Meet the real “American Idol” bikini girl: Casey Carlson.
Contestant Katrina Darrell made headlines and became a YouTube star after she showed up for “Idol’s” Phoenix, Ariz. auditions wearing an itsy-bitsy bikini and planted a big kiss on host Ryan Seacrest.
But Kansas City contender Carlson is the real deal.
The singer models in swimsuit calendars for Campus Girls USA [see here]. The company’s Web site features a gallery of Carlson – who is identified as a representative of the University of Minnesota.
Fans can purchase a calendar that features Carlson in a different sexy bikini for every month of the year. Carlson is also featured in a special edition “Girls of the Big 10” calendar, from which all proceeds are donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. It sells for $14.95
And she doesn’t just look good – she sounds pretty good too.
Carlson sang Vanessa Carlton‘s “A Thousand Miles” in her audition and earned unanimous praise from four “Idol” judges.
“I like you. I’m going to say yes,” said Simon Cowell, and newbie Kara DioGuardi told Carlson, “I see a package here.”
Darrell had less luck with the judging panel and nearly got into a catfight with DioGuardi. Darrell performed a warbly rendition of Mariah Carey‘s “Vision of Love,” and DioGuardi said she simply didn’t have the chops to pull it off.
After the singing-songwriting judge belted out a few bars to demonstrate how it should be done, Darrell shot back that her version “wasn’t any better.”
Judge Paula Abdul intervened and defused a potential faceoff.
And speaking of faceoffs – we’re wondering what will happen when the two bikini girls meet and compete.
They both made it to the next round: Hollywood.
