IDOL LIVE

"It's the wheel of the world"

2010-09-19T23:11:00.002-04:00

After more than two and a half years of regularly blogging about all things Idol, I am announcing that IDOL LIVE will be put on hiatus indefinitely. Considering my love for this show has been waning ever since Season 5 and I am just starting my final, most challenging semester of college, I don't have the time, nor the drive, to continue with my regular blogging duties.

The quality of this past season didn't help matters, as I almost ended IDOL LIVE immediately following the end of the season, but decided to carry on in case anything interesting happened (and technically, the Fantasia episode warranted my decision to stick with it). But as Idol enters its 10th season as a shadow of its former self, I think it's better to stop now rather than sit and watch the Titanic's deck chairs rearranged one last time.

Who knows, maybe by the time Simon's The X Factor debuts next fall I will be back on the blogging bandwagon? But for now, I'll be sitting on the sidelines and observing from a quieter perch. To all of you who have read my posts, commented and contributed your own material over the years, I sincerely thank you for your interest. You are what kept me going.

I can still be reached at idollive.net@gmail.com, if necessary, and I will continue to monitor IDOL LIVE's Twitter account, but will not be publishing new material.

And with that, I will leave you with the chorus of Carrie Underwood's "Wheel of the World," one of my favorite tracks of hers:

It's the wheel of the world
It's the wheel of the world turning around
In the blink of an eye
It can change your life
And it never even slows down
It's the wheel of the world

Thanks again,

-Mike

Poll of the week: Arch still favorite contestant in 'Idol' history

2010-09-16T08:50:00.000-04:00

In the final round of IDOL LIVE's poll of the week champion series, David Archuleta reigned supreme as the preferred finalist of all time, just like he has done in the past.

After trouncing his peers in the runner-up competition four weeks ago, Arch once again demolishes the field here, earning 745 of the 820 votes cast, or 90%. The only other contender who finished with a respectable total was Carrie Underwood, who had 58 votes (7%).

The fact that six finalists failed to receive a single vote says a lot about the people who voted to get them into the finale round.

To all of you who have cast votes in the champion series rounds over the past few months, thank you very much for your efforts!

Carrie Underwood 58 (7%)
David Archuleta 745 (90%)
Melinda Doolittle 1 (0%)
Chris Daughtry 13 (1%)
Brooke White 2 (0%)
Kellie Pickler 0 (0%)
Jennifer Hudson 1 (0%)
Michael Johns 0 (0%)
Ramiele Malubay 0 (0%)
Chikezie Eze 0 (0%)
Alexis Grace 0 (0%)
David Hernandez 0 (0%)

Total votes: 820

David Archuleta premieres new song at MDA telethon

2010-09-12T20:44:00.000-04:00

Jerry Lee Lewis's annual Labor Day MDA telethon featured a bunch of Idol alums as usual, including Constantine Maroulis and Ace Young. David Archuleta also stopped by to premiere his new song "Things Are Gonna Get Better." Watch the performance below:

"Things Are Gonna Get Better" will be featured on Arch's forthcoming sophomore album The Other Side of Down, out Tues., Oct. 5. It can be pre-ordered at Amazon.com.

HITS estimates: 'Back to Me' #5 w/ 39.4k

2010-09-08T13:09:00.000-04:00

There were once again two Idol alums represented by album on the latest edition of HITS Daily Double's Top 50 building album sales chart.

Fantasia kicked things off with her two-week old Back to Me, which tumbled a hefty 68% in sales to 39.4k copies. On the chart front, it was off three spots and remained in the Top 5.

And making a surprise return to the Top 50 was Carrie Underwood, whose Play On landed at #38 with 9.1k copies.

Don't forget to check out Billboard for official positions available for the Billboard 200 on Thursday.

Flashback: Nick Pedro's "Fever"

2010-09-07T01:15:00.000-04:00

Season 6 featured a host of forgettable guys, especially in the Top 24. But Nick Pedro managed to actually make some noise with his rendition of the overdone "Fever," which has been covered by everyone and their mother. Watch the performance from Top 20 week below:

While the quick cuts to the drummer got a little annoying, Nick's vocals were for the most part on target. As to whether Simon's critiques of his style and charisma were representative of what led to his subsequent elimination the following night, we probably will never know.

'Idol' odds 'n ends: Season 10 auditions adds last-minute Los Angeles stop

2010-09-03T14:59:00.001-04:00

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>TMZ is reporting that Jennifer Lopez is back in the good graces of Simon Fuller and co., as she will most likely sign a deal next week that will permanently put her in the seat once held by Simon Cowell/Ellen DeGeneres.
Sources connected to the negotiations tell TMZ ... contrary to some news reports ... there has been no drama and no diva demands. As one source puts it, "It's been typical negotiating."
Well, I guess TMZ has been at the forefront with all the replacement judge drama, so this bit of info is probably as reliable as anything else out there. As to whether or not J. Lo is "the key to re-energizing the show," that is certainly still up to debate.

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>The nominations list for the 44th annual CMA Awards was revealed on Tuesday, and one Idol alum was able to score some nods as usual. Carrie Underwood is up for Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year for Play On. Although Carrie has a pretty good track record at these award shows, it looks to be Miranda Lambert's year, as she received a record nine nominations and looks to take home a lot of awards.

Still, it's good to know Carrie received more nods than Taylor Swift, who is only up for one category - FVotY. The 44th annual CMA Awards will air live on Wed., Nov. 10, at 8 p.m. on ABC.

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>Just as the disappointing Season 9 Idols Live! Tour concluded on Tuesday, Season 10's auditions have been extended to later this month when auditions will be held at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., on Wed., Sept. 22. Per Idol's website:
For the milestone 10th season of American Idol, we just couldn’t stay away from Idol’s hometown, Los Angeles, CA. In fact, this is the show’s sixth time holding hometown auditions in L.A. The goal during hometown auditions is to get a ticket Hollywood, and successful singers in L.A. won’t have to travel very far for the final round of auditions. Katharine McPhee, Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, and Andrew Garcia are among the talented Idol stars from the City of Angels. L.A. is where the Idol finalists reside while competing for the prize, and it’s the place many Idol alumni settle to pursue their music career.
It's pretty interesting that the producers think adding a last-minute stop in LA of all places will help ensure we don't get another Season 9, since LA is one of the blandest, most uninteresting places to find talent. But whatever, if they want to attract teens from skipping school for the day, they're certainly free to do so.

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>Katharine McPhee has landed another role, this one in the horror pic Shark Night 3D. Other actors recently added to the cast include Sara Paxton (The Last House on the Left) and Dustin Milligan (Extract). Per DigitalSpy:The trio will join the recently announced Sinqua Walls, Chris Carmack, Alyssa Diaz and Joel David Moore in the 3D horror movie.

The Final Destination and Snakes On A Plane helmer David R. Ellis is behind the camera for Shark Night, which centres on a group of people who are attacked by sharks while on vacation in the Louisiana Gulf area.
Well, at least it's not Piranha 3D. But Kat, is this really the best you could do? Shark movies never hold a candle to Jaws, and 3D is getting pretty tiring by now. Still, it's good to see she's continuing to get roles.

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>After only a few performances on Broadway in the musical In the Heights, Jordin Sparks injured her hip last Saturday during a show. She was understandably bummed, but like the pro that she is, she turned to Twitter to apologize to her fans and offer them a token of appreciation for coming out to see her:"Thank you so much to everyone who came tonight. Sorry I couldn't sign. :( It's hard to stand/walk. Hopefully the physical therapist can fix me! :)

"If you'd like, you can send your playbills/tkts/pics w/ a stamped return envelope to the theatre & I'll get them back to you. Thank you for understanding. It means the world. Love you guys. <3"
Jordin is now back in tip-top shape and said she is "so attached to the cast & show already!"

'Idol' Hot 100: Adam Lambert's "If I Had You" #32 (9/11/10)

2010-09-02T13:10:00.000-04:00

There were more ups than downs for Idol-related tracks on Billboard's Hot 100 chart for the chart week of Sept. 11.

Seeming to take a breather this week was Adam Lambert, whose "If I Had You" held steady at #32 for the second week in a row. Carrie Underwood's "Undo It" continued its downward trend, however, as it was off five spots to #61.

Fantasia's "Bittersweet" started to make more headway after falling back a few spots last week, advancing #82-74. And Daughtry's "September" moved ahead five spots to #80.

Full chart positions courtesy of Billboard are below:

Hot 100
32 32 Adam Lambert, "If I Had You"
61 56 Carrie Underwood, "Undo It"
74 82 Fantasia, "Bittersweet"
75 80 Daughtry, "September"

Poll of the week: Carrie Underwood is champ of choice

2010-09-02T00:12:00.000-04:00

After months of exciting competition, IDOL LIVE's poll of the week champion series for 2010 is finally coming to a close. Per usual, the second-to-last round consisted of the champions from all nine seasons matched up against each other, and the results were among the closest of all rounds this year.

Considering she is probably the most popular winner to date, it's not unheard of that Carrie Underwood would take the title here, as she nabbed 29 of all 94 votes, good for 30% of all votes cast. With this win, Carrie will represent all winners in the finale. Coming up behind her was Jordin Sparks, who took in 17 votes (18%), followed by Kelly Clarkson with 15 votes (15%).

Even David Cook reeled in 13 votes for 13%, and Kris Allen took in 10 votes for 10%. Not surprisingly, the less popular winners didn't do so well in this poll, as Lee DeWyze (4%), Fantasia (4%), Ruben Studdard (1%) and Taylor Hicks (1%) each amounted vote totals in the single digits.

Now that we have had finalists from all nine seasons of all finishing positions square off against each other, it is only fair that the victors from each round take on each other in the finale of the champion series. In this final round of voting, readers will be asked which top-ranked finalist from each placing is their overall favorite of all nine seasons. Voting will be open for not one, but two weeks. Happy voting!

Kelly Clarkson 15 (15%)
Ruben Studdard 1 (1%)
Fantasia 4 (4%)
Carrie Underwood 29 (30%)
Taylor Hicks 1 (1%)
Jordin Sparks 17 (18%)
David Cook 13 (13%)
Kris Allen 10 (10%)
Lee DeWyze 4 (4%)

Total votes: 94

HITS estimates: 'Back to Me' #2 w/ 122.1k

2010-09-01T01:16:00.000-04:00

It's a good thing Fantasia's third studio album debuted this week, otherwise no Idol alum would have been represented on the latest edition of HITS Daily Double's Top 50 building album sales chart.

Fantasia's Back to Me opened at #2 with 122.1k copies, marking her highest debut on the Billboard 200 chart despite her lowest sales open to date. When putting into consideration the fact that it's been nearly three years since Fanny released a CD, this opening week take is pretty impressive, even though it most likely would have been much lower had she not been in the public eye due to her recent suicide attempt and ensuing media appearances.

While Fanny appeared on the chart, Carrie Underwood disappeared this week thanks to sliding sales of her Play On. Don't be surprised if the album finds its way back into the Top 50 over the next few weeks.

As usual, be sure to check out Billboard for official positions available for the Billboard 200 on Thursday.

Flashback: Nikki McKibbin's "I'm the Only One"

2010-09-01T01:00:00.000-04:00

Nikki McKibbin wasn't the only one excited about her making the Top 4 on Idol's first season, as she was able to outlast front runner Tamyra Gray. Before the shocking results were ready, Nikki belted out her own version of Melissa Etheridge's "I'm the Only One," one of two songs she sang during 1990's week. Watch the performance below:

While this performance was no masterpiece, it was apparently good enough to get her into third place (because we all know her performance of "Mary Jane" didn't get her there). While Nikki had a bumpy road on her season, she clicked with a certain segment of the population and for that she will always be remembered.

Katharine McPhee's 'Unbroken' trivia giveaway - win a copy!

2010-08-29T22:42:00.001-04:00

If you do not yet own Katharine McPhee's latest album Unbroken, here's your chance to win a copy through IDOL LIVE's Unbroken trivia giveaway! Just answer the following question and follow the instructions below to get your hands on the CD.

Question:
Katharine recently took part in the Hunger-Free Summer Initiative to help raise awareness for child food insecurity, appearing on On the Record with Greta Van Susteren to promote the initiative. About how many children did she say go hungry during the summer?

Instructions:
To qualify to win a copy of Unbroken, please tweet or email your answer to the above trivia question to @IDOLLIVE or idollive.net@gmail.com (if you choose to tweet, please include your email address within the tweet).

If you are one of the first three to get the trivia question correct, you will receive a congratulations email requesting your name and mailing address. Upon receipt of the winners' names and mailing addresses, the CD will be mailed to the winners.

Please note: IDOL LIVE is not responsible for any delays or issues relating to mail delivery of the CD. The contest will be open until Friday, Sept. 3 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Submissions will be accepted until three winners have submitted their mailing addresses. Upon receiving all three, a blog post will announce the conclusion of the giveaway for the week. Any further questions should be directed to idollive.net@gmail.com.

'Idol' Hot 100: Adam Lambert's "If I Had You" #32 (9/4/10)

2010-08-29T14:18:00.000-04:00

Two tracks by Idol alums made headway while two other tracks went in the opposite direction on Billboard's Hot 100 chart for the chart week of Sept. 4.

Adam Lambert once again saw his latest single "If I Had You" gain ground on the chart, this time by 10 spots to #32. Carrie Underwood's "Undo It," on the other hand, was off by 11 spots to #56.

Daughtry's "September" saw the opposite come true, with a #91-80 jump, while Fantasia's "Bittersweet" was down slightly, #79-82.

Full chart positions courtesy of Billboard are below:

Hot 100
32 42 Adam Lambert, "If I Had You"
56 45 Carrie Underwood, "Undo It"
80 91 Daughtry, "September"
82 79 Fantasia, "Bittersweet"

'Idol' odds 'n ends: Fantasia dishes on suicide attempt on 'GMA'

2010-08-28T23:53:00.002-04:00

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>For the first time since her botched suicide attempt, Fantasia spoke out about the ordeal when she appeared on Good Morning America on Tuesday to promote the release of her latest album, Back to Me. In her interview with Robin Roberts, Fantasia said she "just wanted to be away from the noise." Watch the interview below:

Fantasia also squeezed in a few live performances for the crowd in the studio, including a televised performance of "Bittersweet."

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>Speaking of Idol alums performing on morning shows, Chris and the boys from Daughtry took to Rockefeller Plaza on Fri., Aug. 20 to perform for The Today Show's Summer Concert Series. Watch the band perform "September" below:

Daughtry also performed "Feels Like Tonight" for the television audience during the set.

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>Kelly Clarkson recently teased about a big duet with an act people have been wanting her to record with for ages, but for now fans will just have to settle for her being featured on a track with Jason Aldean. Per USAToday.com's "Idol Chatter":

The new album from country singer Jason Aldean will feature a duet with Kelly Clarkson called Don't You Wanna Stay.

Don't You Wanna Stay is due out Nov. 2, which more than likely will be before Kelly's latest disc hits retail and digital outlets.

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>It was announced about one week ago that Kris Allen will be opening for Lifehouse on its current tour beginning in October.

10/15 MGM Foxwoods, Manshucket, CT
10/16 Orpheurm Theatre, Boston, MA
10/17 Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY
10/20 The Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA
10/23 Tropicana Show Room, Atlantic City, NJ
10/24 Dar Constitution Hall, Washington DC
10/26 Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
10/29 Drury University, Springfield, MO
10/30 Choctaw Casino Events Center, Grant OK
10/31 Verizon Wireless Theatre, Houston TX
11/2 Palladium Ballroom, Dallas TX
11/4 Uptown Theatre, Kansas City, MO
11/5 Chicago Theatre, Chicago, IL
11/6 The Fillmore, Detroit, MI
11/9 Pagent, St Louis, MI
11/11 Eagles Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI
11/12 Val Air Ballroom, Des Moines, IA
11/14 Ogden Theatre, Denver, CO
11/15 In The Venue, Salt Lake City, UT
11/16 Knitting Factory, Reno, NV
11/18 Gibson Amphitheater @ Universal Studios, Universal City, CA
11/19 The Joint @ Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
11/20 Pechanga Casino, Temecula, CA
11/21 Masonic Center, San Fransisco, CA
11/23 WaMu Theatre, Seattle, WA
11/24 Roseland Theatre, Portland, OR

Kris has already opened for the likes of Lady Antebellum, Maroon 5, Keith Urban and Daughtry, so it's encouraging for Kris that Lifehouse is interested in having him on board for the remainder of its North American tour.

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>Kimberley Locke and her mom appeared on the series premiere of WETV's You're Wearing That!? on Thurs., Aug. 19. In the episode, Kim and her mom get advice from a fashion expert on how to change up their look. Watch a clip from the episode below:

Kim also recently sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "God Bless America" during the Los Angeles Dodgers game on Fri., Aug. 20.

Katharine McPhee concludes Hunger-Free Summer Initiative in Houston

2010-08-26T00:09:00.000-04:00

Katharine McPhee last week capped off her contribution to the U.S. Hunger-Free Summer Initiative for Kids co-sponsored by the ConAgra Foods Foundation and Feeding America this summer in an effort to combat child food insecurity. She sang for children at the LINC in Houston, Tex., on Tues., Aug. 17, including a performance of her cover of "Brand New Key," which can be watched below:

Over the course of the summer of 2010, 23 food banks received funding, including the Houston Food Bank, to champion the fight against child hunger by developing new approaches to increase awareness of the problem and access to services that can aid in achieving the goal of eliminating hunger. Kat traveled the country, performing at multiple community locations including in Orlando, Fla., and Santa Ana, Calif., that help children receive adequate nutritional meals when out of school.

For more information on the initiative, visit the official websites of the ConAgra Foods Foundation and Feeding America.

Poll of the week: Arch attacks rest of runners-up

2010-08-25T23:32:00.001-04:00

It wasn't even a contest for the latest round of IDOL LIVE's poll of the week champion series for 2010, as perennial favorite David Archuleta destroyed all eight fellow runners-up for the weeklong voting period.

Arch earned 545 of all 567 votes cast over the week, good for 100% (even though the poll itself says his total stands at 96% - something is obviously awry). Surprisingly, not even Adam Lambert's fans spent time on the poll. Let's see if Arch's fans can repeat in two weeks when he faces off in the champion series final against all other winners from each round.

In the next round (the second-to-last, by the way), readers will be asked which winner is their favorite of all nine seasons. Voting will be open for exactly one week.

Justin Guarini 1 (0%)
Clay Aiken 4 (0%)
Diana DeGarmo 2 (0%)
Bo Bice 2 (0%)
Katharine McPhee 4 (0%)
Blake Lewis 1 (0%)
David Archuleta 545 (96%)
Adam Lambert 4 (0%)
Crystal Bowersox 4 (0%)

Total votes: 567

HITS estimates: 'Play On' #46 w/ 8.7k

2010-08-25T16:12:00.000-04:00

It looks as though IDOL LIVE's reporting of Idol-related album sales according to HITS Daily Double's Top 50 building album sales chart will be saved next week by Fantasia's Back to Me debut, because Carrie Underwood's album seems to be on its last legs in terms of making an appearance on the chart.

Carrie's Play On was actually up this week sales-wise, climbing 5% to 8.7k copies. It was down on the chart side, however, slipping #41-46.

As usual, be sure to check out Billboard for official positions available for the Billboard 200 on Thursday.

Flashback: Judd Harris's "Travelin' Band"

2010-08-24T09:11:00.002-04:00

Idol's fourth season was virtually a wash thanks to the superstardom of Carrie Underwood, and it shows when you look at the crew that was left in the dust, especially in the semifinals. Judd Harris was one of those contestants who tried his best but fell short. Watch him perform Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Travelin' Band" during Top 24 week below:

The judges' generic, neither good nor bad comments didn't help Judd's cause, as he blended in with the rest of the 11 guys who performed that night. Despite a good vocal showing, the song choice was completely wrong, and thus Judd had to disappear into obscurity following his elimination.

'Idol' Hot 100: Adam Lambert's "If I Had You" #42 (8/28/10)

2010-08-24T07:53:00.000-04:00

Just like in that new Jennifer Aniston / Jason Bateman movie, there was a switch that took place among Idol-related tracks on Billboard's Hot 100 chart for the chart week of Aug. 28.

Adam Lambert's latest single "If I Had You" finally surpassed Carrie Underwood's leggy "Undo It," as the former rose 12 spots to #42 while the latter slid nine spots to #45. This is the first time since the week of June 12 that "Undo It" has not led artists from the franchise.

Continuing to make strides thanks to recent publicity was Fantasia's "Bittersweet," which was up #90-79 ahead of her album release today. And Daughtry's latest single "September" was up three spots to #91.

Full chart positions courtesy of Billboard are below:

Hot 100
42 54 Adam Lambert, "If I Had You"
45 36 Carrie Underwood, "Undo It"
79 90 Fantasia, "Bittersweet"
91 94 Daughtry, "September"

'Idol' odds 'n ends: Steven Tyler preps for 'Idol' judgeship by falling off stage

2010-08-20T09:04:00.000-04:00

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>Steven Tyler is all but confirmed to be a judge for Idol's 10th season, but he doesn't seem to be slowing down to save his energy for coming up with critiques, as evidenced by his multiple falls while performing onstage, including the most recent episode at a show in Toronto. Per Zap2It:

After quickly rebounding from his accidental stage dive, Tyler sprung up and yelled to the crowd, "It ain't gonna happen again!"

Let's hope not. The lights and video floor on the "American Idol" can be awfully disorienting.

That's actually really good advice, especially since if the lights don't disorient him, they'll probably at least melt his face clear off. Then who would replace the replacement?

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>Jordin Sparks has been busy this week in New York City gearing up for her big premiere in the Broadway musical In The Heights. As per usual, making appearances on the talk show circuit were included on her itinerary, including Live with Regis & Kelly, on which she performed the song "Breathe" yesterday. Watch the performance below:

Jordin's Broadway debut came last night, which marks the kickoff of a 12-week run at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. For schedules and ticket information for In The Heights, visit InTheHeightsMusical.com.

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>After much delay, Kris Allen's music video for second single "The Truth" premiered on VH1 on Tuesday. Watch the video below:

The video was directed by Marco Puig, who was at the helm of Kris's video for "Live Like We're Dying," and featured model Cindy Vela and Train lead singer Pat Monahan. Was the video worth the wait? Not in my opinion, unfortunately.

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>David Archuleta posted another vlog on his official YouTube channel on Tuesday in which he informed fans that work on his forthcoming album The Other Side of Down is almost complete. Watch the vlog below (if you can tolerate the annoying buzzing sound):

As expected, Arch confirmed the album has been pushed back until Tues., Oct. 5. He said he's excited to start performing live again soon and hopes he can hit the high notes in "Something 'Bout Love." The Other Side of Down is available to pre-order at Amazon.com.

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>Kellie Pickler is reportedly busy putting her own signature touch on her wedding plans, as she's looking for ways to incorporate her love of animals into the ceremony. According to a piece by Wendy Geller of Yahoo! Music:

And, we're not just talking about having a dog dressed up in a mini-tuxedo, as Underwood did at her wedding. Pickler is talking about having her reptile buddies in the mix. "I'm thinking of having the python be the ringbearer," she told PEOPLE this week.

I wonder if she'll think about asking calamari to be the flower girls? The piece goes on to say there will be no first dance with husband-to-be Kyle Jacobs because he is "'a disaster' on the dance floor." That's a little out of the ordinary, especially since Kellie is definitely the dancin' kind.

Ayla Brown goes country: listen to new single "My Favorite Part"

2010-08-19T18:41:00.001-04:00

Ayla Brown has decided to take the country route on her next album. The Season 5 Top 16 contestant was profiled on Boston.com today, with an article detailing her decision to pursue a career in the country industry. Below is a snippet from the piece:

She has her reasons. OK, she's tall and beautiful. She can’t change that. But she doesn't want the sexy stuff that dominates the music industry to define her. Not like Lady Ga-Ga, Janet Jackson, or a young Madonna. She wants to be a role model for young girls.

"I don’t want to be on stage shaking my butt to get fans," says Brown. "The pop world is not where I see my future."

So the former "American Idol" contestant is embarking on a country music career. "I'm excited and nervous," she says. "It’s like starting over again."

She'll show off her new sound at Arlington's Regent Theatre tomorrow night. "It's a coming-out show for me, with my new style and band."

A live video of Ayla's new single "My Favorite Part" was also posted along with the article. Watch it below:

Ayla will be debuting her new Nashville sound tomorrow at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, Mass., with her new band at 8 p.m. For ticket information, visit RegentTheatre.com.

Poll of the week: Melinda does a little to earn recognition among fans

2010-08-19T00:19:00.000-04:00

In one of the last few rounds of IDOL LIVE's poll of the week champion series for 2010, one 3rd-place finalist edged out her peers in a fairly close battle.

Melinda Doolittle's 12 votes were enough to earn her 29% of all 41 votes cast, which was the largest take of all nine participants included in this round. The sixth season's second-runner-up saw her closest competition come from Elliott Yamin, who garnered nine votes (21%), followed by Danny Gokey's seven votes (17%).

There were only two finalists who failed to grab any votes during the course of the week, as Nikki McKibbin (Season 1) and Vonzell Solomon (Season 4) went scoreless in their attempts.

In the next round (the third-to-last, by the way), readers will be asked which runner-up is their favorite of all nine seasons. Voting will be open for exactly one week.

Nikki McKibbin 0 (0%)
Kimberley Locke 2 (4%)
Jasmine Trias 2 (4%)
Vonzell Solomon 0 (0%)
Elliott Yamin 9 (21%)
Melinda Doolittle 12 (29%)
Syesha Mercado 4 (9%)
Danny Gokey 7 (17%)
Casey James 5 (12%)

Total votes: 41

HITS estimates: 'Play On' #41 w/ 8.3k

2010-08-17T19:38:00.000-04:00

The long, hot days of August sure know how to cause a drought among album sales of Idol alums, as HITS Daily Double's Top 50 building album sales chart showed once again that only one album from the franchise has incredible staying power at the moment.

Carrie Underwood's Play On continued its downward trend on the chart, as its sales were off by 17% to 8.3k copies for the week. Chart-wise, it was down #34-41, which suggests the end could be near for its Top 50 staycation.

As usual, be sure to check out Billboard for official positions available for the Billboard 200 on Thursday.

Chat live with Season 9's Top 5 finalists (today, 5:30 p.m. ET)

2010-08-17T15:35:00.001-04:00

Is there something you've been wanting to ask Lee DeWyze, Crystal Bowersox, Casey James, Michael Lynche or Aaron Kelly? If so, then today's your lucky day, as Idol's ninth season's Top 5 finalists will be available to answer their fans' questions in a live chat sponsored by AT&T. The chat will begin at 5:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. PT) and last approximately 30 minutes, taking place over on AT&T Share's Facebook page. The chat will be simulcast live here on IdolLive below:

AT&T is of course sponsoring the American Idols Live! Tour, which is currently stopped in Anaheim, Calif. and will wrap up on Tues., Aug. 30 in Indianapolis, Ind.

Flashback: Briana Ramirez-Rial's "Don't Know Why"

2010-08-16T22:26:00.000-04:00

If there was any one contestant to appear on stage during the Top 32 of Season 3 who would be remembered more for her appearance than for her voice, Briana Ramirez-Rial was that semifinalist. What was even more amazing was the disparity between her appearance and her voice. Watch her sing Norah Jones's "Don't Know Why" during her Group 2 performance below:

While Briana wasn't that bad looking back at this performance, Simon and Randy just felt something was off about the whole spectacle. Once those two drove the nail into her coffin, Briana's apparent tweaking out on the couch next to Ryan while she was supposed to be asking for votes didn't help her cause. In effect, Briana was ahead of her time, and had she appeared on the show in the future (especially the most recent edition) she probably would have made it further.

'Idol' Hot 100: Carrie Underwood's "Undo It" #36 (8/21/10)

2010-08-16T20:26:00.000-04:00

There were a few more signs of life shown among Idol-related tracks on Billboard's Hot 100 chart for the chart week of Aug. 21.

It was no surprise that Carrie Underwood once again led the charge, with her single "Undo It" sliding 10 spots to #36.

The single that looks to be the heir apparent of "Undo It," Adam Lambert's "If I Had You," inched ahead two spots to #54. Fantasia also saw her current single make headway up the chart, possibly due to her OD controversy last week. "Bittersweet" was up #94-90.

To add to things, Daughtry's "September" debuted on the Hot 100 at #94.

Full chart positions courtesy of Billboard are below:

Hot 100
36 26 Carrie Underwood, "Undo It"
54 56 Adam Lambert, "If I Had You"
90 94 Fantasia, "Bittersweet"
94 -- Daughtry, "September"

'Idol' odds 'n ends: Fantasia meets up with Antwuan Cook after being released from hospital

2010-08-14T13:49:00.002-04:00

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>The latest news in the Fantasia saga is that merely one day after being released from a Charlotte, N.C., hospital for a drug overdose and suicide attempt, she had a meeting with her "off and on" boyfriend Antwuan Cook in a local park. Per an article on People.com:
The two were spotted visiting a local park and appeared to be in deep conversation – all while cameras, presumably for her VH1 reality show, Fantasia for Real, captured the conversation.
Additionally, the 911 call was made public:

To add to things, VH1 issued a statement that the first episode of Fantasia For Real's second season, which kicks off on Sun., Sept. 19, would be changed to accommodate the incident before retracting the statement. It may just be me, but all this is sounding pretty opportunistic, especially when considering Fanny's latest album hits stores in less than two weeks. Well, if her goal (and her manager's goal) was to get the public to remember her, they surely accomplished it this week (photo courtesy of People.com).

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>After all the drama that went down this week with reports that Jennifer Lopez is out of the running to replace Ellen DeGeneres or Simon Cowell as a judge for Season 10, good ol' Nigel Lythgoe interjected to smooth out the waves made by the rumors. Accoring to Uncle Nigel:
He tells Extra, "These people don't know Jennifer Lopez. She's a wonderful woman. I've never seen her be a diva in her life!"
Well, that's hardly a denial that J. Lo has been axed from consideration, but I guess it's better than a confirmation of the news - for Lopez at least.

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>Kimberly Caldwell will today appear at the AT&T store in Tustin, Calif., where she will perform in concert beginning at 1 p.m. She will then hang around to meet and greet fans until 3 p.m. More information on the event per the media advisory:
Event attendees will have an opportunity to meet KIIS FM’s Manny on the Street between 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Attendees will also be able to take advantage of the promotion on the new Android™ 2.1 Powered Samsung Captivate* ($199 after mail-in rebate and 2-year agreement), with the super AMOLED screen. With the purchase of the new Samsung Captivate attendees will receive two tickets to the upcoming American Idol Concert Tour at the Honda Center, Tuesday, August 17.
The store is located at 2219 Park Ave between Tustin Ranch and Park Avenue. Kimberly's debut album Without Regret will be released on Tues., Dec. 31, and is available to pre-order at Amazon.com.

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>Jordin Sparks recently spent a day with a teen girl named Kyrie who devoted her time to charitable work with kids in Jamaica as part of Famous Footwear's "Famous for a Day" program. Watch the video below courtesy of Famous Footwear's official YouTube channel:

Jordin brought Kyrie 50 pair of shoes for the children of Jamaica in addition to hanging out with her for the day and inviting her backstage to a Jordin's concert. This isn't the first, nor will it be the last, of Jordin's charitable contributions.

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>Season 6 Top 16 contestant Asia'h Epperson is the latest Idol alum to land in hot water, at least legally, as she was arrested last night after allegedly beating up a clubgoer with her sister in Hollywood. Per TMZ:
According to sources, Epperson and another chick -- her sister -- kicked another clubgoer's butt inside Colony club.
TMZ's paps captured video of Asia'h with rapper Too Short (who?) earlier in the evening. She was released on bail early this morning. Why question is, why did TMZ have video of Asia'h before she was even arrested? Makes no sense. Either way, it's nice to see Season 6 is still being represented well.

Poll of the week: Chris Daughtry nets half of all votes cast among 4th-placers

2010-08-11T23:57:00.000-04:00

In what has to be the most obvious result to date of all rounds of this year's edition of IDOL LIVE's poll of the week champion series, Chris Daughtry mopped the floor with his fellow fourth-place finalists.

The Daughtry frontman earned 22 votes in all, good for 50% of the 44 votes cast over the past week. This is Chris's third straight victory in the champion series among finalists in his group.

Even though Daughtry ran away with this round of the poll series, it doesn't mean no other finalist earned votes. Jason Castro's 13 votes (29%) were enough for second place, while Allison Iraheta (four votes, 9%) and new mom Tamyra Gray (three votes, 6%) were further behind in third and fourth, respectively. Unfortunately, three finalists failed to receive a single vote: Josh Gracin (Season 2), LaKisha Jones (Season 6) and Michael Lynche (Season 9).

In the next round, readers will be asked which 3rd-place finalist is their favorite of all nine seasons. Voting will be open for exactly one week.

Tamyra Gray 3 (6%)
Josh Gracin 0 (0%)
LaToya London 1 (2%)
Anthony Fedorov 1 (2%)
Chris Daughtry 22 (50%)
LaKisha Jones 0 (0%)
Jason Castro 13 (29%)
Allison Iraheta 4 (9%)
Michael Lynche 0 (0%)

Total votes: 44

Fantasia's manager issues statement on overdose incident

2010-08-10T17:35:00.001-04:00

Fantasia's manager Brian Dickens has finally issued a full statement on Fantasia's alleged suicide attempt in the form of an overdose on aspirin and sleep aids. Courtesy of TMZ:
Fantasia has always been an open book. Honesty, self-respect, and personal responsibility are values she wears proudly.

Fantasia believed Mr. Cook when he told her he was not happy in his marriage and his heart was not in it. She believed him when he told her he and Mrs. Cook separated in the late summer of 2009. She believed Mr. Cook when he told her he lived elsewhere.

He even took her there. One of Mr. Cook’s most redeeming qualities was his complete devotion to his children. Fantasia fell in love with Mr. Cook and believed that he loved her.

Fantasia and Mr. Cook dated on and off for about eleven months. The pressure of the constant media attention was hard on their relationship. Fantasia gave inconsistent interviews about the status of her relationship with Mr. Cook because sometimes they were on and sometimes they were off.

When they were on, they spent most of their time together when she was not traveling with work.
Fantasia read Mrs. Cook’s Complaint against Mr. Cook for the first time yesterday. She knows some of the allegations in Mrs. Cook's complaint are totally false. There are others she strongly doubts. There is plenty she does not know.

Fantasia is heartbroken and is sorry for any pain she may have caused.

Yesterday, she was totally overwhelmed by the lawsuit and the media attention. Last night, Fantasia was hospitalized. She took an overdose of aspirin and a sleep aid.

Her injuries are not life threatening. She was dehydrated and exhausted at the time. Fantasia is stable now. She will be released from the hospital soon. Fantasia is a fighter and a survivor. This is not the hardest thing Fantasia has endured.

Fantasia will be stronger, smarter, and better for it. Her work has always inspired her and served as a source of strength. Her new album, “Back To Me,” will be released on August 24th.

The lyrics to “I’m Here” say it best:
“I Believe I Have Inside Of Me
Everything That I Need To Live A Bountiful Life
With All The Love Inside Of Me
I’ll Stand As Tall As The Tallest Tree
And I’m Thankful For Each Day That I’m Given
Both The Easy And The Hard Ones I’m Livin’
But Most Of All
Yes, I’m Thankful For Lovin’ Who I Really Am”

Fantasia sends her praise to God and her eternal gratitude to her fans, friends, and family.

God is good.
Interesting that the manager was able to squeeze in a mention of Fanny's upcoming album release, eh? Thankfully, it looks like she's going to be alright after all. Hopefully Fantasia continues to be an "open book" by explaining these actions in depth upon being released and cleaning herself up.

HITS estimates: 'Play On' #34 w/ 10.1k

2010-08-10T17:19:00.000-04:00

There was once again not much to report in regard to Idol-related developments on HITS Daily Double's Top 50 building album sales chart, but the following is what info is available that might be of some interest.

For the xth week in a row (too many to count now), Carrie Underwood's Play On was the only album from the franchise to make the chart with another 10.1k copies to add to its already multi-platinum total. It was off 9% sales-wise and down three spots on the chart to #34.

For the rankings that actually matter, be sure to check out Billboard for official positions available for the Billboard 200 on Thursday.

UPDATE: police report classifies Fantasia's overdose as "suicide attempt"

2010-08-10T16:24:00.004-04:00

After a rough couple of days, Fantasia seems to have ended up in the hospital following an overdose. From TMZ:
Fantasia Barrino's rep has officially confirmed reports that the "American Idol" champ was rushed to a North Carolina hospital last night after a "medication overdose
This news comes after allegations of an affair with Antwuan Cook reignited last week when Cook's wife Paula singled Fanny out in a divorce petition that her involvement with Mr. Cook was the root of their breakup. The latest piece of the story is that a sex tape featuring Mr. Cook and Fanny exists.

UPDATE: Video from outside Fantasia's home has been obtained by Charlotte's NBC affiliate WCNC. The reporter said the police report classified the incident as an "suicide attempt":

Fantasia's third studio album, Back to Me, is set to hit stores in exactly two weeks. Her VH1 reality series Fantasia For Real will return on Sat., Oct. 2.

Of course, we all hope and pray things will turn out well for the Season 3 champ. Stay tuned for the latest developments on Fanny's saga.

Blake Lewis visits Cali AT&T store

2010-08-10T00:02:00.000-04:00

Blake Lewis made an appearance at the Topanga Canyon Boulevard AT&T store in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Saturday, where he signed autographs for fans in addition to posing for photos. The appearance, which lasted about two hours, was in support of Blake's a signed limited edition double LP of Heartbreak on Vinyl, his sophomore release.

American Idol Season Six Runner-Up Blake Lewis (left) posing for a picture with a young fan, Abby Charbonneau (right), during an appearance at the Woodland Hills AT&T retail store on Saturday, August 7, 2010. Photo: AT&T handout.

Event attendees had an opportunity to win signed copies of Blake's limited edition double LP “Heartbreak on Vinyl” scheduled to be released on August 24. Additionally, they were able to take advantage of the promotion on the new Android™ 2.1 Powered Samsung Captivate with the super AMOLED screen. Upon purchasing the new Captivate, attendees became eligible to receive two tickets to the upcoming American Idol Concert Tour at the Staples Center, on Fri., August 13.

Late last month Blake gave his two cents on the Idol judging musical chairs, saying:
"It's a sad day to read about Ellen leaving and rumors of Kara now leaving, too. Ellen will be sadly missed on AI. She added humor to the panel. If it’s true that Kara is leaving, too, there will be an even greater hole to fill. Like every great show that recasts its characters, the ones leaving will be missed and hopefully the new members will be embraced. I heard other rumors of J LO and Steven Tyler as potential new judges. I think this is what the show has been needing since I was on - constructive comments from huge stars who have made it doing what the contestants want to do. Britain has already done this and it's worked. I’m interested to see what the new American Idol will have to offer."

To pre-order the special edition of Heartbreak on Vinyl, visit BlakeLewisOfficial.com.

Flashback: Patrick Forston's "Un-Break My Heart"

2010-08-09T16:18:00.000-04:00

Raise your hand if you remember Patrick Forston (it's okay if you don't, since I didn't). The gospel/soul singer tried his best on Idol's second season, where he appeared in Group 1 of the semifinals and performed "Un-Break My Heart" by Toni Braxton. While Patrick's vocals seemed to gain a good response from Paula and Randy, it was the issue of style that made this performance especially memorable. Watch the ordeal below:

While Simon probably had a point, it's ironic thinking about how Ruben Studdard was able to actually win the same season wearing similar outfits from time to time. Even though Patrick's vocals were a little too similar to Toni's, it's fair to say his clothes are what set him apart, and the fact that Papa Forston was willing to come forth and defend his son against the evil Season 2 Simon was definiyely respectable.

'Idol' Hot 100: Carrie Underwood's "Undo It" #26 (8/14/10)

2010-08-07T00:36:00.000-04:00

There was no real rhyme or reason to how Idol-related tracks performed on Billboard's Hot 100 chart for the chart week of Aug. 14.

Carrie Underwood's "Undo It" finally cooled off this week as evidenced but the track's two-spot drop to #26. Adam Lambert, on the other hand, saw his "If I Had You" spurt ahead 13 spots to #56 on the heels of increased airplay.

Fantasia's "Bittersweet" seems to be following in the footsteps of Kelly Clarkson's "All I Ever Wanted," as the former rose just one spot to #94 on the chart. Expect it to start going backwards relatively soon.

On the Bubbling Under chart, however, Daughtry held on with an 11-spot jump to #2 for latest single "September." Expect a debut on the main chart by this time next week.

Full chart positions courtesy of Billboard are below:

Hot 100
26 24 Carrie Underwood, "Undo It"
56 69 Adam Lambert, "If I Had You"
94 95 Fantasia, "Bittersweet"

Bubbling Under
02 13 03 Daughtry, "September"

'Idol' odds 'n ends: Nigel wants Paula Abdul back as a judge

2010-08-06T17:34:00.001-04:00

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>Upon officially acknowledging his return to Idol for the show's 10th season (and his first since Season 7), Nigel Lythgoe made one of his trademark controversial statements: that he'd fully support (and actively try) to get Paula Abdul back on the judging panel. As unlikely as this actual scenario sounds, Nigel said it anyway:

One of his first ideas is to bring back one of the show's most beloved judges: Paula Abdul. Lythgoe told Daily Variety that despite her commitment to headline a new dancing show on CBS, he'd love to get Abdul back in the "Idol" fold. "I still love Paula," he said. "She's signed to CBS, probably exclusively, but I'd recommend we have her in a heartbeat."

Nigel also said he wants to focus less on the judges and to lessen the reliance on shoving contestants' back stories in audiences' faces. Well, knowing that, count me among those thrilled to have Nigel back in charge!

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>Katharine McPhee's Unbroken ballad "Say Goodbye" might not be getting the single treatment, but it will at least be heavily featured in the upcoming Christian film I AM. Part of the song's attachment to the film includes a music video complete with scenes from the movie and shots of Katharine herself. Watch the video below:

I AM, courtesy of 20th Century Fox, is described as the following per its website:

I AM offers an insight into the true nature of our God, and fights the damaging stereotypes of His character through a gritty, non-linear drama with a plot weaving around average people violating the Ten Commandments -- one by one. We see that these commandments were not edicts from a jealous God, but a love letter to humanity -- a warning to those who don't understand the massive consequences of even the smallest sins upon ourselves and the world around us.

It will premiere on Sun., Oct. 10 (National 10 Commandments Sunday), in churches across the country before being released in theaters.

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>On average, who do you think charges more for the gigs: Kris Allen or Kellie Pickler? If you answered Kris, TheSmokingGun.com has evidence to the contrary:

Rascal Flatts $702,500
Kiss $500,000
Keith Urban $487,500
Drake $155,000
Selena Gomez $100,000
Kelly Pickler $40,000
Kris Allen $12,500
Chris Young $7,500

While it's not too surprising Kellie is pulling in more than Kris at the moment since she's a more established artist, is it even conceivable that Rascal Flatts are pulling in a whole $200k more per show than Kiss? That's more than surprising.

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>Tamyra Gray and her husband, Sam Watters, spoke with People.com about how they welcomed their daughter Sienna Marie into the world last month. Tamyra told People about the unusual manner in which they came up with her name:

“I know it sounds weird, but back in February I had a dream where she told me her name. I shared my dream with Sam and we decided we’d wait and see. It took us eight hours after her birth to name her and at the end, we went with her suggestion.”

Tamyra, now 30, said despite waiting until delivery to find out the sex of her baby, she knew instinctively that she'd be having a girl and now she has "someone to share in [her] love of fairies and tea."

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>Blake Lewis will appear at the AT&T retail store in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 7, where he will greet fans, pose for pictures and sign autographs between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. More info per a media alert:

Event attendees will have an opportunity to win signed copies of Lewis’ limited edition double LP “Heartbreak on Vinyl” scheduled to be released on August 24. Attendees will also be able to take advantage of the promotion on the new Android™ 2.1 Powered Samsung Captivate* ($199 after mail-in rebate and 2-year agreement), with the super AMOLED screen. With the purchase of the new Samsung Captivate attendees will receive two tickets to the upcoming American Idol Concert Tour at the Staples Center, Friday, August 13.

The AT&T store is located at 6203 Topanga Canyon Blvd (between Victory Blvd. and Erwin St.). Earlier in the week, fans who pre-ordered the special edition of Heartbreak on Vinyl on vinyl received the bonus MP3 track "Till We See The Sun," with just a few copies of the special edition vinyl disc available for pre-order ahead of its release on Aug. 24.

Poll of the week: Brooke White wipes floor with competition

2010-08-04T23:45:00.001-04:00

It wasn't even close this week regarding IDOL LIVE's 2010 edition of the poll of the week champion series, as Brooke White easily defeated her fellow fifth-place finalists.

Brooke's 21 votes (46%) was a while 11 votes ahead of the next-highest placing finalist, as Season 8's Matt Giraud managed to take away 22% of all 45 votes cast.

The only other alums to make a dent in this week's competition of were Season 9's Aaron Kelly (15%) and Season 6's Chris Richardson (8%).

In the next round, readers will be asked which 4th-place finalist is their favorite of all nine seasons. Voting will be open for exactly one week.

R.J. Helton 0 (0%)
Trenyce 0 (0%)
George Huff 1 (2%)
Scott Savol 1 (2%)
Paris Bennett 1 (2%)
Chris Richardson 4 (8%)
Brooke White 21 (46%)
Matt Giraud 10 (22%)
Aaron Kelly 7 (15%)

Total votes: 45

HITS estimates: 'Play On' #31 w/ 11.1k

2010-08-03T22:14:00.000-04:00

Carrie Underwood was once again the only interesting thing on HITS Daily Double's Top 50 building album sales chart this week, at least in terms of Idol-related data.

Carrie's Play On once again was the franchise's sole representative entry, as it inched ahead eight spots to #31 on the heels of an 8% sales increase to 11.1k copies for the week.

For the more important data, be sure to check out Billboard for official positions available for the Billboard 200 on Thursday.

Flashback: Alaina Whitaker's "More Today Than Yesterday"

2010-08-03T21:45:00.001-04:00

Season 7 was the season of talented female contestants that stumbled in the semifinals. One of the most notable cases of this trend was Alaina Whitaker's exit during Top 20 after singing The Spiral Starecase's "More Today Than Yesterday" the previous week. Watch the performance below:

While Alaina was compared by many to a young (read: young) Carrie Underwood, her inexperience is surely what got the best of her. That and the fact that she looked way too much like Carrie, and that's never a good thing when you're gunning for the same title she took only a few seasons prior.

Sony Music Group responds to the end of its relationship with 'Idol'

2010-08-03T19:34:00.002-04:00

With all the hullabaloo going on around the judges that will be pulling up a chair at the table next beginning at auditions this month, many have been overlooking the developments on the music release and distribution front, which for Sony Music Group ended abruptly following an eight-year relationship.

After letting Simon Fuller and 19 Entertainment do most of the talking on the issue, Sony had the following to say:
"After enjoying a successful relationship, Sony Music Entertainment wishes Simon Fuller and 19 Entertainment well in this transitional period for the 'American Idol' franchise. We look forward to continuing our relationships with the many artists on the Sony Music roster who have graduated from the 'American Idol' system, including Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Fantasia, David Cook, Adam Lambert, Kellie Pickler, Jordin Sparks and David Archuleta among others and we are excited for the upcoming albums later this fall from Season 9's winner and runner-up Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox."

I guess Kris Allen and Allison Iraheta were either dropped or they're covered under "among others." It's not surprising the quote didn't name Blake Lewis, Bo Bice, Clay Aiken, Diana DeGarmo, Justin Guarini and Katharine McPhee and Taylor Hicks.

As for the beneficiary of SMG's demise, Universal Music Group, they understandably seem to be singing a happier tune at the moment:

"We like delivering hits and new artists...UMG and 'American Idol' is the right combination at the right time. Pairing the renowned expertise of Simon [Fuller] and Jimmy in developing and marketing musical talent creates a truly winning combination that will allow 'Idol's' artists to realize their fullest potential."

But is this a good bet on Fuller/19E's part? True, it's probably a cheaper deal for them in the long run, but Geffen, Interscope and A&M, while each having their own heavyweights, haven't always been at the forefront of major releases. Time will tell if this deal works in favor of next year's Lee or Crystal.

'Idol' odds 'n ends: Kristy Lee Cook records music and shoots deer on 'Goin' Country'

2010-08-01T22:04:00.008-04:00

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>Kristy Lee Cook might be a few years removed from the music biz, but that doesn't mean she can't keep busy with her second favorite past time - hunting. Catch Kristy on her new show Goin' Country with Kristy Lee Cook, which premiered today on Versus at 9 a.m. Watch a promo clip for the show below:

As you can tell by the clip, the whole show isn't about her shooting deer (probably just 80%), The show will feature cameos by some of KLC's friends, including Blake Lewis, so be on the lookout for that episode.

>Allison Iraheta and duet partner Orianthi appeared on FOX's So You Think You Can Dance? results show on Thursday to help their struggling single "Don't Waste the Pretty." Watch the performance below:

This single is currently hovering in the mid-70s on Mediabase's Top 40 chart, sitting at #74 w/ an audience impression of 0.172 million. It's available to purchase at iTunes.

>Kimberley Locke and her team want to give you an iPad - for free! The catch is, you have to be signed up on her street team and do some promo work to raise awareness for her music. The following is a portion of an update that was sent out to fans on her mailing list on Wednesday:
Our new SUMMER CONTEST has just launched which may result in YOU winning a brand new iPad, valued at $499 + tax. Members of this mailing list will need to ensure they are on the street steam in order to participate. To ensure you are on the street team, please follow the "Update Contact Info" link at the very bottom of this email and ensure the "street team" box is checked. Details for each weekly mission will be emailed on each Saturday from July 31st through August 27th. You could win an iPad just by promoting Kimberley's music on your websites.

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, head over to KimberleyLockeOfficial.com for more details. Kim's next appearance will be at the Herbst Theater in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 15.

>Michael Sarver's self-titled debut effort dropped this past Tuesday courtesy of Dream Records. Although the album is more gospel than country, Alison Bonaguro of CMT.com wrote about the country connection the CD has:

In fact, one song comes right out and says his dreams stretch far beyond the country line. But as you sift through the track-by-track review from the paper, it still sounds like there are a lot of country influences going on. The ones that sound like the best bets to me are "Safe," a waltz about how he will always be your home, and "Ferris Wheel," about the weightlessness you feel when you are falling in love. Then there's "Always Surviving," which I know I will love no matter what it's about, because it was written by two of Nashville's most gifted tunesmiths, Rachel Thibodeau and Rivers Rutherford.

Michael Sarver is available to purchase at Amazon for $10.99 and at iTunes for $9.99.

>With all the recent rearranging of the deck chairs on the Titanic that is American Idol, one Idol personality who probably won't be going anywhere is Debra Byrd, the show's head vocal instructor. Byrd just announced she will be holding a master class for aspiring singers called STAR SCHOOL LIVE! at the House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio.
Byrd will kick off her tour at the House of Blues in Cleveland, Saturday, August 14, at 10AM. Private instruction is available following the master class beginning at 1:00 PM. Sign up for a 30 minute or 1 hour session. For more information, please email byrd@debrabyrd.com.

STAR SCHOOL LIVE! is made possible by Olbas Pastilles herbal lozenges and microphone manufacturing company Sennheiser. Tickets are $45 in advance, $50 the day of the show and $40 for groups of 10+ and can be purchased at HouseofBlues.com.

'Idol' Hot 100: Carrie Underwood's "Undo It" #24 (8/7/10)

2010-07-31T02:35:00.000-04:00

There wasn't a whole lot of noteworthy movement among Idol-related tracks on Billboard's Hot 100 chart for the chart week of Aug. 7, but here's the skinny anyway.

Carrie Underwood once again held steady at #24 with her latest hit "Undo It." Adam Lambert's latest release, "If I Had You," followed this trend, as it stayed put at #69.

Fantasia was the only alum to see her track change places from last week's chart, as her "Bittersweet" was off three spots to #95.

Full chart positions courtesy of Billboard are below:

Hot 100
24 24 Carrie Underwood, "Undo It"
69 69 Adam Lambert, "If I Had You"
95 92 Fantasia, "Bittersweet"

Simon reacts to Ellen's departure

2010-07-30T00:24:00.001-04:00

That didn't take long. Simon Cowell has already spoken with The Hollywood Reporter (courtesy of Billboard) regarding the news that his pal (and onetime first day enemy) Ellen DeGeneres won't be pulling up a chair between Randy and Kara anymore:
"As I got to know Ellen, I grew to really, really like her. I have huge respect for her because she's always been in control of her own destiny."

Wow, for a really lame, generic statement, that's too nice to say anything about.

It's incredible to think that Simon's very last episode (aka the Season 9 finale) ultimately was Ellen's last episode as well. Only the former got a grandiose farewell tribute and the latter got nothing. It's too bad, but Ellen was probably too big for the Idol brand. Maybe she'll be back for more when Seacrest finally takes his final bow? While judging is not something she's cut out for, hosting is absolutely right up her alley.

Jennifer Lopez replaces Ellen DeGeneres - is she the right fit?

2010-07-29T23:59:00.001-04:00

As you may or may not know by now, Ellen DeGeneres will not be returning to Idol as a judge for Season 10, and Jennifer Lopez will be replacing her on the panel. My reaction: thank you Nigel!

Of course, none of this would have been possible had Nigel Lythgoe not returned to his role as Executive Producer earlier today, and as much as I don't like him as a person, he does know how to make some smart business decisions.

My reaction isn't so much about any particular like for J. Lo, instead my general dislike of Ellen as a judge. Apparently she kind of felt the same way about the idea of staying on past her inaugural season, as made evident in the full release from FOX below (courtesy of Nikki Finke & Nellie Andreeva over at DHD):

Ellen DeGeneres has decided to bow out from her role as a judge on AMERICAN IDOL next season. DeGeneres served as a judge during the ninth season of IDOL, the No. 1 hit series on television.

“A couple months ago, I let FOX and the AMERICAN IDOL producers know that this didn’t feel like the right fit for me,” said DeGeneres. “I told them I wouldn’t leave them in a bind and that I would hold off on doing anything until they were able to figure out where they wanted to take the panel next. It was a difficult decision to make, but my work schedule became more than I bargained for. I also realized this season that while I love discovering, supporting and nurturing young talent, it was hard for me to judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings. I loved the experience working on IDOL and I am very grateful for the year I had. I am a huge fan of the show and will continue to be.”

“We love Ellen and understand and support her decision to bow out of IDOL,” said Peter Rice, Chairman of Entertainment, Fox Networks Group. “We were fortunate to receive the humor, energy and love for talent that she brought to the show.”

“It was a joy to work with Ellen,” added Mike Darnell, President of Alternative Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company. “She brought an incredible spirit to IDOL and was a great new addition to the team. While we’re saddened by her decision, we are very appreciative that she gave us ample notice so that we could work through it together.”

“I loved Ellen’s passion for the artists and her nurturing skills,” said IDOL creator and executive producer Simon Fuller. “She brought honesty and optimism to our judging panel and I will miss her greatly.”

“We will miss Ellen, she has been the consummate professional throughout her time on the show, and she’ll always be part of the AMERICAN IDOL family,” added Cecile Frot-Coutaz, IDOL executive producer.

AMERICAN IDOL is created and executive-produced by Simon Fuller, founder of 19 Entertainment; and executive-produced by Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO, FremantleMedia North America, Inc. and Ken Warwick, Executive Producer, FremantleMedia North America, Inc.

As for the growing rumor that Steven Tyler has been offered Simon's spot, that is also a move that would be alright with me. Steven is obviously a legend in his own right with Aerosmith and all, and he can actually sing, plus he's been in the industry long enough to know the ins and outs (no offense, Kara).

Speaking of Kara, expect her to walk the plank next. Her one-year contract has yet to be extended and considering the next round of auditions begins in just a few weeks, it's unlikely she'll be offered an extension at this point.

So while this story is far from over, everyone can go to bed knowing there is some sanity restored to Idol going forward, and that's a good thing for everyone.

What do you think about Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler as judges? Are the good fits? Could Nigel & co.have done any better?

Poll of the week: Pickler picked once again among sixth-placers

2010-07-29T00:20:00.000-04:00

In what had to be the most competitive round of IDOL LIVE's 2010 edition of the poll of the week champion series, Season 5's Kellie Pickler ruled her fellow sixth-place finalists.

Kellie nabbed 13 votes, or 35% of all 37 votes cast, compared with Season 7's Carly Smithson's 12 votes (32%) and the club's newest member, Siobhan Magnus of Season 9, at nine votes (24%). These three independent women were the only ones who really excited IDOL LIVE readers, and it's easy to see why when considering their not so popular comrades from the six other seasons.

In the next round, readers will be asked which 5th-place finalist is their favorite of all nine seasons. Voting will be open for exactly one week.

Christina Christian 0 (0%)
Carmen Rasmussen 1 (2%)
John Stevens 0 (0%)
Constantine Maroulis 0 (0%)
Kellie Pickler 13 (35%)
Phil Stacey 0 (0%)
Carly Smithson 12 (32%)
Anoop Desai 2 (5%)
Siobhan Magnus 9 (24%)

Total votes: 37

HITS estimates: 'Play On' #39 w/ 10.3k

2010-07-28T00:56:00.000-04:00

Although sales were down a little bit more this week for the sole Idol alum to be included in HITS Daily Double's Top 50 building album sales chart, things were more consistent that anything.

For example, Carrie Underwood continued to be the only alum to have her album appear on the chart, and based on the past few months, this fact continues to be emblematic of the idea of being "consistent." Her third studio effort, Play On, was down three spots to #39 on the heels of a 10% drop in sales to 10.3k copies. Although it seems that the album could slip below the 10k threshold in the near future, it's important to remember summer usually isn't the kindest sales period for months-old music, so all things considered its 1.658 million total to date looks pretty good after not even a year on the market.

As per usual, Billboard will have official positions available for the Billboard 200 on Thursday.

Flashback: Allison Iraheta's "Cry Baby"

2010-07-26T19:16:00.001-04:00

Season 8's Allison Iraheta was one of the best performers for her age to ever appear on Idol's stage, and her performance of "Cry Baby," as made famous by Janis Joplin, was a near crowning moment for the then 17-year-old, especially considering it took place on Rock 'n Roll night during Top 4 week - the same night on which she had an unforgettable duet with Adam Lambert on "Slow Ride." Watch the performance below:

Despite the great range displayed by Alison on "Cry Baby," she was eliminated the following night. Alison might have been the victim of a crowded, talented Top 4, but at least she went out on a high note.

'Idol' odds 'n ends: total of 26,000 turn out for Milwaukee, Nashville auditions

2010-07-24T01:45:00.003-04:00

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>The Season 10 auditions kicked off in Nashville on Thurs., July 15, where about 10,000 hopefuls stood in line on the first day (16,000 in all performed in front of producers). This week, auditions journeyed to Milwaukee, where another 10,000 turned out for a shot at becoming the next Lee DeWyze. Per a post by EW's Michael Slezak:
“The numbers of people turning up to the American Idol auditions in Nashville and Milwaukee have been incredible,” said show creator Simon Fuller, in a release. “These attendance figures are significantly up on the last few years, and there is clearly renewed excitement and interest in the show, which is great to see.”

Ryan Seacrest took us on a behind the scenes tour of the Bradley Center to see what things are like, well, behind the scenes. Watch the piece below:

Auditions will next hit New Orleans, La., on Monday. If you're interested in giving Season 10 a shot (and at this point, you might as well throw your hat in the ring!) be sure to check out AmericanIdol.com/Auditions.

>As you've probably heard by now, Chris Isaak is the latest replacement for Simon Cowell being floated around. The rumor du jour comes on the heels of a Reuters and Hollywood Reporter piece claiming Isaak met with FOX twice in recent weeks for consideration of taking over for Simon. Per the piece:

While Fox insists no decision is imminent, the clock is ticking to replace Cowell as preliminary auditions get under way for the talent show's 10th season. Peter Rice, the network's new entertainment chairman, has said he expects the new "Idol" judge to join the audition roadshow by early September.

Other potential replacements that keep coming up in the media include Harry Connick, Jr., Bret Michaels and now...apparently...Donald Trump (huh!?). If Team FOX care about sparing fans from hearing about all this speculation, they'll hurry up and name a replacement fast.

>Lee DeWyze took time to speak with AmericanIdol.com about how the tour has been going with his fellow Season 9 Top 10 finalists. Lee covered a limited range of topics dealing with the tour and offered up a limited range of answers questions posed by both fans and AI.com. One of Lee's more interesting responses:
As the American Idol, Lee is the headliner of the Season 9 tour. Since he’s the last person to perform at each show, what does he do to pass the time while he’s waiting for his set? “I’m still trying to figure it out,” Lee remarked. “I have time to listen to a full album, so I’ll pick one and listen to it. I just try and chill, because if I just sit around and wait, I’ll get tired. During Casey’s and Crystal’s sets, I’ll go watch them and listen to the crowd and get pumped up.”

Lee said he's aiming for a "folk-rock" sound on his forthcoming album and he's been writing "everything so far." Lee, who apparently has been writing since he was 16 years old, said he's anticipating his hometown stop of Chicago because all his family and friends will be there. Read the full interview at AmericanIdol.com.

>Kellie Pickler had to break some bad news to the organizers of the St. Joseph County Grange Fair in Centerville, Mich., as she backed out of her scheduled show to close out the fair on Sept. 25 due to an extension of Rascal Flatts' tour, on which she is an opening act. This news came in conjunction with fellow country artist Chris Young's withdrawal as an opening act scheduled to perform at the fair on another day. Per an article from SturgisJournal.com:
“Next year we wouldn’t be able to touch Kelly Pickler or Chris Young … they’ll be priced way out of our league,” Johnson said. “If they honor the rate we were giving (for the September shows), it’d be a bargain.”

Ironically, Johnson noted, Rascal Flatts was an opening act at the fair several years ago.
Johnson did not indicate what the fair was to pay Pickler, saying only that it was a five-figure amount. Through Wednesday, about 950 tickets to Pickler’s show had been sold. Ticket prices ranged between $25 and $35 each.

All in all, not a good situation for the organizers of the fair.

>Jordin Sparks sat down with Oliver Trevena of YoungHollywood.com this week to chat about her Battlefield tour and other things on her mind. Watch the segment below:

Jordin recounted a memorable moment on the tour where a pregnant woman was waiting by her bus and she said "the baby's coming," Jordin was asked to sign her shirt and was freaking out because the baby needed to be delivered. She said she had never encountered that before (not many have, Jordin).

She also talked about her upcoming 3-month stint on Broadway in In the Heights, which kicks off on Thurs. Aug. 19.

Poll of the week: Jennifer Hudson eclipses fellow 7th-place finishers

2010-07-21T23:34:00.000-04:00

The winner of the latest version of IDOL LIVE's 2010 edition of the poll of the week champion series for readers' favorite seventh-place finalist of all nine seasons was no surprise.

Jennifer Hudson of Season 3 took in nine votes, or 37% of all 24 votes cast during the course of the week. While this number isn't very high at all, it's pretty easy to believe that J-Hud is the most popular seventh-place finalist of all time due to her post-Idol success.

The next closest placing was was Season 7's Kristy Lee Cook's showing in second thanks to seven votes (29%), while Season 9's Tim Urban nabbed four votes (16%).

In the next round, readers will be asked which 6th-place finalist is their favorite of all nine seasons. Voting will be open for exactly one week.

Ryan Starr 1 (4%)
Kimberly Caldwell 0 (0%)
Jennifer Hudson 9 (37%)
Anwar Robinson 2 (8%)
Ace Young 1 (4%)
Sanjaya Malakar 0 (0%)
Kristy Lee Cook 7 (29%)
Lil Rounds 0 (0%)
Tim Urban 4 (16%)

Total votes: 24

Katharine McPhee continues work on Hunger-Free Summer campaign; contest announced

2010-07-21T22:07:00.002-04:00

As previously mentioned, Katharine McPhee has been busy this month with the Hunger-Free Summer campaign sponsored by the ConAgra Foods Foundation and Feeding America. Kat's latest appearance came last Monday, July 12, at the Project Access Resource Center in Santa Ana, Calif., as pictured to the right.

Per the ConAgra Foods Foundation, the goal of the campaign is to help fund 10,000 meals for schoolchildren that go hungry during the summer when there are no food options provided for by the school systems. Kat has been a supporter of Feeding America’s Entertainment Council for nearly a year.

Also in relation to Kat, IDOL LIVE would like to announce a contest coming in the near future for a chance to win Kat's latest album, Unbroken, which will involve answering trivia questions. Be on the lookout for that exciting opportunity! (AP Photo/ConAgra Foods Foundation, Drew Kelley)

Out today: David Archuleta's "Something 'Bout Love"

2010-07-20T19:01:00.002-04:00

After somewhat of a dry spell as of late in regard to music releases from Idol alums, David Archuleta dropped his latest single "Something 'Bout Love" today. The single, which was written by Arch, S*A*M and Sluggo and Chris DeStefano, is the lead single off the Season 7 runner-up's forthcoming sophomore album The Other Side of Down.

Links to purchase the aforementioned can be found below:

Singles,

David Archuleta, "Something 'Bout Love"

Amazon MP3 - ($1.29) - Buy
iTunes - ($1.29) - Buy

The Other Side of Down can now be pre-ordered at DavidArchuleta.com.

HITS estimates: 'Play On' #36 w/ 11.4k

2010-07-20T17:18:00.000-04:00

Country's Queen Carrie Underwood continued her reign as top-selling Idol alum this past week as supported by her position on HITS Daily Double's Top 50 building album sales chart.

Carrie's Play On stayed on course, dropping a mere six percent in sales to 11.4k copies. The disc was off four spots on the actual chart to #36, but it retained its title as sole Idol-related album on the chart. Play On is easily the best-selling album by an alum in the 2010 calendar year.

As per usual, Billboard will have official positions available for the Billboard 200 on Thursday.

Flashback: Amy Adams' "The Power of Love"

2010-07-19T23:56:00.001-04:00

Before an actress of the same namesake burst onto the scene, Season 3's 10th-place finalist, Amy Adams, was the most well known celebrity with the name. The popular pink-haired makeup artist used her spunky appeal to sail into the finals thanks to her showing on Celine Dion's "The Power of Love" during Group 3's performance episode of the semifinals. Watch the performance below:

Amy's theatrical take on the song was enough to catapult her into the finals, but she didn't last long. Simon Cowell's criticism that Amy was more "'Cabaret Idol' than 'American Idol'" most likely was true, as she had a winning personality but her vocals were never able to compete with those of some of her powerhouse peers on the show that season.

Crystal Bowersox and Didi Benami show kindness at 'GMA' concert

2010-07-18T17:11:00.001-04:00

After my scathing review of Season 9's Top 10 finalists' group medley of "It's My Life" / "My Life Would Suck Without You" on ABC's Good Morning America two Fridays ago based solely on television coverage, Tony Rossi of The Intersection offers up a review of his own since he actually attended the concert in Central Park in person. Per Tony's blog post:

The two I would single out especially are Crystal Bowersox and Didi Benami. Because I have 2 friends who work for GMA, I was lucky enough to get backstage and meet a few of the singers.

He then goes on to give evidence of Crystal's and Didi's kindness:

A young girl accompanied by her grandfather was in a scaffolded area under the stage hoping to talk to and get autographs from Crystal & Didi. Both Crystal and Didi literally had to get on their hands and knees to interact with this young fan and sign her pictures.

This account is great to hear since I was so hard on their singing. I'll reiterate that even though I was disappointed with how the performance came across over the broadcast, this season's finalists seem to be some of the kindest. In fact, I'd go as far to say this season's Top 10 is very similar to Season 6's Top 10 for this reason in addition to a few others regarding their stage presence and vocal abilities.

Also, below is a backstage interview with the Top 10 posted by GMA that I just stumbled upon:

The interview includes footage of Lee and Michael beat boxing in between performances in addition to questions about things we don't know about the finalists.

'Idol' odds 'n ends: Lee DeWyze performs "Hallelujah" on 'The View'

2010-07-18T16:45:00.001-04:00

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>Continuing in his "Idols Live!" tour-promoting mode, Lee DeWyze stopped by The View on Monday for a brief chat with co-hosts Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd in addition to an acoustic performance of "Hallelujah." Watch the segment below:

Lee didn't have much to say in the interview, but that's not surprising considering the questions he was fielded. Luckily, he delivered an alright performance to make up for it.

>Also on The View this week was Clay Aiken, who served as guest co-host on Tuesday's episode. Surprisingly, Clay "cussed" during a segment in which the ladies discussed spoiled children (or something to that effect). Watch Clay's exit interview in which he apologizes below:

The full episode can be viewed on ABC's website. Clay is planning to begin his "Timeless Tour" with fellow Season 2 alum Ruben Studdard on Fri., July 23 in Asheville, N.C., on which he will promote his new album Tired & True.

>Katharine McPhee promoted her work with the campaign being sponsored by ConAgra Foods and Feeding America on Friday's episode of On the Record with Greta Van Susteren on FOX News Channel. Watch the segment below:

In addition to talking about the campaign, Kat also said she will spend roughly three months putting together her upcoming yet-to-be-titled Christmas album, which she already began recording.

>Kris Allen took a break from his tour with The Barenaked Ladies on Thursday to finally film the music video for his current single "The Truth" in the California desert, however before much could get filmed, rain canceled the operation. Kris was set to film the video with his love interest, model Cindy Vela, and Pat Monahan of Train, but according to one of Kris' recent tweets, it will resume on Monday.

Photos from the set of the shoot were released, however, showing that Kris' wife, Katy, is standing by to show him some support.

>David Cook posted one of his world famous vlogs this week to tease fans about his upcoming release. It basically consists of black and white shots of recording sessions in the studio. Watch the vlog below:

David sang roughly six seconds of a new track, which turns out to be David Hodges' "Hard to Believe."

'Idol' Hot 100: Carrie Underwood's "Undo It" #25 (7/24/10)

2010-07-15T17:32:00.000-04:00

Carrie Underwood's latest single continued to make headway on the latest edition of Billboard's Hot 100 chart for the chart week of July 24.

"Undo It" was up two places for the week, ranking at #25, it's highest spot on the chart to week. Adam Lambert followed with two singles of his own, with "Whataya Want From Me" slipping #45-49, while his latest release, "If I Had You," was up #85-73.

Carrie wasn't the only winner represented on the Hot 100, though, as Fantasia finally saw her "Bittersweet" debut at #94 after weeks of languishing on the Bubbling Under chart.

Full chart positions courtesy of Billboard are below:

Hot 100
25 27 Carrie Underwood, "Undo It"
49 45 Adam Lambert, "Whataya Want From Me"
73 85 Adam Lambert, "If I Had You"
94 -- Fantasia, "Bittersweet"

Poll of the week: Michael Johns keeps the S7 streak alive

2010-07-14T23:53:00.000-04:00

Season 7 ruled supreme for the second week in a row as its entrant in the most recent round of IDOL LIVE's 2010 edition of the poll of the week champion series was victorious.

Michael Johns garnered the most votes of all Idol alums that placed eighth, with 17, or 60% of all 28 votes cast for the week, No other alum came close to this take, with Season 8's Scott MacIntyre grabbing four votes (14%) and Season 9's Katie Stevens three (10%).

In the next round, readers will be asked which 7th-place finalist is their favorite of all nine seasons. Voting will be open for exactly one week.

A.J. Gil 0 (0%)
Rickey Smith 0 (0%)
Jon Peter Lewis 1 (3%)
Nadia Turner 1 (3%)
Bucky Covington 1 (3%)
Haley Scarnato 1 (3%)
Michael Johns 17 (60%)
Scott MacIntyre 4 (14%)
Katie Stevens 3 (10%)

Total votes: 28

Katharine McPhee dedicates time to "Hunger-Free Summer Initiative"

2010-07-13T21:46:00.002-04:00

Katharine McPhee has taken up a worthy cause this summer, as she will be dedicating some of her time to helping the ConAgra Foods Foundation and Feeding America with their "Hunger-Free Summer Inititative" to help strike out hunger among low-income kids. She kicked off the initiative last Wednesday when she appeared at the New Image Youth Center in Orlando, Fla., to lend a helping hand. Per a press release:

The Hunger-Free Summer initiative aims to close that gap through a $5 million donation from the ConAgra Foods Foundation to Feeding America. The goal of the Hunger-Free Summer initiative is to provide at least 25 percent more meals for children in need over the next five years, and will account for a significant portion of ConAgra Foods Foundation’s goal of delivering one million meals to children in need this summer.

Katharine seems to be very interested in the campaign, as she said:

“This summer, I am going to be traveling across the country to Feeding America food banks from Orlando to Los Angeles – to volunteer my time and, more importantly, to raise awareness about this important issue,” said McPhee. “I want to challenge every community to come together to help end child hunger in the United States.”

Kat also appeared in Irvine, Calif., yesterday. Other cities Kat will be making her way to this summer include Little Rock, Ark. on Wed., July 14 and Houston, Tex., during the week of July 26. (AP Photo/ConAgra Foods Foundation, Phelan M. Ebenhack, HO)

HITS estimates: 'Play On' #32 w/ 12.1k

2010-07-13T20:09:00.000-04:00

HITS Daily Double's Top 50 building album sales chart read like it was Groundhog Day, as only one Idol-related album was represented for yet another week.

Carrie Underwood saw her Play On slide three spots to #32 this time around. It was off 7% sales-wise, bringing in 12.1k copies for the week. At this point, is it really too much to ask to have another alum get his or her CD on this chart?

Billboard will have official chart data for the Billboard 200 later in the week.

Flashback: Patrick Hall's "Come to My Window"

2010-07-12T19:23:00.001-04:00

Patrick Hall began the semifinalist of Season 5 as one of the top contenders among the male contestants, but suffered from the infamous "cannon fodder" syndrome. That is, he was barely shown during the auditions through Hollywood week period. Still, Patrick received more positive feedback than negative for this performance of Melissa Etheridge's "Come to My Window" during Top 24 performance week. Watch it below:

Simon was right on the money when he said Patrick looked like he was anxious and like he was missing his piano. But he was also right about him having a nice voice. Although Patrick never had a chance to "go back to his roots" on the show, he at least proved to be one of a handful of semifinalists who should have gone further in the competition than they did.

'Idol' odds 'n ends: Lee, Crystal and crew perform in concert at GMA

2010-07-09T20:30:00.001-04:00

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>As noted in the previous post, Season 9's Top 10 performed in concert on Good Morning America as part of the ABC morning program's Summer Concert Series in Central Park. While the group medley was abysmal, Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox did pretty well with their solo offerings. Watch them both below:

Lee singing "Treat Her Like a Lady":

Crystal singing "Piece of My Heart":

You can tell by the close-up shots and quick camera cuts that there was a very sparse crowd at the show. Lee, Crystal and the rest of the gang will next perform in concert at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Conn.

>Two Idol alums separated by four seasons and many placings will perform in concert tonight in an intaimte show at The Listening Room Cafe in Nashville when Diana DeGarmo of Season 3 and Cardin McKinney, Hollywood contestant from Season 7, take to the stage alongside Robin Meade and Victoria Shaw. Tickets are still available to the show, which is meant to showcase songwriting and acoustic singing, begins at 9 p.m.

>Carrie Underwood will be getting married tomorrow! After a few months living life engaged to each other, Carrie will wed her Ottawa Senators player, Mike Fisher, in a ceremony at The Ritz-Carlton Lodge in Greensboro, Ga. To be sure the pesky photogs stay away for the day, Carrie went all out. Per an article at SFGate.com:

...the happy couple has booked every room at the venue to house their guests for the night, costing a whopping $268,000, according to local paper The Herald Journal.

The publication's editor, Carey Williams, says, "She has blocked off all 251 rooms at the hotel."

The article also said Carrie will be arriving in style via a helicopter. Not a bad way to start the weekend.

>Kris Allen will be taking part in the benefit concert for the people of Tennessee who are still recovering from the floods that ravaged the Nashville area in May. The concert will take place at the Cannery Ballroom on July 23 and all proceeds will go toward the efforts being undertaken by the Community Foundation. iCarly star Miranda Cosgrove will also perform at the concert. To purchase tickets, visit Ticketweb.com.

>Katharine McPhee is doing her best to ensure her current single "Terrified" stays on the right track at radio, so she had a webisode filmed to document the recording session she had with Zachary Levi of NBC's Chuck. Watch the webisode below:

As for how the single is performing on the charts, it's safe to say "Terrified" has seen better days. It has virtually disappeared from all charts, both airplay and sales.

Was the Top 10's performance on GMA this morning a joke?

2010-07-09T17:37:00.003-04:00

In case you missed it, Season 9's Top 10 finalists took a break from their busy Idols Live! tour (in fact, they even moved a show for it) this morning on ABC's Good Morning America. Following solo performances by Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox, it was time for all 10 finalists to take the stage for a medley of Bon Jovi's "It's My Life" and Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You." Below is how it all went down:

I don't think there's ever been less of a reason to attend an Idol concert as this one. It was like George Stephanopolous and Robin Roberts raced up and down 42nd Street and grabbed the first 10 young people they saw, rushed them to Central Park, pushed them up on stage and forced them to sing on the spot.

Now, I'll give them the excuse that the cramped stage minimized their ability to move around, so dancing in place a la Aaron Kelly was pretty much the only other option. But c'mon, that was an embarrassment to group performances. The sloppy harmonies, the awkward poses the cameramen caught, the rampant out of tune singing, it never ends. In fact, it's more sad than anything, because they seem like a great group of people.

So as the show cancelations keep a'comin', is anyone really surprised why the tour is flailing around? I would not pay to see this on stage, and apparently many others feel the same.

'Idol' Hot 100: Carrie Underwood's "Undo It" #27 (7/17/10)

2010-07-08T16:23:00.000-04:00

There were positive movements among tracks by Idol alums all around on the latest edition of Billboard's Hot 100 chart for the chart week of July 17.

Once again making headway with her latest single was Carrie Underwood, as she saw "Undo It" rise three spots to #27 after dipping a few spots the previous week. Also happy about this week's chart is Adam Lambert, as two of his singles gained ground. "Whataya Want From Me" was up two spots to #45, while his latest single "If I Had You" moved ahead #94-85.

Meanwhile on the Bubbling Under chart, Fantasia's "Bittersweet" continued its snail's pace inching up the chart, this week crawling ahead another two spots to #4.

Full chart positions courtesy of Billboard are below:

Hot 100
27 30 Carrie Underwood, "Undo It"
45 47 Adam Lambert, "Whataya Want From Me"
85 94 Adam Lambert, "If I Had You"

Bubbling Under
04 06 Fantasia, "Bittersweet"

Poll of the week: Ramiele Malubay lullabies her fellow Top 9 finishers

2010-07-07T23:38:00.000-04:00

Once again there was not a ton of interest in the selection of alums pitted against each other as 9th-place finalists received very few votes in the latest round of IDOL LIVE's 2010 edition of the poll of the week champion series.

Pulling out in front was Season 7's Ramiele Malubay, who nabbed 33% of all 24 votes cast, which came out to eight whole votes for the singer of Filipina descent. These eight votes were enough to put Ramiele comfortably ahead of the next best finisher, as Megan Joy of Season 8 only managed five votes (20%), followed by Mandisa of Season 5 with her four votes (16%).

Other than those mentioned above, there wasn't much else to sing about regarding this week's results. In the next round, readers will be asked which 8th-place finalist is their favorite of all nine seasons. Voting will be open for exactly one week.

Jim Verraros 0 (0%)
Corey Clark 0 (0%)
Camile Velasco 2 (8%)
Nikko Smith 0 (0%)
Mandisa 4 (16%)
Gina Glocksen 2 (8%)
Ramiele Malubay 8 (33%)
Megan Joy 5 (20%)
Andrew Garcia 3 (12%)

Total votes: 24

"Idols Live!" tour: sched. changes left and right

2010-07-06T19:34:00.000-04:00

If you didn't know already, the Season 9 "Idols Live!" tour kicked off last week in Auburn Hills, Mich., on July 1. Since then, there have been plenty of poor reviews pouring in, and the news got much, much worse today for the waning franchise.

After foreboding warnings from the touring finalists themselves via Twitter last week, one shoe dropped as eight dates were re-scheduled, one venue was moved to a smaller-size venue and six dates were canceled altogether. Instead of wrapping up on Sept. 16, the tour will now conclude on Aug. 31. Below is the list of all dates that have been modified:

JUL 09 FRI BRIDGEPORT, CT NEW DATE! ARENA AT HARBOR YARD
JUL 21 WED PITTSBURGH, PA NEW DATE & VENUE! FIRST NIAGRA PAVILION
AUG 21 SAT PORTLAND, OR CANCELLED
AUG 26 THU OMAHA, NE CANCELLED
AUG 26 THU DES MOINES, IA NEW DATE! WELLS FARGO ARENA
AUG 27 FRI KANSAS CITY, MO CANCELLED
AUG 27 FRI MINNEAPOLIS, MN NEW DATE! TARGET CENTER
AUG 28 SAT CHICAGO, IL NEW DATE! UNITED CENTER
AUG 29 SUN TOLEDO, OH NEW DATE! THE HUNTINGTON CENTER
AUG 30 MON CINCINNATI, OH NEW DATE! RIVERBEND MUSIC CENTER
AUG 31 TUE INDIANAPOLIS, IN NEW DATE! CONSECO FIELDHOUSE
SEP 07 TUE WINNIPEG, MB CANCELLED
SEP 09 THU TORONTO, ON CANCELLED
SEP 10 FRI BUFFALO, NY CANCELLED
SEP 11 SAT CLEVELAND, OH CANCELLED
SEP 16 THU PORTLAND, ME CANCELLED

All other dates are in tact (for now). If 19E didn't get the message that Season 9 was a bust, the returns and reviews being generated by this tour must be blatant enough to hammer the point home. Just wait until the first few stops' figures are made public. They will most likely be another black eye for Idol. Hopefully the 10 performers can use their talent to help turn things around.

HITS estimates: 'Play On' #29 w/ 12.9k

2010-07-06T18:35:00.000-04:00

The most recent edition of HITS Daily Double's Top 50 building album sales chart found a lone Idol alum represented by her album.

Carrie Underwood's Play On may have been off two spots for the week, but it was only down 2% sales-wise, which isn't a bad drop all things considered. The album has continued to sell at an impressive pace, and the weekly take of 12.9k was an example of that.

Billboard will have official chart data for the Billboard 200 later in the week.

Flashback: Katharine McPhee's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree"

2010-07-05T22:26:00.000-04:00

Katharine McPhee was known not only as Idol's fifth season's female vocal powerhouse-in-chief, but she also made strong statements through her performance style. One of her most memorable performances came during Top 5 week, when she performed KT Tunstall's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on Birth Year/Current Billboard Chart theme night. Watch the performance below:

It's quite clear that Katharine's decision to perform the song on her knees had something to do with why to this day it is one of the most unique displays on the Idol stage. The fact that she got so much praise for this choice led Kat to reprise the song during the finale, which lacked the magic the first performance had. This was just another example of the importance of leaving well enough alone, which has been a recurring them throughout the show's history. Still, it is one of the most memorable performance ever delivered.

'Idol' odds 'n ends: David Archuleta premieres single "Something 'Bout Love"

2010-07-02T07:01:00.000-04:00

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>David Archuleta threw his hat into the ring of new summer music releases yesterday when he premiered his new single "Something 'Bout Love" on his official website, DavidArchuleta.com. Listen to the single below:

The single will be available to purchase on DavidArchuleta.com on July 13 and will be available everywhere else, including iTunes, on July 20.

>Blake Lewis yesterday alerted fans to his limited edition vinyl release of Heartbreak on Vinyl that is due out Tues., Aug. 3. According to Blake on a video of him describing the package uploaded to his official website, the signed, double LP special edition includes an unreleased remix of "Til We See the Sun," access to Blake's VIP Opendisc site and more. There are only 500 copies that were pressed, so if you really need to have this collector's edition, pre-order here for $24.99.

>Jennifer Hudson saw her "Behind the Music" special air on VH1 on Monday, which documents her humble beginnings in Chicago to her early rise to stardom on Idol to her role in Dreamgirls and the family tragedy that gripped her in the fall of 2008. Below is a snippet from the special that covers some of her time on Idol:

An all-star roster of contributors were interviewed for the special, including Jamie Foxx, Randy Jackson and Queen Latifah. The special will most likely repeat throughout the month on the music-themed cable network. More clips are available to watch in addition to the full episode at VH1.com.

>Rumors this week strengthened of Simon Cowell's successor, and Bret Michaels, who was once considered to have less than an outside shot at the seat at the judges' table, now seems to be gaining steam. Following an interview with PARADE magazine that was published on Monday, Michaels was asked to interview with the people over at FOX. In the PARADE piece, Michaels says the following of why he'd like to be a judge:
"I'm not built exactly like Simon Cowell, but, at the same time, I respect what he did. But I would have to bring my own personality. I think if they have someone in there to try to imitate Simon, it would be a mistake; he's an original. Bring Bret Michaels in to be original to who and what I am. Bring someone who can bring a little grit, true grit back to the show."

Michaels went on to say "Helly yeah" he would've tried out for Idol had he been a rocker looking got make it into the business nowadays because "you get instant exposure to millions of people" even though you run the risk of being considered "disposable." Stay tuned for more developments in the quest to fill the shoes of the British one.

>It's been one week since Fantasia release her music video for her current single "Bittersweet." Watch the video below:

"Bittersweet" is available to purchase on iTunes and is of course off Fantasia's forthcoming album Back to Me, which is due out July and is available to pre-order at Amazon.com

'Idol' Hot 100: Carrie Underwood's "Undo It" #30 (7/10/10)

2010-07-01T16:42:00.000-04:00

It was deja vu for Carrie Underwood as her latest single retained the pole position among tracks by Idol alums on Billboard's Hot 100 chart for the chart week of July 10.

Carrie's "Undo It" was off five spots to #30. Despite seeing his single "Whataya Want From Me" continue to fade with a #41-47 drop, Adam Lambert witnessed his latest single "If I Had You" debut on the chart at #94.

Also present was Fantasia's "Bittersweet," which once again missed the cut for the main chart but inched ahead one spot to #6 on the Bubbling Under chart.

Full chart positions courtesy of Billboard are below:

Hot 100
30 25 Carrie Underwood, "Undo It"
47 41 Adam Lambert, "Whataya Want From Me"
94 -- Adam Lambert, "If I Had You"

Bubbling Under
06 07 Fantasia, "Bittersweet"

HITS estimates: 'Play On' #23 w/ 13.2k

2010-07-01T16:10:00.002-04:00

Continuing a new streak, Carrie Underwood was again the sole artist representing Idol on HITS Daily Double's Top 50 building album sales chart for its most recent edition.

Carrie's third studio album, Play On, adhered to its title as it played on to the tune of another 13.2k copies, off 19%. It was actually up four spots on the chart to #23. Alright, so it's no Eminem-size sales week, but it ain't bad for early summer.

Official chart data for the Billboard 200 is now available.

Poll of the week: Chikezie is easily favorite 10th-place finalist

2010-07-01T15:50:00.001-04:00

There was a little more competition than usual, but Season 7's Chikezie Eze was comfortably the preferred 10th-place finalist of all nine season in the latest round of IDOL LIVE's 2010 edition of the poll of the week champion series.

Chikezie took in nine votes, good for 34% of all votes cast, which was above Didi Benami's six votes (23%) and Michael Sarver's four votes (15%). Neither Chris Sligh (Season 6) nor Julia DeMato (Season 2) received any votes.

In the next round, readers will be asked which 9th-place finalist is their favorite of all nine seasons. Voting will be open for six days.

EJay Day 0 (0%)
Julia DeMato 0 (0%)
Amy Adams 1 (3%)
Jessica Sierra 5 (19%)
Lisa Tucker 1 (3%)
Chris Sligh 0 (0%)
Chikezie 9 (34%)
Michael Sarver 4 (15%)
Didi Benami 6 (23%)

Total votes: 26

Flashback: Tamyra Gray's "A House Is Not a Home"

2010-06-28T15:18:00.001-04:00

Tamyra Gray was the favorite to take the crown running up to the close of Idol's first season, but her premature ouster will remain one of the biggest disappointments in the show's entire history. Despite giving memorable showings on a weekly basis over the course of the Summer of 2002, they weren't enough to propel her to the win. One of her most spectacular performances happened during Top 5 week when she sang Luther Vandross' "A House Is Not a Home" on Burt Bacharach night. Watch it below:

Since this performance, Simon Cowell has seen many, many performances on TV, and so even though he has most likely seen superior performances to this one, he probably would still agree this is "on-par with Whitney and Christina."

'Idol' odds 'n ends: Antonella "Jersey Girl" Barba premieres a music video

2010-06-25T07:30:00.001-04:00

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>Antonella Barba is back on the scene with a new single and music video. The Jersey girl is acknowledging what she is and after releasing the single "Jersey Girl" on iTunes back in May, she premiered her new music video for the track on her official YouTube page yesterday. Watch the video below (I'd suggest doing so with the audio off):

Well, I hear producers of MTV's Jersey Shore are searching for a theme song to the second season of the reality series. Maybe this will be a real winner? Or maybe Antonella could earn a spot in the cast. Now that would make the show worth watching!

>News of Kellie Pickler's engagement to Nashville-based songwriter Kyle Jacobs came as a bit of a surprise to many, but when considering the recent string of engagements among blonde country singers (see Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert), it wasn't too out in left field. According to an article on People.com:

The couple met through friends about 2 1/2 years ago, and Pickler, who was raised by her grandmother after her mother left and her father went to jail, says she learned how to have a healthy relationship from her new fiancé.

"Kyle took away all my fear of marriage and has shown me the way love is supposed to be," she says.

Thanks to Jacobs -- as well as a renewed relationship with her dad, Clyde Pickler, who's been sober for a year -- "I'm in the happiest place I've ever been," she says, adding that she plans to have her father walk her down the aisle.

This development is a very positive one for Kellie and caps off a great year for her career-wise.

>In what seemed to be more of an afterthought than an example of striking while the iron is hot, Crystal Bowersox was finally allowed to perform on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Monday night. Watch her perform "What's Up?" below:

Also on the show was self-professed Idol fan and actress Dakota Fanning, who coincidentally said she was also a "huge fan" of Crystal.

>Adam Lambert was up in Canada for the 2010 MuchMusic Video Awards on Sunday, where he was one of 10 American and Canadian artists to perform. Watch his performance of "Whataya Want From Me" below:

Adam actually took home an award, too. He nabbed the "UR Fave: International Video" category (whatever that means).

>Danny Gokey released his second music video last week, this time for his latest single "I Will Not Say Goodbye." It premiered exactly one week ago during CMT's "BIG NEW MUSIC WEEKEND," which also featured new video premieres from artists like Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw and LeAnn Rimes. Watch the video below:

The video is pretty hard-hitting, and even though his late wife Sophia is not referenced by name or anything, it's pretty clear she serves as the inspiration for the video along with the side stories of loved ones speaking about family members they've lost.

'Idol' Hot 100: Carrie Underwood's "Undo It" #25 (7/3/10)

2010-06-24T22:11:00.001-04:00

For the third straight week, Carrie Underwood's "Undo It" remained the top Idol-related single on Billboard's Hot 100 chart for the chart week of July 3.

The single, which has been on the chart for eight weeks, was off two spots from #23 on the previous edition of the chart, but it still held steady within the important benchmark of the Top 25.

The only other single from an Idol alum to make the cut on this edition of the chart was Adam Lambert's "Whataya Want From Me," which was actually up one spot to #41.

Full chart positions courtesy of Billboard are below:

Hot 100
25 23 Carrie Underwood, "Undo It"
41 42 Adam Lambert, "Whataya Want From Me"

Poll of the week: Alexis Grace emerges as favorite 11th-place finalist

2010-06-23T23:55:00.002-04:00

It was Season 8's Alexis Grace's turn to shine in in IDOL LIVE's 2010 edition of the poll of the week champion series. This past week found readers voting for their favorite 10th-place finalists, and Alexis came out on top.

Pulling in nine votes, Alexis scored 56% of all 16 votes casted. No one else was able to come close, as Paige Miles of Season 9 and Amanda Overmyer of Season 7 tied for second with two votes (12%).

Alexis's win will send her through to the final round of the champion series, which we will revisit once all other placements are decided. In the next round, readers will be asked which 10th-place finalist is their favorite of all nine seasons. Voting will be open for exactly one week.

Charles Grigsby 0 (0%)
Matt Rogers 1 (6%)
Mikalah Gordon 0 (0%)
Kevin Covais 1 (6%)
Stephanie Edwards 1 (6%)
Amanda Overmyer 2 (12%)
Alexis Grace 9 (56%)
Paige Miles 2 (12%)

Total votes: 16

HITS estimates: 'Play On' #24 w/ 16.3k

2010-06-23T23:26:00.000-04:00

And then there was one (again), as Carrie Underwood's Play On was once again the only Idol-related album to chart on HITS Daily Double's Top 50 building album sales chart for its latest edition.

After seeing a nice bump in sales last week due to her wins at the CMT Music Awards, Carrie's third studio album was up another 2% in sales to 16.3k copies. Despite the continued strong sales trends, the album was bumped down one spot to #24.

Billboard will have official chart data for the Billboard 200 later in the week.

'Idol''s age min. drop - good or bad?

2010-06-22T22:34:00.000-04:00

As you have heard by now, one aspect of Idol's host of "improvements" being sought ahead of its 10th season is the lowering of the minimum age to audition to 15. As you can imagine, this is a big deal in the vacuum that is the show's (early) off-season, and there is no shortage of opinions on the move.

As for me, I think it has come three seasons too late. Whereas there have been many viable young teens over the course of Idol's history that have fallen by the wayside when up against older, more experienced performers, it was not until Season 7 when teens pretty much were overlooked by voters (with the exception of David Archuleta, of course). Since then, the motto has virtually been NTNA - no teens need apply - when it comes to audition hopefuls. If they could go back in time, producers probably would have ensured a Justin Bieber-type to win the title. But really, if Miley Cyrus could make it big at 15, why not an Idol contestant?

Judging from the general sentiment stirred up from the reveal, I'm not alone in my doubts.

MTV News's Jim Cantiello writes "Why The 'American Idol' Age Limit Change Is A Bad Idea":

The last time "Idol" tweaked its age range was season five, where they upped the limit to 28 years old. The result? Taylor Hicks, a dude who looked 58, ended up winning. So if "Idol" is going the opposite route, does that mean America might be crowning a 15-year-old who looks seven come next May? In a year, will America be tired of pop stars who look like zygotes?

Marc Hirsh of NPR.org had more to say, including:

But even if we ignore the "Me, too!" mentality behind it (which is hardly new in the pop-music industry, or any entertainment industry, for that matter), Idol's sudden need to capitalize on the demographic that still needs Mom or Dad to drive them around ignores the simple truth that “talent” is not the same thing as “artistry.” This is a distinction made all the more important by the fact that Idol talks about contestants almost exclusively in terms of the latter word while rarely mentioning the former.

And Lyndsey Parker of Yahoo! Music opined:

Honestly, I personally would rather see the audition age limit raised, not lowered, on "Idol." Keep in mind that the biggest success story of all reality singing competitions in recent years has been 48-year-old Susan Boyle, and that Season 9's biggest "Idol" sensation was, arguably, 64-year-old General Larry Platt. Now, I'm not necessarily saying that senior citizens need to join the "Idol" ranks, and yes, I do understand that the show's producers probably want to seem more relevant to the top 40 marketplace in this tween-pop age. But I do believe this show improved when its age limit was raised from 25 to 28 in Season 4, thus allowing more seasoned singers with both performance experience and life experience--Bo Bice, Constantine Maroulis, Elliott Yamin, Chris Daughtry, Melinda Doolittle, Michael Johns, Danny Gokey, Adam Lambert, Casey James, Michael Lynche, et al--to make it through.

Still, not everyone was being a downer about the move. In fact, Jordin Sparks, once a teen champ herself, offered some words of wisdom to young hopefuls via Twitter:

I auditioned at 16 & won at 17. The pressure/criticism you're under...it's a lot to handle! But talent & maturity will speak for itself! :)
about 5 hours ago via TwitBird iPhone

If you're 15 & going to audition for the make sure you're ready! Good luck! I'm rooting for you! :D
about 5 hours ago via TwitBird iPhone

Good luck to anyone auditioning! The pressure is gonna be crazy for everyone, not just the youngins! Stay focused! :)
about 4 hours ago via TwitBird iPhone

In any case, we should have a good gauge of what kind of crowd shows up for Season 10 by the time auditions roll around on July 17 in Nashville.

'Idol' Hot 100: Carrie Underwood's "Undo It" #23 (6/26/10)

2010-06-22T00:13:00.000-04:00

Although there are no sales data from the Billboard Hot Digital Songs chart, We at least were able to get a hold of the publication's coveted Hot 100 chart for the chart week of June 26. Of interest to us of course was the performance of Idol-related tracks, and the most recent issue's data wasn't as exciting as it could have been.

Leading the pack was Carrie Underwood, whose "Undo It" was up two spots to #23 for the week, marking its peak on the chart. Adam Lambert, on the other hand, actually held steady with "Whataya Want From Me" at #40 for the second-straight week, which was a little bit surprising considering its recent trajectory.

On the Bubbling Under chart, Fantasia held her own with "Bittersweet" off her forthcoming third studio album release, as it was up #18-14.

Even though there aren't any sales to examine this time, below are full chart positions courtesy of Billboard.

Hot 100
23 25 Carrie Underwood, "Undo It"
40 40 Adam Lambert, "Whataya Want From Me"

Bubbling Under
14 18 Fantasia, "Bittersweet"

Flashback: Rickey Smith's "I've Done Enough Dyin' Today"

2010-06-21T22:41:00.000-04:00

Rickey Smith was somewhat overshadowed on Idol's second season by more powerful vocalists like Ruben Studdard and more controversial personalities like Corey Clark, but he still managed to deliver some memorable performances during his time on the show. In case you're having a hard time remembering some of them, watch his version of "I've Done Enough Dyin' Today" during Top 10 week's Country Rock theme below:

Although it wasn't a masterpiece and didn't give most "the chills" as it did Paula, this performance showed that Rickey's vocals were not one-dimensional and that he could offer audiences more than just a first-rate impression of Eddie Murphy in The Nutty Professor.

'Idol' odds 'n ends: New (old) Jordin Sparks tracks a'leakin'

2010-06-18T07:58:00.001-04:00

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>It seems Jordin Sparks is now getting the Kelly Clarkson treatment, as a few songs have leaked over the past week including "Die Tryin'" and "Alive." Listen to "Die Tryin'" complete with annoying DJ voice overs below:

You can also listen to a clip of "Alive" here. Both songs were most likely leftovers from the Battlefield era, so it's probably unlikely either will appear on her forthcoming third album. Still, not a fun situation for Jordin.

>The nominees for the 2010 Teen Choice Awards were revealed Monday, and as usual there was no shortage of Idol-related entries in the various categories spanning music and TV. See a list of all categories including Idol-related entries below:

Choice TV: Reality Competition Show
“American Idol”
“America’s Next Top Model”
“Dancing with the Stars”
“Project Runway”
“Randy Jackson Presents: America’s Best Dance Crew”

Choice TV: Male Reality/Variety Star
Paul “DJ Pauly D” DelVecchio, “Jersey Shore”
Lee DeWyze, “American Idol”
Brody Jenner, “The Hills”
Bret Michaels, “Celebrity Apprentice”
Michael “The Situation” Sorrentino, “Jersey Shore”

Choice TV: Female Reality/Variety Star
Crystal Bowersox, “American Idol”
Kristin Cavallari, “The Hills”
Lauren Conrad, “The Hills”
The Kardashians, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”
Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, “Jersey Shore”

Choice Music: Male Artist
Justin Bieber
Jason Derulo
Drake
Adam Lambert
Usher

Choice Music: Female Country Artist
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Gretchen Wilson

Well, some of those look like they'll be a cakewalk (Carrie's, Adam's), but others will be a little bit tougher (Crystal's). The 2010 TCAs will be broadcast on FOX on Mon., Aug. 9.

>Although he's been out of the Idol picture for the past two seasons, it would be out of character for Nigel Lythgoe to keep his opinions of the show he produced for seven seasons. In a recent article published by Canada's Times & Transcript, Nigel was quoted as saying Season 9 "wasn't a vintage year" among other things. Per the article:

"The team took their eye off the ball a little bit and was more worried about the judges and what was happening with them than it was regarding the talent last year. It became about Kara (DioGuardi) joining and making the fourth judge, Paula (Abdul) leaving, Ellen (Degeneres) joining and Simon leaving and much more about them and concentrating on that than on the talent that they were finding."

Even though Nigel can be annoying much of the time, he's right on the money here. However, I wouldn't put it past Nigel to be using this strategy in the hopes of plopping himself at the judges' table in the spot reserved for the "acid-tongued Brit."

>Crystal Bowersox is currently collaborating with Wayne Wilkins ahead of her forthcoming debut studio album, and as Billboard reported yesterday, Crystal is already impressing him with her songwriting experience. Per an article on Billboard.com:
"She's the real deal," producer/songwriter Wayne Wilkins -- who hit the studio with Bowersox on Wednesday (June 16) -- tells Billboard.com. "I've only worked with a couple of 'Amerian Idol' contestants before, and in terms of songwriting, she's the most developed on that front. She literally could sit in a room with anybody, grab a guitar and start writing."

Wilkins has previously collaborated with Jordin Sparks on "Battlefield" and David Archuleta on songs like "Touch My Hand," and he said Crystal already brought an album's worth of material to the table. The two have also been writing with Priscilla Hamilton. Sounds like things are running pretty smoothly over in Camp Crystal.

>Speaking of upcoming Idol-related albums, Fantasia's team updated us on the status of her upcoming release, including a title, track list and album cover. For starters, Fantasia's third studio effort is titled Back to Me, and it will be released on Tues., July 27. Per the press release:
Comedian, actor and radio personality Steve Harvey also became involved in the album process by coming up with the album title after a recent radio interview with the songstress. “Steve Harvey suggested the album title and it describes perfectly where I am in my life right now,” states Fantasia. “I’ve willingly let the world into my life through my book, the Lifetime television movie and now the VH1 reality show. Now, it’s time to go back to how things used to be when America first laid their eyes on me on American Idol. I want to focus everyone’s attention back to me and back to music that everyone can relate to and enjoy.”

The album's lead single, "Bittersweet," is currently #9 on the Urban Adult Airplay chart. Back To Me is now available to pre-order at Amazon.com.

Poll of the week: David Hernandez favorite 12th/13th-place finalist

2010-06-17T00:18:00.000-04:00

It was a wipeout in IDOL LIVE's 2010 edition of the poll of the week champion series, as readers were asked which 12th (or 13th)-place finalist is their favorite of all nine seasons.

It was most likely due to lack of participation that David Hernandez garnered 72% of all votes cast, which equates to 13 of the 18 votes. No other finalist managed to get more than one vote (5%), which suggests no 12th/13th-place finisher has a solid fan base.

Regardless, David will advance to the final round of the champion series, which we will revisit once all other placements are decided. In the next round, readers will be asked which 11th-place finalist is their favorite of all nine seasons. Voting will be open for exactly one week.

Vanessa Olivarez 1 (5%)
Leah LaBelle 0 (0%)
Lindsey Cardinale 0 (0%)
Melissa McGhee 1 (5%)
Brandon Rogers 0 (0%)
David Hernandez 13 (72%)
Jasmine Murray 1 (5%)
Jorge Nunez 1 (5%)
Lacey Brown 1 (5%)

Votes so far: 18

HITS estimates: 'Play On' #24 w/ 16.1k

2010-06-15T22:59:00.000-04:00

After taking a break for one week, Carrie Underwood's latest album returned to the top spot among Idol-related entries on HITS Daily Double's Top 50 building album sales chart.

Play On was actually up one spot to #24 this week thanks to a strong night for Carrie at the 2010 CMT Music Awards last Wednesday. The boost, which was the result of Carrie's two big wins including Video of the Year and a scorching performance of "Undo It," upped the album's sales total by 16.1k copies, marking a week-to-week increase of 5%.

Having a less thrilling week on the chart was Clay Aiken's most recent cover album Tried & True, which was off 43% in its second week to an 11.3k take. On the chart side it was down #12-38.

Billboard will have official chart data for the Billboard 200 later in the week.

Adam Lambert premieres "If I Had You" music video on VH1.com

2010-06-14T23:24:00.001-04:00

VH1.com this afternoon premiered Adam Lambert's latest music video. In his third music video (not counting that sloshy "Time For Miracles" crap), Adam opts for the most eccentric forest party one could imagine for his latest single off For Your Entertainment, "If I Had You." Watch the video below to come to your own consensus of what exactly is going on:

If you ask me, it seems that Adam is going for Twilight meets an even acidier Alice in Wonderland that would probably be described as one of New York's hottest clubs by Bill Hader's Stephan character during SNL's Weekend Update segment in what is surely a tribute to his Burning Man days. Although I guess if anyone can make it work, it's Adam, so more power to him.

Flashback: Trenyce's "The Power of Love"

2010-06-14T07:50:00.000-04:00

Back on Idol's second season, Trenyce was a serious contender for the title but was upstaged by more personable finalists like Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken. Still, she was able to put together some strong showings, including her performance of Celine Dion's "The Power of Love" during Top 8 (Billboard No. 1s) week. Watch the performance below:

Simon might have called it "cabaret," but fans liked it enough to keep Trenyce around for a few more weeks.

'Idol' odds 'n ends: Ryan Seacrest wants another talk show?

2010-06-11T07:59:00.006-04:00

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>Is it possible Ryan Seacrest could become the next Oprah? There are rumors floating around that he's considering launching back into the daytime talk circuit with a show of his own, but not until 2011. Per Zap2It.com:
According to LARadio.com, Seacrest and CBS are sidling up to talks for Seacrest about hosting and executive producing a show that would premiere in the fall of 2011. It would also likely be a package deal that would include his radio shows as well.

The rumblings about Seacrest making a move come as the end of his current radio contract nears its end. He's currently with KIIS-FM, a Clear Channel-owned station, but his deal there expires in November.

If anyone is thinking to his or herself, "wait a minute, didn't Ryan already have his own talk show?" your mind isn't playing tricks on you. Back in '04 Ryan spent his afternoons on On-Air with Ryan Seacreast, which had a lifespan of only a few months.

>Adam Lambert's "Glam Nation Tour" with fellow Season 8 finalist Allison Iraheta and Orianthi kicked off at the Kirby Center in Wilkes Barre, Pa., on Fri., June 4. Watch fan video of him performing "Fever" below:

Adam, Allison and Orianthi will next perform at the Shining Star Casino in Mahnomen, Minn.

>As his peers previously had done, Lee DeWyze stopped by CBS's late night talk show The Late Show with David Letterman on Monday to chat with host David Letterman and perform his winning single "Beautiful Day." Watch his performance below:

Lee's talk with Letterman was, well, rather boring but he seemed more personable than usual. Lee talked about working in a paint store and the full year process of him working with Idol, calling Simon a "genuinely nice guy."

>Only three months since joining the Hair tribe, Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young will be looking for a new paycheck as they were given their two weeks notice yesterday that the Broadway revival will be closing its doors at the Al Hirschfeld Theater on June 27. Per Broadway.com:

The closing release emphasized that Hair recouped its entire $5,760,000 investment four months into the run and has generated a profit. The show weakened at the box office after the original cast departed for London, grossing $351,992 for the week ending June 6 and playing to 46.50% of capacity. The London production, which opened in April at the Gielgud Theatre will close on September 4, and according to a statement from the producers, “Many of the members of the current Broadway Tribe and London Tribe will take part in the tour.”

If you were planning on seeing Diana and Ace in the show sometime this summer, there's still time to see it over the next two weeks. See here for tickets starting at $37.

>New shots from Jordin Sparks's video shoot for her cover of the classic "Beauty and the Beast" have surfaced. The video, which is directed by Philip Andelman ("Battlefield"), will appear on the special Blu-ray/DVD release of the Disney classic Beauty and the Beast, which will be out Tues., Oct. 5, and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com.

The photos are courtesy of JordinSparks.cc and come after EW.com posted a first look of the scene from the video two weeks ago. The song, which was originally a duet between Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson, will be sung solely by Jordin.

'Idol' Hot 100: Carrie Underwood's "Undo It" #25 (6/19/10) [plus sales figures!]

2010-06-10T22:01:00.000-04:00

Last week's top represented Idol on Billboard's Hot 100 chart saw his single drop a whopping 48 spots in its second week for the chart week of June 19, which was made only more exciting by the appearance of digital sales figures for the first time in months.

Carrie Underwood held down the fort with her newest hit "Undo It," which was once again at #25 for the week. The single sold 64.1k tracks and now stands at 284.1k. Continuing to descend the chart was Adam Lambert and his "Whataya Want From Me," as it slid #35-40 and pulled in 29.1k for a total of 1.296 million.

And then there was Lee DeWyze, who witnessed his winning cover of "Beautiful Day" tumble #24-72 thanks to a 61% drop in sales to 37.4k tracks. It has sold 132.6k after two weeks. Lee's other tracks on the Hot 100 - "Hallelujah" and his duet with Crystal Bowersox on "Falling Slowly" - were down as well, but not as badly. The former dropped #44-76 and sold 33.4k while the latter fell #66-80 and sold 29.7k. Their totals stand at 96.4k and 73.7k, respectively.

Full chart positions courtesy of Billboard are posted below:

Hot 100
25 25 Carrie Underwood, "Undo It"
40 35 Adam Lambert, "Whataya Want From Me"
72 24 Lee DeWyze, "Beautiful Day"
76 44 Lee DeWyze, "Hallelujah"
80 66 Lee DeWyze & Crystal Bowersox, "Falling Slowly"

Full sales figures and chart positions courtesy of tsw2008 over at Pulse are posted below:

Hot Digital Songs
020 018 Carrie Underwood, "Undo It" 64,144 -7% 69,159 284,118
045 012 Lee DeWyze, "Beautiful Day" 37,392 -61% 95,162 132,554
052 020 Lee DeWyze, "Hallelujah" 33,407 -47% 62,988 96,395
056 038 Lee DeWyze & Crystal Bowersox, "Falling Slowly" 29,655 -33% 44,002 73,657
057 049 Adam Lambert, "Whataya Want From Me" 29,113 -8% 31,737 1,295,939
119 032 Crystal Bowersox, "Up to the Mountain" 14,578 -70% 48,864 63,442
127 105 Kris Allen, "Live Like We're Dying" 14,024 -10% 15,645 1,457,226
161 061 Lee DeWyze, "The Boxer" 10,900 -58% 26,245 37,145
164 139 Daughtry, "Life After You," 10,569 -10% 11,801 736,555
168 157 Carrie Underwood, "Cowboy Casanova" 10,322 -1% 10,374 1,369,386
180 159 Carrie Underwood, "Temporary Home" 9,886 -4% 10,273 502,113

Total sales are in bold.

CMT Awards wrap-up: Carrie Underwood doesn't buckle under pressure

2010-06-10T00:32:00.001-04:00

Despite having to sit through a mess of an awards show, Carrie Underwood could do nothing but smile at the 2010 CMT Music Awards. Carrie won two awards, including the coveted Video of the Year distinction for "Cowboy Casanova."

Carrie must've said "awesome" a dozen times upon taking the stage to receive the buckle, as she was as appreciative as always of her fans' support. She was also sure to sneak in a kiss with her fiance, Mike Fisher, before making her way through the crowd, as seen in the photo on the right.

Earlier in the show Carrie took home a buckle for CMT Performance of the Year thanks to her "Invitation Only" performance of "Temporary Home" in addition to introducing Tim McGraw for his performance of "Southern Voice" and taking the stage to perform her current smash hit "Undo It." Watch her performance (including an awkward 10-second mute mic at the beginning and Kara DioGuardi's bumbling intro) below:

Although Carrie was clearly the star of the night, Kellie Pickler also got a lot of face time despite losing out in the only category she was nominated for, Collaborative Video of the Year. Kellie helped Kid Rock kick off the show when she contributed to an all-star performance of the host's "Cowboy." She also presented an award with football bad boy Terrell "T.O." Owens and was seen "partying" backstage with Rock.

As for my predictions, I was right on with Carrie's win for PotY and loss for FVotY and Kellie's loss for CVotY, although I was [gladly] wrong about Carrie not taking home VotY.

Also in the house was Danny Gokey, who found the time to catch up with fish out of water presenters Snooki and "The Situation" from MTV's Jersey Shore. According to a tweet of his, Snooki told him her mother is a fan. Really?

Poll of the week: Harry Connick, Jr. should replace Simon

2010-06-09T23:59:00.000-04:00

In the latest poll of the week IDOL LIVE readers selected Harry Connick, Jr. as their replacement of choice for the newly departed Simon Cowell.

Connick, Jr. roped in 13 votes, good for 41% of all votes cast in the sparsely-voted-in poll. Tying for second place were Shania Twain and Bret Michaels, each netting five votes (16%). No other potential candidate seemed to excite voters, not even Piers Morgan, as he only managed four votes (12%).

We will now embark on our annual poll of the week champion series, as readers will be asked which 12th(or 13th)-place finalist is their favorite of all nine seasons. Voting will be open for exactly one week.

Bret Michaels 5 (16%)
Clive Davis 2 (6%)
Diddy 0 (0%)
Elton John 1 (3%)
Harry Connick, Jr. 13 (41%)
Howard Stern 0 (0%)
Piers Morgan 4 (12%)
Russell Simmons 0 (0%)
Ryan Seacrest 1 (3%)
Shania Twain 5 (16%)
Whitney Houston 0 (0%)

Total votes: 31

IDOL LIVE predix: 2010 CMT Awards

2010-06-09T18:24:00.001-04:00

Two Idol alums are up for awards at tonight's 2010 CMT Music Awards, with a combined four categories available for them to nab.

Carrie Underwood is shooting for her "Cowboy Casanova" video to earn her a CMT Award in the Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year categories, while she could be victorious in the CMT Performance of the Yearcategory thanks to her live performance of "Temporary Home" for the network. Kellie Pickler, on the other hand, could win in the Collaborative Video of the Year category as a result of her teaming up with friend Taylor Swift on the "Best Days of Your Life" video.

Read my predictions for how things will go tonight below (predicted winners are in bold):

Video of the Year
Kenny Chesney – "Out Last Night"
Brad Paisley – "Welcome to the Future"
Jason Aldean – "The Truth"
Lady Antebellum – "Need You Now"
Miranda Lambert – "White Liar"
Zac Brown Band – "Toes"
Carrie Underwood – "Cowboy Casanova"
Taylor Swift – "You Belong With Me"Toby Keith – "American Ride"
Keith Urban – '"Til Summer Comes Around"

Female Video of the Year
Miranda Lambert – "White Liar"
Taylor Swift – "You Belong With Me"
Reba McEntire – "Consider Me Gone"
Carrie Underwood – "Cowboy Casanova"

Collaborative Video of the Year
Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins – "Hillbilly Bone"
Jason Aldean and Bryan Adams – "Heaven' from 'CMT Crossroads"
Kellie Pickler featuring Taylor Swift – "Best Days of Your Life"
Kenny Chesney with Dave Matthews – "I'm Alive"

CMT Performance of the Year
Carrie Underwood – "Temporary Home" from Invitation Only: Carrie Underwood
Lady Antebellum – "Lookin' For A Good Time" from the 2009 CMT Music Awards
Tim McGraw – "Southern Voice" from Invitation Only: Tim McGraw
Reba McEntire – "Consider Me Gone" from Invitation Only: Reba
Brad Paisley – "Then" from the 2009 CMT Music Awards

No real surprises here. Hopefully Carrie does pull through and wins the CMT Performance of the Year, because that is probably where her competition is the weakest for this type of awards show. Watch "Cowboy Casanova" and "Best Days of Your Life" below:

"Cowboy Casanova"

Carrie Underwood More CMT Music More CMT Music Videos

"Best Days of Your Life"

The CMT Music Awards will be hosted by Kid Rock and will be broadcast live on CMT at 8 p.m. ET.

HITS estimates: 'Tried and True' #12 w/ 19.7k

2010-06-08T22:11:00.000-04:00

For the first time in many weeks we had a new Idol-related album represent the franchise at the front of the pack, as Clay Aiken's latest disc Tried and True narrowly missed the Top 10.

Clay's album sold 19.7k copies in its opening bow, which marks his lowest sales week for a launch to date. Clay's second cover album (third including Merry Christmas with Love) debuted at #12, which is the lowest placing for one of his opening weeks.

Clay's previous openings are as follows: Measure of a Man (#1, 613k), Merry Christmas with Love (#2, 270k), A Thousand Different Ways (#2, 211k), On My Way Here (#4, 94k).

The only other album by an alum to appear on the chart was Carrie Underwood's Play On, which was off three spots to #25 thanks to a 5% sales dip. The album took in an additional 15.3k copies for the week.

There's a good likelihood Play On will see an up-tick in sales on the next edition of the chart, as Carrie is set to perform at tomorrow's CMT Music Awards.

Chart rankings courtesy of Billboard will be posted later in the week.

RCA posts press release on Lee DeWyze's forthcoming album

2010-06-08T08:19:00.000-04:00

As you may or may not know, Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox each got a record deal out of their winner and runner-up statuses on the most recent season of Idol, but it wasn't until yesterday that the actual details of Lee's album release schedule were made public.

Read the press release courtesy of 19 Recordings/RCA Records below:

American Idol Season 9 Winner Lee Dewyze Signs to 19 Recordings / RCA Records
Dewyze's Debut Album is Set for Release in Fall 2010

LOS ANGELES, June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- American Idol Season 9 winner Lee Dewyze has been signed to 19 Recordings/RCA Records. He is preparing to start work on his debut album which is due for release in fall 2010.

The 24 year old Mount Prospect, IL native impressed millions throughout the season taking home this year's American Idol winning title. Dewyze is a self taught musician who began singing and playing guitar in his teens. Auditioned in Chicago, Dewyze was the only male contestant never to land in the bottom three during American Idol Season 9.

"Lee is the People's choice, the working class hero who won the hearts of America to become The 9th American Idol," says Simon Fuller – Creator of American Idol and Founder of 19 Entertainment. "Lee has a powerful voice, integrity and a passion for music that literally brought tears to his eyes. We are all looking forward so much to Lee recording his new album to be released in the late fall."

"Lee struck a real chord with the American public this season on Idol. His humility coupled with his vast talent and musicianship should make him a big artist for a long time to come," says Barry Weiss, Chairman & CEO RCA/JIVE Label Group. "We at the RCA Label are excited to work with Lee and 19 on an album that speaks to his widespread appeal."

"Looking back on the last few months and all I gained from my experience on American Idol, it is incredible to know that this is only the beginning for me. Being signed by 19 Entertainment/RCA Records is a dream come true," says Lee. "I know that by working with them, I have the support that will allow me to record the best possible album I can – an album I'm proud of and confident in."

Lee will be recording his album over the summer while on the road with the American Idol's Live tour. The tour kicks off July 1 in Auburn Hills, Michigan and ends September 14 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

So, what do you think? Will Lee's album be as rushed as the rest of the debuts have been? Will it be more David Cook or Kris Allen? Either way I'm willing to be a cover of John Lennon's "Working Class Hero" will appear on there.

Crystal signed with Jive Records, but we've yet to see a press release detailing her release.