May 2008 News Archive (Page 3)

American Idol favorite David Archuleta recently spoke with Billboard.com about his experience on the show. Here are highlights of the interview:

Neil Diamond called you a prodigy and a lot of people think you have an incredible gift for music. How does that feel?

I still feel weird when people say, "you're a good singer," because I've never looked at myself like that. I've always looked at myself as someone who loves music and loves to try and interpret it as I see it.

It seems like you're always emotionally connected to the lyrics you're singing.

When I was younger, I didn't know what made me sing the song differently or how I sang it. I still don't really understand fully, but the lyrics do mean a lot to me now, a lot more than before. I didn't even pay attention to the lyrics when I was 12, 13.

Probably around the second year I did "Star Search" is when I paid more attention to the lyrics. I thought the music itself had such a power to it and now that I've understood how powerful lyrics are as well, I think that has allowed me to progress.

A dreadful performance (get it?!?) spelled the end of Jason Castro on season seven of American Idol.

After being told to "pack a suitcase" by Simon Cowell after his rendition of "I Shot the Sheriff" on Tuesday night, Castro was officially eliminated last night. It came as no surprise.

When asked what happened with his final two performances, Castro said:

"It’s just getting tough for me. I think my inexperience is coming in. This week I tried to pick two [songs] I knew and even that, I screwed it up."

We wish Jason the best. He always seemed like a nice, humble, talented young man.

For her Rock and Roll Hall of Fame performances last night, Syesha Mercado wore two very different outfits.

For Tina Turner’s “Proud Mary,” Mercado was ready to party in a sparkling mini dress. Later, covering Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come,” the singer looked like a true diva in a long, gold and white gown.

Which look do you prefer on Syesha?

You didn’t beat the competition. You crushed the competition.

- Simon Cowell to David Archuleta, after the former finished his second song last night, "Love Me Tender."

I'd pack your suitcase.

- Simon Cowell to Jason Castro, after the former finished "I Shot the Sheriff" last night.

These two quotes pretty much summed up the performances of the final four last night. Syesha Mercado and David Cook were solid, while Castro was a mess and Archuleta was terrific.

Which of these finalists put on your favorite performance last night?

The headline to this post pretty much says it all.

In preparation for tonight's big show, David Archuleta stopped by Las Vegas and mingled with this dolphin. Hey, buddy, whatever brings you luck...

The final four contestants on season seven attend LOVE at The Mirage in Las Vegas. This Cirque du Soleil events highlights songs by The Beatles.

Check out Syesha Mercado, David Cook, David Archuleta and Jason Castro in attendance now:

Paula Abdul is difficult to read.

On one hand, she sounds quite laid back about the recent American Idol blunder, during which she judged a Jason Castro performance that hadn't happened yet.

“I have fun poking fun at a situation that’s so ridiculous. I’m the queen of taking the seriousness out of [it] … I loved that people laughed, it was funny,” she said. “Honestly, it was a silly thing [that happened on Idol]. We were all confused … I did exactly what the producers told me to do … It’s all good.”

On the other hand, well, let's head what Abdul had to say about living in pain.

“Pain is very daunting — it creates isolation,” said said. “For me, the smile on my face oftentimes is not met with how I feel inside."

What's wrong, Paula?

What was Brooke White thinking when Ryan Seacrest announced her run on American Idol was over?

"Boom, it hit me" she told reporters following her elimination Wednesday night. "This is over."

As tears ran down her cheek, Brooke thought about "the fear of going back into the real world, and what does the future hold?"

"I hoped so much that I could have been stronger. I'm an emotional girl and I'm passionate, and that came through on the stage," White said.

The lovely, talented singer did concede that, in a certain way, getting the Idol ax was a relief. Her self-confidence issues, for example, "escalated at times ... [and] at other times I felt like I had a better handle on it."

Due to the deep emotions that surfaced for her throughout the show - and the pressure that went with then - White said, "in that sense, it does feel kind of good to be done with that, but I was welcoming the challenge as well."

Now that Brooke is out, who do you think will be eliminated next?

In case you missed last night's American Idol - or wanna relive the emotion - here's the clip of Brooke White being eliminated. She deserved to go, but we still felt bad for this talented singer.

Paula Abdul summed it up well (seriously): "Brooke White's tears come from the authentic, good soul that she is. Her heart was breaking because she was overwhelmed with the experience she had with the show and the gift that it brought."

Two weeks after she forgot the lyrics to a song, and one day after she wrote the lyrics to another on her hand, Brooke White was eliminated from American Idol.

She and Syesha Mercado were stuck in the bottom two last night, though no one was surprised when Brooke's name was called. Do you think it was time for her to go?

Here's a look back at White's time on the show. Click on any photo now to see a larger version...