--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I auditioned for 'American Idol' at 17…" description: "\"I auditioned for 'American Idol' at 17. They told me, 'No.'\" — Amber Riley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/amber-riley-20546_american_i-auditioned-for-american-idol-at-17-the_1801407.png" --- # I auditioned for 'American Idol' at 17. They told me, 'No.' ![“I auditioned for 'American Idol' at 17. They told me, 'No.'” quote by Amber Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/amber-riley-20546_american_i-auditioned-for-american-idol-at-17-the_1801407.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/amber-riley-20546_american_i-auditioned-for-american-idol-at-17-the_1801407.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/amber-riley-20546_american_i-auditioned-for-american-idol-at-17-the_1801407.png) > “I auditioned for 'American Idol' at 17. They told me, 'No.'” [Amber Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-riley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She faced rejection at 17, highlighting resilience after a “no” from a major platform. **In simple terms:** Auditioned at 17, got rejected. Key Takeaway Use rejection as motivation to improve. Themes resilience career setbacks determination Mood determined hopeful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - talent shows - career coaching - personal development Key Concepts Growth mindset feedback loops Questions to Reflect On - How did you transform rejection into growth? - What strategies help persist after “no”? A Different Perspective Rejection can be discouraging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Idols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idols/) ## Related quotes > [I was 19 when I first auditioned for 'American Idol.' I'd never been on an airplane; I'd never been outside of my hometown, except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellie-pickler/i-was-19-when-i-first-auditioned-for-american-idol-i-d-never-been-on/) [Kellie Pickler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellie-pickler/) > [When I was on 'Idol' and 17, everything was so new. Everyone is so nice and wants to see you succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordin-sparks/when-i-was-on-idol-and-17-everything-was-so-new-everyone-is-so-nice/) [Jordin Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordin-sparks/) > [Right before I auditioned for 'American Idol' my mom made me kinda cut my hair off, but year, I was wearing makeup from, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adore-delano/right-before-i-auditioned-for-american-idol-my-mom-made-me-kinda-cut/) [Adore Delano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adore-delano/) > ['American Idol' is such a big platform. It's been on for so many seasons. I went on the show not thinking I was going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-sanchez/american-idol-is-such-a-big-platform-it-s-been-on-for-so-many-seasons/) [Jessica Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-sanchez/) > [It's kind of ironic when I broke in at 17, I was told I was too small, too slow and I wouldn't make the NHL](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/it-s-kind-of-ironic-when-i-broke-in-at-17-i-was-told-i-was-too-small/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [I have watched every single season of 'American Idol' since the beginning, when Ryan Seacrest co-hosted with Brian Dunkleman. Brian who? Exactly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/i-have-watched-every-single-season-of-american-idol-since-the/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [I can't watch American Idol... it's like karaoke without the booze.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-can-t-watch-american-idol-it-s-like-karaoke-without-the-booze/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [What made 'American Idol' different from 'The Voice' and all these other singing competitions... 'American Idol' just gave regular old normal people like me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-porsha-renae/what-made-american-idol-different-from-the-voice-and-all-these-other/) [La'Porsha Renae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/la-porsha-renae/) > [When one person does something that works, everyone else wants to do it. So it didn't surprise me at all to see people come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-studdard/when-one-person-does-something-that-works-everyone-else-wants-to-do/) [Ruben Studdard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-studdard/) > [I think American Idol is a great career launcher. A blessing for all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/latoya-london/i-think-american-idol-is-a-great-career-launcher-a-blessing-for-all/) [LaToya London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/latoya-london/) > [At the end of the day, it is about the album and book and also about setting the record straight, because 'American Idol' has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-clark/at-the-end-of-the-day-it-is-about-the-album-and-book-and-also-about/) [Corey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-clark/) > [American Idol allowed us to find Carrie Underwood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/american-idol-allowed-us-to-find-carrie-underwood/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [I've never seen American Idol but I am grateful to them. That show is one of Fox's biggest moneymakers, and some of that money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-ve-never-seen-american-idol-but-i-am-grateful-to-them-that-show-is/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [Since we launched the original 'Pop Idol' in England, I've remained close with Simon Fuller. Working as executive producer on 'American idol' for its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-lythgoe/since-we-launched-the-original-pop-idol-in-england-i-ve-remained/) [Nigel Lythgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-lythgoe/) > [Being on 'American Idol,' the blessings of glasses have rained from the sky. I really would like to start a Danny line or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-gokey/being-on-american-idol-the-blessings-of-glasses-have-rained-from-the/) [Danny Gokey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-gokey/) ## More by Amber Riley > [I'm not going to conform, and hurt myself, and do something crazy to be a size 2.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-riley/i-m-not-going-to-conform-and-hurt-myself-and-do-something-crazy-to-be/) [Amber Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-riley/) > [Everyone needs a creative outlet to express themselves, and the arts in school provides that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-riley/everyone-needs-a-creative-outlet-to-express-themselves-and-the-arts/) [Amber Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-riley/) > [I love Adele, I want her to be my best friend. She could come to the U.S., live with me and sing to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-riley/i-love-adele-i-want-her-to-be-my-best-friend-she-could-come-to-the-u/) [Amber Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-riley/) > [So I want to let women of all sizes out there know, you can do whatever you put your mind to. It doesn't matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-riley/so-i-want-to-let-women-of-all-sizes-out-there-know-you-can-do/) [Amber Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-riley/) > [I dreamed really big when I was little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-riley/i-dreamed-really-big-when-i-was-little/) [Amber Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-riley/) > [I want to encourage young women to stand up for each other and speak up when they see others in a tough situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-riley/i-want-to-encourage-young-women-to-stand-up-for-each-other-and-speak/) [Amber Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-riley/) > [I haven't personally experienced bullying, but when I was in high school, I had a best friend who became a bully. 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I love dresses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-riley/i-am-so-girly-i-love-dresses/) [Amber Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-riley/) > [As a kid, I was super skinny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-riley/as-a-kid-i-was-super-skinny/) [Amber Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-riley/) > [I worked at Ikea as a customer service rep for two years and loved it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-riley/i-worked-at-ikea-as-a-customer-service-rep-for-two-years-and-loved-it/) [Amber Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-riley/) > [My friends tell me I'm the most boring celebrity they know! A typical night for me is at home in California or watching movies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-riley/my-friends-tell-me-i-m-the-most-boring-celebrity-they-know-a-typical/) [Amber Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-riley/) [Explore all 30 Amber Riley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-riley/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. 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The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) Browse all 7,717 American quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I auditioned for 'American Idol' at 17. 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