Cedar Hill student Isabell Gallegos talks about performing on American Idol

by Rita Cook of The Assignment Desk, DFW

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The best part of the experience was "that we all connected over a universal language" -- music -- she said.

She might not have won American Idol, but she did win bragging rights in the city of Cedar Hill.

Sixteen-year-old Cedar Hill High School sophomore Isabell Gallegos was recently seen competing on Fox’s American Idol on the February 9 and 15 episodes. Sworn to secrecy while she was on the show, Gallegos has been voted off the show and can now talk about her experience.

“I was always nervous right before I would go on stage,” she said, “but when I started singing, my nerves calmed down.”

With inspirations like jazz artists Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles, Gallegos plays saxophone in the Cedar Hill High School Marching Band and Wind Ensemble, but adds, “I like a big variety of music, so honestly [all] artists really inspire me.”

She says she particularly admires Adele, Norah Jones, and Sara Barielles, too. “They inspire me to really get deep into my music and they all really speak to me through their lyrics and their music.”

For her Galveston talent audition on the road to her American Idol experience, Gallegos sang “Every Time you Lie" by Demi Lovato, who's from Colleyville. Gallegos moved on to “Crazy For You” by Adele during her first audition in Hollywood.

“I decided on 'Crazy For You' because I can really relate to Adele's voice and style as an artist,” Gallegos said. “For the group round, some of the other members in my group had predetermined the song 'Stuck Like Glue' by Sugarland. I don't sing country often, but it was an interesting opportunity, so I took it gladly.”

Since Gallegos is no longer sworn to secrecy after her group was eliminated from the "star-maker" as of February 15, she said it was difficult to keep her experiences quiet. “I couldn't tell anyone about Idol, but as the episodes aired, I could slowly reveal more and more about my experience. I was allowed to keep my Facebook as long as I didn't talk about Idol, and it was pretty difficult not telling my friends. My participation in Idol meant more to me than people's knowledge that I was on the show.”

Gallegos says of her experience overall that she was “thrilled when Jennifer Lopez said she liked her and Randy Jackson commented on how young she looked."

In addition to playing alto saxophone for the last five years and being a part of her high school band, Gallegos has also played classical piano for 10 years and plays acoustic guitar. She says she has been singing all of her life, but really started getting serious at the age of 11.

“Competing on American Idol was an amazing experience,” she said. “There were intense moments, but in the end I had so much fun. One thing that was constantly on my mind was how my life could completely change if I got far into the competition.”

Despite her early departure from the show, Gallegos says she'll try out for the reality show again.

See video of Gallegos' "road to Hollywood" here.

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