Tag: American Idol season 10

Music Review >> Tim Halperin – ‘Rise and Fall’

The day after his American Idol contract was up, season 10 alum Tim Halperin released his debut full-length album, Rise and Fall, on September 27.

Halperin began working on the album prior to his Idol journey in August of 2010. Working with producer, Jordan Critz, Halperin selected 13 tracks that he felt gave a well-rounded representation of himself.

“With this record, because it’s my first full-length album, I wanted to make sure that it was the most me. That it had songs on it that I felt like best represented who I am, not only as a songwriter, but as a person,” he explained to me during our interview earlier this week.

I think Halperin definitely accomplished that goal. Rise and Fall is comprised of songs about life, love, and heartbreak.

His first single, “The Last Song,” is currently in the top ten on the Singer/Songwriters Songs chart on iTunes. Halperin told me this past June that the tune was one of the first songs recorded for Rise and Fall about a year and a half ago.

“It just turned out really well, and I think that that song gives people a good picture of who I am, and also that my music is very honest and straightforward. I like to throw all my emotions on the table, because I think people can relate best to honest music,” he said.

Continue reading Music Review >> Tim Halperin – ‘Rise and Fall’

LIVE VIDEO: Tim Halperin in ‘Idol’ Jail Live on USTREAM

To celebrate the release of his upcoming album, Rise & Fall, Tim Halperin is spending the last 24 hours of his American Idol contract in a jail cell in Texas! As well as celebrating the release of his album, Tim is collecting donations for Kidd Kraddick’s charity, Kidd’s Kids!

If you’re in the neighborhood, go say hi to Tim at Legacy Drive and Bishop Road ( 7201 Bishop Road, Plano, TX).

Check out live video of Tim in Idol jail after the cut!

Continue reading LIVE VIDEO: Tim Halperin in ‘Idol’ Jail Live on USTREAM

Listen to Song Previews From Tim Halperin’s Upcoming Album, Rise & Fall

Tim Halperin’s full-length debut album, Rise & Fall,  is set to be released in just under two weeks on September 27 via iTunes.

Check out the video below for song previews from Rise & Fall, including: “I Wanna Fall in Love,” “Crash Course to Hollywood,” “I Gotta Know,” “Pretty Girls,” “New York,” and “American Fame”!

Get the latest Tim Halperin news at his official website, Twitter, and Facebook!

Tim Halperin Announces Release Date For Full-Length Album, Rise and Fall

Last Friday, singer-songwriter, Tim Halperin made an announcement via Tumblr that was very much relevant to my interests. He let everyone know that his debut full-length album entitled, Rise and Fall is set to be released on September 27! Holla!

Here’s the track listing:

1. All You’ve Got

2. Pretty Girls

3. The Last Song

4. She Sets Me Free

5. Bullet

6. Crash Course to Hollywood

7. I Gotta Know

8. Where I’m Going

9. I Wanna Fall In Love

10. Memories On The Ground

11. New York

12. I Believe (iTunes Exclusive)

13. American Fame (iTunes Exclusive)

– The Last Song – Music Video (iTunes Exclusive)

He also made mention of a Fall tour, so I’m going to mention a couple cities he should stop in, like San Francisco and San Jose. :)

You can keep up-to-date with the latest Tim Halperin news at his official website, Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr!

MUSIC VIDEO: Pia Toscano – “This Time”

American Idol season 10 contestant, Pia Toscano has released the music video for her current single, “This Time,” which she has been singing all summer long during the American Idols Live! tour.

Check out the video below!

The video is visually stunning. I really wish they had figured out a way to put a band behind her when she’s singing into a microphone in the middle of the street. Or just eliminate the microphone altogether. 

Overall, I think it’s a pretty decent debut video from the singer. Me thinks Pia has a bright future ahead of her!

You can currently download the music video for “This Time” for FREE from iTunes!

Music Review >> Scotty McCreery – ‘American Idol Season 10’

American Idol season 10 winner, Scotty McCreery was handedly the most consistent singer this past season, which made his studio tracks a treat to listen to. And for someone who doesn’t entirely care for country music, I cannot deny this kid’s seemingly effortless talent.

McCreery’s run on Idol was indeed ballad heavy, but luckily his uptempo  numbers were sprinkled throughout this Idol compilation.

On the show, I felt like the country singer proved he could be a contemporary artist when he backed off the ballads, and rocked out on Montgomery Gentry’s “Gone.” Hands down, this is my favorite of McCreery’s studio tracks. He sounds like a well-seasoned singer, not a 17-year-old kid that is just in the beginning stages of his music career.

Unabashedly, another one of my favorite tracks off of McCreery’s collection of music from Idol is his take on Elvis’ “That’s All Right.” This song really allowed the singer to show a more personable and youthful side to himself. Plus, it’s really fun to sing-a-long to.

On the flipside, my favorite ballads include “Can I Trust You With My Heart,” “Always On My Mind,” and McCreery’s debut single, “I Love You This Big.”

Continue reading Music Review >> Scotty McCreery – ‘American Idol Season 10’

Music Video >> Scotty McCreery – “I Love You This Big”

CMT just posted up American Idol season 10 winner, Scotty McCreery’s music video for his current single, “I Love You This Big”!

Check out the video below!

Aw, I kind of love it! :)

Scotty shot the video before heading out on the American Idols Live! tour in Los Angeles earlier this summer. The video was directed by Shane Drake.

The music video for “I Love You This Big” is available for download at iTunes now!

Source

MUSIC VIDEO: Lauren Alaina – “Like My Mother Does”

The debut music video from American Idol season 10 contestant, Lauren Alaina, is here!

Check out the music video for “Like My Mother Does” below!

Vodpod videos no longer available.

The video was directed by Shaun Silva, and was shot in Southern California earlier this summer.

This video is a great debut for the country singer! And I have to admit that this song has really grown on me! (I’m a sap, okay? LOL!)

What do y’all think about Lauren Alaina’s music video for “Like My Mother Does”?

Source: CMT

Backstage with ‘American Idol’s’ Stefano Langone

Before the Top 11 contestants from the tenth season of American Idol took the stage at the HP Pavilion in San Jose on July 13, I had the opportunity to sit down for a one-on-one interview with Washington native, Stefano Langone.

Langone and I talked about the current tour, his post-tour plans, and his advice for the American Idol season 11 hopefuls.

How has the tour been going so far?

The tour’s been going great. We’re getting some great reviews. Just trying to establish myself as one of the top-notch performers. Everything’s been working out.

So you tried out for Idol initially in San Francisco, and now you’re performing tonight in the Bay Area, how does it feel to kind of come full circle?

All of my family’s from the Bay Area. I’m really, really pumped to perform tonight. There’s going to be a lot of Langones in the house.

Stefano Langone live in Oakland, CA - credit: Karen DatangelWhat has been the most fulfilling part of the tour so far for you?

Just getting to see the crowd’s reaction, and getting to see the fans after the show. My goal really is to make a name for myself, and really show people who they voted for and just making more fans, you know? Creating a buzz and making sure I establish what I want to do after the show. Unfortunately I didn’t get to pick the songs that I wanted to do, and I didn’t get to perform in the way I wanted to, but I’m taking what I’ve got and I’m making the best of it. I’m going out there and giving great performances and that’s number one.

Having to perform the same set every night on tour, how do you stay amped for each show?

It’s the crowd. The crowd keeps you hyped up; you can always count on that. You can’t get sucked into the, “Ugh, I’m doing this again.” You can’t get sucked into it; you’ve got to realize what you’re doing it for and why you’re here. It’s about the music and about your performances.

Continue reading Backstage with ‘American Idol’s’ Stefano Langone

Backstage With ‘American Idol’s’ Paul McDonald

Last Wednesday, hours before the Top 11 from American Idol season 10 took the stage at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, I had the opportunity to talk with one of the more unique and interesting voices from this past season.

Cool, calm, and collected, 26-year-old Paul McDonald from Nashville, spoke candidly about the American Idols Live! Tour, including which contestant fell victim to the first tour prank of the summer, and working on his solo music while out on the road.

How has the tour been going?

It’s been excellent so far. We’re only like, I think, five shows in, and we got about a thousand more to go. [laughs] We go through September, and we do a handful of Canada dates, maybe one or two. Then they take us over to the Philippines.

Wow, I’m pretty sure that’s a first with taking the tour overseas. What has been the most fulfilling part of the tour for you so far?

Oh goodness. I guess it’s just the whole vibe of pretending that we’re real rock stars for the summer. We’re singing karaoke and stuff, but the production is like a huge tour. We have six buses, six semis, we have catering, we have the whole VIP kind of like a very pro tour. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, unless you’re the Rolling Stones, or Bruce Springsteen, or Carrie Underwood, or one of those, you know? So, it’s kind of cool to be in that for just a little bit and see how this grand scale of venues and touring works. It’s cool.

Do you have any kind of fun bus stories from the tour so far?

Fun bus stories? Oh gosh, I’m trying to think. We really don’t hang out on the bus too much, because they literally have us working from [about] noon. This morning I got up at like eight-thirty, we went to the Ronald McDonald House, me and Casey. We did some charity, we hung out with the kids, came back and had hair and make-up, which I don’t do any of that stuff. After that we have lunch, and then we have sound check. We go from normally from 12 noon to 12 at night. The only bus time is after the gig we go in there and like have a drink and pass out, but there has been a good story.

The first gig in Salt Lake City, Jacob Lusk decided to take a shower in the locker room — we’re playing all these big basketball arenas and stuff — and I was like, “Let me show you how it’s done fellas.” This is like “Band Pranks 101.” I got the bucket of ice, and all of us, Scotty and everybody, filled it up with ice-cold water. Jacob’s in the shower singing, you know, doing his thing. We walked in there and Casey’s filming it, and came in and just busted him with an ice cold bucket of water, and he was like, “Ahhhhh!” I was like, day one, the tour pranks begin.

Continue reading Backstage With ‘American Idol’s’ Paul McDonald