Hometown: San Diego, CA



Musical Influences: Heart Celine, Skynryd, Ray Charles, Rolling Stones, U2, Janis, Johnny Cash, Annie Lennox

?We are the makers of music and we are the dreamers of dreams (Willy Wonka)?

-From the American Idol website

Carly Smithson lives by the belief that one should always keep trying in order to realize her dreams. She first auditioned for the American Idol in 2005 and even got as far as the Hollywood Week. Unfortunately, she was unable to make it to the competition due to visa issues.

Not to be discouraged by the disqualification, Smithson tried for the American Idol, yet again this year. This time around, she was able to obtain a post among the top 24 hopefuls for the same title. She auditioned in San Diego, California where she lives, full of hope that she will make it far this time. On the fifth season, she auditioned in Las Vegas as Carly Hennessy, an Irish lady who just moved to the United States two years before that. Visa problems caused her disqualification from the competition.

For her second audition, she sang ?I'm Every Woman? in her own original style that got all three judges giving her that second chance at bagging the title. From there, she promised to work hard to make sure that she gets everything that she has always wanted.

For her Hollywood Week performance, she sang ?Alone? by Carrie Underwood, who was once an American Idol herself. She offered a different approach to the song but she still managed to wow her audience.

Controversies

This early into the competition, Carly Smithson has been attracting controversies with regards to her performing background. Before American Idol (or this season, at least), she has already been trying to make a name for herself in the industry. MCA Records has signed her up as a recording star and going so far as producing her very first album. The record didn't sell, unfortunately, but many critics are contemplating on whether or not Smithson can even be considered an amateur as far as American Idol is concerned.

Smithson is currently in the midst of intrigues on whether or not she really should be in the American Idol in the first place. This isn't really the first time that this has happened to the competition but at this point, it's Carly that's been on the receiving end of the negative publicity.

In spite of this issue, no one can deny that Carly Smithson has the voice that could bring her to the American Idol title. For Hollywood Week, she managed to earn the praise of all three judges. Even Simon thought that the performance was a big improvement from her San Diego audition. She is hell bent at getting to the top. She intends to sing to her heart's content while trying to achieve other goals in life. According to write-ups, she wants to travel more, study more and make her home country proud.

Carly Smithson doesn't deny that she has had professional singing experience. She has gotten a recording contract in the past but to her, all these (the American Idol included) are the steps that she needs to take to make sure that all her dreams came true.