The air reeked of grease at a McDonald’s in Elk Grove. It was 8:30 a.m. and still quiet as Lisa Gianpetro began to sing for her mom, a cameraman and FOX News reporter Nancy Loo.

Gianpetro, a junior elementary education major, sang on live TV last Wednesday for FOX’s Chicago Idol contest. Gianpetro started singing at the age of five and, as a young girl, spent a lot of time in church. It wasn’t surprising when she began singing in the church choir. She continued to sing during her high school years at Downers Grove South, performing solo and with a treble ensemble. She was asked to perform in the IMEA All-State Competition, but declined.

“I was worried I couldn’t balance competition with classes,” she said.

In college, Gianpetro’s singing outlet came in the form of karaoke bars. She thought it was just for fun, but her friends and fiance thought more of it.

Joey Kuziel, a junior finance major and Gianpetro’s fiance, heard about the Chicago Idol contest on one of FOX’s newscasts and encouraged her to enter.

“I thought she could win,” he said.

Over spring break, Gianpetro borrowed a friend’s video camera and sent FOX a tape of her singing “When You Tell Me You Love Me,” by Diana Ross.

“I got a call about two weeks later asking me to sing the next morning on the news,” Gianpetro said. “I freaked out. I had just woke up and had to be quiet because my roommate was still sleeping. So I jumped up and down in the hallway, and called my mom right away because she didn’t think I would get a call back.”

FOX set up for those who received call backs to perform at a McDonald’s near their home live. Gianpetro and her mom set out on a rainy morning to Elk Grove.

“No one was really in the McDonald’s, so it was kind of awkward,” she said. “I wasn’t nervous and Nancy Loo was really nice. When I was done, they gave me a $50 gift card to McDonald’s and free coffee coupons to whoever came to support me.”

Though Gianpetro loves singing, she is not pursuing it as her career.

“Singing isn’t very practical, but I love working with kids,” she said. “I guess I could always tour during the summer.”

The video of her performance is available at MyFoxChicago.com. A panel will announce five finalists on May 4. Four runners-up will receive tickets from Southwest Airlines to fly anywhere. One winner will receive a trip to Los Angeles to see the American Idol finals.

“I would rather win the tickets to anywhere I want because I would love to use it for my honeymoon,” Gianpetro said.

Jami Knowles is a Web reporter for the Northern Star.