#118 Lacey Brown

Next up on my American Idol finalist countdown is my number 118 American Idol finalist: Christian singer Lacey Brown. She is recently signed to an independent record label called LEB Records. She is my least favorite contestant of American Idol season 9, the most embarrassing season in the history of the show. I cannot stand listening to her, and she lacks originality. Lilly Scott should have made the top 12 instead of her.

Lacey Elizabeth Brown was born on August 13, 1985, in Amarillo, Texas. She is the daughter of the pastors of Victory Church, a local Christian church in the said town. At that town, she served as Venue (Victory Church's college-age group) director and taught civics and Christian values to Victory's internship students. During childhood, she studied violin. She also resided in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she had Bible schooling, and her eduction includings studying art. One of her memorable anecdotes is a memory when she was a small child, when she first heard of Patsy Cline.

Her music genre is Christian, folk, pop, rock, and country. Her musical influences include Lady Antebellum, Kings of Leon, Coldplay, U2, Patsy Cline, Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton, and Pete Yorn.

Brown originally auditioned for American Idol season 8, where she made the top 54 of the Hollywood rounds, more specifically the green mile round, but she was cut before the top 36 in favor of Megan Joy after a sing-off.  She later auditioned for American Idol season 9 in Orlando, Florida, with a rendition of "Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz, by Judy Garland. She impressed the judges, including guest judge Kristin Chenoweth, and she advanced to the Hollywood round. During Hollywood week, her performance of "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong was featured as a montage for the contestants who became a part of American Idol season 9's top 24. During top 24 week, she performed "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac, but the judges critiqued her for lack of originality. During top 20 week, the judges critiqued her performance of "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None the Richer, but it was well-received by the band's leader Leigh Nash.  Brown went from zero to hero with her rendition of Brandi Carlile's "The Story" on top 16 week, and she eventually made the top 12.

At top 12, Brown's rendition of "Ruby Tuesday" by The Rolling Stones, based on Melanie Safka's version, was critiqued by the judges that it "lacked energy", but Simon Cowell consoled her by saying that there was nothing wrong with her vocals. I was relieved that on the night of March 17, 2010, Brown's stint on American Idol came into an end. During the night of her elimination, the song "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong was played at the beginning of the results show, with a montage of the top 12's journey, which set the tone for her elimination. The judges' save, which was originally used on Matt Giraud back in season 8, was reintroduced that night. Despite her effort with a second performance of "The Story", the judges chose not to save her, but the decision was not unanimous. In fact, the judges' save was never used on a female contestant. This season the judges' save was used on my season favorite Michael Lynche. Brown's elimination sparked controversy when Ryan Seacreast spoiled the results via twitter, and that reduced the audience size. Because she fell short of the top 10, as did my all-time favorite contestant, she and Paige Miles did not attend the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2010, the first American Idol summer tour I attended.