When Divas Attack! – America loves a cat fight — but characterizing the spectacular ongoing clash between the “American Idol” judges Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey as such is like calling Godzilla’s battle with Megalon a slap fight. Anyone who has watched “American Idol” for more than a few seconds this season knows that their feud is no ratings-boosting prank; contempt of this magnitude can’t be faked. When Minaj raves over a finalist, Carey winces; when Carey coos, Minaj rolls her eyes. The two divas dared to address each other directly a few weeks ago, but their talk quickly devolved into interruptions and condescension. Producers may have recruited these two in the hope that an occasional good-natured spat would reignite the spark that went out when Simon Cowell exited the show three years ago. As it turns out, Minaj and Carey trade harmless barbs about as well as North and South Korea. – Read more at New York Times
‘American Idol’ Castoff Amber Holcomb, Judges React To Elimination – “American Idol” bid adieu to Amber Holcomb on Thursday night’s show, a result that wasn’t really all that shocking considering she was firmly entrenched in the bottom two last week, and needed a ton of votes this week just to survive. So when MTV News spoke to Holcomb backstage following her elimination, she was taking it in stride; in fact, she’d basically been preparing for it since wrapping up performances on Wednesday. – Read more at MTV.com
‘American Idol’: Amber Holcomb Breaks Down After Elimination; Needs ‘A Minute’ – The tears had started rolling while she was still onstage, and again after the credits rolled. That’s when judge Nicki Minaj, exceptionally sensitive to people crying around her, pleaded with the Houston native to dry those eyes. “You did not fail,” she insisted. “You are a winner!” More than an hour after those fateful words, the 19-year-old had a too-small suitcase on her mind when she broke down again and had to take “a minute,” as suggested by a minder. All of the Idol reporters in attendance understood, of course. It comes with the territory. Every week, inevitably, someone has to go home. – Read more at The Hollywood Reporter
American Idol Backstage Scoop: Harry Connick, Jr. Confirms He’s Been Approached About Being a Judge – The day after his successful stint as a mentor injected fresh energy into season 12 of American Idol, Harry Connick, Jr. confirms he’s been approached about potentially being a judge next year. “It’s a fun show. It’s been talked about before, who knows what’ll happen in the future,” he told E! News exclusively. “What I’ve done thus far on the show has been really fun, so I’ve had a great time.” – Read more at EOnline
Amber Holcomb talks stand out moments for her at American Idol
10 Questions for Amber Holcomb
Harry Connick Jr talks new album AI contestants & Nicki Minaj influence
David Cook talks new album, fan questions and tour
Keith Urban Comments on “Idol” Drama
With album, ‘Glee’ role, ‘Idol’ runner-up Jessica Sanchez has been anything but idle post-show – LOS ANGELES — Petite powerhouse Jessica Sanchez enjoyed singing ballads on last season’s “American Idol,” where she placed second. But the 17-year-old says ballads aren’t her only interest: Sanchez is hoping to capture a new — and younger — audience with her debut album, “Me, You & the Music,” released this week. “People don’t know me as the Jessica that I want to show. They know me as balladeer Jessica, which is shy, sweet, just like standing-there Jessica,” she said. “And now I have to really make a mark and show people that I have fun and I’m 17 and I’m ready to be out there and just, you know, be young.” – Read more at Washington Post
Clay Aiken likes Durham’s flavor – It’s been a decade since Aiken became a household name on “American Idol,” and since then he has appeared on several television shows and in the Broadway production of “Spamalot.” Last year he was a contestant on “Celebrity Apprentice.” Aiken said he lived in Los Angeles for three years, but he’s not an L.A. person at all. “I just needed to get out of it, and I wanted to be closer to family,” he said. His mom lives in Raleigh, where he grew up. His dad’s side of the family is in Johnston County, and the Aikens and the Claytons are from Bahama in northern Durham County and from Person County, he said. – Read more at Herald Sun
Emblem3 interview and acoustic performance of “Chloe”
Darren Criss’ Debut Album Will Combine His ‘Many Different Worlds’ – “So I really have been putting that in high gear and I have been working for the past three years seriously on making that album, and it’s tough ’cause I come from so many different worlds,” he explained to MTV News. “I could make that very niche pretentious, Wall of Sound, Rufus Wainwright, Animal Collective fusion record, which I will make someday maybe, but it won’t sell ’cause nobody will like it except me. I could do that, but as an artist everyone has a responsibility when they’re on a public landscape to cast the widest net and find the in-between.” – See the Video at MTV
