Tonight, the remaining American Idol XIII Hollywood Contestants sing one more solo, vying for a spot in the Top 30! We’ll be live blogging tonight at 8/7c pm FOX.
Nashville takes a repeat break for the next two weeks! Join us for a new episode on February 26.
Utah’s Austin Wolfe survives Hollywood Week Group Night – American Idol VIII
Mandisa wary of Grammys’ ‘allure of pleasure’ – Mandisa, winner of this year’s Grammy for best contemporary Christian music album, explained on Facebook why she chose not to attend the event that was replete with expressions of immorality. Mandisa, honored for her “Overcomer” release, cited “the allure of pleasure, the passion to have things and the pompous sense of superiority,” words from a translation of 1 John 2:15-16 warning believers not to fall in love with the world’s ways or worship the things it offers. (She had no problem accepting her statue, though) – Read more at GoFBw
The Durbin Legend – James Durbin talks life post-‘Idol’ and his sophomore album, ‘Celebrate’ In the bitter winter of New York, James Durbin reminisces about his hometown of Santa Cruz, and the whirlwind that was set in motion the day he took fourth place on season 10 of FOX’s American Idol. “It was really crazy,” he says, remembering May 14, 2011, or “Durbin Day,” when he went from being an ordinary local resident to a celebrity overnight. “I have to pinch myself whenever I think about it.” – Read more at GT Weekly
Elise Testone starts anew with post-Idol LP – “It’s very real for me,” she says of In This Life. “I tried to take all my life experiences — a lot of it is obviously derived from pain or letdowns in business and love.” The raw ballad “I Will Not Break” was written during a particularly somber time on the 2012 Idol tour. “I was really sick in the hotel room and feeling hurt by something that had just happened. I started listening to ‘Anna Begins’ by the Counting Crows. The bridge always makes me feel something,” she says. “I started finger picking on my guitar. I opened my mouth, and ‘I Will Not Break’ just flowed out of me.” – Read more at Charleston City Paper
Biggest Loser Winner Rachel Frederickson to PEOPLE: I Was ‘Too Enthusiastic’ with Training – “Maybe I was a little too enthusiastic in my training to get to the finale,” she tells PEOPLE exclusively in this week’s cover story. Asked point blank whether she has an eating disorder, she replies, “I am very, very healthy.” Producers say she was carefully monitored throughout her seven-and-a-half months with the show, including in the days before the finale. “Rachel passed all the required medical tests ensuring she was healthy,” says the show’s executive producer, Dave Broome. – Read more at People
