Today’s Idol headlines after the jump…
‘Idols Live’ tour now facing empty seats
At the halfway point of the 2007 American Idols Live tour, ticket turnstiles are, to an alarming extent, standing idle.
Reports of attendance and gross receipts for the first 30 of the 57 shows scheduled for the tour, as recorded by Billboard Boxscore, show this year’s crop of 10 Idol finalists is falling short of last year’s concert performance…..
Kelly Clarkson coming to Paramount Theatre Nov. 12
The O.G. American Idol, Kelly Clarkson, is coming to the Paramount Theatre Nov. 12. No details on ticket prices or an on-sale date. Also no word if Bothell’s American Idol, Blake Lewis, will make a cameo during her set, or, perhaps, even open for her.
Keeping the sound alive
Florence native among hall of fame inductees
…This year, artists scheduled to perform are Randy Owen, Kristofferson, Percy Sledge, Eddie Floyd, The Commodores, The Thrasher Brothers, Cleveland Eaton and Clarence Carter.
Also expected to appear is 2006 “American Idol” winner Taylor Hicks, of Birmingham, and 2007 “Nashville Star” winner Angela Hacker, of Muscle Shoals…
‘Temptation’ isn’t tempting
MyNetwork offers a prime-time peek at the syndicated game show “Temptation” (8 p.m., WNYA, Ch. 15). Hosted by the brash Rossi Morreale, it offers a low-octane mix of easy questions and home-shopping style plugs for various products.
During the course of the game, the questions stop and players will be asked to spend some of their winnings on a product.
“Temptation” will feature three blasts from the “American Idol” recent past, including contestants Justin Guarini, Kimberly Caldwell and Mikalah Gordon.
American Idol’ camp preps teens for the big stage
…Few performers know that sentiment better than past “American Idol” contestants, seven of whom visited the camp, helping teach the two sessions. Campers were also taught by a group of experts Luther pulled in, professionals she relies on for many of her projects. They lived with the campers during the 10-day sessions. Some even brought their own children.
A quick glance at the campers’ cafeteria tables formed a sea of “American Idol” blue. All staff and campers were required to wear laminated ID tags around their necks. Many campers also chose to wear Idol Camp T-shirts and caps.
After six seasons, “American Idol” remains the most-watched show on TV. More than 74 million votes were cast to decide the latest victor, Jordin Sparks.
It wasn’t quite as hard to get into Idol Camp, although officials declined to release the number of applications. This year, each session had 150 campers who paid $2,900 per session. The application costs $35 and includes an essay, not an audition tape.
“I didn’t want the most talented kids,” Luther said. “What I wanted to identify was kids that were the most passionate about being in the arts.”
She got some of each….
Hosting a TV Show: C’mon, How Hard Can It Be?
Ryan Seacrest is getting ready to host the Emmys and the Super Bowl, in addition to American Idol. And he’s just one of hundreds of TV hosts out there right now. Cooking shows, real estate shows, dog shows and celebrity news shows — they all need hosts, too.
But what for? Is Seacrest just a pretty face, or do he and all the other hosts of all those other shows actually have talent? The answer, believe it or not, is that there’s an art to hosting a TV show…….
Twins’ secret: A second ‘Idol’ audition
OK, here’s the deal.
The Brosmer twins — Harrison High School seniors Jordan and Jared — can’t talk about it, and neither can their mother, Barbara. But it’s a badly kept secret that they’re returning to Atlanta on Oct. 8 for the next round of “American Idol” tryouts.
Friends say the two 17-year-old singers were among 200 (out of 10,000 hopefuls who tried out at the Georgia Dome in mid-August) to advance to the next level. They’ll now audition in front of the Fox Network show’s executive producers….
Beyond American Idol: Mandisa’s Beauty one of the year’s best
IT’S BEEN just over a year since Mandisa shot to instant fame. Millions of viewers were captivated by her bubbly personality and powerhouse vocals, as she sang her way into the final rounds of American Idol. After the Idol concert tour, she recorded this debut album. She also wrote Idol Eyes , a book about ‘Faith, Fat and Fame’ – telling women they can be beautiful at any size, and that self-esteem comes only when they accept themselves as unique, much-loved creations of God…….
Idol Week Monday: EXCLUSIVE Behind-The-Scenes Backstage Pass - Murtz Jaffer Interviews Debra Byrd (Mystery Idol #1)
On Sunday, I talked to the vocal coach for both American & Canadian Idol, Debra Byrd. She talked to me about what she does every week with the contestants, how she doesn’t play favorites and even talks Sanjaya with me (which is always a good sign!). She was the first “Mystery Idol” that I interviewed…..
American Idol Countdown Week Tuesday: #8 - Murtz Jaffer Interviews Haley Scarnato
There is no question that Haley Scarnato is the most beautiful woman that I have ever interviewed and I was happy to find that her personality is just as radiant. Scarnato talked about the role that looks played on American Idol and her plans for an upcoming country album when I talked to her before the Idol concert in Toronto….
American Idol Countdown Week Monday: #9 - Murtz Jaffer Interviews Gina Glocksen
Gina Glocksen finished in 9th place on American Idol and I had the chance to catch up with her before the Idols took to the stage at the Toronto stop of the American Idols Live Tour. Gina discussed her recent engagement and what her new album is going to sound like….
American Idol Countdown Week Sunday: #10 - Murtz Jaffer Interviews Chris Sligh
It was a pleasure getting a chance to talk to Chris Sligh before he performed on the Toronto leg of the American Idols Live! tour. He opened up about his strategy before the show and discussed what he has planned for the future…
…. Yeah, in fact, I have a portable studio set here. I take it to the dressing room and work on stuff. Working on the demos that are going to be the base tracks for my record. I am going to be going into the studio as soon as this tour is over. Next week, I am signing with my management and then next month, I will be signing with my record label. I have got nine record labels after me, so I just have to choose which one is the best fit. You know? It’s been a fun road and it’s opened up a lot of doors so I am excited!…
Excitement builds for tournament
…One of the celebrities expected to attend the tournament is Taylor Hicks, who won the American Idol competition two years ago. Hicks is expected to take part in the pro-am event on Sept. 26.
The tournament will be shown live on the Golf Channel throughout the four-day event.
Drunk Driving Hazards Keep Kelly Clarkson Indoors
Kelly Clarkson has found the perfect way to avoid being caught drinking and driving in Los Angeles - she has a pub in her own house. Unlike Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, the American Idol winner and former cocktail waitress, 25, shuns the club circuit in favor of a quiet drink with friends in the comfort of her own home…….
Seacrest — Unbrotherly Love
It’s called the “City of Brotherly Love” — but Ryan Seacrest had little love for the latest round of “Idol” auditions held in Philadelphia.
TMZ cameras caught the “Idol” host before his jog outside the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in NYC on Sunday — sporting an iPod and an inconspicuous Ed Hardy hat. When asked about the upcoming season of the juggernaut that is “American Idol,” Ryan said they “weren’t great … for 20,000 people, we only found a few good ones.” Is that a change?…
“American Idol’s” Sarah Burgess Inks Record Deal, Records First Single
Best remembered as the auditioner whose father didn’t know she had snuck out to New York, only to be awarded Idol’s Golden Ticket to Hollywood, Sarah Burgess made a connection with the American public with her story of determination in the face of resistance from those not as convinced. After an emotional audition and tearful aftermath, a bond had been forged between the viewers and an emerging artist. In the months that followed, Sarah was interviewed on almost 100 radio and TV stations to relate her resonant story………..
Yamin show at The NorVa now Nov. 11
How many times can Elliott Yamin’s concert at The NorVa be changed before the Yaminions stage a revolt?
We’re about to find out.
For the fourth time since May, Yamin’s scheduled show at the venue has been bumped around, usually because of his ever-expanding list of appearances. The concert, previously set for May 20, Aug. 8 and Nov. 10, has been bumped a day to Nov. 11. Singer-songwriter Bright Eyes is now booked for Nov. 10. Tickets purchased for any of those dates will be honored, and The NorVa promises the show will not change again…
Can Music Big-Timers Fix Sagging Sales?
…However, music industry executives note that this year’s roster of superstar releases has been particularly thin.
“What happened was the industry got off to a slow start in 2007 given the fact that it was a fairly lackluster new release schedule,” says Anderson. “The real success stories were somewhat few and far between.”
But even CDs that seemed destined to be strong sellers weren’t the smashes that people had hoped for, including ones by T.I. and Kelly Clarkson, who had respectable but not stellar sales. The top-selling album of the year has been the band Daughtry’s self-titled release, which, according to Nielsen SoundScan, has sold 1.9 million copies. At that pace, there might not be an album that sells more than 3 million this year…
Related Posts
Album Reviews
Gareth Gates
`Pictures of The Other Side’
Universal
British idol star Gareth Gates has returned with his first new release in four years. He is well known for his hit number “Listen To My Heart,” from the previous album, “Go Your Own Way,” that was used in Korean TV commercials.
The album shows his four-year struggle to shed his idol image gained with the support of Simon Cowell, the producer who turned him into a star in the 2002 season of Pop Idol, the British version of American Idol. Now he has written several songs along with veteran British singer/songwriter Judie Tzuke.
The album includes the first single, “Changes” and “New Kid in Town,” a new style of song from his new image, which is tinged with rock `n’ roll sounds.
Korea Times
Pop Idol and Joseph cast-offs join forces
Remember Seamus? Well, it seems that, after his embarrassingly reworded version of Close Every Door, he has finally been promised a show of his own: a Michael Jackson tribute show.
Thriller Live, which toured in the spring, goes back on the road this autumn with an updated cast including not only Seamus, but Zoe Birkett, the highest-placed girl in the original series of Pop Idol (she came fourth behind Darius Danesh, Gareth Gates and Will Young).
The Stage
I may be overly cyncial but has Sarah Burgess devised the perfect blueprint for extending 15 minutes of fame? Cute girl plus tearful sincerity equals realty TV gold. I hope we don’t see a new crop of daddy-didn’t-believe-in-me performers in season 7.
Another Idol who was almost on Broadway…Chris Sligh (from his Blog):
Kind of random and interesting. I think that would probably have been fun. Plus, playing the lead on Broadway would have been exposure to a new audience.
Disney’s cartoon->Broadway shows are always a hit. Maybe Dreamworks can repeat the success.
Wow, Ken posted this article, like, 12 hours after Kirsten posted her stats! What a coincidence, eh? Hee.
My lawyers will be speaking to his lawyers. LOL.
In his defense, he’s probably been waiting for these numbers too. They just became available yesterday. Still, it’s not every day we get to beat the press to the story.
I’m just glad we got access to all the numbers so far this year. He just gives us a peak at the numbers. He obviously has the season 4 numbers…
Nope, it’s not. That’s why, Kirsten you DA MAN! Or the Woman….
Whatevs, ya all know she rules :).
Wasn’t Sarah Burgess actually talking to her boyfriend and not her father during that alleged “daughter-father confession”?
As soon as I read the article I thought “Yawn. Seen it.”
I very much enjoyed the stats and comments yesterday. Looks like USA Today did its “homework.”
Last year was a tough act to follow. There may never be another AI season that can live up to those guys.
As for the Idol Sales, a number of factors to think about:
1) too long a tour - 60 cities is long!
2) School has started and parents are buying supplies & clothes for school
3) Competition from HSM tour and Hana Montana
4) Ticket price $60, although I think that’s reasonable but some people are complaining.
IMO they should have toured the summer. but the way it’s going, it will be October before they end! And isn’t Sytycd starting its tour in October? Could this be Idol overkill?
I wonder when this story gets picked up by the bigger media and we see stories of AI’s starting to fall, etc. Maybe, they’ll wait for Jordin’s album to be released. I want S7 to be as good as S4. Forget S5, that’s not going to happen again.
I’m not doubting Chris S. about the Shrek deal but I’m surprised they’d offer the job to a complete Bway novice. That’s the lead role with a lot of comedy involved. Maybe, the show is constructed so someone like Chris would be fine. He does look the part.
I have a few thoughts on why the numbers are down for this year…
besides the obvious,
Last year was a tough act to follow…
But this year even though you may have had your favorite; Melinda, Jordin, Blake or whoever, you really didn’t get attached to them as a group while watching this year. Unlike last year where Chris may have been your favorite you still were wanting to see maybe Elliot, Ace or Kat (just as examples)for reasons to pay and see the show. Where this year I heard more, I liked one or two of them but I didn’t really care for the rest of them to go and see them in show. Well that is what I heard from my friends who have never missed an AI tour. Who I use to tease by the way, until I went this year:)
JPfan, I had the same thoughts. He wasn’t the “chosen” one I’m sure, he was probably one of several possibilities…you know Sligh gets a little over-exaggerated at times, I notice on his site he doesn’t exactly tell it like it is.
And Ann - yes, too much Idol goes a long way. Think of all the Idol acts touring already - Taylor, Chris, Kelly, Carrie - Constantine - Ace and more like Paris, they’re all over the State Fairs — thank goodness Fantasia is on Broadway! and Jennifer Hudson is doing movies. And then again, think about the competition for kids & family: Hana Montana and HSM!
Thanks for the extrapolated season 5 tour numbers, Kirsten (in the other blog post). Much appreciated.
Oprah offered the lead role in “Color Purple” to Fantasia. Not only was she a Broadway novice, she had never even seen a Broadway show. There is a precedent…
The tour was just as long last year.
The significant rise in ticket prices happened between Season 4 and Season 5. In fact, I speculated on the blog that the higher prices could affect attendance. It didn’t.
MJ: Oprah offered the lead role in “Color Purple” to Fantasia. Not only was she a Broadway novice, she had never even seen a Broadway show. There is a precedent…
I kinda disagree because Fantasia was a hit making record seller with 2 albums out, had toured, and made a movie and wrote a book, she had a lot going for her so she wasn’t exactly “green” like Sligh-Shrek. And believe me, before Quincy and Oprah approached Fantasia they got reco’s from other people (like maybe Randy Jackson and Simon). You don’t put a million dollar Broadway production in the hands of an unproven performer and w/o reco’s from industry execs….I’m just saying Sligh tends to over-exaggerate his standing in the music / show biz world if you read his blog, and he was probably one of several possibilities.
(I was shocked when the Bdwy musical NINE, which is being cast as a movie, did not ask Banderas to be the lead, since he resurrected it on Broadway and instead chose Bardem…that’s a strange one for me, but that’s another story.)
I don’t think Katzenberg goes to someone like sligh and offers the part w/o an audition and/or reco’s from other people. Just saying.
Boyz II Men Inks With Decca For Motown Album, Group Taking Fans Back to the Old Days
Boyz II Men is back after a long hiatus from the US music scene. The veteran R&B group has signed a deal with Decca, which will release there new album “Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA” November 13. The project was produced by “American Idol” judge Randy Jackson and also features Brian McKnight on an as-yet-unnamed track….
Singers Room
Wasn’t Gina offered a role in Rent?
Has anyone heard of the Idols doing radio interviews this year? It seemed like Ace was constantly doing the morning radio circuit last year.
PJ: Who hasn’t been offered a role in Rent? Tamyra is doing rent now.
RE: TIMES Article
The Alabama Hall of Fame actually will award Taylor Hicks One of the Achievement Awards according to this news from Times Daily
It says :
THE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Contemporary awards will be presented to six notable Alabama music achievers, including:
* John Briggs, of Killen, the “Music Industry Award”
* Larry Byrom, of Huntsville, the “Studio Musician Award”
* Rick “Shayne” Fossett, of Rainsville, the “Media Award”
* Angela Hacker, of Muscle Shoals, the “America’s Music Award”
* Taylor Hicks, of Birmingham, the “America’s Music Award”
* Chris Tompkins, of Muscle Shoals, will receive, the “Songwriters Award”
Oh God, not another awards show! :) LOL
Re: Alabama Music Hall of Fame
I have a question…does anybody know the part the Donnie Fritts played in A Star is Born? I don’t want to be tempted to watch it again although it is a really good movie.
And about the golf tournament that will be played in Prattville and shown on the Golf Channel…ya’ll look for me because I will be there. I’ll just have to break it to my husband that we will be now going to the Pro-Am as well as the tournament. It’s just money, right????
He played the part of Speedway in the 1976 version of A STAR IS BORN
See here
This is how I felt for what it’s worth.
Yep, I feel the same way. I loved seeing all five of the AI5 guys.
This year there were a couple of guys I really couldn’t imagine having to sit through and I’m not a big diva fan - at all. I obviously was a big fan of Elliott’s but was also a fan of the group of guys as a whole. I’d pay big bucks to see them all together again!
I just read our local paper and we have fair here that at one time was a really big time event but now has faltered and is trying to make a comeback. It says Moove and Groove with Vonzell from American Idol. She’ll be at the National Cattle Congress Fair on Sept. 16th in Waterloo, Iowa. Hadn’t heard anything about her for a long time, so yes Idol, and former Idol contestants are everywhere.
Congrats to Taylor for the future receiving of the America’s Music Award. What a difference 2 years make. He should be very proud.
Thank you. I think we’ll have to wait for next year’s tour to really decide how “awful” this season is actually doing. People in general could just be getting tired of the AI fad. It happens all the time. TV shows can be all the rage one season and then just die out the next.
Last year was the result of PERFECT casting. PERFECT. Stack them up vocally to other years and season 5 is about par with the rest. What they had was the perfect MIX of personalities. The people this season aren’t boring. It’s just that last season filled all of the stereotypes…the blond ditz, the hearing impaired “ugly” kid with the big voice, the diva beauty with the stage mom, the old kid who just wanted to be like Ray, the cliche rocker, the gospel diva, the teenage diva x 2, the hearthrob. I mean…look at it…about half of them could barely sing, but there was someone there for everyone to like. This season didn’t have as much variety. Blame the show. Not the people.
Disagree. They can all sing. Might not be to your liking, but they can sing.
I agree about the casting to some extent. There’s been lots of talk about backstories. I am still smarting from Ace’s story not being explored, so, yeah. I don’t know if I appreciate the backstories as much as everyone else. Use them, but be fair.
I don’t want the backstory until the top 10 finalists. The only one who had an interesting story IMO was sanjaya, he became gossip fodder — correction - his parents became gossip fodder. The others did not really have an interesting story from what I know.
http://jordinsparks.com/
This is a very well done website. Very professional. She looks good.
Jordin’s 1st single should have been Wishing on a Star.