Majesty Rose was voted into the top 13 by viewers after her peppy and upbeat performance of "Happy" by Pharrell Williams "set the tone" on ladies night, said Harry Connick, Jr.
Michael Becker/FOXThe Hollywood Reporter sat down with American Idol’s season 13 finalists to give an in-depth look at the top 10, including their earliest memories of music, when they knew music would be their career choice and what led to their decision to audition for the singing competition.
Meet the rest of the top singers here.
Majesty Rose
Goldsboro, North Carolina
Born: Feb. 29, 1992
Depending on how you count, Majesty Rose is either five years old or 22. As a leap year baby, she has only celebrated five birthdays since being born on Feb. 29, 1992. As for the name Majesty, she tells THR, “I have no idea how I got that name. My older sister’s name is Joy, and my younger sister’s name is Precious. I guess it’s just a thing but I think mine is the best.”
PHOTOS: ‘American Idol’ Season 13 Meet the Top 10 Singers
Rose credits her mother and grandfather for surrounding her with music. “My mother sang in church her whole life and still does. She won pageants for singing. She definitely taught me a lot. She taught me how to carry myself and how to sing correctly. My grandfather would play with me for hours on end in the house when I was younger. I copied him. I started in orchestra, playing violin and cello. I really have grown up with music. I was in chorus in school so music has been a part of my life the whole time.”
Rose was a typical teenager when it came to having favorite artists. “Growing up I listened to a lot of Destiny’s Child, Beyoncé, J. Lo and Ciara. I was into boy bands. Backstreet Boys, ’N Sync. I’m still in love with Justin Timberlake.”
While a recording career is a strong possibility for Rose now that she is in the top 10, she didn’t foresee that possibility. “I always knew I wanted to sing but it wasn’t my plan to be famous. I wasn’t really trying to be a star. I was just trying to be a light in my own community.”
Even though she is now an indelible part of American Idol history, Rose has not been a regular viewer. “I watched on and off, here and there. I remember people like Jason Castro and Casey Abrams and Adam Lambert. And of course, the winners.” So how did someone who didn’t watch the series consistently decide to audition? “I was on a family vacation, my first time at Disney World. I was with my best friend and her dad and he said, “You guys should do [the American Idol Experience].’ We thought it was a joke. ‘We’re not going to do that. Can we just go ride rides?’ He said, ‘No, do it, do it.’ We said we’ll do it just to see what happens.”
Each day, there are between five and seven “shows” at the American Idol Experience, with the winners of each coming back in the evening for a finale. Rose sang “Reflection” from Mulan, a wise choice when you’re singing at a Disney park. “By the time of the finale, I got competitive. I wanted to win.”
STORY: ‘American Idol’ Get to Know Season 13’s Top 10 Singers
And win she did. “I went backstage, signed papers and they gave me my ticket. I thought, what am I going to do with this? I thought about it for a long time. I was not set on going to American Idol. I knew how hard it would be. I didn’t think I would make it. I was just setting myself up for heartache. I prayed a lot, and I thought about it for three months. Then I came to the conclusion that I am a good role model. I am a typically good person. I want to be a good role model for my pre-school kids, just to be a positive person in the world. That’s when I started thinking, it’s my duty to do this. I’m a person that I think should be seen. Why not? It was hard, and I had to get my courage up, but I chose to do it and I’m glad I did now because look where I am.”
Back home in Goldsboro, N.C., where Rose is a pre-school teacher, her four and five-year-old students have been learning the alphabet and days of the week. And while she has left them in the care of a substitute teacher she trusts, she is learning her own lessons in Hollywood, thanks to Idol. “I have learned how to persevere,” she tells THR. “I’ve learned how to really build my confidence and have humility. I love music. It was hard to accept that America might actually like my music. When I’m on that stage I have to remember that. It’s not a time to doubt anymore. It’s time to just do everything.”
