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Pregnant ‘Idol’ wannabe labors through tryout

Woman fights off contractions, sings, gives birth afterward to baby boy

Image: Antoria Gillon
“American Idol” hopeful Antoria Gillon holds her new son, Jamil Labarron Idol McCowan, who she gave birth to after making it to the next round of the reality show's auditions in Dallas.
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Access Hollywood
updated 3:01 p.m. ET Aug. 9, 2007

DALLAS - The “American Idol” auditions have often been called a laboring process, but one hopeful has given that term a whole new meaning.

A 9-months-pregnant Antoria Gillon arrived at Texas Stadium in hopes of her one chance at super-stardom, and went into labor while waiting with more than 13,000 other “Idol” wannabes.

However, it wasn't enough to stop her from going through with her audition.

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Fighting off contractions, Antoria went before the judges and sang her best — and even made it through to the next round.

After her tryout, she was taken to a local hospital where she gave birth to a bouncing baby boy weighing 6 lbs., 7 oz., who she promptly named Jamil Labarron Idol McCowan.

“I didn't want to turn around after being there all those hours in the heat with people pushing,” Gillon said. “So my friend helped me walk through the line. I wasn’t going to leave without singing. I gave it my all through the contractions. They were back to back and getting harder and harder but I was more than willing to have my baby right there. I wasn’t leaving without my golden ticket to the next round.”

Indeed, a whole new meaning to the birth of an “Idol.”

Copyright 2009 by NBC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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