American Idol season 7 winner David Cook dropped by Good Morning America on Monday to chat about last night’s American Idol Hollywood Week episode. The visit was one day ahead (April 3) of the singer’s debut in the Broadway musical Kinky Boots.
Having gone through “hell week” himself during his 2008 run on the show, David acknowledged the gauntlet the contestants are put through. “It’s a lot of up til 2 am, up at 6 am for a week,” he says. “You get towards the latter half of the week and its emotionally and physically draining. You see it. These kids are at the end of their rope for sure. It’s this big week, and you’re trying to get through to the show. I can empathize.”
“It’s PTSD for sure!” he adds.
As far as his favorite performance of the night, David chooses Thaddeus Johnson’s emotional take on Katy Perry’s “Rise,” which had the entire panel on their feet. “It’s always a challenge to sing for your supper in front of America and risk falling flat on your face,” says David. “And then to compound that with singing an artist’s song in front of the artist.”
David also liked Britney Holmes, the singer was voted through to Hollywood thanks to America’s vote. When asked if he could choose a favorite, David hedged. “i’ve never picked a winner, you understand.” He finally said, “I think Thaddeus won last night. I don’t know about the whole show yet.”
David calls his upcoming star turn in Kinky Boots “Such a different challenge after touring and playing my own music after the last 10 years.” He confessed, “The last theater I did was [in high school]. This is a big challenge.”
On the new EP Chromance that David just released, he shares the reason why he chose include the Phil Collins cover, “Another Day in Paradise.” He says, “I felt like the message behind that song reasonated. The song to me is about inclusion and acceptance. The same as Kinky Boots. It fell right in line production-wise with the record.”
Watch David Cook on Good Morning America below.
