McComb’s La’Porsha Renae finished runner-up on the series finale of “American Idol” Thursday night, but it won’t be the last time her legion of fans will hear her sing.
Almost immediately after fellow Mississippian Trent Harmon of Amory was announced as the winner, La’Porsha had already signed with the Universal Music Group’s 19/Big Machine and Motown records.
Harmon became the last champion of “American Idol” as the Fox show, ending its 15-year run, welcomed the return of all of its champions, runners-up and biggest stars, who performed Thursday night during the second of a two-part finale.
On Wednesday, with the elimination of a third finalist, Dalton Rapattoni of Texas, it was clear that the last “Idol” would could from the Magnolia State.
“And the next American Idol is,” host Ryan Seacrest said, building anticipation from the audience, “Trent Harmon.”
Harmon thanked La’Porsha as he spoke about his new title.
“I worked so hard,” he said. “She pushed me through it. We did it for Mississippi.”
Not jaded, La’Porsha happily sang right along with Harmon as he sang his winning song.
“He deserves it,” she told Entertainment Tonight after the show, adding that she somehow had expected to finish as runner-up.
“The one who people think are going to win never does, so I expected it,” said La’Porsha, who had solidified herself as a front-runner early in the competition.
La’Porsha is the first “Idol” runner-up to receive a record deal immediately after the show.
“Because of the overwhelming fan demand and success of the farewell season of ‘American Idol,’ we have made the decision to sign both the winner, Trent Harmon, and runner-up, La’Porsha Renae, to exclusive recording agreements,” Big Machine Records CEO Scott Borchetta told Billboard.
La’Porsha said producers told her about the deal after the show.
“I was like ‘OK. Wow!’ ” she said.
In a three-month span, the world watched as she evolved into a powerful singer.
She drove all the way to Providence, R.I., to audition for the show before being invited to the second and third rounds of auditions.
“I was determined to go to every city if I had to,” she said Wednesday night on “Idol.” “If they told me no in one city, I was going to the next and to the next and to the next.”
Her friends Shymain Montgomery and La’Terrica McClain, viewing the show Thursday night at a watch party at the home of Dr. Louise Gombako-Amos in McComb, said it was their friend’s time to shine.
McClain said she first learned La’Porsha auditioned for “American Idol” in Rhode Island from the internet.
“I saw something on the internet about ‘American Idol’ being in Providence. I’m from Rhode Island, so I was like, ‘OK, cool.’ So, I’m scrolling and I see her name and I said, ‘Wait a minute! It’s about time,’ ” McClain said. “God places you right where you need to be. It was time.”
Besides paving her path to fame, “American Idol” also helped serve as a way for La’Porsha and her infant daughter Nayalee to leave an abusive marriage. She once called the show her “prince charming with the golden carriage.”
“We heard about the happy times in her marriage,” McClain said.
She said she and La’Porsha both married men in the military and had plans of being happy military wives.
But they each woke up in nightmares — and they each escaped.
La’Porsha Renae, who refuses to use her former husband’s last name, sought refuge at a domestic violence shelter.
Montgomery said she never expected her friend to talk about her situation on television.
“When she was standing in the middle of the road holding Nayalee and she said it, I was shocked. But I was happy for her,” she said.
McClain said La’Porsha has made a complete change in a matter of months.
“ ’Porsha’s happier now and you can see it all over her face,”she said.
“She’s getting back to the old ’Porsha,” Montgomery said.
The “American Idol” moment that shocked them was when she sang “Proud Mary.” Montgomery said she’d never seen her friend move like that.
McClain she was excited to see her friend move on stage. She said there’s more to her friend’s talent than America has seen.
She recalls when La’Porsha played the role of Evilline in the “Wiz” in high school.
“I was supposed to be dancing and I’m watching Porsha stomp around stage singing ‘No Bad News,’ ” she said.
Her friends were sad she didn’t win but excited about the future.
“This is not the end,” McClain said.
