Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Rachel Hale showed up on the American Idol audition stage saying she follows southern tradition by going by her middle and last name.

And addressing the judges with what she called “the biggest accent you’ll ever find.”

Well, the 21-year-old might hail from the tiny town of Prescott, Ark., population 3,500, but Rachel is one of just a few Hollywood-bound Idol contestants to have already released music.

One of the songs you can check out below, “Football Is King,” was released to iTunes in November 2011.

On Idol, Rachel auditioned with “People Get Ready,” displaying one of the best voices we’ve heard from a female singer this season.

Nicki Minaj called her “pretty” and “striking” and said she sounds like someone who’s already established as a musician.

Below, you can hear a pair of Rachel’s songs. I’ll be posting full bio blogs on featured Idol contestants at a later date.

In the meantime, if you’d like to hear more music from the Hollywood-bound, head here.