American Idol's Didi Benami: ‘I Am Resilient’

If “Rhiannon” was Didi Benami’s swan song on American Idol, she definitely left with a soaring performance that redeemed her pitchy R&B week showing. The judges may not have saved the 23-year-old L.A.-based singer, but Benami exited the competition with a secured spot on the Idol summer tour. She spoke to People Magazine about her experience.

You dedicated your Idol journey to your late friend Rebecca Joy Lear. Does she continue to inspire you?
I’m definitely going to be working on music for the tour and I plan on working on my own music as well and possibly recording some of Rebecca Joy’s songs. I definitely know that that’s ahead. I have a little downtime now and I definitely need it! I can’t wait to relax a little bit and have some time to myself and write and just be free.

What did you learn about yourself going through Idol?
I’ve known that this is what I’ve always wanted to do, and I knew I was resilient, but I didn’t know I was this resilient. I could get knocked down and come back again, get knocked down and come back again. It’s like boot camp. You just have to learn how to roll with the punches and try not to over-analyze things. I over-analyze things, I really do. I’m a thinker and a dreamer. I think about these things constantly and write them down. I don’t need to do that so much. I can put the paper and pen down and rest and be okay with that.

The ladies seem to have a tight bond.
I think all the girls this season are really sweet, and Katie is sweet, too, but I got to know Siobhan and Crystal the most because Katie was always in school. I remember the first day I met Siobhan. It was back when there were 180 people in Hollywood Week and I remember thinking, this girl is so strange, but she had something so unique about her, I want to use the word inviting but she had this energy about her that was very cool and I wanted to know more about her. I was drawn to her and it was amazing that we ended up being roommates and becoming great friends. Crystal is just a light. She’s amazing. They are both unique in so many ways. It’s so nice and refreshing to see that in a competition. We all got a long really well.

Do you have souvenirs from your journey?
I got hair extensions! I did, actually. I got to try them out Wednesday night and that was fun. We really got the star treatment. I got amazing, amazing gifts from people who have supported us. And Carrie Underwood sent us all a little necklace that was really sweet and that was really amazing that she took the time to write us all a card.

What can we expect from you on the summer Idol tour?
I definitely want to play guitar and I want to find some songs that fit me. People seemed to like “Terrified” so much that I’m going to try to do it on tour. I’m looking forward to it. I’m going to work on my guitar, too, and hone in my skills even more. But there’s more show still left and I still have to watch all my peeps!

What will your solo album be like and who would you love to work with?
I’m going to acoustic, low key, chill, relaxing music. A little jazz, a hint of bluegrass, a little bit of everything that I’ve experienced in my life. I would really love to work with Jason Mraz. I think he is amazing. I’d love to work with Kyler England, I think she’s an amazing singer-songwriter. It would be cool to work with some people like Patti Griffin. These are my influences but I’m not sure what it would be like writing with these people. I am kind of going with the wave and figuring out things as I go. It’s how I live my life. I’m just looking forward to what’s next and what opportunities come out of this and what’s to come.

Idol Elimination Night: Bye Bye, Didi!

Simon’s bitter prediction was right! Tim Urban climbed back out of the Idol Funnel of Doom, despite the judges’ best efforts to push him all the way down with their unrelenting criticism.

The extremey pretty but vocally erratic Didi Benami was the one whose journey ended Wednesday on American Idol, which seemed more or less fitting. Her strangely hysterical version of “What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted” this week was cause for dismay: The judges were simply baffled by the performance.

They weren’t willing to consider invoking the Judges’ save, even though Didi reprised her best performance, Fleetwood Mac’s “Rhiannon”– which also happens to be one of the season’s best performances. Simon told her she was “a million times better” than on Tuesday.

Then again, they wouldn’t have done it for Tim Urban, either.

She left without Ryan asking again why “Broken-Hearted” had affected her so — but he referred to her dead friend who’d inspired her when he told her at the end: “She’d be very, very proud of you.”

Tim, before he’d been sent back to safety, explained to Kara why he smiles even after horrible critiques: Because he’s proud of having had the chance to sing for millions. He said it like the decent, honorable, show-biz loving American kid he is! Kara had acted as if he must be suffering from an obscure psychological disorder.

Katie Stevens once again wound up in the bottom three: Her precociousness was what got her into the top 12, but now it’s going to get her eliminated. The judges might be willing to throw her the lifeline, however.

Ryan, by the way, is getting more and more distractingly energetic night by night. He squandered time asking young Aaron Kelly if he could honestly sing a love song at age 16. Simon, tired of this rigamarole, complained, “This is not The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Then Ryan accused Simon of gloating when Katie went to the bottom three.

Finally, he punked Michael Lynche into thinking he was in the bottom, too, at which point Michael hoisted him up as easily as an elephant selecting a peanut. A woman — maybe Crystal Bowersox? — was heard screaming, “Pick him up and throw him!”

Next week, the top nine will be performing songs from Paul McCartney and John Lennon.