The juggernaut which is American Idol – now in its 14th season – is again sifting through the sands of available talent to find “THE” newest, hottest, solo recording artist as determined by the series’ viewers. You may recall that our staff braved the cold autumn air to meet some of these contestants prior to their auditions in late September, 2014. On January 28 and 29, those who made the cut appeared on the broadcast. We made contact with one of the young aspirants – Ms. Maddy Hudson of Pleasanton, California – and pressed some questions. 
I&S: The excitement! The anticipation! What has been your favorite part of the American Idol experience so far? How do you feel you are doing so far?
MH: The excitement is unbelievable! I don’t think that it’s possible for me to pick one favorite part, but if I must…. It would definitely be the actual audition itself. To get to see all of the judges in person was absolutely incredible. They are all breathtakingly beautiful and so unbelievably sweet! I feel absolutely great! I feel as good as anyone could possibly feel at this point.
I&S: Could you have imagined that there were so many talented folks yet to be discovered? What types of performances draw your interest?
MH: I don’t think that I ever could have anticipated how many wonderful and talented people I would meet! It seemed that every person that I met had a great story, was kind, and was extremely talented. It was like being introduced to a bunch of people that all think and live like you do, so it was really amazing. I’ve got to say that everyone has impressed me (contestants).
I think that performers that really engage an audience are the type that draw me in. When it comes to watching performances, I want to feel as if through the performance I will learn something personal about the performer, in the sense that I want them to put their soul into their music. It’s really great to see all performers do their thing, though. There’s so many different techniques that people have, so it’s really hard to say what it is that I love the most.
I&S: Is participating in American Idol helping you improve as an artist? Has it helped you decide that this is what you want to do as a profession?
MH: American Idol is definitely making me into an artist! I have never worked so hard in my life, and after having this experience I am completely secure in the fact that I will choose this as my profession. Music is all that I could ever see myself doing. From a very young age (6), I’ve been singing. There has always been a special emotional connection for me with music. Singing is like breathing with me. I can’t even begin to express how much music has impacted my life. I have known ever since that age that this is what I would be doing, but the whole Idol experience has really cemented me on the fact that this is my sole purpose in life. American Idol has taught me that dreams are the strongest driving force that an artist can have along with heart and a strong work ethic. I couldn’t be more grateful for this experience, and I couldn’t possibly imagine my life without having done this. The improvement that I have seen in my music and myself has been beyond my wildest dreams. American Idol is incredible.
We at Image & Style Magazine wish Ms. Hudson success in her journey and good luck in this competition.