American Idol Past Contestants: What Are They Up To Now?

[tribeca]

A place to catch up with all the former Idol contestants

[Rick Kitchen]

Adam Lambert fronting Queen

[TinyDinorawr]

Former American Idol contestant Danny Gokey is back with a brand new album!!! "Hope In Front of Me" will be out June 23rd! The single "Hope in Front of Me" is available on iTunes now! I'm so excited, I've always loved Danny's voice!! Follow him on Twitter @DannyGokey and /DannyGokeyOfficial for more info!

[tribeca]

Kelly Clarkson had a baby girl River Rose.  She posted a picture on twitter.  Very sweet.

 

Clay Aiken is running for congress in North Carolina

 

Kris Allen is working on a new CD

 

A year or maybe more time there was talk of Crystal Bowersox playing Pasty Cline on Broadway.  Never heard anything more on that.  Hoping it happens though!

[ItsHelloPattiagain]

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2014/June/What-Happened-to-Idols-Dreadlocked-Jason-Castro/

 

This popped up on my facebook feed. I guess he cut his hair and has a new album coming out. 

[karenc3]

Thank you for adding this topic.  I have some news about David Cook.  There was an update on davidcookofficial.com that he would have new music out by the end of the summer.  He just left  for a European tour of military bases also, he'll be there for the next week or so.   The update also said there would be some new tour dates listed soon.  He does have some already scheduled through November, so hopefully there will be more.  He had said last week that they were done tracking the album, so it really looks like it's almost done.  I love the new songs, and have been a fan of his since Idol, so I'm glad the album will be out soon.

 

 

 

 

 

[Sparkling Beth]

I saw Casey James on Extreme Weight Loss last week.  The guy who needed to lose weight was a country singer and songwriter and Casey talked to him and performed one of his songs at a show.

[rereader2]

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2014/June/What-Happened-to-Idols-Dreadlocked-Jason-Castro/

 

This popped up on my facebook feed. I guess he cut his hair and has a new album coming out. 

 

Actually, that album (Only a Mountain) came out Jan. 2013, and he cut his hair back in April. (The article isn't very accurate on timelines or other details.)

Edited June 23, 2014 by rereader2

[karenc3]

Kris Allen has a new album coming out called Horizons, here's a link to snippets.  I like them. He will have a single coming out next week called "Prove it to You" and you can get it if you preorder the album.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LFLL610/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00LFLL610&linkCode=as2&tag=mjsbigblog-20&linkId=K7A7R3HE5OHHTIJR

[observer]

And Adam Lambert is touring with...who?  Oh just QUEEN!

 

 

2014 Queen + Adam Lambert Tour Dates

 

06.16.14  iHeart Radio Theater Burbank CA United States

06.19.14  United Center concert info Chicago, IL United States

06.21.14  MTS Centre concert info Winnipeg, MB Canada
06.23.14  Credit Union Centre Saskatoon, SK Canada
06.24.14  Rexall Place  Edmonton, AB Canada
06.26.14  Scotiabank Saddledome Calgary, AB Canada
06.28.14  Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena  Vancouver, BC Canada
07.01.14  SAP Center San Jose, CA United States
07.03.14  The Forum Inglewood, CA United States
07.05.14  The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas, NV United States
07.06.14  The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas, NV United States
07.09.14  Toyota Center Houston, TX United States
07.10.14  American Airlines Center  Dallas, TX United States
07.12.14  The Palace of Auburn Hills  Auburn Hills, MI United States
07.13.14  Air Canada Centre  Toronto, ON Canada
07.14.14  Bell Centre  Montreal, QC Canada
07.16.14  Wells Fargo Center  Philadelphia, PA United States
07.17.14  Madison Square Garden  New York, NY United States
07.19.14  Mohegan Sun  Uncasville, CT United States
07.20.14  Merriweather Post Pavilion  Columbia, MD United States
07.22.14  TD Garden  Boston, MA United States
07.23.14  IZOD Center  East Rutherford, NJ United States
07.25.14  Mohegan Sun  Uncasville, CT United States
07.26.14  Boardwalk Hall  Atlantic City, NJ United States
07.28.14  Air Canada Centre  Toronto, ON Canada
08.14.14  Super Sonic 2014  Seoul Korea
08.16.14  Summer Sonic Music Festival  Osaka Japan
08.17.14  Marine Stadium  Tokyo Japan
08.22.14  Perth Arena  Perth Australia
08.26.14  Allphones Arena  Sydney Australia
08.27.14  Allphones Arena  Sydney Australia
08.29.14  Rod Laver Arena  Melbourne Australia
08.30.14  Rod Laver Arena  Melbourne Australia
09.01.14  Brisbane Entertainment Centre  Brisbane Australia

Edited July 10, 2014 by observer

[Lonesome Rhodes]

I saw Bo Bice last night.  He is fronting Blood, Sweat, and Tears (first did this last September).  His head hair is very closely cropped - think George Michael.

 

He seemed to have put on a few pounds, which is good as he has gastric issues.  He looked awesome.

 

He displayed a great sense of humor on stage.  He explained how that for his dad, this gig is the most impressive thing Bo has done.  His tone is perfect for BS&T.   He doesn't quite have the nuances of breathing and emphasis down for these soulful/jazzy songs, but when the music calls for belting, Bo gets it done.  

 

If you are a fan of BS&T and Bo, you can't miss out if you get the chance to see them.

[Rick Kitchen]

Here's Bo fronting BS&T

 

[tribeca]

The 2 David's reunited at Cookie's concert in UT.

David Cook invited Archie up on stage to sing his hit Crush.

 

http://youtu.be/j3h9DYDkBvY

 

[Rick Kitchen]

He has a hit?

 

I suppose everybody knows that Clay Aiken won his Democratic primary for Congress, right?  Just barely, the other candidate was only a couple of hundred votes behind, but he died before the recount so the election commission just awarded the primary to Aiken.

[rereader2]

 he died before the recount so the election commission just awarded the primary to Aiken.

 

I don't know that being dead should have disqualified him--he can't do less dead than the rest of the Republicans are doing alive.

Edited August 1, 2014 by rereader2

[truthaboutluv]

Searched around for this thread to share some really shocking and sad news. Michael Johns, S7 contestant, passed away yesterday apparently from a blood clot in his ankle. Here's a link to the story from The Hollywood Reporter.

 

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/earshot/american-idol-alum-michael-johns-723030?utm_source=twitter

[kili]

Searched around for this thread to share some really shocking and sad news.

 

Very sad news. I loved his voice and bluesy sound. A clot in his ankle? Wow. Sad.

[Gemma Violet]

So sad to hear about Michael Johns.

 

I suppose everybody knows that Clay Aiken won his Democratic primary for Congress, right?  Just barely, the other candidate was only a couple of hundred votes behind, but he died before the recount so the election commission just awarded the primary to Aiken.

 

Actually, Mr. Crisco's campaign manager said that Mr. Crisco had planned to concede the election to Clay, but passed away the day before doing so.  There was no recount planned.

Edited August 2, 2014 by Gemma Violet

[Koffee Kup]

He has a hit?

 

I suppose everybody knows that Clay Aiken won his Democratic primary for Congress, right?  Just barely, the other candidate was only a couple of hundred votes behind, but he died before the recount so the election commission just awarded the primary to Aiken.

There was never going to be a recount, he was above the percentage that triggers a recount.   His opponent was going to concede.

[magenta]

Michael Johns has died

Really liked him

[Simon Boccanegra]

A clot in his ankle? Wow. Sad.

 

I will admit, when I saw "died unexpectedly" at 35, that was not the first cause to which my mind went, but it does happen (a deep venous thrombosis, I assume, in the med-speak). I lost a friend that way a few years ago, just a day after his thirtieth birthday. We found out late at night, and everyone was posting "RIP"-type social-media comments, and some people thought it was a joke -- everyone must be doing a gag that he was "dead" because he was 30 now. But, sadly, no. What a compromised vein is capable of doing, even to a young person, is pretty scary. 

 

I liked some of Johns's performances very much. His highlight, for me, was a duet with Carly Smithson in the finale.  

 

Edit: Was Michael one of the alumni who reappeared in 2010 for Cowell's sendoff? I have some memory of him being in the lineup for the "Together We Are One" number and getting some camera attention.  

Edited August 3, 2014 by Simon Boccanegra

[Rick Kitchen]

Adam Roth, the "sound healer", who is from Sacramento, is performing at a local night club here in the Sacramento area.

This guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vljlPnZU3fM

[observer]

Wondering whatever became of Megan Joy.  Last entries on her social media were ~a year ago.

Edited August 9, 2014 by observer

[BadLilSister]

Here is an article about Megan Joy from Feb 2014

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/entertainment2/57508061-223/joy-music-album-ryder.html.csp

[Rick Kitchen]

Josh Gracin is undergoing involuntary psychiatric care after tweeting what many took to be a suicide note yesterday.

[Gemma Violet]

Clay Aiken talking politics.  Impressive.

 

http://video.unctv.org/video/2365320543/

 

The Clay part starts about a minute into the video.

[susannot]

Queen Adam Lambert tour estimated gross $77 million so far:

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/lv?key=0ArGRM9JiTuXPdHppNjBDR1NxVDBQOFdGc3JNWG1FaXc&toomany=true#gid=0

[Rick Kitchen]

Nicole Kidman's father died, so Keith Urban had to drop out of the auditions being held in New York this week, so he was replaced by Adam Lambert.

[Rick Kitchen]

Michael Johns's best friend is saying that Michael died from alcoholism, not a blood clot.

 

http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2014/09/michael-johns-death-cause/

[GreyBunny]

Clay thinks Jennifer Lawrence and other women celebs whose private pictures were stolen "got what they deserve":

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/wp/2014/09/18/clay-aiken-celebs-exposed-in-nude-pics-deserve-what-they-get/

 

Clay Aiken, the American Idol runner-up turned congressional candidate in North Carolina, doesn’t feel much sympathy for celebrities whose personal nude photos were leaked on the internet.

 

“Anybody who takes inappropriate pictures of themselves deserves exactly what they get,” Aiken said in an interview with our colleague Ben Terris, who just wrote an excellent profile of Aiken.

 

<snip>

 

And the wannabe lawmaker has a suggestion for those tempted to snap pics of their naughty bits: “I’ve got a mirror if I want to check something out,” Aiken said.

Says the guy who got angry when the private picture of him grabbing Mezhgan Husseiny's boobs was made public.  

http://www.reviewstl.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Clay-Aiken-Grabs-Mezhgan-Hussainy-Boobs.jpg

 

And when a screenshot of his private profile at gay dating site Manhunt was found and went viral.

Oh, but it's okay for his boyfriend Reed Kelly to strip and bare all for charity but not for a woman to send a private photo to someone she's dating.

 

http://www.rickey.org/clay-aiken-boyfriend-reed-kelly-naked/41155/

 

So he's one of those clods who thinks if a home is broken into it's the intruder's fault but if a phone is broken into (and it involves women and their sexuality) it's the victim's fault.  It's a shame he thinks victim-blaming is acceptable.  I thought he was smarter and better than that but apparently not. And he's a hypocrite to boot.

I'm done supporting Clay.  He can take a flying leap off a cliff as far as I'm concerned.

Edited September 24, 2014 by GreyBunny

[A Boston Gal]

John Stevens sang at Mayor Menino's funeral in Boston today. After AI, John spend four years here in the city attending the Berklee School of Music.

 

http://www.wcvb.com/news/meninos-funeral-ends-with-my-way/29504272?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=wcvb

 

ETA: Didn't know this part, but John's evidently settled in the area: http://www.beantownswing.com/index.html

Edited November 4, 2014 by A Boston Gal

[A Boston Gal]

New post to give out this link: The Boston Globe has rediscovered John....

 

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/11/09/the-man-who-sang-way-funeral-thomas-menino-spent-most-his-life-studying-song/rLq5hbOlMW6fg9Ad6bUgjI/story.html

[27bored]

So I saw Kris in concert kinda by accident. He was opening for another band.

Here's the thing: I've always found Kris likable but really boring. Decent voice (like a more earthly version of Jason Mraz), cute in a guy who sits in the middle of your big lecture class in college with spiky hair kind if way, and he has a decent knack for doing acoustic/jam band versions of popular songs. In his whole career, the only thing I've liked from him was his album cover of Heartless.

Seeing him in concert was good, though. I'm still bored by his original stuff, but Kris has a subtle charisma that works. These chicks yelled WE LOVE YOU KRIS and he said "I love you too" and then a group of dudes said the same thing and he quickly said "I love you" while looking down. Then he added "it's always weird when that happens".

His new stuff was alright. He would kind if weave other sings into them, like "Rude" by Magic. But the best part was when he did Chandelier by Sia. Unlike his original stuff, his rendition was dark and sad and sexy and sensual. Very interesting. All his appeal came out on that song. I kind of wish he would work with some pop artists to give him more sings like that. Kris has an understated charm that works for songs like that.

[viajero]

I`m not sure if any of you've had a chance to catch the MTV series "Faking It", but Katie Stevens (Season 9) is doing a pretty impressive job in lead role.  While her singing may not have been good enough to get past the Top 9 on AI, she's turned out to be quite the actress.  Since the show is doing very well and has gotten generally good reviews (as has Katie herself), it looks like she may have found herself a career.

[jsm1125]

I'm not sure if anyone remembers Joanne Borgella from the semifinals of Season 7, but she passed away a couple of months ago from a rare form of endometrial cancer: http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/19/showbiz/joanne-borgella-death/

 

Very sad.

[riley702]

:( That hits a little close to home, as my SIL was just diagnosed with endometrial cancer (they think they got it all, but it's still very stressful).

Edited January 10, 2015 by riley702

[ProudMary]

Phillip Phillips is suing to get out of his American Idol contract.

 

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/american-idol-winner-files-bold-767088

 

 

From the Hollywood Reporter:
 

Phillip Phillips says he's been "manipulated" and in a move with huge implications, he is seeking to void his recording, management and merchandising deals with 19 Entertainment.  On Jan. 22, Phillips lodged a bombshell petition with the California Labor Commissioner that asserts that Idol producer 19 Entertainment and its affiliated companies have "manipulated" him into accepting jobs since he hit it big. In a filing that reveals some of Phillips' post-show tribulations, including being forced to perform for free for one of Idol sponsors and not even knowing the title of his last album before it was announced publicly, the singer is seeking to void his various agreements with 19, said by the star's lawyer to be "oppressive, fatally conflicted."

 

[rereader2]

Practically speaking, it's a fairly stupid move. I mean, if the case wends its way through the courts, it will probably take longer than working out his contract, and meanwhile he's earned the ill-will of 19E. His only hope is that 19E will release him rather than risk undermining the legality of many reality show contracts.

[limecoke]

Two AI winner sightings this weekend.  Phillip Phillips sang the national anthem at the Daytona 500 today.  He did ok but was seriously off-key towards the end.  I was never a huge fan of his tortured way of singing but he seemed like a nice guy so I've always wished him well.

 

Kris Allen sang the national anthem at the LA Kings - San Jose Sharks NHL Stadium series game in California last night.  I like Kris so am not totally objective but I thought he did a good job.  I'm a huge LA Kings fan which is why I caught it.  Go Kings.

Edited February 22, 2015 by limecoke

[rereader2]

A very on-topic piece at TV Guide's website: American Idol Stars: Where Are They Now?

[Rick Kitchen]

Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart performing with Postmodern Jukebox:

 

Edited March 18, 2015 by Rick Kitchen

[Rick Kitchen]

Casey has lost a lot of weight.

[Rick Kitchen]

Kelly Clarkson *nails* "Give Me One Reason"

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN66KH4lr0I#t=29

[riley702]

Love that, thanks. She still sounds great.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

I loved her version better than the original artist whoever that was!   

[riley702]

She's a fabulous singer and yet many people just focus on her weight. That irritates me.

[rereader2]

She IS a fantastic singer--but the songs I've heard from her lately have been vastly over-produced. (She really doesn't need echo effects, either.)

[viajero]

I loved her version better than the original artist whoever that was!

 

 

I wouldn't go that far.  Kelly did a great job on that cover as always, but it's missing the angst and rasp in Tracy Chapman's vocals.

[Ava]

Adam Lambert's first single, from his new album, "Original High", will be dropping in April.  Not sure when the album is being released.  He's now signed with Warners.

[susannot]

Tracy Chapman's original of "Gimme One Reason."  Genius.