David Archuleta
Most teen Disney heroes have got nothing on David Archuleta. The 17-year-old who was one of the most exciting “American Idol” contenders has one of those once-in-a-decade pop voices: A silky tenor with a natural melancholy that makes him a heartbreaker by default. His charming debut exploits that very quality with some strokes of pop genius, like “Touch My Hand,” a temporary love ballad to the pretty girl in the front row, and “Your Eyes Don’t Lie,” a Jonas Brothers-do-”No Diggity” ditty with a fair amount of crooner slink. But Archie is at his best on the bleeders, like piano ballad “To Be With You,” and “Angels,” the Robbie Williams cover he saved from obscurity on “Idol.” These are the kinds of performances meant for arenas.
“Idol” champ David Cook set to release debut album
Now Cook and the team at 19 Recordings/RCA are trying to keep the momentum going with his self-titled debut, due November 18. On “Idol,” he received rave reviews and millions of votes for his hard rock makeovers of pop songs like Lionel Richie’s “Hello” and Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby.” Some controversy arose as to where the arrangements came from, particularly concerning his rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” which was based on a version done by Chris Cornell, but it didn’t deter fans from crowning him the winner.
More Idol Headlines after the Jump…
Chart
Josiah Leming’s story is somewhat different. He auditioned during the seventh season of Idol, and impressed the judges enough to win a trip to Hollywood. He made an impact on viewers with his vocal prowess and also for living in his car and breaking down in tears during an emotional moment. Many were surprised when he was sent home without making it into the top 24. More people were surprised when he signed a recording deal with Warner Bros. Records.
Leming has released an EP, “Angels Undercover,” on Reprise and that set debuts on the Top Heatseekers chart at No. 26. That makes Leming the 39th “Idol” to appear on a Billboard chart. If you just consider singers who became finalists by making the top 12, the number of “Idols” who have charted remains at 37.
David Archuleta ‘Giddy’ About Solo Career
David Archuleta is ready to move beyond “American Idol.”
The “Idol” runner-up wants his first album to prove he is more than just a pretty face. Reuters is reporting the 17-year-old is still giddy and excited about launching his solo music career just six months after his second-place “Idol” win.
Insider: ‘Idol’ finalist eyes CMA red carpet, Chesney
“American Idol” finalist Kristy Lee Cook needs a date - fast.
Yes, she’s engaged (no date set yet, however), but she jokingly says she may need a date for the Country Music Association Awards on Wednesday night in Nashville.
Though she is signed to a major label (only one of three performers from this year’s “Idol” to say that) and appeared regularly on the most-watched TV show this year, Cook may not be able to go to the awards show on her own merits. There’s a chance she can walk the event’s red carpet if her current single does well enough.
“It has to be top 20 … or I can’t walk down the red carpet,” Cook moaned during a recent visit to the WIVK-FM, 107.7, studios.
5 CMA contenders for New Artist of the Year honors
Kellie Pickler - A former contestant on American Idol (2005), Pickler delivered a show-stopping performance of her emotional I Wonder at last year’s CMA Awards. She’s scored hits with that tune, as well as Red High Heels and Things That Never Cross a Man’s Mind. This is the second year she has been nominated in the new-artist category.
Idol star coming to town
Just four short years ago, Bo Bice was a breakout star on the immensely popular reality competition show, American Idol.
The Alabama native brought his southern rock style to the show’s fourth season and became an immediate fan favorite. He made it through to the show’s final round before losing to Carrie Underwood, who has gone on to become a country music queen.
For Bo Bice, the show’s end was just the beginning.
Since his Idol days, he has released two albums and toured the world with the same rock flair fans fell in love with on the show.
Catching Up With Bo Bice
To celebrate the latest season of American Idol Rewind , I’ve been catching up with some of the most memorable contestants from the third and fourth seasons of American Idol. One of those unforgettable contestants is Bo Bice, the first rocker to make it to the Idol finale when he faced off with country star Carrie Underwood during season four. This week, Bo fills us in on what he’s been up to lately. Here’s what he had to say via email:
McEntire, Clarkson a powerful duo
ALBANY Country star Reba McEntire teamed up with pop star Kelly Clarkson for a show filled with simply spectacular singing.
McEntire had positioned herself to be the queen of country music, but slipped a bit in the ’90s, smartly sidestepping into television (”Reba”) and Broadway (”Annie Get Your Gun”).
Now McEntire’s riding the coattails of “American Idol” sensation Kelly Clarkson, who’s half her age. Clarkson who barely survived a dust-up with legendary record man Clive Davis is now managed by McEntire’s husband, Narvel Blackstock, hence this matchup.
Reba and Kelly create a more perfect union
Fifty-three-year-old Reba McEntire was paying dues in bars, dance halls and honky tonks before Kelly Clarkson was potty trained. Clearly, other than near perfect pitch, the two of them have nothing in common.
Except, of course, that when they teamed up for the 2 Worlds, 2 Voices Tour stop at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center Friday night, they delivered what is arguably the best country concert the North Coast has seen in years. And because of the diversity in Clarkson’s music, it could even be called the best in any genre.
Give TOTP to Simon Cowell
Can somebody tell me why the BBC won’t sell the format of Top of the Pops to Simon Cowell?
Is it because they know he will make a huge success of it?
What I don’t understand is he will have to pay royalties for the right to use it. Isn’t it their duty to lease it to bring in more revenue to a struggling BBC instead of leaving it on the shelf, gathering dust?
After all, the money could go towards one of the many salaries. Anything from Graham Norton’s £2.6m to Gary Lineker’s £1.5m or even towards one of the many controllers of vision, whatever they are, who earn anything from £190k to £250k.
‘So You Think You Can Dance’ reinvented as a road show
Someday, perhaps not long in the future, television audiences will discover the satisfaction of watching master dancers command a stage. High definition promises to revolutionize the way dance appears on screen.
In the meantime, “So You Think You Can Dance,” the hokey contest for aspiring hoofers, already attracts millions of viewers.
Reinvented as a road show, the program cheered a crowd of fans at the Prudential Center in Newark on Thursday. While this pixelated spectacle will never offer the mental and emotional stimulation that dance lovers receive from movement more subtly designed and executed, “So You Think You Can Dance” has improved.
The Light On video is now available on iTunes, but it’s kind of buried. I found it by searching for “Light On” and clicking “see all” on the Music Video results. MJ can probably make a pretty link.
Great review for Archie in Billboard!
“Angels” needed to be saved from obscurity? … I keep forgetting that Robbie Williams is a “Robbie who?” here.
^Billboard love Archie… lol…
In the Americanidol.com has a nice banner for preorder Archie is album… I really hope the album do well, I will raether have steady and goodnumbers that a big debut, buy… I guess we will see….
Jennifer Hudson’s “Spotlight” is the featured ad this week on the Mediabase login page.
Nice review from Billboard. And delighted that they appreciated and mentioned Your Eyes Don’t Lie - one of my favourite and actually undervalued one.
The bonus tracks for David Archuleta Deluxe album are up….
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KQFZU…6&sr=102-18
ETA.
Falling is the song that David write by himself when he was 14 (according to the rumors) is pretty with the piano…
The other have a more rock vibe, IMHO…. me like
ETAA:
I have learned all the lyrics for the album, now I´m ready for concert… so when is David comming to Latin America… he random, but I´m proud of myself…;P
Actually add 2 since Brianna Taylor and Brooke Barrettsmith appeared on that chart as well.
Celeste, your link to the Amazon bonus tracks isn’t working for me. I get an error message.
Rumors!!! David Archuleta told me himself that he wrote “Falling”. ;). :).
Let me see….
Amazon….
Let me know if it work…
Oh MJ you lucky girl…. well I will take you are a trustworthy source then ;P…
hehehe so what do you think of the new songs…
So FOD, http://fansofdavid.com/, is reporting that Your Eyes Don´t Lie was played in Houston 104.1 Face Off against Metro Station 17 Forever, and your Eyes Don´t Lie won…. so then again WTH Jive why TMH…
http://fansofdavid.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/houston.bmp
11/07/08 Amazon
Taylor Hicks “Whomp At The Warfield” (2008) Starring: Taylor Hicks
Pre-order Price Guarantee. Learn more.
This title will be released on February 17, 2009. Pre-order now!
Here’s a pretty link to the light on video on iTunes! I’m going to put up a post…
Light On - Video
That’s a great review of Archie’s album from Billboard. It’s kind of nice that this reviewer actually appears to have listened to the album, unlike a few of the others I’ve read.
Thanks for the clips, celeste…I like ‘em. “Let Me Go” has a bit of a funk groove to it and “Waiting For Yesterday” has a nice little hook. I actually wonder why these songs are being relegated to bonus track status when they are pretty strong on their own. “Falling” sounds quite impressive to me coming from a 14 year-old kid. I wonder if the song is about the vocal paralysis years. It’d be interesting to know what was going through his head at the time he wrote it.
I really interested in hearing the rest of Falling, come nov 11th. I thin kits one of those songs you need to hear the whole thing. Most interested in the lyrics and such since he did write this when he was 14. The piano parts already sound good.
Now onto the next round of the idol finale…. the sales numbers battle of the Davids
!!!!!!!!!!!!. Hopefully in this battle we all can play nice 
Actually, I’m hoping it doesn’t need to be a battle at all.
I just listened, but the clips are too short to say…
why must the clips always be too short….
Thank you for the pretty link. Video bought. Now to put on my ipod and hook it up to my widescreen TV….
FYI: mtv is soliciting questions for DC, who will be appearing on TRL. I saw on DCO that he’ll appear on TRL on 11/12.
I’m really loving what I heard in those few seconds of ‘Falling’. Pretty amazing that David wrote that when he was 14. Thanks mj for getting that scoop. Also just wanted to take a moment to say thanks as well for your great site and all your efforts. I’ve lurked for months and have only recently started posting. There is always a great discussion, lots of different points of view and I really appreciate how you moderate to keep things fun, fair and civilized
I’m with Aladdin 88 and hope with the release of the Davids respective albums that there is no battle…just HUGE success for both of them. And heck..for all of the S7 idols too! Apologies for getting OT and all positive and optimistic…it’s the Obama effect!
ohhh on the 12th? Archies going to be there on the 11th! wonder if they will have overlap time there?
suppposedly Archie might be on MTV Made.
http://idolforums.com/index.php?showtopic=583375
Thanks qbaloo, welcome to the site…
If you go to the old David Archuleta page when he was at Star Search, he often talks about “being sick” and having trouble singing… if at the Journal section…
MJ - I’ll echo qbaloo here. What I like about your site is that it’s one-stop shopping. heh!
I’m an Archie through and through and I scour the sites for all minutia on him. BUT, I like me some Cookie too, but haven’t the time for TWO idol obsessions. Not if I want to sleep, and work for a living, and have any sort of social life. haha! Here, I can at least get info on the BIG happenings with Cookie and the others.
So, thanks!
Complete rundown of Idol contestants on at least one Billboard-monitored chart:
Italics - non-finalist
SEASON 1
Kelly Clarkson
Justin Guarini
Tamyra Gray
RJ Helton
Jim Verraros
SEASON 2
Ruben Studdard
Clay Aiken
Kimberley Locke
Josh Gracin
Vanessa Olivarez
SEASON 3
Fantasia Barrino
Diana DeGarmo
Jasmine Trias
LaToya London
George Huff
John Stevens
Jennifer Hudson
William Hung
SEASON 4
Carrie Underwood
Bo Bice
Constantine Maroulis
Mario Vazquez
Jeff Johnson (Band)
SEASON 5
Taylor Hicks
Katharine McPhee
Elliott Yamin
(Chris) Daughtry
Paris Bennett
Kellie Pickler
Ace Young
Bucky Covington
Mandisa
Ayla Brown
Brianna Taylor
Brooke Barrettsmith
SEASON 6
Jordin Sparks
Blake Lewis
Phil Stacey
Chris Sligh
SEASON 7
David Cook
David Archuleta
Jason Castro
Kristy Lee Cook
Josiah Leming
37 finalists and 44 total contestants
According to Snarky Archies, it looks like David A. will be making a cameo appearance in the MTV show Made.
Couple days old, but an interesting article that I found.
The awful Jhud tragidy,the nasty politics and the “bad ” reviews of some Fav idols. This is a way to step back and watch and just go ” AWWWWW” and relax….warning cute pets …
http://video.yahoo.com/network/100284668?v=3805344&l=3774740
“Your Eyes Don’t Lie” jumped out at me whenI listened to the whole album preview. IT’s a winner!
littlepark– Trust me, imo, there isnt a question of “Robbie who?” I love RW and I just dont like when people cover certain songs that should never be covered. I will give Archie credit, his version is better than the JS one, but still.