Archuleta glad to be home ‘ and crowd is crazy about him
David Archuleta had nothing to worry about when he said he wanted to “make Utah proud” during an interview with the Deseret News Monday afternoon.
A few hours later, the screams were deafening when he appeared at American Idols Live concert at the E Center.
In fact, the screaming audience made it impossible to hear Murray’s “American Idol” runner-up sing his version of Robbie Williams’ “Angels.” It was obvious a lot of the 10, 000-plus audience members were there to see the “American Idol” runner-up but not necessarily hear him.
Archuleta receives hero’s welcome back in Utah
WEST VALLEY CITY – David Archuleta told The Salt Lake Tribune earlier in the day that he usually avoids dairy because it makes his throat “phlegmy.”
The Murray teen must have had a lactose-free Monday as he provided the vocal highlights, and the most screams from tweens and soccer moms alike, at the first of two “American Idol LIVE!” shows at the E Center.
The tour features the top-10 finalists of the most recent season of the FOX TV juggernaut. Each finalist is given three songs to sing, with second-place finisher Archuleta getting four songs and winner David Cook five songs. Group numbers are limited this year, with a mid-show U2 song and the show’s closer, Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music.”
The boys received the most applause throughout the evening, with Archuleta earning the most squeals, multi-colored signs proclaiming their love and T-shirts bearing his likeness.
‘American Idol’ tour draws fans young and old
All of the fans streaming into the E Center for the American Idol Live concert Monday night had different reasons to be there.
But most had one common purpose.
“Because David Archuleta rocks, ” said 15-year-old Abby Lloyd who came with her two friends, sisters Mindy, 15, and McKelle, 17, Beckstrom of Logan.
The three girls left the weeklong Especially For Youth program of The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints to attend the concert. They were confident they would not get in trouble for playing hooky ‘ they met family members at the concert.
Archuleta wants to make Utah proud
David Archuleta is worried about one thing: Making Utah proud.
“That’s the thing that’s on my mind right now, ” the “American Idol” runner-up said during an interview with the Deseret News a few hours before Monday night’s American Idols Live concert at the E Center.
“It’s been a great tour so far, ” the Murray resident said. “And it feels good to hear the applause in other cities. It shows that people do enjoy what I do. But it feels good to be at home. And I want to make everyone in the audience feel good.”
The E Center shows Monday and Tuesday are the 10th and 11th stop in the “American Idols Live” tour.
Originally, the tour was only suppose to play one night, but tickets sold out so fast ‘ 20 minutes, according to E Center general manager Kevin Bruder ‘ that the tour, which had a day to spare, added the second show.
American Idol Fans
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — Thousands of American Idol fans waited a long time for the top 10 finalists to come to town, but they say it was worth it. Fox 13’s Joe Wren joined some of the screaming fans outside the E-Center.
Archuleta and ‘Idol’ friends perform in Utah
Just hours before Monday night’s “American Idol” concert in Salt Lake City, the family of contestants — and, they insist, that’s exactly how it feels — painted a picture of hometown boy David Archuleta as a goofy little brother who more often than not gets a laugh by accident.
“He’s just exactly what you see on TV, ” said Brooke White, a fellow contestant from Mesa, Ariz. “He drops these one-liners that are just hilarious. He has no idea he’s funny, which makes it all the better.”
It’s great to be on tour with the 17-year-old Murray native — but a little intimidating to come to sing on his home turf, said David Cook, last season’s “Idol” winner.
“This is kind of a big test for us, ” he joked. “We’re in Archie country, so we’ve all got to kind of keep up.”
Fellow contestant Syesha Mercado said she’s actually enjoyed watching the legions of Archuleta fans crop up everywhere along the tour.
“Everywhere we go, there’s a crowd of Archie fans, ” she said. “It’s so cute. People love him, and they should, because he’s a sweetheart.”
Switchfoot to play Cadott Rock Fest
Members of rock band Switchfoot had no idea David Cook was going to sing their hit “Dare You to Move” in one of the final elimination rounds on this season’s “American Idol” on May 13. Cook nailed the song, and he went on to win “American Idol” the following week.
“It was a total surprise, ” said Switchfoot drummer Chad Butler. “We were really excited. We had just performed on ‘The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.’ We got the call just as we got off the stage that David Cook had performed our song. It was a great day for Switchfoot.”
Hang Out With Dolphin In Sin City
When American Idol finalist Brooke White hit Sin City, she opted to hang out with the Dolphins rather then party at the clubs. It hard to believe that you can find an animal habitat in the middle of the desert.
The venue is built inside the Mirage Hotel and used for both educational programs and public enjoyment. The Secret Garden is home to five rare animal breeds, including the White Lions of Timbavati and Siegfried & Roy Royal White Tigers of Nevada.
Ace Young plays the right cards
Fans of Ace Young’s vocals on American Idol in 2006 will find plenty to like on his full-length debut, a concise set of songs true to his talent but carving out an identity the TV show denied him.
His Michael Jackson tendencies – vocally and arrangement-wise – come through most on the single Addicted. He reins it in on the rest of the disc, letting his personality come through on songs like A Hard Hand to Hold. With live horns and strings across the disc, no expense was spared in getting the mood of smooth R&B tempered at times with harder rock edges. The album-closing Dirty Mind blends sharp guitars with snappy horn arrangements.
Ace Young
During his less-than-victorious stint on “American Idol, ” Ace Young did not show the makings of a star. He was nice to look at, but with his thin voice and predilection for lite-rock power ballads, Young seemed about as distinctive as oatmeal. Yet on his self-titled debut’ for which he hooked up with executive producer Desmond Child, who helmed nine tracks’ Young reveals more personality than many of the “Idol” contestants who’ve fared better on the show than he did.
Disc Debuts: ‘Ace Young’ by Ace Young
ALL OVER THE ROAD: That accolade came as Mr. Young was wrapping the recording of this debut, for which he split the cost with none other than master pop craftsman Desmond Child. And while Mr. Child’s sparkling touch is all over Ace Young, the disc disappoints because there’s no stylistic direction. “Addicted” is a thunky rock-funk roll with a harsh, ill-fitting guitar solo. That’s followed by the gooey-bass boy-band turn “The Letter, ” then the darling piano-rock ballad “A Hard Hand to Hold, ” then the generic lighters-up anthem “You Redeem Me, ” then the Timberlake-copping “Where Will You Go, ” then the whispery, rap-bisected disco cut “Fast Life” … OK, enough.
Boulder ‘Idol’ finalist Ace Young set to release debut CD
Two years after his stint as an “American Idol” finalist, Boulder native Ace Young releases his debut, self-titled CD on Tuesday.
Featuring 11 tracks ‘ including lead-off single “Addicted” ‘ Ace Young was produced by Desmond Child, who has worked with Aerosmith, Bon Jovi and Ricky Martin.
Other collaborators include fellow “Idol” alum Chris Daughtry ‘ with whom Young co-wrote the Grammy-nominated single “It Not Over” ‘ power-ballad expert Diane Warren, who has written for Cher, Michael Bolton, TLC, Whitney Houston and scores of others; and Swedish songwriter Andreas Carlsson, who has written songs for Backstreet Boys, ‘NSync and Britney Spears.
Ace Young shares some Idol thoughts
…American Idol washout Ace Young is such an artist, he wishes he could have skipped the whole Simon Cowell TV craziness and made a name for himself with just his songwriting.
…On ‹American Idol you sing other people songs and you get criticized for it, Ace told the Track. …That doesnt really create an artist.
But that hasnt stopped him from participating in tonight …Live Idols event at Mohegan Sun to celebrate the release of his self-titled debut album.
Pickler fans love her in Crawford County
Former “American Idol” finalist Kellie Pickler was a huge hit Monday night during her performance at the 2008 Crawford County Fair in Bucyrus.
BUCYRUS — Savannah Harris, 6, of Tiro, had the best birthday of her young life Monday night.
Savannah calls herself Kellie Pickler’s “biggest fan.” So on her birthday, her grandfather and mother took her to see her idol in person at the Crawford County Fair.
Jennifer Hudson joins the Topshop fan club: “I love it!”
Just because you are a huge mega star with millions to your name, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and an enviable role as Carrie’s fashionable sidekick in Sex and the City: The Movie, doesn’t mean that you’re strictly all about the labels.
So You Think You Can Dance: Jessica’s Out, Comfort’s Back In
Exclusive Update: Despite what some sites are suggesting, an inside source tells me that Jessica’s injury is, in fact, quite legit’ not psychosomatic or a cop-out of some kind. Doctors would not clear her to dance, and I’m actually hearing that she may have been suffering silently for some time. That last bit remains unconfirmed, and I’m not sure the producers themselves know the truth, but it explains a lot, yes?
Thayne Jasperson talks about ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ journey
Thayne Jasperson tried to stay positive prior to So You Think You Can Dance’s live results show on Thursday night, however he also could “feel” that being among the bottom three vote getters was once again a likely destination for him since he had the “disadvantage” of already being there three times before.
“I had been reading this book that the mind is a powerful thing. So I thought, ‘Okay, I’m going to go into this with a completely positive attitude with a mentality that whatever it is I’m going to take it on and I’m going to go hard, ‘” Jasperson told Reality TV World during a Friday conference call.
‘So You Think You Can Dance’: Why Mia Michaels is so mean
So You Think You Can Dance choreographer/Judge Mia Michaels has been on a bit of a tear this season. During rehearsel for the first week’s performances she said that she didn’t think dancer Mark Kanemura was turning out as well as she thought he would. Then, last week she took Jessica King to task for being “carried” through the competition so far by her much stronger partner Will Wingfield.
But according to Michaels herself, she’s just misunderstood and is merely practicing her own brand of tough love.
“What America doesn’t know is the relationship, ” she explains at the TCA Summer Press Tour, saying that what she brings to the judging table is a choreographer’s perspective. “There’s a beautiful, beautiful collaboration and very nurturing [atmosphere]. For me especially, I nurture them. I’m Mamma Mia and they look to me for that tough love actually.
So You Think You Can Dance is totally IV REAL
The most burning question about last week’s episode of So You Think You Can Dance wasn’t which one of the top 10 dancers is now the front runner. Nope, it was the mysterious “IV REAL” emblazoned across the shirts of a few of the dancers — clearly, it stood for “For Real, ” but what the heck does that mean?
Canadian Idol Recap
It Top 10 night on Canadian Idol and the Idols are singing hits by David Bowie.
Ben opens the show and we hear from the judges. …I think there no sense in crying over spilled contestants. It is what it is. You have to put on some make up and do some David Bowie, says Zack. …Canada made some really astute choices. We got some really dynamic performances ahead of us, says Farley.
Canadian Idol Recap: The Top 10 Perform David Bowie
And welcome to the first performance of the final 10. As we pan through the judges, Zack outfit stands out for me ‘ especially the sunglasses. Maybe he thought it was Corey Hart week. Oh wait ‘ whoa, that is some make up! Im sorry Zack, but it seems more ‹80s Madonna to me than David Bowie, but whatever.
As Ben introduces the band, it reminds me how much I really love that we play the theme live for the end credits. It just so much fun, and I still dont think American Idol does that. It a nice touch.
Love is sort of in the air on ‘Nashville Star’
The final six contestants perform love songs on tonight’s Nashville Star. Insert witty quip and/or pun here.