Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Aubrey Cleland told Fox12 in Oregon she has watched every episode of every season of American Idol since the show premiered when she was 8 years old.

This year, she’s obviously hoping she’ll be watching the finals from backstage. Except when it’s her turn to sing, of course.

If Idol experience counts for anything, she might have an edge over the competition.

This marks the third straight year Aubrey made it to Hollywood on Idol and the second straight year she made it to Vegas.

Last year, she was cut at the top 40 despite a sparkling vocal on her Vegas group number (“Oh Boy”/”Wake Up Little Susie”) with partners Devan Jones, Johnny Keyser and Cortez Jones. The latter two are also back in Vegas this year.

But despite her past success on Idol, Aubrey told Fox12 she was nervous when she entered the audition room aboard the Queen Mary.

For one thing, she was going to be singing in front of Mariah Carey, one of her idols. But she told the TV station she was most nervous singing in front of Nicki Minaj.

“She said I looked like a star when I came in,” Aubrey recalled. “I took that … as a huge compliment.”

Aubrey also said she believes she’s more confident this year and has a better grasp on what songs she should be singing.

Back in 2009, at age 15, Aubrey competed in the Portland Idol competition and finished in the top 12.

The year before, she and her mom, Renee, won Family Circle Magazine’s Mother-Daughter Model Search, a competition that drew 2,300 entries.

In her Road to Hollywood video, Aubrey says it was her mom who inspired her to pursue music. She says she grew up watching her mother sing.

“I saw how she was living it out while raising two kids,” Aubrey says. “She showed me that you really can do whatever you want to do in your life, no matter what your other obligations are.”

Now 19, Aubrey is a graduate of Jesuit High School and a sophomore at Chapman University.

Since, we’ve heard little from her so far in Season 12, here are three videos of her performing.

“Halo”

“Up to the Mountain”

“Beautiful Disaster”