MEMO to wannabe “American Idols“: If you want to impress Paula Abdul, you’d better look and act the part.
“I love when contestants come in and they have their look together,” Abdul told The Post.
“If they’re individual and expressive with their style, bohemian, or simple . . . I love when people have a look and that’s really who they are – and when they perform, you get it.”
Following this sea son’s auditions – a non-stop freak show which, at times, seemed to have more costumed wannabes than “Let’s Make a Deal” – Abdul says potential winners are the ones who show up with substance and style.
The 24 semi-finalists who make it through the Hollywood round will be introduced to viewers next Wednesday.
Abdul says that, in many cases this year, the semi-finalists are missing that one element – a style that instantly tells the fans exactly who they are as a performer.
“Everyone in [the final 24] has something very unique about them,” Abdul says.
“But many also have an element missing to round it out, so that’s why I think it’s going to be fun for the audience to see how they grow.
“I think that’s a part of the show that everyone loves,” says Abdul. “Everyone likes to see how [the contestants] change and grow into the part.”
Even as the contestants morph into potential pop stars, Abdul says she prefers it if they already have a sense of themselves before they come on the show.
“I like to see the fact that they are solid in knowing who they are,” she says.
“They usually know that they’re talented, but I like it when there’s not a sense of insecurity – they just go out there and do it.
“There’s a guy who’s got that, he’s sort of like [Journey’s lead singer] Steve Perry, and a girl who’s got it.
“Some of them don’t look the part.”