Didi Benami is a beautiful star. We have the proof below. She’s one of our favorite American Idol contestants thus far. We’re proud of her accomplishments and look forward to seeing her on the tour. Congrats, Didi. Go on, gendancers, read her inspiring words with us this week.

Were you at all prepared for the scrutiny you got on the show?
No, I wasn’t an avid American Idol watcher. I was just being myself. I wasn’t expecting it, but I’m okay. I dealt with it. It was a lot like my LA experience. You get kicked down and gotta start all over again.

Tell us more about the LA experience you had.
It’s a crazy experience in LA. You get kicked down a lot. I moved out here when I was 19. I had crazy roommates and moved around a lot. I didn’t have a place to live. I was living out of my car. It’s been rough. I wanted to work in entertainment and sing, and I managed to find myself along the way. I was trying to pursue what I loved. I faced a lot of hardships. I was waiting tables for a while. It’s never been a stable environment for me, but my life got uplifted again. I taught myself to play guitar and wrote down all the thoughts I couldn’t say out loud to anyone. I worked on my skills and trained myself to write. I was grateful to be on American Idol. It was a great platform for me to continue my song writing.

How long ago were you living in your car?
The first year I was here, which was 2006.

How do all the contestants get along?
Everyone gets along pretty well. Everyone does their own thing. It was like little families in our apartments. I enjoyed spending time and meeting them.

You had a moment on stage with Siobhan. What did she say to you at the end after you sang your song?
She’s a really amazing person. I love her very much. She was my roommate. I met her on the first day of Hollywood week. She’s unique and different and one of my best friends. I know we will be friends for a long time. She is gonna go far. She deserves it.

What did Crystal say to you during your long hug when you left?
Crystal stayed with me that night. It was nice. They are amazing and wonderful people. It’s hard when you meet other artists that you connect with and then have to compete with. We all have something different to bring to the table. We do what we do best and love each other along the way.

What was it like working with Usher and Miley Cyrus?
It was pretty cool. I had to realize where I was, like ‘oh, I’m on American Idol, Top 10!’  I was just riding the wave and got further than I ever thought I would. I was grateful to have my supporters get me there to meet them.

When Ryan was doggin’ on you about revealing what the song was about, did that hurt you?
It was kind of a weird situation. I was trying to convey a message through the song. It was pretty obvious to people why I sang it. I love the song, that’s why I sang it. It was uncomfortable because I didn’t wanna answer the question. I did what was in my best interest.

Kara said you had lost your way… What was your reaction? Did you understand and agree?
I don’t feel like I lost my way. I feel like they wanted me to do something specific. I didn’t do different things just to show I can do them. I tap into every emotion I have. That’s artistry. I was showing a different side to myself. They may not have wanted to see it. I was being me. I appreciate Kara. I think she was trying to be helpful. It’s not everyday you sing for 30 million people.

You’ve cried a lot during the season. Has this been an emotional ride for you?
Music has always been therapeutic for me. I’m not always emotional. I’ve always been strong. I break down sometimes. American Idol is something I always wanted to do. Reaching the place I had on the show was a big accomplishment. You work so hard and believe and keep the faith and know good things will come. When they do, it’s almost disbelief.

What was it like waiting to hear if you were gonna be safe?
The whole crowd was chanting. It was pretty cool. It kinda felt like I was going home; regardless, I was ok. I got support from everyone. I’m happy because I’m going on tour. I also wanna put a record together. Keep a look out for me!

Next week is Beatles week. What songs were you thinking about singing?
I wanted to do “BlackBird”. I love that song. Or maybe “Across the Universe”. I was back and forth with several. I really started to delve into it. I didn’t know what was gonna happen.

You hardly have time to sleep. Tell us about the pace you keep on Idol versus your everyday life.
It is like an intense boot camp for singers. You learn a song in very little time and then sing on stage to everyone. It’s a lot of pressure. It was an amazing experience at the same time. You gotta give it everything you have. I was always busy with photo shoots. I can’t wait to sleep! I’m exhausted but grateful.

What are your plans for the future?
I’ll be on David Letterman sometime next week. Other than that, I’m not really sure. They have me going everyday. I start tour practice after the season finale.

What kind of music do you hope to be making?
I think I’m gonna do singer/songwriter… acoustic, low key, relaxing. I wanna put my heart into it. Its gotta be me. It’s gonna be a twist of soul and acoustic fusion with jazz and bluegrass.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to hear me out. I appreciate all the support. You are amazing, gendancers. My life has changed so much. Thank you!