She called it her homecoming.

To be clear, that singing ray of sunshine known as Leah Marlene has returned home lots of times since appearing on Season 20 of American Idol—not including a whirlwind parade through Uptown Normal and a televised, prime time concert with thousands of fans. That mainstage event was just steps from Uptown Circle, where a scrappy, guitar-toting teenager played, sometimes, to tens of people.