Today Idol headlines after the jump ¦
Blake Lewis, Jonas Brothers stay up late in Tacoma
…..Unfortunately by the time Lewis got to the stage, immediately after Jonas Brothers, the crowd had thinned noticeably and much of the anticipatory energy had drained. Lewis still made the most of his appearance, playing a set of songs from his new album. He danced around the stage, sang and beatboxed, while his band played funk jams behind him. He elicited his biggest roar from the crowd when he demonstrated his full voice modulation talents for an extended period of time, beatboxing while adding in turntable sounds and other effects…..
New recordings: Idol wannabe Blake Lewis bombs
Wake up, Blake. Your 15 minutes of fame are almost over. While his beat-boxing novelty act propelled him into the final two of reality-TV juggernaut “American Idol’s” sixth season, this album exposes his lack of actual singing ability. This sometimes shoddy production re-emphasizes his mouth-made percussion. Cool sometimes, but he overdoes it. And, actually, he is not as good at it as some originally may have thought……
Exclusive Interview: Blake Lewis, of ‘American Idol’
The album Audio Day Dream comes out December 4. Are you pretty pumped?
More than pumped. Ecstatic.
How would you describe the feel of the album, and the songs that are on the album, to someone who might not be a fan of yours yet?
Easy. Well, if they were born in the ‹80s they’ll get it. I call it my 2080s record. All of my influences are very ’80s derived: Michael Jackson, Prince, U2, The Police, The Cure, Erasure, New Order, Depeche Mode. All of my melodic tendencies are basically ‹80s driven, so the record has this very electro soul funk pop kind of feel to it, where every song transitions or doesn’t transition into the next song. Just like an electronic mix tape or a hip-hop mix tape. Yeah, there you have it. It’s called ADD, Audio Day Dream. Everyone thought I had ADD growing up just because I’m very high energy and focused…….
Lewis fails to focus talent on ‹ADD
….Audio Day Dream is an appropriate title; the juxtaposition of Lewis fresh sound with several hackneyed pop songs give the album a disjointed feel.
The major problem with Audio Day Dream is Lewis simply sounds like he is trying too hard. Although he is obviously a talented vocal percussionist, his collaboration with boy band producer Clive Davis does not play to these strengths. Perhaps producers feared a hip-hop angle would be too sophisticated for Lewis …Idol fan base of middle school girls; the result is an album that borders on edgy, but in the end remains mainstream-safe…..
Jordin Sparks ignites a frenzy
American Idol’s youngest winner is isn’t into ballads, but she is into really big shows
Jordin Sparks withstood bigger-voiced divas, a blond beatboxer and one ponyhawked nightmare to clinch the sixth American Idol crown. (Cue confetti and crying.)
But the young belter’s pre-Idol life was highlighted by a more modest, practical accomplishment.
“You’re going to laugh at me. Getting my braces off was awesome, ” Sparks says. She’s calling from Los Angeles and punctuates almost everyone of her responses with a girlish giggle.
It’s easy to imagine her talking on a jewel-encrusted, pink cell phone on a bed covered with stuffed bears ‘ and hard not to be charmed……
Simon Cowell’s baby split
Simon Cowell’s girlfriend predicts they will split up when she wants a family.
Terri – who is fast becoming a household name in America after presenting reports on celebrity TV station E! – has accepted her relationship with Simon will not last, because he has already told her he never wants children.
She told Britain’s Hello! magazine: “I’ve known Simon’s thoughts on marriage and babies from the beginning. He doesn’t want kids, full stop. But I would definitely love to have a baby………
….Meanwhile, Terri reportedly stormed off the set of a US chat show when Simon was asked which three people he would save from a sinking ship and said himself, his mother and his fellow ‘American Idol’ judge Paula Abdul.
An insider said: “Terri looked really crushed when he said that, and stormed out. Simon didn’t realise he had said anything untoward.”
Blake Lewis’ Audio Day Dream is No Nightmare
….I’m not sure that’s how I’d describe it, but it’s certainly less of a new genre than a heavily-produced piece of listenable pop. If you can remember his lackluster performance in the Idol finale which was blamed mostly on having to sing a saccharine ballad way out of his range, it’s interesting to hear a progression on that front. According to the AP, Lewis co-wrote all but one song on the album.
A Straight-Ahead Rock n Roll Juggernaut: Are Yall Having Fun Yet?
He stood onstage, bald and be-sideburned, facing a couple of thousand fans who seemed more pleased than thrilled to be there. He sang, he grimaced, he strummed a guitar, he sang some more. He angled for more applause. He pointed to one section of the crowd and asked, …Yall having fun? Yeah, pretty much. To another section: …Yall having fun? Sure they were.
On Tuesday night, at the first of two sold-out shows at the Nokia Theater, Chris Daughtry seemed hard working and humble, leading a competent band through a straightforward set of sturdy rock songs. But he scarcely seemed like what he really was: the biggest new rock star in America………
Stars Sing and Dance Up a Storm
….Three American Idol recording stars performed. Anthony Fedorov sang his original composition, …It Never Over, that he wrote for his brother, who passed away last year: …You are the only one controlling your destiny. La Toya London belted out a stirring version of Donnie Hathaway …Someday Well All Be Free.
Justin Guarini sang Marvin Gaye …What Goin On, with a timely plea for peace: …War is not the answer. Guarini mellow falsetto was flawless.
David Burnham (Fabrizio Nacarelli in The Light In The Piazza) gave a brilliant rendition of …O Holy Night, especially with that booming line: …Fall on your knees! Jeannette Bayardelle sang the hell out of the number she sings in The Color Purple musical, …Im here. All that was just the first act….
Clay Aiken prepares 4th Yule show
When Clay Aiken’s record company proposed the idea of recording a Christmas album, he was hesitant at first.
“My first response was that I would love to do one, but not just yet, ” said Aiken, who is bringing his Christmas in the Heartland tour to the Mohegan Sun Arena on Sunday.
“I had just released my first album and thought we should give it a year, with another album in between, ” said the popular “American Idol” finalist………
‘Idol’ show outshines stars
Singers launch careers that fizzle out quickly. The TV show, however, seems to go on forever
Can you feel it?
The excitement is building.
All over the country thousands of talented wannabes, delusional fruitcakes and all talent and mental stability points in between spent at least one full day of their summer standing in a ridiculously long line for the opportunity to be praised or dissed on national television.
Eventually, those thousands will be whittled to a dozen who will sing their heart out for (probably temporary) fame and (a modicum of) fortune.
Their back stories will be carefully prepared in heartwarming video segments to augment their performances, and viewers will get caught up in their triumph and tribulations, although they likely wouldn’t give those same contestants the time of day if they were sitting next to them at a bar.
If you still don’t know what I’m talking about, then you must not watch Fox or any of its affiliates (good for you) because the promos for the seventh season of American Idol have begun in earnest……….
Idol Hands on Deck
It seems the American Idol judges have been far from idle during the off-season.
Randy Jackson told E! News’ Ryan Seacrest Wednesday that he is prepping the release of a new CD featuring a duet with Paula Abdul.
“It’s hot, ” Jackson said on Seacrest’s KIIS-FM radio show, while declining to provide many specifics about the collaboration. (Listen to the full interview.)…………….
Oprah Helps Josh Groban Top Albums Chart Again; Jordin Sparks Slips To #18
Only two new releases enter the top 200 during steady sales week.
….Meanwhile, the self-titled debut from “American Idol” Jordin Sparks, which opened at a disappointing #10 last week, slipped to #18….
What Makes a Star Fall?
Going From the Limelight to No Light Can Take a Toll on TV Contest Has-Beens
America’s craze with contest shows like “American Idol” has a dark side of young people who enjoy a blast of the spotlight, then fall into trouble with drugs, the law or both.
Jessica Sierra is the latest example.
As a 19-year-old contestant on “Idol” Sierra told audience members that she’d always dreamed of being a star. She wowed the judges all the way to the Top 10, and later went on to tour the country in 2005 with the other season four finalists………
Kellie Pickler Keeps the Cleavage, Shows Off New Trim Look
Kellie Pickler has slimmed down. But her fans needn’t wory, she has kept the cleavage. The rising country starlet caught a lot of grief when she made her return to the American Idol stage about her new cleavage from host Ryan Seacrest earlier this year, but now she has a toned tummy to go with for a killer new look…..
Dork chic
‘Idol’ alumnus Clay Aiken makes best of senior-citizen adoration
Clay Aiken — despite the stylishly shaggy ‘do — still isn’t hip.
“I’m never going to be, and I’m fine with that. We all must embrace our inner dork, ” he said in July.
Aiken, who brings his Christmas show Friday to Palace Theatre, has still managed a successful post-“American Idol” career as the soundtrack of choice for enthusiastic grandmothers.
“People always come up to me and say, ‘My grandmother’s your biggest fan, ‘ ” said Aiken, who just turned 29. “There’s a misconception among these ladies that I’m cool and hip and now. And they think that by liking me, it makes them cool and hip and now.
“But shhh — we aren’t going to tell them that I’m not cool and hip at all.”…………
Caught in the Act!
Carrie Underwood, singing along during the Spice Girls’s San Diego concert. And the Carnival Ride singer was in the power seat ‘ hanging next to American Idol creator and current Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller.
Regular December visitor bringing saxy back
….The saxophonist will be joined on the 10th tour by pals Jonathan Butler, a South African singer and guitarist; Kimberly Locke, an American Idol second-season finalist; and Wayman Tisdale, an NBA all-star turned bassist…..