Who Is Katie Stevens?

(MYFOX NATIONAL) - Only 17 teenage contenders have ever made it to the "American Idol" Top 12, and soulful 17-year-old Katie Stevens is hoping she will add to that count, most of all to cheer up her grandmother back home in Connecticut who has Alzheimer's.

According to The Hartford Courant newspaper, Stevens said: "I want to make my grandma proud. To be in the Top 24 and her see me succeeding, it's just what I want. That would just be amazing."

And based on judge Kara Dioguardi's feedback during her Hollywood group performance of Alicia Keys' song "No One," she could be the potential winner of the competition.

With one of the biggest fan followings of the Top 24 "Idol" hopefuls on Facebook and Twitter so far, the high school senior from Middlebury, Conn. is well on her way to winning over the viewers.

Also according to The Courant , the senior at Pomperaug High School will be worrying about homework at the same time she is competing to become a teen "Idol" winner.

Initially, the first music the Stevens purchased was "probably a Britney Spears CD", reports USA Today . "I was a big Britney girl".

But her musical influence expands beyond the pop princess' vocals to the likes of Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder and Adele. 

According to USA Today Stevens thinks she should be the next "American Idol" because: "I'm young, I'm fresh, and I'm personable. And I think a lot of people can relate to me."

Regardless of whether the teenager makes it to the top 12 or not, she has her feet planted securely on the ground.

"Just making it to the point that I'm at," she said of what she is most proud. "If I were to be eliminated tomorrow, I'd leave happy because I've made it a lot farther than a lot of other people, and there are so many people who would love to be in my shoes."

"American Idol" Season Nine Contestant Profiles:

Didi Benami | Lacey Brown | Crystal Bowersox | Michelle Delamor | Lee DeWyze | Katelyn Epperly | Andrew Garcia | Tyler Grady | Todrick Hall | Casey James | Aaron Kelly | Alex Lambert | Michael Lynche | Siobhan Magnus | Paige Miles | Jose Munoz | John Park | Ashley Rodriguez | Lilly Scott | Jermaine Sellers | Katie Stevens | Tim Urban | Haeley Vaughn | Janell Wheeler