Will Carly Be the New Idol?

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Irish Voice News

Will Carly Be the New Idol?

February 20, 2008

By April Drew

DUBLIN native Carly Smithson, nee Hennessy, has been chosen as one of the top 24 contestants on American Idol after the 24-year-old impressed the judges with her powerhouse voice last week.

Smithson, who first appeared on television screens across America on January 22 when she performed a spectacular rendition of Chaka Khan’s hit “I’m Every Woman,” won the hearts of the Idol judges Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson.

“That’s what we wanted to hear,” said Abdul.

The Irish singer then advanced to the Hollywood rounds with another 200 or so hopeful contestants and performed another three times for judges, once with the backing of a band. Each time she impressed the trio more and more, and come decision time it was unanimous that Smithson was well deserving of a spot in the top 24.

Smithson, who has been singing since she was three years old, will perform in front of the nation on Wednesday, February 20 in an effort to stay in the competition. This time it’s up to America to keep her in the game.

“She has my vote. The minute I heard her voice I got the chills and it isn’t often I get that, so I reckon our Carly will go all the way, or at least I think she will make it to the top four,” said Idol fan Michelle Power, who lives in Yonkers.

Smithson, who claims her favorite pop artists are Bono, Celine Dion and Ann Wilson, tried out for American Idol in 2005 but was disqualified from the competition because of visa issues.

“I was waiting for my visa papers and they didn’t come through on time so I was disqualified. I cried for days. I was devastated,” she told American Idol viewers recently.

Smithson, who owns a tattoo shop with her husband Todd in San Diego, has faced heavy criticism from various online chatter sites and some newspapers regarding a 1999 record deal she had with MCA Records which went belly up when her album Ultimate High flopped after selling a mere 378 copies in its first week of release.

After things went downhill for Smithson in the music industry, she decided to move to Atlanta with Todd. She worked at an Irish bar called Fado in Buckhead as a waitress.

Ironically, Smithson came across another 2008 Idol finalist, Michael Johns, an Australian immigrant, who used to perform in the bar where she worked.

“Michael Johns used to sing at Fado on Thursday nights,” she said recently in an interview with the Atlanta Journal. “We never spoke to each other until Idol.”

It wasn’t until they both reached the top 24 that Smithson realized her fellow contestant was the same guy who used to sing in the bar where she worked. “I just wrote his name (Michael Lee at the time) on the chalkboard every Thursday,” she said, remembering the good times in Fado. “It was a great spot. It was very sad when we had to leave to come to California for music reasons.”

Smithson, who sports an upper arm tattoo, told the paper that everything in her life is meant to be.

“If I had everything when I was 19, I probably wouldn’t have appreciated it. Right now, I love life. With the bartending and singing in bars, I had been at the lows and the highs,” she said.

“Everything is a bonus compared to the life I’ve had. Todd and I are lucky if we have $2 to our name. We’re still happy. We’re great together. We’re a great team. We’re very simple people.”

Explaining that she does not like to go out partying she added, “Todd and I like to go to the beach and cook dinner at home. I’m a nester. I like decorating my house. I used to be excited about shopping and fancy restaurants. I’m not like that anymore.”

As previously mentioned in the Irish Voice, Smithson — whose mother was a top Irish fashion model in her time — began her singing career when she was very young. She appeared in the musical Les Miserables, recorded her own collection of Christmas holiday songs, and appeared in a movie, Fools of Fortune. At the age of 12 she appeared as the face of Denny’s Irish Sausages in a long running ad campaign.

Smithson and her father Luke Hennessy moved to Los Angeles when she was 16, and since then have made every effort possible to get a break in the music industry. After being chosen to go to Hollywood in January, Smithson told viewers through tears, “Everything’s been, like, right there in front of me and I just haven’t been able to hold on to it. I think this is my year.”

Last Friday the New York Post predicted that Smithson would be a 6-1 second favorite to win the competition. Their first place pick is Johns, the Australian, giving him 5-1 odds.

Tune to Fox this Wednesday from 8-10 p.m. to see Smithson perform live as the top 12 females left in the competition battle it out for the remaining 10 places.

Then pick up the phone and vote to keep the Dublin girl in the competition!

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