We like Clay Aiken a lot. Who doesn't?
But we couldn't help but notice a certain resemblance to the Chucky doll from those Child's Play movies. We know that Simon Cowell is supposed to be the scary one, but take a look below and let us know if you agree:
You don't have to carry a tune to win the newest American Idol competition. You just have to compose one.
Idol is launching its first songwriting competition today. The winner's song will be performed by the two finalists and become the new Idol's first single.
"As American Idol does with amateur singers, opening the doors to a recording career, we're taking that idea and reinterpreting it to the songwriting world," says Iain Pirie, who heads the U.S. operation for 19 Entertainment.
"It could be anyone. It could be someone sitting on their porch in Tennessee, or they could be playing in a bar band in Seattle," he says. "You can literally imagine a 50-year-old mom sitting in her living room with a portable keyboard, coming up with a great song."
During the previous five seasons of Idol, music professionals have written the winners' finale songs, which have topped the singles charts but often have received a thumbs down from music critics and even the Idol judges.
The contest works this way: Amateur hopefuls â 18 and up with no exclusive publishing deals â can write and record songs and upload them at songwriter.americanidol.com until April 17.
A team headed by Idol creator Simon Fuller will pick 20 songs from those submitted and let fans listen on the website. They will then have a week, starting May 2, to vote for their favorites, one online vote per fan, Pirie says.
Fans "will feel very engaged with the process in the same way that they are with the TV show," he says.
Once a winner is picked, a record producer will arrange and produce the song for the Idol finalists, possibly consulting with the songwriter, who will get a one-song, standard deal with 19, Pirie says.
He says it's 95% certain there won't be a Idol TV special, at least for this year, because effort is being concentrated on the charity special, Idol Gives Back.
The amateur songwriters â individuals, duos or groups â will be responsible for putting together the performance for the contest submission. Different levels of recording sophistication won't be a problem, Pirie says, because music professionals can judge the quality regardless of the arrangement.
"One overriding truth in all this," he says, "is that a great song is a great song."
SOURCE: USA Today
Tony Bennett has released more than 106 albums in his career?!? Wow. Elliott Yamin has a really long way to go. Anyway, on with the show ...
- And we start with one of our favorites: Blake Lewis. The song he's singing is pre-rap, Tony reminds him. We like this 80-year old already. We also like Blake, who started quietly, but then ended by bee-bopping away, of course.
- It's time for Phil Stacey, who says that Bennett is his hero. Randy isn't talking as though Phil is his hero, though; although Paula somehow claims that he reminds her of a young Frank Sinatra. As usual, Simon says what's on our mind: gloomy as all heck. Can anyone really see this guy as the next American Idol?
- We like Melinda Doolittle a lot. Really, we do. But the overly humble act is almost wearing thin. Then again, gosh, this woman can sing. Simon made us laugh out loud over his concern that the judges just can't find a way to criticize this talent.
- Chris Richardson is embracing the Justin Timberlake comparisons with that hat. Not that we blame him for it. All three judges like it a lot. And Simon is showing a decent amount of chest hair. Let's move on.
- And let's just focus on Jordin Sparks. Because we love her. We also love how Simon laughs to himself every time Paula talks. But it's safe to assume Jordin has a clear path for a few more weeks.
- Back from break, and we wonder if rocker Gina Glocksen can pull off a ballad. So far, so good. It's a nice change, but the tongue ring is a weird effect to see so prominently during such a song. We liked the understated performance, though.
- Ryan jokingly refers to Sanjaya Malakar as a "legend." Sadly, that may not be too much of a stretch, depending on how you define the word. But what kind of a show is this when the judges all admit there's no point in even commenting on the vocals???
- Haley Scarnato is wearing a short skirt. And showing some cleavage. And trying the let's-come-out-of-the-crowd approach. But Randy and Paula dislike it so much, they can't even comment. Fortunately, Simon calls them out for being rude. Sadly for Scarnato, though, the judges despise it. Will take a miracle for her to last another week.
- Let's close out the evening, Lakisha Jones. Randy and Paula can't say enough good things about LJ or the performance. And Simon concludes on a similar note.
Let's hear from TV Guide's American Idol experts for the week ...
TVGuide.com: What was your favorite performance from last week?
Kimberly Caldwell: I really liked Chris Richardson. I thought he was fresh, and he's really been bringing his A game.
Rosanna Tavarez: Blake Lewis. I think he was very sexy, and he's the only person I could foresee making an interesting album.
TVGuide.com: Chris Sligh has revealed that after his edgy "Endless Love" arrangement was panned, he spoke to Idol's producers about quitting the show, because he'd decided it wasn't the right competition for an indie/alternative rocker like himself. Have we ever heard of anything like that before?
Kimberly: Of course, Mario Vazquez quit for some unknown reason, but is successful now. I think Chris S. was probably feeling overwhelmed. The judges had been really complimentary to him so far and he got really bashed and wasn't used to criticism. I think if he continued to get praised he would have never had that idea [of dropping out].
Rosanna: It's interesting, Idol has been around for six seasons. Wouldn't you think that Chris would know [what it's like] by now?
TVGuide.com: Sligh also said that he changed his mind on songs â he was originally going to do "Give a Little Bit," but wanted to challenge himself more â the preceding Friday afternoon. Just how "late" in the game is that?
Rosanna: It is pretty late. Four days to put your imprint on a song is not a lot of time.
Kimberly: You don't have a lot of time to rehearse to begin with, so changing after that long is not a good idea. You choose your song the week before you sing it so you have to pick the one that's right for you.
TVGuide.com: I opined in TVGuide.com's American Idol blog last week that LaKisha Jones may now be facing an uphill battle, that she didn't get the memo Melinda Doolittle obviously did â you need to get out there and have fun once in a while and not always sing each song so darn earnestly. Agree or disagree?
Rosanna: I agree. We get it â she's a soul-singing diva. But she definitely needs to liven things up a bit. We want to see different facets of your personality and your performance capability when you're on stage. Yes, she's amazing with ballads. Now it's time for her to pick up the tempo.
Kimberly: I think neither Melinda nor LaKisha have anything to worry about for a while. It's hard to go out there and really enjoy yourself when everybody's judging you and you know what's at stake.
TVGuide.com: Who do you think has the best momentum going into this week?
Kimberly: I think Chris [R.] and Blake are totally kicking butt and bringing something unique and new to the show that everybody really seems to be loving.
Rosanna: Jordin Sparks. She's young, she's fun, she's not pretentious.... I'm going to be looking out for her.
TVGuide.com: Conversely, who's skating on their thinnest ice to date?
Kimberly: Sanjaya may be what everyone thinks, but that boy doesn't seem like he's going anywhere!
Rosanna: Maybe Haley Scarnato....
TVGuide.com: Based on your own musical proclivities, if you could preorder one of the finalists' CDs right now, who gets your $15?
Kimberly: I love Jordin Sparks' voice. I could listen to her for hours.
Rosanna: I don't think "based on my musical proclivities" is a good premise for me to give you an answer. [Laughs] I mean, I was in a pop group but I don't really listen to Top 40. I might download a song of Blake Lewis' for 99 cents on iTunes, but I don't know about a whole record.
TVGuide.com: Both of you were jazzed to see the luminous Gwen Stefani last week. Did you score any face time with her?
Kimberly: I didn't get to meet Gwen! Ahhhhhh!
Rosanna: I got a one-on-one interview with Gwen, and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I've got to say, she's fantastic, she's a sweet woman, just fabulous. I had my dream come true!
Is Sanajaya Malakar fever out of control yet?
Check out this open letter to the strangely popular American Idol contestant:
Congratulations on catching Americaâs ears⦠and eyes.
Over the past month, youâve wowed the world with your original performances. And, your ever-changing hairdos have made you almost as famous as KFC® Original Recipe® Chicken and Colonel Sanders himself.
On behalf of Kentucky Fried Chicken®, I want to serve up to you a tasty offer. If you don a bowl hairdo during one of your next nationally televised performances, KFC will grant you a free lifetime supply of KFC Famous Bowls®. Weâre sure America will be as âbowled-overâ by your take on this classic look as they are by our KFC Famous Bowls.
From wavy to Mohawk to now the classic bowl â who knows, your bowl cut could start a trend as big as KFC Famous Bowls, which consumers ranked as THE most memorable new product of 2006.
In addition to free KFC Famous Bowls for life â if you sport a bowl cut, KFC will cut a check in your name to Colonelâs Scholars, a charity providing young people with much needed college scholarships. Weâre confident that helping students afford college is something that even the toughest of judges would stand and applaud.
Your Fan,
Gregg Dedrick
President of KFC
Thanks to People magazine for this interview with Clay Aiken ...
Have you been keeping up with this season's American Idol?
It's the first year I haven't watched it.
Not at all?
Not one time. And I've done it on purpose.
Why is that?
Just don't want to. Too much stress for me. I don't know, I just always get stressed out when I watch it.
Are you stressed out for the underdogs, or just the whole competition in general?
I feel like Idol is a drug of some kind. Like you think you can't live without it until you finally do, and then you realize, "You know what? Life is fine without this show. I'm gonna be okay" (laughs). Not that I've done drugs! 'Cause I realized if I watched the first one, I'd probably not sleep until the next week and I watched the second one. And I just like not having that chain in my life, that I'm tied down to watching it every week.
Do you have a new album in the works?
We are going to be going out on tour this summer. And we're actually looking into making another album pretty soon. This time we're going to do something more creative. And so I'm excited about that, 'cause I'm looking forward to having a little more free reign than I've had in the past. Each time I've done an album, I've had a little more creative control over what happens.
What would you recommend to Idol contestants about making the most of their fame?
I think that where I am today is a direct result of God's plan to put me in each place in my life. Find something that you are passionate about that gives back to your community. I think there's a misconception that really upsets me when people say, "If you're in the public eye you have an obligation to let me know when you're gettin' married, who you're gettin' married to and who you're dating." That's bull. But you do have an obligation to be a role model. From the beginning, I realize I got this only because God wanted me to be here. I think anybody who has any microphone to use who doesn't use it for the benefit of those around him is remiss.
Is this the night Sanjaya Malakar is actually, well good? You know it, according to his uncle.
"His objective has always been just to get to the Tony Bennett phase," Sanjaya's uncle Steve Recchi said Monday.
Famous crooner Bennett is this week's American Idol guest mentor. And Recchi is banking that now his 17-year-old nephew is going to "kick some serious butt" in terms of his singing.
"I'm not sure what he's doing to do with hair though," Recchi said, adding the extended family is delighted with Sanjaya's success thus far. "I'm proud of the boy. He's becoming a performer right in front of our eyes."
That's one way of putting it, we guess.
Lakisha Jones got her very own day.
So did Jennifer Hudson.
Now, Bothell, Washington is making sure another American Idol contestant is honored: The city is proclaiming April 11 as "Blake Lewis Day" in honor of its hometown beat boxer.
"Bothell's Blake Lewis has brought positive community spirit to this region by sharing his talent and ambition with the world," said Mayor Mark Lamb in a press release. "The City of Bothell commends Blake and his family on his tremendous achievements and we wish him the very best on American Idol and all his future endeavors."
The proclamation comes with an invitation to perform at the city's Music in the Park summer concert series. Blake's parents, Dinah and Dallas Lewis, will receive the honors while son Blake remains in Los Angeles charming the ever-cranky Simon Cowell, who's called him the male Idol frontrunner thus far.
It's time to hear from former American Idol contestant, Bucky Covington, again. Take it away, Buck ...
My album comes out in just two weeks. I've already told you about a few of the songs - maybe you've even heard me sing them. For the next couple of weeks, I'll tell you about some of the others.
I've got one song on there that I wrote with Mark Miller and Hobie Hubbard. Mark's a big basketball fan, and he had this idea for a song - Carolina Blue, since I'm from Carolina. But we didn't write it about basketball. It's a song about being out in L.A., chasing your dreams, watching everything fall into place, where everything's coming to you except the girl back home who you miss so much. So the idea of the song is she's the reason I'm Carolina blue.
I wrote five or six songs, but I just had too many good songs coming at me. There are extraordinarily good songwriters in Nashville, and, bless their hearts, they sent me great stuff. When I hear a great song, I can't turn it away just because I didn't write it. I wanted a strong album any way I could get it.
Also, I think going with these other guys' songs made the album diverse. It kept it moving around.
There's one called Back When We Were Gods. You know, when you're in high school, and you're hanging out with all your buddies. You don't have a care in the world. You're doing your thing. You're just having fun. When I heard Back When We Were Gods, it said all that. That's what you felt like when you were back in high school. You could do what you wanted, when you wanted, and however you wanted to do it. Nothing mattered, and Back When We Were Gods said it just right.
I think I've mentioned one called The Bible and the Belt. But I don't think I've told you when we got it.
The night before we were going to go into the studio for the first time, we sat down to write out a list of the songs we were going to start recording the next day. We were in the office - it was probably 8 o'clock at night - and we were going through all the songs, listening, coming up with what we wanted on the album. One of my producers actually heard The Bible and the Belt around 6 o'clock and had to run over to this place and grab it so we could all listen to it. Then it actually made the cut.
In a conference call with reported, recently ousted contestant, Chris Sligh, offered the following tips on how he'd change American Idol:
What do you think, readers? What changes would you make?
