"My name is Shera Lawrence! I'm from Morgantown Kentucky, and I'm going to Hollywood!"

She's a Western Kentucky University student, an Orthopedic Center office assistant, and a soul singer.

"I've been singing since I was a little girl, since I was able to speak," Shera explained, just minutes after receiving her golden ticket at the second round of Louisville American Idol auditions. "That's what my mom tells me. I sing at church. I sing at weddings. I sing whenever I can. You open the doors for me, I'll sing whenever I can. It's just something I love to do. Music is just absolutely amazing. I couldn't live without it."

Before she took the stage for Simon, Paula, Kara, and Randy, we caught up with Shera for July's first round of auditions at Louisville's Freedom Hall.

"I guess being a vocalist, it's always been a dream of mine," she told us. "I thought, what better time than the present?"

Auditioning alongside thousands of other hopefuls, Shera came primed to impress.

She told us she's got experience on her side.

"I am the reigning champ of Bowling Green Idol! I won that last year," she said.

She came to the competition not wanting to feel the pressure.

"I'm not going into it looking like that because I don't want to be let down," she admitted. "I know there's a slim to none chance. Everybody's got their heart set on it. I could easily be let down. I'm just going into it with a good attitude. Whatever happens happens."

So, thousands of auditions later, what happened?

She made it to the second round of Louisville auditions.

September 8th.

Churchill Downs.

Shera stood last in line, ready to face the judges.

How'd it go?

"As crazy as that sounds to me right now, I'm going to Hollywood!" she exclaimed, after leaving the judges' room. "So many people support me, and I couldn't tell any of them 'no'. I wanted them all to be here. They all support me, my life, and what better moment to share with all of them."

What'd the judges think?

"It was all positive," she said, relieved. "I was completely surprised. It was like, it was like a hands down, 'you're in'. Simon never even said a mean thing to me. That was awesome. I considered that a huge privilege."

Shera was cut from the competition after making the top 54.

Still, she left maintaining her positive spirit, simply remarking, 'It's not the end of the world'.