Eliminated American Idol 13 Top 5 contestant, Sam Woolf, spoke with reporters Friday afternoon about his feelings on The Twist, loosening up on stage, and his plans after Idol. Read on for more!
What did he think about last night’s “Idol Twist”? Was he surprised by the no votes? “I wasn’t really surprised. I think it was the better idea. I think we should have just stuck to the original–one person leave each week.”
It seemed like everybody really improved. Was the mentoring different this week? “Each performance, we’re more comfortable on stage. I feel like Jason Mraz really helped with that too.”
On tweeting to his fans not to hate Alex and Jena for voting no on the Twist. Why should they not hate them? “Anybody could have gone home.”
On voting yes to keep the group together one more week, “I did vote yes. But after I voted yes, I knew that other people were voting no, but I couldn’t change my answer.”
He didn’t vote yes to save himself, [He didn’t]
How did the support he received from his high school motivate him in the competition? (Question asked by a reporter and a gaggle of giggling girls from his high school newspaper), “It’s crazy. The support you’ve given has meant so much to me. I don’t think I’d make it as far without you guys.”
Will he be returning to high school? Is he attending Berklee in the fall? “My plan is to go to Berklee in the fall. But if something comes up, that might change. I’m coming back to Florida today. I’m flying out somewhere else Sunday. I’m not sure if I’m returning to [high school] yet.”
How did he feel about this week’s song choices? Was it frustrated to be eliminated the week he couldn’t choose his own songs? “I felt they were good song choices for me. I had trouble pulling them off.”
Did he believe he could win the show? Or did he feel there was a predictable pecking order? “I was focusing on each week. I wasn’t really focused on winning. I was just trying to get by each week and trying to make it as far as I could.”
The night he was saved, did he think the judges would use it? What was going through his head at the time? “I had no idea if they were going to save me. I just remember my name being called. I was so nervous.”
What was it like to choose songs for fellow contestants? “I liked that theme, because I got good song choices.”
Why did he choose “Gunpowder and Lead” for Jessica? “I know how much she likes Miranda Lambert. I thought she would kill it.”
Did he get any final advice from the judges last night? “They all spoke to me and were really nice. They were saying how much I’ve grown and that I have a good career ahead of me. They were really supportive.”
Will he be going back to California to watch the end of the competition? “I go back earlier to go rehearse for the finale. I’m going to Live with Kelly in New York.”
How does it feel to have such a widespread fan base already? “It’s crazy. It doesn’t seem real to me, having all the support. It’s weird when I hear that there’s people supporting me in other countries.”
What is the best fan feedback he’s had so far, “I get really good feedback from the fans. They’re really supportive. After each performance, they always congratulate me.”
On performing a David Gray song for American Idol–What connects Sam to Gray’s music and his songwriting? “I don’t know. My dad introduced me to him when I was really young. Ever since then, I started listening to his music, and getting to know his music. Those two songs–Babylon and Sail Away–have always been some of my favorite songs.”
Has David Gray been an inspiration to this songwriting? “I think so. The kind of music David Gray makes is the kind that I want to make. He’s definitely a big influence.”
What does he think he’ll miss most about the whole American Idol experience? “Being with all the other contestants. We’re just really close.”
When it comes to dating and relationships, what qualities does he look for in someone? “I think is a sense of humor is the main thing for me. I think it would be cool dating a musician. But a sense of humor is the biggest thing for me.”
How will dating change since being on the show? Has it given him more confidence? “I don’t know. I guess! We’ll see.”
Where does he see himself in the next 5 years as an artist? “Hopefully making an album. I want my first album to be organic and kind of John Maryer-ish–acoustic rock. Hopefully I’m still doing something like that.”
On Harry saying making comparisons between Sam and Ricky Nelson. Has Sam watched his videos? “Yeah. I could definitely see [why the comparison was made]. Ricky was awesome. That was a big compliment.”
How did he feel about the show painting him as a teen heartthrob. Is that a goal of his? “No. I wouldn’t really place myself under that category if I had the choice.”
Did it make him feel uncomfortable? “Not really. I guess sometimes. It’s just not who I originally was, or who I really am. I don’t think I’m really a heartthrob.”
Why did he have trouble connecting to the audience? Is it that he’s a shy person? Was it a matter of lacking life experience? “It’s a little bit of both. I’m definitely lacking life experience. I’ve been trying to connect more and look more comfortable onstage. Each time I do it, I get more comfortable.”
Did receiving the lowest number of votes before he was saved light a fire under him? “Definitely. It woke me up and I realized I had to give it my all.”
Was he especially nervous the following week about getting eliminated? Did it surprise him that he survived 3 more weeks? “I was definitely a little scared. I didn’t want to get saved and go home the following week. I’m glad I made it…a few weeks at least with The Save.”
When he met Ariana Grande did she say anything to him after the show? “I didn’t really get to talk to her to much after the show. It was mostly when we were on stage. She was really nice. She was really complimentary.”
As they stood on stage, what was the group’s feeling on the twist? “We kind of huddled up as a group and we were deciding. At first we were like ‘Yeah, we should do the save thing and have another week with each other.’ But when it came down to it, some of us were realizing that two people would have to go home that next week if we go for this. We just picked whatever we felt was right. We had no idea who was going home.”
Did Sam have a feeling he might be going home? “I had a feeling, just because my performance that previous night–I wasn’t too confident about it.”
How did he feel performing Ed Sheeran’s “Sing”? “Someone picked that song for me. I know that chorus isn’t originally not in falsetto, so it was kind of difficult and different for me to have to do it an octave lower. It kind of took away from the song. I had fun with it though.”
What is he looking forward to the most about the tour? “I’ve never been on tour, so I’m really excited to travel all around the country and meet all the fans and be on the stage with the Top 10.”
How did he prepare for his songs each week? “We had a schedule. Fridays we’d run through our songs with the producers. Saturday we’d record the song. Monday and Tuesday we’d rehearse the songs again.”
Is he going to prom this year? “I don’t know if I’ll be there. I think I’m going back to LA for finale rehearsals on the 11th.”
Was he a fan of the show before he was on it? What surprised him most about being on American Idol? “I was a fan before. I watched it on and off. I was surprised at how much behind the scenes stuff there is. There’s a lot of waiting and a lot of hard work that I didn’t know.”
What is his dream collaboration? “I’m definitely want to do a collab with Ed Sheeran. He’s one of my biggest influences.”
Does he have a favorite moment on American Idol? “Being with all the contestants. Being all together after every show. We’d all hang out in one of the contestants’ room and all jam, and not really worry about much.”
What was going through his mind the first time he was on the big stage in front of everybody, “I was really scared. I was thinking ‘What are the judges going to say. Am I going to make it through to the live rounds?’ It was crazy.”
Is there any contestant that he bonded with the most? “Alex and Caleb, I bonded with a lot and CJ. Pretty much everyone. We’re all so close. And Jena. I can’t even…We’re all really close.”
Was there one performance that he gave that sticks out to him as his favorite? “I had the most fun singing, either, “Sail Away” by David Gray. Or, “It’s Time” by Imagine Dragons.”
What inspired him to audition for American Idol in the first place? “I originally didn’t think I was going to try out. I was at Berklee College of Music for their summer program. I heard that there were auditions. And somehow, there was a way that if you auditioned at Berklee…you can get past the line in the regular stadium. I did that and I ended up making the cattle call round and kept going from there.”
What was your top pressure moment of the American Idol experience? “Rush week. When they had to pick 5 guys and 5 girls to go to the live shows. I was the last guy called. Then there were 3 wild card picks.”
Will Sam attend his graduation? “I want to go to my graduation. I come back after the finale. Hopefully I get to walk with them.”
Was there one judge whose guidance helped him more than any others? “I think they all really helped me. I don’t think I had a favorite.”
What was the best piece of advice he was given during his time on the show? “Just staying true to myself, and loosening up on stage. Not worrying about the audience.”
Was it his biggest challenge? “For me. I feel like each week, it came easier and easier to perform. It was hard for me to connect and get loose on stage.”
If he had the opportunity to collaborate with one of the judges, who would he choose? “Probably Keith. I like his music. It would be cool to work with him. Harry is more jazz. Jlo is more pop. Keith would be the closest to my genre.”
Did the contestants feel they had been backed into a corner by having to make that vote? “I don’t even know what I was thinking. I was just like…let’s just keep it as the original, and have one person go home.”
Was the twist a good thing? Or was it too much drama. “I thought it was too much drama.”
What was he planning to sing next week? “I was either going to sing a Lifehouse song, or that new song by Rixton.” Rixton’s latest single is “Me and My Broken Heart.”
More interviews
Sam calls the “twist” bullcrap in an interview with Gold Derby.
Post show interview with Sam
Another Post Show Interview
The way that happened…is the way it should have happened.
