Sonika Vaid with Ryan Seacrest after the announcement of her elimination from American Idol. (FOX Photo)
Post-American Idol?
Sonika, the daughter of an eye surgeon, says she still plans to finish college at some point.
“I think for right now, I’m going to focus on music,” she said during a Friday afternoon conference call with the media.
“This whole experience has really opened my mind up to the idea of doing this professionally.”
Sonika was eliminated from Idol in fifth place Thursday night, marking the end of an amazing run on the show for the 20-year-old from Martha’s Vineyard.
Making it more amazing was the fact that while several of this year’s finalists have been performing for years, Sonika entered the Idol process with no experience beyond singing occasionally in high school.
But Sonika says those performances made her less “invisible” in school. And she certainly isn’t invisible after an Idol run that saw her Instagram account grow to more than 27,000 followers and her Twitter account grow to more than 17,000 — up from 3,400 when the Idol semifinals began.
Sonika Vaid performs “Let It Go,” the song that earned her a save last week on American Idol. (FOX Photo)
And though she’s struggled with shyness in the past, Sonika says she thinks she’s made strides in addressing the advice she heard most often as an Idol contestant — learning to “let go” during her performances.
Even Sia’s advice ran along the same lines. She told the young woman with the angelic voice to make sure she has fun while singing and performing.
“The best piece of advice that kind of just rang true throughout the entire season for me was just the aspect of letting go,” Sonika said. “I think I’ve let go a lot more. As I watch myself back, I see how much I’ve changed.
“I’m not trying to sound full of myself when I say that because I really feel like a changed person. This entire process has pushed me to limits I thought were never possible.”
Post-Idol, she’d love to work with Disney. She says she grew up watching their movies and their cable network.
“I just love the music they put out,” she said. “And their whole vibe.”
If she winds up releasing original music, it’s likely to be in the pop realm, with a touch of R&B, she said. Though rock isn’t out of the question after her very well received performance of Evanescence’s “Bring Me to Life.”
Before college and then Idol consumed her time, Sonika said she’d composed about 15 songs at her piano and recorded about 10 of those.
Asked about a possible title for a debut album, she quickly came up with the word “infinity.”
“I think that’s a very powerful word,” she said. “And I wrote a song called ‘Infinity’ that’s one of the favorite songs I’ve written. I feel like it’s very empowering.”
Among Sonika’s other comments to the media on Friday:
* She had rave reviews for the Idol wardrobe team, saying they made her feel like a princess during her run on the show. “Even for the dark songs,” she said. “When I sang Evanescence, they put me in this beautiful gown that made me feel like I was going to the Oscars.”
* Last year, Idol took the Top 5 on a summer tour. Sonika said she’s heard nothing about such a tour this year. “There’s always surprises though. I’d love to (tour),” she added.
* Next week, the Idols will perform three songs. Had she made it, the judges had picked “I Will Always Love You” for Sonika. Mentor Scott Borchetta planned to have her sing “Flame” by Cheap Trick. And as her song choice, Sonika was considering “Come Away with Me” –- she was going to play piano for the first time on the show — or “To Where You Are,” which would have been a dedication to her late grandfather.
* Sonika refused to make a prediction on who might win the show, saying all four remaining contestants are deserving of being in the Top 4. “They’re all so talented and so different, America has a really tough decision,” she said.
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