Hundreds of hopefuls
endure tribulations for
their crack at stardom
Marcia, a petite 19-year-old brunette from San Diego, is wearing a tiny pink tube top and even tinier white shorts with the words "I Love SIMON" emblazoned across her okole.
Twenty-year-old Evette, of Seattle, has her black hair in tightly braided corn rows entwined with colorful beads, and is wearing crimson leather shorts, black knee-high boots and a white T-shirt at least a size too small over her ample chest. The words "Look At Me Judges!" leap out to passersby.
A long, tie-dyed scarf covers Sonny of Kapahulu's forehead while the front of this hip-hop singer's T-shirt reads "Somebody to Love."
"Yes, I am," he says, laughing. "All I got to do now is get the judges to believe that I am somebody for them to love."
The three were among a few hundred hopefuls -- 16- to 24-year-olds -- already in line by 7 a.m. yesterday outside Aloha Stadium, most sweating in the 80-plus-degree heat, on a high-humidity, windless day, in what is turning out to be an unofficial pre-audition party for today's first and most brutal round of the "American Idol" auditions.
The contestants enter Aloha Stadium at 7 this morning, directed to one of 14 tables where a single producer serves as judge and jury in Round One of the auditions. It's only enough time to say their name, then belt out an awe-inspring 60 seconds of song. Those who make it past the first judge will be invited back for another look at the Sheraton Waikiki tomorrow, or will be shown to the exit. Only about 10 percent will make the first cut.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
"American Idol" hopefuls started lining up at Aloha Stadium yesterday for the tryouts today. Jessica Hrovat, shown here singing a Celine Dion tune, came all the way from Chicago.
Honolulu is the last of six audition stops for the third season of "American Idol."
YESTERDAY, THE small rotunda by Aloha Stadium's Gate 3 was a mass of youthful exuberance, a mosaic of colorful beach and rain umbrellas, cots, folding chairs, blankets, pillows, sleeping bags, inflatable mattresses, beach towels, even a few portable hammocks. Auditioners sat, stood or simply lay in a huge circle that wound its way up stairs and into the parking lot.
"Get to know your neighbor," yelled a production assistant named Simon, "because you're going to be spending the next 24 hours with them."
Frankie Connolly, Jason Andino and William Gilmore, all from Las Vegas, were first in line.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Singers Jennifer Tafi, left, and Janai Brinson loosened up before auditions with dance.
"Got here (Sunday) afternoon and we came straight to Aloha Stadium and got kicked out twice when we tried to get in line 'cuz we were too early," said Connolly, 21, who works at The Cheese Factory in the gambling mecca. "So we hung out across the street all night, then and ran over here when they opened the gates at like 6:20.
"At least this will be a cool chance for exposure."
The trio plan to survive on Gummi Bears, dried fruit, Doritos, Cheese Puffs and a dozen bottles of water -- "to keep those pipes hydrated," said Connolly, who is considering singing an *N Sync song, but would offer no sample while in line "to save my voice."
"I've practiced a lot, learned some stage presence, and my wife hooked me up with some gear, you know, clothes," Connolly said. "I'm not too good at that stuff."
Former Maui resident Merika Rose, 24, now living in Las Vegas, got a thumbs up Sunday night from one of Hawaii's most notable singers after singing the Bette Midler song "Wing Beneath My Wings" at the Don Ho Show in Waikiki.
"Mr. Ho told me to be myself ... that I had the best voice of all the 'American Idol' winners," said the statuesque single mom who works at a luxury hotel's spa. "He said to keep it simple and 'Trust your intuition.'"
Rose, who will sing "Without You," has been training and eating properly since her aunt Lynette Macauley, who accompanied her to Hawaii, encouraged her to audition.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Folks slept while waiting in line.
"I'm ready regarding my craft, but my main concern is being seen," Rose said. "I want to make sure I'm noticed.
"I feel like I have a lot to share and to say to the world (through my music)."
The only question for 18-year-olds Ashli Kent, of Dallas, Jennifer Tafi, of Utah, and Janai Brinson, of Riverside, Calif., was whether they be worn out by the time auditions start. The three girls met the night before outside the stadium and were bundles of nervous energy, walking around talking with other auditioners, playing cards, singing at the security entrance -- alone and together.
"I've always sung," said Kent. "It's in my blood and I'll tell you that my mom is tougher than ('American Idol' judge) Simon (Cowell), and if she thinks I can do it, I know I can do it."
Kent says she'll sing Whitney Houston's "When I Fall In Love," singing a few bars and drawing applause from the security personnel.
"I am so ready," says the college student, laughing.
Tafi -- "like the candy," she says -- has sung "The Star Spangled Banner" at the World Cup of speed skating and before Utah Warriors' indoor football games.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Koa Sai, right, carried a cooler for his girlfriend, Carly Silva, who was auditioning. Left, Christina Rosemeyer brought her own chair.
"I've always sung, too, did the church choir thing and I write my own music," said Tafi, who plans to sing Stevie Wonder's "All I Do." "There are lots of people here I know who are talented, so the bottom line, besides having ability, is you must believe in yourself. And I do."
"Confidence!" the three girls yell in unison.
Kent's other strategy is "my presentation."
"I got my orange outfit with the hat," she said. "It's gonna be cute. Just look for the words 'SEXY' on the front of the shirt."
Jennifer will wear "a little skirt" and a pink top that's "off the shoulder." Brinson will wear what she has on, including a tight black T-shirt that highlights her figure.
"I think this will attract attention," she said.
The women were equipped with "fruit, chips and water." Kent had some cooked lasagna that she planned to eat sun-warmed.
"I always try out for things where I have no experience, like cheerleading and the Lord has always been on my side," she said. "This isn't all about stardom, but having a passion for something you've got to follow. This is the career I dream about."
Tafi is a bit more pragmatic: "This is our one opportunity and if we don't take it, it'll be like, 'Oh man, that could have been me up there.' I may never get another chance."
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Production assistant Brian Peterman showed off his American Idol T-shirt.
Ron Banks, 21, of Waikiki, works at Guess, but has sung and written his own music for years.
"I like to touch people through my music," he said.
TODAY'S JUDGING is expected to last through the afternoon. The 125 to 150 selected will audition tomorrow before four executive producers. The handful that remain after the second round will return to the Sheraton Waikiki on Saturday for the serious judging before Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. Then about 25 will face as many as four more auditions in Los Angeles.
In the large security-entrance tunnel, small groups of singers gathered throughout the morning in the amphitheater to test their voices. One woman simply walks around the rotunda singing several songs, including Aretha Franklin's "Respect."
"There's a built-in audience here," Yolanda, 20, of Waipahu, says. "I'm training to sing in front of an audience, so I might as well take advantage of these next 24 hours."
Other contestants sang where they sat with relatives who accompanied them or new friends they met in the parking lot. Some called relatives on the mainland or in Hawaii to sing and ask for advice.
"This is nuts; why am I here?," Jewel Mathers, 22, of Alaska, asks her mom in New York over the phone. "I spent all this money and I see all these people who are so sooo good."
"Enjoy the experience of going through this," her mom tells her. "Learn from it. The journey can be as important as the goal. Talk to the people around you and learn about who they are.
"This should be more than just an audition. Remember, I love you sweetie."
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Clockwise from bottom left, Ronson Saromines, Ian Carr, Amber Banks, Stephanie Shelton, Aaron Atkisson, Robin Hayes, Joseph Gibson and Rosie Denisi party while waiting for auditions.
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