American Idol runner up Clark Beckham to perform music residency in Dubai – Clark Beckham is the next artist in residence at Q’s Bar and Lounge. The American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist will perform in the intimate venue, located at the Palazzo Versace Dubai, for a six-week stint beginning from January 9. In addition to coming runner-up and gaining a nation-wide fan base, Beckham’s brand of blue-eyed soul caught the attention of veteran music producer Quincy Jones who went on to sign him under his artist management company. – The National AE
Chicago’s Rising Stars: Hannah Mrozak from ‘The Voice’ – 19-year-old Hannah Mrozak, previous contestant on ‘The Voice’ Top 20, is the newest addition of Chicago’s Rising Star. She’s here to talk about how she got to where she is and performs ‘Havana’ and ‘New Rules’Check out her first EP coming out in the beginning of the year – Watch the Video at WCIU
‘American Idol’ notes: Kris Allen (City Winery 12/22) interview, Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Clarkson – Kris Allen’s innate amiability helped him win “American Idol” eight years ago. He didn’t quite have the Adam Lambert-level charisma to become an arena act, but his musicality and fan base have enabled him to remain a touring artist. He is currently doing his first full-fledged Christmas tour that ends Friday at the City Winery Atlanta. (Buy tickets here.) So far, so good. “It’s been received really well,” he said in a recent interview. “People are getting into the spirit. That’s what I wanted my job to be. I want folks to feel good being it’s the holidays.” – Read more at AJC
‘Motown’ star Trenyce finds inspiration in show — and Diana Ross – The singer-actress Trenyce wasn’t yet born when Diana Ross — whom she plays in the latest national tour of “Motown The Musical” — was scoring some of her biggest pop hits. But the onetime “American Idol” finalist has been around the show, and the songs of Motown, long enough to feel a kind of vicarious nostalgia for the hits of the Detroit label’s heyday. “I think it reminds people of a particular age — of the ‘good old days,’” Trenyce says of the Broadway-bred musical, which hits the San Diego Civic Theatre next week in its second visit to town. – Read more at San Diego Union Tribune
