Kelly Clarkson will make a guest appearance on country music star Reba McEntire's hit CW sitcome later this month.
The initial American Idol recently attended at event that honored McEntire and has made her admiration for the vertan singer well-known. Look for Clarkson to appear as a ditzy local TV station intern on the January 14 episode of the show.
If you're a fan of American Idol, the cover story of this week's Entertainment Weekly is music your eyes.
It delves inside the new season, speaking with judges and producers from the show. You can read the entire thing here - or check out various parts from the article as post them on our site. Here's the first:
1. There's no obvious front-runner
One girl pulled a tuning fork out of her shoe. Another had a squeaky, helium-high voice that made season 5 urchin Paris Bennett sound like Isaac Hayes. One guy was so obsessive during auditions that he took copious notes about each contestant, his or her song choices, and each judge's reaction.
There's even a contender named â boy, we hope we're spelling this right â Chiquini. The one element that's missing as we enter season six? A sure thing.
''Occasionally someone like Carrie Underwood or Fantasia walks in,'' Simon Cowell says, ''and you just absolutely know [they] could win. This year, I think it's going to be more like season one, not as obvious. I really hope that, actually.''
Which is not to say that the judges don't have a couple of early favorites. Randy Jackson cryptically predicts the winner will be ''someone with curly hair,'' while Cowell is eyeing two strong contenders:
''One guy who stands out in the crowd and has what I call the likability factor. He's not what I would call the typical American Idol because he's different... but everyone liked him ... [The other is] ''one girl who's got an incredible voice... but not much personality at the moment.''
No personality?! No excuse. Serious hopefuls have had five years to study at American Idol University, and they should know that a snooze-inducing persona will buy them a one-way ticket to Crushed Dreamsville.
As such, says Idol host Ryan Seacrest, ''this is a very intense year. These are the savviest contestants we've ever seen. There's aggression, intensity, a bit of every man or woman for himself or herself. They don't care about making friends. They want to make money.''
They also want a reaction from Simon, but now they aren't so quick to take his criticism.
''With Simon getting it wrong regarding Taylor, it's ammunition for the contestants,'' says exec producer Nigel Lythgoe. ''If Simon says 'I don't like you,' now they say, 'I don't give a s---. You didn't like Taylor last year.'
The former American Idol singer and current acting sensation showed up on Good Morning America this morning.
Why might Jennifer Hudson be smiling in this picture? On top of her Golden Globe Award nomination for Dreamgirls, it was announced today that her peers have nominated her for a SAG Award, as well.
Only one big-time trophy awaits: Can you spell O-S-C-A-R?
According to Nielsen SoundScan, the post-Christmas week was slow for all album sales. But many American Idols seemed to be hit especially hard:
to 250,000 in the pre-Christmas week. Total: 1.12 million.
As American Idol season six gets closer and closer, here's some news about a former finalist:
Paris Bennett has named her debut CD, Princess P.
Bennett signed with 306 Entertainment for her debut set. "Dreamin'," the autobiographical first single, is slated to hit iTunes and radio waves in January. The 18-year-old co-wrote the majority of the songs on the album, which also boasts production from Jon Jon TraXX, Darren Lightey and Rodney Jerkins.
Since appearing on Idol, Paris has toured nationally for the show, began developing her Tres P clothing line and performed recently at the annual Walt Disney Christmas Parade singing "Let It Snow" with fellow finalists.
Princess P is scheduled to hit shelves in March, while the sixth season of American Idol airs January 16 on FOX.
American Idol winner Taylor Hicks shares the stage with soul singer Gladys Knight at the Orange Bowl halftime show in Miami on Tuesday.
The pair swapped vocals on the classic "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," after Hicks kicked off the show with his latest single, "The Runaround."
USA TODAY recently ran statistics regarding year-end radio airplay.
It covered the calendar year of 2006, and includes data from several radio formats. Therefore, the results may differ from some of the equivalent Billboard charts. But here are where many American Idol favorites and their songs ranked:
18. Kelly Clarkson/Because of You: It was on the weekly top 100 for most of the year (46 weeks) and accumulated a lot of total audience (number of plays times number of listeners at the time of those plays, more or less). Its weekly peak was number-three.
41. Kelly Clarkson/Walk Away: On the chart for 37 weeks, peaked at 16.
83. Carrie Underwood/Jesus, Take the Wheel: On for 25 weeks, peaked at 15
96. Carrie Underwood/Before He Cheats: On the chart for 18 weeks with a peak of 18.
113. Carrie Underwood/Don't Forget to Remember Me: 20 weeks, peaked at 29.
191. Kelly Clarkson/Behind These Hazel Eyes: 14 weeks (it was a bigger hit in 2005, when it peaked at number-four)
291. Ruben Studdard/Change Me: On the chart for six weeks, with a high point of 76.
308. Bo Bice/The Real Thing: On for five weeks, peaking at 79.
330. Kelly Clarkson/Since U Been Gone: Even though it first came on the chart in 2004, and peaked in 2005 at No. 4, it still racked up four more weeks in the top 100 this year. Amazing.
351. Daughtry/It's Not Over: Its two December weeks on the chart were enough to land it here. Peak so far is No. 61 (this week); it'll be a lot bigger next year.
362. Kelly Clarkson/Breakway: Another holdover from 2004, with two stray weeks on the top 100 this year (in January). Its all-time peak was number-seven.
370. Josh Gracin/Favorite State of Mind: Josh snuck onto the chart in July for a couple of weeks, peaking at number-96.
Lyric Street Records is a young country music label. It's major signing so far has been the top-selling band, Rascal Flatts.
In December, Bucky Covington, a North Carolina artist who made it to American Idol top 12 finalists this year, signed with Lyric Street. The label expects to hit the ground running in January with Covington's first single.
David Della Terza is the creator of the website VoteForTheWorst.com. To say he doesn't like American Idol would be putting it lightly.
The man hates our favorite show.
He recently talked to Buddytv.com about reasons why. Click here to read the entire interview - and read more below to find out whether or not he hates ALL Idols:
We don't loathe all of the contestants, we love certain people from the show. We love the Brenna Gethers, the Kevin Covaises... people who just entertain us and remember this is just a silly television show. I personally love Brenna, Kevin, Taylor, Scott Savol... just about everyone we've voted for. I hate Kellie Pickler though. She's obnoxious.
And as much as I love bad music, there's absolutely no way I would subject my poor ears to Claiken's Christmas music. Though just so I don't get an inbox full of angry letters from idiot Claymates... Man, I love Clay Aiken's album. It's so... OK, I can't do it.
By now it's an understatement to say that American Idol is a smash hit that has produced its share of icons.
Kelly Clarkson (right) is one of the biggest stars in music. Also from the show's early years came Clay Aiken, whose every move is scrutinized by the press - and adored by his millions of devoted fans.
In 2006, Carrie Underwood became a bona fide country sensation, while we got to know two new talented youngsters by the names of Katharine McPhee and Taylor Hicks.
Past champions Ruben Studdard and Fantasia Barrino, meanwhile, returned to the spotlight with new records - and, in her case, a hit TV biopic. Jennifer Hudson will be a contender for an Academy Award for her role in Dreamgirls.
But what about those who came up just short? Or the singers we got to know briefly on American Idol, but who were gone in the blink of an eye? Here's a list, compiled by Reality TV World, of what the rest of the finalists - some much better known than others - are up to now. Hopefully, this will get you up to date and you can finally become the American Idol expert you already claim to be!
AMERICAN IDOL: SEASON ONE
Christina Christian: Living in Florida with husband and son and working as a songwriter. Received her real estate license and has a successful career selling real estate.
Elijah Day: Living in Georgia when he's not singing on cruise ships.
Justin Guarini: Living in the Hollywood Hills and recently finished a jazz/soul album. Has hooked up with small record label and is now working on an R&B album.
A.J. Gil: Living in California and working on a R&B album.
Tamyra Gray: Recently married former Color Me Badd singer Sam Watters in Italy.
R.J. Helton: Came out of the closet in October and enjoying life with boyfriend.
Nikki McKibbin: Bartending in Texas, planning her July wedding, and working on a rock CD.
Ryan Starr: Living in California and pitching a reality show about landing a record deal.
Jim Verraros: Living in Chicago with his partner Bill and working on his second pop album.
AMERICAN IDOL: SEASON TWO
Kimberly Caldwell: Working for TV Guide Channel in Los Angeles and planning a country album, having dropped the rock album she was working on for three years. The issue at hand it that is being done in conjuction with Randy and Diane Warren, and they have limited availablity to work on this project - they are now involved with other past American Idol stars.
Corey Clark: Working construction in Nashville and separated from his wife. Was arrested last year in Arizona for trespassing.
Julia Demato: Working as a cosmetologist and raising her new son as a single mom in Connecticut.
Josh Gracin (right): Living in Nashville with wife and three kids and performing at shows (about 130 in 2006). He has toured to promote his successful, self-titled debut record and is rumored to be working on another.
Charles Grigsby: Taking a break at his Ohio home after losing a cousin to diabetes.
Kimberly Locke: Living in New York City and working on a second pop album and Christmas album that are both due out in 2007.
Carmen Rasmusen: Living in her native Utah with her new husband, and recording a country album.
Rickey Smith: Bartending in Oklahoma and recording a R&B album after graduating from college in June.
Trenyce: Living in Los Angeles and getting ready to appear in the musical Invisible Life.
Vanessa Olivarez: Living in Atlanta and singing country with South 70.
AMERICAN IDOL: SEASON THREE
Amy Adams: Living in California with her husband and son after touring with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Diana DeGarmo: Having endured a recent stalking scandal, she is living in New York City and performing in Broadway's Hairspray.
Leah LaBelle: Studying at Boston's Berklee College of Music.
Jon Peter Lewis: Living in Los Angeles and promoting his recently released his debut album.
La Toya London: Living in Oakland and starring in stage version of The Color Purple in Chicago.
Matt Rogers: Living in California with wife and son and hosting the Discovery Channel's upcoming Really Big Things series.
John Stevens: Attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Jasmine Trias: Moving to Los Angeles and working on an album and auditioning for movies.
Camile Velasco: Living in Los Angeles and recording an urban R&B album.
AMERICAN IDOL: SEASON FOUR
Bo Bice: Promoting his debut album, The Real Thing, and recovering from intestinal surgery.
Lindsey Cardinale: Working on a country album and living in Louisiana.
Mikalah Gordon: Singing in a Randy Jackson-produced girl group. Was mugged last year in Las Vegas.
Anthony Fedorov: Recording his debut album and dealing with losing his brother, 28-year-old Denis, to a rare form of cancer.
Constantine Maroulis: Performing in Broadway and off-Broadway productions after his ABC sitcom project fell through. Was recently spotted partying with troubled Miss USA, Tara Conner.
Anwar Robinson: Working on an R&B CD, living in New Jersey and enjoying his privacy.
Jessica Sierra: Living in Nashville and recovering from terrifying stalker experience.
Scott Savol: Recording an R&B CD in Nashville, spending time with his wife, son and stepdaughter.
Nikko Smith: Living in St. Louis and talking to some record labels.
Vonzell Solomon: Living in Florida, finishing an R&B album and breaking into acting.
Nadia Turner: Living in Miami and working on her album and clothing line and caring for her 7-year-old daughter.
Mario Vazquez: Promoting his debut album and rebuilding his relationship with his estranged father.
AMERICAN IDOL: SEASON FIVE
Paris Bennett: Wrapping up her debut album, entitled Princess P, that's due out in January.
Kevin Covais: Planning to "give movies and TV a go" after graduating high school. That's right. High school.
Bucky Covington: Living in Nashville with his wife and putting the finishing touches on his country album.
Chris Daughtry: Maybe you remember this guy (pictured). He's promoting his debut album, Daughtry, which has already sold several hundred thousand copies, and enjoying a new $690,000 North Carolina home with his wife and kids.
Mandisa: Finishing her Christian album that's due out in April and penning an American Idol book that comes out in June.
Melissa McGhee: Working on a southern-rock CD and living in Land O'Lakes, Florida. Yes, that's a real place!
Kellie Pickler: Promoting her debut album, Small Town Girl, and working on her Fox sitcom project. Recently went public with more about her troubled family life and abusive childhood.
Lisa Tucker: Graduated from high school and planning to attend college
Elliott Yamin: Dating a model, Jamie Paetz, and recording a soul album in Los Angeles. Needs some dental work, though!
Ace Young (pictured, with Daughtry): Living in Los Angeles and working a debut album that he plans to release in 2007.
Heard any additional news about these American Idol stars that you'd like to share with us? Leave us a comment and let us know!
