Here we go again! In the wake of last night’s revelation that X Factor 3 hopeful, Lillie McCloud, wasn’t as unacquainted with show business as her backstory would lead you to believe, we have Rachel Potter.
She’s just a bartender in Nashville trying to fulfill her dream to be a country music star, according to her audition.
Except that thing where she has spent years on the Broadway stage, to much success and acclaim! Oops. Her performance of Queen’s “Somebody to Love” was more big voiced and dramatic, rather than country. Now I understand why.
Notice that the judges kind of dance around her experience without really addressing it as they quiz her before she sings.
“So you’re familiar with the music scene,” Demi coyly asks. “Yes ma’am. Sort of,” Rachel replies.
“So why do you need the X Factor?” Demi probes.
“Well, I’m 29. I’m not a spring chicken. When there’s a lot of 15 year olds getting record deals they may be overlooking a 29 year old.”
Broadway star yes. Spring chicken no. That’s why she’s on the X Factor. But again, the “Broadway Star” part is conveniently left out by producers.
Rachel played Peron’s Mistress in the 2012 revival of Evita, starring Ricky Martin. She made her Broadway debut as Wednesday in The Addams Family. She also played Glinda in the national tour of Wicked and was a Top 15 finalist on MTV’s Legally Blond: The Search for Elle Woods. Here’s her resume.
On You Tube she’s got scads of videos. She released an EP to iTunes called Live the Dream in 2012 and released a video of the title track. Yes, it’s a country tune, more or less. There are cameos from a slew of her Broadway pals, including Ricky Martin and Idol’s Constantine Maroulis.
I’ll give her credit for being sincere about wanting to sing country music. She’s been at it for at least a year now. It’s not as if she plucked a genre out of the air because she thought it would be easy.
Rachel and Constantine Maroulis sing “Barton Hollow” by the Civil Wars
Here she is, singing “Pulled” from the Addams Family
She appeared on the Today Show to sing a song written by Kathie Lee Gifford, called “Without You.” It’s an ode to adoptive moms.
During her stint in Evita, she performed “Hold On to Me,” a country ballad, from her EP, on CBS New York.
