JB- Now you were what they called a "Wild Card" on the show.

T- Yeah, do they do Wild Card anymore?

JB- No, but I was going to ask . . . I recall, they bring you back . . . Well, actually you explain it. What was that?

T- Well, I have an interesting story for that actually. They said that you were going to hear from someone, hear from a producer if you make the Wild Card, which is . . . I think the first couple of rounds they had America pick, they had the judges pick someone, and then the rest was . . . . No, no, it was America's pick for the first eight, I think, and then the last three or four was from the judges. So I was watching TV and my face popped up, but they hadn't called me. So I was just watching television thinking I'm just going to watch and see who made the Wild Card, and suddenly my face comes up. And I'm, like, wait a minute. So then after the show was over I get a call from the producer who was, like, "Oh my God, Trenyce. No one called you?!" I'm like, "No." They're, like, "You're on a 7 a.m. flight," and I'm like, "Oh, my gosh!" So thank God I wasn't somewhere sulking, or you know? Or upset.

JB- Drinking.

T- Yeah, well, I didn't want to say that, but . . . (laughing)

JB- We can say that.

T- Right, at least I wasn't drowning in my woes. I was actually watching TV, and I got this slew of phone calls, and everyone was, like, "Congratulations!" And I'm still sitting on the couch with my mouth open, because I still haven't heard anything, and my mom…I remember my mom just ran around the room. She was so excited, and was, like, "I told you. I told you." The producers, they apologized over and over again. "We're so sorry for not telling you." But I got on that flight and everything else after that was like a dream.

JB- How grateful are you for that twist in the competition?

T- I'm very grateful. I mean, the entire experience is something that everyone from every season will be able to bond for life because of that show. You are, of course, blessed into something that you have no idea what you're getting into. You're young. You're trying to figure out who you are as an artist, but as far as the critiques, building a fan base, and just learning the industry as a whole - that's something that you can't learn in college. I mean, I know people that go to college specifically to get degrees in performing arts and performing - period, or in music. That's not something that the textbook can teach you: how to have stage presence, how to address the media. We learn all of these things: how to do a commercial, how to do a successful interview. All these things that they just don't teach you in class that American Idol has been really, really good at teaching the contestants, and that you can take with you for the rest of your life, and be an entertainer. And for that I am utterly grateful.

JB- They certainly do give you the opportunity to create your own style, your own look. One thing, though, that Idol can help with - for some people it just comes naturally - is being beautiful. I'm told in Memphis, you were named one of the 30 most beautiful people. Is that right?

T- Yeah. I think beauty is something that is not just an outside thing, though. At least, when I made the top 30 list, maybe it did have something to do with my outward beauty. There are certain things that don't make the news, which is you giving back to the community, and I made the effort to make sure I gave back to Memphis and anything that they needed my help with I did. A lot of times for free, just because. Because that's my hometown and they supported me on the show, and I just wanted to be able to be a part of the community on a grander scale, because that's the whole beauty, I think, about being a celebrity. Being able to help and assist in other areas when you can. And so, I think that's why I made it. Hopefully, it was more than just Idol and everything, but it was the things that I did after the fact as well.

So I have a good time when I'm giving back to people. I understand that when Oprah says it now. You just feel so much better when you're giving to someone else. But that was an honour.

JB- Well, I mean it's also got to feel good, because you totally upstage Ryan Seacrest, because he didn't even make the list, right?

T- (laughing) Well, he definitely makes the list now. I'm nowhere on it. (laughing) He's done very well for himself.

JB- So have you. Like I said, like you've said, you've been in the studio. So what have you been up to since Idol? We're fast forwarding a few years now, five years now.

T- Yeah, it's gone by so quickly. Besides being in the studio and perfecting my sound and everything and working with amazing, amazing people, I've had the opportunity to have chats will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas about doing records. I have enrolled in acting classes. So I've been honing that, because I want to be in this industry on many different avenues, but I don't want to just be known as a singer. I have the Love Foundation, which I created with my godfather who is a vet. We were talking about there are so many misplaced veterans after they come from the war and how they're struggling to survive, so we created the Love Foundation to help them to get their lives back on track.

Also, I have been going back and forth to Memphis to talk to kids about the entertainment business, if they want to be involved, which also inspired me to create a performing arts school. So I've been in talks with people about that, and there's a puppeteer here that is in Memphis. He is the very first black puppeteer that is coming together with Sesame Street Live and put on a production for children all over the world. So we'll be talking very soon about collaborating and seeing if we can start up that performing arts school together.

But I've just been very busy. I've been really, really busy touring the world. I'm about to go to Tanzania, Africa, because I've found out that I was one of the celebrities that they wanted to meet amongst others like Vivica Fox, Tatyana Ali and Raven-Symoné, and I was, like, "Are you kidding me?" So that was inspiring, and I really want to make sure that I'm giving back as much as God has given me for me to even be in this position. So that's pretty much all I'm working on. I hope I haven't left anything out.

JB- Well, that's quite a bit, and I really do enjoy Sesame Street Live. That is one of my favourite shows.

T- Isn't it great?! Do you have kids?

JB- No, I don't. I just watch it for myself. I enjoy it. Big Bird.

T- Yeah, I love it. It just makes you feel humble and innocent all over again.

JB- You feel like a kid.

T- Yeah.

JB- Where the world wasn't such a big scary place, and you could sleep all day.

T- (laughing) Exactly. You can forget the recession, and put a smile on your face for a few hours, so I think I'm going to enjoy doing it. I also have other projects - movies that I've auditioned for that I'm waiting for. You know, you're always waiting to see if you've gotten things like that. And, oh, oh, oh, and one other thing I forgot to mention. I'm the new spokesperson for a designer called Linda Antwi. It's called the Girlie Designs and it's to inspire young girls to be empowered and self-sufficient and just positive beings in a world where we're just all over the place right now, in videos and things like that where we're labelled as sex objects and things like that. It empowers girls to just say no to the things you really don't want to do, and say yes to the things that make a difference.

JB- Like Miley Cyrus.

T- Exactly.