'American Idol's Tyanna Jones: If I was feeling down, I'd get to perform onstage and just be in love with it

American Idol eliminated Tyanna Jones and determined its Top 4 artists during the eighth live show of its fourteenth season on Fox.


Tyanna, a 16-year-old student from Jacksonville, FL, was the bottom votegetter last week following the prior week's nationwide vote that took place after the season's Top 5 artists performed. Tyanna had never been at risk for elimination by landing in the bottom two before.

Tyanna was not afforded the opportunity to sing two songs like the other contestants. Instead, she sang for the last time by taking the stage with "Run The World" by Beyonce. Tyanna was very emotional following her ouster but kept a big smile on her face.

During a Thursday conference call with reporters, the day after her elimination, Tyanna talked about her American Idol experience. Below is the concluding portion. Click here and here to read more.

When you were in the bottom two with Rayvon Owen, did you think you were going to be safe?


Tyanna Jones:  Oh, I kind of already had the feeling that I wasn't going to make it through.  But of course, you still have a side of you that hopes that you do make it through because you don't want it to end, but I'm just so proud of him, and I'm so happy for him, because he fought his way through the Twitter save so many times.  And he's still in it!  He's going really, really strong with it too, so, I'm proud of him.

Why did you think that you wouldn't be going through?  What did you do, or what made you think that?

Tyanna Jones:  No, it wasn't that I was not satisfied or anything with my performances last week, but it was just a feeling that -- it was kind of a feeling of me actually being satisfied with the performances, but knowing.  Because there's so much great talent and I'm still young, and I don't have as much experience and things like that.  It was me being satisfied with whatever the outcome would have been.

What are three things or fun facts that your fans don't know about you?

Tyanna Jones:  I actually kind of tell them everything, but I don't actually know.  I'm Jewish.  I guess they don't know that.  And I don't wear makeup, and my favorite food is pizza.


So, you're going on tour, Tyanna, and I was wondering if you have a dream list of songs you'd love to perform.

Tyanna Jones:  I really want to do a song by Sia on the tour, or multiple songs, because she's an amazing writer and artist.

What did you learn from your mentor Scott Borchetta?

Tyanna Jones:  I think the biggest thing that I learned from him, from Scott, was that as a music producer, he really wants to work with someone who knows who they are as an artist or who they want to be as an artist, and he is really working towards that.  So, he really wants you to have an understanding so that he can have an understanding and be able to work with you.

If you had stayed in the competition longer, would you have sung a Sia song?


Tyanna Jones:  Oh yes, I was actually planning to do one next week.  I was going to do "Titanium," but on the tour, I'm definitely going to do one of her songs.

I know the experience has meant a lot of hard work, but what's been the most fun part of the American Idol journey for you so far?

Tyanna Jones:  I think the best part about it was two things, actually.  Of course, performing, performing was the overall best part.  It just was something that I was able to do and something that, even with my personal feelings -- if I was feeling down, I could always count on getting onstage and performing and just being in love with it. 

And also, just meeting so many wonderful people along the way, like the contestants and the people who work on the set, so kind and amazing, and I couldn't have asked for [more].

Will you be coming back to Jacksonville for a little bit before you start preparing for the tour?


Tyanna Jones:  Yes, I come back Saturday, I believe.  And then, I only stay for Saturday and Sunday, and then I come right back out here Monday to prepare for the finale.  Short trip, but it's something.

Have you ever done any acting?  Do you have any plans to maybe try doing anything like that?

Tyanna Jones:  Oh, of course.  I actually really, really want to be on that show Empire.  I just love that show so much, and it would be a dream come true... to work with all of that cast would be such a dream come true for me.

Have you ever gone to see a summer tour yourself?

Tyanna Jones:  No, I never have seen American Idol on tour, any of the tours, but I'm glad that I actually get to be a part of them, because I know many of the people that I look up to now were a part of those tours.  And now I'm going to be one of those people that people look up to.


Knowing that the tour was cut from the Top 10 performing to only the Top 5, do you think that was a good thing in the fact that you'll get to showcase your talents more?

Tyanna Jones:  Yes, I think that the whole idea was because there's only five now, we have a longer period of time on the tour to do a set.  So, it should be a lot of fun and a better way to show ourselves as artists.

To read more from Tyanna's American Idol interview, click here and here.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski