'American Idol' favorite La'Porsha Renae: I survived domestic abuse

(FOX)
A single mother and survivor of domestic abuse has emerged as the undisputed favorite to become the last “American Idol.”
La’Porsha Renae — one of just four singers remaining in the competition — brought judge Jennifer Lopez to tears last week with her emotional performance of the Mary J. Blige anthem, “No More Drama.”
“It felt so empowering,” she told Fox411 moments after stepping off stage.
“It was like I was taking some of that power back that my husband had taken away from me.”
La’Porsha’s booming soulful voice and powerful story of survival have resonated with millions of “Idol” voters.
“In commercial breaks, I am always walking around and getting selfies with everyone and asking people ‘Who do you like?’” judge Keith Urban says. “I would say 80 percent of people have said they love La’Porsha.”
The singer — and mother of one year-old Nayalee Kaya — has overcome incredible obstacles on her way to “Idol” fame.
Two months before auditioning for the “Idol” judges, she said she sought refuge at a battered women’s shelter near her home in McComb, Mississippi to escape her ex-husband.
“I didn’t feel it was safe [to stay],” she says. “He stayed with me at my parents’ home during the marriage. So I just wanted to get somewhere that he didn’t know where I was and he couldn’t find us.”
In a backstage interview with Fox411, La’Porsha discussed the pressures of being a fan favorite, and her struggle to escape her abusive relationship.
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