American Idol Jordin Sparks is a 17 year wonder. He stock continues to rise in the 
American Idol ContestÂ
When 17-year-old Jordin Sparks sings on “American Idol” tonight, she’ll have a crowd of supporters gathered around the TV in Billings.
Jordin is among the top 10 female finalists on the show. Her great-aunt, Diane Weaver, of Billings, will be joined by friends and family at a party to watch the teen compete for the coveted “Idol” title.
“America Idol” has launched the careers of top-selling singers Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Fantasia, among others who won the title.
Competitors who didn’t win have become stars, too.
Among them are Clay Aiken and Jennifer Hudson, who won the best supporting actress Academy Award on Sunday for her role in “Dreamgirls.”
The day before winning her Oscar, Hudson talked with Jordin by phone. And Jordin is featured in a photo on the cover of the latest People magazine, as well as with a photo and mini-story along with other “Idol” performers.
Jordin is no stranger to high-profile singing competitions. In 2003, she auditioned for the “American Juniors” and “Star Search.” The next year, she appeared on “Most Talented Kids” twice and won in her first appearance. She went on to be one of seven kids to perform on the show’s special championship edition.
She was cast in a Nashville musical in 2005.
Also in 2005, Jordin, then 15, took second place in a national Gospel Music Awards competition in Estes Park, Colo., behind a 31-year-old singer. Weaver was there to watch her great-niece perform and was in Seattle last year when Jordin beat thousands of other performers to advance to the Hollywood round of “American Idol.”
“I’ve been watching her sing at family gatherings and events” since Jordin was tiny, Weaver said. “I’m one of her biggest fans.”
Weaver describes the process in Seattle as “wait and get excited, wait and get excited, wait and get very excited” as the throng went through judging.
During the Seattle competition, Jordin went through three auditions before becoming one of fewer than 20 contestants to get the coveted golden ticket to the Hollywood competition. After the initial auditions, the competitors who advanced to Hollywood returned home, then came back to Seattle a week later - in the same clothes and hairstyles as before - to go before series judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson for more taping.
Jordin has spent weeks in Hollywood now while vying against contestants from other auditions in other cities. She has survived cuts that took the field to 12 male and 12 female competitors and then to 10 of each.
But her story almost took a different turn. She had tried out in the earlier Pasadena, Fla., auditions and didn’t get picked, although she received some encouragement to try another audition site.
Returning to her home in Glendale, Ariz., Jordin modeled plus-size styles for Torrid. But she tried out for an Arizona state “American Idol” competition through the Fox affiliate in Phoenix and beat 500 others to win a car and a trip to the Seattle auditions.
“That’s the point of the story - never give up,” Weaver said.
The road to the current round of competition has been exciting for Jordin and her family, including Weaver’s sister, Pam Wiedmann, who is Jordin’s manager and is with her in Hollywood.
It’s also been a largely secretive one. Families were sworn not to let anyone know that their relatives had made it to the top 24.
“It was very difficult to keep quiet, but you did not want to jeopardize her chances,” said Weaver, who has surprised friends in Billings as they learn that she has a great-niece doing so well in the competition that’s part of the top-rated show on TV.
She laughs recalling an acquaintance at the Rotary Club, where she is past president, who was enthusiastic about her relationship to Jordin’s father, former National Football League player Philippe Sparks, but less acquainted with “American Idol.”
She finds that friends, but especially their kids, are fans of Jordin. Some people, including 20- and 30-year-olds, have approached her for autographs from Jordin.
It’s also been an exciting time for Jordin’s great-grandparents in Fargo, N.D. - Gladys and Jim Rutherford - as well as Jordin’s immediate family, which includes her dad; mother, Jodi; and brother Philippe Jr., or P.J.
Meanwhile, rehearsals continue for Jordin and the remaining contestants. Unlike older contestants, Jordin is fitting in study time with a tutor, too.
“It’s just so fun to watch her,” Weaver said.
Tonight’s performance will be an emotional one for relatives and for Jordin, who is dedicating her song to a friend and former classmate who died recently.
Whatever the outcome of Jordin’s “Idol” odyssey, Weaver sees music in the teen’s future. Should Jordin make the top 10, she’s a guaranteed winner: Those singers will tour for a year performing “Idol” concerts - getting even more exposure and being be paid for each performance in 40 to 60 shows.
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