Season 7: Where Are They Now?

As we enter the final stretch of 2008, and are just 13 days from Season 8 of American Idol, I found myself wondering what the Top 10 finalists from AI7 are up to these days. We certainly hear more from some than others, but I guess I just wanted to write a final wrap-up and send-off on these guys before a new crop of Idol hopefuls dominates our collective experience. I have included MySpace/blog/website links where I've been able to find them, and would encourage you to use those to keep tabs on your favorites from Season 7!

Chikezie (now of one-name fame) was the first out of the Top 10 but has remained busy. Most notably, you may have seen him perform along with David Hernandez, Diana DeGarmo and Kimberley Locke as part of the American Stars on Holiday tour. The show, directed by American Idol associate musical director Michael Orland, ran around the country for 3 weeks in December. According to a recent interview, Chikezie started writing his album after the summer Idols tour finished, and he hopes to release it next year.

Ramiele Mulabuy, of petite stature but bigger voice, has been largely quiet since her Idol run ended, but not completely silent! She has her own website here where you can keep track of All Things Ramiele. In what became a very active Idol holiday music season, Ramiele released a Christmas single, “We Are One (This Christmas)” , from which she will give 2 cents per download to charity (available from her website).

Micheal Johns left the American Idol stage far earlier than most viewers had expected, topping out at Number 8. MJ brought a soulful Aussie swagger that Idol had not yet seen, and with his 6 foot 3 athletic frame, a sexiness that had often been missing as well (IMHO). Many felt it was just a matter of time before MJ would score a record deal and fans would hear more from him outside from AI. Micheal was busy from the day he left Idol, playing with David Foster and making multiple appearances on TV and in person across the country. He also played several shows in the Philippines last month and released a holiday single ("Another Christmas") in December, the proceeds from which will be entirely donated to charity (the Muscular Dystrophy Association and The Red Cross). Well, it took longer than most expected, but as of last week, Micheal Johns was signed to Three Ring Projects, the record company who also (very wisely) has Season 5's Elliot Yamin as a client. So fear not, we have not heard the last of Papa Johns! Keep track of MJ at his MySpace page.

Kristy Lee Cook's MySpace page mysteriously makes no mention of the fact that her 15 minutes of fame appear to be up. Apart from the two Davids, KLC was the first of the rest to be signed by a major record label (Arista/Nashville), a move that surprised a few people including me. What followed was a blur of minor promotional activities, none of which seemed to help lift her and her album from relative obscurity. Selling only 25K copies, 6 months later, she is dropped. Many argued that the album was too hastily assembled (4 days!!) using country rejects from Carrie Underwood, for starters. Well, we'll have to see what KLC does from here on out...keep track of her if you like (I won't).

Carly Smithson is another AI finalist we've not heard much about/from since she left AI. Sure, bits and pieces have cropped up here and there about her singing with Micheal Johns and getting a new tattoo, but by and large, we've not heard much. The latest news is that she is reported to be "writing with a certain Season 5 rocker" and will be releasing an album next year. Read all about it in Carly's blog here.

Brooke White has also been largely absent from the post-AI scene, other than news of her songwriting in Nashville and a benefit performance, and a heartfelt goodbye to her borrowed piano...will we hear more from her in 2009? time will tell...find out at her MySpace page!

Jason Castro...my Jason....oh, how I miss thee. I was delighted to find your Iamsecond webspot and learn just what makes you so special...and that the rest of the world will finally (hopefully) learn it as well. Jason's MySpace page has other bits of info on what he's up to, but I've also read that he has played out a (tiny) bit and released “White Christmas” on the ukulele as a FREE download on Amazon starting on 12/15 which I have amazingly neglected to download. ...wonder if it's still available??!! Go forth and prosper, Jason!

For coming in third place, we've hardly heard "boo" from Syesha Mercado. In fact, I've heard less about her than any other Top 10 finalist. I had to really dig to see what she was up to these days and found just two "sightings"...the first being the appearance (with Randy Jackson) at the “Gala For Children” event at the Beverly Hills Hotel on November 20th, followed by her appearance on the IKEA float (alongside Justin Guarini) in Philadelphia on Thanksgiving Day. Wonder if we'll hear anything from her in 2009? You can keep up with her on her blog.

On to the first of the two Davids...and my head has been spinning trying to keep up with David Archuleta. I don't believe he has stopped to take a breath since being named the AI7 runner-up back in May, a feat we've not seen since the Reuben/Clay one-two punch in Season 2. In fact, I think Archie has been every bit as busy and in-demand for appearances as Cookie has been. In addition to releasing a debut CD on November 11th which has just about gone GOLD as of this week (nearing half a mil in sales!) and 2 singles thus far, both with videos, David has made appearances too numerous to mention/list. He just finished a wildly successful radio tour gig thing across the country (the Jingle Balls) in which he performed songs from the CD as well as holiday classics, and he was amazing in the clips I viewed. I gotta tell ya, this kid rocks. I predict a big future for him....I'm excited to see where he goes next! If you haven't picked up David Archuleta, I suggest you do...you'll love it! Keep up with David at his MySpace Page.

Winner David Cook 's debut CD was released one week following Archie's on November 18th and it has already reached Gold status, selling 582,000 copies thus far. What followed the release, like Archie, was what can only be described as an exhausting series of concerts and appearances across the country from Rockefeller Center to Walt Disney World....from a children's hospital in Kansas City to the CNN newsroom in Atlanta. He'll end the year dropping the ball with Ryan Seacrest (sort of ) where he'll perform with Scott Weiland at The Mirage in Las Vegas on NEW YEAR’S EVE LIVE airing Wednesday, Dec. 31 (11:00 PM-12:30 AM ET live; CT/MT/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. What follows for Cookie in the new year? He's apparently headed to the Philippines for a few shows, and told Rodney Ho that he'll be doing a college campus tour this spring. Road trip anyone? :) Find All Things David at his official website.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Luke Menard Cancer Free

In this holiday season, I am pleased to pass on the wonderful news I just read on

Season 7's Luke Menard. According to Access Hollywood, Luke has been given the all-clear from cancer. As you might recall, Luke was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma earlier this year shortly after leaving Idol. According to this newspiece, Luke still has more than a dozen radiation treatments to go to target the scar tissue left following months of chemotherapy, but he is thrilled to end 2008 with happy news.

Luke says, "We were always praying for this news - to be cancer free. When you're going through chemo, it's kind of a one-day at a time thing. You don't know how you're gonna feel when you wake up in the morning and sometimes you're kind of sick and you're throwing up.

"It's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's definitely been a year to remember and a year to forget - being on American Idol, and days after I was eliminated being told I had cancer. It's been a crazy year."

And to help out, most of his medical bills were taken care of by people concerned for him:

"All the producers from American Idol, 19 Entertainment ... David Cook, who won American Idol, ... he has been extremely helpful, even financially with medical bills. 19 Entertainment has helped out with medical bills, so it's been way more than I expected."

Luke has been touring with an a cappella group Chapter 6 and released an album with them called “With The Windows Down” on December 2. He's also been writing music - focusing on writing Christian music - an has even collaborated with AI6's Chris Sligh.

You can keep track of Luke at his blog located here.

Best to you, Luke!

Cook Rocks with Debut CD

If you are like millions of American Idol fans, you eagerly anticipated November 18th as much as I did: the date of the release of the long-awaited debut CD from Season 7's winner, David Cook. Like others, I wondered: would his debut effort match his captivating run on Idol? I loved David Cook's ability to take a song I thought I knew and shake it up into something fresh and different, and for this he stood out among all the other contestants. I also thought he had a great voice, and it sure seemed like he was a nice guy, grounded in family and friends, and he was the picture of grace and humility throughout the season.

Well, his voice sounds great on the CD, and all the press I've seen since his Idol win has shown him to be a humble and caring guy, and he sure seems to be continuing to take his new found fame in stride.

As for the CD, while I like it, and it continues to grow on me the more I listen to it, it isn't as compelling to listen to as his Idol performances were for me. Your mileage may vary. In fact, as much as I disagreed with other's comparisons of David Cook to Chris Daughtry (two artists I think are absolutely nothing alike), musically they sound very much the same to me. The CD is overall a pretty generic-sounding rock-lite compilation, enjoyable I guess, but nothing that offers up evidence of that "wow" factor I saw on Idol...in fact, I find myself reaching for Archie's CD (gasp!) more often than Cookie's! There, I said it.

The fact that DC recorded this CD while jumping across the country on the Idols Live tour this summer is simply amazing (but David Archuleta did that, too). More amazing is that he wrote or co-wrote 10 of the 12 tracks on the disc, the only 2 NOT being "Time of My Life" (the winning song from the Season 7 finale) and the first single off the CD "Light On." For this reason, I think we'll see and hear more of DC after this winter.

Favorite tracks? I took a drive across a couple of states with my family for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and because I knew he wouldn't listen to the whole thing, selected 3 tracks for my husband to listen to. I chose "Heros", "Come Back to Me" and "Permanent".

"Heros" was apparently written for/about his brother struggling with brain cancer. It's a powerful song, and gives evidence to what I experience on a daily basis with both my own kids and myself, and that is the never ending bond we experience with siblings (if we're lucky). I love that he considers his brother a hero, and I feel privileged to be able to share that with them though this song.

"Come Back to Me" is a great song of commitment and of seeing and loving someone for who they are, even though they don't always see the best in themselves.

"Permanent" is a heartbreaking song, again, about his brother, with a haunting piano riff but a message of support and of, hopefully, the permanence of our presence in each other's lives, no matter the circumstances.

Overall, a pleasing freshman effort....but for me, nothing to complain about, but nothing to rave about, either. Perhaps my expectations were too high?

Archie's Debut CD: Good Solid Pop!

I know I'm a week behind in writing this review, but Idolmama's got a few things goin' on. I did stop and buy the CD the day it was released, and took the shrink wrap off in the parking lot with anticipation! I had read some early press, but wanted to draw my own conclusions. Wondered just how Lil' Archie had managed to navigate the post-Idol world and enter the real music biz.

As the title of this post suggests, I like it. The CD is a solid offering of great pop music. I do think "Crush" is the best pop song of the lot (may be the perfect pop song?!) but there are other great ones as well.

My other favs? Smack in the middle: "Little Too Not Over You" is almost every bit as good a song as Crush, and should be the next single. Bonus? This song was co-written by Archie himself! GREAT job. I can also see the video in my head already....very catchy and you'll be singing it shortly after you hear it, whether you want to or not.

My other two favs are love songs (gish....I know he's only 17, but he's a balladeer extraordinaire! With a creamy voice!) I think both "You Can" and "To Be with You" are amazingly pretty songs that David delivers with the kind of maturity I wouldn't expect at this stage. And wonder who is singing background vocals in "To Be with You"? It's none other than our Idol-4th-Judge-to-Be, Kara DioGuardi, who also co-wrote the song.

My only issue is with the cover.... sheesh, it's tough to do with a goofy softie like Archie, but they pulled it off -- he looks like a thug who is about to beat someone up. Inside photos are much better, more representative of who he is....but I guess those wouldn't sell??!

I'll admit, I was one of those Idol viewers who wondered if David Archuleta could make relevant music...I liked him on the show but he just seemed to choose such old songs, and being so young.....I just wasn't sure. Well, I'm sure now that he'll be around for a little while longer. My recommendation for this CD? Buy and enjoy!

Carrie Underwood at Sears Centre Chicago

Carrie Underwood brought her star power to the Chicago area earlier this month (Hoffman Estates, to be exact) and we jumped on the chance to see country's hottest star perform. It was that very day she was asked to cohost the 42nd Annual CMA Awards with Brad Paisley, so I'm sure she was feeling pretty good.

I took my 'tweener and we went with her 'tweener cousin and Mom, and a dear friend who loves her some American Idol. My daughter is a singer, and her cousin is, too, and goshdarnit....Carrie is a role model for young girls and especially young singers. Now, don't I sound old-fashioned! But it's true!

I have to admit, my expectations were somewhat low-ish....I love Carrie and think she is a phenomenal singer but I remember all too well her stint on Idol and her performances in the Idols Tour for Season 4. She had no stage presence (we called her one dance move, if you could call it that, the "Carrie Pee Pee Dance") and her aw, shucks -- and at times, ditsy blonde -- personality were a litte over the top at times. According to WhatNotToSing.com, Bo Bice should have won that season, if based on performance reviews alone.

Well, girl can sing, and SING. And her stage presence has improved since Idol, in that she looked comfortable standing on stage and delivering tunes and actually moved around quite well. Her stage banter let us know that despite her fame, she is still that Oklahoma hometown girl we fell in love with on Idol. I was really impressed with her as live performer and I'm more a fan than ever!

First off, we took bets entering the venue as to how many costume changes she would do. I guessed two, meaning one for each half of her set. I said this knowing this was a low ball number. Sister in law said five, and there was a three thrown out from the tweeners somewhere in the middle. I really had no idea what was reasonable and what would be excessive.

It turned out to be 4 and a half.....we'll get to those details in a minute. But first, the venue. As a veteran of Chicago's concert venues, this was my first trip out to the Sears Centre, about 30 minutes past O'Hare. I was very impressed with this place and hope to come out here again soon. Carrie sang on a Friday night, which gave us some pause, knowing how hellacious traffic can get on the weekend, but it wasn't bad at all, approx one hour and 15 minutes from the city. Parking was easy, and the venue itself -- on the smaller scale at 12,000 seats -- was clean, with good acoustics. Even our seats way up high offered great views, and concessions and restrooms were well-located and never crowded.

Okay, now that we've dispensed with housekeeping details, on to the show. Everyone in my party loved it and thought she sounded and looked absolutely fabulous, which is a bit contrary to the (lame) Chicago Tribune review. Yes, she is from a small town and she reminded us of that (we love it). Yes, she is country with a little bit of rock and roll (who can forget her rendition of Heart's "Alone" during her Idol run??) She is also enormously talented.

The set list: since Carrie has released just 2 CDs since Idol, she doesn't have a overwhelming amount of material to draw from for her first headlining tour, but I can say that what she does have is very, very good. Her two albums to date, 2005's "Some Hearts" and 2007's "Carnival Ride" have together spawned six number-one hits, while her current single "Just a Dream" is at #6 on the Billboard "Hot Country Songs" chart at the time of this writing. I won't even go into all of the other awards and honors she has received in her 4 short years as a recording artist....those years were summed up beautifully in an awesome video montage and were pretty impressive!

So, songs spanned both of her albums, with a cover thrown in on the encore ("Paradise City" by none other than Guns-n-Roses, of all bands). Her set list favored the recent album with all but 2 tracks represented (including one of my personal favorites, "You Won't Find This," but I can't have everything) and a good half of her debut album. Yes, Carrie's portion of the concert was only about 90 minutes, but it was full of great music! Band was very, very good and included a smokin' fiddle player along with banjo and mandolin and a drummer who kept it down. (Note to management: why not introduce these fine folks?)

About the clothes....Carrie had 4 solid "costume" changes, which I guess is reasonable for country's reigning Queen....my rating of 4 and a half comes from the fact that she appeared at one point in a ball gown beginning with a brief interlude to " Inside Your Heaven" which quickly morphed into "I Know You Won't" and beautifully so. But at the song change, she whipped off the bottom portion of the gown and thus wore a cutie little dress....which is why I counted that a half :)

Other favorite moments: some unexpected Who music (a little "Who Are You" musical interlude during one of Carrie's costume changes), and the 3 year old who came on stage to sing "All American Girl" with her.

The American Idol contestant that Simon Cowell (correctly) predicted would not only win Season 4 but go on to sell more records that any other American Idol will continue to bring her signature country pop style to the music scene for a while longer, you betchya.

(Final note: Opening band Little Big Town was fabulous. They are now on my Christmas list! give then a listen!)

Cook's "Light On" released

Today was the day we finally got to hear David Cook's first single from his yet-untitled debut album, dropping in stores (reportedly) on November 18th. I rushed home from my PTA meeting and played it three times (you can play it HERE) and am contemplating my feelings about it...

...I'm certainly in the "like it" camp, although not jumping on the "love it" bandwagon....my fellow blogger at USA Today called it "Daughtry Lite" and I have to agree with that....I think it's catchy, and pleasant, but maybe not as standout-ty as I thought it might be....but I'm sure that will change as the tune grows on me.

What surprises me is how much I like David Archuleta's "Crush" as a single...and now with the video to enhance the story, it's even better.

And DC is entirely too pretty in this picture! What do you think of the song? And the picture? :)

Kara DioGuardi - In Her Own words

I'm intrigued by the addition of a 4th judge to the Idol table in January. Thought this Electronic Press Kit interview with her was a great way to start getting to know her, and thought I would pass it along for your review. In it she admits to being "feisty and opinionated" and thinks Simon is "dead on." Transcript supplied by Fox:

About My Background in Music Industry

I am a working songwriter in the music business. I find talent, I sign talent. I co-own a publishing company where we have 13 to 15 writers at any given time that we represent. Actually one of our writers has the new Archuleta single, “Crush.” I’m in the music business in terms of the day of day of it, finding talent, nurturing talent, writing songs, producing songs. I’ve co-written and written with artists such as Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Santana, Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson. I’ve been nominated for various Grammies. I’ve won the BMI 2006 songwriter of the year. So I’ve definitely spent a lot of time in the music business. I’ve worked my way up from basically nobody wanting to know who I was, to people actually being interested in what I have to say and what I have to do.

So I think I bring a unique perspective to the business because I’m also somebody who was a singer in the beginning of my career and used my voice to leverage my way into the rooms with some of the biggest music producers out there and to cut records. And while I am a songwriter, I’ve always been in the business of making records and I think that makes me viable for
AMERICAN IDOL.

How I Got the Job as Judge

So how did I get this job?! I’m sure everyone wants to know this. My agent called me and he said you are on a short list to be the 4th judge on AMERICAN IDOL and I said “Are you calling for me or did you dial the wrong number?” They were like no seriously this is going on this can happen and I was like there is no way they are going to pick me. Why wouldn’t they pick someone famous? Someone everyone knows? But you know, I guess they saw something about me that they thought was good and they wanted to put somebody who was from the industry on the show and so, I got the job.

How I'm Adjusting to the News

When they told me I was the judge, I just didn’t believe it. I still don’t believe it. I don’t even know what I’m doing here right now. I’m just trying to enjoy it and trying to take it one day as it comes, because it is a big change for me. I’ve basically been in the back of the studio for 17 years the girl that’s going “Hey, I don’t like that line or sing that again.” So it’s gonna be a different experience; so I guess people are going to know me now.

My History with the Show

My history with the show is that I’ve written a bunch of songs that have been performed and released by Idols. I co-wrote “Walk Away” from Kelly Clarkson and with Kelly Clarkson. I co-wrote the “Real Thing” for Bo Bice and actually won two BMI Awards they were extremely performed on the radio. I’ve written with Katherine McPhee and for Katherine McPhee on her record. Clay Aiken [and] I co-wrote “The Way.” Taylor Hicks. I’m probably leaving an Idol out. I’m sorry, which one would that be, I think that’s it.

Oh and I actually have a song now on the David Archuleta CD that’s coming out, I think soon. I co-wrote with David Cook. So hopefully he’ll use that song too, so two songs on the new Idols.

What I Think I’ll Bring to the Show

Well I think I’ll have my own take on things and I kind of bring a unique experience in the sense that I sing and was a singer and I write and I produce and I sign talent and I'm very involved in the day to day of the music industry, like Simon. So I think I’ll bring that perspective, but I’m also very opinionated and pretty feisty and not afraid of a good confrontation, so I’m looking forward to it. Bring it on.

About Paula as a Judge

Well I think Paula brings a lot because she’s sold many records, she’s performed; she knows how hard it is to be an artist and actually turn that dream into reality. And I think that what she does is, she treats the contestants in a kind way and knows that their dream, you know, is a sensitive issue. I think that she does care about them and she wants to make sure that even when criticism is given that they want to keep going and their not, you know, so depressed that it didn’t turn out the way they wanted that they just stop it. I think she’s encouraging, and she’s kind and she’s nurturing; I think that every artist needs to be nurtured.

About Randy as a Judge

Well Randy has just got so much great energy and when he speaks to the contestants he’s coming from a very knowledgeable place. He’s been a great, is a great musician. He’s been out on the road, so he knows what it takes to be a huge superstar and I just think he has a way of being honest, but at the same time helpful and I just think he’s great, has great energy and I really looking forward to working with him.

About Simon as a Judge

Simon. Simon is pretty much dead on. He kinda calls it like he sees it. I like that about him. He’s very honest; he’s funny. And, I think he brings a very unique perspective because he finds artists and sells a lot of records, and he kind of just tells it like it is and I respect that.

About Ryan as the Host

I’ve actually never met Ryan and I’m looking forward to meeting him. And I think he brings. He’s just so approachable, so just feels like the guy next door but yet is so great at being a host. And, I’m really looking forward to meeting him.

What I’ll offer as a Judge

Well, I think there is an inherent responsibility because you are there, you are judging their performances and you have a very unique opportunity to be able to give somebody some of your insight. And, you know I’ve been doing this a long time and I can tell them, ‘you know you really have to do this,’ ‘you really have to do that’ and it’s based on my experience cause I’ve seen people go from not being famous to being uber famous. Or not being great songwriters to being great songwriters and I know how to get them there. So hopefully I will be able to help these Idols whether they win or not so that as they continue on their journey to become artists they can take that with them.

What I Will Look for in Contestants

I am gonna be looking for a unique spin, you know somebody who steps in front of me has something to say -- who has a unique look; who has a great voice; a unique tone; isn’t trying to imitate everybody else that’s out there. And, has incredible self confidence because anybody who has ever really made it, steps on that stage and they own it from the minute they step out there. So I think it’s important that you know they really be themselves and that they’re interesting and that they keep me engaged.

What it Takes to Become a Famous Singer

I think what it takes to be a famous performer or singer is really somebody who doesn’t care what anyone thinks, who loses themselves in the moment, who is authentic, real, believable and follows their heart. I mean, I think some of the greatest songs out there are the ones that connect with us because we all have that experience and it’s the same thing with artistry. When you are looking at someone who is just an amazing performer its cause you really feel what they are putting out there and it becomes almost your own experience and it’s believable. And you know everybody wants to be a rock star, so it’s great to see people turn into that and actually it’s believable and you’re routing for them. You know, that’s what I hope that we find this season, cause it’s really about being a rock star. You know when you say rock star it doesn’t mean you have to be doing rock music, it can be any kind of music, but it’s people who are out there doing their thing. They don’t worry about, ‘am I this, am I that,’ it’s just being yourself and being great at it.

What Makes an Artist a Success

Well, I think there are a lot of things that go into being a successful artist. Obviously you know you have to have the right look, you have to have the right sound, but you have to have the right song. We’ve seen that even in the Idols some of them have been very successful and some of them haven’t. It’s about that winning song. You know “Since You’ve Been Gone” huge song, catapulted Kelly into absolute stardom. So, it’s really important that everything happen at the same time -- great voice, great look, great stage presence and a great song. And all that coming together and just somebody who wants it that bad, because it’s a lot of hard work, it’s not easy.

Why Songwriters love American Idol

Well, I think what started to happen is Idol has been so incredible for song writers because it’s really a great vehicle for them to have their songs out there. You know many, many song writers once the results come out, they always think oh ‘I gotta write a song for this one or that one’ and you know it’s really kept a lot of writers paying their mortgage. So we love Idol! We’re like go Idol! Whose the next one; whose the next one we are going to be writing for and actually keeping our jobs. So we love it.

About My First Day on the Job

I am so excited about my first day of work because I’m going back to New York and that’s my hometown, couldn’t be a better place to set this thing off.