American Idol's Megan Joy Is All Set by Jenay Ross

With the American Idol Live Tour passing through Los Angeles, yesterday those of us in the Music Journalism track traveled via yellow cab to the Staples Center to have one-on-one interviews with seven American Idol contestants from this year’s past season. I was fortunate enough to interview 22-year-old Megan Joy from Utah, who was full of life when she walked into the room where we were holding our interviews, with her hair in curlers.

Joy was never going to audition for American Idol, but with pressure from her family and friends, she couldn’t escape the auditions. "I didn't want to do it at all, but my friends and family made me audition," she says. “I didn’t think it was in the cards for me." She never thought she had a chance of making it through the auditions, let alone making it to the top ten. Her favorite week was when she finally made it to the top ten because it guaranteed her spot on the American Idol Tour. “I was all set,” she explained while she comfortably leaned against the wall next to us.

For Joy, the best part about being on the show was being up on stage with a live audience in front of her. When asked about what it was like living with the other contestants, her face lit up and she said she truly enjoyed it since everyone was “awesome and a lot of fun,” with no drama at all. Throughout her time spent on the show, she learned that there will always be people there to tear her down, but she now knows how to rise above the criticism. With that tool, she has become stronger as a person and a performer.

The American Idol Live Tour is her first tour ever and playing in her hometown three nights before the L.A. show made her really excited to perform. Meeting her fans that are super “stoked” to see her gives her much pleasure in what she does. She says hearing her fans chant her name at every show is a little overwhelming for her, but it makes her appreciate everything that has happened so far. After touring ends, she plans on working on her own album that will have a jazz, hip-hop, and blue grass feel to it.