American Idol Beat

American Idol - Where Have All the Teens Gone?

Were you shocked by the results from last Thursday night? After watching the heartbreaking cut from the week before of Alexandrea Lushington, I am switching to a male favorite from here on out. I am having a really hard time choosing a favorite this year because they are all so good. The talent pool is so strong, the contestants are being voted off not only because of poor song choice but for their outfits chosen! Last year, there were obvious differences in talent, now we are in the midst of a horse race. The front runner is the lone teen left, David Archuleta, who has a commanding lead; the rest of the contestants are neck and neck. At the beginning of the season, I thought we were in for American Idol - the High School Musical edition. With this last elimination, three teenagers went home, leaving David as the last teen hopeful!
I was included in a live conference call with the 4 eliminated contestants on Thursday, March 6th, Danny Noriega, Kady Malloy, Luke Menard and Asia'h Epperson. Here is what I learned:

Danny Noriega, 18, Azusa, California
TMTH - Too Much To Handle!
R: Who was the stylist for your hair - people are asking for your hair cut!
D: I cut my own hair but Sara, who was amazing, at American Idol styled it.
R: The forums have been buzzing since the results were announced. In most polls I have seen, you were not predicted to go home. On a poll on Rickey.org with over 5600 votes, there were 3 other people below you. What do you think happened?
D: I was semi-surprised! I had a little bit of confidence - I got a lot of fan mail; I was doing something right. I definitely thought I was doing good for a second. But it is what it is.
He was asked about a video on youtube that he had made when he was younger, in which he used rude humor. He said he was acting; it was "another person ago" and not his character. "It was blown out of proportion." In reference to David Hernandez and Amanda Overmeyer, whose past also had been brought up this week, he couldn't understand why people were trying to tear down someone's success with negative things. "We are all trying to be something in life."
When asked about his sexuality and the competition, he said that your personal life should be separate from your job. He did say what he took from this competition was that "You can be different on American Idol and be yourself. It's fine to be yourself." Last year he had tried out and was cut during Hollywood Week. He said he cut his hair, dressed like he thought they (the judges) wanted him to and was very uncomfortable. This year he was himself, and made it to the top 16. He did admit he was told to tone it down a bit from a lot of people - he laughed, saying he didn't really listen! He had fun and was happy with his last performance of "Tainted Love." "I had a blast with it!"
Parting words? "Stay true to yourself."

Asia'h Epperson, 19, Joplin, Missouri
Second RateWhitney?
R: Nigel had said that the top 24 was filled with very talented teens. Why do you think that only 1 teen is left?
A: You never know who America will put through. I am very happy for all of the contestants.
R: What song did you want to sing on the competition that we didn't get to hear?
A: A Mariah Carey song, "Can't Live."

Asia'h said when she heard she was performing first, she thought it would be her last time singing. She felt the order affected the results. When questioned about her Whitney Houston song choice (history tells us this is not a good thing to do unless you are Lakisha Jones), she said she thought she was a unique artist and didn't think she would be compared to Whitney. "I will take being called a second rate Whitney any day." When asked about her favorite judge, she answered Simon. "He knows what he is talking about even if he has harsh words; he makes you want to do the best that you can do."
She will probably be best remembered by her back story from the audition. Her father had passed away 2 days before auditioning in Atlanta. She said God and her father were with her - that gave her strength; knowing her father wanted her to see her dream fulfilled, helped her to continue on. "Everything happens for a reason." Her future plans include commercials, acting, modeling and singing. "The sky's the limit!"

Kady Malloy, 18, from Houston, Texas
Britney - Call Me!
R: Your outfit you wore for the 70's theme - there has been a lot of talk on the forums about it. Can you tell us who is it made by?
K: I got it from a store called Cusp. It is made by T-Bags.
R: You have one of the largest fan bases on the forums, Kady's Kadets. Were you surprised to be going home with that many fans voting for you?
K: A little surprised. I have killer fans that are very supportive.
From her audition, she became a front runner in the competition. Simon had called her one of the best in the auditions but she got little camera time during Hollywood Week. Simon told her she sounded like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera but wanted her to sing like herself.
During the top 24, he criticized her personality, telling her she had the personality of a pencil. "I still don't understand his comments about my personality. No matter how good I would do, I felt like I couldn't please Simon. Regarding her song choices, "Groovy Kind of Love" was not her first choice. Someone else took her first choice. Her swan song, "Who Wants to Live Forever" by Queen, was her favorite song. She loves Freddie Mercury, who was the lead singer for Queen. I thought it was her best performance on the show, which Paula agreed with.
Danny had mentioned his friendship with Ramiele Malubay, whom he called his best friend, "his twin." They have been shown on camera giving each other the "half a heart" sign. What you didn't see was his friendship with Kady. Danny said they were like "freaking brother and sister." He called her the female version of him! Off camera, she was able to show her silly side. During the interview, she came across as the most talkative. It is a shame she couldn't incorporate her off camera persona into her stage presence. She addressed that, saying she had not been on stage that much.
What's next for Kady? She wants to keep working on her music, open an animal shelter, start a camp for kids and be a spokesperson for gay rights.

Luke Menard, 29, Crawfordsville, Indiana
McDreamy's Understudy?

Luke was asked about his a cappella style of music; how that translated to the themes week and if it was tough to match the style. "No, my style can be done with a wide variety of music, any style; I was up for the challenge. If he would have had the chance, he would have sung more modern music like Maroon 5, which has a higher tenor. "Maybe I would still be on the show. I tried to pick songs that fit my strength and style the best. I was satisfied with the songs I sang."

He talked about sacrifices he made in his career, leaving the group Chapter 6, who he had been singing with for the past 6 years, to try out for American Idol. "You have to take a risk to continue further in your career. My wife has been very supportive." She was the one who encouraged him to audition. After Simon called him "forgettable", she told him "You are not forgettable!" He told us his wife went to a taping of The Price is Right last week, was picked as the last contestant, went onstage and won! He said it was a great week for them!
He became close friends with Michael Johns after rooming with him. They hit it off during Hollywood Week, along with David Cook and Jason Yeager, affectionately calling themselves the "Four Horsemen."
What does the future hold for the McDreamy of American Idol? "Acting, maybe Broadway." He is looking forward to winding down, spending time with his wife and going to the movies!
One thing he mentioned that I think is a clue into why there is only 1 teen left, is the importance of song choice and the advantage the older contestants have. At 29, he was one of the oldest contestants. He said it was easier to memorize the words if you were familiar with the song. Many of the younger contestants had never heard of the songs they were told to sing or given a choice of. They all deserve a standing ovation for accomplishing what they have!