How does it feel to be the winner of "American Idol"? season 22 champ Abi Carter still doesn't have the right words for it.
"I think life doesn't really feel real, to be honest," the 21-year-old said with a chuckle. "I don't feel like any of it happened."
In the days since her crowning moment, the Indio native has been busy in New York City, doing a number of press opportunities and enjoying the good life. In the midst of all the madness, she caught up with The Desert Sun to reflect on her "American Idol" journey, what it was like to hear her name called as the winner and what fans can expect from her in the future.
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'Every feeling and yet no feeling at all'
Carter looked confident and poised throughout Sunday's finale. She took the stage multiple times to earn America's vote, performing Bon Jovi’s "Bed of Roses," honoring departing judge Katy Perry with a medley alongside her fellow Top 12 ladies, rocking out with Bishop Briggs and singing her latest single "This Isn't Over."
Going into the big day, Carter admitted she "didn't really feel much of anything."
"I had made it as far as you could ever hope to go. I had already gotten to do the hometown visit and that was an absolute dream for me, and I felt like that was winning to me," Carter said. "Going into Sunday, I wasn't even nervous. Whatever happens, happens, because no matter what, I'm at least third place, which is so cool."
Even when it came down to the two elimination rounds, she felt "completely calm" because of her "love and respect" for fellow contestants Will Moseley and Jack Blocker, who finished runner up and third place, respectively.
"It didn't really matter to me what the outcome was because I was so proud of both of them, and it would have made 100% sense to me if any of them had made it over me. So it wasn't scary," she said.
Once she did hear host Ryan Seacrest call out her name, she was shocked and emotional, as she fell to her knees and wiped away tears.
"('American Idol' winner) Fantasia (Barrino) said it best the other night. She said when she won that she was numb. I completely resonate with that. It was like every feeling and yet no feeling at all," Carter said. "I expected them to call Will Moseley, it just made sense to me. So to hear my name called, it really was not a scenario that I had pre-thought about."
What made her cry was seeing videos of people cheering her win at the Jackalope Ranch watch party in Indio, she said.
Reflecting on the whole "Idol" journey, Carter said it was challenging and filled with a lot of early mornings, late nights, stress and not enough rest. But the one goal she had coming into the competition was to make friends, "and damn did I achieve that goal," she said.
"It's been life-changing," Carter added.
Abi Carter described her 'Idol' hometown visit as 'jaw-dropping'
The highlight of her journey has been returning to the Coachella Valley for her hometown visit, a tradition for the Top 3 contestants. Clips from the visit, which took place May 14, were seen during Sunday's finale.
Carter had an opportunity to spend time with her family at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, return to George Washington Charter School in Palm Desert and end her day at her parade and concert in downtown Indio. It was an emotional day for her as she reunited with her former teachers and spoke with choir students, and she recognized how big that moment was for all of them.
"I looked at all these little kids and I remembered when I was a little kid in that same room, auditioning for my very first talent show. I just kind of thought to myself, if somebody from my same background came to my school when I was a kid and basically told me that what I wanted to do in the future was possible from where I'm at, I might have done it sooner. I might have been more confident, I might have not wasted time thinking that my life would never go further than where I was at," Carter said. "To be that for some kids was incredible to me."
She added that having those kids look at her like "their hero" was such an honor, and it still makes her emotional to think about. She also said it was "jaw-dropping" to see all the signs and support her fans had for her that entire day.
As a way to give back to her community, Carter presented local nonprofit Tools For Tomorrow with a $20,000 check. The nonprofit, which the singer utilized as a child, provides free after school and online arts literacy programs for children.
Carter noted she appreciates how much her hometown of Indio has been investing in the arts, evident by the addition of its newest performance venue, Center Stage, where she performed during her visit.
"That is so important in today's age. I think we're realizing that life is so much more than just a 9-5 working to live instead of working to live," she said. "I think it's really important for these kids to know that there's more out there for them."
During Sunday's finale, Carter dedicated "Somewhere" from "West Side Story" to Indio. When asked why she chose the song, she said that everything it's about — dreaming of a place, time and moment when everything falls into place and works out — is the feeling of home for her.
"I've been gone from home for so long that I was longing for my home and my bed and my family and friends and to get my favorite food again," the singer added.
Some of those favorites include Armando's Dakota Bar & Grill on El Paseo, which she believes has the "best daquiris in the whole valley"; Las Casuelas Terraza in Palm Springs because she loves the live music; and Kitchen 86 + Bar on El Paseo because that was the first restaurant that hired her to play music. "I literally felt like I had made it as a musician after they believed in me and gave me that chance. And they have great food," she said.
What comes next for 'American Idol' winner Abi Carter?
The future looks bright and exciting for Carter.
Just this week, she appeared on "Good Morning America" with Moseley and "Live with Kelly and Mark" on Tuesday. Other items on her New York City itinerary include seeing a Broadway show, attending a few baseball games and even throwing the first pitch at the New York Mets game on Friday. She also ran into "American Idol" season 14 winner Nick Fradiani, who she didn't get a chance to meet during Sunday's finale, while she was sampling some of the city's famous bakeries, she said.
During the season finale, Carter shared with guest mentor Jon Bon Jovi that she hopes to lean into the indie music genre during her career. On Wednesday, the singer added that, at the end of the day, she wants to stay true to what feels right for her.
"I think the hardest thing going into this career is wanting to please everybody, and I feel like when I've written songs in the past, I've wanted to do something that I thought would be popular," she said. "I think what I want to do going forward is being more in line with myself artistically and kind of wanting to use music as therapy rather than my goal being for something to be popular."
Although it doesn't hurt that her latest single, "This Isn't Over," has already found its place on the iTunes charts.
Carter's Coachella Valley fans are eager to know when she will be back to her hometown, which she hopes is very soon.
"Who knows, maybe I'll be able to put on another concert for everybody," Carter said.
Relive the finale:Abi Carter of Indio takes crown in star-studded 'American Idol' finale
Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.
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