Stephanie Edwards Sings the Blues

A year after Idol and with a new album in the works, soulful Savannah songbird Stephanie Edwards keeps us hangin' on.

 

It's been exactly one year since Stephanie Edwards made a name for both herself and Savannah on American Idol. The all-consuming fanfare has long faded, and the spotlights have paled; the red carpet has been rolled out for a fresh cast of talent, and then fan mail has dwindled. But for Edwards, who still dreams of pop stardom, the music hasn't died.

 

These days, Edwards can be found wandering the campus of Armstrong Atlantic State University – where she is pursuing a bachelors degree in psychology – or sweating it out at the AASU gym. Gazing off into the distance of Armstrong's student-union lounge – her eyes large and inviting, her mocha-colored skin flawless and free of makeup – the smile that made her so popular with Idol judges and audiences last year wipes across her face. "I never slow down," she says through her wide grin as she pauses from retelling her trip down the fame lane. "Idol seems a lifetime ago sometimes because of all that is going on. I don't want to live in the afterglow of the show, but it will always be a special place in my heart."

 

Infallibly upbeat, Edwards retains a Southern-bred modesty that many Idols cannot claim after tasting celebrity; in fact, she speaks with refreshing candor about the three-ring circus of reality TV, about the judges and about her own Idol downfall. "I don't have any regrets," she says, still smiling. "It was a great time for me. I learned a lot, and I grew a lot musically, professionally and personally. I stayed as long as I could and that is okay."

 

"I would do it all over again tenfold, no doubt," she says. "But I'm happy to be home. I'm back in school. I'm living with my family. I'm a Savannah girl and I want to be here. L.A. is nice , but I will always call Savannah home."

 

So how does Edwards see her future?

 

"Hopefully with five or six albums out, a few awards under my belt," she laughs. "I would like to be married and maybe starting a family. I always wanted to be a recording star, and now I have the chance to, and it's so real. I am pretty normal…I just want to entertain millions of people."