American Idol 2013

[My Alter Ego]

1.) Don't forget the clnsterf*ck going on behind the scenes, among the touring contestants AND the higher ups.

2.) Great for Candice she won the contest, Not so Great it happened during the most dysfunctional season in Idol history

3.) (Most of the time, this type of chaos is not conducive to focus or creativity)

4.) She will need to let this pass, unfortunately, before the real working towards her career goals begin

1.) Sigh .. Tis true ... there seem to be a few too many drama queens in this year's group.

2.) Also true -- and one that I've thought of multiple times.

3.) Granted -- although, if her twitter messages are any indication, she is just excited. She may, as the winner, be able to maintain a distance from the drama. She does seem to be making a number of appearances (Vegas, D.C. on the Fourth of July, some BET event, which may have been the Vegas gig, I'm not sure). Thinking back to Season 10, Scotty wasn't involved until the end of the show -- and he was only in the group number that followed his set, from what I can see. Phillip was recovering until right before the tour started, I think, so it's understandable that he wasn't so involved.

4.) Yes this is also true. Not your point, but I certainly hope that Candice can afford to maintain some level of vocal coaching. She's got that powerful voice, but I'm concerned for her that she might, unknowingly, do some damage to those glorious pipes of hers.

[Tom22]

Which covers of songs from this season are you guys still listening to and think that you'll be you guys be listening to years later?

I just listened to Amber's studio version of Mac Arthur park 4 times in the last hour.

To be clear, my enjoyment of the song has a lot to do with the arrangment and execution of the idol band. I think Amber captured the spirit I see in the song in her singing yet it's not her voice that leaps out at me but more her steady augmenting of the rythym and sweep of the orchestration

.... AND

I love the lyrics(they're very much not "scrambled eggs" to me.... there is a lot to chew on allegorically in them... i find they really capture something ephemeral and magical ... times in our lives we don't know how special that they until we look back on them.. the concept of trying to put pieces together purposely plan magical times with a recipe etc so true.... transitioning into a flight of fantasy and even more quixotically an emotion to throw off the shackles that make it seem impossiilb in a F.U. way and Knowing that destiniy is on your side ! : )

Ok.. that's that. I'd take it as an insult if someone called me a realist!

From the comments I've heard the writer didn't like the song and took its meaning in a literal and any literal way (literal interpretation is an insult like realist).

I bet he wrote it in a moment of emotional strife where his emotions poured out into words in a Jack Keurac fashion (maybe he was even under some residual influence ? : ) where his "repressed" self just flowed !. The arrangements and orchestrations over the years have taken on a life of their own and I think match the sense of philosophy , and resolve to recapture a trancendental bliss again!

OOOOPs

2 paragraphs.

Which covers of songs from this season are you guys still listening to and think that you'll be you guys be listening to years later?

[mercfan3]

I'm still listening to a few of Candice's. Love Song, particularly. And "Done" with Janelle. As well as Angie and Adam's Titanium, and Angie's "Diamond." (I don't care what anyone says, I LOVE that arraingement.)

But I'll say this, I think part of the reason why I didn't absolutely fall in love with Candice, is because I was never as crazy about her recordings as I was her live performances. I loved both Haley's performances and her studios. Jessica has one of my favorite studios ever from a contestant (Sweet Dreams.) But this season, I really didn't like them..even though I enjoyed the girls voices a lot. (My reality tv contestant playlist this year is essentially Amber, Danielle, and Michelle. The Voice stays winning with me.)

So, I'll rewatch Candice's videos. But I don't own any of her recordings.

[lovinghaleyr]

I'm still listening to a few of Candice's. Love Song, particularly. And "Done" with Janelle. As well as Angie and Adam's Titanium, and Angie's "Diamond." (I don't care what anyone says, I LOVE that arraingement.)

But I'll say this, I think part of the reason why I didn't absolutely fall in love with Candice, is because I was never as crazy about her recordings as I was her live performances. I loved both Haley's performances and her studios. Jessica has one of my favorite studios ever from a contestant (Sweet Dreams.) But this season, I really didn't like them..even though I enjoyed the girls voices a lot. (My reality tv contestant playlist this year is essentially Amber, Danielle, and Michelle. The Voice stays winning with me.)

So, I'll rewatch Candice's videos. But I don't own any of her recordings.

I agree with you MF3 about Haley because the most of her studio records
was really greats(BATJ;ROTD;POMH;HOTRS;WIWYNSB;YON etc)but in her
lives performances she ever added some magical little change then thats
was transformed in AMAZING HEAVEN MUSIC.That's why I love H.E.R.

[Miguel]

Former 'American Idol' contestant David Willis renovates, reopens Mount Dora coffee shop


"American Idol finalist David Willis along with his wife, Olivia, bought and renovated the Mount Dora Coffee House in Mount Dora."

MOUNT DORA — When David Willis returned home after an amazing run on TV's "American Idol" in late February, he and his wife, Olivia, laid out the options for their next step. They decided that unless something popped up in their hometown of Mount Dora they'd move to California to continue pursuing music.

Something did come up.The couple bought, renovated and reopened a downtown coffee shop, renaming it Mount Dora Coffee House & Bistro. The business opportunity allowed them to stay here.

"I sort of stumbled on it," Willis said during an interview at the coffee shop, wearing a black chef's hat and sipping a lemonade. He and Olivia were looking for an apartment downtown, and the coffee shop at 342 Dora Drawdy Way has one above it. The room wasn't available, but the owner told Willis he wanted to sell the business and joked that the couple could live there.

David, 22, and Olivia, 21, dreamed of owning their own coffee shop. Both had worked as baristas in local coffee shops since high school and come from families with excellent cooks. Some menu items are made by family members, such as the carrot cake, a customer favorite prepared by Olivia's mother, Priscilla Hand of Mount Dora.

"No one has tried it and said it's just OK," David Willis said.

On "Idol," Willis wowed judges with his version of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" during his audition and made it to the lightning round. However, he fell short of advancing into the top-10 male finalists.

Settling into life after the bright lights, the couple bought the coffee shop in early April and invested about $10,000 worth of renovations into the space to prepare for its June 1 reopening. David and Olivia mostly went the DIY route, channeling their creative passions into the décor. Vintage Edison lights hang from the ceiling, filaments glowing orange over the coffee bar. And the wall across from the bar is a three-dimensional puzzle of Lowe's scrap wood, an unconventional acoustic panel for the live music that resonates through the shop and out into Dora Drawdy Way from 7 to 10 p.m. every evening.

Every day except Sunday — when the shop is closed — Olivia and David start at 6:30 a.m., cooking made-to-order breakfasts in the back kitchen. Menu items include pancakes with berries, hash-brown-crusted quiche Lorraine and cinnamon French toast. They brew the shop's unique blend from Groveland-based Golden Hills Coffee Roasters.

The long days are tough for the Willises, who are trying to get the shop in shape enough to function without their constant presence — especially since David said he wants to audition for Idol again. However, the days aren't so different from David's constant going during Idol. And they really don't feel that long, he said.

"Because when you're doing something you're really passionate about," he said, "days fly by."

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013...coffee-bar

This was the listing for the business:

http://www.orangedot.com/commercial-for-...y-67783805

[Tusk]

All-Star Game ‏@AllStarGame 8 Jul
American Idol winner @CandiceGlover to perform National Anthem & @MarcAnthony to sing God Bless America at #ASG, live on FOX on 7/16.

[Himm2]

If anyone's interested in seeing what songs the top 5 girls are singing on the American Idol Live Tour this summer here is a playlist:
http://www.youtube.com/user/mylifeback4r...ture=watch
Maybe I'll find one of Aubrey's performances - remember she was the 11th to make the tour. Here's photos but no audio:

[Tusk]

Yeah, Aubrey's got legs for days and seems to be making the best of her opportunity, I think she is in more of the performances than Lazaro, maybe Curtis, as a back up singer, group songs and at least one solo. Not bad for someone who didn't make the top 10 or have to go through the competition.

Pia tweeted

Pia Toscano ‏@PiaToscano 1h
Whose gonna be at the Nokia tonight for the Idol Live tour ???

I asked if she was going to be joined by her S10 pals and she favorited the tweet. Not sure if that's a yes or not? I wonder if Haley is back in LA, yet, and will be going too...?

[taperjean_girl]

I've been watching some of the videos of the tour. There's some dud performances and some awesome performances in there. Overall, they're putting on a really fun show. Its a pity they're playing in front of half empty stadiums every night though.

Kree, surprisingly, seems to be the standout of the tour so far. She's getting awesome reviews for her performances. Loved her cover of Alabama shakes "hold on" and especially "up to the mountain" with her on guitar.

I really hope Angie gets signed. Her new song "put it down on me" has hit written all over it.

[Tusk]

I posted this vid at MJs, from Kent WA (Stefano's old Stomping ground) where the tour started. It's the Finale performance, which seems so sedate with no life. Compare that to the S10 Finale, and you wonder if it's even the same franchise...





...and can I say, I'm not a big fan of the black leggings these women are wearing. Under those lights, it's unflattering IMO.