The Palm Beach Post
By Leslie Gray Streeter   |  American Idol, Concert Reviews, Live Shows, Music, Pop Shop, TV  |  July 30, 2009

Adam, Kris lead surprisingly solid ‘Idols Live’ | Photos See more photos | Meet Danny Gokey | Meet Scott and Matt | Set list, audience review

I’m still recovering from last night’s “American Idols Live” show at BankAtlantic Center – I didn’t go to sleep until 2, and am writing this at 10 a.m., which is technically when I’m supposed to be waking up. Looks like that didn’t work.

But my body’s lack of sleep means I’m passing on the savings to you, in the form of two more interviews from the Idol Top 10. (Kris Allen won, so he gets his own post. That’s how it works.) America, meet Lil Rounds and Megan Joy Corkrey!

MEGAN: (who is really tiny and fragile-looking in person, but who, the more you talk to her, is like Norma Rae – people undersestimate her at their own risk. I liked her a lot.)

Q: Having fun on tour?

A: It’s incredible. It’s hard. But I’m more than lucky and blessed. This is an experience I’ll never forget. I don’t have a lot of time to sleep, and I’m missing my son, missing my family. He’s been with me for a week, and he’s coming back for a week. It’s hard. Still, it’s super-fun. It’s demanding – holy quacamole! – but we all love each other, which is a flat-out miracle. You hear about other tours where the Idols didn’t get along, but we’re all having a great time. We played Salt Lake, and I had so much fun playing at home. It’s a blast, and things are looking bright. It’s been a while since I felt that way.

(At this point, she gives me this weary sigh, that makes me remember that she’s a single mom doing what she has to do to make a better life for her and her child, and I really wanted to hug her.)

Q: So what happens after the tour?

A: I’m looking into modeling and acting, and looking forward to just being Mom.

Q: Your song with Michael Sarver and Steve Martin at the finale was so sweet. Was it a blast? And…forgive me for asking, because you’re so young – did you know who he was?

A: I knew his comedy, but we didn’t know he was musical. When they said we were singing with him, we were like “The comedian? Is this a joke? Are we in a skit?” But he’s brilliant on the banjo. He kills on that banjo, and he wrote that song.

Q: You got the attention of the Idol judges because you were so bright and different. But then it seems that they stopped getting it. Are you afraid that the industry won’t get it either, and try to edit out the things that make you, you?

A: I never expected people to understand where I’m coming from. I would have loved to have done some slower songs on the show that were (better) for my voice. That would have been nice to show everybody. But I was like “Fine, I’ll wait.” I’m a huge Bjork fan, because she’s a genius. I would love to have a conversation with her.

LIL (who is gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous, in a way that didn’t really come through on television. She is now sporting a very long, straight weave, which completely changes her look. She, like Megan, has an incredibly strong, Mama Bear vibe. I would not mess with her. As she was coming to my table, Kris Allen was getting up to go to another reporter. She gave him a cute little “Hard Days Night”-esque scream and said “It’s Kris Allen!”)

Q: How often do you see your family since you’ve been on tour?

A: The babies and my husband came to the Memphis show, and to the one in Arkansas, and I Skype with them.

Q: Do the kids understand why Mommy’s not at home?

A: I explained before I did the show, that me and Daddy have to work, and I continue to let them know that I’m not just working – that I’m following my dream. My five-year-old understands, and says to the younger ones “Mommy is working. She’s Idol Mama.” She kind of puts it out there for them. And they all know we have a great Christmas coming up.

Q: Speaking of your kids – when the three-year-old hugged Randy Jackson, the moment couldn’t have been more perfect – almost like you’d planned it.

A: (Laughing) Ryan (Seacrest) asked her if she wanted to go and punch Randy because he was being so mean to Mommy, and she said yes. He took her over there, and she wound up grabbing Randy around the neck. I think she was a little scared – she didn’t really know what was going on. But she figured “Just let me hug him.”

Q: What do you enjoy about touring?

A: There were only seven other cities besides Memphis that I’d ever been in before this, and now I get to check out all these cities I’ve heard of, and sing at their arenas, the biggest building in tow. It’s been fantastic. The whole point is to be able to sing for my fans,

Q: I have to ask you this – and please forgive me if it’s insulting – but I could not figure out why, like Ryan said, the judges were so hard on you. They’ve give you advice one week, and then yell at you the next week when you took it.

A: They would say “We didn’t what was going on with you,” and contradict themselves quite a bit. They would switch it up on me. But in my heart, I knew I had to realize that I was doing my best…I have had fans come up and say “I did not agree with the judges AT ALL.” They kept telling me I wasn’t being true to myself, when I thought I was always giving it that R&B (vibe). I think they wanted me to be more pop. (In the end), you can never lose sight of who you are.

4 Responses to ““Idols Live” Meet Lil and Megan!”

  1. Sharon says:

    Thanks for these interviews. Lil and Megan are the two I know the least about and it was nice to learn a bit more about each of them as young women. I’m looking forward to the Kris Allen interview.

  2. AMMA says:

    Yay! Megan is my fave and we don’t hear enough about her! Thanks!!!!!!!

  3. Liz says:

    Lil and Megan seem like great moms. But whatever happened to the Kris Allen interview?

    • The Kris Allen interview has been delayed by the schedule of a swamped, full-time reporter who has been working non-stop on two back-to-back huge stories and had to set the Idol story aside for a week. It will be up by the end of the week. Sorry for the delay – I had a great time talking to Kris, but I just had so much else to write about with non-stop deadlines, an interview from a concert that had already happened took a back seat. But it’ll happen!

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