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- Matt Giraud Tells Us About It
- Top 11 Week: Theme, Mentor, and Special Guests
- Idols in the News
- Miley Cyrus will mentor, and Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato will perform on this week’s ‘Idol’ [Updated]
- Just because: Adam Lambert in a kilt
- Monday morning wrap: Adam Lambert in London; ‘naughty’ Simon Cowell
- Official ‘American Idol’ magazine arrives this week
- Fantasy ‘Idol’: Big Star night
- Beer pong in the Hollywood Hills with David Cook? Sign us up! [Updated]
- Carrie Underwood’s tearful tribute to fallen truck driver
| Posted: 22 Mar 2010 09:03 PM PDT As Season 8s Matt Giraud was in the car on the way to Nashville to record his new single, 4 AM, he opened up to us about his recent Idol performance and what hes been working on these days. Matt performed Billy Joels Tell Her About It with fellow Season 8 finalist Scott MacIntyre on Season 9s Top 16 results show. The piano player from Kalamazoo, Michigan said, It was amazing. Its nice to be asked back and it feels cool to come back. Ive been around the block now. It felt really good and I liked the whole not being judged part. After Matt and Scott performed, Matt mentioned that hell be releasing an upcoming EP. He told AmericanIdol.com, Im recording five or six songs that I like. Were talking about putting it together over the next few months. I wanted to find top of the line producers and Im working with Drew Ramsey and Victoria Shaw because I want to put out good quality songs. During Matts Season 9 Idol appearance, he also mentioned that he recorded a duet with Anna Wilson called You Dont Know Me. After announcing this on the results show, the track shot to #1 on the iTunes Jazz chart once again. Thats so crazy! Matt exclaimed. Just by mentioning it on the show, were back at #1. It was so cool to be at the Top 12 party that evening and talking to press as the single was #1. It … read more
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| Top 11 Week: Theme, Mentor, and Special Guests Posted: 22 Mar 2010 09:03 PM PDT Miley Cyrus will appear as a guest mentor on American Idol and help the Top 11 finalists Didi Benami, Crystal Bowersox, Lee Dewyze, Andrew Garcia, Casey James, Aaron Kelly, Michael Lynche, Siobhan Magnus, Paige Miles, Katie Stevens, and Tim Urban prepare for their performances on a Billboard No.1 Hits-themed show airing Tuesday, March 23 at 8/7c on FOX. Tune in to the results show the following night, Wednesday, March 24 at 9/8c, to see Cyrus perform her hit When I Look At You, watch Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato sing Make A Wave, and find out who receives enough votes to stay in the competition and who is sent home. Cyrus is the youngest-ever multi-platinum recording artist to have four No. 1 albums in less than three years. Her recently released EP, The Time of Our Lives, features the hit Party in the USA. Cyrus will next be seen on … read more
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| Posted: 22 Mar 2010 09:03 PM PDT Jon Peter Lewis, a favorite Idol finalist from Season 3, has released a new EP. The self-titled record includes fan favorite, “Crazy Love.” Jon recorded the Van Morrison track after many years of requests. “Crazy Love” was his Idol audition song that helped usher him into the top ten. JPL’s EP is his 3rd release, coming on the heels of his critically praised album, “Break The Silence.” Jon continues to perform nationwide and is currently working on another full-length album due out next year. Anoop Desais debut single, My Name, is now available at www.anoopdesai.com and will be released Tuesday, March 23rd on iTunes. Its a pop record, but definitely influenced by a Bollywood feel, the Season 8 Idol finalist says of the first single from his EP All Is Fair which is scheduled to be released May 2010.
Season 4s Constantine Maroulis will join the stars on Sardi’s famed wall, with his very own caricature that will be added to the walls of the famed theater district restaurant, on Thursday, March 18th, 2010. He received a Tony Award nomination for his role as Drew in Broadways Rock of Ages, which can be seen at Brooks Atkinson Theatre in … read more
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| Miley Cyrus will mentor, and Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato will perform on this week’s ‘Idol’ [Updated] Posted: 22 Mar 2010 09:03 PM PDT
But by the weekend, the theme had changed to Billboard No. 1s, which is about as predictable as “Idol” themes get. Way to go, guys. (Fox did not respond to our request for comment on why the switch was made.) Well, at least we still have some teen stars to make this week’s episode slightly more enticing. Miley Cyrus will guest mentor the Top 11 on Tuesday night, and on Wednesday, Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato will perform their hit, “Make a Wave,” from the “Idol” stage. [For the record: An earlier version of this post said Jonas and Lovato would be singing Cyrus' "When I Look at You."] – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Photo: Miley Cyrus performs at KIIS-FM’s Wango Tango at
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| Just because: Adam Lambert in a kilt Posted: 22 Mar 2010 09:03 PM PDT
Ever the stylish lad, Adam Lambert, still making the European rounds on his current promotional tour, rocks a not-so-traditional Scottish kilt in Edinburgh. He tweeted the above photo earlier today and explained a little about his garb on Scottish talk show "The Hour" (see video below). What do you make of Adam's bold get-up? – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter
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| Monday morning wrap: Adam Lambert in London; ‘naughty’ Simon Cowell Posted: 22 Mar 2010 09:03 PM PDT While you were glued to the news of the healthcare vote and basking in springtime, here's what happened in "Idol"-land: Adam Lambert hearts London: And London apparently hearts Adam Lambert. The Season 8 "American Idol" runner-up, in the U.K. to promote his album, hit the town on Saturday night with celebrity DJ Samantha Ronson and her brother Mark; the paparazzi were clearly excited. And Lambert and Boy George were expressing mutual admiration after Lambert showed up at the London club Merah to watch the '80s pop icon perform his new single, "Amazing Grace." Lambert, who declared via Twitter that he was "Lovin London!!" later tweeted, "@theboygeorge I'm honored to meet u tonight! U are one of the original glam gods! Such a treat! on top of your royalty u were so sweet.:)." Boy George, for his part, called Lambert "lovely" and "a beauty" and gushed that meeting the "Idol" alum was "the highlight" of his evening, tweeting, "@adamlambert Hope to see you again before you leave! Enjoy our lovely land and knock em dead!" Awww. Kara unmasks "naughty, naughty" Simon: During an appearance on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" on Friday, Kara DioGuardi revealed that Simon Cowell sometimes liked to mess with her head. For instance, when Tim Urban was performing his unusual reggae version of "Under My Thumb" on Rolling Stones night, Cowell leaned over and said, to a doubting DioGuardi, "It's brilliant … brilliant!" though when it was his turn to speak on camera Cowell declared the performance to be "awful." "He wanted to trick me. … He wanted me to say it was awesome." So is Simon always pulling stunts like that? "Yes," says Kara. "He's a naughty, naughty … but I love that about him."
Carrie Underwood is having a moment: The Season 4 "Idol" winner is on the cover of Allure magazine. (The April 2010 issue hits newsstands Tuesday; here's Allure's Underwood photo-shoot slideshow.) The press is prying for details about the wedding she's planning with Mike Fisher. But at least one member of the music media isn't giving her props. Reviewing the Worcester, Mass., stop on Underwood's new concert tour on Sunday night, Boston Globe critic James Reed complained of "the glaring lack of Underwood's own personality." Reed wrote, "Too often the songs blared from the stage like confections on a conveyor belt with little nuance from the artist behind them." He did call Underwood's performance of "I Know You Won't" a "showstopper," adding that the song was "a potent reminder of why America fell in love with Underwood" in the first place. Allison Iraheta feels the pain: Allison Iraheta belted out a heartfelt, smoky version of the national anthem at the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday. "Had much fun!! Thanks again!! Wish I was runnin'," the Season 8 finalist tweeted a short while later, adding, "But then again…..the pain the next day .. Is not fun.. Haha I'm good …" If you watch the shaky video here, you'll see that she is, in fact, very good. – Amy Reiter
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| Official ‘American Idol’ magazine arrives this week Posted: 22 Mar 2010 09:03 PM PDT
(Full disclosure: yours truly wrote a few of the stories.) Though it took three years off, this first of four Season 9 issues promises rare backstage photos of "Idol" past and present, interviews with former finalists, makeup and hair tips from the show's glam squad (Mezhgan Hussainy gives a step-by-step breakdown of Adam Lambert's "Idol" makeup routine), and more. It will be available on newsstands and in supermarkets starting on Friday. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter RELATED: Getting to know Mezhgan Hussainy, the future Mrs. Simon Cowell
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| Fantasy ‘Idol’: Big Star night Posted: 22 Mar 2010 09:03 PM PDT
But even the non-musos are familiar with at least one of Chilton's many compositions: A snippet of Big Star's "In the Street" was the theme song to "That '70s Show" (covered by Cheap Trick from Season 2 on). And Chilton tunes have even made their way onto "American Idol." During the Season 7 finale, Carly Smithson and Michael Johns tackled "The Letter" (see video below), originally sung by Chilton's previous band, The Box Tops, as a duet. And in Season 4, Bo Bice and Constantine Maroulis both chose the same song as one of their Hollywood Week numbers. Chilton died of an apparent heart attack on Wednesday, three days before Big Star was scheduled to perform in Austin, Texas, at South by Southwest, the music industry's answer to Comic-Con. Instead, musicians and disciples such as M. Ward, Evan Dando and John Doe honored the man — and the band — in the form of an 18-song set. L.A. Times music critic Ann Powers has a touching elegy over at Pop & Hiss, but I wanted to pay tribute as well in the only way I know how: "American Idol." Though I'd never seen Chilton or Big Star play live, Chilton's songs were the soundtrack to my college years, and through five generations of iPods, they remain so today. So indulge this blogger's musical bipolarism and allow for a moment of "Idol" fantasy. And if you're not familiar with the songs, I've included links to sites where you can sample them all. "The Ballad of el Goodo" — Carrie Underwood The Season 4 winner would absolutely slay this song — a ballad, as its title indicates, with a distinct country flavor whose sweet chorus would sit oh-so-nicely in her range. Add some female-sung oohs and aahs and call it a day. "September Gurls" — Adam Lambert "December boys got it bad…" Now that's a line that Season 8 runner-up Adam Lambert can grab on to. Big Star's best-known bittersweet love song (thanks, in part, to a Bangles cover in 1985), is a natural fit, along with the more obscure "Kizza Me," in which Chilton teases, "I want to feel you deep inside… I want to white out." "In the Street" — David Cook The Season 7 winner, in all his guitar glory, would totally rock Big Star's most popular song, also known as the theme to "That '70s Show." You know the words, "Hanging out… down the street…" Sing along! "The Letter" – Bo Bice The Season 4 runner-up had already delivered the Box Tops hit during Hollywood Week auditions (along with Constantine Maroulis and a previous incarnation of Aaron Kelly, who looks nothing like the wee-man we have this season), but here's calling for a Bo Bice redo, complete with full band. "I'm in Love with a Girl" — Jason Castro A good opportunity to whip out the mandolin again, Season 7's dreadlocked fourth-place finisher is one of the few who could do justice to this stark, love-struck ditty. "Thirteen" — Kris Allen Another sparse acoustic number that requires a gentle touch, this ballad of young love, famously covered by Elliott Smith, is Big Star at their understated best. It's hard to imagine any Idol could convey "Thirteen's" emotional intensity, but Season 8 winner Kris Allen could do it justice, and that's saying a lot. "Don't Lie To Me" – Allison Iraheta and Crystal Bowersox This dirty bluesy rocker calls for a duet — or duel — between Season 8's last female standing and most likely season 9's. The girls could trade off verses; their gritty voices complement each other in the best "Idol" way. And while we're on the current Top 12, Casey James cooing "When My Baby's Beside Me" wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Photo: Big Star. Credit: Ardent Studios RELATED: Seven ways to breathe new life into 'Idol'
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| Beer pong in the Hollywood Hills with David Cook? Sign us up! [Updated] Posted: 22 Mar 2010 09:03 PM PDT
Talk about an offer you can't refuse! On Thursday, I got invited to tag along with David Cook and bandmates Andy Skib and Neal Tiemann as they visited the "If I Can Dream" house, ground zero for Simon Fuller's latest reality project, a cross between "The Real World" and "The Truman Show" starring five fresh-off-the-boat aspiring stars. To Fuller's credit, the technology is absolutely stupefying — cameras adorn every corner, microphones are hidden on each table, there's no TV or legible book spines anywhere in sight (issues with rights and clearances) and viewers can tune in to virtually every room at any moment. Though apparently nothing new to the porn world (I was told!), this is the future, people, and Amanda Phillips, Justin Gaston, Giglianne Braga, Benjamin Elliot and Kara Kilmer are living it. Needless to say (and anyone watching probably noticed it as well), there's a weirdly uneasy feeling when you first get situated in the "Dream" house. Certainly David took notice of it almost immediately, this sense that you're being watched. And of course, we were, by probably around the same number of people David and the Anthemic might play to in an arena. Fortunately, David, ever the mannered house guest, brought wine! A bottle of 2007 La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, to be specific, and like most reality TV, once the cork is popped, people relax, start to forget the cameras and the party gets going. But first, pizza and a Twitter Q&A. David took nearly an hour to answer all sorts of questions from fans and viewers (most of which we've included after the jump), and afterwards, a round of beer pong! Yours truly had never played, but somehow managed to sink two aluminum foil balls into their respective baskets. It's a good thing too, since I was David's partner and didn't want to totally humiliate myself. That came later when I couldn't chug a third-cup's worth of Tecate. No wonder I never spent time on frat row during college. David played a little foosball next, then chit-chatted with the foursome (Ben was sick) and offered his advice to Justin, Miley Cyrus' ex, who is trying to make it in the music business Highlights of our night will be included in Episode 4 of "If I Can Dream," which airs on Hulu starting Tuesday, March 23. David Cook fans, read on for excerpts from his Twitter chat… [Update, 2:42 p.m.: David Cook's visit will appear on Episode 5 of "If I Can Dream" airing on March 30]
David, how do you like the "If I Can Dream" house? I like it. I mean, the house is incredible. As far as the whole project, it's really interesting. It's intriguing. I see a little bit of other projects that Fuller's done before, and it's all kind of put together. It's something worth checking out for sure. How often do you run in a week, and what music do you listen to while running? I run three times a week, and I listen to a lot of Jimmy Eat World and a lot of Mae when I'm running. Can you tell me the name of the song from the NYC Vlog so that I can watch for it in the future? The song from the NYC Vlog is called "Right Here With You," so keep an eye on it. Do you have your own music on your iPod? I do, so it's always weird when I'm running and it turns up. I don't normally listen to it, I keep it there for cataloging purposes. Who's your favorite contestant on "Idol" this year? Man, that's tough. I don't know that I have one yet, and that's for two reasons. One, it's still really early. Two: I have a problem with picking a favorite and verbalizing it, only because I remember being on the show, and people would announce who their favorite was, so I'm not gonna do that. Sorry. David, have you done much writing on the upcoming album on your own? And with the Anthemic? I've written a little bit with Neal and Andy, and I'm gonna write some more with them and the other guys as well. It's tough; I have sessions almost every day, so the last thing I wanna do when I come home from writing is [to] start writing, so I haven't written much on my own. What's your favorite part of the artistic process — writing, recording or performing? My favorite part of the artistic process is performing, and I didn't realize that until recently. I love writing and I love recording, but it's tedious and I haven't shot any movies, but I equate it to that. What do you think about all the overwhelming praise for y'all's ["American Idol"] performance last night? We don't listen to it at all. [laughs] No, it's really cool. You know what? I get to watch how much work everybody puts into that three to four minute performance, so to have it go over well is really cool. I know Neal, especially, put a lot of work into that song, so. Good job, Neal. David, what music/artist inspired you the most in your music? I'd say overall probably my dad, I don't think he's a band or an artist. Well, maybe he's an artist, but I grew up watching my dad play guitar. Will the band name be on the new album? I don't know. I hope so. But if not, that is in no way a discredit to how much work they've put in on this record…. That was very diplomatic of me, wasn't it? David, what kind of advice would you like to offer Justin about the music business? I don't know that I can offer Justin any advice. I'm pretty new at it myself. So keep on keeping on. That's the worst advice I could have possibly given you… [laughs] I don't know that that's going to happen but I'm loving you brought that up, because there is a lyrical discrepancy in the book. It's not "half-baked" it's "half-faith" [in the song "A Daily Anthem"]. Most memorable city on the last tour? Mine was Kansas City. We got to play at this venue called the Sandstone Amphitheater that, when I grew up, I would go see shows there, and I always wanted to be on that stage, so we got to headline this big festival this year. What was with the Manatee towel thingie you guys had on stage during your "Jumping Jack Flash" performance? There's a member of the crew at "Idol" named Spencer, and when the montage videos would play every week introducing the contestant, we would have about a minute to get set up, stand there and get ready to perform, and Spencer would always come on stage and talk to me about manatees to take my mind off the fact that I was getting ready to perform in front of 30 million people. He gave me that towel as a welcome back to "Idol" gift and I decided to put it on my amp. How old were you when you had your first kiss? I don't remember. I was young. Younger, I guess. I remember it was outside of a Pizza Hut. David, will you be trying Chat Roulette again any time soon? Absolutely not! Under no certain circumstances… Chat Roulette is this website that's like rapid fire video chat and every so often it changes or you can change it or something. Well, none of us had ever done it before and we were rehearsing for "American Idol" and were like, "Let's do it!" So we turn it on, and we set the computer up so they can see us rehearsing and… it's literally, it's like 75 to 80% guys, showing their junk. And this one guy goes, "My … could play better than you guys." I do not. I live my Journal. I twitter my journal. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Photos: David Cook poses with Dreamers (L to R) Amanda Phillips, Giglianne Braga, Justin Gaston and Kara Kilmer; David Cook and guitarist Andy Skib during the Twitter chat. Credit: Brian To
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| Carrie Underwood’s tearful tribute to fallen truck driver Posted: 22 Mar 2010 09:03 PM PDT A driver carrying equipment for Carrie Underwood's Play tour was killed Saturday morning when his truck crashed on Interstate 95 just outside Stonington, Conn., closing down the busy thoroughfare for two hours in both directions (see video below). The gear was en route from Atlantic City, N.J., to Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, Conn., where Carrie was scheduled to perform on Saturday night at the resort's MGM Grand. The show did go on, but Carrie made sure to take a moment and explain the tragic events to the audience (see video above) and dedicate the song "Temporary Home" to the driver and his family. "This song has a whole new meaning for us," she said from the stage. A class act all the way, Carrie's teary tribute was received with a standing ovation. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter
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