March 8, 2003
Simon's pick, Carmen, has roots in Alberta

Years before she was wowing Simon Cowell, American Idol finalist Carmen Rasmusen was belting out songs at the Calgary Stampede.

Rasmusen -- who this past week advanced into the final pack of 12 pop star hopefuls, thanks to prickly British judge Cowell -- lives in Utah, but she was born in Edmonton and her father Carl's family lives here in Calgary, which the 17-year-old still visits every summer.

"She'd go to the Stampede and pay $35 to sing on the midway. She might have been 12," recalls her uncle Roy Rasmusen.

"She's sung in a number of fairs in the States since then."

"She was singing before she could talk," says her grandmother, Carol Chittick. "She was always entertaining the whole family."

So it's no surprise they've been anxiously watching her progress on the hit Fox talent show.

"She's extremely excited. She didn't expect to make it this far along," Roy says.

"She's only 17 and the second youngest on the show is 21, so they're much more polished ... She's extremely excited to be part of this group. They're like one big family, which really surprised her mother. Because they're competing, you'd think they wouldn't really work together, but it's just the opposite. They seem to be a team."

"It's been pretty amazing," says Carmen's aunt, Sue Burwash.

"It's kind of like, you watch it at first and don't get really into it because you don't know what exactly is going on down there (in L.A.).

"But as times goes on and the further on she makes it, now you can't miss a show.

"It's one of those things -- you don't get your hopes up too high.

"Carmen's only 17, too. (Carl) knows her capabilities, but he also knows it's a tough business. That singing world is very competitive and very political."

Carmen's already experienced setbacks. Late last year, she was cut from the competition and only re-emerged this week as one of four "wild cards."

On Wednesday's show, it looked as though she might again not make it -- until Cowell chose her to move forward to the finals.

"Simon had heard her sing at different times. Her only comments about him have been that he's brutally honest, but he's sincere," Roy says.

"He's genuinely interested in making you a better singer. She really likes Simon.

"She thinks he's a very good guy. She says he appears a lot tougher than he really is. She says it's his British humour. Carmen can take constructive criticism and that's how she views it. He's not being mean -- he's being constructive."

Her mother, who was backstage when Carmen made the finals, has been staying with Carmen in Hollywood. "They were couriering her homework out to her today," says Roy.

Now in its second season, American Idol became an instant smash when it was launched last summer and now averages 20 million viewers every week.

Along with Cowell, judges Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul sift through thousands of auditions to arrive at a few aspiring pop stars. Ultimately, though, it's up to viewers to phone in and vote for who goes and who stays.

The last winner, Texan Kelly Clarkson, went on to record a No. 1 single and is about to make her feature film debut next month alongside Idol runner-up Justin Guarini.

While there's no way to know how long Carmen will stay in the competition, Burwash says everyone's especially hopeful she makes it at least to the end of the month.

"Carmen's birthday is March 25 and she'll be turning 18 and that's on a Tuesday (when the show airs). We're hoping she's still on the show for her birthday. It'll be a moment to remember for life."

FAST FACTS

* Born March 25, 1985, in Edmonton, where her father Carl, who was born in High River, was attending medical school.

* Currently lives in Bountiful, Utah.

* Started to sing when she could speak.

* An avid country music fan, Rasmusen counts LeAnn Rimes and Shania Twain among her idols.

* Loves to play the piano and guitar.

* Aside from singing, she also has an interest in pursuing a journalism career.

* Has two sisters, one older and one younger, and one younger brother.