LOS ANGELES — Ali and Christina Christensen aren't done singing to America.
The two LDS sisters who made it to the top 10 on NBCs "America's Got Talent" are headed on a six-week, 24-city tour starting Oct. 1 in Oakland, Calif. The tour ends Nov. 7 in Florida.
"We leave tomorrow," Ali Christensen said Monday duirng a phone interviews. "We're excited."
The sisters, ages 20 and 13, both have cystic fibrosis, which severely constricts their breathing and lung function. They were told early on that their life options would be limited but undeterred. They charmed judges Piers Morgan, Howie Mandell and Sharon Osbourne with their songs.
Their story touched the hearts of the national audience as they described saying goodbye to their older sister who died of CF a year ago.
They hadn't sung a duet together before the funeral.
The pair tried out for the show in Portland, Ore., on a a whim after they asked their father if he'd spring for plane tickets.
"It's been quite the year," Roger Christensen said. "It's been kind of fun. People say there's something about them. They have such a joy!"
Ali said there's been a little frustration with the wardrobe department because the people in charge have largely ignored her input.
"They're going to dress you as they want," she said. "I told them I would prefer a half-sleeve and a skirt that's not too short. When I saw what they had picked out for us, I said, 'Whoa.'"
The sisters are under contract with "America's Got Talent" and so for the next few weeks at least, the show calls the shots. After that, Ali and Christina will be free to make their own way.
And the offers are being made, Ali Christensen said.
"We'd love to continue on (in show business)," she said.
In the meantime, Ali has passed on the Miss Idaho Falls 2009 crown and is off-track at BYU-Idaho where she is majoring in broadcast journalism. Christina works with a tutor to keep her grades up. (She's in the ninth grade.)
For the concert tour — which includes all of the top 10 acts from the TV show — the sisters are singing two sets of two songs each.
They've been rehearsing the past week 10 hours a day, tough duty when you're already battling a major disease.
"I've actually been pretty sick this week," Ali Christensen said. "I took a day to rest. And we have our antibiotics, our breather machine. We take every opportunity to rest."
Christina Christensen said she believes the Spirit has helped them get as far as they have and she'll continue to depend on her Father in heaven for physical and spiritual support.
"Yeah, I do believe that's why we're here," she said.
This story was reported from Salt Lake City.
E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com