself mentally for the possibility before the results were announced.”
Why did she choose ‘I’m Every Woman’? “I remember hearing that song as a little girl and always wanting to sing it. It felt like a woman’s anthem, so when I had the chance to perform it I went for it. I thought it was an excellent choice.”
About Lil’s hair extensions “My hair look was a collaboration between me and my stylist. I told him I wanted longer hair and he gave me a look I loved. When he finished, I was like, ‘Ooh, I like it!’ It was a fun collaboration.”
How did Lil go about choosing her songs? “My vocal coach Bird and Dorian were amazing. I’d talk with them about how I felt each week—whether I wanted to do something upbeat and vibey or slow and emotional. The song choices depended on my emotional state and how I wanted America to see me: not just as a poppy singer who could do fast songs, but as someone who can slow it down and deliver soulful, R&B-infused performances.”
Did she think her song was going over well Tuesday night? “Yes—I saw Randy and Simon clap and Paula standing up, enjoying it. It felt like everyone was into it and having fun with the performance. I really enjoyed Tuesday night.”