SALT LAKE CITY -- Depending on who you talk to, Utah isn’t known as a music state. But we’ve had our fair share of popular “American Idol” contestants, including David Archuleta, Carmen Rasmusen, and Megan Joy.
Season 13 of "American Idol" is already looking up for some of Utah’s contestants. One singer who’s made it through to Hollywood is Austin Wolfe, who sat down with FOX 13 News to talk about her audition and getting that coveted golden ticket.
A 13-year-old Austin was featured on FOX 13 back in 2010 talking with Big Budah about Idol and the process of getting to the big stage. She’s 17 now, and she, along with her golden ticket, are going to Hollywood, where roughly 200 singers who made the initial cut sing for the next round.
But she said the idea to audition wasn’t hers: “I was working at a pool over the summer and my boss was like, ‘Hey I’m going to go audition for 'American Idol,' you should come.’ And I was like, ‘OK.’”
The singer/songwriter has been singing since she could speak and working with a vocal coach since the age of five, and she said affirmation from three of the biggest names in the music industry was overwhelming.
“When I came out of the auditioning room, I didn’t really have time to think about anything because I was holding the ticket in front of me and I didn’t realize that, and my entire family that came out to support me just runs up and grabs me and tackles me and I was like, ‘What’s happening,’” she said. “I didn’t really have time to think about it.”
But Austin has thought about the kind of artist she wants to be.
“These are kind of different artists, but I like Adele and Katy Perry, and Rihanna, and Lorde and a mesh of all of their work," she said. "Their beats and their music and their lyrics and their stage presence is something that I admire and I would kind of like to reflect in my music.”
She adds, “I want to be that person that girls of all ages and moms kind of look up to and think they enjoy my music and feel something from it.”
Austin said the experience is something she’ll never forget, and just making it to Hollywood on “American Idol” feels like winning.
“No matter what happens in the rest of the competition, I’m really proud of myself actually that I made it this far,” she said.
When Austin isn’t working on her music she loves to ski and snowboard, get goofy with her friends, and study French. Her final words to FOX 13 News?
“Je voudrais etre le prochain 'American Idol.'” Which means “I would like to be the next 'American Idol'” in French.
