After the Tears, Ramiele Malubay Reflects on Idol
Ramiele Malubay on American Idol by Ray Mickshaw/Fox
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Despite the tears Wednesday night following her elimination,
Ramiele Malubay was her typical cheerful self the next day, offering perspective on her performances on
Idol and the competition overall, as well as what the future may hold (and yes,
Danny Noriega is in it).
With solemnity, Malubay acknowledged the hard truth that "there is only one winner [of the show]," but she also sees her weeks on
Idol as significant, even if her chances to win are over. "It's actually the first real big thing that's happened in my life," she said. "It's exposure, it's a future, and I'm very grateful to the judges to get me as far as I did to let America judge."
And by "judges," Malubay was including Simon, too. He compared her Tuesday performance to that of a singer on a cruise ship, but she still trusts that he has her best interest in mind. "Oh, he likes me, I know he does," Malubay assured reporters. "I... believe in my heart that he says the things he says, sometimes he overdoes it; it's TV, but he just wants us to be better." For any doubters out there, the ever-abrasive judge was Malubay's shoulder to cry on after the elimination.
During the course of the show, the petite singer also learned that listening to the judges too much was the flip side of things. She said she found herself getting psyched out and second-guessing herself, which she thought came through on stage. Yet, somewhere between recording
Idol videos, rehearsing, and performing, she picked up some life skills, too. "I learned to be [a more] humble person," she admitted, adding, "I learned to... appreciate the little things and to be more courteous to people."
Some of her newfound skills might come in handy in her next phase of pursuits. With plans to stay in L.A. and give her singing career a go, we may be seeing more of her soon. Once the tour is over, Malubay's dreaming of an R&B album, some acting and - without a doubt - a duet with soon-to-be-roommate (and cruise-ship expert himself) Danny Noriega.
Finally, after staying in the competition so long, Malubay also had some advice for future
Idol wannabes: "Be yourself... enjoy every single minute of it, because if you think too far ahead you're going to miss the fun stuff when you look back."
- Anna Dimond
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