EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Precious Star Gabourey Sidibe's Mom Confident She Can Win Talent Show
Apr. 21 2010, Published 7:30 a.m. ET
Seems that talent runs in the Sidibe family – Oscar nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe’s mom, a New York City subway singer, is set to appear on America’s Got Talent, and she’s confident she has what it takes to win.
Alice Tan Ridley believes that singing for New York subway passengers every day gives her the edge, and the confidence, to win the talent show, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Ridley - who currently earns a modest living performing deep below ground on the Big Apple’s subway – is getting ready for the biggest performance of her life as she tries to impress judges Piers Morgan, Howie Mandel and Sharon Osbourne.
She will perform before a packed house of her fellow New Yorkers later this week at the Hammerstein Ballroom as she tries to follow in British Susan Boyle’s footsteps by finding fame and fortune on the talent show after a difficult past.
EXCLUSIVE: Precious Star Gabourey Sidibe's Mom Wants To Compete On America's Got Talent
Alice told RadarOnline.com, “I’m not going to tell you the song that I have chosen to sing but it’s a favorite when I perform it on the subway, so, people will identify it straight away.
Watch Alice Tan Ridley Perform
“At the moment I’m not nervous because this is what I love to do and singing in the subway has prepared me to perform anywhere.
“When I walk about New York people recognize me and shout my name or say ‘break a leg Alice’ to offer me luck, so, I’m sure I will have a lot of support in the audience.
“I have to wear the same outfit that I wore in the original audition and my only concern is that I can only perform for 90 seconds, so, I’m practicing on that right now.
“Gabby is doing Saturday Night Live this week, so, she is pretty busy too but she is very supportive of me.
“I’m hoping that I get a good reaction from the judges but I can only do the best that I can and just try and be myself.
“I laugh when people compare me to Susan Boyle but I guess that is a compliment of sorts too.”
America’s Got Talent, which is hosted by Mariah Carey’s husband Nick Cannon, has been taping live shows across the country as they search for the nation’s best talent.
The show is due in New York City on April 21-23 at The Hammerstein Ballroom at Manhattan Center Studios.
Howie Mandel will be replacing David Hasselhoff as one of the judges on the fifth season of the NBC show which is one of the most popular television programs in the summer.