NC’s Brooke Simpson working on new album after finishing America’s Got Talent – Brooke Simpson made North Carolina proud with her 4th place finish on America’s Got Talent. With that journey behind her, she’s now got even more exciting things on her plate. Fans will be excited to hear she’s now writing new songs for an upcoming album. She’s also doing voice-over work for an animated series – and may even appear on Broadway down the road! – Watch the video at WRAL
AGT’s Season 16 Winner Dustin Tavella Reveals What He Will Do with His $1 Million Prize – While he’s still processing his AGT victory, Tavella tells PEOPLE that the new money he’s acquired will be used to help others. (AGT explains in its disclaimer that “$1,000,000 is payable in a financial annuity over 40 years, or the contestant may choose to receive the present cash value of such annuity” before taxes.) “It’s weird — it is the part I’ve been the least excited about, just because the idea of having a platform to share our stories and connect with people is just amazing,” he says of the cash prize. – Read more at People
Kelly Clarkson Shocked Ariana Grande Got Her Start on Broadway: ‘How Did I Just Find This Out?’ – While speaking to PEOPLE during a press junket for the upcoming season 21 of the NBC singing reality competition, the “Stronger” singer, 39, expressed shock when she found out that the “Positions” singer, 28, got her start on Broadway in the musical 13 in 2008. “You started on Broadway? Wait, how did I just find this out?!” Clarkson asked Grande. Though Clarkson was surprised, it made sense to her as she noticed Grande “does care about your technique and keeping your voice healthy.” – People
How Ariana Grande is shaking up The Voice – Grande’s fellow coaches warn that there will be some surprising song choices from The Voice’s newest addition. “I don’t know what I expected song selection-wise, but I’ve loved the songs because it’s so random,” Clarkson says of Grande’s picks. “It’s all over the map, even [in terms of] decade. I think that’s really cool.” One new dynamic to look forward to: Ariana and Blake! With the two coaches seated next to one another, viewers can expect them to poke, joke, and jab each other all season.- Read more at Entertainment Weekly
Ariana Grande Reveals What Surprised Her Most About Being a The Voice Coach – “It’s just been exciting to be so moved in the moment that you turn your chair,” Grande revealed. “Maybe you went into it thinking, ‘Oh, I know what kind of voices I’m going to turn for,’ and then someone’s performance completely surprises you, and you’re like, ‘Wow.'” – Read more at Eonline
‘The Voice’ Host Carson Daly on the Highs and Lows of the Singing Competition’s 21 Seasons – COVID, in general, was tough. We did two seasons during COVID, one completely remotely, and we’re still in some sort of a hybrid. We did our entire live shows, including the finale, from my rental house in Pasadena. All of a sudden, overnight, we were able to shoot this national show from a rented guest house. And [also] just keeping things fresh. We’ve been on for 21 seasons — if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, but you also want to evolve, so I think we’ve done a good job of making minor tweaks in the format just to keep everything fresh. Adele is high on Carson Daly’s roster of judges he’d like to recruit. “When you find somebody with a voice like that and with a sense of humor like she has, she would be excellent on our panel,” he says. And he’d also like to host Pink, “one of my favorite people on earth. She’s as real as it comes.” – Read more at Hollywood Reporter
Daughtry Set to Release First Album Without Major Record Label (Exclusive) – “Oh my God, I think everything,” Daughtry gushed when he was asked what separates Dearly Beloved from the other five studio albums the band has pushed out. “One, it’s the first record that I’ve done independently without a major record label, and with that comes a lot of freedom. It also comes with a lot of responsibility.” Noting how hands-on he was in every aspect of making this album, he admitted that when he finally shut out all of the other voices who used to tell him what they thought would make a successful album, he could finally go back to the basics of simply making music with lyrics he truly believed in. – Read more at Pop Culture
‘Never in your wildest dreams’: Scotty McCreery talks about decade since winning ‘Idol’ – “It’s no secret that I love North Carolina and I love Garner, and Raleigh,” McCreery said in an interview with The News & Observer this week. “They’ve had my back for 10 years now, and I think they’re a huge reason why I won the show in the first place, Idol. They were humongous during that, and ever since then, they’ve always been so supportive.” “Anywhere I go in town people are saying, ‘Hey, we appreciate your music and we love what you’re doing,’ and that means the world to me,” McCreery told The N&O. “This is just a cool way for me to thank them.” – Read more at Herald Sun
‘The Voice’ contestant from Saugerties shares how show shaped his career – “If there is anything I can say to anybody going on the show it is, really embrace your originality over anything,” said Flanigan, 32, who grew up in Saugerties and competed on “The Voice” in late 2020, finishing third. “That is the key. I’ve never encountered anything negative about sticking to your authenticity and originality in music.” – Read more at Times Union
Q&A with David Cook about ‘Looking Glass’ EP, ‘American Idol’ and the colors of anxiety – I do feel like toward the end of my run with RCA (which released 2008’s “David Cook” and 2011’s “This Loud Morning”) there may have been a difference in definition as to what I was and where I sat. I think a song like ‘“Strange World,” I definitely don’t think I would have felt comfortable to do that song 10 years ago. But it’s one of the things that I love about this job. It is a mountain that’s never fully climbed. And you’re constantly trying to make progress toward the apex.” – Read more at Union Leader
David Cook and his Band Do That Thing You Need to Do in Scranton!
View this post on Instagram
Constantine Maroulis Reveals How The‘Rock Of Ages’ Cast Will Continue To Honor Nick Cordero – The beautiful tributes are pouring in, remembering Broadway great Nick Cordero on what would have been — should have been — his 43rd birthday. Actor Constantine Maroulis celebrates his own birthday today, September 17th, but for the rest of his life, it will be bittersweet. “Nick will always be a father to Elvis and a partner to Amanda [Kloots]. We’ve done a great deal to honor him and we will continue to live his legacy out. I will never forget him and there is a giant hole in our Rock Of Ages family and the fabric of what the show is and the entire community that we’ve built.” – Hollywood Life
JAX and Casey Abrams Unite for Summer Nights
Jax, who competed on American Idol season 14 and Casey Abrams from season 11 do a fun “reimagining” of “Summer Nights” from Grease.
View this post on Instagram
