Utah singer surprised to be an 'Idol' finalist

To say that Megan Joy Corkrey is surprised to be one of the 13 finalists on "American Idol" would be an understatement.

"No way! I didn't think I was going to make it through the first thing," she said of her audition at the EnergySolutions Arena back in July. "I mean, I never even made a solo in choir in high school, so I didn't think I was going to go anywhere."

The Taylorsville High grad was selected by "Idol" judges as one of four wild-card entries in the Final 13. She'll sing in a two-hour episode on Tuesday (7 p.m., Ch. 13). Eliminations will be announced on Wednesday (8 p.m., Ch. 13).

The judges have praised the 23-year-old Sandy woman for being different, quirky and current. Corkrey would like nothing more than to be the next Bjork, who is her "number-one influence."

"I fell in love with her when I was 16. She just changed my life," Corkrey said in a conference call with TV critics. "Her music is so beautiful and original and different. It's so emotional, and I just love it.

"If I was allowed to, I would sing any Bjork song. Any," in upcoming episodes of "American Idol."

The songs have to be cleared by the show's producers, who don't have the rights to every song.

Corkrey isn't sure "Idol" judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi would be particularly enthusiastic about a Bjork song, however.

"I think they would probably criticize it a lot," she said. "It would have to be the right song. It couldn't be anything crazy or weird. It would have to have a pretty solid rhythm, and some of her songs don't."

Corkrey is already getting less-than-rave reviewers for her, um, rather spastic dance movies.

"I really don't know why that happens," Corkrey said. "When I start singing, I just flop around, and it just happens."

While she's the second Utahn in as many years to make the finals — David Archuleta was, of course, the runner-up last season — Corkrey said her home state hasn't been an issue.

"I really haven't had a lot of people comment about Utah and David," she said. "I really haven't heard anything about that."

And yet it's clear that Corkrey is already breaking down some Utah stereotypes. Another critic on the call said that people in other states looked at Utah as "kind of a closed place that Roseanne Barr used to complain about, and yet here you come, and you've got this very wide-open personality and the wonderful tattoos."

"Do we misunderstand Utah?" he asked. "Is it a much more open and allowing place than people think?"

"Oh, Utah is so open and friendly," Corkrey said. "It's such a family place. If you want to raise a family and feel safe, Utah's the place."