'American Idol' runner-up Diana DeGarmo will perform at the MCI Center Sunday as part of the Pop Tarts Presents American Idols Live! tour

EMILY GILMORE

Date published: 8/19/2004

THE FREE LANCE-STAR

aS FANTASIA BARRINO and Diana DeGarmo waited for the Miss America-like moment when one of them would be crowned the newest "American Idol," they shared their nerves with a national audience of about 31.4 million people.

To get to that point, the chanteuses calmly clobbered the competition by crooning their way through weekly television shows in front of audiences also numbering in the millions.

And to think DeGarmo used to be nervous about performing before a mere 60,000 spectators.

Before the finale to season three of "Idol," DeGarmo's largest audience had been at a monster truck show in Atlanta, where she sang the national anthem three years ago.

"I thought I was going to have a heart attack before I went out there," the exuberant 17-year-old said by phone from her hotel in Little Rock, Ark., where she and nine of her fellow "Idol" finalists were to perform that night.

The American Idols Live! tour will stop at the MCI Center in Washington on Sunday.

In addition to runner-up DeGarmo, Amy Adams, Jasmine Trias, John Stevens, Jon Peter Lewis, Jennifer Hudson, La Toya London, George Huff, Camile Velasco and "Idol" winner Fantasia will take the stage for punchy song-and-dance numbers, both solo and in groups.

With the competition over and the pressure off, it's time for the one-time "Idol" wannabes to just have fun traveling by bus from city to city and performing for adoring fans.

"We're like a big family," DeGarmo said. "We're a bunch of goofballs on top of thatIt's totally like a family road trip."

Diana DeGarmo may not be as much of a household name as her season-two counterpart Clay Aiken, but DeGarmo's first single "Dreams/Don't Cry Out Loud" sold a remarkable 65,000 copies upon its release at the end of June.

The single also includes "I Believe," written by season-one's Tamyra Gray, who will appear on this year's tour.

The songs are what you might expect as a result of the show that manufactures tomorrow's pop stars while-u-wait. But DeGarmo's voice is strong and appealing, especially on Melissa Manchester's "Don't Cry Out Loud," which was chosen for DeGarmo by former Arista Records head and "Idol" guest judge Clive Davis.

DeGarmo's first full-length album is intended for record store shelves in October.

Date published: 8/19/2004