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.

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© 2009

Yep, They're OverDavid Cook Solo Again

In Touch Weekly says it has confirmed that the once "fairy-tale romance" of American Idol "stars" Kimberly Caldwell and David Cook is kaput. A rep for Kimberly confirms, "Kimberly and David ended their relationship just before the holidays. The couple remain good friends and being very private people, appreciate their privacy at this time."

OMG, "appreciate their privacy at this time"? Did somebody die? We're talking about a 7-month dating relationship. Get over yourselves. Besides, David's already filled the hole in his heart with his new Scottie pup, Dublin.

Anyway, judging from the recent photo above courtesy of TMZ, David is balling instead of bawling.

GINA GLOCKSEN, MARRIED AND RECORDING



On New Year's Eve, season six finalist Gina Glocksen married her longtime beau, Joe Ruzicka. In attendance as bridesmaids were co-contestants Jordin Sparks and Haley Scarnato. Glocksen, 24, wore an ivory and silver strapless mermaid-style Melissa Sweet dress purchased from Priscilla of Boston. She wore her hair down and accessorized with a veil she borrowed from the niece of "Idol's" piano player. The eight bridesmaids wore strapless, champagne, knee-length dresses, also from Priscilla of Boston, and carried small bouquets of burgundy roses. Ruzicka, 32, and his groomsmen wore gray morning suits with ascots.

The NVHS String Quartet performed the music at the ceremony. Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” was the accompaniment as the bridal party walked down the aisle, followed by "With or Without You" by U2 as Glocksen was escorted by both her mother and father.

Sparks blogged about the wedding on her MySpace site:

"But as the church doors opened, and she was standing there staring at the man she loved, I couldn't help but cry. The sparkle that was in her eye was undeniable. She never took her eyes off him. Not once. That in itself was amazing. And the fact that these two phenomenal people found each other...was breathtaking.

After a couple tears, some wedding photos, and numb feet, we were off to the reception. And that's where the party started. Actually, no, it started on the bus. THAT'S where it started. Anyway, it was beautiful. Tons of friends and family, great dinner, and "clinking of glasses". But, you know Gina, she likes things different, instead of 'clinking', the whole table had to stand up and sing a love song! You guys know how that went. Lots of singing. I sang Gina and Joe's first dance. No pressure right!?! I sang a version of I Wanna Hold Your Hand, and they were in their own little world. Gliding across the floor like they were the only ones there. And to them, they were. Gina danced with her father to My Girl, sang by Jay and Sharlotte (one of the backrounds on AI). Then Gina got up and sang I Hope You Dance for Joe and his mom. I cried...again. I missed hearing her sing.

After dinner, some toasts, and a very entertaining slideshow. The wedding was over and the New Years party started. It was a blast! Joe's band Then Again played. Everyone was on the dance floor within seconds! It continued like that until it was time to countdown. Then...BAM!!!! It was 2009."

Meanwhile, Glocksen talks about her new single, "My List of Regrets," on her Web site. About the song's title, she says:

"No, not literally a list of my regrets. . . it's my NEW SONG! I am so excited about this one. I think you are really going to be blown away and maybe even a little bit surprised by it. It started out as a goofy little keyboard lick, but my AMAZING producer (Adam) turned it into a heart-pounding mesh of rock and techno. Can I give you one bit of advice? Turn it up because you have to listen to this one LOUD!

I'm planning on releasing 'List of Regrets' as my FIRST SINGLE on itunes within the month. If you haven't signed up on my email list, please do so I can send you word when it is available. If you like the song please spread the love and tell your friends to check it out. That's all for now. Hope you LOVE IT!"

You can listen to "List of Regrets" here.

KELLIE PICKLER, BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

Elsewhere on New Year's Eve, Kellie Pickler rung in 2009 with Ryan Seacrest and Dick Clark as a roving crowd reporter on ABC's "New Year's Rockin' Eve." Pickler did an admirable job and earns props for sticking it out in Times Square's strong winds and frigid temperature, which dropped down into the teens that evening.

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© 2009

Idol Tour Must-Haves

The Houston Chronicle talked to the finalists who attended what they called "a low-key press reception" prior to the performance at the city's Toyota Center. According the paper, the finalists switch off interview duties to avoid fatigue, so Jordin Sparks, Melinda Doolittle and Sanjaya Malakar were not in attendance. However, Blake Lewis, LaKisha Jones, Gina Glocksen, Haley Scarnato and Phil Stacey were. Here are the reporter's remarks:

Blake Lewis' tour must-haves: "I have two PowerBooks and a desktop. I'm obsessed with Mac. My iPod. My Leica camera. I've got, like, 16,000 pictures. I do a lot of ... '80s-style pop art. I took all the pictures for my [CD cover]."

Lewis describes his upcoming disc as "2000-'80s." He was listening to rough mixes of new tunes on his iPod and graciously offered to--gasp!--let me hear a few.

"I haven't let anybody hear this yet," he said. My hopes were high.

It was an expectedly eclectic, electro-pop mix, ranging from Kylie Minogue-esque club grooves to a quick sample of '80s hit Owner of a Lonely Heart. Killer stuff.

"I try not to be put in a box," he says. "I'm inspired by everything. I've got six tracks done. I've got a track that's very Erasure-sounding, a track that's Sting-meets-Neverending Story and a track that's very electro-poppy Depeche Mode. It's all over the map."

LaKisha Jones' tour must-haves: "My Bible, my pillow and plenty of snacks. Pretzels and M&Ms. I love me some peanut M&Ms."

I'm really thinking maybe I should call Bon Jovi when this is all over and see if I can record (This Ain't a Love Song)," Jone said of her searing, standout Idol tune. "I may do that."

Gina Glocksen's tour must-haves: "My laptop, my makeup and my stuffed animals."

Glocksen is a stunner in person and was a charming whirl of random confessions:

On her high hopes: "I think everyone comes from that background of singing at weddings or singing backup for other people. I never want to go back to singing at a wedding, ever again."

On Idol life: "I get really homesick really homesick, really fast. I could just look at a picture of a cat and start bawling for an hour."

On her plush prefences: "I just noticed today how weird I am about stuffed animals. I'll send my friends ... pictures of my stuffed animal coming out of the shower with a towel wrapped around them."

On her music: "I really hope that (my album) kind of a cross between Pink and Evanescence. Kind of a dark, yet positive, sound. I don't want to sing about negative things."

Haley Scarnato's tour must-haves: "My cell-phone, definitely. I have a picture of [my fiance] Bobby, and that's about it. And makeup-remover wipes. After the show, I want this all off."

"It's nice to have the stress gone with waiting to hear what the judges have to say," San Antonio beauty Scarnato said of the tour.

"We're still being judged, but not point-blank, right in front of your face. And not from 'characters.'" (Insert air quotes.)

Phil Stacey's tour must-haves: "My cell phone, my laptop. You should see us. It's a pathetic mess. Every time we're sitting around anywhere, all of us have our computers on our laps."

"I have recorded a couple of songs already, and I have been in contact with labels," Stacey said of his post-Idol work. "I know the kind of recording I want to make, and I'm hoping to put it out sooner than later."

He also mused thoughtfully on his trial-and-error method to TV stardom

"I stayed away from country in the semifinals because I didn't want to be compared to Josh Gracin, who was a military guy, who came on doing country music," Stacey said. "And I stayed away from rock because I didn't want to be compared to Chris Daughtry.

"I was kind of stuck with adult contemporary. I think I tried to do songs that I thought would go over well on TV, and that was a mistake. What we want to see as viewers is an artist emerge."

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© 2007

Idols Tour: Hair Over Substance

At last one reviewer was left unsatisfied with the quality of singing on the Idols Live Tour. The reviewer for the St. Petersburg Times, who attended the Tampa show, had this to say:

They came for the goofy hair, the killer legs and the creepiest bald dome since Nosferatu roamed the night. They came to see the goth chick, the pretty-boy Timberfake and the 17-year-old champ with the megawatt smile. They came, alas, for the beat-boxing.

What's debatable, however, is how many of the 12,420 fans at the St. Pete Times Forum Saturday actually came to the American Idols Live! concert for the singing. Those who wanted to hear good music no doubt left flatter than Sanjaya's high notes. But those who showed up simply for love of the No. 1 show -- such as the shrieking Fanjayas and their thirst for wide-grinning mediocrity -- had a better chance of going home somewhat satisfied.

With the exception of Lakisha Jones, who just about blew a hole in the arena roof with a jaw-dropping I Will Always Love You, the other Season Sixers who made this year's concert cut all sounded weaker in a live setting. This included R&B cutie Melinda Doolittle, who tore off a good but not great "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", and show winner Jordin Sparks, who was incandescent on the small screen but lost a little star power live.

We'll give a bit of a pass to Blake Lewis, the beat-boxer who finished second to Sparks, who was hampered by horrific tech glitches, most notably during a cover of Maroon 5's "She Will Be Loved." But the hip-hop fan generated tween shrieks nonetheless, mainly because he has really cool hair and killed with his robo-take on Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name."

This past season of "American Idol" was almost exclusively about silly gimmicks and accessories and the weakest of narrative threads. About talent? Not so much. Viewers were obsessed not with who was best but with who blew the worst. I'll be the first one to admit my favorite plot line was how short Haley Scarnato could hem her skirts before the FCC stepped in. But I watched every minute. I did.

Unfortunately, watching every minute of the live show was brutal. This was only the second night of the tour, and you could almost see such also-rans as Gina Glocksen and Chris Sligh counting off their clunky dance steps. The show had a sloppy, Amateur-Hour look and pace. And that energy-sucking intermission during the two-hour show didn't help, either.

Now I could be a real creep and focus only on the bad parts, like when all the men formed a "band," playing instruments about as convincingly as the Monkees, and then performed "Hey Jude," which was one of the worst things I've ever heard at the Forum.

But instead of being negative, I'll focus on what I enjoyed. For instance, Scarnato still can't sing a lick, but she showed magnetism (and a Wild West dominatrix getup) during Martina McBride's "When God-Fearin' Women Get the Blues." Smooth-pated military man Phil Stacey deserved and received robust applause for his "Blaze of Glory." And it was kind of cute to hear the Tiger Beat screams for smirky Chris Richardson. I might have been the only one in the venue who wanted to see him fall off the stage. (Kidding, ladies. Just kidding.)

Although he's taken a ton of hits, Sanjaya Malakar is a legit showman, a crowd favorite who makes up for his inability to carry a tune with hammy gusto. With his hair slicked back, he had me singing along to his thrusty take on Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel." The kid should head to Vegas. After all, Wayne Newton hasn't been able to sing for years, and he still rules.

But the best part? Whenever Lakisha was onstage. For "Lady Marmadale," she sprawled cheekily on a long white couch. For a tribute to '60s R&B, she dueted with Doolittle, and the two brought grit and sass to a show desperate for it.

All season long I voted for (and crushed on) Sparks, who closed the show. And although her "I (Who Have Nothing)" was likable, and her signature "A Broken Wing" had oomph, the 17-year-old's career path will no doubt go through the Disney Channel rather than the Billboard charts. She just doesn't hold a concert stage. Sorry, but it's true. Alas, I voted for the wrong person. Forgive me, KiKi.

BUCKY COVINGTON'S SINGLE CRACKS TOP 10

American
Idol.com reports that Bucky Covington hit another career milestone this week as his first single, "A Different World," cracked the Top 10 on country radio, delivering the singer his first Top 10 hit. The song is currently reaching a weekly audience of 21 million listeners.

The good news of Bucky’s first top 10 radio hit comes following a weekend of travel woes for the singer. It all started last Thursday when Bucky and his band, including twin brother Rocky, flew from Las Vegas to New York City following a show on Independence Day. After a five-hour delay the group finally arrived in the Big Apple, however their luggage and instruments remained in Las Vegas, which explains why all showed up on Fox News Channel's Fox & Friends wardrobed in "I Love NY" T-shirts. Bucky and his bandmates finally connected with their lost luggage and instruments two days later in Charlotte, N.C., hours before a show at the Charlotte Knights baseball game.

Covington's self-titled CD debuted at #1 on Nielsen SoundScan's Country Top 75 Chart with not only 2007's biggest unit debut from a new country artist, but also the best first week sales and highest Top 200 debut for any new male country artist since Billy Ray Cyrus in 1992.

Whoda thunk it?

MORE PROUD MARY WITH MELINDA AND SANJAYA

A longer clip of the LOL version of "Proud Mary" performed by Melinda Doolittle and Sanjaya Malakar. Funniest part? The shoutout at the end of the clip.


AIKEN PROMISES TO KEEP HIS FOOT TO HIMSELF

AP reports that there will be no more happy feet for singer Clay Aiken. Aiken confirmed that he was involved in a dispute with a woman on a Continental Airlines flight into Tulsa for his show Saturday evening. While performing later that day at Tulsa's Brady Theater, Aiken quipped onstage about getting roughed up by a girl. In a statement to "Entertainment Tonight," the 2003 American Idol runner-up says he's taken steps to prevent future foot wanderings.

"While sleeping on a plane over the weekend, my foot evidently found a home on the arm rest of the passenger seated directly in front of me," Aiken said in the statement.

"I didn't realize I was causing the woman any distress until she woke me up with a quick hit to the chest. Unfortunately, being that this happened on a plane, the FBI was called in to investigate and eventually we were all sent on our way.

"I'd like to thank everyone for their concern; I'm fine and have taken steps to prevent any foot wandering in the future."

During his ET appearance, Clay cleverly implied that there are far greater sources of distress in the world. "Now that I have your attention," he continues, "if you'd like to learn more about how you can help the world's children, please visit http://www.unicefusa.org/."

RYAN SEACREST BAWLED AT EVA LONGORIA'S WEDDING

According to ContactMusic "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest cried during Eva Longoria and Tony Parker's Paris wedding on July 7.

The "Desperate Housewives" actress, 32, and French basketball ace, 25, wed in a civil ceremony on Friday, before celebrating their union in a religious service and a reception in the 17th century Chateau of Vaux le Vicomte the following day.

But the event was too much for Seacrest when the newlyweds began their first dance.
He recalled, "[They] were just staring at each other. Then Tony dipped Eva right then and there, pulled her back up and gave her a kiss. I am crying."

PAULA ABDUL ROSE FROM THE BOWELS OF HELL

Well yes, it does should disgusting, but that's what Idol judge-singer-businesswoman-choreographer Paula Abdul told TV Guide.

"I've endured life journeys that people never in a million years would ever think of experiencing," said Abdul. "I have risen from the bowels of hell and come out tripping and singing and dancing. I've always been counted out, but I come back like a stealth warrior."

"I feel like this is the beginning of my career, and I'm like a kid all over again, counting my blessings," she told TV Guide before recounting several of the tragic misfortunes that have befallen her. "Because a lot of people don't know I was in a plane crash [in 1992] that stopped my career and started all of this pain. And I was left to endure 14 cervical spinal surgeries. I have four plates in my neck and, for five and a half years, I disappeared."

Abdul has previously stated she was unaware of her "purpose in life until American Idol" in 2002, and now she apparently has a firm grasp on just what that purpose is.

"[My life purpose is] having the uncanny ability to tap into the heartstrings of people and make them feel they'll be okay," she told TV Guide. "And that if I can get through these hard times, so can you."

And Abdul also told the 'zine that while she's had a bumpy path to get where she is it has made the journey all the more worthwhile.

"What I do feel proud about myself is I don't give up. I've worked extremely hard to maintain the integrity and level of class and goodness that I have. I screw up just like everyone else. The difference with me is that I get to teach the rest of the world lessons, to learn how to bounce back a lot quicker."

"I wish I could work for someone like Paula Abdul," she told TV Guide. "Honest to God, I am the kindest-of-kind human beings."

And *ahem* modest, too.

BTW, does anyone else find it strange that "American Idol" and "So You Think You Can Dance" executive producer Nigel Lythgoe hasn't enlisted Abdul's choreographic services for "SYTYCD"? Just asking.

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© 2007

Idols Offstage

Here's a few glimpses on what the Idols are like offstage. First, some tidbits from the Florida Times-Union:

Phil Stacey is getting out of the Navy as soon as the American Idols Live tour is over. Jordin Sparks is not as tall as you think. LaKisha Jones is tiny and wears a heavy coat and scarf, even on an absurdly hot Jacksonville afternoon.

That was some of the information and observations that came out as some of the American Idol performers met with the media Sunday afternoon before their concert at Veterans Memorial Arena.

Stacey's status: He signed up for a four-year enlistment back in 2003, but had requested a one-year extension, getting him out in October 2008. But he and the Navy have agreed to scrap that year. When the Idol tour ends in late September, he'll come back to Jacksonville Naval Air Station for a week of paperwork that will end his active duty. He may join the Naval Reserves, he said. But he really wants to get into the recording studio, cut a country album and go from there.

Sparks' height: The 17-year-old winner of the past season's Idol, towered over everyone on the show. Apparently everyone on that show is short (and as we've reported previously, she's also admitted to wearing 5-inch heels on the show).

She is friendly, excited and a nonstop talker. Last summer, she worked in Buckle, a clothing store in an Arizona mall. "We sold a lot of jeans," she said. "That was my first job ever. So now I have this job."

And that job attracts fans. Sparks told of a group called the Idol Junkies. "They're going to all three Florida shows," she said, "and more in New England. They wrote me a letter; they made me a teddy bear and a scrapbook of my Idol journey. I went outside in Tampa to meet them, but they weren't there."

Those same Idol Junkies were right outside the arena Sunday afternoon, sitting in the shade, hoping for a glimpse. Seven girls from Boston, ages 14-18, will go to a total of 10 Idol concerts this year, as they have every year. They had turned their clothes into photographic shrines to their favorite stars.

And while they were happy Sparks had received their gifts, they were not happy that they missed Sparks the other night. "We just left to eat," 18-year-old Jessica Twohig said. "That's it, we're never eating again."

Lakisha's clothes: Jones wears the overcoat and scarf to protect her voice. "Going from the heat into the air-conditioning, that's not good for the voice," she said. "I try to keep my body at one temperature."

Chris Richardson on Maroon 5: Chris will sing Maroon 5's "This Love" in the concert. He wanted to do it during the TV show, but the song's publisher didn't give him permission.

Sanjaya Malakar's music future: "I want to do R&B-based [album]," he said, "with world infusion and jazz and rock energy. I kind of feel it sounds like I don't know what I want, but I have good feeling about what it should be."

... For an upclose and personal look at the contestants, here's MJ's assessment. She writes mjsbigblog and had the good fortune to go to the after-party and meet up with the Idols in Tampa, the tour's second stop:

All the Idols were at the party. Unfortunately I did not get the chance to meet LaKisha Jones or Haley Scarnato. I didn’t meet Jordin Sparks either. She had a long line of fans waiting for her, and by the time I went to look for her, she’d left the party. Hey Jordin is ONLY 17! She needs her rest. Heh.

I did meet the others, and I have to say these peeps were to the one–Personable, down-to-earth, and funny. Really funny. It was nice to catch them at the beginning of the tour before the inevitable road fatigue set in. They all seem to genuinely like each other, too. If there are any divas in the bunch I met, they are very good actors.

My impressions:

Chris Sligh - I seriously *heart* Chris Sligh. That is all. Do NOT even argue with me on this point. I will shout you down. He's got good taste. HE READS MY BLOG. But really, that's not the only reason I think he's awesome. Besides being a talented musician and singer, he's a sweet guy–smart, snarky, and very good to his fans. He gets many, many props from me for striking a pointy pose for Erinn. She's got the picture, and she's going to send it to me. Heh. He appears to be close to the other Idols–particularly Phil Stacey, who Chris introduced to me. Some tidbits: Two songs were cut iright before the show–Melinda and Blake's duet "Killing Me Softly"” and Chris's number with the girls, "Another One Bites the Dust." Chris is very excited to play to a hometown crowd in South Carolina next week.

Phil Stacey - Rhu rho. Phil Stacey reads my blog too. To be blunt, I ripped Phil's perfor-
mances in my recaps–especially early in the competition. Despite this, Phil could not have been any nicer to me. My quick assessment of Phil is that he's a genuine, stand up guy. Not only did I get a couple hugs, but he thanked me for writing my blog. And he said it in a seriously genuine, non-suck-up way. I dig Phil. Phil's "Blaze of Glory" was, without question, one of the highlights of the show. Tidbits: I mentioned to Phil that I thought this year's cast got a bad rap, and he said that most of this year's contestants tried out on the urging of others, and didn't consider themselves singers, primarily. Phil and Chris Richardson are both songwriters. Chris Sligh is a songwriter and musician. Blake Lewis is a musician, songwriter and beatboxer. Phil went further than he thought he would. And after he was in the bottom with Haley Scarnato and she was eliminated, he stopped worrying about the competition and just started SINGING.

Gina Glocksen - Sarah has the best. story. Evah. about Gina, but I will let her tell it. Like I mentioned earlier, Gina's mom is her biggest fan. She wore a red shirt that said "Gina's Mom" and her friends had shirts that read "Gina's Fans." At the aftershow, mom told me that people were asking her "Are you REALLY Gina's mom?" And she said, "Would I be dressed like this with red streaks in my hair if I weren't?" I remembered mom from the show, but she was not featured as much as she could have been. Again, the producers skimped on the back stories much to the detriment of the show. Anyway, Gina's great. She's very outgoing and seems to be the kind of person who’d be fun to hang out with, definitely. She told Erinn, that after the tour, she'd like to put together an all-girl rock band. Her standout number during the show was her version of Pink's current hit, "Who Knew." I love that song ...

Chris Richardson - Ok, check out the picture. How cute is that? Seriously. Speaking of being mean, I rarely had an encouraging word for Chris during the show. To be perfectly honest, when I met him I did not mention that I wrote the blog. Yeah, I'm a coward. My prediction is that like Ace Young last year, Chris will be winning over new fans as the tour progresses. He manages the big tour stage very well and really sounds good in person. He was definitely one of the crowd favorites. Chris Richardson singing "Ain't no Sunshine"? You bet. He performed "Virtual Insanity" and it was also very good. He's also, like his tour mates, just a really, really nice guy–posing patiently for pictures, even when my flash wouldn't go off. His goofy faces are the best. I got a few really good pics of Chris that I'll post with my recap.

Sanjaya Malakar - Again, quick assessment: Sanjaya seems like a really smart, sensitive kid. He was signing autographs and he mentioned that it was hard to be witty. Except that he is pretty funny as well as quiet and shy. No wonder the 'tweens love him. As far as being witty, He seemed to do a pretty good job thinking on his feet during the competition, so I think Sanjaya is selling himself short. On tour he does a nice job with the Michael Jackson song, "The Way You Make Me Feel." Does Sanjaya have a great smile or what?

Melinda Doolittle - Mindy Doo is fab both onstage and off. In person, she is absolutely beautiful. She's tiny and has pretty eyes and really nice skin. Her "Natural Woman" on stage was simply terrific. Just like on the TV show, she's humble and super-sweet. She had so many fans wanting to meet her, that I had a hard time getting a few minutes to speak with her. Damn, not a diva in this bunch! Honestly, I really wish I had more dirt to dish, but I don't ...

Blake Lewis -
I intro-
duced myself to Blake as MJ, and then some-
body said,
"That's mj from mjsbigblog. Then, he says, "Oh, MJ." I kid you not. "I only read your blog and Rickey's," he told me. Yeah, I was flattered. In this case, since I'm a fan and was mostly pro-Blake in my recaps, I wasn't embarrassed (sorry Phil!). And here is a scoop for you peeps: Blake says he has just recorded six songs in eight days. "And you can post that." he said to me. Heh. He seems very excited about recording his upcoming album. Of course, not having my head screwed on straight, exactly, I didn't ask him about his record deal. Stupid, stupid me. Blake closed the first half of the show with "Time of the Season," "She Will Be Loved," and "You Give Love a Bad Name." YGLABN was just as potent as it was during the series. For you CAKE fans, there is a duet with Chris Richardson in the second half of the show.

IDOLS LIVE SHOW RUNDOWN

Here's the USA Today rundown of the show:

•The event: Third show in this year's annual trek of the top 10 American Idol finalists.

•The crowd: Some fans showed up at 9 a.m. to await their Idols. At 6 p.m. the crowd streams in. They're a Price Is Right studio audience mix of old and young, families and hand-holding couples.

•The merch: There are generic American Idol T-shirts as well as those emblazoned with Blake Lewis and winner Jordin Sparks, at $30 a pop. There are $20 stuffed dogs clad in Idol photo tees. And they're all selling swiftly, according to the vendors.

•The backstage scene: Lewis gave fan Kailey Long, 10, a mini-beatbox concert in the parking lot. At soundcheck, the Idol "boy band" rehearses: Chris Richardson on drums; Sanjaya Malakar, acoustic guitar (and tambourine); Chris Sligh, bass; Lewis, guitar; Phil Stacey, keyboards.

•The first half: After a group version of Let's Get It Started, LaKisha Jones and Melinda Doolittle do their best Supremes impression with Baby Love and Stop! In the Name of Love.

There are huge cheers for the local, Stacey, as he launches into Blaze of Glory.

Malakar, in a white blazer, red pants and lightly gelled bob, leaps from the stage and launches into Michael Jackson's The Way You Make Me Feel, moonwalking along in sneakers, striking poses and generally hamming it up for the audience, who seem to eat up the idea that the Jester of Pop is taking on its King.

A red ostrich plume sticking out of her head, Jones begins belting Lady Marmalade before Gina Glocksen (in black feather) and Haley Scarnato (in fuchsia) join in.

Sparks and Richardson duet on acoustic guitars on Rascal Flatts' What Hurts the Most.

Lewis beatboxes into Time of the Season. He grabs an acoustic guitar and sings She Will Be Loved. Taunting the crowd with "You want to hear some beatboxing?" he beatboxes solo for a minute or two before segueing into You Give Love a Bad Name. The other Idol gents join in.

•The second half: Post-intermission, Stacey, dressed in his Navy whites (he's still active duty), leads the khaki-clad girls in America the Beautiful.

The "boy band" transitions from Gnarls Barkley's Crazy to Hey Jude, with Richardson, Lewis, Stacey and Sligh swapping lead vocals — and Malakar offering up several exuberant na na na nas.

Glocksen has her solo moment on Pink's Who Knew. Richardson plays the acoustic on Ain't No Sunshine. Lewis joins in on the mike, shifting to Jamiroquai's Virtual Insanity.

Jones thrilled the crowd on I Will Always Love You. Scarnato, Richardson and Malakar launch into Life Is a Highway, with Sligh grabbing a guitar solo. Doolittle sings You Make Me Feel (Like a Natural Woman), then returns with the other Idol women, all gyrating to Christina Aguilera's Ain't No Other Man.

Sparks, her hair in loose waves, rises from below the stage in floor-length chiffon-y mauve for I Who Have Nothing, followed by Heartbreaker, for which her gown transforms into a floaty shift over black pants.

She then grabs her acoustic and sings You Were Meant for Me. After a quick slug from a water bottle, Sparks implores the crowd: "Up on your feet for this last song!" (Living on a Prayer). The nine other Idols walk out and chime in.

For an encore. Sparks sashays out in a long teal gown for This Is My Now. Then the rest of the Idols emerge one by one, all in white, reprising their earlier solos.

TAYLOR HICKS CLEANS UP

The Birming-
ham News reports that the Mont-
gomery nonprofit group called Alabama PALS (People Against a Littered State), which turns 20 this year, is marking its anniversary with some rare publicity: A 30-second public service announcement by "American Idol" Taylor Hicks with the slogan, "Don't Drop It on Alabama."

NONSTOP FOR JASMINE TRIAS

According to the Times-Herald, never in Jasmine Trias' wildest imagination did she think she would get paid for impersonating Britney Spears, Janet Jackson and Beyonce. But that's the clout one gets for finishing No. 3 in "American Idol."

Sure, winning the 2004 version of the undeniably popular TV show would have been nice. But the 20-year-old multitalented Trias isn't complaining.

As the first Filipino-American to place so high on "Idol," Trias has already done commercials, TV shows, and the recent three-month stint on the Las Vegas strip.

When she first got off the plane in the Philippines after her "American Idol" success, "it was like Michael Jackson arriving," said a stunned Trias. "I couldn't believe it. I was swarmed with media and there was security everywhere. A celebrity was coming out of the plane and I didn't think it was me."

Because "Idol" keeps its contestants isolated from interviews until the program is aired, "I didn't have any idea what kind of exposure we had outside of the show," Trias had.

It was Thursday morning and the talented Hawaiian-born Trias was preparing for her performance tonight at The Banquet in Vallejo. The "Summer Heat" concert includes another "Idol" performer, Sway, plus Vallejo's Urban Bushmen and saxophonist Andrew Beal of Benicia.

"It's going to be a great show," Trias said. "I always have fun performing for a Filipino crowd. There's so much love and appreciation."

It's basically been nonstop for Trias since the "American Idol" broadcast.

"My career has been overwhelming since then," Trias said. "The ball is rolling and still has drive. There are so many projects coming my way. I'm blessed and fortunate to do what I'm doing."

With "lots of endorsements" in Philippines, Trias has already received numerous awards even before she turns 21 in November: Filipino World Class Achiever's Award; Entertainer of the Year in Hawaii; People Magazine (Asia) People of the Year Award; several equivalent of the Philippine Grammy awards, three awards by the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts, even Mobile MYX Top Picks' Ringtone of the Week.

Then there's the "Top 100 Sexiest Women" honor of being No. 50 in FHM Magazine in the Philippines which gets a few chuckles from the star.

"I forgot about that," said Trias. "I was like, 'Are you serious?' I guess I was flattered."

Not as thrilled as doing well on "American Idol," a show she's wanted to audition for since watching Kelly Clarkson win the first "Idol" in 2002.

When auditions came to Hawaii two years later, Trias was there.

"I went to Aloha Stadium with my dad two days before and camped out," she said, laughing, "and the rest is history."

Merely making the Top 12 "was an honor," Trias said. "So I wasn't disappointed I didn't win. If I won, that would have been a complete shock to me."

Because she didn't finish in the top two, Trias wasn't contractually bound to the whims of "American Idol" producers.

"So it's the best of both worlds," she said. "I got the exposure for being on the show so long and I'm not tied to 'American Idol.' It worked out perfectly. I'm happy."

Of course, she's had to live with Simon Cowell insults. But the notoriously nasty "AI" judge also managed to compliment Trias.

"He told me that I could possibly be one of the best singers in the competition," Trias said. "I was blown away."

That was at the Hawaii audition. When she made it to the top five or six, he reversed field.

"He told me I wasn't good enough for the competition any more," Trias said. "That really hurt. At the same time, I tried to ignore it. It wasn't constructive criticism at all."

It was far more unnerving playing the Vegas strip, where Trias was a substitute for Lani Misalucha at the Flamingo Hotel.

Performing with the Society of Seven, Trias said she was pushed beyond what she thought were her musical limits.

"It was an amazing experience," she said. "They put a Broadway medley in front of me and I had never done Broadway. I was so nervous."

Looking back, "what I accomplished, it was my proudest moment," Trias said.

IDOLS LIVE TOUR VIDEOS

Song lengths vary -- some are complete, others short clips. Quality is generally mediocre to poor (sorry!) and varies from video to video.

Watch video of Blake Lewis singing "Time of the Season" and the Idols Live Tour stop in Miami:



Watch video of Jordin Sparks singing "Living on a Prayer" in Sunrise, Fla.:


Watch video of Jordin Sparks singing "Heartbreaker" in Sunrise, Fla.:


Watch video of Jordin Sparks singing "I Who Have Nothing" in Sunrise and Tampa, Fla.:




Video of Jordin Sparks and Melinda Doolittle singing "This Will Be" in Tampa, Fla.:


Watch video of Sanjaya Malakar singing "The Way You Make Me Feel":


Watch video of Melinda Doolittle singing "Natural Woman" in Sunrise, Fla.:


Watch Chris Sligh singing "Another One Bites the Dust," accompanied by Melinda, Haley and Gina in Sunrise, Fla.:


Watch video of Chris Richardson singing "This Love" in Sunrise, Fla. and Tampa:




Watch video of the woman singing "Ain't No Other Man" in Sunrise, Fla.:


Watch video of the guys' band performing "Hey Jude" in Tampa:


Watch video of Melinda Doolittle singing "Killing Me Softly" accompanied by Blake Lewis beat boxing:


Watch video of LaKisha Jones singing "I Will Always Love You":


Watch video of Gina Glocksen singing "Who Knew":


Watch video of the guys' band performing "Crazy" in Sunrise, Fla.:


Watch video of the girls singing "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company C" followed by Phil Stacey singing the Ray Charles version of "America the Beautiful":




Watch video of the Top 10 taking their bows at the end of the show:


Watch video of Jordin Sparks singing "A Broken Wing" in Tampa:


Watch video of Chris Richardson singing "Geek in the Pink" in Tampa:


Watch short segment of Blake Lewis and Chris Richardson (CAKE) singing "Virtual Insanity" in Tampa:


and "Geek in the Pink":


Watch video of Jordin Sparks and Chris Richardson singing "What Makes Me Crazy":


Video clip of Chris Sligh singing "Typical":


Video clip of the girls singing "Lady Marmalade":


Video clip of Phil Stacey singing "Blaze of Glory":


Video clip of Melinda Doolittle and Sanjaya Malakar singing "Proud Mary":


Video clip of Melinda Doolittle, Chris Richardson and LaKisha Jones singing "I Heard It Through the Grapevine":


Watch video of Jordin Sparks singing "This Is My Now":


e-mail Idol Addict
© 2007

Idols Live Tour Review and Interviews

Leslie Gray Streeter of the Palm Beach post attended both the Idols Live show in Sunrise, Fla., plus an interview session with the finalists. Here are her impressions.

The Show:

Chris Richard-
son may be the only one of the 10 singers on the American Idols Live tour to bear a striking resemblance to Justin Timberlake, but he wasn't the only one bringing a little sexy to the table.

In fact, the whole enter-
prise, the first show of the summer tour by the Fox network's sixth-season cast, served the BankAtlantic Center audience a markedly amped-up level of sexuality and either implied or in-your-face playful hanky-panky, something remarkable for what is usually thought of as a family show.

You had third runner-up and arguable vocal champ Melinda Doolittle lose the bottom of her Supreme-esque gown to reveal impressive Tina Turner-like gams for her "Proud Mary" duet with little Sanjaya Malakar.

Then there was Hayley Scarnato's vocally unremarkable but jaunty leg-flaunting performance of "When God Fearing Women Get the Blues."

And by the time she, Gina Glocksen and LaKisha Jones tarted it up, French floozy style, for "Lady Marmalade," I wanted to go, "Uh, guys, you know this is a song about hookers, right? Just wanted you to know, cause, umm ... HOOKERS."

Even with all that surprising steaminess, the American Idols Live show was chock full of good-feeling, sing-along fun.

There was even some impressive musicianship, which, you must admit, is not usually what people watch American Idol for.

The hooker song wasn't the only kink being worked out Friday -- there were repeated microphone problems, and runner-up Blake Lewis' foot-pedal system for his beat-box part on Maroon 5's "She Will Be Loved" wouldn't work.

Fortunately, Lewis is an impressive enough singer, guitarist and over-all charismatic charmer to play it off and deliver a version that reminded you why he lasted so long in a singing competition.

Other impressive moments in the show's first half:

• Winner Jordin Sparks playing acoustic guitar and harmonizing beautifully along with fellow strummer Chris Richardson on Rascal Flatts' "What Hurts The Most"

• Jones and Doolittle's '60s girl group tribute, on which Jones, the stronger belter, easily took the lead as Doolittle, the better singer and former background singer, held back and let LaKisha blow.

That's nice, but frustrating -- as a dad in the hallway during intermission said: "Show and blow, girl! What are you waiting for?"

• Doolittle brought it back in her duet with Sparks on Natalie Cole's "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" which was, kids, not written for eHarmony.

More on the show in her blog:

Friday's kick-off to the "American Idols Live" tour at BankAtlantic Center may be my favorite of the last three seasons' live versions, even with some technical issues and whatnot. It's funny- I had noted during the season that sometimes, some of the Top 10 contestants, who make up the cast of the tour, left a lot to be desired in performance and overall excitement. Now I know that those guys are, as a group, crazy talented.

Some things just don't translate into TV, apparently.

I reviewed the first half of the show, before a 30-minute intermission, in the print version of Saturday's paper, and noted how the mood veered from flirty to "Isn't that song about hookers?" The sauciness continued in the second part, with Melinda Doolittle, Hayley Scarnato, Gina Glocksen and LaKisha Jones in top hats and spangles doing Christina Aguiliera's "Ain't No Other Man" and some naughty lines in both Maroon 5 and Jason Mraz songs kept intact. I'm not repeating them here. Figure it out.

Here are some individual highlights. Later on Saturday, I will let you in on my one-on-one conversations with seven of the Top Ten, and tell you why Jordin's a sweetie, Blake's a flirt and Sanjaya makes you want to hug him.

Melinda Doolittle: I was worried in the beginning that Mindy Doo was holding back too much, allowing herself to be overshadowed by other singers, especially LaKisha. But the second half of the show was a large improvement, and featured a "Natural Woman" that politely walks Kelly Clarkson's version to the woods and leaves it there without breadcrumbs. (I love Kelly. But you had to see it.) And she looked HOT.

Jordin Sparks: One of my fellow reporters noted that, late into the second half, winner Jordin seemed to be a footnote in her own victory. Everybody else seemed to have a lot more stage time. But that was before the last 20 minutes, which became the Jordin Show. She has such a stage presence when seen live. and delivered a solid, incredibly effortless "I Who Have Nothing," a pretty good "Broken Wing" and a version of snore-happy winning single "This Is My Now" that at least kept you awake. (I hate that song.)

The kid is pretty good at the guitar, too. I will say that the choice of that icky treacle as the single let me know how much the producers wanted her to win, because it wasn't anywhere near the style of fellow finalist Blake Lewis' strength. Yes, it's a conspiracy theory. Talk amongst yourselves.

Blake Lewis: Speaking of my beloved beat box, he kept proving how well he sings, and not just how well he can turn his body into a stripey-haired percussion instrument. His take on Jamiroquai's "Virtual Insanity"? Priceless. He took up a lot of stage time, by the way, seeming to be in on so many people's segments. His buddy...

Chris Richardson: also got a heck of a lot of spotlight shone on his little buzz-cut noggin. He was the lyrical oomph to Blake's beat-box on "Geek In The Pink," which was competent on TV but flowed nearly perfectly on stage. He avoided a lot of the nasalness that Simon Cowell was always after him for. Nasal is a style of singing, like Chris told Simon. Just not one that works as well as what he did on stage.

Sanjaya Malakar: As his mom told me later "He can sing!" I didn't care for some of his Michael Jackson-esque choreography on "The Way You Make Me Feel," but he sounded great, moving around in front of a screen showing some of his greatest hair hits. One thing - why no faux-hawk? And he plays a mean tambourine.

Chris Sligh: OK, I gotta tell you something. This guy is the one that most shocked the biscuits out of me, because while the show proved that he has a solid voice, nothing hinted at its richness on stage, its range, or how confident and even sexy he becomes when behind a guitar. His version of Mute Math's "Typical" was fascinating, because with him playing, his voice sounded more edgy and rock-like. Drat. We didn't see half of what he could do on the show. We wuz robbed.

LaKisha Jones: I don't know what she's been doing in her time off, but something tells me it involves stage craft lessons. This girl came off as a consummate professional, and the cockiness that seemed to inform her decision to blow off all the guest mentors and always do her own thing, even when it backfired, seems to have become confidence. Her best moment came when she once again acknowledged that she was ignoring the popular edict to never attempt "I Will Always Love You" and just blew that thing all over the ceiling. I got chills. When she ran up to the big glory note, she just attacked it like "Yeah I nailed it. You had doubts?" I did. But I won't get fooled again. I still think it wouldn't have killed her to at least listen to Tony Bennett a little bit, though.

Hayley Scarnato: Like Melinda, she got better as the show went on. I think sometimes she was unable to hear herself in the monitor, so she appeared to be shouting. But her re-do of "When God-Fearing Women Get The Blues" was much stronger than it was earlier in the evening. And she owned her part on "Life Is a Highway." Good for her.

Gina Glocksen: I'll keep it simple -- this girl can sing. I'm sorry that her vocal resemblance to Pink, paired with her pop-punk-goth style, make her seem derivative, because she's got a Pat Benatar-like gift of power. I would love to see her veer a little away from the rock stuff that makes her seem ordinary, because she's truly gifted.

Phil Stacey: The other vocal stand-out of the night, the bald one nailed everything he tackled, including the lead on "Hey Jude," which the guys played themselves, and a soulful, sweet take on Ray Charles' version of "America the Beautiful." Again, the TV show just scratched the surface of his charisma - he was so relaxed here, probably because he didn't have to deal with Simon glaring at him. I gotta tell you that I don't often agree with Simon, but I did whenever he was hard on Phil. Just because he didn't "look like the American Idol" doesn't mean he didn't have one of the best natural voices on that show. Take that, Judgey Boy.

From Just Jared Dot Com, the set list for Idols Live 2007:

* Let’s Get It Started - Entire Group
* Baby Love, Stop In The Name Of Love - Girls
* Heard It Through The Grapevine - Chris Richardson & Ladies
* Proud Mary - Sanjaya Malakar & Melinda Doolittle
* Blaze of Glory - Phil Stacey
* Thanks For The Memories - Chris Sligh & Gina Glocksen
* When God Fearing Women Get the Blues - Haley Scarnato
* Thriller, The Way You Make Me Feel - Sanjaya Malakar
* Typical - Chris Sligh
* Lady Marmalade - Haley Scarnato, Gina Glocksen, & LaKisha Jones
* What Hurts The Most - Chris Richardson & Jordin Sparks
* This Will Be - Jordin Sparks & Melinda Doolittle (fighting over Chris Richardson)
* Time Of The Season - Blake Lewis
* She Will Be Loved - Blake Lewis
* You Give Love A Bad Name - Blake Lewis

* INTERMISSION

* Crazy - Guys (with instruments)
* Who Knew - Gina Glockson
* Virtual Insanity, Ain’t No Sunshine, Geek In The Pink - CAKE
* I Will Always Love You - LaKisha Jones
* Killing Me Softly - Melinda Doolittle (Blake beat boxes and Chris sings towards the end)
* This Love - Chris Richardson
* Another One Bites the Dust - Phil Stacey & Gina Glocksen
* It’s Your Love - Chris Sligh
* Life Is A Highway - Chris Richardson, Sanjaya Malakar and Haley Scarnato
* Natural Woman - Melinda Doolittle
* Ain’t No Other Man - Haley Scarnato, Gina Glocksen, LaKisha Jones, & Melinda Doolittle
* I Who Have Nothing - Jordin Sparks
* Heartbreaker - Jordin Sparks
* You Were Meant For Me - Jordin Sparks
* Broken Wing - Jordin Sparks
* Living On A Prayer - Jordin Sparks
* This Is My Now - Jordin Sparks


And, the interviews with seven of the Top 10:

Boy, this show hasn't been on since May, and here in July we're still writing about it. A lot. See the blog below this one and the link to the review for more stuff on the live show on Friday. But now, I'm going to let you in on the interviews I did with 7 of the 10 touring Idols before the concert, in a fancy club lounge high above the places the mortals are allowed to go at BankAtlantic. Of course, this means I had never been there before, and am surprised my memory of the place wasn't wiped, "Men In Black" style, before going back to my rightful place among the non-special.

Speaking of special -- I really liked talking to all of the kids (they're all at least 6 years younger than me, so I can say that), and found that as good as they looked on TV, they're even more attractive in person. This is not fair.

Melinda Doolittle: Gorgeous. Just... gorgeous. Great skin, great make-up, and what appears to be new weave, done expertly and seamlessly (Y'all, they can work some weave these days. Modern technology at its peak.)

Are you nervous about the show?
(laughing) Oh, please, are you serious? Yes, with all those people watching. This isn't like singing background, and when I did that we didn't do a lot of arenas. This is interesting, though, a lot of group songs and one totally by myself. I do a lot with LaKisha.

What do you do for the nerves?
I pray so hard before I go out - Jordin and I get together and it stops the shaking (laughs.) It's OK because I think God put me here because this is something I'm supposed to do.

Where's the weirdest place you've been recognized?
Zambia. I just got back on Monday, and I was with the first lady of Zambia and Mrs. Bush. We were having dinner and it was suggested that I wear traditional dress so I went shopping in what would be the equivalent of a strip mall, and the lady there said "You're Melinda from 'American Idol!' I was like 'Wait, are we in Zambia?'"

Chris Sligh: I like this kid. And I sat next to his wife at the show! She's adorable.

How has your life changed the most since being on the show?
I think it's not being able to go anywhere out and eat. I think this is great, but my wife has trouble with it.

Do you read things written about you on the Internet?
I used to. I've stepped away from it. The funny thing is that I was a blogger, forum kind of person before this, but it was a different subculture. I did it in a whole, non-committal kind of way. "American Idol" fans are crazy in the best way possible. What I didn't realize is that if people are fans of a certain person, they become enemies of everyone else. I was like "Why hate me? I like Chris Richardson!"

Would you have changed anything about the TV show?
Before the show I had never performed without my guitar in my hand, so there was a marked difference. I was not in my comfort zone. I think my artistry is tied up in being able to perform with my guitar so in that way I think it was a little unfair. Melinda is a technician vocally and had worked her whole life to be a great singer. I didn't get to show a different side of my artistry...It never was just a singing contest. It's also a popularity contest. But I made it to 10th in a popularity contest, so that's good. I just wish it could be more about being an artist.

Weirdest thing written about you?
Fans of Chris Sligh write these things called "Slighku" which are haiku about me. That's cool because I always sucked at haiku.

Jordin Sparks: She's gorgeous. And not at all heavy, like some dumb people think. She's perfect-looking, actually.

You're not as tall as you look on TV.
I get that all the time! I was wearing 5-inch heels on TV!

That would do it. Are you nervous?
Not yet. I can feel the adrenaline starting to pump. You get nervous at the first one of anything, and this is so much bigger than anything we've done. I feel that, the huge crowds. I can't wait to get out there.

What's changed the most for you?
It's just not normal anymore. I get recognized everywhere. The paparazzi follow me around but so far they're pretty cool. They're not parked outside my house, but I was in New York, and they followed us everywhere. I was like "Don't you have anything else to do?" But they kept their distance.

Your dad, of course, has dealt with fame as a football player. Did he give you any advice on how to deal with this?
He said "Jordin, you have to approach this like a football field." (Giggles.) You have to go out there prepared." I love him so much!

Phil Stacey: Do not stare into his eyes. They are hypnotic. If he were not a nice guy he could use their power to get you to run his errands and perhaps wash his car. But he is nice, so I didn't find myself shining his shoes or anything.

Thing that's changed the most about your life?
That people are interested in me whether they know me or not. They give you that glance, and you know (they've recognized you.) People who do know me think I'm cool now. They're like "Phil, what can we get for you?"

Thinking back on the season, is there anything you would have sung differently?
It's weird. I remember thinking "Man, I wish I had done that!" But that was life in the Top 5, out of 16,000 people who auditioned. For me to make it all the way there, I wouldn't have taken anything back.

Did you agree when the judges said you were really a country singer?
Absolutely. I didn't go there right away because I thought maybe they'd get tired of me, so I steadily improved. When you get to the Top 12, you have your meeting with 19 Entertainment about what kind of record you would like to do, and they said "Really? Country?" But I write country, and always have been influenced by that and gospel.

So why'd you hold back?
I don't know if it was being in the military, and being compared to (previous Idol) Josh Gracin, who was in the military. And I didn't want to go too much rock, because I'm bald, and Daughtry was the bald rocker.

So you're from Cincinnati?
Yes! I was so excited to find out there was a Skyline Chili in Ft. Lauderdale.

You've gone yet?
Are you kidding? When I went to college, I left my first love, my best friend and two months later the only thing I missed was Skyline Chili.

Sanjaya Malakar: Best. Hair. Ever. And very sweet.

You nervous?
A little bit. I'm anxious. but this is so much fun. It'll be interesting to hear the audience...you can't see them but you know they're there.

How has you life changed? You're probably the most recognizable one this year.
I get recognized. People say "Hey, Sanjaya, how ya doing?" It could be someone I've met before or some random stranger. It's cool.

You're only 17. Was it harder to take some of the things that were being written about you?
I would balance it out by reading something good about me. My fans read that stuff more than me. It's cool.

Did you like meeting the famous folks? Diana Ross said "Sanjaya is love!"
Everyone was awesome, and it was cool to have legitimate, successful musicians teaching you what they know. The person I was most excited about was Tony Bennett. He's the oldest living legend of our time and a huge inspiration to me...It was cool to have him treat me like a fellow artist.

So, spill. What are you doing with your hair on the tour?
I can't tell you. I would say that if I did I would have to kill you, but that wouldn't be polite.

Blake Lewis: When they pointed Blake, his hair newly skunk-striped, over to me, he saw my red shirt and started singing Chris DeBurgh's "Lady In Red." This was played at my junior prom, so don't I just feel ancient. This kid is a charmer, a big flirt, and should be a co-host on "The View," because he'd have those ladies so transfixed they wouldn't have time to smackdown.

How has your life changed?
The doors to the communication I've always dreamed of are wide open, because of the platform of "American Idol" I got to speak on. I got on a show I had never watched, and never knew anything about, so that's a blessing. My music is really eclectic so when I told them I was going to be on the show, they were freaking out. And when I first got there I was like "What am I getting myself into?"

In what way?
I was doing drum and bass shows, and conscious hip-hop shows, singer-songwriter stuff, and electronica and hip-hop. American Idol didn't have any of it.

Are you nervous?
No. I don't get nervous. I get nervous around beautiful women. (Smiles) I did open mic shows a lot, so I live in the live realm. That's my time to create, to get that instant gratification. TV is a different thing for me.

So I understand you didn't adhere to the "Idol" curfew during the show.
Never, no. What's a curfew? (Laughs) I'm not a kid. I don't need a chaperone. I'm gonna be 26 in 14 days. I live for different kinds of energy.

Chris Richardson: I didn't get much time with him, because he was already headed out of the room, but came running back in when they said there was a reporter he didn't talk to. He's adorable. As I spoke to him, Sanjaya was behind him mugging with a giant life-sized Pop Tart. Oh, show business.

So what's the biggest change for you?
The whole thing. People know who you are now, in a great way, though the show.

What's the weirdest place you were ever recognized?
The bathroom, standing at the urinal. This guy was like "Hey!" But the cool thing about it is that people have let us into their lives a little bit.

CLAY AIKEN INVOLVED IN AIRLINER INCIDENT

The Tulsa World reports that former "American Idol" singer Clay Aiken was apparently involved in a disturbance with another passenger Saturday while on an airplane headed to Tulsa International Airport.

The dispute occurred on a Continental Airlines flight between a woman and a man, whom FBI Special Agent Gary Johnson confirmed was a former "American Idol" contestant.

Aiken, who was a runner-up on the TV talent show in 2003, was headed to Tulsa Saturday for a performance at the Brady Theater. His management could not be reached for comment Saturday afternoon.

Johnson said he was told the dispute was over the male passenger's foot resting on another passenger's armrest. He said the disturbance was a minor one.

There was an allegation that the woman gave the male passenger a "minor shove" during the argument, Johnson said.

"At that point the flight crew was able to resolve the situation," he said.

The disturbance occurred Saturday morning, said Tulsa Airport Authority spokeswoman Alexis Higgins.

Higgins said the passengers were held until FBI agents arrived to question them.

No injuries were reported and no arrests were made. The disturbance did not interfere with the flight of the aircraft, Johnson said.

... And in a phone interview from his North Carolina home prior to the flight incident, Aiken told the Tulsa World that he's glad that the ladies have stopped pelting him with their undies.

"They've calmed down on those. I think they threw so many the first time, they ran out. During the 'Idol' tour when we came through Oklahoma City, they were throwing undies all the time."

These days the platinum-selling singer has been eschewing Top 40 radio and trying not to lose his brand new iPhone.

"I haven't lost it but I anticipate that I will at some point very soon," he said, acknowledging that he has lost other cell phones. "I'm probably going to have to tape it to myself."

This tour is the first time he's worked with an orchestra outside of special Christmas tours. Aiken admits to being unsure as to whether or not it will work.

"I don't know what to expect. But it'll be interesting one way or the other. It's either going to be a wonderful, wonderful show or a colossal flop."

Through his brief pop career he has kept a sense of humor about himself and the various controversies that have followed in his wake. He's endured everything from his well-publicized spat with Kelly Ripa to frequently invasive questions about his sexuality.

He's also been the whipping boy of cowardly Internet blogs, laughed at for his baby-faced looks and self-professed dorkiness.

But that doesn't seem to keep him from having a good time.

"You have to have an ability to laugh at yourself, no matter what," Aiken said. "We're doing 'Sexy Back,' [by] Justin Timberlake ... And seriously, there is no way on earth that I will ever be Justin Timberlake ... I'm never going to be that cool ever. So you have to kind of do things like that with a little tongue-in-cheek action."

But when asked to compare the qualities of older and younger women, Aiken laughed in that distinctive Carolina accent, and answered with characteristic Southern charm.

"I think that there are definitely benefits to either one," he said, wisely. "Younger ladies have things to offer that older ladies can't and definitely vice versa. So, I'm gonna stay well behaved and not get myself in trouble by answering that too specifically."

These days, he operates under the mantra that busier is better.

"People assume that since I haven't been on every TV show in the last month that I'm obviously washed up and I'm finished or I'm retired," he said. "I think it's just the general expectations game in that you can never take a break in this industry."

On his tour he performs songs from his newest CD, "A Thousand Different Ways," as well as medleys of pop songs and TV show theme songs from the last 20-30 years.

"We're doing a medley of songs that absolutely should not be performed with an orchestra ever. And we're going to do kind of a little tongue-in-cheek interpretation of some of them."

Included in that sampling of pop culture will be Billy Ray Cyrus's "Achy, Breaky Heart," as well as Timberlake's "Sexy Back."

On Aiken's next album, he'd like to branch out a bit with, toy around with the production and work with a producer who's less likely to try to change him, he said.

TAYLOR HICKS DOESN'T KNOW WHAT DAY IT IS

"Everybody doing good on a Sunday night?" Taylor Hicks asked the near sellout crowd at The Maryland Theatre.

"It's Friday," a few hundred fans yelled back.

"I forget nights," the "American Idol" winner said, scratching his salt-and-pepper hair, reports the Hagerstown Herald-Mail.

It would be hard to blame Hicks for forgetting what day it is, as the performer has been on the road since last fall, touring and promoting his eponymous compact disc.

Backed by a tight five-piece band, Hicks sang covers of Chuck Berry, Marvin Gaye and other soul artists, mixed with tunes from his CD, such as "Just to Feel That Way."

In a bygone era, concertgoers showed their appreciation of rock stars by illuminating darkened theaters with lighters. Friday night, the glow of cell phone camera screens could be seen throughout the crowd as fans videotaped and snapped shots of Hicks.

Many of those in the audience, some of them well-traveled, clearly idolize the singer who rose from obscurity to capture the "American Idol" crown in 2006.

Robin Loscheider and Megan Morley, both of Baltimore, were attending their fourth Hicks concert.

"Wherever he goes, I'll go," said Loscheider, wearing a Hicks concert T-shirt that the singer had autographed after another concert. "It's not just about the music. He's a great performer ... as well as very good-looking."

"I would have run my fingers through his hair," said Pam Dodson of Sharpsburg, one of three women outside the theater wearing "Soul Patrol" T-shirts. She, along with Fay May of New Market, Md., and Linda Truax of Knoxville, Md., had waited outside the theater, and saw Hicks during a meet-and-greet session the singer had with Hagerstown Mayor Robert E. Bruchey II.

"This is my first concert ... of any kind," said Dodson, whose shirt also was autographed.

Truax said she was a little tongue-tied when she asked Hicks to sign photographs she had taken of him, her and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at a NASCAR race in Homestead, Fla.

May is another repeat customer for Hicks, having seen him at a concert in Lancaster, Pa.

"Women were tripping and pushing each other" outside his tour bus, May said.

"I think it's the gray hair ... The way he moves is good, too," said Cindy Wolfinger of Hagerstown.

"He's just a down-home, wholesome guy," said her friend, Lynne Smigelski.

"I picked him to be the winner from the beginning of 'American Idol,'" said her daughter, Lindsay Pompa, an elementary school music teacher. She and her friend, Amber Shingler, came to the theater at 5 a.m. several weeks ago to get in line for tickets, which sold for $60 and $90.

Hicks made sure members of the audience knew he had not forgotten what got him where he is now.

"Thanks to your support, in two years, I've gone from a minivan to a tour bus," he said between songs. A couple of buses, actually, to move the band and crew from town to town. A furnished tent was set up behind the theater with potted plants and a buffet table for after the concert.

"I'm gonna stop talking and start singing because I think that's what you bought tickets for," Hicks said.

VIDEOS OF THE DAY

Katharine McPhee appears on "The Morning Show" in Orlando, Fla.

Watch video of Katharine McPhee interviewed by Hannah Storm:


Watch Katharine McPhee perform "Over it":


Watch Katharine McPhee perform "Not Ur Girl":


Watch Katharine McPhee perform "Love Story"


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