Urban Thought Collective

LaKeisha Jones is “Glad” about her debut CD.
Presented by Electronic Urban Report.

Season six of “American Idol” may have crowned Fantasia Barrino as champ, but the 2004 season also introduced the world to powerhouse singer LaKisha Jones who has since gone on to tour with “AI”, scored a role in “The Color Purple” on Broadway, gotten married, has a baby on the way, and is finally releasing her debut disc “So Glad I’m Me” next week, May 19th. All from a humble start on one of the most popular television shows in the world.

“I’m just taking it one day at a time and letting things unfold,” Jones told EUR’s Lee Bailey and reflected on her days on the “American Idol” stage.

“Every time I get a chance to watch the new season, the whole process is memorable for me,” she reminisced. “That platform basically allowed me the opportunity to do what I’m doing right now. I had a great experience and I won’t’ forget it. It certainly opened doors for me that otherwise wouldn’t have been opened. I’m grateful.”

Unbeknownst to many, Jones actually tried out for the talent completion a few years before being invited to Hollywood for season six.

“I tried out in 2003 and I didn’t make it. I didn’t tell a lot of people,” she said.

Shortly after the failed audition, she packed her bags and headed to Baltimore, near family, after being laid off from her job in Houston – but not before taking 2nd place in Houston’s “Gimme the Mic” competition in
2005.

“I was working at a bank (in Baltimore) and I had shown them a tape of when I did ‘Gimme the Mic.’ My supervisor told me I should try out for ‘American Idol’ and I didn’t want to tell him that I already had,” she said.

Jones’ bank boss insisted that she go to New York to audition, so much so that he gave her money for gas and food. She drove to New York, with her young daughter, stood in line, auditioned, and made it to L.A. for the show and eventually to the final four contestants. Jones never returned to her job at the bank – with blessing of her boss and coworkers, of course.

“It was definitely a blessing. I had only been at the job for four weeks,” she said.

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