Idol Chit-Chat
This is your place to discuss all things "American Idol." The performances, the judges, the past contestants — it’s all right here.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Siobhan Magnus: "I'm not going to change to please other people"

Siobhan Magnus talked to the media by phone yesterday. And no surprise, the interview was as quirky as she is as she revealed her desire to be in a horror movie and how she discovered her scream…

Here’s a taste of what she had to say…

On her scream: “I’m pretty sure I figured out how to do that in the shower in high school one night. I’m an avid shower singer to much of the dismay of my family and my neighbors, but I was singing a Kelly Clarkson song, and I went to hit one note. I reached it, and I was able to resonate it in a different part of my head that I could belt it that high. Ever since I figured it out I started to use it more and more with different stuff, in school choirs and in my band. It became very useful with the style of singing that I like to do.”

On working in the glass shop: “Yes, I started working in the glass shop about three years ago. It was such an incredible job because you learn so much every day. It’s all chemistry. It’s all science, but it’s happening in your hands, and I love that about it. I could sit for hours and watch my boss make the most amazing things.

He’d tell me what he was doing and how he was doing it. Then if the shop was slow and we didn’t have a lot of customers, he’d have me get on the torch, and he’s say, “Okay, you try,” and he’d tell me how to do something. There were times when he’d be working on a huge piece, and he’d need me to come over and hold the other end and blow in it because he couldn’t reach.

I think that glass blowing does require a certain amount of breath control, but it’s not something that you’re pushing really hard because glass is so sensitive, but I also am very vocal in my job. When customers come in and my boss is working on something and he can't stop and explain, I’ll have to explain for him, so I do a lot of talking and have to be comfortable talking to strangers about what’s going on. It might sound silly, but even that is a big help in just communicating with people and just speaking up.

It gets really loud in the shop from the vents that are on because it gets so hot, and then my boss will play really loud music to get in the zone. It’s such a cool job, and I miss it a lot, but it in many ways has helped shape me as a person, my work ethic and my ability to communicate with other people and just learning about the art which is fascinating.”

On Adam Lambert: “Well, it was wicked flattering being compared to him. Right off the bat I just respect him so much for his individuality and his confidence, and his stage presence is just tremendous. It’s undeniable that he’s born to do what he’s doing. He was extremely helpful as a mentor because he was the first mentor that the show ever had that was a past contestant, so he knew firsthand what it was like to be in our shoes, and that was helpful because he was very sensitive to that. He knew just what to say, and the things he said were so dead on.

I really just tried to absorb every single thing he said, every moment that I had with him. He pointed out some great things not even just about technically singing the right notes or anything, but about the entire performance and your presence on stage and your motions and things to make it more believable. I was just so honored to get to have that time with him, and he was such a kind person that he made it that much easier and less scary. I’m so honored to have met him, to have shared an experience with him, and to be given advice from him, and I hope to see him again soon. He’s a great guy.”

On being different: “That’s definitely something that is important to me from the beginning to show people that that’s something I care about and I take very seriously. I have always been an independent person and a different kind of person, but I’m very stubborn and strong-willed, and it’s important for me to get that across that I’m not going to change to please other people. I do what I do because it rests well on my heart and who I am.

The positive feedback that I received from fans and viewers was tremendous. I couldn’t ask for anything better than receiving letters from younger girls who said to me, ‘I get made fun of at school because I’m different, but watching you has helped me accept the fact that it’s okay and it’s a good thing to be who I am and not back down just because other people intimidate me.’

I’ve received letters where I’ve been brought to tears just because I achieved something that has been a goal of mine for so long to be able to influence the lives especially of young girls in a positive way and just to show them that who you are on the inside is a beautiful thing. You shouldn’t let anyone take that away from you because we are all perfectly made as who we are. To be able to have that connection with fans through this whole experience, through the television and know that I reached people, even if it was just one person. I always said if I could influence one person’s life, then that’s what I’m here for, so I’m just so honored.”

On what she wants to do next: “Well, one thing is I’d love to do some more theater. I love acting. I’ve had a lot of experience in different kinds of theater, musicals and Shakespeare, and I love acting. I do aspire someday to be in something like Phantom of the Opera or Jesus Christ Superstar, like any kind of opera or Broadway-type musical because I love acting and singing, and the two of them together is just so much fun.

I also am a huge horror movie fan, and I definitely aspire to at least make an appearance in a wicked gory kind of horror film with all the stops and the special effects makeup that I’m just so fascinated by. A big dream of mine since all my brothers and sisters are very artistic too would be to collaborate with all of them. My oldest brother, Rory, is an extremely talented filmmaker, and someday I’d love to be in one of his films, and we could all come together and create a Magnus work of art.”

On whether she wishes the judges had saved their save for her: “No, not at all because I couldn’t imagine it not being used on Mike. That was so shocking that there was the chance of him going home that week. I think we all knew when it was announced. They have to save him. There’s no way he should be going home. It would’ve been cool if that didn’t have to happen, but I have faith that everything happens for a reason, and I couldn’t be luckier I think to be where I’m at and to have gotten this far. I love Mike to death, and it’s awesome that he’s still in it.”

Her closing remarks: “I just want to say thank you to everyone, whoever believed in me and supported me, and even thank you to the people who were naysayers because that made me fight harder to get to the point that I made it to. I have the coolest fans and all the Siobhan-bons and Siobhan-bees. It’s just been such a wild ride, and it’s not over. It’s just a new chapter. I hope to take this as an opportunity to start to think even more about what’s next for me which hopefully is going to be an array of things from theater to film to recording and performing all over the place for whoever wants to hear me scream.”

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Tim Urban: "Just take the criticism and work from it"

I did call Tim Urban my “Idol” nemesis for much of the season, but I honestly did not mean to not share his comments from his media conference call last week. I just got busy and forgot, quite honestly.

But Tim’s comments are so good and so gracious, that I have to share them—even if they are a week late. They actually make me feel a little guilty for some of the things I said about him.

Here is just a taste of what Tim had to say…

On VoteforthWorst.com: “I really have no comment about that Website. I’m not excited that I was on their Website. I think that it’s really not anything that anybody should be proud of. I really didn’t like being on there, and basically I was working my hardest to get off of it. Yes, I’m actually kind of sad that I was on that Website at all.”

On Simon’s compliment about how he handled the criticism: “That’s actually something that was my goal on the show. It was not just to improve as an artist, but to just be a very good contestant, and to take what everybody was saying, and to just treat the situation—not let it get me down, but to take what they were saying and work at it and improve, but also, not to really complain or to talk back. Just take the criticism and work from it. It was cool to get that recognition about that. It’s something that I’m very proud of.”

On what he would have done differently if given the chance: “That’s kind of hard to say, because by the last couple of weeks, I really showed America the kind of artist that I would be. There were a couple of weeks where I was just kind of groping; I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do. But then when I finally settled down and just let myself be myself on the show, I think it really showed American the kind of artist that I want to be. Looking back I really feel like I did what I wanted to do.”

On his relationship with Simon: “You know, it was funny. Simon and I never had a problem. I actually didn’t have a problem with Simon’s critiques. I thought he was just speaking his mind and I took that and tried to use it and apply it. It was cool that he recognized that I was working towards that stuff, and that was really encouraging, but we never had a problem to begin with.”

On whether he’s received any offers from toothpaste or mouthwash companies? “At this point I haven’t, but who knows? It would be kind of entertaining. I’d love to do that in the future; that would be a lot of fun. I haven’t at this point, but you never know.”

On the negative comments about him on the Internet: “Oh, wow. I don’t think that I would respond to that. It seems that people just like to take somebody and then find something that they don’t like about them and talk about it. I get that. It’s part of dealing with the industry, It’s part of being in the spotlight. So, people are going to say that, but people are going to say that about pretty much anybody. You’ll find people that don’t like any artist out there, and so you have to deal with it, shrug it off. I don’t perform for the people who don’t like me, I perform for the people who want me to be onstage, so those are the people that I try to worry about.”

On whether the shirtless photo of him that circulated on the Internet helped him or hurt him: “Kind of both. I definitely heard that it helped, but then there are also people who might see that and not take me seriously, just because of that type of thing. I don’t know; I think it probably helped more than it hurt, but I don’t really know for sure.”

On how far he thought he’d get: “Honestly, I auditioned, I didn’t even think I’d make it past the stadium, just because of how many people were there, and how few people were getting through. So when I was at the stadium, I was honestly expecting to just go up there and sing and have them say that I wasn’t what they were looking for and not get any farther than that.

I didn’t really have any grand pictures, so this whole thing has blown me away. When I made it to Hollywood week, I was like, ‘Wow. This is crazy.’ And then when I got sent home from Hollywood week, I was like, ‘Okay.’ And then they called me back. So, it’s been like this really crazy rollercoaster journey.”

On not getting to sing a goodbye song: “I was a little sad I didn’t get to sing one last time on that stage, but it’s part of it. You don’t always get what you want. I’ll get to come back for the finale, and hopefully get to perform on that stage again. It’s a little bittersweet, but overall it’s all right.”

On his smile: “I think I smile because I have a really solid grounding and I know who I am. I know that regardless of what happens around me, that will always be there. So when I get criticized, it’s like, that’s all right. I still know who I am. I still am happy that I get to do what I get to do, and it’s just such a blessing to be here and to have had this opportunity, that I really couldn’t help but smile. Even when they were criticizing me, I was like, all right, this is part of it. You’ve got to enjoy as much as you possibly can, so that’s just what I try to do.

It wasn’t really a nervous smile, it was just me having fun onstage, and I didn’t want to get depressed about the comments, so I just decided to not let them affect me that much.”

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Breaking News: More on Next Week's Shows

So this morning’s FOX press release reveals some interesting information about next week’s show…

Harry Connick Jr. will not only mentor the contestants, he will also “arrange the songs, write the orchestrations” and perform on the results show. He will be the first mentor to do all of those things.

I have to say that I don’t like that since it probably means the contestants will have to stick close to the original instead of making the songs their own.

And what will the judges say when they can’t criticize them for not making it their own? Just criticize Harry?

Hmmm…

One other thing from the release. Lady Gaga will perform during next week’s show. She’ll be doing her new single, “Alejandro.” But that performance will be on tape (The press release doesn’t say that. I just know that.).

Sinatra and Gaga. Interesting combo, no?

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Top 6 Results Show: Did America Get It Right?

So did America get it right? Absolutely, 100 percent, yes, yes, yes! It was time for Siobhan to go. I’m just glad that the audience listened to its own ears instead of the judges.

And if future contestants know what’s good for them, they won’t come near “Any Man of Mine.” It’s looking to be a little jinxed…

Of course, I was upset when it doomed Mandisa. But with Siobhan, I’m so proud of American right now I can’t even stand it.

And I’m also proud of “Idol.” Tonight’s show was actually entertaining. I hope they’ll consider packing the hour with performances like that more often. I thought it really worked…

What do you guys think? Did the right person go home? And are you as unexcited about Sinatra Week as I am?

Of course, I was unexcited about Shania Twain Week too and I was wrong there, so we’ll see…

Top 6 Results Show: And the Person Going Home Is

9:53 We’re back…Ryan stands with Casey and Siobhan…Lights down…The person going home is Siobhan. YES! YES! YES!...I LOVE YOU AMERICA!!!...

9:54 Goodbye video…She is just smiling through it…Ryan walks away so she can sing…She’s doing “Think”…Is that a Mary Poppins tattoo on her shoulder?...The director is still struggling to find her fans in the audience…There they are…She goes to the mini-stage…She hit the scream that time, but it was still annoying...She goes over and hugs her mother. She tells her “You’re still our star”…Ryan comes down and gets her and makes her hug Simon because he says he’s going to miss her. Simon says he is going to miss her. Kara hugs her and then Ellen hugs her and tells her she’ll see her tomorrow on her show…Ryan asks Randy to give her some advice and he tells her to just keep being herself…One more plug for next week…Is it just me or do the Idols not seem all that sad?...

10:00 And we’re out…

Final thoughts in a moment…

Top 6 Results Show: Shakira Shakes It and One Person Goes to Safety

9:44 We’re back…Ryan introduces Shakira and Rascal Flatts doing “Gypsy”…Shakira is playing the harmonica…Rascal Flatts is providing the music and Gary is nowhere to be found…The dancers come out…Shakira starts to dance with them. Isn’t that what we all want to see anyway?...She heads out into the audience where Gary joins her. He’s struggling with his earpiece again…They go to the mini-stage together…They actually harmonize well together…She plays the harmonica to end it…Okay I’m not really sure what the point there was. But it was different…Maybe they should think about doing mash-ups like that more often…

9:48 Lights down…Mike, Casey and Siobhan…Mike says there’s no shame in the bottom three since everyone had a good night…Mike is safe. HOLY COW! Kara looks pretty upset. He gives Casey and Siobhan a hug…PLEASE! Siobhan. PLEASE!...Break…

It’s important to note that Ryan has not yet said that Casey and Siobhan are in the bottom two. For all we know, Mike was the next-to-last vote-getter. Just thought I’d point that out…

Top 6 Results Show: Lady Antebellum Takes the Stage

9:35 We’re back…Oh, whatcha waitin’ for…Great now I can’t get that song out of my head…Ryan is sitting in the audience…Tour plug...Ryan introduces Lady Antebellum to do the triple-platinum “Need You Now”…I think this is on tape too…Wow that guy’s voice is so pure…Ryan is on the perch with the bottom three…Break…

Top 6 Results Show: Sons of Sylvia Rock the House

9:27 We’re back…Ryan announces that Harry Connick Jr. will mentor the contestants through Sinatra Week…Alrighty then…Ryan introduces a video of Carrie Underwood introducing Sons of Sylvia to sing “Love Left to Lose” also on tape. They’re on tour with her all summer, by the way…You’ll recognize them as The Clark Brothers, the winner of “The Next Great American Band.” How long is 19 going to shove them down our throats anyway?…I’m confused. I thought they were country. That doesn’t sound like country to me…I have to admit I kind of like it and I’ve never been a fan…Break…

Top 6 Results Show: The Bottom Three Is Revealed

9:09 We’re back…Behind the scenes of the Ford music video. They’re turning them into vampires…Casey and Lee are good vampires…They’re going to chase Mike...The video, “Believe”…That one might have been the best one ever—although that’s not saying much. We needed to see more of the vampires and less of the car…

9:12 Ryan shows video of Idols meeting the director of “Shrek Forever After”…Ryan is in the movie…They’re doing voices to Ryan’s scene…Then they go to the special screening with Eddie Murphy, Ryan and Antonio Banderas…

9:15 Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas join Ryan on the stage…They tell Ryan he is the best host in the world…Antonio tells them to dim the lights…Ryan is doing three groups of two. I LOVE IT!!!...Siobhan stands…She goes to the far end of the stage…

9:17 Aaron…To the center…Big Mike stands…He goes closest to Ryan…Now it gets interesting…

9:19 Lee…Goes with Siobhan. I’m guessing that means Siobhan is safe. BOO HISS…Casey…With Big Mike. Hmmm…Crystal…Ryan asks Ellen if Crystal’s in danger. Ellen says she doesn’t think America is that fickle. I wouldn’t be so sure, Ellen. I think he’s hinting something…She joins Aaron…Mike & Casey, Aaron and Crystal, Lee & Siobhan…Ryan takes Siobhan over to Mike and Casey…It’s the bottom three…WOO-HOO! Could she be going home? Please, please, please!!!...Break…

Okay, let’s take a moment. I predicted Mike would go home so that’s not a surprise. But Casey is a surprise. Apparently last night he expressed to the media that winning wasn’t all that important to him, but the voters didn’t know that so I’m not sure what the deal is there. I’m thinking that SURELY he’s the top of the bottom three right?

And how dirty was that when Ryan told Siobhan he was taking her to the couches, probably making her think she was safe. Nice one…

Top 6 Results Show: Rascal Flatts Kicks Us Off

I have a feeling that tonight’s show is going to very interesting…

And I’m not just talking about the combination of Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts and Shakira…

Let’s do this…

8:59 Dramatic Intro…That was actually kind of good… But no THIS? I hate that…Credits roll…

9:01 Ryan comes out from the back of the audience…33 million votes last night…Judges intro…

9:02 Ryan introduces Rascal Flatts…Kara is all excited…They’re doing “Unstoppable”…Does this mean no group number, please, please, please…I think there’s something off with the sound mix because something doesn’t sound quite right. They’re better than this…The judges give them a standing ovation—even Simon…Ryan plugs the tour…Ryan tells us that Rascal Flatts and Shakira are going to sing together. Gary tries to show Ryan some of the dance moves. Ryan says he can’t move like that because his “hips will lie.” This should be interesting…After the break…

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

So Who's Going Home?

Wow, did Crystal pick the wrong week to have an off night…

I don’t know what Ryan will do, but my guess is there will be a bottom two. And I think that Crystal could be in it for the very first time. But will she go home? Man, do I hope not.

If I had my choice in who went home, I would go with Siobhan Magnus without a doubt. But if the audience listen to the judges instead of their own ears—or decide to team up with VotefortheWorst.com—Siobhan will stay. But as to who I think will go home? I’m going with Big Mike. But I really think Crystal could be in real trouble…

What do you guys think? Do you agree that Mama Sox may be in danger? And do you agree that the show should consider bringing Shania Twain back next year in some capacity?

Post a comment and let’s get this discussion started…

The Judges and I Completely Disagree Over Siobhan

Siobhan Magnus, “Any Man of Mine”: 12
This is the song that tripped up Mandisa, but her performance was better than this one. She dragged the tempo—as evidenced by Shania finding it hard to clap along. She made the whole thing sound like a pageant song. And she didn’t inject any attitude into it at all.

So why is it that she does one slightly in key scream and the judges completely forget the mess that came before it?

Final thoughts in a moment…

Aaron Totally Finds "a Way"

Aaron Kelly, “You Got a Way”: 18
Aaron totally connected with that one. It was nice. I think he was having some voice trouble, but he still sounded really good.

And yes, tomorrow is going to be interesting…

Mama Sox Misses One?

Crystal Bowersox, “No One Needs to Know”: 17
The vocal was solid, but the arrangement was a little shaky. The backup singer was way too overpowering. Her falsetto was gorgeous but we barely heard it. I think she should’ve done it with just a guitar. And I think she was a tad too feisty with the judges tonight.

But who doesn’t love seeing someone call their boyfriend out on national TV?

Casey James Nails One

Casey James, “Don’t”: 19
Casey hit it right on the head. This was a singing song and he needed to do a singing song. I love that he said, “I don’t think I’ve sung yet.” He may have been right.

And is Shania a good mentor, or what? Hmmm…

Big Mike Makes Shania Cry

Shania Twain, “It Only Hurts When I’m Breathing”: 19
I love that Shania called him out and told him not to take his great voice for granted. And I think he actually listened because I don’t think he seemed nearly as cocky. And that ending was GREAT!

And I love that Shania is so engaged in the performances…

The Judges and I Completely Disagree Over Lee

Siobhan Magnus was a glass blower? Hmmm…By the way, she’s VotefortheWorst.com’s new favorite…

And did you hear all the yelling for Lee when Ryan asked everyone to shout out their favorite? Hmmm again…

Lee DeWyze, “You’re Still the One”: 14
I really like Lee, but I didn’t like this one at all. The beginning was super shaky and he didn’t take Shania’s advice about going with just the piano—which I think was right. The song was just too high for him and I think he might have flubbed the lyrics for the third week in a row.

My Thoughts On "Idol Gives Back" and Tonight's Show

So before we move on to tonight’s show, let me play a little catch-up and offer up some thoughts on “Idol Gives Back”…

To be honest, I can’t really say that much because since I was watching it on tape, I fast-forwarded through most of it—including all of the appeal videos (Am I cold-hearted or what?).

But of what I saw, I thought the show was actually kind of decent. The comedy bits were mostly funny for a change—although George Lopez went on a little long and I didn’t appreciate the Clay Aiken slam in the Russell Brand-Jonah Hill bit (Tatiana looked good, didn’t she?). But Wanda Sykes was hilarious, especially the part about the eliminated contestants singing and reminding us of why we didn’t vote for them.

And no, the contestants did not sing live, but I think the Auto-Tune was turned down slightly and there may have been some actual live notes involved.

My biggest problem with the show is that it always thinks bigger is better. We couldn’t just have Joss Stone, we had to have Joss Stone and Jeff Beck. We couldn’t just have Mary J. Blige, we had to have her with an All-Star Band. But the best performances were just one person and the microphone—Carrie Underwood and the always phenomenal Annie Lennox. It was disappointing that Annie couldn’t be there live, but she was still amazing.

Speaking of the performers, it’s interesting to note that The Black Eyed Peas are not allowing their performance to be downloaded for charity. Personally, I wouldn’t waste my money even if it is for a good cause, but I find that to be a terrible move on their part that they should seriously reconsider.

My biggest disappointment with the show was that there were no big watercooler moments that made me want to run to my computer and start downloading. Remember two years ago, the goosebump-inducing performance of “Shout to the Lord” by the contestants (Of course, you downloaded it and discovered it was completely different, but that’s another story.)? Or Annie Lennox tearing through “Bridge Over Troubled Water” during the first one? It just all seemed a little blah this year.

And did the President of the United States really need to tell us that we’re all his dawgs?

The most important thing is that a lot of money--$45 million and counting—has been raised for some very worthwhile charities…

Of course Tim Urban being out of the competition is pretty important too…

Tonight it’s the music of Shania Twain. I’m not going to lie. I’m pretty worried. This is, after all, the music that took out Mandisa in Season 5. This could be interesting…

Friday, April 23, 2010

Breaking News: The Numbers Are In on "Idol Gives Back"

This just in from FOX…

“Idol Gives Back” raised almost $45 million. The proceeds will go to various US and international charities including the Children’s Health Fund, Feeding America, Malaria No More, Save the Children’s US Programs and the United Nations Foundation.

This figure does not include proceeds from iTunes, so that number will go up. Plus, donations are still being accepted on the American Idol website and by telephone at 1-877-IDOL-AID.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Top 7 Results Show: Did America Get It Right?

So did America get it right? Absolutely 100 percent yes. I think they should have put Siobhan in the bottom three, but it was definitely time for Tim to go. And just when I was starting to kind of like him…

What do you guys think? Do you think America got it right? Did you enjoy “Idol Gives Back”? And did any of you give?

Post a comment and let me know…

Top 7 Results: And the Person Going Home Is...

10:20 We’re back…Casey, Aaron and Tim…Ryan announces that next week will be Shania Twain night. Yuck!...Lights down…And the person safe is…Aaron…

10:21 And the person going home is…Tim…My nemesis is finally gone. WOO-HOO!...

10:22 Ryan thanks everyone…Tim goodbye video…Credits roll over it…

10:23 And we’re out…

Final thoughts in a moment…

Top 7 Results Show: The Bottom Three Waits...

10:17 We have a bottom three…Casey, Aaron and Tim…Who’s going home? It’s got to be Tim, right?...After the break…

I'm Here!

I’m here! WOO-HOO!

All I’ve seen so far was a WAY too long Mary J. Blige performance…

Clearly, this is running WAY over. I’ll hop back in when the eliminations hit…

Tonight's Show

It’s becoming a bit of a tradition for me. Whenever, “Idol Gives Back” airs, something comes up and I can’t watch it.

It happened two years ago and it’s happening tonight…

So the short version of the story is I will not be blogging live tonight as I usually do. I may not even blog at all depending on how things go.

So feel free to post any comments about tonight’s festivities on this post and I’ll catch up when I get back…

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

So Who's Going Home?

Before I address who I think is going home, let me say something about the song choices tonight. Songs of inspiration can often lead to a lot of dreary ballads, but this show actually had a nice variety. So kudos to the choices as most of them were good ones…

So who’s going home? I think this could actually be the week that Teflon Tim’s luck runs out. This was his chance with a great song choice and he blew it. Since the results will be a part of “Idol Gives Back,” I have no idea how it’s going to happen, but if I had to pick a bottom three, I would go with Tim, Aaron and Siobhan. Casey probably deserves to be there, but I’m sure he’s probably pretty popular.

What do you guys think? Who do you think is going home? And were you inspired by any of the performances?

Feel free to post a comment while I vote a bazillion times for Crystal…

Crystal Breaks Down

Crystal Bowersox, “People Get Ready”: 20+
God bless Ryan Seacrest for keeping her in this competition. It would not be the same without her. That was amazing. Personally, I would’ve liked to have heard the entire thing a cappella. And I too liked the show of emotion. It made it more real.

Notice there were not tears during the recap. Remember that the footage of the last singer is actually taken from dress rehearsal…

Final thoughts in a moment…

Big Mike Looks for a "Hero"

Michael Lynche, “Hero”: 19
I am totally out of sync with the judges tonight. I thought that was really good, although I would’ve ended it differently somehow. And I think he should have ditched the guitar. And considering he had to battle an orchestra that was too loud and a terrible red light package, it was pretty solid.

And he actually has an “Idol” playbook with a list of songs. I think we call that in it to win it. I’m surprised more contestants haven’t done that…

Siobhan Tries to Make Us "Believe"

Siobhan Magnus, “When You Believe” 14
I love that song, but that arrangement was TERRIBLE! When she hit the ad-libs in that final verse, the backup singers should have been singing the chorus behind her. And I know I don’t rate appearance anymore, but what was that outfit? What was in her hair? And butterflies on her shoulder? What?

But clearly the show wants her around. Why else would Ryan have let her babble for two minutes about nothing when there is only 15 minutes with two singers and a recap to go? And if that song meant so much to her, why didn’t she show us that in her performance?

Tim and Aaron Get Inspirational

Sully in the house…

Tim Urban, “Better Days”: 15
This was the perfect song choice, but he didn’t nail it. I think he should’ve stayed in his upper register for the whole song.

Aaron Kelly, “I Believe I Can Fly”: 15
If you’re going to do this song, it’s got to have emotion and it didn’t. He never seems to connect. He hit all the notes, but that just wasn’t enough. Parts of it were rushed and there was one bad transition. He should have gone with Rascal Flatts.

Lee Takes On "The Boxer"

Lee DeWyze, “The Boxer”: 16
Am I just in a non-inspirational mood tonight? Why didn’t I love it as much as the judges did? I thought the first verse was a little bit of a mumbled mess. But I do have to say that Lee showed the most confidence he ever has tonight.

Tim or Aaron is doing “I Believe I Can Fly”? Excuse me while I gag…

Casey Won't "Stop"

Tonight is all about inspiration. But which Idols will inspire you to vote for them?

That sounded like a cheesy Seacrest promo line, didn’t it?

Let’s get It started…

Casey James, “Don’t Stop”: 16
Casey is a great guitar player, but someone needs to remind him that this is a singing competition. I think he should have gone with a ballad. It was good, but…

Monday, April 19, 2010

News on the Season 9 Compilation CD

Last week, 19/RCA announced it will release a compilation CD for season nine May 11th. The CD will feature tracks from the Top 10.

Last year, the CD was only available at Wal-Mart, but this year’s will be available at all outlets. You can pre-order the CD now at AmericanIdolMusic.com and receive exclusive early access to purchase tickets for the Idols Live Tour.

Here’s the tracklist:
1. Lee Dewyze - "Treat Her Like A Lady"
2. Andrew Garcia - "Forever"
3. Siobhan Magnus - "Paint It Black"
4. Crystal Bowersox - "Me And Bobby McGee"
5. Casey James - "Jealous Guy"
6. Aaron Kelly - "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing"
7. Michael Lynche - "Ready For Love"
8. Tim Urban - "Under My Thumb"
9. Didi Benami - "Play With Fire"
10 Katie Stevens - "Let It Be"

I have to say that the CD got most everyone’s best performance. Especially Casey, Didi and Katie. I might actually add this one to my collection…

Photo Credit: Amazon.com

Kris Signs a Publishing Deal

Kris Allen has signed a publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group. According to the press release, the deal encompasses his album and future works during the length of the agreement.

Kris joins other past Idols at UMPG including Chris Daughtry and Jason Castro.

Photo Credit: Cris Cuffaro/FOX

Lyric Street Closes Its Doors

Last week, Disney Music Group announced that its closing its Lyric Street label.

Bob Cavallo, chairman of Disney Music Group, said in the announcement “given the changing nature of the music business and the more streamlined priorities of the Studios, we need to find alternative ways to create and market new artists and their music to consumers. I’m tremendously proud of what the team has accomplished.”

According to the press release from DMG, the closure will be phased, keeping a core promotions team in place to continue to market the label’s current records.

The label’s biggest act, Rascal Flatts, will be transitioned to another DMG label in order to launch their album in the fall. There is no word yet on what will happen to Bucky Covington, whose sophomore album was scheduled for release in the fall.

On a personal note, I’m sad to see the closure because I’ve enjoyed working with the Lyric Street people over the years. I wish them the best of luck…

Photo Credit: Lyric Street Records

"A Slightly Different Approach" to "Idol Gives Back"

Last week, the media had the chance to talk to Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of FremantleMedia North America and executive producer of “American Idol,” about “Idol Gives Back.” She didn’t offer a lot of specifics, but we did get some useful information.

And yes, some reporters tried to talk about potential replacements for Simon, but those questions got shut down…

Here’s a sample of what she had to say…

On whether someone will be eliminated Wednesday: “We did ‘Idol Gives Back’ twice. As you probably remember, we did the first installment three years ago and the second one two years ago and we did both ways. The first time we did it we did an extended results show, which is what we’re doing this year. The second time, we did a separate episode and we found that it worked better for us to do it as an extended results show and to make it more organic to ‘American Idol’ than to make it a separate show. And I thought with Wednesdays as our results, we do have to do the results. And within two hours, we obviously have time to cover both the charity portion of the event and the results portion. And we’ll weave it through as we normally do these things. It’s a blend of entertainment and a blend of actual ‘Idol’ competition. Of course, some acts will be dedicated to the results.”

On whether not eliminating anyone the first year hurt the ratings: “Well, what we find with “Idol,” actually any of these shows, is the competition episodes work better than the specials. So you’re right.”

On taking a different approach this year: “Economically, this is a tough year for this country and other countries around the world. We’re also going into this…with a slightly different approach. We did incredibly well both times. We raised a lot of money and we’re hoping obviously that we do incredibly well this year as well, but we’re very aware at this time that the circumstances are very different than when we first started doing this. That’s the other reason why we’re just extending our results show and we’re doing it in a little bit of a more low key way than last time when we did it.”

On choosing the charities: “Historically, we’ve done 50 percent to Africa and 50 percent to domestic charities. This year, a little bit more weighted toward domestic causes because we feel it is an American show. We’re in the U.S. It’s a very, very tough couple of years in this country and that it’s only fair that we focus on U.S. causes as well as some big international causes. So that’s the overall premise. As you probably know, ‘IGB’ is targeting primarily kids—kids, poverty, and health are really the issues that we’ve looked at and from the beginning, when we set it up, we were always focused on these issues. So that’s the other criteria that we apply when we choose the charities.

And then we’re three partners. There’s Fox, Fremantle and AT&T, and we’ve each chosen charities that we wanted to donate to. And a lot of charities are returning charities. And again, looking at just covering kids. Hence, Save the Children USA. Health with the Children’s Health Fund. Big international issues. There’s malaria where you have Malaria No More. So those are the criteria.”

On fitting it all in: “Whereas, there’s something—we have results. We have to make time within the program for the results so we have less air time to dedicate to IGB and as I said earlier, we’re conscious of the …that obviously this is different times and so it’s a little bit more. We try to do it in a little bit more of a kind of a low key way. And that’s the other part of it. But the main part is just the sheer mass of the program time. And if anything, we did it earlier where we’re really pressed for time, even with the fewer performers. We’re still really, really pressed for time in terms of our—looking at the running order yesterday and we’re going into it several minutes over already.”

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Andrew Garcia: "You can't always win everybody over"

Does it surprise anyone that the first question Andrew Garcia got during his media conference call last week was about “Straight Up”?

Here’s a sample of what Andrew had to say…

On whether he knew “Straight Up” was going to explode: “No. I was looking through a list. I saw ‘Straight Up’/Paula and I was like, ‘You know what? She’s not on the show no more, so I could do my little twist on it and see what happens.’ It really took off. It went crazy.”

On Ryan’s waltzing Tuesday night: “I was like, ‘Ryan has lost his mind,’ but I love the guy. He works a lot, so he has a right to get a little coffee in him now and then.”

On what he was doing before “Idol”: “My life before I got on ‘Idol’ was just taking care of my son. I was a stay-at-home dad; and on the weekends go play shows. That was my income; going out and playing shows for like $400 a gig.”

On not showing his personality to the judges: “Well, on stage I was focused more on just performing, like they’re talking about personality. They don’t really hang out with me, so they can’t really talk about someone’s personality if they’re not trying to hang out with me. If they hung out with me they’d love me. Guaranteed…I actually did [show my personality] and they still bashed me, but you know what? You can’t always win everybody over, so I’m thankful for all of the fans and supporters that I have and my fellow contestants.”

On not being eligible for the Judges’ Save: “At that point I was just happy where I was at and how far I had gotten. The save, they couldn’t have done a better save. Michael Lynche, that guy is a warrior and I love that guy.”

On whether it would be better for the contestants if the judges chose their songs: “I still think that even if we did want that they’ll still be harder on us just because that means they’ll be expecting more because they chose them and they think that it will fit you, but really, it’s just going to be the same.”

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Katie Stevens: "I'm excited for what's to come"

It was Katie Stevens who gave us the word “overcaffeinated” to describe Ryan Seacrest’s behavior. But during her media conference call last week, she wouldn’t repeat it, saying only that he was “funny.”

Here’s a taste of what else Katie had to say:

On what she’ll do next: “I actually don’t think I will be able to attend prom or graduation because that’s when tour rehearsals will start. But definitely, I’m going to go back home; hang out with my friends; keep up with school so that I can graduate and get my diploma. But I’m really looking forward to the tour and, hopefully, after that writing an album. We’ll see how it goes. I’m excited for what’s to come.”

On her conflicting advice from the judges: “I think where I went at fault in the beginning of the competition, during the top 24, when I was getting all of the bad comments and stuff, I think that was when I was trying to please the judges and I wasn’t pleasing myself and doing what I love. So I decided going into the top 12 that I was just going to be myself and so everything that I did at that point was what I love to do. I think that that kind of showed off, so the judges started giving me better comments.

Simon telling me that he thought I was country; I mean they all know what they’re talking about, but ultimately I need to, again, do what I love and do what I feel is best for me. I kind of side more with Kara in the pop with R&B leanings. In an album I would like to record things like Kelly Clarkson, where she has the soulful voice, kind of R&B, soul, pop with rock background. I hope to record that kind of album soon."

On the judges using the save on Michael Lynche: “I love Big Mike and I was so happy that he got saved and all of us contestants were able to spend another week with him. I mean it was weird, because I had this feeling that it was going to be me when I was standing next to him. I’m so proud of him and all of the other contestants. They’re amazing. I was so privileged to be able to spend time with them and work with all of them. I was definitely happy to sing at the end. I mean, obviously, it’s a little emotional, but I tried as best I could and that wasn’t the last time that America is going to see me, so just got to keep that in mind.”

On the judges telling her she needed to be young: “I mean it definitely was difficult getting the whole young comments and then having to do older songs, but I’ve never been afraid of a challenge and I was happy to sing those songs. I mean, obviously, everybody wants to win, but I still wanted to keep myself in check and say, 'You know what? Don’t forget where you came from.' It was definitely the experience of a lifetime and it has helped me so much learn who I am as an artist and as a person. I mean I didn’t see myself in a no-win situation, but you’ve always got to be prepared to go home, because everybody is going to go home but one.”

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Ryan Seacrest: "Idol" without Simon will be "like losing my oxygen"

Here’s an interview from “The Los Angeles Times” with Ryan Seacrest. It was conducted last week before the story about him keeping Mama Sox on the show broke.

It does however ask about his strange behavior Tuesday night although he won’t admit he was overcaffeinated. He alludes to giving one of his jobs up—but not “Idol.”

And when asked about “Idol” without Simon he says, “It will be like losing my oxygen. I don't know what it will be like without him next year. You certainly cannot recreate Simon Cowell. You cannot recreate the role he played and you can't do anything that's derivative, if you will, of what Simon has built, and will continue to build. I think there is a big question mark. I don't know because I don't know who is going to be there. I don't know what that dynamic will be like, but as we can all guess, it will certainly be different and it'll create a life of it's own. We'll just have to wait and see.”

Ryan also said he’s in charge of editing Simon’s goodbye video.

You can read the entire interview here.

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Friday, April 16, 2010

Did Mama Sox Almost Quit “Idol”?

TMZ.com is reporting that Crystal Bowersox actually quit “Idol” and was stopped from leaving by none other than Ryan Seacrest.

She told Ryan she couldn’t handle the pressure and the attention and missed her family. Ryan gave her some great advice that apparently kept her in the competition.

I knew there was a reason I loved that guy…

You can read the whole story here. No confirmation has been made by FOX, “Idol,” or Ryan himself…

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Top 9 Results Take Two: Did America Get It Right?

So did America get it right? Yes I believe they did. Although Siobhan should be arrested for what she did to “Suspicious Minds” last night, she probably didn’t deserve to go home before Katie. And even though Aaron was probably worse than Katie this week, he’s been better in the long run and probably deserved to stay more.

Sadly for Katie, she probably would’ve nailed an inspirational song next week…

Since I was so psyched about it I should mention that no, there was no mention of Ryan’s behavior whatsoever tonight—even by Simon. I’m guessing they all just wanted to move on. And yes, Ryan did behave himself a little more tonight, only showing occasional moments of loopiness…much to my chagrin…

Next week, it’s the “Idol Gives Back” extravaganza. No word on whether a contestant will actually be eliminated or if they’ll all be spared like during season six. I guess that’s a surprise.

While we ponder that, let me know your thoughts. Did the right people go home? Post a comment to get the discussion started…

Top 9 Results Take Two: And the Second Person Going Home Is...

9:53 We’re back…Tim, Michael and Katie stand with Ryan…Katie looks the sickest…Lights down…One back to safety is…Tim…Wow. People don’t like Mike, do they?...Surely it’s Katie…Ryan says that one is going home, but the other was not even in the bottom three. Huh?...Going home is…Katie…So they put Michael through that just for the drama. Or were they trying to pump him up a little before next week’s voting?...

9:55 Michael gives her a hug and gives her some words of encouragement…Crystal is in tears…Katie sings “Let It Be” while she fights off tears. It’s very appropriate…Kara tears up…

9:57 Ryan walks over and gives her a hug…The Idols come over. Michael hugs her again and says some more stuff to her…Goodbye video of Andrew and Katie…Andrew joins Katie to watch video. She’s really crying now but Andrew is smiling…That was a really well put together video…Ryan brings them to the front of the stage. Andrew actually looks happy…

10:00 And we’re out…You can hear Ryan calling for a group hug as the credits roll…

Final thoughts in a moment…

Adam Shows Us How It's Done

9:43 We’re back…Ryan announces that Alicia Keys will mentor the contestants through inspirational songs. He says you can see the list of songs on iTunes. It would be a first if it was there because that hasn’t worked all season…Ryan intros Adam to sing “Whataya Want From Me”…

9:44 Adam goes all dramatic, slowing down the first verse while standing in shadow in front of a bright green light while the audience goes crazy…After a terribly directed transition, we see him for the chorus in an Elvis like jacket. But when they pull back you can’t see him at all. What is up with that?...Now the song is back to normal…He sounds great, but the direction is totally ridiculous…That Siobhan, is how you scream in a song…

9:48 Ryan wades through the smoke and lights to get to Adam. Adam says the lasers were his idea…Ryan says that’s a big hit record. Um, Ryan. It hasn’t cracked the Top 10 yet. But I hope it will now. I LOVE that song, which I think is one of the best “Idol” singles ever released…Break…

Top 9 Results Take Two: Ryan Plays Some Games

9:33 We’re back…Ryan recaps that Aaron and Casey are safe, but Aaron still looks sick…Lights down…I’m feeling kind of sick…Bottom row (everyone else) joins Ryan on stage…Lee…Siobhan…Katie…What is he up to now?...He talked to Lee and Katie, but he didn’t ask Siobhan anything. Hmmm…Michael…He actually looks nervous for a change…Crystal…She looks nervous and I’m nervous for her. Ryan is obviously up to something here…Tim…

9:38 Crystal…safe. Thank goodness. She blows on a harmonica while walking back to her seat. I don’t know why…Siobhan is…safe. BOO HISS!...Ryan reminds Lee that he did one of the songs that Chris Daughtry did when he got eliminated. Ryan makes Lee walk across the stage to the chairs and then tells him he’s safe. Ryan he just lost his best friend on the show. Don’t do that to him!...Tim, Michael and Katie are the bottom three…Break…

Please tell me the judges saved Michael for him to go home the next week. And wouldn’t it be ironic if Tim goes home the week he was actually good…

Top 9 Results Take Two: "Idol" Meets "If I Can Dream"

9:21 We’re back…Crystal looks sick…Ryan plugs the auction on Idolgivesback.org…Video of Elliott Yamin and Kara in Africa…I don’t recognize the Elliott song playing, but I like it. Something about standing in the middle of a doorway…

9:25 Elliott in the audience…Ryan announces Elton John will be part of IGB…Ryan intros Brooke White and Justin Gaston doing “If I Can Dream.” By the way, Justin is Miley Cyrus’ ex-boyfriend…Brooke sounds great, but Justin is more than a little shaky. Should make for an interesting next episode of “If I Can Dream.” Exactly Simon Fuller’s plan, no doubt…Is Justin even supposed to actually be good?...That was bad…Ryan didn’t plug “If I Can Dream.” Is he slipping again? I thought that was the whole point of making us sit through that…Break…

Top 9 Results Show Take Two: And the First Person Going Home Is...

9:10 We’re back…Ford Music Video… “Light & Day/Reach for the Sun”…The Fusions are driving through the trees in the middle of the city…Not much to say about that one…

9:11 Lights down…Casey stands. He looks very nervous…Aaron stands…What is he up to?...Andrew stands…He brings them to the center of the stage…Is it three groups of three again?...He goes over the judges’ comments for each of them…They all look very nervous…Ryan talks to Andrew about the difficulty of sending people home…Andrew is out…Casey and Aaron are safe. They give Andrew hugs. The camera shows Lee and he looks a little sick…

9:14 Andrew sings “You Give Me Something”....Katie is crying…Maybe he should’ve done “Straight Up”…Good job America. It was time for him to go. But if Aaron is safe, who is the other person going home?...The Idols surround him and give him a hug. Ryan pulls him out of the group to talk to him…A very classy exit as he shows his appreciation to the judges and the audience…Break…

Top 9 Results Take Two: Why Oh Why Must They Do a Group Number?

Is anyone else as psyched about this as I am? Let’s do it…

8:59 Dramatic intro video recapping save of Big Mike…Video of Idols in Vegas…Clips from last night…What is that dramatic music? It’s like another “Clash of the Titans” trailer…THIS…

9:02 Ryan down the stairs…Over 34 million votes. The first time he’s told the vote total in months. He says it’s the highest total of the season…Judges Intro…

9:03 BOO HISS! Group sing…It’s a medley of Elvis songs…Could those vocals be any more fake…Casey’s not even trying…I think the producers should be arrested for this travesty. Bring back loopy Seacrest…Direction error. They showed the floor instead of the people “singing”…Crystal almost misses her cue to walk to the front of the stage…WOW that was lame. We couldn’t have just let Adam sing two songs?...Break…

More on Tonight's Show...

Here’s a little more about tonight’s episode…

Season seven finalist Brooke White will sing Elvis Presley’s “If I Can Dream” with Justin Gaston, one of the stars of “If I Can Dream,” Simon Fuller’s web series.

After the show, Justin and Brooke will participate in a live Twitter session from 10-11 p.m. PDT, which will be streamed live on the show’s website. You can also download the song from iTunes after the performance.

You can see Justin learn the news about his duet while trying to adjust to Alex Lambert moving into the house, on the latest episode of “Dream” here. Previous episodes can be watched on Hulu.

Back in 10…
Photo Credit: PR News Foto/19 Entertainment

What Will Ryan Say Tonight?

I haven’t been excited about a results show all season long, but I have to admit I’m counting down the hours until tonight’s as we have a whole host of things to look forward to…

First, there’s Adam Lambert performing the awesome “Whataya Want From Me.” Then there’s a double elimination. And then there’s the matte r of one Ryan Seacrest…

As strange as he was on camera last night, apparently it was even stranger off camera as EW.com’s Adam B. Vary reports today. Even the Idols themselves were worried about Ryan. According to Vary, Katie Stevens told reporters after the show, “I asked him, after dress rehearsal, ‘Ryan, what is up with you?’ And he goes, ‘You know, I’m really, really tired right now, so I’m trying to fool myself into thinking that I’m awake.’ [He was] over-caffeinated.”

Although some outlets are saying that Ryan appeared drunk, I think that the “over-caffeinated” theory makes complete sense. I thought he looked like someone too hyped up on cold medication, so it could easily have been some kind of caffeine product. Or he could have been so sleep deprived he was just acting goofy. It happens.

The question is how will the show handle it? Will Simon just make some brief comment and let it go at that or will Ryan have to actually say something in his own defense?

Personally I wouldn’t mind another night of Seacrest weirdness. Granted, the dancing during Tim’s song was rude. The tongue comment in front of Adam’s mother (and Ryan’s mother) was crude and the Brian Dunkleman joke was just downright cruel. But I loved it.

It was the first week I didn’t miss Paula Abdul. Maybe that’s because her spirit had inhabited Ryan’s body…

Breaking News: Is Rickey Minor Leaving "Idol"?

Allow me to interrupt your morning with this breaking news…

TMZ.com is reporting that Rickey Minor, the “Idol” music director and leader of the band, is leaving the show to become the new band leader/music director of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”

Hmmm…

TMZ says that NBC has confirmed the story and that Rickey will start his new duties June 7th. Kevin Eubanks announced Monday on “Tonight” that his last show will be May 28th.

I like Rickey and he has done A LOT of good work in the music business, but I just can’t imagine that he’ll be happy with only playing little clips of music in and out of commercials. Maybe I’m mistaken.

Of course, I guess the bigger question is why he would leave “Idol.” Maybe the grind has finally gotten to him. Or maybe, he knows with Simon leaving it’s just time to go.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled day…

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

So Who's Going Home?

I have to say that tonight was a good show. Most of the performances were good. Ryan was out of control. And Adam Lambert was an outstanding mentor.

So who’s going home? This is another tough one. Since two are going home I have no idea how Ryan will do things tomorrow night. But if it’s a bottom three, I’m going with Andrew, Aaron and Siobhan. But I have some concerns that Crystal could fall prey to the jinx of going first. As for who’s going home, it’s got to finally be Andrew’s time, doesn’t it? I think he’ll be joined by Aaron. But it should totally be Siobhan for that travesty she committed tonight. But again, there is a chance that Crystal could be in trouble. As I said earlier, Elvis week did produce the biggest shocker in the history of “Idol,” the elimination of Chris Daughtry.

So what do you guys think? Who do you think should go home? Do you agree that Adam was a great mentor? And are you hoping that Ryan goes all Paula on us tomorrow night too?

Post a comment with your opinion…

Casey Goes Old School

Casey James, “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”: 17
The producers didn’t do him any favors by putting him in the audience. It was good, but it lacked something. I think he should have taken Adam’s advice more to heart.

Final thoughts in a moment…

Katie Asks the Judges a Question

Katie Stevens, “Baby What do You Want Me To Do”: 16
I thought it was ok, but Adam was right (again). She just didn’t sell it. And every time she hit “You” it sounded off.

Big Mike Brings It

Ryan just made a Brian Dunkleman joke?! Seriously?! If you missed it, Ryan announced that Dunkleman would host a portion of “Idol Gives Back.” Ryan’s in a feisty mood tonight, isn’t he?

Michael Lynche, “In the Ghetto”: 18
Big Mike should give Siobhan a big kiss for choosing that song for him. It was a perfect choice and he nailed it (He got a standing ovation from Adam.). And I think he seemed a little more humble tonight.

Siobhan Butchers My Dad's Fave

Siobhan Magnus, “Suspicious Minds”: 11
Why didn’t she take Adam’s advice? She took one of Elvis’ best songs (and my dad’s personal favorite) and turned it into a bad pageant performance. Adam was right. That song needs some tempo.

By the way, this is the other song that Chris Daughtry did the week he was eliminated. It’s still my dad’s ringtone on my cell phone. And yes, it’s still awesome…

Aaron Tries On the "Blue Suede Shoes"

Aaron Kelly, “Blue Suede Shoes”: 16
I’m with Adam. Aaron just doesn’t commit. He never did get the growl down that Adam was trying to get him to do. I’m also with Aaron. The song didn’t fit him. He totally missed the transition to the blues riff.

Lee Brings "A Little Less Conversation"

Lee DeWyze, “A Little Less Conversation”: 18
Man that seemed short. I really liked that arrangement. And a nice save there too because I think he messed up the words.

And I hate to scare the Lee fans, but allow me to remind you that this one of the songs that Chris Daughtry sang the week he was eliminated in season five…

Is My Nemesis Actually Getting Better?

Ryan don’t mock your mother…

Tim Urban, “Can’t Help Falling In Love”: 17
I can’t believe I’m going to say this but I actually liked it. I thought the phrases in the first verse were a little disconnected, but then he brought it home. Although I think he should have taken Adam’s advice and stayed in the falsetto at the end. The guitar playing was gorgeous.

Now would they quit putting the contestants in the bright light on the mini-stage behind the judges. It’s annoying…

Andrew Bores Adam...and Me

Andrew Garcia, “Hounddog”: 14
I thought the arrangement was good, but Adam just didn’t get it done. And could he have stared down that mic any harder? He’s got to show some personality and stage presence.

And how can you not love Adam Lambert just flat out telling him it was boring…

Mama Sox Rocks Elvis

Before we start this thing, let me confess that I am not ready for “Idol” tonight. I am completely distracted with furniture shopping and just about anything else not related to “Idol.” So allow me to apologize in advance…

I honestly have no idea why the show didn’t promote the fact that the Idols were doing Elvis. You would’ve thought that would’ve drawn in some viewers since the songs are so familiar.

And Adam said he’d behave himself this week, but apparently someone forgot to tell Ryan to do the same. He just said to Adam, “I’m not nearly as talented with my tongue as you are with yours.” He was talking about singing, but it did make Adam pause and raise those brows a little…

Adam says he wants some more energy. I say bring it on…

Crystal Bowersox, “Saved”: 18
I think Crystal took some bad advice from Adam on going with the electric over the acoustic guitar. It was good, but I thought the backup singers dwarfed her. And I hate that she went first.

Tonight's Show

So it looks like tonight we are going to hear the Idols do songs from the songbook of Elvis Presley.

The show never officially announced it, but the contestants were seen with mentor Adam Lambert in Las Vegas at the new Elvis show.

This should be interesting. AND best of all, the show is only 90 minutes!

Back in 10…

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Top 9 Results Show: Did America Get It Right?

So now I need to ask two questions. First, did America get it right? No, they did not. I’m okay with the bottom three of Aaron, Andrew and Big Mike and maybe even the bottom two. But there is no way that Michael deserved to go home before Andrew. Yes, he is cocky and it shows in every performance. But he did not deserve to go home. Maybe this will humble him enough to make him a little more watchable…

Second, did the judges get it right? Yes, I believe they did. Big Mike is talented and deserved to stay. The problem is that there are no more saves so if Crystal or Siobhan get eliminated, that’s it…

Next week, two are eliminated. That means double the chances for my nemesis to go home. Who wants to bet he still stays?

What do you guys think? Should Big Mike have been saved? Post a comment to get the discussion started…

Top 9 Results Show: Lots of Drama and Excitement

9:55 We’re back…Lights down… Big Mike and Andrew…Ryan says a season total of over 132 million votes…The person safe is Andrew…HOLY COW!!!...Crystal is in tears…Big Mike is singing “This Woman’s Work,” the song that made Kara cry…His wife is in tears…I honestly have no idea what the judges will do…It looks like Kara really wants to save him. But can she convince Simon?…Did his cockiness finally undo him?...It’s a great performance, of course…Alright. Now what?...

9:58 Big Mike stands there nodding his head. But you can tell he’s shook…Kara looks sick…Simon says they all wish he had done something like that song this week…He tells him that they only have one save and the decision was unanimous…They’re going to see him next week. Big Mike is saved…Kara jumps up and hugs Simon and then starts whooping and hollering. I’m guessing Simon was on the fence and the others convinced him…The Idols come over to hug him…His wife is ecstatic…So there are no more saves and two people will go home next week…

10:00 And we’re out…

Final thoughts in a moment…

Top 9 Results Show: Rihanna Takes the Stage

9:47 We’re back…Ryan, Big Mike and Andrew on stools…Big Mike is mad. But he needed this to knock him down a peg or two…Rihanna…She’s debuting her new single “Rock Star 101”…It’s on tape…What happened to those radio-friendly song Rihanna always did?...Break…

Top 9 Results Show: And the Bottom Three Is...

9:30 We’re back…Ok. Archie is doing “Imagine”…What’s up with the Beatles haircut? Or is that supposed to look like Justin Bieber…I know he’s just started but doing it at the piano does not have the impact he had when he did it just him two years ago…Archie says he’s working on the next album…He still has trouble talking…He waves as he walks off the stage…

9:35 Lights down…Now he’s forming two groups. And you know one of them will be a shocker…Lee…Far side…Big Mike…Close side…The audience sounds concerned. But I’m pretty sure Mike is fine. It’s Lee who’s in trouble…Casey…joins Lee. I feel a shocker…Aaron…next to Mike…Tim…He looks like he’s about to cry…Joins Lee and Casey and the crowd cheers. I wouldn’t if I were them…Andrew…joins Mike and Aaron. I love it when he does this!!!...

9:40 One group is the bottom three…Ryan asks Ellen which is the bottom…She says she hates this…She says it’s Big Mike’s group…The bottom three is Big Mike, Aaron and Andrew. But we almost missed that because of the stupid director…I was sure we were going for a shocker here…One is safe…It’s Aaron…Big Mike looks kind of angry…That leaves Big Mike and Andrew…I predicted Andrew was going home. Could I actually be right three weeks in a row?...After the break…Well, actually after Rihanna, after the break…

Top 9 Results Show: Jason Derulo Gets "In My Head"

9:21 We’re back…iTunes plug…Ryan says Adam Lambert will be the mentor next week. Katie’s jaw drops. Doesn’t she read EW.com or my blog? And what’s the theme, Ryan?...Ryan introduces Jason Derulo, who Kara actually signed…He’s doing both “Watcha Say” and “In My Head”…I really like “Head.” That’s a good song. I actually just downloaded it an hour ago…He’s having some earpiece problems so he takes it out…Okay what was up with the weird black and white slow-mo effects? Was that so we didn’t have to endure any more strobe lights?...That was a pretty good performance…Kara gives him a standing ovation…Kara says he only had four days to get it together and she’s so proud of him…Simon says it was great…You didn’t plug the album, Ryan…Break…

Top 9 Results Show: Ryan Pulls Out Some New Tricks

9:11 We’re back…Ford music video…”Will It Go Round in Circles”…They’re looking at themselves through a kaleidoscope…

9:13 Lights down…Siobhan stands…He sends her to the center…WOO-HOO! Three groups of three!!!...Crystal…Joins Siobhan. Could they be in the bottom three?...Katie…joins Crystal and Siobhan. Maybe that’s not what he’s doing tonight…Ryan asks Randy if one of them is going home tonight?...I’m guessing one of them is in the bottom three…Crystal…safe…What is he doing?...Katie and Siobhan. They’re both safe…Nice one, Ryan…Hmmm…There’s clearly a shocker with the guys, but who? Is it Aaron or Lee?...Break…

Top 9 Results Show: Surprises Ahead?

Will Ryan do his three groups of three trick tonight? Please, please, please…

Let’s find out…

9:00 Dramatic intro video…Showing clips of the behind-the-scenes stuff we saw last night combined with graphics of Beatles lyrics...Clips of performances…Set to “Hey Jude”…Ryan says “prepare yourself for a surprise or two.” That is never good…THIS…

9:02 Ryan reminds us about the save…Ryan says the producers have told him there are shocking results tonight. Uh-oh. Maybe I should’ve voted for Crystal more…Judges intro…“Idol Gives Back” promo…Ryan talks about the auction they’re doing. I’ll have more on that later…No, no, no! A group number. When you have three acts, you’re not supposed to have a group number…

9:05 The guys get individual parts, but they’re still lip synching to auto-tuned versions of their voices…Crystal smiles all the way through her part…So I guess Archie is not singing “Imagine.” Wonder what he’s singing?...If we’re forced to endure this nonsense so Ryan can do the three groups of three I can deal with it. It was actually the best group song of the season. But that’s not saying much…Break…

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

So Who's Going Home?

First of all, let me make the prediction that David Archuleta will do “Imagine” tomorrow night. When I spoke to Michael Slezak last week, we discussed that Tim and Aaron would probably vie for the rights to sing that one but they both should avoid it because Archie had nailed it. I wonder if the show took it off the list so he could do it…

Hey, if it means no group number I’m all for it…

Since this is the Top 9, it’s possible that Ryan will do his patented three groups of three trick tomorrow night during the results show. I hope so because it’s my favorite of his stall tactics…

So then who will make up the bottom three? It’s a tough call tonight, but I’m going with Tim, Andrew and Katie. Katie was good tonight, but her appearance in the bottom three two weeks in a row doesn’t bode well for her. There is a possibility that Siobhan could get that third spot as well.

And who’s going home? You know I want to say Tim, but considering his track record and the fact that he was actually good tonight I don’t think it will happen. I think maybe Andrew’s time is finally up. But like I said, it’s a toss-up…

What do you guys think? Who do you think is going home? And do you agree that unusual instrument time should be over?

Lee Brings Out a Bagpipe Player?

Lee DeWyze, “Hey Jude”: 17
I thought this was a good concert performance, but not a good “Idol” performance. When you’re trying to show how good of a singer you are, you shouldn’t stop and ask the audience to sing with you. And I’m with Simon. The bagpipe player was a total distraction. The director’s been distracted enough tonight.

Final thoughts in a moment…

Siobhan Goes "Across the Universe"

Siobhan Magnus, “Across the Universe”: 17
This is the Siobhan I prefer, but it was just a little blah for me.

And Simon’s little interview of her probably earned her a couple thousand more votes. I think he was going to attack her performance and then pulled back after she started crying…

Casey Shows He's a "Jealous Guy"

Casey James, “Jealous Guy”: 20
Wow! That was gorgeous. The ending was a little weird, because I would’ve just repeated “I’m just a jealous guy” at the end. But it was really good anyway.

Tim Shows Us Some "Lovin'"

Tim Urban, “All My Lovin’”: 15
As much as I hate to say Tim and good in the same sentence, you have to admit the kid can play the guitar. And his voice sounded good too. I just can’t give it a higher score because it’s Tim. And I have to say the director actually did him a favor by not focusing too much on his face so we’d see his vacant eyes.

Crystal Does My Fave Beatles Tune

Crystal Bowersox, “Come Together”: 20
I love it when my fave contestant does my fave song. This is my favorite Beatles song and she nailed it. Something appeared to go wrong toward the end. I’m not sure if she lost her place on the guitar or in the lyrics but something looked wrong. However, she went right on. But someone should have reminded the director that it’s about the contestant not the guy playing the didgeridoo. Even if it did give Crystal a chance to show some personality.

Big Mike Goes Dramatic

Michael Lynche, “Eleanor Rigby”: 17
I liked the arrangement (very reminiscent of the one David Cook did two years ago but with an R&B twist) but there was just something not quite right. I think he sounded out of breath or something. And he did just too much with it. His cockiness was on display BIG time. And the director didn’t do him any favors by showing his back during the dramatic bridge. Did Bruce Gowers not go to rehearsal?

Tell me Randy didn’t just work “Glee” into the judges’ conversation. Good lord…

Andrew Tries to Buy Our "Love"

Andrew Garcia, “Can’t Buy Me Love”: 15
I thought it was a good arrangement but I don’t think he pulled it off. That was a fun arrangement and he was way too stiff. He needed to ditch the guitar. And the producers didn’t do him any favors by stranding him out on the mini-stage without the band.

Katie Lets "It Be"

Katie Stephens, “Let It Be”: 18
I rolled my eyes when I heard she was doing this because Kris Allen claimed this one weeks ago. But that gospel-tinged arrangement was great. I thought it just needed a little more growl. And I thought her hot pink sweater dress was a little inappropriate for the song choice. I would’ve gone with an evening gown.

Aaron Takes Us on the "Road"

Aaron Kelly, “The Long and Winding Road”: 15
I thought it was a good choice, because he got to show some of his country tone, but something just wasn’t quite right about it. He missed the bridge completely and I think he was having some voice issues.

The Lennon/McCartney Setup

Did anybody else think that control room open was lame? Just me? Okay…

Lacey Brown in the house…

MAN, there are some serious direction issues tonight. Wonder if this Lennon/McCartney video is the same one they used before. I can’t remember…

Did anybody else think Paul McCartney acted a little strange in his video? Just me? Okay…

We’re taking a break to stretch this out. If Aaron’s going first, I’m guessing he didn’t get “Imagine.” Uh-oh…

Didi Benami: "I don't feel like I lost my way"

It suddenly dawned on me this morning that I hadn’t shared Didi’s comments from her media conference call with you. You’ll see that it’s clear that Didi still doesn’t quite get it. It’s not about singing a particular genre. It’s about making that particular genre fit into your genre. Of course, I get the feeling Didi is not quite sure what her genre is…

Here’s some of what she had to say…

On whether she was prepared for all of the scrutiny: “No, actually I wasn’t prepared for that. I was not an avid American Idol watcher, so I didn’t really know what to expect. Honestly, I was just being myself, and I did stuff that meant something to me, and I also had a good time. So, I wasn’t expecting that, no, but I am okay. I dealt with it, and it’s actually interesting because it was a lot like my Los Angeles experience. You get kicked down; you got to get back up again and start over. It’s not anything I haven’t dealt with before. So, no big deal.”

On her LA experience: “Oh boy! It’s crazy. I moved out here when I was 19, and I’ve had crazy roommates and all sorts of ridiculous experiences where I moved around a lot. There were points where I didn’t even have a place to live, and I was living out of my car, and it’s been rough. I wanted to do some entertainment, and I wanted to sing and do Rebecca’s songs, and I somehow managed to find my way along the way because I didn’t really know what I was doing, other than I moved out to LA and was trying to pursue what I loved.

And, I just faced a lot of ridiculous hardships. I was waiting tables and it’s never predictable. I switched jobs many times. It’s never really been a stable environment for me, ever, living out here until just recently, and then my life got uplifted again. And, it’s a crazy experience in LA, and you get kicked down a lot. I taught myself how to play guitar and write out everything that was bothering me or anything that I had on my mind and couldn’t say in reality to somebody because I wanted to be nice. And, I was able to start writing songs and meet people that wanted to co-write and from there, just really started honing (I can’t find the words I am so tired) and just started working on my skills and trained myself to write and took voice lessons. I worked really, really hard to get where I am, so I am just really grateful that I had the opportunity to be on American Idol in the first place because it’s a great platform for me to be able to get my music out there and to continue my song writing and my love and my passion and what I was put here to do. So, it’s really amazing.”

On being so emotional: “Music is definitely therapy for me. It’s therapeutic and I do it as a release, and it’s who I am. And it’s funny because the cameras always catch me whenever I am emotional, which sucks because I am not always emotional. I’ve actually been pretty strong through this whole thing. It’s just whenever something happens or I break down, it’s unfortunately right when there’s a camera in my face. But, it’s been an amazing ride, and of course, it’s been emotional because this is something that I’ve always wanted to do and reaching that place that I got to on the show was a really amazing thing for me, and it was a really big accomplishment. That was emotional for me because you work so hard, and you just try to believe and keep the faith and imagine and just know that good things will come, and when they finally do, it’s like almost in disbelief, and it’s a really amazing opportunity, and it brought me to tears, so ….”

On whether Ryan trying to get her to admit why she sang her song hurt her: “I don’t know. There’s no way to tell what the, it was kind of a weird situation. It was kind of awkward for me, and I wasn’t trying to get any sort of, there’s a time and place for, I was trying to convey a message through the song, not by somebody asking me why I was singing it. I think it was pretty obvious to people why I was singing it. And I don’t think that anybody hasn’t had that emotion, and I sang the song because I love the song, so ….Yes, and it was kind of an uncomfortable situation for me because I didn’t want to answer the question, but ultimately, I think I did what I thought was in my best interest, and it’s all good.”

On Kara saying she lost her way: “I don’t feel like I lost my way. I feel like they wanted me to do something specific every week and I kind of went out on a limb several different weeks and I did different things and they weren’t expecting it, and it was kind of a surprise. Just to show that I can do other things. I am a singer/songwriter and I have that, but I also tap into every single emotion that I have and that I do very well. That’s something that is artistry. Through these songs I was just showing a different side to myself. It probably wasn’t necessarily the side that they wanted to see, but I have them and I think everybody does. So, I was just being me and that’s really all I can say.

I appreciate Kara, though. I think she was trying to, I think that they were all trying to be really helpful and I was just doing my thing and it wasn’t exactly what they had kind of planned out for me, I guess. But I just wanted to show a different side of myself. It’s not every day you get to sing in front of 30 million people and I just wanted to do different things and not do the same thing every week, to show that I can do other things and I am diverse.”

On what kind of music she wants to do: “Didi music. I’m going to do my thing. I’m going to do singer/songwriter type of, like acoustic, low key, chill, relaxing music. I’m going to put my heart into what I do, like I do every time. It’s me and I can, it’s like acoustic, I guess, all acoustic kind of fusion stuff. A little jazz, a hint of bluegrass, a little bit of everything that I’ve experienced in my life.”

On the pace of the show: “Wow, it’s like insane, intense; like boot camp for singers kind of thing. It was definitely intense. It’s like here, get a song, learn it in like very, very little time, sing it on stage in front of everybody. It’s just very like, I don’t know, it’s a lot of pressure and it’s an amazing experience at the same time, so you want to take full advantage of it and you don’t want to mess up. And you want to do everything you can to give them everything you have. So, it’s definitely an interesting experience. They definitely always keep you busy with like four shoots and photo shoots, there’s always something. It’s really amazing and valuable experience. I’ve learned a lot and I can’t wait to sleep. Never thought I’d say that, but yeah, I’m exhausted. But I’m really, really grateful and glad that I got the chance to do it.”

On the moment she had to wait for the judges’ decision about the save: “It was tough. You know, the whole crowd was chanting and that was pretty cool, but ultimately, regardless, I kind of felt like I was going home. I thought it would be cool if they exercised the option to let me stay and I wanted to come back next week in Beatles week and be great. But regardless of what happened, I was kind of in the head space like I was okay either way. I’m not really worried, I’ve had amazing support from everybody and it’s just been a really crazy, cool ride. I’m happy because I’m going on tour and I have a lot to look forward to, so I’m not at all distraught about anything. I want to put a record together and I want to get my music out there, too. I’m okay with it.”

Photo Credit: Frank Micelotta/FOX

Michael Slezak: "This season still has a chance"

In today’s “Herald-Dispatch,” I gave you just a taste of what “Entertainment Weekly” writer Michael Slezak had to say about “American Idol.” But Slezak had a lot more to say about this season’s problems and what the show should do about the judges…

Here’s a taste of what he had to say…

On whether this season is the worst to be an “Idol” writer: “It’s weird because when you’re filled with outrage sometimes it’s easier to write. As a fan of the show it’s hard to write about. It’s like a problem child.”

On whether there’s any hope for this season: “This season still has a chance. There are a lot of ifs. Crystal Bowersox needs to make it to the finale. There’s a lot riding on her shoulders. We really need to see some of the secondary players step up and make it a competition…In season eight, there was an actual race. Kris, Adam, Danny and Allison all were really battling for it. That’s why it was nice to see Andrew Garcia step it up [last week]. He has an icecube’s chance in an oven of winning but you want to see him give a winning performance once in a while…You want [the show] to be worth giving three hours a week of your life to it.”

On what other contestants could step up: “I think Siobhan Magnus is an amazing talent
She was much more appealing as an outsider than as a frontrunner. Lee DeWyze is an interesting contestant. Maybe Aaron Kelly.”

On my “Idol” nemesis: “I reached a weird point of acceptance with Tim Urban [last] week. He’s never going to get better. He’s emotionally tone deaf. He’s hitting some notes, but he has no idea what the words are. I have to laugh. At least he’s not dull. You have to embrace the ridiculousness of it. At least he’s giving us something.”

On this year’s problems: “These contestants have no sense of ‘Idol’ history…There is a slight feeling of sameness. I’m befuddled that the show is a little bit complacent.”

On Ryan’s increased fighting with the judges: “I don’t know if he suddenly thinks the show is about him. He’s suffering from Kara DioGuardi syndrome. He’s more and more staged. Less real, less appealing. He’s trying to have a moment. It’s about the contestants singing. You can’t plan these things. Someone really connects with a song and does it well. [Ryan] needs to get back to what he’s good at [which is moving things along].
It’s a little trumped up. There’s a lack of watercooler factor this season so they’re creating this tension…There’s a lack of watercooler buzz so there’s a little bit of desperation and a little bit of frustration. A lot of longing for contestants no longer on show. What would’ve been.”

On what will happen next year without Simon: “They’ve done a very poor job of finding someone to anchor the judge’s panel. I don’t know why they didn’t get a second Simon two years ago. He brings an authority to his critiques. He is a TV star. You’ve got to have both qualities—TV star and authority. Simon is the voice of the people. The myth is that people don’t like him. But they actually nod their heads and say exactly.” Slezak pointed out “Project Runway” as a good judge’s panel with two opinionated and authoritative judges—Michael Kors and Nina Garcia.

On the judges panel: Slezak mentioned that former Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe had given an interview where he said if he were still in charge he would “clear the entire panel for next year. It’s not a bad idea. Randy and Kara have done a better job this year. But their moment has passed.”

On my feelings of nostalgia about the show: “There is a nostalgia this year. Is there a chance [next year] it will be something really different and really amazing? Yes. It will definitely not be what it is now. You don’t want to see the show become a shadow of its former self.”

You can read Slezak’s latest “Idol” recap here.

Breaking News: Adam Lambert Headed for "Idol" Stage

EW.com is reporting exclusively that Adam Lambert will be the guest mentor for next week's show. No word yet on what the theme will be, but I'm guessing something in the rock vein...

Adam will then perform "Whataya Want From Me"--which I still maintain is one of the greatest "Idol"-related singles ever--on next week's results show.

You can read the whole story here.

So what do you think? Is it too soon for Adam to be a mentor considering he was just on the show last season? Or is this just one more opportunity to see how pathetic this year's group is in comparison to last year's?

Discuss...

Monday, April 5, 2010

An Idol Gets That "One Shining Moment"

When that “One Shining Moment” hits CBS tonight, there will be a familiar Idol voice behind it…

Jennifer Hudson has recorded “One Shining Moment,” the song that plays over CBS’ montage of NCAA tournament highlights. The montage will play at the conclusion of tonight’s game. Since tip-off is after 9, it will be late…

You can download the song now from iTunes or you can hear it here. You’ll notice that the music track is exactly the same as the Luther Vandross version.



I actually prefer the verses of the Teddy Pendergrass version from the 90s, but the chorus from the Luther Vandross version. Maybe next year they should do a mash-up…

You can read all about the song and the man who wrote it at the song’s official website here.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

David Cook in Ethiopia: "I feel kind of guilty for the bubble I've built for myself"

Wednesday, Season 7 American Idol David Cook talked to the media via phone from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to talk about his trip there with the United Nations Foundation for a segment on “Idol Gives Back.”

Also on the call was Elizabeth Gore, the Executive Director of Global Partnerships and Nothing But Nets for the United Nations Foundation.

The purpose of David’s trip is to create awareness about the problems facing girls in Ethiopia. According to Gore: “Adolescent girls are a huge priority to this organization and to the U.N., and the fact that 70 percent of the world’s out-of-school youth, and that’s about 130 million people, are girls shocks all of us every day.”

Here’s some of what David had to say…

On his experience: “This has been one of the most enlightening and fulfilling experiences I have been able to be a part of. My experience here – I have been very present at the Biruh Tesfa School here in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and I will speak candidly about what I have seen here, but obviously, I think everybody listening and everybody talking can agree that the situation here is not as great as it could be, but having said that, there is definitely a sense of hope and an amazing vibrancy here, especially with the young girls at this school. That is what is great about this initiative that the U.N. and the U.N. Foundation have put together, it really gives these girls a chance to – statistically I think only 20 percent of the girls in this country have any sense of education – and so seeing that and really realizing how that it is not just in Ethiopia, but how much of a widespread problem that is.

I think, just having been out here for the short time, you immediately kind of appreciate the bubble that you have built for yourself, but also I feel kind of guilty for the bubble I’ve built for myself. This reality is so far removed from even what we see on TV. What the people here have to deal with on a daily basis is real, and it’s heavy, and it’s something that truly deserves our attention.”

On the girls he has met: “The girls at the school genuinely want to learn. They want to have that education. They want to have that opportunity, and that’s inspiring to see a seven-year-old girl want to build a better future for herself. I remember being seven years old, and I didn’t have that foresight. These girls are wise beyond their years, and both fortunately and unfortunately they’ve kind of had to be.”

On whether his experience will find its way into his music: “It would be really hard to fathom that it wouldn’t. I think anybody that isn’t completely self-absorbed, it’s impossible for them to come to this kind of a situation and not be moved by it and not be changed by it. To really drive home the fact that what these girls are dealing with – girls that don’t get an education here are immensely more likely to fall into the sex trade or into domestic servitude and then that opens it up to so many other different things. HIV is one of the main killers here. And so, to see that firsthand, I would almost say it’s a definite that I am going to bring that back, and it will find its way into my career path.”

On whether people there knew who he was: “Very few people here know who I am. We had to explain to the little girls who I was and why I was there. But we did get a chance to play some music for them. My guitar player came out here with me, and then they sang for us. It’s always cool to see music be this universal language, I guess. But I definitely had to win them over. They didn’t quite know what to do with the tall, tattooed white guy, I guess.”

On what he remembers from his own “Idol Gives Back” show: “I actually remember specifically, on my season when we did “Idol Gives Back,” that we all snuck up to the balcony and got a chance to watch, from the front of the house, Annie Lennox’s performance. It was just her on the piano, and in the background, they were showing images of children, and it just tore me apart. I think to have that kind of visual moment when everything kind of clicks and you realize that my reality is not their reality, it really puts you in a position where you want to help, and so from that point on I was just kind of chomping at the bit to get involved with “Idol Gives Back.” This couldn’t have come at a better time.

David said he did not know yet if he would be performing on “Idol Gives Back,” but he does hope to be at the show. FOX announced today that Annie Lennox will be back to perform.

“Idol Gives Back” airs on April 21st on FOX…

Photo Credit: Stuart Ramson/United Nations Foundation