by Gina Scarpa

 

Last night, on American Idol, Ryan Seacrest delivered the bad news to Didi Benami that she received the lowest number of votes. She performed her rendition of Fleetwood Mac's "Rihannon" to try to win over the judges but they chose not to use their one save of the season on her. Today, Didi spoke to RealityWanted and reporters in a press conference call about her Idol experiences and her plans moving forward.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How do all the contestants get along with one another this season?
A. Didi: Everyone seems to get along pretty well. I think everyone's doing their own thing and everybody respects that and it's kind of like separate little families in all of our apartments and everything. It was really nice. Actually, I really enjoyed spending time with some of them. I think that they are really, really great people, so I am really happy and really enjoyed meeting all of them. And yes, it was really nice.

 

Q. Were you at all prepared for the scrutiny you faced while you were on the show, and how did you deal with it all?
A. Didi: No, actually I wasn't prepared for that. I was not an avid American Idol watcher, so I didn't really know what to expect. Honestly, I was just being myself, and I did stuff that meant something to me, and I also had a good time. So, I wasn't expecting that, no, but I am okay. I dealt with it, and it's actually interesting because it was a lot like my Los Angeles experience. You get kicked down; you got to get back up again and start over. It's not anything I haven't dealt with before. So, no big deal.

 

Q. Did you feel some sense of relief and acceptance when you made the Top 10?
A. Didi: Yes. I am relieved. I get to go on tour. I don't have to work as a waitress anymore, which is nice. I get to do what I love more than anything, and it's just amazing, like the fans that are already reaching out and supporting. It's amazing. It's a blessing and yes, it is a relief. It's a relief to know that I will be able to make a living at what I love to do over the summer, and hopefully, for the rest of my life. So, yes, it's been a really, really awesome experience, and I am relieved, yes.

 

Q. It's been a real emotional time for you during the last several weeks. You've cried a lot. You've cried during your singing. People have been talking a lot about that. Has this been a release for you emotionally, or is this just the way you are?
A. Didi: Music is definitely therapy for me. It's therapeutic and I do it as a release, and it's who I am. And it's funny because the cameras always catch me whenever I am emotional, which sucks because I am not always emotional. I've actually been pretty strong through this whole thing. It's just whenever something happens or I break down, it's unfortunately right when there's a camera in my face. But, it's been an amazing ride, and of course, it's been emotional because this is something that I've always wanted to do and reaching that place that I got to on the show was a really amazing thing for me, and it was a really big accomplishment. That was emotional for me because you work so hard, and you just try to believe and keep the faith and imagine and just know that good things will come, and when they finally do, it's like almost in disbelief, and it's a really amazing opportunity, and it brought me to tears.

 

Q. When Ryan was dogging on you about revealing what the song was about, do you think that hurt you that you didn't say anything, or you don't really?
A. Didi: I don't know. There's no way to tell what the, it was kind of a weird situation. It was kind of awkward for me, and I wasn't trying to get any sort of, there's a time and place for, I was trying to convey a message through the song, not by somebody asking me why I was singing it. I think it was pretty obvious to people why I was singing it. And I don't think that anybody hasn't had that emotion, and I sang the song because I love the song. It was kind of an uncomfortable situation for me because I didn't want to answer the question, but ultimately, I think I did what I thought was in my best interest, and it's all good.

 

Q. Kara said that she felt like you had lost your way. What was your reaction to her saying that? Did you understand what she was saying? Did you agree? What was your opinion on that?
A. Didi: I don't feel like I lost my way. I feel like they wanted me to do something specific every week and I kind of went out on a limb several different weeks and I did different things and they weren't expecting it, and it was kind of a surprise. Just to show that I can do other things. I am a singer/songwriter and I have that, but I also tap into every single emotion that I have and that I do very well. That's something that is artistry. Through these songs I was just showing a different side to myself. It probably wasn't necessarily the side that they wanted to see, but I have them and I think everybody does. So, I was just being me and that's really all I can say. I appreciate Kara, though. I think she was trying to, I think that they were all trying to be really helpful and I was just doing my thing and it wasn't exactly what they had kind of planned out for me, I guess. But I just wanted to show a different side of myself. It's not every day you get to sing in front of 30 million people and I just wanted to do different things and not do the same thing every week, to show that I can do other things and I am diverse.

 

Q. Last week, Paige was told that the judges' save was not going to be an option before she sang her final song. Last night, they had a lot of hesitation and it seemed like they were seriously considering saving you. What was it like waiting to hear whether you were going to be saved?
A. Didi: It was tough. You know, the whole crowd was chanting and that was pretty cool, but ultimately, regardless, I kind of felt like I was going home. I thought it would be cool if they exercised the option to let me stay and I wanted to come back next week in Beatles week and be great. But regardless of what happened, I was kind of in the head space like I was okay either way. I'm not really worried, I've had amazing support from everybody and it's just been a really crazy, cool ride. I'm happy because I'm going on tour and I have a lot to look forward to, so I'm not at all distraught about anything. I want to put a record together and I want to get my music out there, too. I'm okay with it.

 

Q. What do you do now going forward? You'll be on the Letterman Show next week for starters?
A. Didi: Yes, apparently I'm doing all sorts of things. I'm doing David Letterman next week. I'm not sure when, I think Monday, but it's crazy. Then I'm not sure of the, they just have me going every day. I'm just doing what they tell me to do.

 

 

Be sure to tune in when the Top 9 take the stage on American Idol, Tuesday night at 8/7c on Fox.

 

(Image courtesy of Fox)

 

Follow Gina at twitter.com/ginascarpa

 

For more American Idol links, visit SirLinksALot.net