After the jump, check out Michael Johns performing Otis Redding’s “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and his single “Heart on My Sleeve” at Tuesday’s J&R Music World appearance in New York City. The Redding cover is especially awesome… (via mjo)
Plus, a couple of clips from a recent ABC News Radio interview with Michael:
On why he went for the …soulful sound ‘ …I had already delved into it before I was even on Idol. And I cant explain it. It the most natural sounding my voice can possibly be, when I sing like Otis Redding, Joe Cocker, that kind of sound, Sam Cooke.
On using the Idol tour to confirm this was the best sound for him: …We went on the tour, and everywhere I went, people said, ‹Man, when you sing those soulful songs, I love that bluesy part of your voice. So it was almost like I got to do market research being on the tour. And even though Id already started the record before we went on tour, it was like the confirmation of what I thought I wanted to do. So when we went in to cut the record, it was just so effortless.
On going to Simon Fuller and asking to be let out of the Idol contract: …I said, ‹Im 29 years old, this is my last go-round and I know exactly what kind of artist I want to be. And he said, ‹Absolutely. Youve been a gentleman, youve been an ambassador for the show and we never want to stand in the way of people. He just said, ‹Look, please just dont release anything before David and keep it under your hat during the tour and all the best.ƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬
On why he could really relate to …Heart on my Sleeve even though he didnt write it: …Right after the tour, my wife and I were having problems because I was gone for nine months that year. And I was saying, ‹Look, Im here for you and I know that we can make this work. And sometimes in a relationship, you just need to reassure each other like that. And this song kind of encapsulated that for me and I kind of thought of her when I was singing it.
On rejecting advances from major labels: …Labels came to me, sure, and they wanted to talk. They said, ‹Were really interested in working with you. And I said, ‹Look, Ive had major label deals before and theyve all ended badly so this time around I want to own my record; I want to make it myself. So that what we did.
Video after the JUMP…
