American Idol Cuts Down To 12
American Idol Cuts Down To 12
Last night, “American Idol’s” pool of potential winners got a little bit smaller, cutting from sixteen to twelve. And the lucky finalists have the most colorful backgrounds of any season to date.
Syesha Mercado, for instance, is a 21-year-old actress with past acting credits including a Ford Automobile commercial, while David Archuleta, a seventeen-year-old crooner, has a 2003 “Star Search” win under his belt.
And that’s not all… David Hernandez was outed by his former Dick’s Cabaret manager as having done some stripping in his pre-Idol days. But he still made the cut.
During last night’s elimination round, Kady Malloy, Luke Menard, Asia’h Epperson, and Danny Noriega were all given the boot, leaving a dozen contestants to carry on in next week’s competition. As a side note, they’ll be singing Lennon-McCartney Beatles songs, as a result of a long negotiation process with Sony/ATV Music Publishing (of which Michael Jackson is a part).
The remaining American Idols are as follows:
- David Archuleta, 17, Murray, Utah
- Jason Castro, 20, Rockwall, Texas
- David Cook, 25, Blue Springs, Mo.
- Kristy Lee Cook, 24, Selma, Ore.
- Chikezie Eze, 22, Inglewood, Calif.
- David Hernandez, 24, Glendale, Ariz.
- Michael Johns, 29, Los Angeles
- Ramiele Malubay, 20, Miramar, Fla.
- Syesha Mercado, 21, Sarasota, Fla.
- Amanda Overmyer, 23, Mulberry, Ind.
- Carly Smithson, 24, San Diego
- Brooke White, 24, Mesa, Ariz
David A.’s Dad Still Can’t Beat Idol Goliath
It’s the thought that counts. Or, at least, it’s going to have to be in David Archuleta’s case.
American Idol producers have put the kibosh on a planned charity concert in the runner-up’s homestate of Utah, an event masterminded by Archuleta’s father as a thank-you to fans who backed the teen crooner.
The toe-tapping token of gratitude, however, apparently wasn’t run through the proper channels (like, any), and has now been unceremoniously called off due to a little uncharitable thing called “contractual obligations.”
Archuleta’s agent, Roger Widynowski, said Tuesday that the concert, billed as “Back Home With David Archuleta” and planned for tomorrow night, would be a no-go because the angel-voiced 17-year-old was not allowed to perform at any non-Idol-sanctioned gigs. Not even one whose entire proceeds were earmarked for charity.
“They’re just going to reschedule the event for a later time,” infamous papa Jeff Archuleta told the Salt Lake Tribune. “When all the minds met, everyone concluded this wouldn’t work out for this particular weekend, and they just want to reschedule it for toward the middle or the end of the [American Idols Live! summer] tour.”
Widynowski, however, said the Utah concert would more likely be postponed until after the Idol-powered road show comes to a close.
And, it follows, when the proposed gig wouldn’t cut into the official tour’s potential revenue.
Tickets were originally set to go on sale Wednesday for $1 apiece. A quarter would pay for service charges and the other 75 cents were to be divided between the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Make-a-Wish Foundation.
Hometown fans will still get a chance to see the star-in-the-making before then, as the Idol tour touches down in Salt Lake City July 14 and 15.
Archuleta is in his hometown of Murray through the end of the week before returning to Los Angeles to begin rehearsing for the summer trek, which features champ David Cook and the rest of the top 10 finalists and kicks off July 1 in Glendale, Ariz.
It’s not all disappointing news for Archuleta and his fans, however. The singer was officially signed to 19 Recordings/Jive Records today and will release his debut album later this year.
“Signing a record contract with 19 Recordings/Jive Records is truly a dream come true,” he said. “Being a fan of American Idol since season one and admiring the alumni, I am honored and humbled to be a part of that group. I’m really excited to start working on everything.”
Idol has its claws in David Archuleta
David Archuleta is American Idol’s bitch. Like the other contestants, he signed an incredibly restrictive contract. All of his public appearances and performances are closely monitored and approved by AI managers.
That became painfully clear for Archuleta and his rabid fans in Salt Lake City this week when the runner-up was forced to cancel a ’Thank You’ concert. It was to be this Friday night and the proceeds were to go to charity. But American Idol nixed the whole thing because of Archuleta’s “contractual obligations” to the show. It was an Idol-sanctioned event. Plus, Archuleta is scheduled to begin touring with his co-contestants on Saturday.
American Idol has a notorious contract. Clay Aiken was able to get out of his, but only with the help of a tough attorney. And remember Mario Vazquez? He was Top 12, but then quit the show reportedly because of the contract that, among other things, wouldn’t let him sign any deals until at least three months after the winner was crowned.
A few years ago, a writer at Salon.com reviewed the first season contract and concluded it was so restrictive that the contestants’ careers were “literally not their own.”
David Archuleta - Imagine Video and Lyrics
Imagine by David Archuleta, Music Video and Lyrics
In his finale performance he sang, Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me, “In This Moment” and “Imagine.”
After his rendition of the three songs Simon Cowell declared that Archuleta won the evening and even David Cook, who ultimately won, thought David Archuleta nailed the American Idol Finale: “I have to concede it, the kid came out all three songs and nailed it” said Cook.
In the final week of the season, Archuleta received 44 percent of the votes.
You can listen the song here, this is the video from American Idol 2008 Finale, David singing John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’.
David Archuleta - Imagine Lyrics
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing for the world…
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
Take my hand and join us
And the world will live, will live as one.
A Los Angeles Times article speculated why Archuleta avoided singing the first verse of “Imagine”: because “of his religion, he’s unlikely to espouse the song’s agnostic ideal . . . with the line about ‘no religion too.’”
Archuleta did, however, sing the entire song on Good Things Utah when he was 13. During his first performance of Imagine on American Idol, when asked by judge Randy Jackson why he didn’t sing the first verse, Archuleta said the third verse was his favorite because it has “a great message.”After his “Imagine” performance, the judges said he was “the one to beat”.