While American Idol winner Lee DeWyze and runner-up Crystal Bowersox bask in Season Nine’s finale afterglow, the remaining Top Eight Idols are enjoying a breather before a 51-city American Idols Live! Tour, which kicks off in Auburn Hills, Michigan, July 1st.
At a celebratory dinner at Gordon Ramsay at the London in West Hollywood, People Magazine joined Didi Benami, Andrew Garcia, Katie Stevens, Tim Urban, Siobhan Magnus, Aaron Kelly, Michael Lynche and Casey James to talk about the three-month road trip.
“Seeing America is going to be amazing,” says Lynche. “It’s going to be cool to see everybody’s hometown and I hope we have a chance to go see somebody’s haunts.” Adds Benami, “And seeing all of the people who have been supporting us the whole time. I am really looking forward to playing for all the fans that voted and getting the reaction we didn’t get in the studio.”
On a technical point, James says, “I’m looking forward to playing full songs! That’s really exciting for me because chopping songs into one and a half minutes takes the soul out of the songs.”
As for how they will occupy their downtime while on the road, Stevens says, “I offer Mad Libs!” Magnus has a bunch of DVDs, including the Are You Afraid of the Dark? series, one that she and Garcia bonded over. Benami will bring along her notebook and James will try to pare down the nine guitars he used throughout the Idol series to perhaps “six or seven” for the road.
Kelly says he will offer “Yoda wisdom,” but Lynche jokes, “Now that’s the Red Bull talking!” Lynche says, “I love to play road trip games like Six Degrees of Separation, naming all the states.” Benami asks how Six Degrees is played, and Lynche explains how you can take the names of two people within a genre, like movies, and then try to connect them within six places.
On the spot, James says, “Let’s do it!” And Lynche says, “Tom Cruise and Susan Sarandon, six steps or less.” Magnus says, “Well, Susan Sarandon was in Stepmom with Julia Roberts, and Julia Roberts has been in so much.” Lynche says, “Well Tom Cruise, what’s a big one he’s been in,” and Stevens says, “Jerry Maguire.” Lynche goes, “So who else is in that? Renee Zellweger. Renee…” And Magnus picks it up from there, “Renee Zellweger was in Bridget Jones’ Diary with Hugh Grant, who was in Notting Hill with Julia Roberts. Done!”
With recreation in hand, the next thing to settle are sleeping arrangements. “I’m looking forward to not listening to Big Mike snore on the bus,” Magnus says. James notes mock-solemnly, “That’s an issue.” The room erupts into laughter as Lynche blames congestion he got early on in the Top 24 to his fellow Idols’ penchants for setting the air conditioner at a really cold temperature. Then Garcia reveals that the first time he met James, who had gotten to the hotel room before Garcia, “he was just in a robe, and that was it. I thought, what is going on? I see this blond, golden hair…” James plays along. “I had the lighting just right!” Garcia volleys with, “A movie was playing…”
By this point, tears are streaming around the table and the laughter is contagious. “Oh, boy,” Lynche says. “This will be fun!”
American Idol is ready to hit the road! Season 8 winner Kris Allen and runner-up Adam Lambert were on hand at a press day in Los Angeles on Thursday to talk about the Idols Live Tour, which kicks off in Portland, Oregon, on July 5, and will take the top 10 — which also includes Allison Iraheta, Anoop Desai, Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, Matt Giraud, Megan Joy, Michael Sarver and Scott MacIntyre — to 50 cities in North America.People spoke separately with Allen and Lambert about their upcoming albums, the tour and how their life has changed.
Kris Allen
Are you moving or planning on staying in Conway, Ark.?
My wife is going to move back home for the tour, so we still have to have a place to live, and still have our apartment. But things have changed completely. Four months ago, I could have never imagined ever doing anything like this. I don’t get much sleep now but there’s a lot of work to be done writing for the album and … rehearsals, as well. It’s nonstop but I’d rather be doing this than anything else.
How is the recording process coming along?
It feels great! It feels great to know that you’ve wanted to do this thing your whole life and to know that you have an album coming out in the fall that you’ve worked hard on that is you.
Can you tell us anything specific about the album — how many tracks, guest appearances?
None of that stuff I know yet. I don’t know if we’re going to have any collaborations and I have no idea how many tracks, but I think the CD is going to be great, I really do. A lot of good songs.
Do you think people will be surprised with your sound?
I actually do think people are going to be surprised, but in a good way, hopefully.
What’s been the hardest thing about recording?
It’s a lot of work. For me, I felt like the songs would come easier writing-wise and collaborating with people. It’s just a process and you kind of have to get used to it and we’re very, very new to this and you’re kind of just thrown into, “Hey, you’re going make a CD in four months. And You’re going to be on tour for three of those months.” … We are music industry virgins, but I feel like we had the best experience and you kind of learn a lot from Idol, and you got to work hard.
What are you taking on tour with you for those long bus rides?
If I got my iPod and my phone, I am perfect because you can talk to people and then you can listen to great music, which I like to do.
Are there any songs you’re excited to perform?
I think they let us say one. I’m really excited to perform “Hey Jude” by The Beatles just because it’s such a great song.
Adam Lambert
How is the album coming along?
I am so excited! I think it’s going to come out in November. We haven’t found a title yet. And I’m working with RedOne — he’s an incredible producer who did Lady Gaga’s hit material. I’m working with Linda Perry, with Greg Wells, with Ryan Tedder, Sam Sparrow — amazing writers and producers. And I’m getting to co-write. I wrote a song with Kara Dioguardi from the show. It’s awesome.
What will the vibe of your album be?
It’s really about finding the sound that I want to communicate my ideas to people. On Idol, you’re doing cover music that’s tried and true material. I went the route of doing a lot of classic rock because I knew that that was the more vocal and it was songs that everybody connected with. In creating new material, I want to do something modern that will stand the test of time, and something that’s new. I’m being careful not to stay stuck in that sound, because it could end up being dated. So, I’m going to try to take the best musically from that era and make it mix with modern pop electronic production. It should be really different.
What’s been the reaction since you came out on the cover of Rolling Stone?
The response that I’ve felt is mostly positive support, so I think that’s great. It’s a testament to us really trying to become a bit more progressive and focus on what really matters which is that I’m an entertainer and a singer and that’s what it really needs to be about. My private life really has nothing to do with my ability to entertain.
How will you pass the time on a crowded tour bus?
Definitely iPod. You know, escape in music is the best way to kind of be in your own little world. Books as well, I’ll probably grab some books.
Any specific artists you’ll have on rotation?
I’m such a music junky. I have everything all the time. You name it, I’ve downloaded it.
What would you put on your concert rider?
We’re not quite at the level right now where we get our own rider for this tour. I don’t know. I would love to have a masseuse on sight — that would be cool.
Any cities you’re especially excited for?
Connecting with people that are in different cities across the country is going to be really cool. I’m excited for the L.A. show. Obviously, I’ve lived here for eight years so this is my home base now. And then my hometown, San Diego, where I grew up.
What else are you excited for?
I’m looking forward to banking that paycheck. I’m not going to lie, I mean, that’s not my first priority, but, you know, I think for all of us, having gone through experience, to be able to walk away with some financial security in these tough times is really nice.
While American Idol winner Lee DeWyze and runner-up Crystal Bowersox bask in Season Nine’s finale afterglow, the remaining Top Eight Idols are enjoying a breather before a 51-city American Idols Live! Tour, which kicks off in Auburn Hills, Michigan, July 1st.
