Majesty Rose on tour
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on June 12, 2014 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/STEVE HERRING
Majesty Rose pauses before answering a question during an interview in advance of her upcoming American Idol Live tour, which begins June 24.
Majesty Rose can't go many places these days without being recognized.
The Top 10 finalist with the flowers in her hair from this season's "American Idol" gained a bit of fame nationwide, but still marvels at the hometown support she received.
"One thing I didn't really expect, I just didn't think about it, is how much I would really inspire people," she said earlier this week. "It really is nice."
Wherever she goes, fans don't hesitate to approach and to sing her praises.
"They all have a story to tell. It's really sweet," she said. "We went to a cookout with our friends. One man, he talked about how he had cancer and he actually overcame in, like the cancer was gone, so that's great. But it can be depressing and you can be scared to live your life again. But he talked about watching me on 'American Idol' and the words I said and the attitude, helped him enjoy life.
"Even if I didn't do anything else on 'American Idol,' that's great."
The 22-year-old might not have won the title for Season 13, but by being in the Top 10, she has a three-month commitment to the show. She returned for the finale shows in May and leaves today for New York in preparation of the 41-city "American Idol Tour." After nearly two weeks of rehearsals, the tour will kick off June 24 in Binghamton, N.Y., and wraps up in August. There is one concert scheduled in North Carolina -- on July 13 at Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham.
She has been at home in Goldsboro since the finale aired, doing mostly "summer things" like going to the beach and reconnecting with friends.
"People always ask me this question, 'What did I learn?'" she said. "Perseverance. The competition was intense; it was hard. There's a lot of things that are thrown at you -- people doing the kind of music that you like, wondering if you can do it better, you're sizing up your competition."
One thing she had going for her, Majesty Rose said, was being grounded and having a sense of who she was, as an artist and as a person.
"I think I did a pretty good job of that," she said. "I don't recommend people going to 'American Idol' if they don't know who they are."
Among the comments she received from the show's judges, particularly Harry Connick Jr., were about her song choices and the need to settle on a music genre so the audience would feel they knew her. Majesty Rose said she took the critiques in stride.
"People are used to having a person who does one thing. I understand what Harry was talking about because you have certain fans who like just one thing," she said. "I set the bar really high for myself from the beginning."
Her musical tastes are varied, she admits, much like the interests she will continue to pursue while on the road.
"I do listen to a lot of music because other music inspires me, like Coldplay and worship music, but what I like to do is read and journal, read the Bible," she said. She also plays the guitar, she said, but isn't quite sure how that will work out on a crowded tour bus.
She has mixed feelings about the upcoming experience -- ranging from excited to nervous as she embarks on the "grueling" schedule of traveling and performing every night, while anticipating the perks of having a wardrobe provided on tour.
"We have the same stylist from 'American Idol.' We really worked well together," she said. "That's probably one of the most exciting parts for me is what you get to wear.
"I have a surprise for every show. I don't know if I should say, but it has to do with flowers."
She said she is asking her "Rosebuddies," the nickname coined for her fans, to wear a floral headband to the shows so she can pick them out of the crowd.
The concert format, she explained, will be a combination of group songs as well as solos, duets and trios.
"It will be like extended versions of what people saw on the show," she said.
While on the road, Majesty said she'll miss "the warmth" of her hometown but is thankful for the foundation she is blessed to have, and that will help her stay strong while away.
And she is already thinking about the next chapter of her life.
"I'm really excited about what I will be able to do after the tour. I'm praying about it. I just want to be wherever the Lord wants me to be. I don't want to be out of step," she said.
She also had a parting message for her local supporters.
"I will see them when I get back. They should just keep a lookout for what I'm going to be doing," she said. "Then see where God is going to take me. It will be an adventure."
There are several ways to follow Majesty Rose -- on Facebook, where an official fan page has been set up, and on Twitter and Instagram, under @PsMajestyRose.