Siobhan Magnus okay with judges' earlier use of 'American Idol' save

Siobhan Magnus feels American Idol's judges made the right choice in saving Michael Lynche three weeks ago even though it meant "The Judges' Save" wasn't available to be prevent her own elimination last night.


"I couldn't imagine it not being used on Mike. That was so shocking that there was the chance of him going home that week, and I think we all knew when it was announced: 'They have to save him. There's no way he should be going home,'" Magnus told reporters during a Thursday conference call.

"It would have been cool if that didn't have to happen, but I have faith that everything happens for a reason. I couldn't be luckier I think to be where I'm at and to have gotten this far. I love Mike to death, and it's awesome that he's still in it."

The 20-year-old apprentice glassblower from Barnstable, MA became the seventh finalist eliminated from American Idol's ninth-season after she received the fewest home viewer votes following Tuesday night's live performance show that saw the Top 6 finalists sing Shania Twain songs.

While she showed little emotion after her ouster was announced, Magnus said it got more difficult once the live broadcast ended. 


"It was hard to get to talking about it," she said. "It kind of starts to sink in. I'm just going to miss a lot of it."

Lynche was the unanimous recipient of the one-time "The Judges' Save" voting override earlier this month and remains in the competition -- as Magnus is the fourth finalist to be booted since then.

However Magnus said it wasn't really the judges who saved Lynche.

"Mike saved himself a couple weeks ago when 'The Judges' Save' was still available and he knew at that moment he had to sing for his life, he couldn't have done a better job," she told reporters.

"I couldn't think of a better person for them to have used the save on because it was shocking that it would have been him [to be eliminated]."


One of Magnus' biggest criticisms from American Idol's judging panel was that they couldn't pigeonhole her as an artist -- with Simon Cowell commenting two weeks ago that she was "very erratic" and Kara DioGuardi claiming she has "two voices." But she said an inability to be pinned down as an artist and as a person is something she's proud of.

"That's definitely something that was important to me from the beginning -- to show people that is something I care about, that I take very seriously," explained Magnus.

"I've always been an independent person and a different kind of person, but I'm very stubborn and strong-willed, and it's important to me to get that across, that I'm not going to change to please other people. I do what I do because it rests well on my heart and who I am."

In addition, Magnus said she's received "positive feedback from fans and viewers" about her independent nature, which she said felt "tremendous."

"I couldn't ask for anything better than receiving letters from younger girls who said to me, 'I get made fun of at school because I'm different, but watching you has helped me accept the fact that it's okay and that it's a good thing to be who I am and not back down just because other people intimidate me,'" she said.


"I've received letters where I've been brought to tears just because I have achieved something that has been a goal of mine for so long: to be able to influence the lives of young girls in a positive way. To show them that who you are on the inside is a beautiful thing, and you shouldn't let anyone take that away from you, because we are all perfectly made as who we are."

Magnus said she "loves" all types of music and added a mix of styles is what fans can expect when she does record an album.

"I hope to be able to create a sound that is my own because it takes from everything that I love -- from jazz and soul and R&B and blues to rock and punk and oldies," she said. "I love everything. I'll hopefully be able to eventually create something that is my own sound but also take from everything I do love."

Magnus was regularly praised by American Idol's judges for being able to hit the big notes, and she reiterated her previous explanation about how she first discovered the ability.

"I'm pretty sure I figured out how to do that in the shower in high school one night," she said.


"I'm an avid shower singer -- much to the dismay of my family and my neighbors -- but I was singing a Kelly Clarkson song, and I went to hit one note, and I reached it and I was able to resonate it in a different part of my head that I could belt it that high."

Since then, Magnus said she "started to use it more and more with different stuff," including during school choir shows and performances with her band.

"It became very useful with the style of singing that I like to do," she said.

"A particular time that it came in handy was when I was singing with my friend's band, and we did 'Great Gig in the Sky' by Pink Floyd, and I had a blast just wailing on those huge notes in a battle of the bands, and we won. One of my favorite singers of all time is Janis Joplin, and I learned very much through imitation, so when I hear a singer I love, I try and emulate that, and that kind of added up to the way I sing today."

In addition, Magnus said her "incredible job" as an apprentice glassblower "helped shape" her as both an artist and communicator.


"I think glass blowing does require a certain amount of breath control, but it's not something your pushing really hard because glass is so sensitive," she explained.

"But I'm also very vocal in my job, when customers come in and my boss is working on something and can't stop and explain, I'll have to explain for him. I do a lot of talking and have to be comfortable talking to strangers about what's going on. I think even that -- it might sound silly -- but even that is a big help in just communicating with people and speaking up. It gets really loud in the shop."

Magnus' ouster means the only female finalist remaining in the competition is Crystal Bowersox -- who is widely considered to be the season's favorite. However Magnus said she feels any of the Top 5 finalists could take the title.

"Each person is so unique and extremely talented -- and I know the last thing you want to hear is, 'I don't know, it could be anybody.' But it heavily depends on the coming themes. Sometimes some people are more comfortable with one thing," she said.

"Whoever it is that comes out on top, it will be for the right reasons... I can honestly picture any one of them as the winner."

Magnus referred to her American Idol ouster as "just the end of one thing and it's the beginning of a new thing" and said she has "so many big ideas and things" that she hopes to achieve -- and not all of them involve singing.


"I'd love to do some more theater. I love acting and I've had a lot of experience in different kids of theater -- musicals and Shakespeare," she said. "I also am a huge horror movie fan, and I definitely aspire to at least make an appearance in a wicked gory kind of horror film."






About The Author: Christopher Rocchio