GRAND RAPIDS -- Cassandra Weekley will sing Tuesday in front of "American Idol" judges as if her life depended on it. At least, that's what she's telling herself.
"I'm gonna sing like if I don't sing (well), they'll kill me," the 23-year-old Kalamazoo native said. "I have to sing for my life."
If that doesn't work, she'll at least try to make them laugh a little.
"I think I'm funny. I have a huge smile, and I love what I do. I hope that that's noticeable," said Weekley, who was guaranteed an audition after winning "West Michigan Idol," a contest sponsored by WXMI-TV (Channel 17). Her July 1 win secured the opportunity to sing in front of show producers, and hopefully before "Idol" judges Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell and Kara DioGuardi.
Weekley, who will audition Tuesday in Denver to be a contestant on Season 9, is taking her boyfriend, Stephen Dixon. It won't be her first time trying to get a golden ticket to Hollywood for the next round of auditions on TV's No. 1-rated reality show, whose winners include Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson and David Cook.
She first auditioned when she was 16 and again earlier this year in Chicago. Both attempts ended abruptly in first-round cuts.
"Usually what I do is I'm more reserved, because I don't want to be overwhelming," she said. "I think if I just don't hold back anymore that will help."
What she isn't changing is her song choice. Weekley plans to sing Whitney Houston's "Saving All My Love for You," one of the songs she sang at the "West Michigan Idol" competition.
"I don't want to change a winning strategy," she said. However, she still needs to find another song in case they ask her to sing again.
She knows she won't be singing "Listen," which she performed for WXMI's contest but got her the boot in Chicago.
"They obviously weren't feelin' that one," she said, laughing.
She also plans to keep her hair looking large.
"Make it as big as possible," she said.
Weekley left for Los Angeles the day after her "West Michigan Idol" win in a move planned for a while to jump-start her music career.
She secured a job waiting tables at a Venice Beach bistro. If "Idol" falls through, she has a place to sing: She asked permission from her boss to perform.
"I don't know what I need to do to make a career, but ... give me a place to sing, and I'll go sing," she said. "And if I can make money doing that, then I'm happy."
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