Clinton Township ‘American Idol’ Contestant: ‘I’ve Come from Nothing … I am Going to Be Something’

Leah Guerrero, 21, of Clinton Township proved she had what it takes to make it through to the next round of the hit TV show, American Idol.

She said her selection should inspire others that “dreams are not impossible [if you] believe in yourself.”

“That goes for anything,” she said. “I’ve come from nothing … I am going to be something.”

Guerrero was among thousands of singers who auditioned for Idol when the Fox show came to Detroit last year.

The Detroit round of auditions aired Wednesday night and Guerrero was among 20 people from the Motor City to secure a golden ticket and will now advance on to the show's Hollywood audition week, set to air in February.

In her online video,Guerrero said the audition was “the final step in my process of putting my life back together.”

She said her hopes “went out the window” after “American Idol” judge and mentor Harry Connick Jr. said no to sending her on to Hollywood, but Keith Urban liked her performance and Jennifer Lopez was the deciding factor.

“Getting the golden ticket was e-mo-tional,” she said, drawing out the word. “I cried. I cried all my makeup off. It was all down my face.”

Guerrero comes from a musical family and says she is influenced by musicians from multiple genres, including Rihanna, Beyonce, Amy Winehouse and soul singers like Etta James.

“I think the fact that I can do so many things, so many different genres, works to my advantage,” she said.