The Voice’s Brynn Cartelli on Living Her Dream and Making Kelly Clarkson Cry – What advice has she given you from her experience winning American Idol? Kelly will sit me down and be like, “I know what you’re going to feel like at this time. This is what you have to do. Don’t get frustrated. It’s going to be not fun all the time, but it’s worth it in the end.” She reminds me of that and helps me understand what it’s going to be like. How collaborative is she? Does she listen to your song choices? More than ever, she’s been so collaborative. When we meet her, we bounce ideas off of each other. She’s setting me up for a future after the show so that everyone has an idea of who I am as an artist so that the fans who followed me on this journey get what they deserve from me, which is a pop/soul style of music. She’s so encouraging and down to earth. – Read more at Parade.com
Rayshun LaMarr of ‘The Voice’ Talks With WCHL Ahead of Semi-Finals – Chapel Hill native Rayshun LaMarr, a contestant on NBC’s ‘The Voice,’ spoke with WCHL news director Blake Hodge about his experience in the competition, his background with musical performances and his interactions on ‘The Voice’ with Sanford’s Britton Buchanan. – Listen at ChapelBro.com
Why Caleb Lee Hutchinson of Dallas GA can win ‘American Idol’ – Hutchinson came in a bit heavyset during auditions last summer but at the time he decided to make a concerted effort to lose weight. By the time ABC was airing live shows a month ago, he had shed 80 pounds. His stage presence has been tentative at times and he looks far more comfortable with a guitar than without. But his likability and authenticity are unquestioned. – Read more at AJC.com
5 Questions for American Idol’s Jurnee – What was your relationship like with Ada Vox, the other LGBTQ contestant in the Top 10 this season? A: Ada and I were very close and it was hard to see her leave. We are both Tauruses and we just understood each other on every level. We really bonded with the changes we wanted to make to how society sees the LGBTQ community. There is so much work to be done and I think Ada and I are already starting to make a difference. – Read more at GLAAD.org
Katy Perry’s Advice For ‘American Idol’ Hopefuls After Ending Taylor Swift Feud: ‘Be Pleasant’ (Exclusive) – “In the beginning, it’s gonna be a whirlwind,” the Witness artist told ET after Sunday’s American Idol taping in Los Angeles. “They’re gonna be holding onto their wigs for dear life.” As for her important tips, Perry feels it’s important to “just and be as pleasant as possible and take everything with a Himalayan grain of salt.” “And trust the people that brought you here,” she added. “Keep them around.” – Read more at ETOnline
American Idol’ Judges on the Secret to Carrie Underwood’s Success (Exclusive) – “She’s so ethereal, beautiful, powerful, and it was wonderful to hear her say some of the things that we have yet to [say], ’cause we don’t get to talk to these kids,” Perry said of having Underwood help determine who of the two out of five contestants would be going home. “We just see them when they’re on the stage and so she really helps steer their ships, and I think she’s just a goddess.” – Read more at Entertainment Tonight
Steven Tyler Compares New ‘American Idol’ Judges to Him, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson (Exclusive) – “I have, and I will also be not politically correct again,” Tyler says. “I thought that what we [he, Lopez and Jackson] had was very special. I thought sitting next to J.Lo, some of the things I would say to the girls that walked in with these push-up bras and lips, and I would say things that were totally inappropriate. And this side of me where she sat, black and blue. Because I was right, and it was funny …” The Aerosmith frontman says he doesn’t have any advice for Idol’s current judges, though notes that he doesn’t see “any interplay” between them. “I love them in their own way,” he explains. “It is just that there’s a certain magic between someone that goes, ‘Yo, shut up.’ Like, I would tell Randy, ‘What are you talking about?’ J.Lo, it was just a little different, and I don’t see interplay between them now. “I thought that the good thing about American Idol was Randy,” he stresses. “I think Randy got beat on being paid, I think he wasn’t respected for what he was. I think he was the one — ‘yo, dog’ — and people would come in, it would lighten them up.” – Read more at Entertainment Tonight
‘American Idol’ Top 3 Talk Carrie Underwood, Upcoming Finale – Barrett shared that a song she wants to perform by the end of the season is “Paradise City” by Guns N’ Roses. Unfortunately, she said, it “isn’t on the cleared list.” So while she wants to try to “convince them into it,” she admits she just wants to “do something kick butt, for sure.” Poppe takes a different tactic. “I don’t ever plan ahead because I don’t know if I’m gonna get there,” she said. “I don’t want to get my hopes up and then get cut and be like, ‘Oh I didn’t get to sing my song.” So right now to be totally honest I don’t have anything planned for next week. And it’s scary, but I’m ready for it. I’m just happy I’m in the finale, you know? It’s cool that we’re all gonna get just as much exposure, no matter who wins, everyone’s gonna get the same amount of exposure.” – Read more at Variety
