Photo Credit: Frank Micelotta / FOX

Brooke White on Idol Exit: I’m Excited to Go Back to the Real World

Idol’s fifth place finisher looks back on lost lyrics, future plans, and finding her inner Idol confidence

Some call her brave and others foolish after stopping and re-starting two songs in front of 30 million viewers (she forgot the lyrics!), but one thing is for certain: America is talking about Brooke White. The 24-year-old former nanny from Arizona offered a tearful goodbye last Wednesday on Idol, but the day after her ousting, White was in good spirits as she expressed her gratitude for the experience and explained how she picked up the pieces after forgetting her lyrics on live TV.

SINK OR SWIM
Just when I thought I wasn't able to keep going [on the show] - you totally feel like you're sinking and it’s like ‘OK, swim’ - I had to realize that I have to make the best of things. The pressure is so incredibly difficult, but I was here to do my absolute best and to be as true to myself as possible, and I can say in my heart - even with the challenges I faced - I think I was able to do that.

ELIMINATION EMOTIONS
I had anticipated [my exit], in a strange way. It was in my gut, even though I thought I was strong. I felt so grateful and happy, and then "boom" - it hit me that this is done and over. The finality of that phase of the experience being over was sad, and then there was the fear of going back into the real world and wondering what the future holds. It was just a lot of feelings that I was feeling.

DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS!
I have not had any problems with the lyrics up until "You Must Love Me," [during Andrew Lloyd Webber week] and all of a sudden, it freaked me out, and I started thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, what if this happens again?’ We don't use teleprompters, and I was playing an instrument, and singing on two songs. There were a lot of things to remember in less than a week's time.

A MISSING INGREDIANT
Finding my inner confidence is something that has definitely been a struggle for me, but I'm learning and growing, and Idol definitely helped me work on that. We always say this show brings everything to the surface that might be an issue for you, and that one is certainly one of them, but I worked through it, and at times, had to work through it in a very public way.

ALBUM ASPIRATIONS
I did do an independent album, performed around L.A. for a couple of years, and tried to get some of that experience under my belt, but that was pretty much it. [Now that Idol is over,] I want to be a singer/songwriter...and build an album around my organic sound: keep it real, keep it raw, and keep it fresh. I want to be very involved with the music, and connect with people on a very honest level.

BY ASHLEY BAGAN