Vonzell Solomon

0 Comments | USA TODAY, March, 2008 | by Andrew McGinn

Before her big break on Idol in 2005, Vonzell Solomon spent the previous year and a half as a rural mail carrier in Fort Myers, Fla.

Thanks to the job, she was better prepared than most to face Simon Cowell.

"Little dogs are always the feisty ones," she says.

Almost three years later, Baby V no longer delivers mail, but she might be the only Idol finalist with the backing of the federal government. She remains a national spokeswoman for her old employer, the U.S. Postal Service, where her duties include unveiling new stamps.

The honorary role gives Solomon the freedom to focus on performing full time. Last October, she played a sweet 16 party in the Bahamas. She also has her own label (Melodic Records), but no release date for an album. ...