Hello to all of our Like A Girl readers! For those of you who don’t know, my name is Tori and I write most of the slideshow topics for the Instagram page. What you're reading right now is a special interview I got to do with American Idol contestant Alana. Now, I just wanted to fill you in a little and let you know that I met Alana from the MTV show Siesta Key. Siesta Key is a drama reality series from the same people who brought you Laguna Beach (like a reality soap opera). Seeing her follow her dreams on a totally different reality show was so inspiring to me that I decided to reach out and ask if I could share her journey with all of you!
Alana was born in Minnesota, but moved to and grew up in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. Music has been her passion and dream for what seems like forever and she has been working to make that dream a reality. Like I stated before, I first saw her on a different show called Siesta Key where I watched her work with another artist and I immediately knew she was going to amazing places!
Now, she’s soaring through the musical competition show American Idol and we are rooting for her every single step of the way! I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I enjoyed working on it. From music, to Idol, to inspiration… Here is a little Q&A we did! Enjoy!
Tori: first off I just want to say how cool it is that I got to start watching your music journey on Siesta Key and now you’re on American Idol. Now, is Siesta Key similar to American idol?
Alana: It's different! So different, I am way more in my element with American Idol. It’s all music, but the cast of Siesta Key were so cool and were all really nice. I love being on Idol though because it’s something that I have always wanted to do. They're both reality shows but they’re definitely different in a sense.
Tori: Yeah, there’s probably a lot less drama too!
Alana: Oh a lot less! There's some drama on American Idol, but not like on Siesta Key.
Tori: Tell the readers about yourself! Where are you from? How did you get into music?
Alana: I was actually born in Minnesota, but I am from Florida because I have been there for a majority of my life. I moved around a lot, but I always lived and came back to Florida in Lakewood Ranch. That’s home, it’s where I grew up.
Tori: This is sort of a basic question, but I feel like it's super important for artists. Who is your biggest inspiration, whether it's someone you grew up loving or someone you sort of discovered?
Alana: Honestly I love Beyoncé and Rihanna, I love them so much. They're queens, they're so inspirational who are so different and great in their own way. They are so empowering for black women and women of color. It's nice seeing that kind of representation and also they also try to fight the boundaries put against us. They're just lyrical geniuses and I admire everything that they do. I have the utmost respect for them.
Tori: You said in your AI interview you were so excited to meet the judges, what were they like in person?
Alana: One thing I will say, I love them all. I listened to Lionel my entire life. He’s such a sweet and genuine man. They're all so nice. One thing I love about Katy is that she has never changed who she is. I love her and her voice, she’s so fun and funny. They're so helpful and caring too, they really are.
Tori: I also feel like her (Katy’s) own story would be super relatable to contestants as well, right? She was told no so many times before she was signed and her career took off.
Alana: Absolutely! All of the judges can relate because they were all at one point just trying to make a name for themselves.
Tori: Do you have any advice for anyone following their dreams? Especially minority women who are shoved behind boundaries, whether they’re Black, Latinx, Asian?
Alana: Honestly, don't stop being who you are. Have those conversations even if it makes someone uncomfortable. Don't stop trying, they can be difficult to talk about. But seriously, never lose who you are. Work hard, even though sometimes it seems like we get the short end of the stick.
Tori: How can people find you and follow your journey?
Alana: You can follow me on all of my socials; Twitter and Instagram @alanadelsherm and you can catch me on American Idol every Sunday and Monday on ABC!
I had so much fun with this and I am so excited for Alana’s journey not only on American Idol, but for everything that may come after that. Ladies, we cannot be stopped. Let Alana be an example to you when you doubt your dreams. Take that leap!
Alana, we at Like A Girl wish you so much love, success, and positivity! Thank you for being so kind and so inspiring. Make sure to vote for Alana like crazy on American Idol and cheer her on every Sunday and Monday!
Follow us at Like A Girl for more stories like Alana’s!