Tag: interview

MUSIC VIDEO: David Cook – “Fade Into Me”

David Cook released the music video for his current single, “Fade Into Me” earlier this morning. The song is the singer’s second single off his latest album, This Loud Morning.

Last month I had the opportunity to talk with David in an interview for Blogcritics about his current tour, and he shared with me a little about this latest video, which was directed by Chris Sims.

“The content of the video, I wanted to showcase how we are live. I feel like it’s really easy sometimes to throw a tie on, and comb your hair, and put together this really sweet storyline; and I think “Fade Into Me” could have definitely taken that angle and it would have worked. I wanted this video to be kind of a no frills, no pretense kind of look at us on the road. It’s a lot of live footage, really just for lack of a better way to phrase it, it’s more of a day in the life kind of thing.”

Check out the video for “Fade Into Me” below!

 

Idol Season 10 News Round-Up

Lots of news coming from the season 10 Idols this week!

First up, Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina’s debut albums hold strong on the charts again this week.

According to Hits Daily Double, Scotty’s album is up one spot to number three, selling 54,875 copies of Clear As Day. Lauren’s album, Wildflower, lands at number 10 this week, selling 25,985 copies. Not too shabby!

And in case you missed it, Scotty released the music video for his current single, “The Trouble With Girls.”

Tune into the Today Show on NBC  bright and early this Friday, October 28 to catch Tim Halperin in a segment highlighting TCU’s “Frogs For the Cure,” as well as the singer’s ongoing involvement with Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Continue reading Idol Season 10 News Round-Up

David Cook Discusses Hitting the Road with ‘This Loud Morning’

David Cook on touring: “I think as long as people want to watch us play, we’ll  keep playing.”
Continue reading David Cook Discusses Hitting the Road with ‘This Loud Morning’

VIDEO: Tim Halperin Performs “American Fame” on Good Morning Texas

Singer-songwriter Tim Halperin appeared yesterday morning on Good Morning Texas, where he talked about life after American Idol and performed “American Fame,” from his brand new album, Rise and Fall.

Check out the interview and performance below!

Vodpod videos no longer available.

For an updated list of where Tim will be performing, check out TimHalperin.com!

Check out my review of Rise and Fall, as well as my latest interview with Tim about his new album.

And of course, if you don’t have a copy of Rise and Fall, pick yourself up a digital copy at iTunes!

Tim Halperin Talks About His Debut Album, ‘Rise and Fall’

If you haven’t been keeping tabs on singer-songwriter Tim Halperin since he appeared on season 10 of American Idol this year, allow me bring you up to speed.

Halperin released his first single, “The Last Song,” in less than a week after not advancing to the Top 13 on Idol. He was recognized by a nationally syndicated radio host, “DJ Kidd Kraddick,” and took part in a Kidd Kraddick in the Morning segment called “Idol Got It Wrong,” where fans could vote on whether his version of an Idol performance was better than the contestant’s version each week. Add in raising $8,000 to make a video for “The Last Song,” a mini-tour and his ongoing work for Komen For the Cure, you could say that Halperin’s managed to keep himself pretty busy so far during his post-Idol career.

On September 26, Halperin spent the final 24 hours of his American Idol contract in “Idol jail” outside a shopping center in Texas, while entertaining 50,000 viewers on USTREAM with live performances of songs from his debut full-length album, Rise and Fall. On September 27, the day after his contract with Idol was up, Rise and Fall was digitally released to iTunes at midnight.

Later that week, Halperin graciously took the time to talk with me about where the idea to go to “Idol jail” came from, his fantastic new album, and what’s coming up next for him.

How was your caged existence on Monday?

[laughs] You know, I see why it’s not fun to be in jail. I did have some fun, though, because my jail wasn’t your typical jail. I had people bringing me Starbucks and coming and hanging out with me and dancing around. I had a piano in jail and for me, that’s not jail at all. It was good. It was long, though. It was very exhausting. I only slept probably 30 minutes during the 26 hours that I was in prison. I really enjoyed it, though.

I had tuned in for an hour or so during the afternoon, and then I tuned back in after your album was released, which was like 9:30-10:00 my time (PST), and you looked so tired by then.

Yeah, the interesting aspect of it is that it was live the whole time. And whenever I have people watching me, I love entertaining people and interacting with people. I felt like I had to entertain and interact with everyone the whole time. Because I’d look and there’d be like 276 people watching, 500 people watching, 400 people watching right now. I’m like, “Oh my gosh!” You know, I thought, This would be like a really good show, like a really good gig to have 500 people sitting there watching me. I can’t waste this time, I can’t waste this opportunity to share my music with people and hang out with people, and talk with people.

Continue reading Tim Halperin Talks About His Debut Album, ‘Rise and Fall’

VIDEO: Gavin DeGraw Interview with FaceCulture

Earlier this week, I stumbled upon this fantastic in-depth interview that FaceCulture conducted recently with Gavin DeGraw. This is definitely a must-see interview!

The rest of the interview can be found after the cut!

Continue reading VIDEO: Gavin DeGraw Interview with FaceCulture

Gavin DeGraw Discusses His New Album, ‘Sweeter’

Gavin DeGraw on his new album: “I really feel that it’s the best piece of art  that I’ve ever been affiliated with.”
Continue reading Gavin DeGraw Discusses His New Album, ‘Sweeter’

VIDEO: Adele on the Jonathan Ross Show

The fabulous Adele appeared on the Jonathan Ross Show over the weekend, where she talked about her career “going really well” in the United States, drunk fans at her shows, and the recent VMAs. She also performed a gorgeous rendition of “Turning Tables” from her latest album, 21.

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