Michael Johns News

American Idol seventh season finalist Michael Johns has been released from the show’s restrictive contract that prevents finalists from being signed by other record labels.

Johns “asked to be released from the 19 Entertainment contract” and “19 agreed, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported this week.

The singer has already “been on two major labels and an indie” and now “plans to go on his own like Elliott Yamin and hopes to find distribution any way he can,” and “says he’s recorded eight songs (two songs by Diane Warren), most done before the tour started. He hopes to get 25 done by Thanksgiving and pick 12 for an album set to be released in January or February,” the newspaper added.

It's a unique deal, but one that Johns is appreciate of.

“They said, ‘Look, we realize you’re 29 years old. Good luck.’ I was so thankful. I’ve been able to work and get things done instead of wait around,” Johns said, adding that he’s not going to a major label because “I want control back. It’s not like I need a label to get me noticed. This is one of my last shots to be in this situation.”

As to a producer, he said, “I can’t believe producers are returning my calls! Ultimately, we’ll write as much as we can then figure out what producer to stylize it. … It’s an album hopefully you can dance to, work out to, chill out to.”

It will mostly be forgotten about the American Idol finalists take the stage again tomorrow night.

For now, though, talk within this show's world is still centered around the shocking elimination of Michael Johns last week.

"Johns' departure shows how much depth there is this year in the top eight," says Rodney Ho, an American Idol blogger for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Johns also suffered from going first — when viewership is lower and memories fade by hour's end — and from being good but not great or awful."

Don Waller, a member of USA Today's Idol coaching panel, thinks the Australian suffered in comparison with David Cook, the other remaining male rocker.

"Cook had taken his potential fans away already, as rock guys. Michael was getting overshadowed."

Four women and three men remain in a season where many said the men were better. Music consultant Tom Vickers expects a woman to go next, but he says Idol becomes difficult to predict in later weeks.

"Any year you get to the final eight and counting downward, it could be this one going this week or that one going next week," he says. "It comes down to song selection and how well you're able to connect vocally and express your personality."

Have you recovered from the shock of Michael Johns' elimination yet? For those that still need a dose of the American Idol finalist, here are snippets of an interview he gave Entertainment Weekly:

You looked so completely shocked. Were you thinking that Syesha and Carly had such mediocre performances that for sure you'd be safe?
It wasn't like that. Back there it was me, Kristy, Jason, Syesha, and Carly. I was like, ''Okay, I get what's going on. This is going to be a shocker week.'' I hadn't been in the bottom three before, and everyone is due for that. I didn't think I was going home, though. It just goes to show you that you never know.

You looked pretty shaken up. Was it hard to compose yourself?
I wasn't, like, destroyed or anything. I probably would have been more sad if I felt I didn't sing the song as good as I could, and if I didn't hit those high notes. There was a moment when I took a really deep breath in and I saw my wife, and she said, ''I love you.'' I just exhaled then. If you re-watch, you'll see I just switched then. I thought, ''Just suck it up. This is the last time you're going to perform on this stage.''

There's a school of thought that some contestants don't want to win American Idol so they're not shackled with that title forever. What do you think?
People said that to me going in, that I don't want to be more than third or fourth. But it hasn't hurt Carrie or Kelly Clarkson. But Jennifer Hudson and Chris Daughtry and Kimberly Locke are fine, too. It doesn't matter where you end up, if you stay true to your art.

We love our readers. One of them submitted the following poem. It's an ode to Michael Johns:

Hes been called a White Soul Singer
Cause hes Just got it
He can light your fire
With his Australian accent

He melted our hearts
When he sang Queen
Bohemian Rhapsody
Was such a dream

He will be hard to beat
He is The Awesome Aussie
His name is Michael Johns
From The Aussie Posse

He has the looks
And the charisma as well
Will he be the next American Idol
Only time will tell

So, dont forget to Vote
Cause its up to you
Lets get our guy up there
If not the winner
Then at least, the Top two!