We can only imagine how amazing it must have felt for American Idol 2016 finalist La’Porsha Renae to arrive back home in McComb, Mississippi to the sound of cheers from her adoring fans. Thousands of people turned out to get a glimpse of their hometown potential American Idol winner as the city celebrated La’Porsha with a parade and concert.
In an interview with FOX 40 News, La’Porsha said the hometown support of so many people “blew me away, I had to catch my breath, it’s just an honor, I feel honored today.”
Going back home brought up a lot of history for La’Porsha, who remembers listening to fellow McComb native Brandy. “Her music was very relatable, and it’s what I listened to as a kid,” she said, according to the Hattiesburg American. “I definitely say Mississippi has had a big impact on my musical viewpoint.”
Although La’Porsha is currently projected to be the next American Idol winner in quite a few fan polls, she told The Clarion-Ledger that the next possible elimination is always on her mind. “All day, every day. It never leaves,” she said. “As soon as you find out you made it through to the next week, it stays on your mind. It’s the natural way.”
La’Porsha Renae was toasted with her own parade through downtown McComb, MS during her visit. She held tight to her darling baby daughter throughout the ride, waving and smiling at the thousands gathered to show their support. After the parade, La’Porsha gave a short concert at the Tiger Athletic Complex at McComb High School, singing some of her fans’ favorite songs from her time on American Idol.
When asked by reporters before the concert how she gets through each week on the show, La’Porsha said you have to be prepared for everything. “There are a lot of hiccups that go on behind the scenes,” she said. Including forgetting your words, like she did during her last set of performances on American Idol. And that’s just the least of it. “Most of the time, whatever you plan out, it’s not going to happen on stage,” she said. “Sometimes it’s better, sometimes it’s worse. Once you become comfortable with that, you can get into being a true artist.
La’Porsha Renae showed off that artistry to her fans back home in Mississippi during her hometown visit. Her renditions of “Summertime,” “Proud Mary” and “No More Drama” had the crowd cheering and roaring for more from their hometown girl.
Are you rooting for La’Porsha to win it all? Tell us if you are Team La’Porsha in the comments area below! And be sure to join us for the American Idol finale this Thursday and watch the end of an era as the show comes to a close after fifteen seasons!
AMERICAN IDOL: Contestant La’Porsha Renae visits her hometown of McComb, Mississippi. © 2016 FOX Broadcasting Co. Cr: James Patterson / FOX.