April 29, 2003

The cute Canadian factor of American Idol is gone, but it's not all bad news for Carmen Rasmusen.

The Alberta-born contestant, who now calls Bountiful, Utah, home, is sad to have been the seventh person voted off the hit American Idol, but it's also a relief.

"The best part has probably been being able to be on stage and performing for everyone and knowing I'm getting this great exposure," Rasmusen tells the Sun.

"But the hardest part was probably performing, because I knew sometimes I wasn't myself and I didn't perform as well as I needed to because I was so scared about the judges.

"I was petrified. If there weren't judges there I wouldn't get nervous at all because I love performing ... but I'd get the worst nerves in the world and I get really cold when I get nervous and my teeth chatter. So on Tuesdays and Wednesdays I'm an ice cube," says Rasmusen, who turned 18 during the Fox series -- the remaining five sing tonight at 9 p.m. The one with the least votes will be kicked off Wednesday at 9 p.m. on DE and W.

She also won't miss the less- than-flattering judges' comments, especially Randy Jackson's.

"I think Randy was the one who cut me down the most, definitely," says the teen who made it on the show as Simon Cowell's wildcard pick. "Simon was a really big supporter throughout the whole thing -- he did say some mean things but that's Simon, I knew it would happen."

With the help of family and friends, Rasmusen didn't let the digs get her down.

"All of the contestants are really, really good friends," she says.

"Trenyce and I will stay up late talking about everything. Trenyce has so many guys that are in love with her because she is so beautiful.

"Ruben snores! But I love him. Ruben's been the one to tell me what to do -- you know to be my daddy, definitely. He's like 'Carmen do this, do that,' but he does it jokingly -- he's like my older brother. He's the one that almost wants to discipline me when I don't do something right. Like 'Carmen, don't stick your hand in the cereal box or Carmen, shut the refrigerator,' " laughs Rasmusen, whose mother lived in the mansion with her until she turned 18.

Judge Paula Abdul showed the singers love by giving them necklaces she had made. "They're really beautiful. The one I have on today says 'Sing your heart out' and then when you turn it over it says 'Like no one is listening' and it has music notes on it."

And Rasmusen's advice to those currently auditioning in Calgary for Canadian Idol: "Be yourself and don't worry about what anyone says because there will be people who love you and people who hate you. You just have to live with it!"