Naperville native Cora Laux to audition on 'American Idol'

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Naperville native Cora Laux is thrilled to join the list of Chicago area American Idol contestants who've auditioned for the show.

Watching Idol has been a family tradition for the Naperville North High School graduate, who is now a college student in Virginia. She actually got the call she had made the show while in class.

"I was in a lecture class, and I got a phone call from Los Angeles and I thought, 'Could this be 'American Idol' calling?! I was like, 'professor can I take a second...,'" she said.

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Cora said she was influenced by two other local Idol contestants.

"Oh my gosh, so Leah [Marlene] and I have a mutual friend, so I messaged her, do you have any advice, so that was kind of cool," Cora said. "Grace [Kinstler] lives pretty close to me. She is so talented, the things she can do with her voice is unreal."

Cora said she was drawn to music from a young age.

"When I was about 7 years old, my parents divorced. It's also the same time that music found me, when I needed it the most," she said. ""Naperville is special to me, it's a part of my life and musical journey. My mom's dream was music but then it shifted to providing for her family, and being that rock and support and she showed me that working hard you can accomplish those dreams."

As a full-time student who also works three jobs, Cora added: "Life is crazy, life is busy, but it was nice to take a brief moment to pursue my dreams and focus only American Idol, which was super special."