5 things we learned about Mississippi teen's audition on 'American Idol'

Lici Beveridge, Hattiesburg American
·2 min read
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Sumrall teen Kayleigh Clark is one of the newest contestants on "American Idol" who will be going to Hollywood to continue her pursuit of a musical career.

"I hit the jackpot," Clark said on Facebook. "I got the golden ticket and I'm heading to Hollywood!"

Clark auditioned for the show in New Orleans. The episode aired Sunday. The 17-year-old homeschooled senior performed a cappella, singing Garth Brooks' "The Dance."

Judge Katy Perry said Clark was too quiet and asked for another song. Clark followed it up with Hillsong Worship's "I Surrender."

While Perry wasn't entirely convinced, fellow judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie voted to send her on to the next round.

Meet Kayleigh Clark:This Mississippi girl is ready for 'American Idol' judges.

5 things we learned about Kayleigh Clark from her audition

  • If you didn't guess by the bright pink rubber boots in her opening sequence and the hot pink jacket she wore during her audition, her favorite color "for sure" is pink. "I've always been into glitter and pink, but I also live on a farm so I like to get dirty, too."

  • Some people have told Clark she looks like HunterGirl "a little bit" and Dolly Parton "which is a huge compliment."

  • She's into hunting and fishing. "I actually killed my first buck last year with my crossbow," she told Bryan. "I did it all by myself."

  • She may sing softly, but she's got talent. Bryan said, "I think that little girl is going to be in the Top 10."

  • There are 25,000 chickens in each of her family's chicken houses. She's going to practice projecting her voice over the noisy chickens. "I may be going to Hollywood, but I'm going to sing for some chickens first."

What is it about Amory?'American Idol' loves contestants from this small town in Mississippi . We went there to find out why

Do you have a story to share? Contact Lici Beveridge at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge.

This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Mississippi teen Kayleigh Clark going to Hollywood on American Idol