Published: January 21, 2008 09:33 am         

Former MW resident enjoys brief appearance on 'Idol'

By David May
editor@mineralwellsindex.com

Tarleton State University senior Erica Vila was recently looking to the stars – but not in search of the mysterious Stephenville UFO.

She was looking for the Hollywood kind – as in Paula, Randy and Simon.

Actually the former Mineral Wells resident has become a bit of a star herself – well, at least to those who recognized her in a brief appearance as part of a montage of singers that aired Wednesday night on Fox’s “American Idol.”

The episode – the second of the season – centered on the Dallas auditions last August at Texas Stadium which Vila went to along with Erin Hedges.

The 23-year-old sociology major said she had no idea she was going to get some screen time until she appeared in the montage of contestants performing “Since You’ve Been Gone” by original Idol winner Kelly Clarkson of Burleson, Texas.

“I was watching it with my boyfriend,” said Vila. “I just started screaming.”

She said she soon received some phone calls and entered a blog about it on her MySpace page, which she said has also received responses from other friends who saw her on television.

Vila said she graduated in 2002 from Mineral Wells High School and participated in choir in junior high and high school. She said she sang in UIL contestants, once receiving a rating of II for a solo performance.

Her trip to Dallas on that extremely hot August day was her first tryout for “American Idol.” There were some 10,000 others who gathered that day at Texas Stadium.

“There were three rounds,” she said. “I went through the first round with four producers and they put me through to the second round. The second round actually had two rounds.”

She said in the second round she sang before three executive producers, and then performed the Clarkson song before a camera. Vila said the songs she sang for the producers were Evanescense’s “Call Me When You’re Sober” and another Clarkson song, “Never Again.”

Vila said she saw some familiar faces on Wednesday’s episode.

“I talked to a few who were on there, but I haven’t stayed in touch with anyone,” she said.

She never got to see the show’s three judges – Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell. But she hopes to one day. Vila said she doesn’t know where “American Idol” will stage auditions next year, but wherever it is, she said she plans trying out again.

“Yes, I plan on going next year,” she said.