When I made it onto American Idol, I knew that food - my eating disorder - was the one thing really holding me back. I was binging my whole life away for days at a time. So when I got on the show, I said, `You know what? I can do well in this competition. Let me give myself a chance and just get a hold of this thing.` . . . That`s why I say American Idol saved my life, because if I hadn`t auditioned I don`t think I would have gotten a handle on food.
On coming second to Taylor Hicks: "I don`t need sad faces or anyone to feel bad for me. I have got a record deal, pretty much. It wasn`t about winning the title, I just wanted to give the best performance I could".