TURLOCK, Calif. — A Turlock native's journey to become the next American Idol came to an end, but despite that, it's a journey she'll always cherish.
After flying to Nashville, Sarah Snyder sang her own song for judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. She nailed the audition and made her way to Hollywood Week.
“I probably ended up coming off a little bit too energetic, because I remember Lionel making a comment about 'You probably never need to drink any more coffee ever again. I think this is the level we can keep you at,'” said Snyder about her audition.
While Hollywood Week proved to be the end of the line for Snyder, it wasn't without its highlights.
"I did get the opportunity during Hollywood Week to be mentored by Jordin Sparks and I would say she's definitely like right up there with Kelly (Clarkson),” said Snyder, in terms of her favorite Idols.
But while her journey had its fair share of celebrity dazzle, it was the quieter moments among her fellow contestants, some now friends, that she keeps fondly in her memory.
"We actually were able to get together in the hotel that night, and we worshipped together. One of our contestants kind of gave a devotional, and we all prayed over one another. And it was just such a special moment," she said. "I didn't know that I would make so many friends."
While she'll be going back to her life as worship director for her church, she said she also has plenty of music in her future, possibly even an album down the road.
“The fact that I was able to go on national television and sing... in front of the judges, and to hear such great feedback, it kind of gave me that push I needed to be like, OK, I'm gonna continue to write (songs) and I'm actually going to show people. I'm not just going to stay holed up in my room with it,” said Snyder.
Snyder started singing from a young age as part of local theater productions and elementary school choir. She even had a brief stint playing the trombone.
The support she had growing up while singing was echoed during her time on American Idol, except this time it was multiplied. She got support from her hometown that blew her away. She walks away from the competition knowing that she did her best and still made her hometown proud.
"I just feel really grateful to have gotten as far as I did. I think it's something that I never thought that I would actually go for. So the fact that I was like, 'OK, I'm going to do this, and then I made it as far as I did... I felt like I was living a dream the whole time," said Snyder.
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