Q&A: “American Idol” singer Casey Bishop talks music, breakfast and more – Born and raised in the Estero and Fort Myers area, Ms. Bishop is a sophomore at The Center for the Arts at Cypress Lake High School and turned 16 in February just before her audition was televised. Florida Weekly reporter Evan Williams caught up with her by phone on a recent Saturday afternoon for a few candid questions. – Read more at Charlotte County
American Idol’s Ronda Felton Recalls Connecting With Idol Jennifer Hudson – Ronda, the 19-year-old Milwaukee native living in Phoenix who made even Lionel Richie cry with her now-viral audition, told Seacrest that because of the time difference, she was late to catch her audition on TV, but her phone was blowing up. “Mountain time is very different from eastern time … so we’re still waiting right and I’m like, ‘My phone is going off!’ There’s a ton of people like texting me, calling me, … [and] I’m like, ‘Wait a minute, I know that name!’” Ronda recalled while scrolling through Instagram. “… I was like, ‘This is crazy! Jennifer Hudson knows who I am!’” Ronda added the two then connected on IG and exchanged messages. – Read more at On Air with Ryan Seacrest
Raine Stern: Extended interview with local contestant on NBC’s The Voice – The latest contestant to join Nick Jonas’ team on NBC’s The Voice hails from none other than Madison, Wisconsin. NBC15 caught up with Raine Stern to find out what the whole process has been like. Stern says auditioning for The Voice wasn’t always on her mind. She has a nine-piece band that she regularly performs and writes songs within the Madison area. But when the pandemic shut down live events last year, Stern had to adjust. She says her partner suggested she offer to record fans’ favorite songs for a small fee. Stern posted her “Quarantunes” to social media for fun, but it wasn’t long before her vocals and multi-instrumental ability caught the attention of a Voice talent scout. – Watch the interview at NBC15.com
How ‘The Voice’ star Carolina Rial went from singing in her N.J. bedroom to national TV – “‘The Voice’ has always been something that I wanted to do, for a very long time,” Rial tells NJ Advance Media. “This is the biggest goal that I’ve ever achieved with music. I’d auditioned a few times before but never gotten to the blind audition process. So being here now and then getting a chair-turn was absolutely incredible. It’s something that I always knew I could do, but I never knew how I could get there.” – Read more at NJ.com
‘The Voice’ contestant Carolina Rial of Ridgefield looks forward to learning from a Legend – About the only downside to Rial’s triumph was that she was denied a basic perk of teen stardom: going to school the next day an instant celebrity. Saint Dominic Academy in Jersey City, where she studies, is still closed. She has no regrets. “I don’t feel I was robbed of anything,” she said. These days, at home with her mother Maria (she has two siblings, an older sister, Victoria, and a twin brother, William), she learns remotely. But no matter. The whole state knows who she is now. “I’m very proud to represent New Jersey,” she said. – Read more NorthJersey
Kelly’s Mom Got A Surprise Call From President Joe Biden
Nick Jonas Was Nervous Hosting ‘SNL’
Big Ego Tapes ft American Idol Alum Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon – Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon on the euphoria and ambition of recording his debut album Namesake, how “Almost Heaven” died and came back to life, why an artist sings a song, and escaping the star-maker machinery of American Idol. – Read more at BigEgoTapes
