'Idol' alums give auditioners advice

Ahead of tomorrow's big Season 9 auditions kickoff in Boston, a few Idol alums have been giving their two cents on how to improve their chances of standing out to producers and advancing through the rounds to a possible appearance in front of the judges.

Felicia Barton, who made the Top 36 in the eighth season, dedicated an note entry Tuesday on her Facebook profile to giving advice for this year's hopefuls, writing in part:

3. If you are one of the lucky ones to make it thru...be prepared to leave and have to possibly come back as long as a month later...that's how it was for me....also if you make it thru the first round realize that seeing the judges is still a few rounds away....and they may or may not happen that day!

Ayla Brown, another semifinalist, was interviewed about the audition process by The Boston Herald, and gave insight into how the process goes:

“Once you finally get to where you sing for the first time, you are in groups of four and there are about 15 tents set up inside the stadium,” Brown recalled. “They herd you inside and you sing in front of a producer, about 10 or 15 seconds of a song, then you step back. When everyone has sung, they say, ‘You, you, you, you’re gone.’ I was the only one in my group of four who made it through.”

Another semifinalist from the Boston area, Nick Pedro, offered advice in a column that today appeared in The Herald News from Fall River, Mass.

1. Pick the “right” song.
The downfall of all too many would-be Idols. What makes a song the correct choice? Something that fits your voice and that you’re comfortable singing. Choose a song that you’re familiar with and that properly showcases your vocal ability and style. For example, if you’re a bass baritone country singer, perhaps Mariah Carey’s latest isn’t for you. Also, the National Anthem makes for a fantastic anthem, but as an audition song, not so much.

As expected, one of the top cautions for auditioners from alums is the topic of song choice. Auditions for the show's ninth season kick off tomorrow at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., and will take place in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Orlando and Denver later this summer. For more information, visit AmericanIdol.com.