Season 23 of American Idol featured two Mississippi contestants, Jamal Roberts of Meridian and Lillie Z. Rhoden of Stonewall, earning golden tickets that advanced them to Hollywood. Jamal Roberts is a schoolteacher who sang “Her Heart” by Anthony Hamilton. Lillie Z. Rhoden also impressed two judges and earned her way to Hollywood by singing a cover of Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell.”
There are many steps a potential contestant has to take before ever getting the chance to sing for the golden ticket in front of the actual judges. American Idol has multiple rounds of auditions, starting with open calls and virtual auditions, followed by in-person auditions in front of producers. Finally, the contestants who make it through those rounds perform for the judges on television. But not every contestant signs up for the show; sometimes, supporting fans do it for them.
“The opportunity to audition for American Idol was a surprise,” shared Lillie Z. Rhoden. “Will Ingram, with the Brickhaus Brewtique in Meridian, MS, signed me up.”
Will Ingram gave Rhoden and her brother their first opportunity to play on stage in front of an audience. Rhoden has been the lead singer of the local band CookieWu for about four years. Rhoden is known for her powerhouse vocals and strong stage presence but never dreamt of taking her talents to a singing show. While watching other bands play one night, Ingram shared what he had been up to.
“He said, Lillie, you’re going to do it, regardless of whether you want to or not,” shared Rhoden. “He told me I signed you up for American Idol, so you can’t back out.”
With the support of her friends and family, Rhoden took the chance and turned heads as she progressed through the competition, finally securing her place to head to the Hollywood round. That’s when many Mississippians met her and learned about her style of music for the first time. Overnight, hometown folks and the greater state of Mississippi were rooting for Rhoden and getting to know her as an artist. And while her journey on American Idol has come to a close, her journey to becoming the artist she’s always dreamed of has not.
“An opportunity of a lifetime for sure, I will not forget, and I will be returning to LA!” Rhoden shared. “It was never about the yeses; it was about proving to others how far you can go when we support each other.”
Rhoden only has a message of perseverance and excitement when asked what’s next. “My band, I will continue to play gigs and grow together,” shared Rhoden. “To others new on the ride- HOLD ON TIGHT.”
While more than half of the 144 American Idol contestants of season 23 went home last week, Jamal Roberts, of Meridian, made the Top 24 during the Monday, April 7th show. The next episode of American Idol, Season 23, is on Monday, April 14, at 8 PM ET. New episodes air on Sundays.
