Idol Headlines for 7/3/12

By On 07/03/2012 · 85 Comments · In American Idol, Headlines

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Katharine McPhee will sing the National Anthem today at Bryant Park in midtown Manhattan to celebrate Tide’s My Story Our Flag installation. She’ll sing at 12 noon. Watch a live Stream

Who Will Carrie Underwood Write for Next? – And when I met newcomer Rachel Holder last month, she told me Underwood had written a song on her debut album, too. It’s called “Lord Help Me.” Underwood co-wrote that one with Katrina Elam and Ashley Monroe, and it has a “Lord help me, I’m fallin’ in love” kind of vibe. I think Holder’s voice will be perfect for it. But then again, so would Underwood’s. – Read more at CMT

Watch Carrie Underwood perform “Good Girl” on Australia’s Sunrise morning show HERE.

Kris Allen interviews with Grammy.com.cover musical education, advice to artists, singing vs. songwriting, American Idol and more. Watch them HERE.

Casey Abrams Summer Tour Announcement

Jessica Sanchez gives album details and talks crazy ‘Idol’ tour – Runner-up Jessica Sanchez tells Zap2it, “I’m excited. It’s going to be our first show and we’re going to have no idea what we’re doing on stage, so it’s going to be great to see us all flopping around and falling on stage.” Don’t worry, it’ll still be a great show. “We’ve just been goofing around a lot [in rehearsals],” Sanchez explains. “It’s going to be hilarious to watch. I’m going to be dancing, and couple of other people are going to be dancing too with me, and it’s just going to be crazy to see us acting like fools.” – Read more at Zap2it

Taylor Hicks at Bally’s Las Vegas

CHERYL COLE SET FOR GLEE ROLE – Eta: A report in comments that Jane has, in fact, used the word keen. Odd. I don’t know. I have a hard time imagining Jane Lynch using the word “keen” to describe anything. The report is coming from a UK tab, so take with a grain of salt. “CHERYL Cole is being tipped to star in huge American TV show Glee. Two of the show’s main stars, Jane Lynch and Matthew Morrison, say that producers are desperate to get Chezza. Jane, 51, who plays bitchy coach Sue Sylvester, revealed: “There’s been talk on set of Cheryl appearing for a year or so, but it’s set to happen now. Matthew’s spoken very highly of her and the younger guys on set are keen to have her on, for obvious reasons. Matthew’s chatted to her and she seems keen.” – Read more at The Daily Star

U.K. Album Sales Drop 13% in Second Quarter – LONDON — Despite ongoing growth in the digital market, U.K. album sales fell by 12.7 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2012, according to new market data released by British labels trade body the BPI. Total U.K. album sales — comprising both physical and digital — amounted to 20.6 million in the second quarter, down from 23.5 million in the same period the previous year, according to BPI and Official Charts Co. figures. Total first-half 2012 album sales were 43.6 million, a 13.8 percent fall on the 50.5 million albums sold in the first half of 2011. Read more at Hollywood Reporter

Kelly Clarkson Covers ‘Lucky’ Magazine’s Music Issue! – Kelly Clarkson rocks out on the cover of Lucky‘s first ever music issue, on newsstands July 7. Here is what the 30-year-old Duets judge had to share with the mag: On her new boyfriend: “Oh, there’s all these rumors that I’m a lesbian. I have a boyfriend now, Brandon Blackstock, my manager Narvel’s son, Reba McEntire’s stepson? I just had my 30th birthday and we went turkey shooting. It’s what I wanted to do, so we went.” – Read more at Just Jared

Kelly Clarkson Opens Up About Her New Boyfriend In Lucky’s First-Ever Music Issue – Clarkson opened up to Lucky about her new boyfriend, turning 30 and her low-maintenance style. While the issue doesn’t hit newsstands until August 7, you can get a preview of Clarkson’s interview and a first look at her photo shoot and cover below. – Read more at MTV

Behind the Scenes of the Lucky Shoot

Britney’s bizarre ‘X Factor’ furniture – Britney Spears may be one person who actually enjoys being in a dentist’s chair. According to a new report, the pop star travels with one on tour.
However, it’s not for her teeth per se. “She’s got a portable dental chair, and she loves it,” a source tells The Sun. “It reclines so she can relax while they make her up. We joke with her about it all the time.” The star is even said to have the comfy piece of medical furniture sent by private jet to “X Factor” auditions. – Read more at New York Post

‘The Glee Project’: Kevin McHale talks tonight’s episode and season 4 of ‘Glee’ – This week, Oxygen’s The Glee Project welcomes Kevin McHale, who of course plays Artie on Glee, to mentor the remaining contestants. Their lesson this week? “Adaptability,” which required the contestants to think on their feet. EW spoke to McHale about tonight’s episode — and didn’t hesitate to grill him for scoop on season 4 and even his thoughts on a Quinn/Artie romance. – Read more at Entertainment Weekly

 
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  • http://profile.yahoo.com/DJ4FPAE2BM4XDCNVQITJSS3S2Q Sue

    It contributed to album sales but not single sales.

  • DragonFly

    Interesting new facts brought here re. WU & the 1st few mos. for James following his album release.  We had hints of some of that happening but never heard it relating to James not being on TV shows.  I just thought the smaller Indie album didn’t spring for stuff like that. 

    Anyone else a little nervous where writing their own music will go?  I know there was a suggestion that Idol contestants bring on their own music during the show, but that suggests that now they also have to be writers of good music (unless I’m reading more into the suggestion).  That would then seem to put a real added pressure for someone to “Win It”—–Oh, Randy, thinking of you.   A good singer/performer does not necessarily write music.  I think most singers are trying it now so they can hold on to more of the profits.  I couldn’t write a hit to save my life–a little nervous for album 2 but then I’m—me! 

  • Anonymous

    Wouldn’t appearances on those “national gigs” be setup by his management 19/RLM (or whoever since he is no longer listed under RLM) instead of the label? Any shakeup at the label would not make a difference.

  • Anonymous

    Considering that James Michael was the co-writer of Higher Than Heaven with James (written in a day) and that he is working with James and the band for six weeks writing songs and recording demos in Nashville I’m jumping up and down with excitement about the album – not nervous at all. If you mean sales, it’s way too early to even think about that. I’ve been dancing around listening to Lies of the Beautiful People co-written by James Michael and sung and produced by him all morning. Bring it on James and James!
    Re: WindUp’s shakeup – I don’t know how much affect it had, but the label is small and personal, of course it had an affect. However, Josh Klemme, James’ manager, has said in interviews that a slow roll-out was the plan for James and planned on the Conan performance back in November. Still, I do think the chaos had an affect. It was happening just as James’ first single was released and he was to start his initial radio tour, which was a bit rough. Still, I’m not blaming everything on that – but it would be naive to think it had no affect  that is purely mho.

    ETA: The marketing thing was a big industry buzz announcement. That kind of chaos has an affect on everyone that is part of an organization – I just went through that kind of shake-up at my own company. It just affects everything for awhile. I did not realize that the new guy was also let go after a short while. Hopefully things have settled down.

  • Anonymous

     I don’t know that you can say that with any certainty. He is on an indie label and started out with 28k in sales. After the radio tour was complete at the end of March he had 100k in sales. Who is to say where those sales came from? There were many components to his roll out from football stadiums, to the army, to involvement with WWE’s STAR program and national appearances in support of Tourette’s and Autism awareness in addition to the radio tour. Every piece played its part, and it was smart marketing on the part of management/label to bring that multifaceted approach to the table – imho. 100k is great at an indie label. If he were signed with Interscope it might look like doom and gloom – but not at Wind Up. He is getting his second album and they aren’t wasting any time. So, something worked, and I don’t count out the radio tour.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/DJ4FPAE2BM4XDCNVQITJSS3S2Q Sue

    If he’s on a 360 deal (which I believe he is) then the label likely gets involved with all aspects of promo. Still I would prefer for James to leave 19 and sign with a more suitable management company. I know with 360 deals the label is involved with touring unlike with the standard record deals where management handles the touring. I can’t imagine 19 scoring James gigs like Rock on the Range, I don’t think they have those kinds of contacts. Even so 19, IMO, is not a great management company, I mean who else do they manage besides the Idols?

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/DJ4FPAE2BM4XDCNVQITJSS3S2Q Sue

    Evanescence gets gigs like Conan and Leno fairly regularly actually. Yes Wind-up is indie but it’s a big indie label, the biggest in the world in fact. But I’m not sure if that’s due to Wind-up or their management, whether the deal they have with Wind-up is a 360 deal or a normal deal.

    No I’m not nervous about how the songwriting’s going to go, IMO, James severely underrates his songwriting abilities. He co-wrote Higher Than Heaven, Right Behind You, Screaming, Outcast, Back For More & Crawling Home, I would say those are good first attempts. He tweeted lyrics to a new song he wrote when he was sick with strep in April which looked good to me. Dylan wrote the guitar riffs & solos for Higher Than Heaven, Liberate & Crawling Home. And need I bring up the band’s new kick ass arrangement of Love Me Bad that they first performed on Conan?

    I’m really looking forward to hearing what these guys come up with together.

  • Anonymous

    Oh my gosh no…I’m not nervous at all about what kind of music James will put out now that he is doing the writing for album #2.  My favorite songs on MOABD were all ones that he helped to write.  Higher Than Heaven, Right Behind You and Crawling Home.  Some of my least favorites on the album were ones written by other people, like Love Me Bad.  I don’t know what kind of songs he writes completely on his own (like the one he wrote for his dad that we haven’t heard yet - I think it’s called Sunday’s Gone), but songs he co-wrote with other people have definitely impressed me. I’m excited about album #2!

  • DragonFly

    Guess I just fell for James’ suggestion once that writing isn’t as easy as performing.  Coming up w/his own arrangements on the show I think you became well aware of his abilities.  You are all reassuring though that the 2 James & Dylan’s talent (plus the other capable musicians) should come up w/good stuff.  Naming the songs that James had a hand in sets that record straight now bec they did come out well.  Some here keep (who had a hand in what details) in their heads when needed, so glad I asked the question & got answers.  New music from him is WEL–COME!  Just read some fan’s comment on FB that “his cd was going along w/them outside to mow the lawn” (not exact quote) but it gave me a laugh.  His beat does help you get a job done a little easier.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_2K6LL4WPUTAY6TKG2VG3SYFA5M Erlinda

    Wow! If that Miss Saigon comes to life as a movie, I will be the first in line to see it. I think Jessica with the right coaching will be able to carry a dramatic role in this movie. Her singing talent will not be a problem as she is already a pro on that, IMO. Good luck Jessica.

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