Lil Rounds setting her pace on 'Idol' tour

Photo by Craig DeCristo

Lil Rounds

In just one year, Memphian Lil Rounds' world has turned upside down.

This time last year, Rounds, 24, was living in an extended-stay hotel with her husband, Jesse, and three daughters after winds had destroyed their apartment home in Hickory Hill five months before. Having to watch the kids all day, the former debt collector was not working.

The Wooddale High School graduate's only respite during this period was singing at her church, Westhaven Community Church of God in Christ. Without much else to lose, last July Rounds traveled to Kansas City, Mo., to audition for the Fox television network's top-rated music competition, "American Idol" --and everything changed.

''This was a really good group because we're all so different,'' says Memphian Lil Rounds (second from left, top row) of ''Idol'' co-stars.

On Sunday, Rounds returns to Memphis as part of "American Idols Live" tour featuring the top 10 performers from the show's eighth season, including winner Kris Allen from Conway, Ark., runner-up Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, Anoop Desai, Danny Gokey, Matt Giraud, Megan Joy, Michael Sarver, and Scott MacIntyre.

Rounds was one of two Memphians to make it deep into the competition, the other being Alexis Grace, like Rounds a young (22 years old) mother. Grace made it the Top 13.

Though Rounds didn't win either -- she and Desai were eliminated in the Top 7 round on April 22 -- the history of past also-rans like Chris Daughtry and Kellie Pickler proves that "American Idol" is just a springboard. Already, early reviews have critics singling Rounds out as one of the standouts.

"The night's winners included Lil Rounds," said USA Today, "who came across as far more comfortable away from the judges' critical glare."

Rounds spoke with The Commercial Appeal earlier this month from San Jose, Calif., just the sixth stop on the 50-city "American Idols Live" tour:

Q: How different is your life today compared to a year ago?

A: It is a big life change, but everything's been working out really, really well. The tour has been going great. I've been getting some really good reviews, so that makes me happy. Everything's looking up for me. The babies will be able to come out to a few shows with me, to just kind of see the show. And they'll definitely be at the show at Memphis. So I'm really excited.

Q: What is the show like?

A: I get to do about three songs for my set and I was able to pick the songs. We don't have themes or anything like that, so we're able to pick the songs that will show who we are as artists or the type of music that we like to do.

I picked songs that are by the leading ladies of R&B. My set is a really upbeat set. I tell anybody, when they announce me to come out get ready to just party and dance because that's exactly what my set is all about, just having and enjoying myself. And I even get to do a little bit of dance in there. I got choreography going. I got a really cool set. And so far everybody's been loving it.

Q: What songs are you performing?

A: I'm doing a Mary J. Blige medley. I'm doing an Alicia Keys song and a Beyoncé song. I don't want to spoil anything for Memphis for those who might be coming. I just want them to come and see for themselves what I'll be doing so they can get with it.

Q: Some of the reviews you've gotten have remarked that you seem a lot more relaxed and confident on stage than you did on the show. Was "American Idol" a trying experience for you?

A: It was a good experience for me. It was just by the time you finish singing a song and you've given your all and felt like you put everything you had out there, then to have the judges go like: Well, not so much for me. That was OK, or that was this or that. And you put your heart into it, and you're putting your best out there. It's just kind of hard, week after week, to keep getting shot down. I think that's what I was battling with the most on the show. ...

But getting out here on tour is totally different because I don't have to worry about any judges saying anything to me. I have confidence in my set. I get up there and sing my songs and the crowd is able to be left with whatever thought they had in their minds in the first place. If they thought I did a great job, then bet on that. I did a great job. I don't have to worry about nobody coming behind me and going: Well, all right or not so much for me. It is a bit more relaxing.

Q: Did you and Alexis bond during the whole experience?

A: Yeah, me and Alexis got a chance to sit down and talk. Of course we always took a little time to think about Memphis and talk about that because we both started to kind of miss the barbecue there and the people and the good old weather there where it's so humid you can hardly breathe.

So we definitely had a chance to sit down and talk and learn a little bit more about each other. She's really busy now, too. But once we get a chance to really have a free day back at home we're going to put our kids together and go out and just have a good time.

Q: Do you feel the right person won?

A: Definitely. I feel like America voted, and if Kris was who they voted for, then the person who was supposed to win won.

But I also feel like we all did a really, really good job this year. From what I hear, we were one of the best years. I have to say, I watched "American Idol" a little bit, not as much, but I watched a little, and I can honestly say I thought this was a really good group because we're all so different. I feel like in whatever genre we try and go into, we could all be No. 1. So I feel like you're trying to compare apples and oranges, really.

Q: What is next after the "American Idol" tour?

A: After the tour I'm hoping I can land a record deal right off. I'll find out more about that during the tour. But I definitely plan on getting an album out at least by the beginning of next year.

Q: What kind of record?

A: Definitely the R&B, soulful tip. And I love jazz as well, so it'll probably have a little jazz in there as well. And I'm thinking about doing a couple of pop songs because I'm starting to get into that. I just find myself saying there's no point in labeling myself as this one type singer. I feel like whatever you can sing, sing it. If your voice can do it, do it. I feel like it would give people more of something to listen to than to just say this CD is going to be all R&B. I'm hoping to have a little something for everybody on there. However you're feeling that day, whatever mood you're in, you can find a song on that album that will just relax you or pump you up or whatever you need.

American Idols Live

The show is at 7 p.m. Sunday at FedEx Forum. Tickets: $40.50 and $69.50, available at the forum box office, by phone at 800-745-3000 and through Ticketmaster. For more information, visit fedexforum.com.

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