She's Got The Golden Ticket

Mom's get bragging rights, don't we?

Ok, so this was kinda cool. That's my baby girl Frick right there.


While we were visiting Disney, we went to the Disney Hollywood Studios theme park where they have what they call, "The American Idol Experience". I guess you could call it a ride, but not really, because it's more of an experience as the name suggests. Anyway, I asked Frick if she wanted to check it out, to which she immediately responded, "yes!". So we head off to the Idol Experience where we find out that not only is it a series of shows that you can go and view on the hour, but you can audition for it as well.


This was all Frick needed to hear. She was in, for sure. So we all go back to the audition area, get the whole audition instructions and a song sheet to choose from and go into the first audition, which is a room with a producer. Since Frick is not yet 16, but fast approaching, she needed to be accompanied by her guardian/stage mom into the room. He asks Frick to sing acapella, which she does. She chose "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus, which like most 15 year olds, is THE song. The producer tells her, he likes her vioce, but would like to hear a better song choice, something a little more challenging. Frick then chooses "Life is a Highway", which is her solo on that Girl Authority album I told you kids about a while back, which she can sing in her sleep, and she hits it out of the park. She makes it through the first audition.


Next audition, a different room and a different producer. Producer #1 tells Frick to stay with "Highway" and she goes in for the second audition. Again, home run, and I am struck by how unaffected my child is by the pressure of singing acapella in front of a total stranger. They tell her she is in the 3 o'clock show and Frick is totally pumped! They give her a time to come back, for get this: hair and make-up and a vocal coach before the show. It was so very cool, and I watched as my baby girl went through each step like a little fish at home in the water.


Next up showtime! There are three contestants per show, seven shows a day. Frick was in the 3 pm show. The stage, designed by American Idol crews was a mini version of Season Seven's stage with the lights, judges, the whole thing.




Baby Girl didn't disappoint and it was surreal watching her come to life before mine and the thousand person voting audience's eyes.






The girl had the crowd clapping and rocking. I couldn't have been more proud. All three contestants were great, and when it came time to announce the winner, Frick looked a little like this:
Cuz she WON!! Yup, she was then told she had to return that evening for the Grand Finale and compete against the other seven winners of the day for the Grand Prize, the American Idol Golden Ticket. The Golden Ticket is a ticket to audition in any city that American Idol is auditioning and they automatically get to cut the line and audition for real. Frick told me that no matter what happened, she had already won because it was one of the greatest things she had ever done in her life.

We returned for the Finale show that night, this time with six contestants (one of the winners had to catch a flight home) and stiffer competition. Frick was in the 4 spot and again, she nailed it. She looked like she was loving every minute of it! Here she is doing that Idol thing that they all do, holding up her number to vote. Hilarious, right??

All six singers were great! It came down to Frick and a wonderful singer/mom named Catherine Porter. We were literally on the the edge of our seats.

Catherine was crowned winner, with a wonderful, soulful and sultry, rendition of "Natural Woman" and was Frick first runner up, and we were on our feet, cheering a great performance by all. But then the most amazng thing happened. The producers came out to get me while I was waiting for Frick to come out after the show. They told me that Catherine wanted to give Frick the Golden Ticket. I asked how that could be possible? They told me that the Golden Ticket has a "one time transfer" and that Catherine wanted to transfer it to Frick.

We couldn't believe it. It was a wonderful turn of events after a wonderful day. We later learned that Catherine is an accomplished vocalist with an enormous talent and even a bigger heart. We spent some time with her and her husband and their adorable 4 year-old daughter and are so happy to have met them. I suggest you check her out at catherineporter.com.

I asked Catherine to join us this summer when Frick auditions for Idol, whenever or wherever that may be. I also told Frick to keep her perspective, not to get her hopes up and no matter what happens, the audition itself will be an amazing experience and opportunity.

Oh boy.....I'm in for a wild ride.