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Spanish-language ‘We Are the World,’ featuring David Archuleta, premieres Monday night; Idols still doing their part for Haiti
Bucky Covington’s New Single
Monday morning ‘Idol’ wrap: Clay Aiken talks, Paula Abdul walks
Getting to know Mezhgan Hussainy, the future Mrs. Simon Cowell

Spanish-language ‘We Are the World,’ featuring David Archuleta, premieres Monday night; Idols still doing their part for Haiti

Posted: 01 Mar 2010 06:08 PM PST

With the Chilean earthquake prompting the need for additional aid, and images of Haiti still fresh in our hearts and minds, it's a good thing (in so many ways) that "Idol Gives Back" is just around the corner. April 21, to be exact. But that's not to say that our Idols are sitting idly by.

Last week, season 8 winner Kris Allen took to the "Idol" stage for a moving rendition of "Let It Be." Following the performance, sales of the download, available on iTunes, went directly to benefit the United Nations Foundation.

Season 7's runner-up, David Archuleta, meanwhile, recently returned from Miami, where he joined Gloria and Emilio Estefan, along with an all-star assembly of Latino artists (including Shakira, Ricky Martin, Paulina Rubio, Juanes, Jose Feliciano, Andy Garcia and Thalia) for the Spanish-language version of "We Are the World." The song is set to premiere Monday night on Univision's "The Cristina Show," after which it will also be available for download on iTunes, with proceeds going to Help with Haiti Relief.

And the Christian community also banded together for the song "Come Together Now." Superstar singer Michael W. Smith, who had already traveled to the ravaged island nation, led the charge, with season 6's Phil Stacey and Chris Sligh and season 5's Mandisa (see photo) all joining in to lend a voice.

"It was a real fine event to be a part of," Phil told Idol Tracker. "Michael W. Smith is very passionate about Haiti; his wife lived there for a season, and he was heartbroken when this whole thing happened. So he sent a memo to all the Christian artists in Nashville asking for soloists and a choir, and I was thrilled to be asked." (Check out the video here.)

The corporate sponsors and nonprofit beneficiaries for "Idol Gives Back" have already been announced; what or who would you like to see on the show this year?

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

Upper photo: Kris Allen performs "Let It Be" on "American Idol." Credit: Frank Micellotta / Fox

Lower photo: Mandisa, Phil Stacey and Chris Sligh recording "Come Together Now" at Belmont University's Ocean Way Studio. Credit: Courtesy Phil Stacey.

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Bucky Covington’s New Single

Posted: 01 Mar 2010 06:08 PM PST

Season 5 finalist Bucky Covington just released his new single, A Fathers Love (The Only Way He Knew How). Starting today, fans can preview the track at PEOPLE.com for an exclusive first listen to A Fathers Love. The single tells the story of a father who shows his children how much he loves them by taking care of all the little things in life.Written by Liz Hengber, Thom Sheperd and Steve Williams, the featured track is from his upcoming sophomore album, Im Alright, releasing fall 2010.

“We were basically done with the new CD when this song came across the desk…the minute I heard it I knew that I had to cut it,” said Bucky. “It reminds me of my dad when I was growing up and I think many people will relate to it too!” The single will be available beginning Monday at 2pm central via PlayMPE for airplay on country radio.

You can watch Bucky and the rest of the Season 5 gang on this season of Idol Rewind.

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Monday morning ‘Idol’ wrap: Clay Aiken talks, Paula Abdul walks

Posted: 01 Mar 2010 06:08 PM PST

In case you took your eye off the "Idol" news this weekend to, say, take in that action-packed America-Canada hockey game and the over-the-top Olympic closing ceremony (and if you've been distracted by the Olympics, you're clearly not the only one), here's what you missed:

Paula won't dance, even for a million bucks: Paula Abdul has turned down a $1-million development deal with ABC that would have required the former "American Idol" judge to appear on "Dancing With the Stars," TMZ reports. Abdul's spokesperson, Jeff Ballard, confirms the report to Idol Tracker's Shirley Halperin. "She is not doing 'Dancing with the Stars,'" Ballard said, adding, "Paula is flattered to have been invited to be a part of this season." Though "DWTS" remains "one of her favorite shows," according to Ballard, Abdul just had too many other projects in the works to take ABC up on its offer (which the network made, a source says, for the third time). "It's such a big commitment of time that she simply does not have right now," he says.

Aiken stands up for gay rights: Speaking before a crowd at a Human Rights Campaign dinner in Raleigh, N.C., on Saturday, Clay Aiken explained why it took him until September 2008 to publicly acknowledge his sexual orientation after years of coyness and denial. "Whether you come out to your family or your friends … or do so on the cover of a magazine, the decision to talk openly about your sexuality is a really difficult and confusing one," he told the supportive crowd. (Aiken reportedly prepared his own thoughts after deciding that a speech written for him was too "politically charged.") The "American Idol" alum said he sometimes felt that he "more than anybody" knew the difficulties of coming out. "But I also know that the power of truth and living honestly is very liberating. So what the hell took me so long? I was waiting, like so many of us are waiting, for change, for attitudes to change, for laws to change, and I realized that the time for waiting has passed."

'Idol' producers playing favorites? Phil Stacey and Chris Sligh say that the "American Idol" judges and producers play favorites — and that savvy viewers can tell who they like by reading the cues. They may give better lighting or a more favorable spot in the lineup to a preferred contestant, the "Idol" Season 6 contestants tell USA Today, or tweak the vocal effects. Or they get cute with the editing. But don't get too worked up about the manipulation, they say. "I think the producers do care who wins, and I think they make it obvious in the way they edit and in the way they treat individuals," Sligh says, but "I definitely don't think they rig votes."

Lambert lampooned on 'SNL': In the funny, if overly drawn out, opening bit on "Saturday Night Life" this weekend, the show took aim at the new version of "We Are the World." In it, host Jennifer Lopez sings as Rihanna and Jason Sudeikis pokes fun at the vocal stylings of Adam Lambert. "Recently the music world came together to release 'We Are the World 2,' a song to raise awareness of the Haiti earthquake disaster." As Quincy Jones, Kenan Thompson says, by way of introduction, "Sadly, the song itself was a disaster. While the original 'We are the World' brought together stars like Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and Tina Turner, this new version was a sloppy mess of half-famous Brandos like Bizzy Bone and MC Hustle. It was bad, but we will heal, as we always do, through song. That's why I've assembled another group of musicians for 'We Are the World 3,' raising awareness of the 'We Are the World 2' disaster." Ha.

Yamin's going home: As previously noted on Idol Tracker, Elliot Yamin, who was rattled by the 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Chile during a visit there, has been tweeting like a fiend and making the TV and radio rounds all weekend to share his experiences on the ground. The Season 5 "American Idol" finalist, who is diabetic, expressed concern that he wouldn't make it out of the country before his supply of insulin ran out. At this point, it seems, he's at least secured a flight for Wednesday. "Whoohoo!!!..I got a flight outta here!…on the 3rd!…still gonna speak w the embassy 2mrrw 2 c if they've arranged somethin sooner 4 us…" he tweeted. And just a few hours ago, he added, "Mornin twitter world!!..2day is the 1st indication in santiago that biz is back 2 normal..humans and cars r back on the street,biz's r open!" Yamin even found the time to note a Jewish holiday, "btw, happy PURIM 2 all my MOT's. since its the celebration of miracles, the time cldnt b anymore impeccable…its a miracle im alive in Chile."

– Amy Reiter

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Getting to know Mezhgan Hussainy, the future Mrs. Simon Cowell

Posted: 01 Mar 2010 06:08 PM PST

It's been the buzz of the Web and the cause of much chatter behind the scenes at the "American Idol" studio, and though the news has yet to be confirmed officially, multiple sources say Simon Cowell and the show's lead makeup artist, Mezhgan Hussainy, are engaged. (Cowell's rep tells Idol Tracker, "Simon does not talk about his personal life.")

Reports over the weekend describe a "stunning" and "classically elegant" ring adorning the 36-year-old's finger, and of course we all saw the loving wink and a smile on Thursday's show, which Simon said was aimed directly at his "girlfriend" (it's interesting to note that Mezhgan — pronounced mish-khan — was apparently not wearing a ring that night, according to a backstage observer, though she was telling crew members of the engagement).

So who is the future Mrs. Simon Cowell? She's certainly no stranger to die-hard fans of the show. Mezhgan has been applying winning looks for "American Idol" contestants since season 2. And like many of the fresh-faced hopefuls to whom she tends, the beautiful brunet's own story is one of triumph over tremendous odds, with a perfect Hollywood ending.

Mezhgan's family escaped Afghanistan soon after the Russians invaded in 1979. They spent a year in Pakistan before immigrating to the U.S. in 1983 and settling in Los Angeles. "When we came here, I didn't know a word of English," Mezhgan said when I recently interviewed her for American Idol Magazine. "I learned to speak the language, to understand the culture and how to fit in."

The Hussainys settled in Hollywood, which Mezhgan contends only fed her appetite for a career in entertainment. "I was always fascinated with Hollywood," she said. "And we lived right in Hollywood, so I would see a lot of young actors." After attending a performing arts school, Mezghan pursued a modeling career, though she wouldn't discover her love of makeup on fashion shoots. Oddly enough, that epiphany came at dental school. "I got into makeup completely by accident," she explained. "I was going to dental school, and a friend of mine was working for Origins and we'd play around with makeup. I had no experience in makeup; I was interested in modeling, so the only thing I knew about makeup is when they put it on me. But my friend was telling me, 'You're good at it, you're a natural.'"

On a whim, Mezhgan applied for a job at the former Robinsons-May store in Beverly Hills, got it, and within a year had become Lancôme's highest seller. From there, she went on to stints with Estée Lauder and Christian Dior until Fremantle Media came calling in 2000. "To Tell the Truth" with host John O'Hurley would be her first television gig. Though it aired for only a little over a year, it was there that Mezhgan decided to give up modeling all together. "I loved being behind the scenes; it was so rewarding," she recalled. "And I thought, 'I don't have to be in front of the camera; my dream was just to be in this business.' So I told my manager not to send me on castings anymore."

Though it may be hard to believe, Mezhgan originally passed on "American Idol." "I was busy with Fremantle's other game shows like 'Family Feud' and 'To Tell the Truth,' so I turned it down," she said. "And then when I saw how big it was, I was kicking myself. Thankfully, they called me again for season 2, and I've been with the show ever since."

In addition to overseeing the makeup for all 12 "Idol" finalists as well as judges Kara DioGuardi, Randy Jackson and Cowell, Mezhgan has her own makeup line, Me By Mezghan, which she used regularly on season 8. In fact, even months after the show wrapped, Adam Lambert continues to swear by her black eyeliner. "He loves it because it doesn't smudge," she said. "He's always talking about it on red carpets. I should give him a lifetime supply."

She jokes, but when it comes to her job on "Idol," Mezghan takes that responsibility very seriously. She and her four assistants' top priority is ensuring that the contestants are happy with their looks, that it's a collaborative effort and that the end result complements the performance.

And with a lifetime of experience behind her, both in life and work, Mezhgan has gained much perspective on the notion of beauty and happiness. "When I'm feeling a little down, I put on some makeup and it's, like, not so bad," she explained. "I think beauty has so much to do with it. The irony for me is that, in my country, once the Taliban took over, women couldn't even show their face or put on makeup. And here I was doing exactly that on the No. 1 show. I realized how important that was; [Makeup] is part of being a woman, and it does give you self-assurance and confidence. In a way, you're ready to conquer the world."

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

Photo: Mezhgan Hussainy in 2007. Credit: Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times

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