Genavieve Linkowski reacts on Monday night in her Atlas Township home after learning she’s moving on in American Idol. Photo by Patrick McAbee.

By David Fleet
Editor
Atlas Twp.- Genavieve Linkowski is going to Hollywood.
“Come and get your gold ticket, you’re going to Hollywood,” said an exuberant popstar Katy Perry, who along with country music singer Luke Bryan and singer songwriter Lionel Richie voted unanimously to send the township native on to next round of American Idol.
On Monday night about 100 friends and family gathered at her parents township home to watch Linkowski’s performance of “I Won’t Give Up,” by Jason Mraz on primetime ABC.
“It was the craziest day of my life,” said Linkowski. “Some were saying how tough it is and if they (judges) don’t like you they are going to tell you right there. I was really scared of that. I was just so curious to what they will say during and after my performance.”
Linkowski’s road to the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn., and the American Idol celebrity judging round was anything but smooth. Over the past five years Linkowski has striven to make it to the professional level as a singer.

After several auditions for “The Voice” that fell short a chance video clip of her singing “Better Man,” by Little Big Town at Burton thrift store that went viral on the internet prompted a call from an “American Idol” casting agent.
“The American Idol casting agent found me through the thrift store video,” she said. “Since I was not in an area where ‘American Idol’ auditions are being held, I could Skype it to her. I kept thinking the internet was going to stop working half way through the audition.”
The Skype audition was a hit and lead to an “American Idol” tryout in Dallas on Aug. 31 at the Omni Hotel.
“It really went well,” she said. “I felt really comfortable. So we went home after that. About two weeks later our family was on our yearly vacation in Mertle Beach in September when I got the call from “American Idol” and I missed it. So I got right back to her and they said, Hey you’re on the celebrity judging round.”
So, Linkowski and family, 14 in all, traveled to the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn.
“We were all there at the Country Music Hall of Fame at 7 a.m. but did not audition until 9 p.m. (that night) it was so long to wait,” she said. “The judges arrived about 1 p.m. and heard auditions until like 10 p.m. All the contestants and family were in a holding room we could not leave all day.”
There were about 27 contestants over two days of auditions.
“They did not feed us either,” she laughed. “It was a good thing mom bring enough food and ran out and got me coffee.”
Then they called her name.
“I walked into the room and Katy (Perry) talked to me first,” she said. “They were freaking out over the size of my family. We had some laughs and then they asked me what I was going to sing. I did it on the keys and they were super nice.”
Katy Perry called her “polished” and Lionel Richie compared her to Céline Dion.
“Then I got the Golden Ticket,” she said. “ I walked up to the table and I just broke down and said ‘it’s been a long day.’”
Linkowski will now move on to Hollywood week.