American Idol 14 – Quentin Alexander Wouldn’t Change a Thing

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Eliminated American Idol 14 Top 6 contestant, Quentin Alexander candidly shared his thoughts about the competition with reporters today on a conference call. He has no regrets about anything that went down–including the confrontation he had with judge Harry Connick Jr. on the show last week. If it was the tiff that ultimately sent him home–he’s OK with that.

The New Orleans native also shared his plans in the future, which includes a multi-media project that he’s been working on that incorporates the things he loves–fashion, film and music. He hopes to perform at upcoming festivals in his hometown. And he also waxed poetic about his new best friend, fellow NOLA denzien and oddball, Joey Cook. She’s marrying her fiancé Evan Higgins, and they have a wedding to plan!

What was he planning on singing next week? “I was going to tackle ‘House of the Rising Sun’ as well as maybe a Sia song.”

Was he judged too harshly by Harry Connick Jr? “I do not feel that I was judged too harshly. I feel that he held me to a high standard–which is always great [for] a student. It gave me something to work towards. I’m actually the least technically trained singer that made it through to the top 10 and the fact that I even was there was a great accomplishment. I appreciated every chance he got to tell me that ‘this is what you need to work on.'”

Did he think he was going home this week? “I wasn’t sure. I always have feelings. But this time, I really tried to drown that out and focus on the performance. Just so I [could] enjoy it [rather than] sit there and worry about if I was going to go home or not.”

Will he have time to go back to New Orleans? Where does he see himself going in music? “I have a couple more interviews to do, then I’m back home for a little bit. Then it’s back to work. After all of that is said and done, I’m going to be focused on doing my personal things. I have a couple of projects that I was working on before–short films that I am working on that incorporates my music as well as the fashion that I’ve created. I’m really excited to introduce that to everyone, so they get a chance to see first hand what kind of artist I want to be.”

How has he grown through the Idol experience? How did it change him? “Thinking back to January of last year, when I first auditioned for the show, I would have never imagined that I would make it this far. It seems as though every week that I went through the process I shocked myself more and more. It ultimately built my confidence as an artist. [Idol] really nurtured my art within myself. I was afraid coming into the competition that people weren’t going to understand, or people weren’t going to be receptive [or] automatically ridicule what I did. The fact [is] they embraced it. I’ve learned so much about my vocal strength–more about the stage, more about the technical aspect of it as well as the business and work side of it. I’ve gained so much knowledge and so many tools and so many relationships. The bonds that I’ve built in this competition are going to be there for life. It’s great to know that I have something tangible to hold onto after everything is done.”

Has he been approached by anyone about performing in New Orleans? “I’m actually not sure! If it comes in the future, then that’s the greatest thing. I’m expecting and hoping for it to be that way. Hopefully I get home in time to catch Jazz Fest.”

What was going through his head on stage with Rayvon during the twitter save? “It was more of ‘I’m having fun, I’m enjoying this moment, and I’m so proud of how far I’ve come. The fact that I’m standing on this stage right now is like a badge of honor for me.’ Going against Rayvon–it’s a fun thing. Because we got a chance to really see each other–not go at it–trying to perform at our best. Sharing the stage with any of them is a huge, huge honor. And it’s always exciting to see the new places we can reach with our vocals. Like, watching Rayvon hit that extremely high note [At the end of ‘Go Your Own Way’] was super super super exciting for everyone. It’s a great moment to share.”

Is fashion in his future? “Absolutely. I take a lot of inspiration just from being broke and having to go thrift for things, and seeing the things that are in the costume shops. Watching people like Andre 3000, Erykah Badu, Kanye West–they all have their own look at everything. They put things together just to make themselves happy, first, and then people just enjoy it. I do that same thing. I definitely sketched out a couple of things that I’ve been working on before and hopefully, within the next month or so, there’s going to be some clothing out. Just be looking forward to that!”

Did his heated exchange with Harry Connick Jr. play any role in his bottom 2 placement or elimination? Any regrets about the exchange? “It definitely could have played a role, but I don’t really know that, I’m never really going to know. Either way, I’m still proud of the way that things happened. I wouldn’t change that moment with Harry and I for anything. It was a real genuine moment. For me to change it, would be for me to change my journey overall. I think things happen for a reason. I’m all about timing. It happened, and maybe it wasn’t time for me to be on tour or stay on the show. There’s maybe another path that I need to take first for that to happen. I’m just excited and I’m glad that I came as far as I did. To go out on a note like that–I’m fine with.”

Did he talk to Harry following the exchange? “We actually did not have a conversation after that. I spoke with him briefly once I was eliminated, after I left the stage. We had a conversation on things other than that incident. I feel that we both–at least myself–moved on from it right after it happened. I was ready to move on and focus on the performances. I feel that he kind of thought the same thing. It wasn’t really worth us dwelling on.”

How did growing up in New Orleans influence him as an artist? “Growing up there–it actually really played the biggest part in the way that I present my art, and the way that I am. Just because there are so many different musical influences, so many different cultural influences–different ways of life all in one small bowl. It’s kind of the gumbo pot, which is what we call it. Just a mixture of everything. I pride myself on that, because I don’t think most people realize how far your reach can go when you’re dabbling in each pot. You know what each flavor is like. You know how far you can go. It ultimately shapes how I look at music, and how I look at fashion. It’s going to play a huge part in the rest of my career.”

How does pursuing a musical career affect his romantic life? “I think for anyone dealing with that, it just becomes a matter of ‘this is what I have to do for my personal life goal.’ The person that you’re with [will] most likely understand if they’re the person that you’re supposed to be with. It’s always great to have that teammate behind you–someone supporting you from the outside that isn’t really in the same kind of boat that you’re in. I feel that in order for anything to work out, the best thing to do is to communicate. Let each other know what’s going on. Just really stay focused on where your goal is and stay true to that love. As long as you focus on the work and that person is right there beside you, then I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”

Is he planning on catching up on any pop culture now that he’s eliminated. Catch up on TV series? “I’m probably going to nap for a little while just to come down from the entire experience! I’m hoping that I actually get home in time for the festivals. It’s the greatest time of year in New Orleans to have all the music come in, and all the people coming from different places in the world just to see that. As far as television goes–I’m the most analog guy. I’m not sure what’s playing right now. I should maybe get into it now! (laughs)”

Is he bummed that the tour is cut down to 5 this year? “I wish that it could have been a Top 10 tour. Not just for myself, but I think that everyone would have appreciated having that bigger spectrum. I understand it being a more concentrated thing. The talent is so great this year. It’s great to focus in on what [the artist’s] concert would be like, as opposed to just putting on another episode of American Idol. I’m grateful that I’ve made it this far, because it’s a huge accomplishment for anyone. Not many people can even say they made it onto American Idol. I get chance to say not only have I made it over hundreds and thousands of people, I’ve made it to the Top 6 of that many. I’m really proud of that accomplishment.”

Did the show have him at a disadvantage by playing back the drama from last week, including the TV promo. Did that hurt him before he had a chance to sing? “It could have. Ultimately, I wouldn’t change it. Only because I put myself in that situation. I may have moved on, but it was still something that was going to linger on regardless of how I felt. I’m still very OK with how everything went down. Just because it was a real moment that I shared with Harry, and with the contestants. It’s a reality television show. The fact is, we all have genuine emotions, and we all hurt for each other. It sucks sometimes. If that had anything to do with the reason I went home, then I’m fine with that. It was just me being myself.”

Would he and his best friend Joey Cook ever do some shows together? “I would not be opposed to that! The great thing about Joey and I is that we both live in the same city. That’s something that could happen very, very easily. We’ll definitely be discussing that.”

Has he talked to Joey? “Joey texted me right before the show. I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to her today, because I’ve been working non-stop. We’re going to get a chance to have that conversation. And we got a wedding to plan! It’s going to be pretty awesome.”

What would he like the next year to be like careerwise? “It’s just going to be me working non-stop on putting out my art that I’ve been working on for awhile. The type of artist I want to be is one that touches on all of the senses. A concert of mine would be something that [is] just as appealing visually as it is musically. I think ultimately, that’s the best way to approach it, at least for me. I feel that way, there’s something that people can take from. If you put out enough branches, people can take what they want and be happy. I’m excited for you guys to see that package when it does come out.”

What kind of album would he like to make? “There’s a bunch of different things that I’m influenced by. But I feel that an overall vibe of the album would be like a really cool, bluesy, soulful rock album with hints of modern music. I think it would be really cool to mesh that old classic flavor with the new, and make something that–I don’t want to say hasn’t been done yet–but hasn’t been done enough.”

Was it a surprise when viewers decided to save Rayvon for a 4th straight time? “I wasn’t surprised because of how great a performance he put on. It was amazing. That’s the good thing about it. We don’t look at it as a ‘have to be better than you are’ or ‘this person has to be better than me.’ It’s just going out there, enjoying the performance, and doing what you can. In that moment, what he did was spectacular. He definitely worked his butt off to get it and deserved it.”

Joey has said that the two bonded because of similar motives–unwavering when it came to being themselves. Does this mean he thinks the others weren’t being true to themselves as well? “I won’t say that. It’s just that Joey and I…come from a different spectrum, therefore we look at everything differently and we appreciate smaller things more than other people would. Like–just the bonds. That’s one thing I really hold on to. Whereas other people–we definitely got along, but they look at other things. I wouldn’t say that anyone is faking it, or not being themselves just to play the game. It’s just the way that Joey and I went about doing it. We somehow attracted. It’s something that’s hard to explain, it’s obvious to look at Joey and I and see that we’re oddballs. We had to gravitate towards each other to keep each other sane. And to have those conversations of–why are we here? And what do we want to do and how far we can go? And how big this opportunity is for two people like us–which Idol has never really had before.”

What was the best piece of advice that he got from the judges and mentors? “[I] had a sit down [with] all three of the judges [the Top 48 interviews], and Jlo said to me, ‘Hold on to your art, because it’s the one thing that makes you, you.’ That’s one thing that definitely stuck with me. It’s the truth. The one thing that separates me from everyone else is MY art, my personal feelings, how I go about doing things. It’s the same for every other contestant. It was great to hear that from her, because I know she could tell at that time I was struggling to understand my position in the competition and where I stood as far as–should I compromise my performances just to fit this mold? She confirmed for me that, no, it’s fine. You be yourself, and everything will work out as it’s supposed to.”

Was he a fan of American Idol before he was on it? Were there any huge surprises when he got there? “I definitely was a fan of the show before, in the earlier seasons. It was something that I watched with my family constantly. It was a beautiful thing to experience. But later on, I got older and I couldn’t really watch television, but was always a fan of the concept and the idea, and the fact they’re doing this to promote and help people become artists. As far as the surprises and shocks–I came into it not really knowing anything, and not knowing what to expect. Everything always came as a shock. But I would take it as is. Because, ultimately, in this career, you never know what’s going to come your way. So you got to roll with the punches, take the waves as they come. If you survive it, then that means you’re destined to do it.”

On the support he gets from his mother, “My mom is a number one supporter. She’s always been there. And she’s got this big big big support for me. The thing I love about her, is she supports me no matter what I decide to do. I’ve changed what I wanted to do in my life so much. I wanted to be a paleontologist at one point. She stood there and she supported it. Then I wanted to be a chef. She stood there and supported it. She’s there for me to fall back on if I need to. The best thing about this is the fact that she got to experience this with me. I could even say my mom was more happy than anyone else was, or even than I was, just because she got a chance to see her baby boy do what he’s been talking about doing for so long. I’m so grateful that American Idol gave me that opportunity to share that moment with her.”

Who would he like to perform with on the finale if he had his pick? “I am extremely excited for [the finale]. We go into it looking forward to that big bang ending. I’m excited to see who’s there at the finish line. We’ve built such a strong bond that it’s like a family. I’m going to be proud of whoever it is. If I had a chance to perform with anyone…I would definitely choose Lenny Kravitz, or someone like Erykah Badu or Lorde. Annie Lennox [singing] “I Put a Spell on You.” I would love to share that moment with her. She is such a monster on that song.”

MORE!

Curtain Call: Quentin Alexander

https://youtu.be/cGQaAVGaOcY

Idol Illustrated with Quentin Alexander

From Yahoo Reality Rocks. Check this out!

When we stood there waiting for the results, I actually had a ‘Clay Aiken moment,’ where I glanced over and I saw [Rayvon’s] name,” Quentin revealed. “So I had accepted it, and I was excited, which is why I was like, ‘Congratulations!‘… I looked at his face the entire time, because I wanted to see how he responded. And it was good for me that I knew, so that I could enjoy that moment more.”

About mj santilli 34841 Articles
Founder and editor of mjsbigblog.com, home of the awesomest fan community on the net. I love cheesy singing shows of all kinds, whether reality or scripted. I adore American Idol, but also love The Voice, Glee, X Factor and more!