Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Just blame Ellen DeGeneres.

Because of her, quirky, spunky Alexis “Ali” Shields is off to Hollywood on American Idol.

After what Randy Jackson called a “wild audition,” punctuated by an attempt at rap and a ghetto dance, the judges decided Ali and a golden ticket would be a good match.

“You’re just crazy enough to make it,” Randy said.

Or just crazy enough to make for great TV.

Actually, Ali has lots of videos on her YouTube channel and can sing, more than “a little”  (Jennifer’s words) and better than she showed on Idol.

But if drama overshadows the singing in Hollywood … well, that’s when we blame Ellen.

You see, Ali posted a plea to Ellen on YouTube,  asking to appear on the show.  Next thing you know, there’s Ali, on national TV.

Then Ellen sent Ali off to the American Music Awards to interview celebrities.  Ali did more than conduct interviews.  She got her first kiss — more accurately, her first three — from Mike Posner, Usher and one of the guys in Lady Antebellum.

“He laid one on me,” says Ali of Usher, overstating the peck by more than a tad.  “It was great.”

Anyway, Ali says appearing on Ellen’s show made her think anything is possible.

“Now I’m trying to see if anything really is possible,” she says.  “Hopefully, I’m the next American Idol.  If not, watch out.  I’m coming for something else.”

Apparently, spontaneity comes easily for Ali.  The 19-year-old admits the first time she sang was her sophomore year in high school in a Lodi (Calif.) Idol competition.  She decided to sing “Respect” “without ever knowing all the words, in front of my whole school.”

A story in her hometown newspaper, the Lodi-News Sentinel, tells us that Ali was homecoming queen in high school and has been attending Utah Valley University with the intention of becoming a nurse if the singing thing doesn’t work out.

Here are some non-Idol performances by Ali.

“Invisible Children”

“Look At Me Now”