American Idol News

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reality blurred + American Idol 8 will be more "controversial" with "more jeopardy," "personality"

The upcoming eighth season of American Idol already has one major change in the form fourth judge Kara DioGuardi, but as Simon Cowell has previously promised, more changes are coming.
In a conference call last week, he gave some specifics. Among them, producers will “put people on the show that have personality” because last season’s group “never showed us or you their true personality. I mean, in parts they were like robots,” Simon said, according to Reality TV World.
“I think that it could be just more interesting and controversial than we did last year,” he said. He also said, “I’d like to see the middle stages of the show change because I think we can make them better. I think we can make the end part of the show much more exciting than we’ve done before. We’ve got some ideas which are definitely going to give the show a little bit more jeopardy than we’ve had in the past. You’re definitely, definitely going to see a change for the show and I think it will be an improvement. I feel confident.”
Jeopardy? Is it time to bring out the lions and tigers? Or will producers adopt my earlier suggestions, such as “tear[ing] out the contestants’ teeth with pliers and shoot[ing] their family members in the thigh”? One can only dream.
Simon also told reporters that with executive producer Nigel Lythgoe’s exit, Simon will be a “more involved this year.” However, he said, “I don’t like to give myself a title really. I feel uncomfortable if I’m on the show.”

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Josh Gracin Videos Available For Download - American Idol News

Josh Gracin made all of his music videos available to his fans for download at iTunes on Tuesday, September 2nd.

The videos for the #1 “Nothin’ To Lose,” plus the romantic “Stay With Me (Brass Bed)” and inspirational “I Want To Live” – all from Josh Gracin’s RIAA Gold certified self-titled debut CD – are available at iTunes. In addition, “Favorite State Of Mind” and the recent top 10 hit “We Weren’t Crazy,” which features the entire Gracin family from wife Ann Marie to children Brianna, Landon and Gabby, are also available for download at iTunes.

Josh Gracin’s newest radio single, “Unbelievable,” is from his recently released sophomore CD, We Weren’t Crazy. His self-titled debut album is certified gold by the RIAA and has sold over 700,000 copies. He’s one of only three new male country singers to be introduced in the last four years to earn a gold album. Josh is also the only male solo country artist in recent years to release a debut album with three consecutive Top 5 country hits, including his first #1, “Nothin’ To Lose.”

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Kevin Covais has film debut in 'College' -- Newsday.com

The last time most of us saw Kevin Covais, he was a pale-faced, adorably scrawny 16-year-old running the gauntlet of Simon, Paula and Randy on Fox's "American Idol" in 2006. White scalp shining through a close-cropped buzz, glasses perched on his nose, the Levittown native crooned Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up" well enough to make it to Hollywood, and America came to know him as Chicken Little, a nickname given him by castmate Paris Bennett. Though he narrowly missed becoming a top 10 finalist, he got a hero's welcome when Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi declared March 30, 2006 as "Kevin Covais Day."

What's Chicken Little been doing since then? Among other things, growing up.

The man - at 19, no longer a boy - is on his own for the first time, sharing a pad with roommates in Los Angeles. Visiting New York last week, he talked about his film debut in the comedy "College," and it's no kiddie flick. The R-rated movie, which opens Friday, focuses on three high school boys who experience a wild weekend at a college campus; the poster shows a young man apparently vomiting into a toilet.

Covais' next project isn't exactly a Disney movie, either. In "Labor Pains," he plays an office intern opposite fellow Long Islander Lindsay Lohan, who stars as an unhappy worker faking a pregnancy to save her job. (The movie is due out next year.)

Sitting down last week at Brother Jimmy's BBQ on Manhattan's West Side to eat half a shrimp po-boy - the other half went to his father, John, a retired corrections officer, at a nearby table - Kevin Covais still seemed fresh-faced and earnest: His favorite words were "definitely" and "excited." But he also revealed a mind of his own and a clear-eyed view of his own modest celebrity status. (His waitress, an aspiring singer herself, didn't recognize her customer's face or name.)

"I'm going to be perfectly honest," Covais said. "The further away you get from doing something like 'Idol,' if you're not right back out there with a single or an acting opportunity, people tend to forget."

Covais certainly ran that risk. After "Idol," he turned down opportunities to cut a record, mostly because the concepts struck him as "unoriginal," he said. "I think I had a different vision, a vision for myself," he explained. Instead, he took a semester of general classes at Hofstra University and turned to his other childhood dream - acting. As it turned out, Deb Hagan, the director of "College," was a regular "Idol" watcher and had wanted Covais in her film from the moment she read the script. His role: an adorably scrawny kid named Morris Hooper.

"Whether he could act or not, I didn't know," Hagan said in a phone interview. "But if we could capture the Chicken Little that I saw on 'American Idol,' I felt like we'd be in good shape."

Drinking in his role

Alongside castmates Drake Bell (from Nickelodeon's "Drake & Josh") and Andrew Caldwell (from the Owen Wilson comedy "Drillbit Taylor"), Covais had to shoulder his share of raunch.

"I don't think Kevin realized going into it how physical the role would be," Hagan said. She taught the tee-totaling Covais how to "walk drunk," forced him to lick the toes of Gary Owen (playing a domineering frat dude) and had him simulate a quickie sexual encounter.

"There were quite a few risque scenes," Covais acknowledged. "I've already told fans who have asked about the movie, 'If you're as young as I think you are, you should probably wait about five to seven years to see it.'"

Lindsay lowdown

"Labor Pains" also fell into Covais' lap - one read-through and the part was his, he said. And it was "thrilling" to work with Lohan, whom he described as punctual, professional and personable despite her somewhat rocky reputation.

"There were people who worked on 'Labor Pains' who had previously worked with her on other projects," Covais said. "But I heard from those same people that there was a drastic improvement and she was doing really well. I can tell you for a fact that every day I was on set and working, she was there on time, and she delivered really admirably."

Covais still has one more childhood dream to pursue. He's hoping that brief semester at Hofstra will lay the groundwork for a career in broadcast journalism. Not content with acting and singing, Covais wants to be a television sportscaster.

"It was what I'd do as a kid - I'd turn the volume down and start calling the game myself," he said. "Whether it's the Super Bowl or the World Series, I want to be the first guy who gets to sing the national anthem and then go upstairs and call the game."

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Idol grad Pickler writes from the heart Reuters

She has domestic turmoil and tabloid-fodder romance in her past, but Kellie Pickler just wants people "to get to know me through my music." It's fitting, then, that the "American Idol" alumna's sophomore album, due September 30, is self-titled.

Pickler's debut album, "Small Town Girl," debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart in November 2006 and has sold 783,000 units, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and featured the singles "Red High Heels," "I Wonder" and "Things That Never Cross a Man's Mind."

That release was something of a rush job, completed while Pickler was on the "American Idol" tour. The new RCA album, Pickler says, is "a lot more 'me' because we had the time to make it 'me.'"

The first single, the advice-laden and inspirational "Don't You Know You're Beautiful," is No. 28 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

Pickler, who co-wrote five songs on the new album, calls her songwriting "honest." "It's like you're reading one of my journals."

For example, "Somebody to Love Me" comes from "the darkest time of my life," says Pickler, who has spoken in the past about her father's addictions and jail sentence. "It's really personal. Every time I write a song it gives me closure in that part of my life."

"One Last Time," which Pickler calls "my favorite song I've ever written," is another personal revelation. "Writing has been the most healing out of anything I've ever done," she says. "Just writing it down on paper is so much better than going to the therapist."

Pickler wrote the you-should-have-kept-me-when-you-had-the-chance "Best Days of Your Life" with gal pal Taylor Swift when the two were on tour with Brad Paisley last year. Swift adds harmony to the tune. Pickler, who will appear at the Canadian Country Music Awards September 8 in Winnipeg, will co-host "CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock" that same night with Swift and "Dancing With the Stars" dancer-turned-country-singer Julianne Hough on ABC. She also will hit the road with headliner Sugarland and Ashton Shepherd when that tour kicks off September 13 in Asheville, North Carolina.

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Orlando Sentinel - American Idol alumna Mandisa preps for Disney World appearance Saturday


Mandisa is ready for a vacation. She’s going to Disney World.

Of course, work comes first. The former American Idol finalist — she finished ninth the season Taylor Hicks won — will sing at Night of Joy, a Christian music gathering, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Saturday night.

She said she’ll extend her stay here for a little R&R, only her second break since she finished Idol in 2006.


It’s her second trip to Disney World. The first time was for a Christmas parade taping, and she was enthralled, especially with all the little girls gussied up as princesses.

"I wish I had come there before I was a 30-year-old woman," Mandisa says.

Aside from live performances (including one with Gladys Knight at the Apollo theater), she has been working on a Christmas album and a studio album to be released in the spring. And she was featured on "Save My Soul," a song with with tobyMac, another Night of Joy performer on Saturday. Could a live duet be in the works?

"I would definitely like to do that," she says.

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American Idol?s Phil Stacey to perform at Community Fair on The Murfreesboro Post

American Idol star Phil Stacey will perform during the Rutherford County Community Fair Thursday at the sheriff’s office.

Stacey, a country music recording artist, competed in the American Idol contest during season six.

He will perform during the 7th annual Community Fair beginning at 4 p.m. at the sheriff’s office at 940 New Salem Highway. The remembrance ceremony begins at 5 p.m.

The event memorializes the 3,000 Americans killed during terrorist attacks Sept. 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania.

Sheriff Truman Jones decided to host a remembrance for the victims. That event has become a Rutherford County tradition, held on 9/11 every year since that first event. This year marks the seventh remembrance of the attack on U.S. soil.

“On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Americans faced both an indescribable tragedy and an extraordinary challenge,” Jones said. “Americans have a history of great courage and great resolve as we continue that great tradition, we come together for a night of reflection and celebration.”

Jones invited families to join him and his employees for the free event to remember the victims.

Joining Stacey in performances will be Grand Ole Opry member Jimmy C. Newman, Simply Black and White, Ken Harrell and Lesa Williams.

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FOXNews.com - Jordin Sparks Fires Back at MTV Video Music Awards Host Over Purity Rings

MTV Video Music Awards host Russell Brand took several digs Sunday night at young stars wearing "purity rings" to pledge their virginity until marriage — and "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks wasn't having any of it.

The British Brand — who is a celebrity in the U.K. but not well known in the U.S. — made a series of jokes centered on the Jonas Brothers and their rings. At one point, he even pretended he'd stolen a Jonas Brother's virginity as he held a ring in his hand.

Sparks used her moment on stage to have her say about his constant remarks.

"It's not bad to wear a promise ring because not everybody, guy or girl, wants to be a slut," Sparks spat back, the auditorium filling with applause. Sparks, Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez are also among the young stars who have vowed to remain chaste.

Minutes later, Brand apologized, saying, "I've gotta say sorry because I said those things about promise rings; that was bad of me. I didn't mean to take it lightly."

Brand added, "I love Jonas Brothers, I think it's (purity) really good. I don't want to piss off teenage fans ... Promise rings, I'm well up for it, well done everyone."

But he couldn't resist a final jab, adding, "It's just, a bit of sex occasionally never hurt anybody."

Sparks told FOXNews.com's Pop Tarts column later Sunday night at the In Touch magazine after-party that she was more than happy to put Brand — known as Britain's ultimate playboy — in his place.

"Somebody had to do it," she said.

The "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" funnyman also encouraged Americans to vote for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama in the upcoming election, referred to George W. Bush as a "retarded cowboy fella" and took a shot at Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin and her pregnant daughter.

"The safe sex message is to use a condom or become a Republican," Brand said.

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Season 7 idol tour near the end

Season 7 American Idol contests look back after tour - MSNBC.com

After two and a half months crisscrossing the country, the American Idols Live! tour and its exclamation point finally grind to a halt this weekend in Tulsa, Okla.

Once it’s done, this year’s top 10 will be free to either start working on their recording careers in an effort to catch up with David Archuleta’s smash debut single “Crush” or pack it up and rebuild their shattered lives.

Since that’s likely to be the last you’ll hear from them in a while, MSNBC presents some never-published excerpts from interviews with five of “American Idol” 7’s singers, taken from a speed-dating-style pre-show press junket before their Worcester, Mass. show.

DAVID COOK
Hirsh: Are you ever weirded out by the intensity of your fans?

Cook: I don’t know “weirded out.” I’m definitely humbled to a very severe degree by it. Today, for instance, prime example, I got a package in the mail at the arena. On the show, I talked about one of my favorite foods is a taquito from this gas station called QuikTrip in the Midwest. And I got a package today...

Hirsh: This can’t end well.

Cook: They’re on ice. I just got a ton of QuikTrip taquitos. I don’t know, that’s the kind of stuff that you don’t really think about when you’re going through the process. And all of a sudden it happens, and you’re like, “Man, these people are really invested in what I’m doing.” Which is cool. And I hope that parlays, obviously, into a long and fruitful musical career. But if not, I got QuikTrip taquitos, so it’s pretty good.

Hirsh: There’s a box of frozen taquitos.

Cook: Exactly. It’s a win/win.

Hirsh: Who gets that?

Cook: I do. That’s who gets it. I might share. We’ll see.

Hirsh: What you have done differently in retrospect?

Cook: Would I change anything? Yes. I would’ve cut my hair waaaay sooner on the show.

BROOKE WHITE
Hirsh: Let’s talk about Graham Nash. One thing I enjoyed about your finale duet on “Teach Your Children” was the fact that he introduced you and your response was like, “Oh my God, are you kidding me?”

“Oh my gosh!”

“Don’t pay attention to me! Graham Nash!”

White: Yeah. It killed me. Like, “No! Why couldn’t I say that first? Why can’t I say ‘Graham Nash!’?” It was almost like an out-of-body experience, sitting there like, “Is this really happening right now?” Not even sure what to say. And then when I heard him say that I was like, “Uh, no. Graham Nash.” I kind of felt like an idiot, like “What? Brooke, come on.” But how nice was he? We sat down, and the first time we sat down to play, it just came together so fast. That music is engrained in me. It’s what I grew up listening to. And it’s funny, because he’s like, “So what do you want to do with it?” (laughs) I’m like...

Hirsh: “Let’s put a techno beat on it. Some electric guitars...”

White: Yeah, “Let’s throw in a hip-hop groove to it.” No, he was great. So yeah, I was like, “How about I just sing the harmony? How about that?”

SYESHA MERCADO
Hirsh: “Broadway” is always used as a negative term on the show, which I always imagine makes everybody in Actor’s Equity shake their fists at Simon. And you’ve done commercials. You’re an actress, right?

Mercado: Well, I started out singing when I was four years old. So singing was my original thing. First grade is when I actually was introduced to acting and I fell in love with it. And it wasn’t until probably my junior year, senior year in high school that I really developed this really strong passion for acting for film. So theater and film acting were things that I wanted to do, not just Broadway. But Broadway is beautiful, and it was kind of seen as a negative way after I got off the show, because everybody was asking me about Broadway. And I think I got a little frustrated: “I want to do film, too. What about film? I want to put out an album, too, so what about an album? Are you saying that I only can do Broadway?” So I kind of got a little thrown off, but now it doesn’t bother me. I just embrace it.

RAMIELE MALUBAY
Hirsh: What did you most feel like, “Oh, I wish I had done that”? Other than winning.

Malubay: Well, Mariah week, I was so sad I wasn’t even there. I didn’t get to sing. I went to craft service during the commercial and Simon’s walking toward me and he’s like, “This probably would have been your week. You know that, right?” And I was like, (fake crying) “Shut up! Don’t tell me that! Don’t tell me that!” Because when I heard “Mariah week,” I was like, “That’s me. I can do that. I can totally do that.” But I didn’t get to prove myself. Kristy’s like, “You got voted off my week and I got voted off your week.” I’m yeah, “Yeah!” I got voted off country week. Nice!

Hirsh: Ever tempted to just run up on stage and grab the microphone and just start singing?

Malubay: Oh, I wish. Gosh, me and David Hernandez were sitting next to each other, because he’s a die-hard Mariah fan. He was like, “We should be there right now.” I’m like, “Yes, I know! Don’t keep telling me that, because I’m going to feel really, really bad!” (laughs)

JASON CASTRO
Hirsh: Have you gotten any better at the interview thing?

Castro: I think so. We’ll find out after this. (laughs) Yeah, I think I’ve gotten a lot better at it. I just try to think more like a conversation than anything. I used to just hate the questions, so I’d go in with this attitude, like, “Uh.” But now I go in with the attitude, like, “Hey, we’re just going to talk. We’re talking.” Because I can talk. I’m a talker. Just not a very good question-answerer.

Hirsh: Would you have done anything differently throughout the process, looking back on it now?

Castro: I think I did as best as I could. The only thing I can think of is maybe practice for another year, really get more comfortable with it. But then I don’t think it would’ve been the same. I think I might have missed my time. I think now was the perfect window for me.

Hirsh: Did you know that after you did it the first time in the semifinals, downloads for Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah” shot up on iTunes?

Castro: I did hear about that. He charted for the first time in the U.S. charts. That’s cool, yeah.

Hirsh: Do you feel like that’s the power that you have?

Castro: Not me, “American Idol.” That’s a combination of “American Idol” and a good song. I was just the messenger

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Happy Birthday Ramiele! - American Idol News

americanidol.com would like to wish Ramiele Malubay, who turns 21 tomorrow, a very Happy Birthday! Ramiele stole the judges' hearts from the very beginning as the tiny girl with the huge voice. Her rendition of "You Don't Have To Say You Loved Me" solidified her standing as one of the lead singers on season seven of AI. In the midst of touring with her fellow Idols, Ramiele Malubay will be in Bridgeport, CT, on her big day!

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Beatboxing Blake Lewis Announces Tour Dates - American Idol News

Season 6 runner-up Blake Lewis has laid out plans for his first national tour. Blake starts things off September 29 in Providence, RI, and continues traveling the East Coast. He'll have a full band with him and will play tracks from his album, A.D.D. (Audio Day Dream), as well as new songs. Plans for a West Coast leg of the tour are also in the works.

Blake recently returned from a trip to Norway and Iceland with fellow Season 6 finalist Chris Richardson. They went with the Hollywood Knights, a non-profit group that raises money for cancer research.

Blake Lewis 2008 Tour Dates (East Coast):

Sept. 29, Providence, RI

Sept. 30, Hartford, CT

Oct. 2, Albany, NY

Oct. 5, New York, NY

Oct. 6, Boston, MA

Oct. 7, Hoboken, NJ

Oct. 8, Teaneck, NJ

Oct. 9, Baltimore, MD

Oct. 10, Allentown, PA

Oct. 12, Philadelphia, PA

Oct. 13, Charlottesville, VA

Oct. 14, Richmond, VA

Oct. 15, Virginia Beach, VA

Oct. 16, Columbia, SC

Oct. 18, Raleigh, NC

Oct. 19, Charlotte, NC

Oct. 20, Atlanta, GA

Oct. 22, Orlando, FL

Oct. 23, Delray Beach, FL

Oct. 24, Jacksonville, FL

Oct. 25, Charleston, SC