Who is Lacey Brown?

(MYFOX NATIONAL) - Lacey Brown said she wasn't shocked when she learned of her elimination from American Idol Wednesday night.

"I woke up yesterday morning and had the strangest feeling that I was going home," she told reporters during a conference call Thursday, reported USA Today.

If there's one word that describes Brown, a 24-year-old singer from Texas with a background in ministry and church music, it's got to be perseverance.

Brown placed in the top 50 in last year's competition after auditioning in Louisville, Ken. This year, the Amarillo, Texas native has made it to Hollywood as one of 24 semifinalists.

The Pop Tower Web site reported that Brown started singing when she was 12 years old at churches and holiday parties. She auditioned for this season of "Idol" in Orlando, Fla., by singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," according to the Tulsa World newspaper .

Before she was picked for season nine of "American Idol," Brown taught classes at a church in Amarillo and was in charge of college ministry at Victory Church. She also studied at Victory Bible Institute and interned at Guts Church in Tulsa, Okla., the newspaper reported.

Along with a love for singing church music, Brown is also a fan of indie/modern rock artists such as Imogen Heap and Muse, according to Tulsa World .  Some of her favorite artists also include Patsy Cline and Pete Yorn, according to her profile on the "American Idol" Web site .

Along with her mesmerizing rendition of "Over the Rainbow" when she auditioned, Brown has displayed her strong vocal capabilities on the show by singing other classics, such as "What a Wonderful World."

"She's a very lovable girl," friend and former roommate Katie Pippin told the newspaper . "You only have to talk to her for about a minute and you just love her. She's very funny and quirky in her own way."

"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