New Releases by Former Idols

TAYLOR HICKS
Listen to the Season 5 winner's first single, "What's Right Is Right" from his upcoming album "The Distance" here. It's strictly adult contemporary, but we really like it and are looking forward to hearing the rest of Taylor's new CD. You can purchase "What's Right Is Right" Tuesday on iTunes. "The Distance" drops on March 10.

GINA GLOCKSEN
You can listen to "List of Regrets," the Season 6 ninth-place finalist's first single on her MySpace page. According to Gina's official site, the song should be on sale on iTunes this month. It's decent pop/rock, but nothing that will make you say, "I MUST have that song."

SANJAYA MALAKAR
The seventh-place Season 6 finalist simultaneously released a memoir (as in book) and five-song EP this past Tuesday, both called "Dancing to the Music in My Head" (the book, cowritten by Alan Goldsher, carries the subtitle "Memoirs of the People's Idol"). The EP is available exclusively on Amazon.com. You can listen to snippets of it here. We haven't read the book, for which Malakar told Howard Stern he received a $100,000 advance, but we'll take a pass on the music after listening to the preview. You can read a qna with Malakar here.

MICHAEL JOHNS
The Season 7 finalist performs on the soundtrack to the documentary "Don't Look Down." You can hear snippets of the CD here. You can hear the entire duet of "Life is OK," with fourth-place finisher Brooke White on her MySpace page. This is a really nice cut.

MANDISA
The Season 5 finalist has released a new upbeat gospel track, "My Deliverer," from her forthcoming CD "Freedom," dropping on March 24th. Also also check out the single art to the right. Mandisa is looking hotter than ever. You can listen to it here

MELINDA DOOLITTLE
The Season 6 third-place finisher is "Coming Back to You" with her first CD, scheduled to drop on Feb. 3. Meanwhile, you can preview a full-length cut of the first release, "It's Your Love" and snippets of five other songs on Melinda's MySpace page or previews of all 13 songs on Amazon.com.

KELLY CLARKSON
The original and, some think, best-ever Idol has a sure hit with "My Life Would Suck Without You," the first release from her upcoming album, "All I Ever Wanted." This catchy return to pop-rock is a must-hear for anyone who likes Kelly. You can listen to the full version on Clarkson's MySpace page. The album's drop date has moved from March 17 to March 10. Hey, make it even earlier, it'll make us happy. Hope there's an "Idol" guest spot for Clarkson this season.

ANTONELLA BARBA
"Playing Games," written by her Season 6 co-semi-finalist Paul Kim (who is also featured on the song). It's not for sale, but it should be. If Antonella and Paul had sounded this good on "Idol," they probably would have made the finals (especially that season). Paul also demonstrates an enviable knack for songwriting. In fact, we were amazed when he told us, "I wrote that song in like 15 minutes, during the drive to the studio, lol." You can hear "Playing Games" on Antonella's MySpace page.

CHRIS SLIGH
The Season 6 finalist (and one of our favorites) and his songwriting partner, Clint Lagerberg, wrote "Here Comes Goodbye," which Rascal Flatts recorded and releases on radio Jan. 26 as their first single from their new album, "Unstoppable," due out April 7th. You can listen to Chris' considerable songwriting chops here.

e-mail Idol Addict
© 2009

A Further Look at the Elimination Show

We posted a story about the most important happenings on the first elimination show last night. If you didn't get to read it, check the posting right after this one. Here are some other details, plus some thoughts.

Ryan Seacrest told us nearly 32 million votes were cast over the two nights, yet Sundance Head and Antonella Barba were left standing. Were you surprised? If you were, you haven't been reading this blog. If we had any doubt about the role that VotefortheWorst.com might have played in Idol's first Season 6 voter-elimination round, it dissipated after we read the following, posted on Thursday on the VFTW home page:

"There won't be a False Idols this week for the females, and we apologize for the down time on the site! We couldn't anticipate the over three million hits to the entire site we received in just two days, and now we're on a much bigger server to handle the ever growing popularity. Thanks to all who voted for Sundance and Antonella, hope that they're safe tonight!"

If that site received over 3 million hits in the two days of voting and only some of the people who visited voted multiple times, it definitely could have had an effect on the outcome. Now, while we realize that a lot of people probably visited VFTW to oogle Antonella's bare breasts or see her sitting on her porcelain throne, we can't discount that these same people might have called in votes. The site also said: "Thank you SO much to everyone who voted, but don't rest on your laurels. We must vote even harder next week because America will be that much more pissed off. So vote twice as hard for both next week, let's get them to the top 12!"

We say its time to take back our program! This might have seemed amusing at first, but enough is enough! Vote early and vote often next week. Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote for anyone except Sundance and Antonella. Let's put VFTW to shame and eliminate those two. Power to the People!

Meanwhile, another site, IDontLikeYouInThatWay.com, has now posted much larger versions of some of the pix that appeared on VFTW, plus a couple of new ones, including their piece de resistance, one we'll call "American Booty." But the Antonella Barba photo mother lode is located at PhillyBurbs.com. Click on any of the photos there and it'll bring up the entire photo album, which you can then scroll through by using the "previous" or "next" buttons on the top right.

And has anyone else noticed that Antonella's BFF Amanda Collucio is nowhere to be found in these now dozens of pictures? So we couldn't help but wonder: Did she take the photos? Or was she perhaps instrumental in their appearance on the Internet? Just asking.

But back to the show ... Randy told us this was now a girl's race to lose, though Simon said he had seen two of three guys with potential. We suffered through the first first group number, Tears for Fears' "Sowing the Seeds." Perhaps it didn't sound as bad as others from the past (we seem to recall Season 4 as a particularly egregious dog-howling-at-the-moon one for group sings). But can't the executive producers find anything better to fill the unneeded and unbearable 50 extra minutes of each results show they force us to sit through so they can collect an ungodly amount of commercial revenue? We bring them that money and we deserve better.

And speaking of deserving better, here's another pet gripe: Why must we be tormented by a repeat performance by the week's worst instead of the week's best? CBS' "Rock Star" understands that concept. On that show, the singer whom the judges deemed the best each week (this could be done on Idol by the contestant with the highest vote total) performed an encore. Wouldn't you have rather seen LaKisha Jones or Melinda Doolittle again, rather than Paul Kim or Amy Krebs? Isn't it humiliating enough to be told in front of the nation that you sucked the most last night? Must you then have to tearfully repeat your sucky performance (we actually felt pretty bad for Paul Kim. Geez this show is now even bringing the guys to tears).

And one of our faves, Chris "Dead Man Walking" Sligh was forced to eat a little humbe pie when Ryan asked him if he was worried about the results. The usually cocky Sligh admitted he was a bit nervous because he feared that what he called his "banter" with Simon Cowell Tuesday night, had been misunderstood by America -- he was afraid it got taken as disrespect (duh, really?). Sligh said he really loved Simon and Ryan told him to tell America that. So he addressed the viewers with "America, I love Simon!" Uh-huh. And Chris, Simon loves, you, too. And readers, if you believe that, we have a bridge we'd like to sell you. Though Simon's voice could be faintly heard in the background saying, "I like this guy." Guess we'll see whether Simon treats him more like Taylor Hicks or Katharine McPhee in the future. Then we'll know for sure.

We also noted that Ryan was extremely rude to Quincy Jones, who was introduced in the audience as the producer of "The Color Purple" during the Fantasia segment. Ryan inquired whether Fantasia was ready to bring it to the show, and Quincy answered certainly, then began to say something about the show but was immediately cut off by Ryan as the camera was pulled from Jones' face. Hey, could Quincy plugging the show have been any worse than the group sing? Why ask him a question if you really didn't want him to talk? Or was putting him on part of the deal to get Fantasia on the show?

CAMP IDOL

Well, it might not be as much fun as "Meatballs," but FremantleMedia (co-producer and licensor of American Idol) in conjunction with show creator 19 Entertainment has announced the inception of Idol Camp, a noncompetitive performing arts summer camp for kids between the ages of 12-15 based on "American Idol."

Idol Camp will include master classes from surprise celebrity performing artists, former "American Idol" contestants and other top industry professionals. There will be daily instruction in a variety of classes, from singing, dancing and acting to songwriting and audition techniques, as well as traditional camp activities such as swimming and field sports. Idol Camp is located in Northfield, Mass.

FremantleMedia and 19 Entertainment will reward a certain percentage of students with fully paid scholarships, based on financial need, in an effort to reach a wide range of the country’s most eager performers. Scholarships are available to students from households with a gross income of $50,000 or less.

Submission of an application does not guarantee acceptance to Idol Camp, which will be based on limited enrollment of applicants demonstrating enthusiasm, dedication, a desire to perform and a passion for the arts. It is not audition-based. Applications must be received no later than April 18, but application acceptance may be stopped prior to that date if all places at Idol Camp have been filled. Enrollment does not guarantee admission into the "American Idol" TV series competition, nor will it provide inside information or any other advantage in the "American Idol" audition process.

There is a nonrefundable $35 application fee and tuition is $2,900 per session. The tuition fee includes camp registration, all programs of instruction, accommodation and meals, T-shirt and cap and transportation to and from Bradley International Airport.

Click here to learn more about Idol Camp.

WHO DRIVES CLAY AIKEN

Here are a couple of videos of Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken's appearance on "The Morning Show With Mike and Juliet" yesterday (thanks Peggy L). Click here for the first clip, in which Clay visits a local bar to judge karaoke with M&J, and then meets his fan Diane “Cookie” Knappenberger, who shows her favorite American Idol her Clay-decorated Saturn. In clip 2, here, Clay and “Cookie” go head-to-head in a (lame) Clay Aiken trivia contest.

And Season 5 finalist Paris Bennett was a guest on Wednesday's show, where she discussed the men's performances from the previous night. You can catch a video clip of her opinions here.

IDOL RATINGS DROP

TV Week reports that “American Idol” hit a season-low on Tuesday night (the night of the sucky guys' show), but still dominated keeping competitors on the defensive. “Idol” (11.7) was down 10 percent from last week and at its lowest all season. Overall the current season is still tracking higher than last year's.

... If you have a question for Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, you could pose it in person on TVWeek.com's Backlot Talk. Email your question to chuckross@tvweek.com and if it's selected, you will be contacted with the date and time of the recording. Visit the Web site for all the information you need to include in your e-mail. And check the site on Fridays at 4:30 p.m. EST for the week's new podcast when they'll discuss this week's Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Idol broadcasts. There are also transcript and audio archives on the site of previous interviews with Lythgoe.

e-mail Idol Addict
© 2007

First 4 Semi-Finalists Eliminated

Ronnie Gill in Newsday writes:

The first cut should have been the deepest, but wasn’t. In fact, it didn’t even separate the wheat from the chaff.

Four semi-finalists were eliminated from “American Idol” tonight, and they weren’t even the worst of the lot. Ending their journeys to the Season 6 title were: Paul Kim, 25, who the judges found pitchy and very ordinary; Amy Krebs, 22, who was warned by Simon Cowell that she didn’t stand out; Nicole Tranquillo, 20, whose song Cowell said sounded over-rehearsed; and Rudy Cardenas, 28, whose performance was called corny by Randy Jackson.

Some would argue that VotefortheWorst.com, a Web site that encourages the public to vote for contestants it deems as "the worst," had an effect on the outcome of this week’s voting. It’s two “nominees,” Sundance Head and Antonella Barba, had received fairly scathing critiques from the show’s judges, but survived.

During the course of the show, host Ryan Seacrest revealed that this season’s finalists would be working with a list of all-star mentors that will include Diana Ross, Jon Bon Jovi, Jennifer Lopez (April 11), Gwen Stefani (March 28), Tony Bennett, Martina McBride, Lulu, Peter Noone and Barry Gibb. Seacrest also introduced a new contest in which entrants could win cash or a trip to Hollywood by giving the correct answer to a multiple–choice question via text-messaging or online.

Season 3 champion Fantasia Barrino made a guest appearance and announced that she would be assuming the role of Celie in the Broadway musical “The Color Purple” on April 10. She then sang “I’m Here” from the show.

More in the morning ...

The 12 Guys

Be scared America -- be very scared. And for so many reasons. We sat through weeks of Idol auditions, the good and the bad (mostly the bad). We sat through a mercifully short week of Hollywood sessions. We waited with anticipation for the real competition to begin. And, like the judges, we were terribly disappointed with the men on Week 1.

Of course, it would be impossible to be more disappointed than the judges, because nearly everyone, with the possible exception of Blake Lewis, took a beating. Have the judges always been this critical on Week 1? Even Paula? Paula!!! Don't think so. They were tough to please indeed. Even the contestants we thought did well received only a pittance of praise -- if any at all.

But what scares us even more, are this morning's results on DialIdol.com, a service that has viewers vote through its phone lines to predict the outcome of the ballotting. Last season, much to the consternation of Fox and "American Idol," the service proved to be fairly accurate. By the end of the competition we felt confident we knew the results way before they were announced on the show, and we were rarely disappointed. DialIdol.com watchers were probably the only Idol fans in the country that weren't shocked when Chris Daughtry was eliminated and Katharine McPhee wasn't. We knew the numbers said there was a good likelihood it would happen. We also knew, with smug certainty, Taylor Hicks was safe when he went up against McPhee and Elliott Yamin, and that there was no way McPhee could win after she went head-to-head with Hicks in the finale.

So why are we worried? Because topping DialIdol.com's performance list for Tuesday night -- the person who ostensibly is the safest of the safe -- was one of the worst of the worst. His name is followed by another on our worst list, and the third name on the list is someone who only gave a mediocre performance. If you trust the stats, the only three male performers who are absolutely safe from elimination Thursday night are Sundance Head, Sanjaya Malakar and Chris Richardson. Excuse us while we get sick.

The only people doing the dance of joy today, outside of Sundance and his family, are the folks at VotefortheWorst.com. The site that brought us those dazzling photos of Antonella Barba on the throne could now put this whole competition in the toilet by advising its users to vote for the contestant they call "ManBearPig," with the slogan "Bad Head is better than no Head!" We've got to believe that that is the reason Head is in the lead -- and not that America actually thought his performance was good.

Here's how the night played out:

Rudy Cardenas kicked off the guys with the Edgar Winter Group's "Free Ride," which apparently also describes what Cardenas got to the semi-finals. Question? Did anyone understand a word that he sang? He mumbled the entire song. Or, we think he did: We were so bored with the performance we weren't listening that closely. Randy thought it was corny, and we totally agreed with Simon's appraisal that Cardenas does not have a distinctive voice and that he would get lost in the mix. So, Simon, exactly why was he put through to the semi-finals?

Brandon Rogers, one of the two pro backup singers to make the semi-finals, did a fair rendition of Michael Jackson's "Rock With You." The beginning of the arrangement was slow and interesting, but it became more pedestrian as it proceeded, a pleasant performance that was also extremely forgettable. But Rogers has a likability that should keep him safe this week. Randy felt the performance was pitchy and weird, and both he and Paula wished there had been less runs -- that Rogers was singing the song more as a backup singer than as a lead. Simon declared that Rogers was better than the material and that the performance was safe and predictable.

Sundance Head, whom the judges said they originally liked because of his bluesy voice, massacred the Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin." His dull karaoke version, employing theatrically outstretched arms, was hardly ever on pitch. Randy said he didn't think Sundance was on pitch the whole song and Paula agreed, saying the pitch was all over the place. Simon jumped in with "You were like a dad at a wedding ... very old-fashioned, very uninspiring," and told Sundance that if he had sung this at his audition, they would have never put him through. Cowell ended with "I didn't like you tonight."

Paul Kim, barefoot or not, in our opinion is one of those guys who inexplicably got through to the semi-finals without the goods. We winced our way through his version of George Michael's "Careless Whisper," a song we really like, wanting him to stop with every note. This wasn't even good enough to be karaoke. Randy thought it pitchy and weird and that the falsetto didn't work, while Paula thought he oversang the song and didn't find his center. Simon suggested Paul put his shoes on next time he sings and called the performance a very ordinary attempt to copy George Michael, labelling it a third-rate version of the song.

Chris Richardson is one of those happy, peppy guys who reminds us of a 5-year-old trying to be a grown-up when he performs. He was out of his element with Gavin DeGraw's "I Don't Want to Be," a song that was bigger than him ... especially after you've heard Bo Bice sing it (we actually like Bice's version even better than DeGraw's). Randy said "You made it kinda work," and Paula thought it was a great arrangement (a bit too hyper for our taste). Simon thought Chris' voice sounded very small and said if he was judging it on the vocal, he thought it was substandard. But he said the girls will vote for him, and apparently he's right.

Nick Pedro should have done OK with Richard Marx's "Now and Forever," but the spark he carried into his audition with "Fly Me to the Moon" was gone. We thought he would at least melt the little girls' hearts with this song, but he's dead last on DialIdol.com's list and will likely be eliminated Thursday night. Randy found him pitchy and boring and said "It just wasn't good for me." Paula said the magic fell flat. Surprisingly, Simon was kindest of all, telling Nick that he missed his liveliness and confidence, but that his voice didn't sound bad. He also told Nick he's a very charming guy and that he thought he'd be back next week. But we doubt it.

Blake Lewis was the stunner of the evening. Up to this point, we couldn't even remember him singing, only beatboxing, which got tired real quickly. This is, after all, a singing competition. But, Blake, whose looks remind us of Sting (not in this picture, but while he was performing), knocked our socks off with Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know." A great song choice, a great voice and the first performance of the night we totally loved. And it was from Blake, someone we had written off as a one-trick pony. We've totally revised that opinion and now predict he'll land in the Top 5. Go, Blake, go! Sadly, Randy only kinda dug it and missed the beatboxing (idiot!), while Paula told him his vocals were spot on and that he brought a contemporary vibe. Simon said he was the first person that night who came out and sounded like 2007, declaring it "the best performance we had tonight." And we agree!

Sanjaya Malakar is a nice kid -- with the emphasis on KID. This 17-year-old does not have the professional or emotional maturity to sing Stevie Wonder's "Knocks Me Off My Feet," a song he really mucked up. It was sung much better by Elliott Yamin last season. And let's not even talk about the Luther Vandross version, which just melts us. And, Sanjaya, never sing a song with a lyric such as "I don't want to bore you," when you are doing just that. Every time you sang it, we laughed. Sanjaya said his sister, who was eliminated from the competition in Hollywood, picked the song for him. Not the best advice, Sanjaya, plus we think you need to stop playing the sister card. Randy trashed him so much we thought he would cry, telling him "I didn't think it was very good, dude. It wasn't even remotely close." And Simon named it "The most dreary performance we had all night," saying that it sounded like it took an hour and calling it "A waste-of-time performance."

Chris Sligh was someone we were anxiously waiting to hear. We love the music he does with his band. He chose "Typical" by Mute Math, neither a song nor a group we had ever heard of, but he made it work. Randy told him he's a Chris fan and that his voice was on point; Paula thought the song choice was great, though both Randy and Paula told Chris he was singing a bit ahead of the music. Simon said he liked Chris, but added that "I kind of felt I was at some weird student gig." This led to an exchange between Simon and Ryan.

And then the trouble started. Chris told Simon that the audience seemed to like this music and that "I don't sing Il Divo or The Teletubbies ..." (hey, were we the only ones in the world unaware that Simon was responsible for the Teletubbies?), a remark that had Randy and Paula hooting and clapping. Simon tersely remarked that Chris could sing for the latter, meaning The Teletubbies. Sensing he was treading dangerous waters, Chris then told Simon, "You know I love you." Simon said he liked Chris, too, but that his performance was not outstanding and that was all he was trying to say. But you could see that Simon was pissed, way pissed by the shot Chris had taken at him.

Then Ryan jumped in to add fuel to the fire saying that Chris had made Simon feel bad, which pissed off Simon even more. Simon told Ryan that he had made things very uncomfortable. Simon's jaw was set so tight, we thought he'd crack a bone. He kept his face turned to the side and he wouldn't even look directly at Ryan or Chris on the stage. All we can say is "uh-oh" and stay tuned for the fireworks next week (if Chris, or as we now call him, Dead Man Walking, even survives to next week).

Jared Cotter is a native Long Islander and we're rooting for him to move on. We thought he did a very respectable version of Brian McKnight's "Back at One." He sounded good, had a relaxed demeanor and exuded charm. Randy thought he was pretty good, but didn't like the way it ended, while Paula would have preferred a more up-tempo song. Simon found Jared very unadventurous and told him he sounded a bit nasally, but said he looked good. Don't know if looks alone will carry Jared to next week, though he certainly deserves to move on to the next round.

AJ Tabaldo, like Jared, has received very little face time so far, so we were surprised and pleased to hear and see his version of Luther Vandross' "Never Too Much." It was a good upbeat choice and he performed it well. Randy said vocally it was pretty good and that AJ had worked it out. Paula told AJ he could sing and did a great job. Simon rebutted that, saying it was good, not great, not terrible. He then called it a theme-park performance that was very safe and very predictable.

Phil Stacey, whose wife gave birth to their second daughter the morning he originally auditioned, wound up tied with Blake for best performance of the night. Maybe it was the fact that his wife was in the audience beaming up at him or the fact they showed a clip of him with his new daughter, but this sailor (he's in the Navy) touched our hearts with his rendition of "I Could Not Ask for More" by Edwin McCain. Yes, it started out weak, but it was all uphill after the chorus and he brought it home. Randy gave it the best vocal prize of the night, but Simon, after saying the beginning was monstrous, said it was just OK, especially compared to singers such as Chris Daughtry. We still thought it was much better than OK.

Best of the Evening (in descending order): Blake Lewis, Phil Stacey, Chris Sligh, Jared Cotter, AJ Tabaldo
Worst of the Evening (in descending order): Paul Kim, Sundance Head, Rudy Cardenas, Sanjaya Malakar
Mediocre and Forgettable (in any order): Brandon Rogers, Chris Richardson, Nick Pedro

Should Go: Paul Kim, Sundance Head
Will Go: Paul Kim, Nick Pedro

Observations
We really can live without the hyperactive parents rooting their kids on. Last year we suffered through Katharine McPhee's witchy mom and bawling dad. This year we have Chris Richardson's red-faced dad attempting (that being the operative word) to dance to his singing, or as Paula put it, when Chris was on the upbeat his father was on the downbeat.

AND THIS JUST IN ...

Fox has announced that "American Idol" executive producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick have been named the executive producers for the "59th Primetime Emmy Awards" which will air on Fox on Sept. 16, live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

The announcement was made jointly today by Dick Askin, chairman and CEO of the Television Academy, and Peter Liguori, president of entertainment for Fox Broadcasting Company. “Nigel and Ken have consistently raised the creative bar with their innovative work on "American Idol" and we believe they will continue to do so during their first Emmy telecast,” said Liguori.

"Nigel and Ken are terrific producers, and their expertise in live event programming will be a major asset to this year's Primetime Emmy telecast," said Askin.

“The Emmy Awards not only celebrate excellence in television, the Emmy Awards are excellent television. Star power, production values, drama, suspense, tears and euphoria, just like an 'American Idol.' While appreciating the traditional and maintaining the high standards of past Emmy Award ceremonies, we will also be recognizing the ever-changing landscape of today’s successful television. It is a great honor and a wonderful challenge,” said Lythgoe.

“I am thrilled to be invited by the Television Academy to produce this year’s Emmy telecast. Shows with the prestige of the Emmys are a producer’s dream, so I am really looking forward to the challenge and am confident we will produce for Fox the best Emmys to date,” said Warwick.

... Fantasia is the special guest star on tomorrow night's results show. We voted for Fantasia during Season 3, but hated her last Idol guest appearance two years ago, when she screamed her song. Let's hope it's better than that.

e-mail Idol Addict
© 2007

Getting to Know the Top 24: Part 3

LAKISHA JONES
Age: 27
Hometown: Fort Meade, MD
Audition City: New York
Details: Grew up in Flint, Mich; gospel is her favorite type of music but she has trained formally in classical music.
Video link

20 Questions
Favorite male pop artists? n/a
Favorite female pop artists? Kelly Clarkson
Formal singing training? I have training in classical and opera.
Other talents? Skating / Acting.
If you don’t make it on American Idol, what will you do? Go back to working, but still singing.
Personal goals? To provide a good life for me and my daughter.
What album would your friends be surprised you own? Kelly Clarkson.
Your American idol? Grandma [Ruth Morris].
Any rituals or things you do before you perform? Pray, drink cool tea.
Most embarrassing moments? Bra strap broke in Hollywood week.
Proudest moment? When I gave birth to my daughter [Brionne].
Your definition of an American Idol? A leader
Favorite judge and why? I don’t have a favorite. They all have been very kind to me.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? Not much. What you see is what you get.
How has this changed your life? It has given me an opportunity I’ve been waiting for.
Lucky charms? No
Heroes? Mother, grandmother
Toughest obstacle? Trying to break into the music industry.
Was the audition process fair? Yes, not everyone can sing and if it’s your time, you will make it.
If you win, who will you thank first? God Almighty.

LESLIE HUNT
Age: 24
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Audition City: Los Angeles
Details: Is a dog walker who is studying to become a dog trainer; she also plays the piano.
Video link

20 Questions
Favorite male pop artists? Beck, White Stripes, Radiohead, Jeff Buckley, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson
Favorite female pop artists? Bjork, Aretha Franklin, Feist, Nina Simone, Fiona Apple, Joni Michell
Formal singing training? My mom has given me some pointers here and there.
Other talents? I can write one heck of an essay. Oh yeah, and I compose music.
If you don’t make it on American Idol, what will you do? I will continue on this path like my hair’s on fire!
Personal goals? To share my deepest joys and sorrows through my music.
What album would your friends be surprised you own? My friends know better than to be surprised by anything I do.
Your American idol? Nina Simone.
Any rituals or things you do before you perform? I visualize the emotions behind the music and go deep into my own little world.
Most embarrassing moments? I’ve been known to fall down a decent amount.
Proudest moment? Making it into the top 24!
Your definition of an American Idol? Someone sincere, versatile and PASSIONATE!
Favorite judge and why? RaNDY: He’s both warm AND honest.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? That I value alone time just as much as time spent with others.
How has this changed your life? Because of this, there’s a chance that I could do what I LIVE FOR for a living!
Lucky charms? No.
Heroes? The doctors that saved my life in Brazil. And I’ve always looked up to Ella Fitzgerald.
Toughest obstacle? Living my life with lupus.
Was the audition process fair? For sure.
If you win, who will you thank first? My parents, because they instilled this gift in me.

MELINDA DOOLITTLE
Age: 29
Hometown: Brentwood, TN
Audition City: Memphis
Details: Is a graduate of Belmont University in Nashville and has a bachelor’s degree in Commercial Music; is a backup singer on stage and in the studio.
Video link

20 Questions
Favorite male pop artists? Stevie Wonder, Jonny Lang, Donny Hathaway
Favorite female pop artists? Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight
Formal singing training? Yes – college (Music Major) and vocal lessons ever since
Other talents? Um… I love to make people laugh.
If you don’t make it on American Idol, what will you do? Keep traveling and singing
Personal goals? To represent Christ well and do everything 150%
What album would your friends be surprised you own? Tchaikovsky
Who is your American idol? My mommy!
Any rituals or things you do before you perform? Pray and warm up
Most embarrassing moments? Crying EVERY time I advance another round
Proudest moment? Actually auditioning for AI
Your definition of an American Idol? Someone who, when given the platform, represents who they truly are and can convey it in a way that makes the audience want to know more
Favorite judge and why? Simon! He’s so real with ya – Even when I don’t like it, I love it!
What would people be surprised to learn about you? [blank]
How has this changed your life? I’m singing lead now. Who knew?!
Lucky charms? My Bible.
Heroes? My mom, dad, my vocal coach [Janet Kenyon]
Toughest obstacle? Fear
Was the audition process fair? I think it was, although I have seen some great people go home.
If you win, who will you thank first? Jesus and my mommy.

NICK PEDRO
Age: 25
Hometown: Taunton, MA
Audition City: New York
Details: Made it to Hollywood last season; has performed at talent shows and is an account executive.
Video link

20 Questions
Favorite male pop artists? Stevie Wonder, Michael Buble
Favorite female pop artists? Not sure, I enjoy Lauryn Hill’s music.
Formal singing training? Handful of lessons.
Other talents? Drawing and painting.
If you don’t make it on American Idol, what will you do? God knows.
Personal goals? Take care of my family and be remembered as a good person.
What album would your friends be surprised you own? My friends wouldn’t be surprised by anything I have—I like everything.
Your American idol? My mother and grandmother for all they’ve done for me.
Any rituals or things you do before you perform? I think about the meaning of the lyrics. Most embarrassing moments? Peeing my pants in the first grade—hey, I had to go!
Proudest moment? Telling everyone in my second grade class that my sister was born.
Your definition of an American Idol? Someone who can be looked up to and emulated.
Favorite judge and why? All are so different — I like how their personalities clash and blend.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? That I’m a formally trained artist. How has this changed your life? Not sure I can say now—too soon to tell.
Lucky charms? No.
Heroes? My mom, grandfather, and grandmother.
Toughest obstacle? Self doubt.
Was the audition process fair? Yes.
If you win, who will you thank first? God.

NICOLE TRANQUILLO
Age: 20
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Audition City: Memphis
Details: Is a vocal major at the University of the Arts; began taking voice lessons when she was 12 years old.
Video link

20 Questions
Favorite male pop artists? Justin Timberlake / Stevie Wonder
Favorite female pop artists? Beyonce / Mariah Carey / Whitney Houston / Alicia Keys
Formal singing training? Yes – 10 years
Other talents? Piano, guitar, hip hop dance
If you don’t make it on American Idol, what will you do? Go back to the University of the Arts and finish my degree
Personal goals? Recording contract, tour, multiplatinum albums, marry my boyfriend JP, have kids
What album would your friends be surprised you own? Hanson “Mmm bop”
Your American idol? Anyone who has ever supported me ... My family, my boyfriend, teachers, close friends
Any rituals or things you do before you perform? Breathe and calm down.
Most embarrassing moments? Falling face-first while walking down the hallway in high heels in junior high.
Proudest moment? Getting into college, making it this far on “American Idol.”
Your definition of an American Idol? A talented and humble individual who believes that music is a healing power that touches people’s lives.
Favorite judge and why? Paula Abdul because she is such a talented and beautiful person on the inside and out.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? I am an avid hip-hop dancer and sometimes teach hip-hop on the side.
How has this changed your life? This experience has changed my life in so many ways! It has opened up so many doors for me and has given me the opportunity of a lifetime!
Lucky charms? Yes, my Chamilia charm bracelet.
Heroes? My parents, my brother, my boyfriend.
Toughest obstacle? Overcoming those everyday growing pains.
Was the audition process was fair? Absolutely. I think the judges have enough experience to know who the next American Idol could be.
If you win, who will you thank first? The judges for believing in me and America for voting!

PAUL KIM
Age: 25
Hometown: Saratoga, CA
Audition City: Los Angeles
Details: Is working as a pool maintenance technician; grew up with a love of soul music and enjoys gardening.
Video link

20 Questions
Favorite male pop artists? Danny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Anthony Hamilton, Luther Vandross, Charlie Wilson
Favorite female pop artists? India.Arie, Alicia Keys, Angie Stone, Mariah Carey, Sade
Formal singing training? No.
Other talents? Horticulture expert, I cut my own hair, I play basketball, I have a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
If you don’t make it on American Idol, what will you do? Go back to school and my job. Personal goals? To ultimately find eternal happiness.
What album would your friends be surprised you own? Kenny G.
Your American idol? My father—I only hope that I can one day be half the man that he is.
Any rituals or things you do before you perform? Pray, push-ups.
Most embarrassing moments? When Paula Abdul made a grown man like me cry.
Proudest moment? n/a
Your definition of an American Idol? Anybody with heart that can carry a tune.
Favorite judge and why? Randy — he has a real ear for making good music.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? I have an undying love for nature (plants, the ocean).
How has this changed your life? I like the fact that I haven’t had to go back to my day jobs. Lucky charms? My maori fishhook and my lucky drawers.
Heroes? My parents.
Toughest obstacle? n/a
Was the audition process fair? Yes, but so many amazing singers went home.
If you win, who will you thank first? God and my mama.

AND NOW, A WORD FROM OUR SPONSORS ...

For those who can't get enough Idol on TV, the marketing juggernaut continues to roll out. Debra Byrd (known as “Byrd”), who is the vocal coach and vocal arranger for American Idol and Canadian Idol, as well as the American Idol North American music tours, and whose credits include the 2006 High School Musical Tour, ABC-TV’s “All My Children,” various feature films and Broadway shows, has created the Vocal Help Now! DVD to share the singing tips, secrets, and exercises she has previously only shared with world-renowned singers and actors to help maximize their vocal and audition performances. The DVD features appearances by Season 1 Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, as well as finalists Kimberly Caldwell and Anthony Fedorov, Rob James (Canadian Idol, Season 4), James Pickens Jr. ("Grey's Anatomy"), 2005 Tony Award-winner Adriane Lenox and "Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk" writer-producer Zane Mark, among others.

Each DVD purchased will also include a voucher for a free bottle of Vocal-eZe Professional Throat Spray, an herbal product. The company claims Vocal-eZe is endorsed by Tim McGraw, Rob Thomas, Joss Stone, Nickelback, ISM, By All Means Necessary and Alana Grace and has been ordered repeatedly by Sting, Lynard Skynard, Evanescence, Alanis Morissette, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Rascal Flatts, Pam Tillis, Mary J Blige, Motley Crue and The Bellamy Brothers. The DVD has a suggested retail price of $19.99 and will be available at Guitar Center beginning March 5, 2007. Orders can also be placed through www.vocalhelpnow.com.

And the cream of the Idol crop is, no doubt, Dreyer's which has created five new "American Idol" flavors for its Edy's brand of slow-churned ice cream: Choc 'N Roll Caramel, Hollywood Cheesecake, Soulful Sundae Cone, Triple Talent and Take the Cake. Consumers can vote here for their slow-churned favorite and be entered to win tickets to Idol's finale show. The winning Dreyer's "American Idol" ice cream flavor will earn a permanent spot in the slow-churned ice-cream line-up. No purchase is necessary.

e-mail Idol Addict
© 2007