<b>By Anne Christnovich</b>

Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park got up-front-and-personal with “American Idol” last Friday as hundreds of fans came to show support for contestant Candice Glover at a rally.

The 23-year-old St. Helena Island native made it to the Top 9 — and to the top of the list of local celebrities. Downtown is currently splattered with signs supporting the singer, and residents from all over the area arrived at the park toting signs that read “Get it Girl!” and “Candice CAN be the next American Idol!”
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<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/DSCF4057.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-10372" alt="DSCF4057" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/DSCF4057-300x200.jpg" width="300" height="200" /></a>Laquan Fields, who tried out with Glover last summer in Charlotte, N.C., has been singing with her since high school. He and a group of friends held signs, waiting for the Fox television crews to show up and film a short clip about Glover’s hometown.

“I don’t want to say I’m surprised because I just know she was meant to do this,” Fields said.

Glover “made it to Hollywood” in two previous seasons but was booted off before the Top 20 each time.

Fields said Glover’s confidence as an artist grew exponentially after she was cut from the Las Vegas group in Season 11.

“She just has a better hold on it,” he said. “She couldn’t see it then but it was actually beneficial with getting cut when she did last year. She wants it more.”

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