Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Top 10 — New York State of Mind

Top 11/12 — Heaven

Top 13 — I Believe in You and Me

Wild Card — Edge of Glory

Semifinals — What About Love

Thursday’s Pittsburgh audition episode of American Idol featured one of the most distinctive female voices we’ve heard so far.

And it came from 25-year-old Erika Van Pelt of South Kingston, Rhode Island.

Erika told us she’s a mobile deejay, meaning she travels from town to town, and a wedding singer, though she knows that conjures up some less than flattering images.

But, look, she’s been performing for a while, attending the Berklee College of Music, co-founding an a cappella group named Soundcheck, and performing with bands, including Boston Swing and Sultans of Swing.

And she’s not totally unfamiliar with this type of competition. Back in 2006, she was named Boston’s Pride Idol.

She auditioned with “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” and tinged her performance with a touch of the blues, prompting Steven Tyler to proclaim her performance “very sexy” and “very sure of yourself.”

You can learn more about Erika at her website or in her Boston Swing profile.

Meanwhile, here’s a sample of her pre-Idol music.

“Lady Marmalade”

“Georgia On My Mind”