After waiting more than six hours, Dezarae Rodriguez got about 30 seconds to persuade 'American Idol' producers she belonged on the show's next season.

Unfortunately, the young McAllen singer's rendition of Sugarland's "Stay" didn't do the trick.

But as her vocal coach Gloria Cheever noted before this past Friday's audition at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Dezarae knows how to look on the bright side of things.

"The experience was really good for me," she said.

She couldn't believe how many good singers didn't make it through the competition's brutal first round, where thousands of potential contestants are narrowed down to about 100. She also was surprised to see how many "clowns" made it through because of costumes or gimmicks rather than their voices.

While strolling the hallways before her tryout, Dezarae got the chance to hear "so many different types and styles" of music and singing from fellow auditioners practicing throughout the arena.

"It was encouraging," she said. "It was an experience that's made me stronger."

Now, Dezarae is more determined than ever to land a spot on Fox's star-making television show.

"I'm going to practice singing," she said. And while she now knows a wacky look might raise her chances of making it to the second round, she's not about to sacrifice her self-identity at next year's audition.

"I'm not going as a clown," she vows. "I know how good I am."

------

The two other Valley singers interviewed for this story have not answered requests for updates. Whether they made it through the first cut is unknown.