The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>For the first time since her botched suicide attempt, Fantasia spoke out about the ordeal when she appeared on Good Morning America on Tuesday to promote the release of her latest album, Back to Me. In her interview with Robin Roberts, Fantasia said she "just wanted to be away from the noise." Watch the interview below:
Fantasia also squeezed in a few live performances for the crowd in the studio, including a televised performance of "Bittersweet."
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>Speaking of Idol alums performing on morning shows, Chris and the boys from Daughtry took to Rockefeller Plaza on Fri., Aug. 20 to perform for The Today Show's Summer Concert Series. Watch the band perform "September" below:
Daughtry also performed "Feels Like Tonight" for the television audience during the set.
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>Kelly Clarkson recently teased about a big duet with an act people have been wanting her to record with for ages, but for now fans will just have to settle for her being featured on a track with Jason Aldean. Per USAToday.com's "Idol Chatter":
The new album from country singer Jason Aldean will feature a duet with Kelly Clarkson called Don't You Wanna Stay.
Don't You Wanna Stay is due out Nov. 2, which more than likely will be before Kelly's latest disc hits retail and digital outlets.
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>It was announced about one week ago that Kris Allen will be opening for Lifehouse on its current tour beginning in October.
10/15 MGM Foxwoods, Manshucket, CT
10/16 Orpheurm Theatre, Boston, MA
10/17 Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY
10/20 The Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA
10/23 Tropicana Show Room, Atlantic City, NJ
10/24 Dar Constitution Hall, Washington DC
10/26 Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
10/29 Drury University, Springfield, MO
10/30 Choctaw Casino Events Center, Grant OK
10/31 Verizon Wireless Theatre, Houston TX
11/2 Palladium Ballroom, Dallas TX
11/4 Uptown Theatre, Kansas City, MO
11/5 Chicago Theatre, Chicago, IL
11/6 The Fillmore, Detroit, MI
11/9 Pagent, St Louis, MI
11/11 Eagles Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI
11/12 Val Air Ballroom, Des Moines, IA
11/14 Ogden Theatre, Denver, CO
11/15 In The Venue, Salt Lake City, UT
11/16 Knitting Factory, Reno, NV
11/18 Gibson Amphitheater @ Universal Studios, Universal City, CA
11/19 The Joint @ Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
11/20 Pechanga Casino, Temecula, CA
11/21 Masonic Center, San Fransisco, CA
11/23 WaMu Theatre, Seattle, WA
11/24 Roseland Theatre, Portland, OR
Kris has already opened for the likes of Lady Antebellum, Maroon 5, Keith Urban and Daughtry, so it's encouraging for Kris that Lifehouse is interested in having him on board for the remainder of its North American tour.
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>Kimberley Locke and her mom appeared on the series premiere of WETV's You're Wearing That!? on Thurs., Aug. 19. In the episode, Kim and her mom get advice from a fashion expert on how to change up their look. Watch a clip from the episode below:
Kim also recently sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" during the Los Angeles Dodgers game on Fri., Aug. 20.
Daughtry fans got a nice surprise Sunday night when Chris brought fellow Idol alum Kelly Clarkson onstage during the band's set at its concert at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. Watch the two duet on Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" below:
Daughtry's 18-song set list featured guest appearances by 3 Doors Down's Brad Arnold (on "Whipping Post") and Lifehouse's Jason Wade (on "Home"). I think it would be fair to say that Chris and Kelly are two of the three biggest talent scores that show has and will ever produce.
IDOL LIVE has shied away from suggesting songs for this season's finalists up until this point, but now that it's down to the wire, I feel it is the perfect time to throw a few suggestions their way.
As previously announced, Tuesday night will mark the Top 4 finalists' journey into the territory of rock 'n roll songs, which is a very general genre that is an umbrella to all sorts of possibilities for songs from many sub-genres, which means each contestant should be able to take advantage of the theme and pick something that fits their musical identity perfectly. That said, here are the songs I think would work well for each remaining finalist:
Adam Lambert: "Somebody Told Me" (The Killers), "Bohemian Rhapsody" (Queen)
So it goes without saying that Adam will excel with this theme. Basically all he has to do is sing any rock song, or any non-rock song in a rocked-out arrangement, and he'll be fine. Therefore, my song suggestions have more to do with what I think would fit his vocal style best than what he needs to sing to advance to the next round.
To kick things off, Adam would do wonders with The Killers' biggest hit to date, "Somebody Told Me," because he would be able to run around the stage and play his theatrical card, which would add to the spectacle and be swimming in excitement. In fact, this performance could potentially be the most entertaining showcase this season if he does everything right.
His second song choice of "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen would not be new to the Idol stage, but it is suited almost too well for him. His vocals could add even more character (if possible) to the classic, and it would be the perfect test to see if Adam really does measure up to Freddie Mercury, whom he seems to be compared to all the time. It would work better if he did not mess with the arrangement, but I could see him switching up a few things to make sure he is not pegged as a Freddie M. impersonator at a cheap karaoke bar.
If Adam takes on the above songs, it would further strengthen the musical direction he would like to pursue in peoples' minds,setting the stage for him to emerge onto the scene post-Idol.
Allison Iraheta: "That's What You Get" (Paramore), "You Learn" (Alanis Morissette)
Alright, alright, I know what you're thinking: why should Allison sing something by a band whose lead singer reminds many of Allison? Well, it's because Allison's performing skills would really radiate on "That's What You Get." Hayley Williams of Paramore really knows how to tear up the stage, and this song is the perfect fit for Allison and her personality. Sure, it would not be solely about the vocals, but her racing around the stage would more than make up for it. Plus, it's current, and since Allison is only 16 years-old, it would fit her perfectly.
In order to cull any "copycat" allegations leveled against her by the judges, Allison would be best served by coming out on stage for her second go round with the rock genre singing something with heart, soul, and less rock than roll. Therefore, an Alanis Morissette song would be the absolute right direction for her to pursure, and there is not a better choice than "You Learn" for Allison to accomplish this goal with. Just her at the micstand, using her extremely powerful lungs to belt out an staple female rock anthem that is full of emotion. To make things even more meaningful, it would be insane if she did an acoustic ore even an unplugged version of the song to potentially create a "moment" for her.
If Allison follows through on the above song choices, it would be hard to deny her a spot in the Top 3.
Danny Gokey: "Somewhere Only We Know" (Keane), "Everything" (Lifehouse)
Everyone and their mother is pegging Danny to fall flat on his face come Tuesday. Well, maybe that's a bit strong, but they definitely are not expecting an A+, out-of-the-park performance from him they way they are from Adam. This opens the door for Danny to really surprise the audience by delivering an unexpected one-two punch that will still allow him to remain in his comfort zone.
Therefore, I believe Danny would best be served by tackling Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know" for his first performance and finish off the night with an emotional rendition of Lifehouse's "Everything." By doing "Somewhere," he will effectively surprise most by performing a well known British rock song that may seem mellow on the surface but really carries a deeper meaning. Plus, it can't hurt when it comes time for Simon to give his two cents.
On "Everything," Danny would start off a bit slow in an effort to lull the audience into a dreamlike state and then come out of nowhere and follow through on the "rock" portion of the song. The song's lyrics could also carry a personal message for Danny, which might result in an even stronger result, and would definitely be a way for him to connect with the audience. In other words, this could finally be his "moment."
Kris has "'90s rock" written all over his face, and this week should be used to show how radio-friendly his vocals really are. By selecting "Back 2 Good" by Matchbox Twenty and "Round Here" by Counting Crows, he will be able to maintain his "good guy" image while at the same time taking a few risks with his vocals. The arrangements really do not need much switching up, and Kris' voice is leagues different than Adam Duritz's and Rob Thomas', so he could not be accused of being "copycat."
Kris could also really go out on a limb on "Back," especially on the final chorus where he really lets loose and ratchets up the intensity factor before returning to a soft, smooth finale on the song. It would help if he did not play the guitar, but it would be a little difficult to imagine him wanting to leave it off the stage here. "Round Here" is a different story, though, as he would most likely have to use his guitar to add another element to his overall performance. That's not to say his vocals could not do the job on their own, but it would feel more complete if he did play it. This performance would come across as genuine Kris and at the same time would really help build his "street cred."
Again, these song suggestions are purely my own personal opinion of what would be best suited for the remaining four contestants, and it is probable that none of them will even be performed come Tuesday night. It would be pretty cool, though, if at least one choice were correct.
In an epic vlog, Chris Daughtry announced that his band's sophomore album is now a finished product. He was in good spirits as he sipped coffee, saying they are looking for a "June or July-ish" release for it to grace fans' "earholes."
In between spilling his coffee, Chris rambled on with a bunch of interesting and dull tidbits at the same time, talking about his writing "sesh"s with Richard Marx and Chad Kroeger. He also talked of working with Lifehouse on their new album, and "writing like a crazy man" in general.
In the most lighthearted part of the vlog, Chris gave kudos to the Jonas Brothers in their competition for a Kids Choice Award, saying "may the best man win."
The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:
>Chris Sligh was nominated for the 40th Annual Dove Awards for his single "Empty Me" in the Song of the Year category in addition to being put up for consideration for the New Artist of the Year. Another Idol alum received a nomination for the show: Carrie Underwood got her name thrown into the ring for Country Gospel Song of the Year for her live recording of "How Great Thou Art." The show will be held at the Grand Ole Opryhouse on Thurs., April 23 at 8 p.m. ET. Vote for Chris for New Artist on GospelMusicChannel.com.
>Carrie also received another award nomination, as she now has four noms for the 2009 Academy of Country Music Awards thanks to the announcement of the Album of the Year category's nominees. Carnival Ride's nomination adds to Carrie's other nominations for the Entertainer of the Year, Top Female Vocalist and Video of the Year categories.
>The ratings for Idol this week were leagues above all other programs in its timeslots, although it almost lost out to CSI in total viewers on Thursday because Taylor Swift's guest appearance launched the episode into an above average showing. Idol pulled in 24.2 million on Tuesday, 22.5 million on Wednesday and 21.2 million on Thursday.
>David Cook's rendition of "Billie Jean" was featured in a promo for the Israeli television series Loving Anna. Watch the spot below:
This isn't the first time Cook's version of "Billie Jean" has been featured in a promo for a program on Israeli TV. Last year, the song played in the background of a promo for Friday Night Lights.
>Cook is also currently working on his next music video, which will be for "Come Back to Me." He was caught filming the video at LAX the other day. Gavin Bowden will be helming the video (Lifehouse, Red Hot Chili Peppers)
IDOL LIVE is the place to stay up to date with the most current news on past, present and possibly future American Idol contestants, in addition to discussing the show in real-time as it happens.
