'American Idol' Hookups: Are Casey and Haley Latest?,,,

Contestants Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart onstage at the American Idol Season 10 Top 11 to 10 elimination show, March 24, 2011 in Los Angeles, California.

The "American Idol" dreams of two contestants ended Thursday night. Dance instructor Naima Adedapo and 16-year-old Thia Megia were ousted after they received the least number of votes following Wednesday's Elton John song theme night. Adedapo's reggae version of "I'm Still Standing" and Megia's "Daniel" wasn't enough to save the aspiring singers from the double elimination. But for others on the show, "Idol" still has plenty to offer, and not just in terms of a singing career -- some are finding love on the show's set. "Trust me, there's been hookups," Simon Cowell insisted in 2004. "They don't talk about it, but it happens. Of course it happens. What do you think? We've got 12 kids living in the same house. Come on."

This year, finalists Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart, both 20, are said to be having an off-screen romance, according to In Touch magazine and other reports. "Most of their downtime is spent together and they have a very touchy-feely relationship," an "Idol" insider told In Touch. "They're always lying on each other when they're around the other contestants and everybody thinks they're hooking up." Abrams could use some TLC. He suffers from ulcerative colitis and missed an "Idol" show after being taken to the hospital for a blood transfusion. Last week, he seemed on the verge of breaking down after judges Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson saved him from elimination.

'American Idol': James goes home and the Idoldome mourns, on the scene for Top 4 results night,,,,

As we lumber into the home stretch for the tenth season of American Idol, it’s hard not to start feeling nostalgic about past seasons of the show in comparison to this one. That feeling is especially acute (and just plain cute, really) when old Idol alums like Anthony Fedorov — who came in fourth place back in season 4, so long ago that it predates the very blog you’re currently reading (we are all so old, aren’t we!) — randomly pop by the old campus for a visit, only to discover they’ve erected a state-of-the-art Cross-Promotional Studies Center/UFO landing pad where your old dorm used to be.

Your favorite cranky and daffy tenured professors have been replaced by more illustrious profs with several best-selling books to their names who nonetheless seem awfully fond of grade inflation. And then there’s that inane assistant prof no one really took seriously who has inexplicably been promoted to department chair. What’s worse, when you walk up to say hello to Dean Lythgoe, he’s clearly much more keen on chatting up one of the bearded hipsters from the current class who’s still hanging around even though he’s done with classes, rather than talk to you — and come to think of it, the dean actually seemed like he didn’t really remember who you are at all. (Granted, you have been working out a lot lately.)
I know, I know, I’m vamping. But it’s only because much of last night’s results show was spent listlessly watching the Idol Thunderscreen — for the recap of Wednesday’s show, and the Windows 7 advertorial, and the Lady Gaga performance, and the Ford music video, and the Steven Tyler music video, and Enrique Iglesias’ guest performance/balloon party. At one point, I was watching Enrique Iglesias on the Thunderscreen watch Usher on the Thunderscreen, and I think I may have been Incepted.
Still, there were a few choice nuggets of behind the scenery to chew on from last night’s results show, first and foremost being, of course, the actual results themselves. Here are all the highlights:

Happy Birthday, Paige Miles!,,,,,,,,,

Season 9’s Paige Miles celebrated her birthday on Saturday, September 24! After the preschool teacher made it to the Top 24 of American Idol, she kicked off the live performances with Free’s “All Right Now.” The judges were fans of Paige and this performance, and Simon Cowell said, “Out of all the girls, you have the best voice.”

She returned the following week and put her all into Kelly Clarkson’s “Walk Away,” and unfortunately she strained her vocal chords and had severe laryngitis throughout the rest of the competition. Paige finished the competition in eleventh place, and although she didn’t get to tour with the Top 10 this summer, she supported her fellow finalists from the audience.

In June, Paige released her first original single on iTunes, "Definition of Me."

Put on your un-matching earrings and say Happy Birthday to Paige!

James and Stefano on Dr. Drew's Lifechangers,,,,,,,,,

Season 10 American Idol finalists Stefano Langone and James Durbin become Dr. Drew's Lifechangers and help pay it forward to two of their fans, desperate to get healthy for fall! Just before heading off on the Idols Summer Concert Tour in June. 

Stefano and James surprise these two contest winners, desperate to lose weight, and help mentor them through a summer filled with boot camps and healthy eating! It was not easy for either of these Idol fans…one was losing her dad to cancer and the other struggled every single day to endure this life-changing transformation. The Idol boys kicked-off the challenge in the gym with these girls, setting them off on rigorous 6-day-a-week workouts with personal trainer Marc Montemerlo and a diet plan designed by Beverly Hills Registered Dietitian-to-the-stars Rachel Beller.

Last week, the Top 11 Idols performed their final summer concert performance in the Philippines!

Lauren Alaina Picks Up Her Idol Prize,,,,

During the Season 10 American Idol finale, it was announced that both Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery got to choose any Ford they like! Lauren Alaina picked up that prize, a brand new 550-HP Shelby GT5000 Ford Mustang convertible. 

The 16-year-old had her mom drive the car home, Lauren has her learner's permit. View a photo of Lauren and her car! Season 10's top girl will release her debut album, Wildflower, on October 11th.

Random Weekend Memo,,,,,,

There's lots going on in the Idolverse this weekend. Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson both perform at the iHeart Radio Festival Friday. Many radio stations will carry the iHeart concerts, which are also streaming live. Also, Carrie Underwood sings It Had to Be You with Tony Bennett on Friday's episode of Blue Bloods (10 p.m. ET, CBS). Majors & Minors, which will have a heavy Idol presence throughout the season, premieres Friday on The Hub Network (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT), as well.

Also, check out this ET Online interview with Adam Lambert, who appeared on Lifetime's Project Runaway Thursday (watch the full episode here, in case you missed it). Also, Kris Allen, shown above during a recent SiriusXM visit, can be seen in the new Kidz Star USA webseries.Over on The X Factor side of things, ratings for Thursday's show held up pretty well, dropping less than five percent, though CBS' The Big Bang Theory and Person of Interest did draw a bigger audience. And the Parents Television Council has filed an indecency complaint after Geo Godley's pants-dropping performance Wednesday, saying, "The prolonged, previously videotaped footage of a contestant dancing nude on the X Factor stage represents a conscious decision by the producers -- with the approval of the network's broadcast standards department -- to intentionally air this content in front of millions of families during hours when they knew full well that children would be watching."

'The X Factor': First impressions of Simon Cowell's return,,,,,,,,,

Breaking up may have been the best thing for American Idol and Simon Cowell both.

Idol did just fine this past season without Simon. But, judging from Wednesday's two-hour premiere of The X Factor, leaving Idol will benefit its former judge, as well.

However, Simon clearly doesn't have an original idea in his head, unless you count trying to make everything bolder and brasher than Idol, which he uses as his template.Still, getting to run the show has re-energized Simon, who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but the judges' table during his last two season on Idol. And the adjustments he has made to this star-making process should guarantee that X Factor gets a different result from Idol, if not much of a different product.Everything about this show is designed to be bigger than Idol: The age range, the categories, the $5 million dollar prize ("the largest in television history," notes host Steve Jones). But it's those first two that could make the biggest difference. Broadening the age range -- it's 12 and up -- allows for children such as the 13-year-old, Shirley Temple-like Rachel Crow, the night's first auditioner, to capture the viewers' hearts, and it also lets singers like 42-year-old mother of two Stacy Francis, who've been told they're too old, get another chance. And breaking the contestants into four categories -- Boys, Girls, Over 30 and Groups -- assures viewers that there's a good chance they'll break the demographic pattern of recent Idol winners.

Staging the auditions before a live audience adds an energy level to the proceedings that Idol can't match, even if the crowd clearly has been coached to over-react to everything, good or bad. It also allows aspiring megastars like hotel performer Siameze Floyd to bring a new level of polished awfulness to the proceedings. (Idol, on the other hand, specializes in amateurishness.) And if you think the Idol lighting director can do wonders in manipulating viewers to vote for a contestant by giving him or her a blazing background, imagine what the people mixing the crowd sound can do for X Factor by bringing the applause up or down.

One of the new judges, record executive L.A. Reid, initially comes across as a more eloquent, better qualified version of Idol's Randy Jackson. The show spends nearly an entire segment setting up a rivalrybetween him and Simon. "I know what it takes to find an artist and turn them into a star," Simon says after watching the marginally talented but eminently packageable USC student Simone Battle perform. L.A. has a completely different assessment of her than Simon does, and he clearly does not like it when Simon disagrees with him. There's tension between the two of them that could be fun to watch as the season progresses -- particularly if Simon continues to emphasize flash over substance.Not all the changes are improvements: When she goes into her little-girl act, judge/mentor Nicole Scherzinger makes Paula Abdul look smart. People who like Idol's emphasis on talent may have a hard time adjusting to X Factor's emphasis on "moments" over pure ability. And we won't even go into Simon allowing his producers to put Geo Godley on stage so he could expose himself to a crowd with children in it.But just as Idol without Simon turned out to be a breath of fresh air, a re-engaged Simon in a new setting could make for a refreshing change of pace.

Chat Live With Lee DeWyze,,,,,,,,,

American Idol’s ninth winner, Lee DeWyze, surprised fans on Twitter today by saying instead of doing a Twitter Party, he will host a live video chat this Tuesday, September 27, at 7pm ET/4pm PT on Facebook. 

Today and tomorrow (September 23 and 24), Lee is performing at Hotel Café in Los Angeles, CA.After he performed on a Season 10 results show, we caught up with Lee DeWyze

Vote for American Idol for Best Tour of the Year,,,,,

This November, the 2011 Billboard Touring Awards will honor the concert industry's top artists, venues, and professionals, based on the Billboard Boxscore chart and actual box office performance over the past year.

The Eventful 2011 Fans' Choice Award is back for its fourth annual competition, and it gives fans the opportunity to vote for their favorite concert tour of the year through Eventful's "Demand it!" service. Vote for the American Idols LIVE! 2011 Tour now!

The American Idols LIVE! 2011 Tour tickets sold at record speeds, making it one of the best-selling tours this summer. Today, the Idols returned from their final show in the Philippines.

Carrie, Scotty, and Mandisa are Number One,,,,

Between September 10th through now, five Idol singles landed at #1 on the Billboard music charts. Season 4’s Carrie Underwood is continuing to impact the charts with her duet, “Remind Me,” with Brad Paisley. The song landed at #1 on the Hot Country Songs and the Hot Country Songs Detections charts for the week of September 10th. Brad and Carrie will team up once again on November 9th when they co-host “The 45th Annual CMA Awards” live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. This year’s show marks the fourth year that the duo has co-hosted the show together.

Reigning American Idol Scotty McCreery makes his second #1 appearance on the charts with his latest single, “The Trouble With Girls,” which arrived on the Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart on September 17th. Scotty is sure to have more hits in his future, as he’s releasing his debut album, Clear As Day, on October 4th.

Season 5’s Mandisa was on at the top of the Christian Recurrents chart for two weeks with “Stronger,” which also spent a week at #1 on Billboard’s Christian Adult Contemporary Recurrents charts this week.

The American Idols have now accumulated 307 #1s to date, counting all national, domestic charts compiled by the Billboard Information Group.

Kelly Clarkson - 60

Carrie Underwood - 52

Chris Daughtry (Daughtry) - 38

Fantasia - 30

Ruben Studdard - 16

Jennifer Hudson - 15

Mandisa - 14

Clay Aiken - 11

Kimberley Locke - 8

David Cook - 7

Josh Gracin - 7

Jordin Sparks - 7

Adam Lambert - 5

David Archuleta - 4

Kellie Pickler - 4

Elliott Yamin - 4

Kris Allen - 3

Taylor Hicks - 3

 American Idol Finalists - 2

Bo Bice - 2

Jason Castro - 2

Bucky Covington - 2

Blake Lewis – 2

Scotty McCreery - 2

Chris Sligh - 2

Paris Bennett - 1

Diana DeGarmo -  1

Lee DeWyze - 1

Tamyra Gray - 1

 William Hung - 1

'X Factor' formula follows 'American Idol' ,,,,,,,

They might as well hang a sign on the door at the Fox network: The time for playing nice is over."You are talented, but you are deluded," Simon Cowell tells one singer, who takes the stage like an amped-up love child of Prince and Rick James.

"I just witnessed a nightmare," Paula Abdul moans, shell-shocked after another contestant deliberately exposes his, um, naughty bits during an audition.These are the juicy moments awaiting viewers when they show up for The X Factor; former American Idol judge Simon Cowell's attempt to Xerox his successful singing competition in England while tackling the last challenge left for him in TV:

Beating Idol at its own game.

"If I thought we couldn't beat these (rival singing) shows — I know this sounds very arrogant — I wouldn't do it," Cowell told me in June, when he visited Miami to audition semifinalists unearthed by producers in April. "(American Idol) has literally burned the memory of Simon. But I think that's hopefully a good thing; if people miss you, you're gonna come back and give them what they want."

I haven't seen the full episodes airing tonight and Thursday, so it's tough to say what X Factor offers. (It's also impossible to say how much it will show auditioner Amanda Puyot, a St. Petersburgh High School student whose Miami tryouts I watched in April and June.)But based on 95 minutes of material made available to critics, I've got a few impressions.Like Idol, X Factor seems to pretend its many pre-auditions don't exist. Auditioners in Miami faced several tryouts before nameless producers at a cattle call audition in April, with a select number invited back to perform on camera in June before a live audience.

The June performances also featured superstar judges Cowell, Abdul, Antonio "L.A." Reid and Nicole Scherzinger.Which means that, however embarrassing some of the show's contestants may be, they passed several rounds of tryouts. In Miami, auditioners were told to wear the same clothes in June they wore in April; the preview footage I saw edited those days into a seamless whole, leaving questions about whether the judges knew who they were about to see and what they were about to do.Certainly, someone did. Likewise, X Factor seems to continue Idol's blend of personal stories with onstage performances. A vivacious 13-year-old admitted straight up, "my family has, like, no money," as motivation for winning the show's $5 million prize. Another guy took the stage fresh out of rehab, tugging at heartstrings with a story of trying to impress his young son through success in sobriety.

I didn't see an explanation for why British pop star Cheryl Cole was removed as a judge after the first auditions ("I said to do the U.K. show, where I thought she'd be more comfortable; she obviously didn't want to," Cowell said to me in Miami).And while the clips seemed to play up disagreements among judges — Reid's curt attitude often leaves him competing with Cowell for status at the show's resident S.O.B. — there is less ridiculing of contestants obviously brought onstage as comic relief.In an odd way, much of X Factor's genesis has felt a bit Oedipal; bad boy Cowell's ruthless attempt to build a show he owns and controls to capitalize on his Idol-born celebrity. You sense he wouldn't be disappointed if his show eclipsed Idol in the U.S. the way it did in Britain, where X Factor replaced the original Pop Idol."This format, when it works, is the best show in the world," said Cowell, who has appeared everywhere from GQ magazine to the cover of USA Today to publicize his new venture. "It's all dependent on thejudges having chemistry, the contestants being good … 'cause if everyone's terrible, it's not gonna be a good show."

Idols fall out of the top 100

Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina remain the only two American Idol acts in this week's Billboard 200. But as their Walmart EPs sell through in anticipation of next month's album releases, both drop out of the top 100.

Idol albums

Scotty McCreery, American Idol Season 10: Scotty McCreery EP (5,000, -40%, 183,000) (#103 Billboard 200)

Lauren Alaina, American Idol Season 10: Lauren Alaina EP (3,000, -15%, 77,000) (#193 BB200)

Mandisa, What If We Were Real (2,000, +55%, 68,000)

Daughtry (1,000, -2%)

Idol-related

Jason Aldean, My Kinda Party (25,000, +3%, 1.84 million)

Brad Paisley, This Is Country Music (10,000, -21%, 480,000) (#48 BB200)

Kristin Chenoweth, Some Lessons Learned (former Idol guest judge; covers Lessons Learned, which appeared on Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts) (9,000, debut, 9,000) (#50 BB200)

Various, Now That's What I Call Country, Vol. 4 (7,000, +18%, 154,000) (#67 BB200)

Aerosmith, Best of Aerosmith: The Millennium Collection (4,000, +26%, 333,000) (#138 BB200)

Civil Wars, Barton Hollow (3,000, -1%, 178,000) (#165 BB200)

Big Time Rush, BTR (3,000, -19%, 585,000) (#182 BB200)

James Durbin, Jordin Sparks place tracks on NFL compilation

Jordin Sparks and James Durbin will have new tracks on Official Gameday Music of the NFL, Volume 2, out Sept. 27. James' track is called Stand Up; Jordin's is titled You Gotta Have It. Listen to snippets of both here.

• Listen to Drown in You, the Daughtry track that's part of the Batman: Arkham City game soundtrack, via E! Online.

• Kellie Pickler recently stopped by Nashville journalist Hazel Smith's kitchen to tape an episode of CMT's Southern Fried Flicks. As she at a plate of vegetarian lasagna, Kellie told Smith that she had written four or five songs for her next album, including one with husband Kyle Jacobs.

•  The National Enquirer reports that Carrie Underwood and husband Mike Fisher have discussed adoption as a result of Carrie's involvement with children's charities and visits to orphanages.

'Idol' airplay: Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson

Remind Me, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood's smash duet may have peaked on USA TODAY's Country chart (it's at No. 7 this week), but it's still tops on the American Idol airplay chart. Kelly Clarkson's got the next two spots, as her Jason Aldean duet Don't You Wanna Stay, hangs in at No. 2, and Mr. Know It All climbs to No. 3.

Scotty McCreery's I Love You This Big takes a big drop on the Idol airplay chart this week (No. 5-No. 14) as the single moves to recurrent status on the country chart. But Scotty's second single, The Trouble With Girls, continues to steadily gain spins, though it hasn't made the Country top 40 yet.

While it's not a single, David Guetta's Night of Your Life, which features Jennifer Hudson on vocals, makes its debut on the Idol airplay chart this week at no. 98.

Happy Birthday, Megan Joy,,,,,,,

Season 8 finalist Megan Joy turned 26 on Sunday, September 18th. Megan took to her tumblr account over the weekend to say, “This has been the best year of my life. Thank you 25, it was incredible from day one."

After earning a wildcard spot in the Season 8 finals, Megan made it all the way to ninth place by putting her own quirky twist on some classic songs. While on American Idol, Megan developed a trademark twisty dance. After performing "Rockin' Robin," Megan shouted, "Caw Caw!" which has now become her other trademark.

During Grand Ole Opry week, Megan was so sick with the flu that she was hooked up to an IV just minutes before taking the stage. Despite being so ill, Megan pulled off a great rendition of Patsy Cline's "Walkin' After Midnight." All four judges were extremely impressed with Megan's performance and Simon Cowell even said, "You should have the flu every week!"

Megan began recording songs after she toured the country with the Top 10 finalists on the American Idols LIVE! 2009 Tour. She has released original songs called "Feel Love," "Incomplete," “Sweet Love,” “Ryder on the Storm” (named after her son Ryder), “Trouble Me,” “I’m Not Trying to Hear That,” and “Boy Next Door” on her social network pages. “Boy Next Door” was featured on an episode of the TV show The Deep End.

Last month, Megan married Quinn Allman, from the band The Used. Recently, Megan used KickStarter.com to raise funds to record her debut EP. She asked for $15,000 and her fans helped her surpass her goal. Get ready for her EP!

Happy Birthday, Megan!

Happy Birthday, Constantine Maroulis!,,,,,,

Constantine Maroulis turned another year older on Saturday, September 17th. The Season 4 finalist has had quite a busy year!

In December, Constantine became a father to baby Malena. He spent the year touring around the United States with the national tour of the musical Rock of Ages in the role of Drew, which earned him a Tony Award nomination in 2009. In fact, Constantine remains the only Idol to date who received a Tony nomination. We caught up with Constantine at Los Angeles’ Pantages Theatre to find out more about his experience with Rock of Ages. 

Now that the U.S. tour is over, Constantine continues to be as busy as ever! In Brooklyn, NY, the Idol alum performed with Stone Temple Pilots. Constantine can currently be seen in commercials for Rock Star Mickey, where he performs a cover version of The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me.” His cover of the song is available on iTunes. Constantine also announced on his website that he will play a 1980s record executive in the upcoming movie adaptation of Rock of Ages. He joins an all-star cast which includes Tom Cruise, Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, and Malin Akerman among others. This past April, Constantine returned to the American Idol stage to perform “Unchained Melody.”

If you're in Dallas this weekend, you can catch the birthday boy at the Greek Food Festival. He'll be performing September 23 - 25.

Happy Birthday, Constantine!

Daughtry new single, 'Renegade',,,

Daughtry posted the first single from its forthcoming album to the band's website Thursday. It's a hard rocking tune called Renegade, not to be confused with the Styx song of the same name that Chris Daughtry performed on American Idol. 

Chris wrote the song with Daughtry bassist Josh Paul.The track is not yet available from iTunes or other digital retailers, but those pre-ordering the new album from the Daughtry website can get a download of Renegade now for free.By the way, Daughtry also has a track on an upcoming tribute to ZZ Top called A Tribute From Friends. The band covered Waitin' for the Bus/Jesus Just Left Chicago. Also contributing to the compilation:Nickelback, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, country singer Jamey Johnson and a supergroup called The M.O.B. that features Steven Tyler.

Lauren Alaina reveals 'Wildflower' tracklisting!!!!!!

When putting together the 12 songs for her Wildflower album, American Idol runner-up Lauren Alaina says she tried to think like a fan.

"I'm kinda new to the whole artist thing; a fan is basically what I am," the 16-year-old singer told me this week. "So when I was listening to my songs, I tried to think if my favorite artists, like Carrie Underwood or Miranda Lambert, were singing some of these songs, which ones would I want to hear? That's how I picked my songs."

The track listing for Wildflower has been announced, and it includes a song by former Idol winner Carrie Underwood; two from Hillary Lindsey, who has co-written several of Carrie's hits; and one, Funny Thing About Love, that Lauren wrote with Luke Laird and Brett James. The album comes out Oct. 11, one week after Idol winner Scotty McCreery's Clear as Day.

Lauren hopes that almost everyone can find one or two songs on Wildflower that they enjoy. Naturally, she wants people to like the whole album."I wanted to make sure I picked songs that people want to hear," she says. "I don't want to work on an album that someone doesn't enjoy. Like, if someone likes slow songs, there are some on there they can enjoy. If someone likes uptempo, there's stuff they can enjoy."

Lauren believes each song reveals some of her personality and a little of her life story. "They have different feels a little bit, but they're all me," she says. "If the story in the songs didn't happen to me personally, they remind me of something that has happened to someone I know or someone in my family."For example, the Carrie Underwood song Eighteen Inches reminds her of a good friend. "She got married when she was 17, and she had a baby. And they moved here, to Nashville. Her husband's is going to college and has a full-time job, and she stays at home with the baby, and she doesn't know anyone here. She moved here to support him. That's, like, the story of that song."

New Audition East Rutherford, NJ,,,,,,,,

Thousands of hopefuls will have one more opportunity to audition for Season 11 of AMERICAN IDOL at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Thursday, Sept. 22. The New Jersey auditions will be the last stop on a nationwide search for the best undiscovered talent in the country. Season 11 auditions were also held in St. Louis; Portland, OR; San Diego; Pittsburgh; Charleston; Denver; and Houston.

Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson, along with Emmy-nominated host Ryan Seacrest, will begin their search for America’s next singing superstar when AMERICAN IDOL debuts Sunday, Jan. 22 (10:00-11:00 PM ET/7:00-8:00 PM PT), immediately following the NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME on FOX.

New Jersey AMERICAN IDOL Audition Information:

WHO: Men and women 15-28 years old as of June 26, 2011, who are eligible to work in the U.S. Some restrictions apply – please visit americanidol.com for specific information.

WHEN:Thursday, Sept. 22, 2011

WHERE: IZOD Center

 50 NJ-120

 East Rutherford, NJ 07073-2131

HOW: Wristbands will be distributed from approximately 7:00 AM on Tuesday, Sept. 20, until approximately 8:00 AM on Thursday, Sept. 22. Auditioners will not be permitted to camp out. Once auditioners obtain their wristbands, they will be asked to return to IZOD Center by 5:00 AM on Thursday, Sept. 22.

Rocking Daughtry’s,,,,,,,

Calling all Daughtry fans—the wait for new music is over! Today, Chris Daughtry and his band introduced their new single, “Renegade.” To listen to the track, head over to DaughtryOfficial.com. If you want to own the track before the November 21st release date of their third studio album, you can preorder the album on their website and receive a download of “Renegade” now.

This Saturday, September 17th, Daughtry will perform at the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, KS. The band will be featured on the ZZ Top tribute compilation called A Tribute From Friends, out on October 11th. Daughtry can also be heard on the Batman: Arkham City – The Album soundtrack on the track “Drown In You.”

Fun Fact: Chris Daughtry performed Styx’s “Renegade” on American Idol during the Top 5’s “Songs from the Year They Were Born” week.

Special on Tour ,,,,,,

Halloween Special on Tour Merchandise

You saw them on tour; now, own a piece of the American Idols LIVE! 2011 Tour with the official online store’s special Halloween promotion.

From now until 11:59PM ET on October 31, visit the online store and take advantage of the following two offers:

 1) Buy One T-Shirt Get Another for $5 (Must Choose from $5 list).

 2) Get 20% off on all regular priced hoodies, thermals, and long sleeve shirts!

For the first time, the Idols will head to the Philippines next week for a tour performance at Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

Catching Up with Anthony ,,,,

Season 4's Anthony Fedorov released a song on the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. We hopped on the phone with the New York resident to find out about his song, his EP Never Over, and he shared some of his Idol thoughts and memories.

Anthony talked about what inspired him to write and perform “What Freedom Costs.” “I really felt inspired by the fact that people are sticking together 10 years after 9/11. That’s basically the biggest inspiration behind the song—appreciating the service that’s provided by all of their services. I actually have pretty big plans for this song. I want to shoot a big music video for it at some point next year involving Army personnel and firefighters and police. I’m hoping it will become an anthem of unity and patriotism for our country.”

The fourth place finalist from Season 4 has performed for the troops. He said, “I did one of those USO tours. I performed for our troops in Europe, so we went to England, Spain, Portugal, and Germany. But I’ve never gone to Afghanistan or Iraq, which is actually something I really, really want to do. I just haven’t had the opportunity. I really feel like they need some support and some distraction out there. Some of the most appreciative people I’ve ever met in my life have been the troops and their families. They’re so grateful for you to come out and spend time with them. It’s a hard life for them to live. I was really taken by their reactions. There’s just a lot of appreciation behind this song.”

Over the summer, Anthony released his first album, Never Over. “If you’re auditioning for Season 11 in East Rutherford next week, Anthony offers up this advice: “Stick to what you know. Don’t go outside of what makes you best. If you’re a rock singer, don’t try and sing an R&B song. Be who you are, be an artist, and don’t try to make something up.” Was Anthony nervous for his American Idol audition? He recounted, “I was really excited. I wasn’t nervous. I’ve never gotten nervous for an audition before. It was kind of a surreal experience. You’re stuck in this huge stadium with 15,000 people and you really don’t know what to think. I was more excited and anxious than nervous. I just wanted to get it over with.”

After next week’s Idols Live performance in the Philippines, the Season 10 Top 11 will have culminated from their Idol experience. Having been there in 2005, Anthony advises, “They’re going to go out in the real world, and those contestants who are not going to be kept by the label need to take advantage of their platform. Use the social networking sites and get your artistry in place. I hope everybody gets picked up and makes great records and has long, successful careers. I just know, based on my experience, I got off the show thinking that I already made it. That’s the kind of feeling you get when you get off the show, but the reality of the situation is once the next season rolls around you’re yesterday’s news, so what are you going to do with that platform? What are you willing to do to make that next step? It’s up to you to utilize your contacts and take the Idol platform and run with it.”

David Archuleta and Stefano Langone "Most Beautiful",,,,,

Latina Magazine Votes David Archuleta and Stefano Langone "Most Beautiful"

Last month, Latina Magazine revealed their 25 Most Beautiful Latino Stars Under 25, and two American Idol cuties were included. Season 7 runner-up David Archuleta and Season 10's Stefano Langone were recognized.

In their online gallery, Latina Magazine wrote, "Just how sexy is half-Mexican American Idol alum, Stefano Langone?...With a million dollar smile like Stefano's, we can see what all the fuss was about!" And about David they said, "He may have come in second place on the seventh season of FOX's American Idol, but to us Archie will always be a first-rate hottie! The Honduran cutie's sunny smile, infectious laugh and adorable personality had us at hello, and what makes him even more beautiful is that the vocal runs in his voice are as gorgeous as he is!"

soo whats u think who will be the most beautiful ???? 

J-14's "Icon of Tomorrow" Poll,,,,,,,

J-14’s Teen Icon Awards honors the hottest teen stars, movies, TV shows, music, and web stars of the moment as voted on by J-14 Magazine readers. For four days over Labor Day weekend, starting Friday, September 2, five of the categories were announced exclusively on j14.com each day. Readers then commented and suggested their favorites in every category.

The J-14 editors read through the comments and are now announcing the nominees based on the readers’ feedback as well as those who most capture the essence of an icon in the particular category. American Idol’s own Scotty McCreery is nominated in the category of Icon of Tomorrow.

Voting ends at 12 p.m. ET on Monday, September 26. The award winners will then be announced in the December issue of J-14 Magazine, on stands November 7, 2011.

Idol Birthdays see who one is lucky........

September is a popular month for American Idol alumni birthdays. Ruben Studdard, Jennifer Hudson, and Carly Smithson all celebrated their birthdays on Monday. Here are some other Idol alumni who are turning another year older this week.

Yesterday, September 13, was Season 1 finalist Ejay Day's 30th birthday. Ejay was able to join the semifinals after one contestant was disqualified. The Georgia native has performed for Muhammad Ali on a number of occasions, sang at the 2003 Tournament of Roses parade, and belted the National Anthem for many professional sports teams in Georgia.

Today is Melissa McGhee's 27th birthday. The Season 5 contestant made it to 12th place on the show and never fell into the bottom three until her elimination during Stevie Wonder week. Despite forgetting a few lyrics to her Stevie Wonder song, the judges thought it was her best performance yet.

September 15 is Charles Grigsby's birthday. This Season 2 contestant sang his way to 11th place on the show, but he got to join the Season 2 Top 10 on tour when he replaced Corey Clark. In 2005, Charles released his self-titled EP. Last week, Charles released a new single called “Headliner.”September 16 is Season 3’s Matthew Rogers' birthday. This University of Washington football player won the Rose Bowl in 2001. He experienced another victory as he advanced to the Top 11 of Season 3.

Matt was back on Idol during Season 7 when he hosted David Archuleta's hometown finale event in Utah. Since his time on American Idol, Matt has hosted and appeared on several sports television shows. He also hosted the TV series "There Goes The Neighborhood," "Really Big Things," and "Coming Home."

Happy Birthday, Ejay, Melissa, Charles, and Matt!

Anoop, Kelly, Siobhan, J.Hud....

Season 8’s Anoop Desai released a music video for “You Should Be Loved” from his Zero.0 EP. In the video, the Idol finalist takes a ride on a subway and meets someone special along the way. The song was produced by Sak Pase who most recently produced.

 Rihanna's "Man Down" and he makes a guest appearance in the video as well. Watch the video for “You Should Be Loved.” The video comes on the heels of his successful music video cover of Adele’s “Someone Like You.” Last week, we caught up with the North Carolina native to talk about his video, his upcoming album, and more. Read the interview. While you’re at it, take a look at these new photos of Anoop.

The Kelly Clarkson news keeps on coming! Today, Kelly announced the track list for her upcoming album, Stronger.

The tracks on Stronger (Deluxe) are:

 1. Mr. Know It All

 2. Stronger

 3. Dark Side

 4. Honestly

 5. You Love Me

 6. Einstein

 7. Standing In Front Of You

 8. I Forgive You

 9. Hello

 10. The War Is Over

 11. Let Me Down

 12. You Can't Win

 13. Breaking Your Own Heart

 14. Don't You Wanna Stay (w/ Jason Aldean)

 15. Alone

 16. Don't Be A Girl About it

 17. The Sun Will Rise

American Idol’s Jennifer Hudson, as well as frequent Idol visitor Will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas, have joined an all-star lineup of industry artists and professionals serving as on the original reality music series “Majors & Minors.” Over the course of the TV season, “Majors & Minors” follows the journey of 12 talented young performers, ages 10-16, as they are mentored by some of the biggest and most successful artists and coaches in the music industry.

James Durbin Collaborates with Pennyroyal Studio

Pennyroyal Studio and Season 10’s James Durbin are pleased to announce their design collaboration which will benefit  the national Tourette Syndrome Association Inc (TSA).

James Durbin is the latest addition to Pennyroyal Studio’s diverse Signature Collection collaborators which donates a portion of proceeds to charity. For James, the design has a meaningful message, “My wing earring reminds me that anything is possible. It symbolizes the freedom you feel when you're doing what you know you were born to do. The ‘wing’ earring was created for James while he was a contestant on American Idol, and his signature is on the back of each piece sold.Pennyroyal Studio’s Creative Director, Tim Foster, explains his newest collaboration, “For the past three season I have been making custom designs for the top ten contestants on American Idol. James’  Pennyroyal Studio has raised money for numerous charities with the Signature Collection. Recent collaborations include Adam Lambert, Jewel, Confederacy boutique, Crystal Bowersox, Colbie Caillat, and Cobra Starship among others. Find out more about Adam’s creation.

The James Durbin Wing Signature Collection design will be available to order from September 8th, 2011 through October 8th, 2011 with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the national Tourette Syndrome Association. The handcrafted sterling silver wing design will be available in three style options of one single silver wing earring, a pair of silver wing earrings or a silver wing pendant. Price ranges $35 to $80 and will be available for purchase exclusively through www.pennyroyalstudio.com.

About Pennyroyal Studio: Pennyroyal Studio, the Los Angeles-based music inspired brand, was accidentally founded in 2006 by self-proclaimed music industry “drop out” Tim Foster. While creating a memento for his muse, an elusive singer/songwriter, Foster discovered his love of designing jewelry and conceptualized his first collection of pendants. Nearly five years later Pennyroyal Studio has expanded to include bracelets, belt buckles, earrings and miniature vignettes on rings. Despite the growth of the Pennyroyal Studio brand, each collection continues on Fosters signature artisanal flare and handcrafted appeal that launched the successful jewelry brand. Pennyroyal Studio’s designs are inspired by music, moments in Foster’s life and universal points of reference to simple instants www.pennyroyalstudio.com

Happy 30th Birthday, Jennifer Hudson!!!!!!!!

One of American Idol’s most successful finalists, Jennifer Hudson, turned the big 3-0 yesterday! Although Jennifer was eliminated in seventh place from Season 3 of American Idol, she has gone on to be the first Idol to win an Academy Award, a Golden Globe award, and a SAG award.

Jennifer’s self-titled debut album led to five singles, three music videos, and it earned her four Grammy award nominations and one win for Best R&B album. In March of 2011, Jennifer released her sophomore album, I Remember Me, which debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. Jennifer performed her first single off the album, “Where You At,” on a Season 10 results show.Mom to two-year-old David Daniel Otunga Jr., Jennifer is also a tremendous actress. Her feature film debut in Dreamgirls won her practically every award imaginable. She also appeared in the Sex and the City movies, The Secret Life of Bees, the yet-to-be-released film Winnie (she plays the titular role), and she just wrapped filming with The Three Stooges. Currently, it’s hard to find a magazine that doesn’t feature a svelte Jennifer Hudson on the cover!

Happy Birthday, Jennifer! Thirty has never looked so good.

Happy Birthday, Carly Smithson!

Season 7’s sixth place finalist, Carly Smithson, turned 28 yesterday. After auditioning for Season 5 of American Idol and being disqualified due to work visa issues, Carly auditioned again for Season 7 and made the Top 24. With amazing performances including “Come Together,” “Crazy On You,” and “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” Carly made it to Top 6’s Andrew Lloyd Webber week and had a solid performance with “Superstar” which even won Simon Cowell over.

Simon thought it was one of the best performances of the night, and Carly pulled out a t-shirt that said, “Simon Loves Me (this week).”After her run on American Idol, Carly toured North America with her fellow Season 7 Top 10 finalists. After Evanescence’s Ben Moody saw a video of Carly performing the band’s song “Bring Me To Life” on the Idol tour, Ben, along with Evanescence members Rocky Gray and John Lecompt, and non-Evanescence musician Marty O’Brien, offered Carly the position as lead singer of their new band We Are The Fallen. Carly and the band released their debut album, Tear The World Down, on May 11, 2010 and toured London, the U.S., and Canada.

Happy Birthday, Carly!

Happy Birthday, Ruben Studdard!

The first male winner of American Idol, Ruben Studdard, turned 33 yesterday! Season 2’s champ was only 25 years old when he competed on the show. Known as the Velvet Teddy Bear, Ruben’s smooth vocals and big smile and dimples allowed him to sail into the finale, where he beat out popular finalist Clay Aiken.

The Season 2 Top 2 joined forces again last year and toured North America all summer on the “Timeless” tour.Ruben has released four major studio albums. He also starred in a 30th anniversary production of the Fats Waller musical, Ain’t Misbehavin’. It was Ruben’s first musical and he starred with fellow Season 2 contestants Trenyce and Frenchie Davis. The 30th anniversary cast recording album earned them a Grammy nomination.When Ruben returned to the Idol stage to sing “Don’t Make ‘Em Like You No More” during a Season 9 results show, he showed off his new body. He lost about 80 pounds as a result of switching to a vegan diet. View photos of Ruben’s new look. Ruben appeared on Season 9 of American Idol once again when he joined his fellow Idol winners on the season finale to send off Simon Cowell in style.

Happy Birthday, Ruben!

Chikezie Birthday !

Season 7’s tenth place finalist, Chikezie Eze, turned 26 on September 11th. The former TSA screener at LAX originally auditioned for Season 6 and made it to Hollywood Week. Not one to give up, Chikezie worked hard and came back for Season 7 auditions. 

The judges were impressed with Chikezie's improvement and he became a Top 24 finalist. While on the show, Chikezie's smooth voice and big smile gave him the votes to make it to the Top 10. As the tenth place finalist, Chikezie was able to join his fellow nine Idols on the American Idols Live! Summer 2008 tour. He also participated in the 2008 "American Stars in Concert" tour with Diana DeGarmo, Kimberley Locke, and fellow Season 7 finalist David Hernandez. In 2009, Chikezie took part in the "American Stars in Concert" spring break tour with Melinda Doolittle, Phil Stacey, and Gina Glocksen. Chikezie even appeared on General Hospital as singing bartender K.Z. He had several speaking lines, including one about Simon Cowell, and he sang the popular Idol song, “Against All Odds.”

On July 10, 2011, Chikezie married his long-time girlfriend, Linda, in a ceremony in Los Angeles.

Happy Birthday, Chikezie!

2 Creative Arts Emmys & OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences awarded the 2010-2011 Creative Arts Primetime Emmy Awards for programs and individual achievements at the 63rd Emmy Awards presentation at the NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles—the home to the American Idol finale. American Idol took home two awards: one for Outstanding Sound Mixing and one for Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control.

OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A VARIETY OR MUSIC SERIES OR SPECIAL

 EDWARD J. GREENE, Production Mixer FOX

 RANDY FAUSTINO, Music Mixer

 PATRICK BALTZELL, PA Mixer

 MICHAEL PARKER, Monitor Mixer

 American Idol

Finale

OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL DIRECTION, CAMERAWORK,

VIDEO CONTROL FOR A SERIES

 ERIC BECKER, Technical Director FOX

 CHRISTINE A. SALOMON, Technical Director

 ROBERT L. HIGHTON, Camera

 DAVE EASTWOOD, Camera

 SUZANNE EBNER, Camera

 JOHN REPCZYNSKI, Camera

 GEORGE A. PRINCE III, Camera

 KENNETH M. DAHLQUIST, Camera

 EDWIN HORTON, Camera

 BILL CHAIKOWSKI, Camera

 JOHN PERRY, Camera

 DANNY BONILLA, Camera

 DIANE BIEDERBECK, Camera

 ALEX HERNANDEZ, Camera

 KEITH DICKER, Camera

 DANNY WEBB, Camera

 CHRISTOPHER GRAY, Video Control

Sparkle first movie

Jordin Sparks announced some big news today…she will make her feature film debut in “Sparkle.” The movie will be a remake of the 1976 picture and will star Jordin Sparks in the lead role alongside Mike Epps, in a production by Salim Akil and Mara Brock Akil, Debra Martin Chase, TD Jakes, Curtis Wallace, and executive produced by Whitney Houston. Whitney is currently in negotiations to star in the movie as Jordin’s mother.Jordin experienced musical theatre as Nina Rosario in In The Heights, but this will be the Idol-winner’s first time on the big screen.

whats happen in Round-Up???

Kelly Clarkson’s new single, “Mr. Know It All,” is featured on MTV Buzzworthy’s “5 Must-Hear Pop Songs of the Week” list. MTV raves about the song, which only premiered last Tuesday and is already climbing the charts. 

In an interview with EW.com, Kelly was asked about which song reminds her most of American Idol, and she replied “Stuff Like That There.” She elaborated, “That’s my favorite [performance]. Everyone always asks, ‘How did it feel to win American Idol?’ That moment doesn’t even compare to what it felt like to live the dream of singing that song in front of the people. Ever since I saw For the Boys with Bette Midler, I loved big band music. You don’t get that now—music is very beat-driven.” In celebration of Kelly’s fifth studio album, Stronger, the Idol is giving fans a chance to include the name of a friend or family member who has helped to make them stronger in the booklet of the bonus EP included in her exclusive album pre-orders.Anthony Fedorov of Season 4 released a very special video on Sunday, September 11th to all of our service men and women that risk their lives every day to protect our freedoms. Season 8 runner-up Adam Lambert took to his Twitter account to let his fans know that new music is on its way: “FYI I'm working hard this week and next to finish up all these amazing new tunes! Thank you all for staying patient...I'm excited too!… I'm 90% sure the first single will be out next month (ish) album coming early 2012!”

East Rutherford - IZOD Center

We just couldn’t stay away from East Rutherford, New Jersey! American Idol held auditions at the IZOD Center for Season 6, Season 8, Season 10, and now Season 11. Less than an hour away from Steven Tyler’s and Jennifer Lopez’s hometowns, East Rutherford has always turned up bright stars, including Season 10’s Pia Toscano. This New York City suburb is located 7 miles west of Midtown Manhattan, and many enthusiastic and talented singers are sure to show up for auditions.

Auditions

Auditions will be held at IZOD Center. Registration will occur September 20 and 21. Auditions will occur September 22.

Wristbands will be distributed from approximately 7:00 AM on Tuesday, September 20, until approximately 8:00 AM on Thursday, September 22. Auditioners will not be permitted to camp out. Once auditioners obtain their wristbands, they will be asked to return to IZOD Center by 5:00 AM on Thursday, September 22.Check in for Affiliate winners is BY 7:00AM at the registration desk on Audition day. You must have your letter AND I.D. WITH you. If you cannot locate the AI Registration Desk, check with American Idol Security or an American Idol Staff member (in the AI t-shirts) for the exact location if you cannot find it.

Transportation

Just 4.2 square miles, it's easy to get around East Rutherford. Flying into Newark Liberty International Airport places you just 14 miles away from the IZOD Center at the Meadowlands Sports Complex, and it's an easy drive down I-95, the New Jersey Turnpike, to get to the audition center. AirTrain Newark is a simple and speedy way to get to NJ Transit, Amtrak, and PATH, which are all services that can take you through New Jersey, New York City, and Pennsylvania. The ticket costs $5.50 and the closest NJ Transit rail station to the IZOD Center is the Secaucus Junction (Frank R. Lautenberg Station). If you live or are staying in New York, head to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan and take Bus 164 to Meadowlands. The price is $10 round trip or $5 one-way.

Sightseeing

Since East Rutherford is just 8 miles away from Manhattan's theater district, check out a Broadway show. Lace up your sneakers and take a walk around Central Park, hop on a boat to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, or ride up to the top of the Empire State Building. Of course there is plenty to do in East Rutherford. Lodging is available at many hotels and motels near the IZOD Center, so check in, relax, and grab a bite to eat at the many neighborhood restaurants. Sports fans can come a few days early and catch a football game at MetLife Stadium.

Exclusive Tour Interview with Scotty McCreery

As our American Idol, Scotty McCreery, traveled the country with the American Idols LIVE! 2011 Tour, he hopped on the phone to talk about his new music, being back in Milwaukee, and advice for all aspiring American Idols.

What’s it like being on tour? Scotty shared, “It’s pretty wild. It’s a lot of fun. It’s a wild dream, though, so it’s cool to get this chance and be in a different city every night.”The Garner, North Carolina native got to perform a show near his hometown. “The hometown audience was incredible. I was spotting friends I hadn’t seen in months out in the crowd while I was singing, so I’d give them a quick wave. It was pretty cool. I definitely had lots of friends and family there and it was nice to get back.” Did Scotty get to sleep at home in the comfort of his coveted Egyptian cotton sheets? “I did! I did! I didn’t sleep in the hotel that night. It was really nice.”

Scotty’s coronation song, “I Love You This Big,” became his first single and it’s already certified GOLD! What’s it like hearing arenas of fans sing along to his single? “It’s pretty cool. It still amazes me how good the song’s done on the radio and how many people are hearing it. It’s a cool thing to hear, and I’m just glad it’s getting out there. Scotty also had a blast filming the video for ILYTB. He said, “It was a lot of fun. It was cool being in L.A. and finding a little piece of country in a nice little park. It was just a cool little thing we did. It was kind of like a summertime barbeque that I grew up doing. It was a lot of fun.”

His debut album, Clear As Day, will become available on October 4. Scotty shared, “The album is going really well. My part is pretty much done vocally, now they’re just working on making sure everything is just right with the production so that the album will be in tip-top shape and exactly where we want it. Hopefully it will do well for me.”

It’s amazing to think what Scotty has accomplished in just one year! Our interview took place as he was getting ready to perform at Milwaukee’s Bradley Center, and Scotty revealed something really special, “I’m actually sitting in the seat in the stadium where I auditioned, right now! We’re in Milwaukee and I’m actually siting in the exact seat I was in for my audition. It’s pretty cool. We have the ticket saved. Section 401 Row Q Seat 3.”

Scotty mentioned during Season 10 that he never expected to get past the first round of auditions, nonetheless become the next American Idol! What’s his advice for the folks who are auditioning September 22nd in East Rutherford? “Just go out there and have fun. Don’t go in there looking to be the next American Idol. Go in there to have fun and to sing your heart out. That’s the kind of stuff the judges want to see. They want to see you enjoying yourself, confidence, and a good unique singer. So just go down there and do your thing and you should be alright.”To all of Scotty’s amazing fans he says, “Thanks a bunch for continuing to support me. This new music is going out to y’all soon and I hope we can continue to have this good music and have a lot of fun with it. Thanks a lot and I appreciate it.”

Exclusive Tour Interview with James Durbin

It’s time for the last of our American Idols Live! 2011 Tour interviews. We caught up with Season 10’s resident metal man, James Durbin, to find out about life on the road, wedding planning, and his devoted fans.

We wanted to know what James likes the best and what is the hardest thing about being on tour. “The best part about being on tour, besides singing and living my dream, it’s having fun with my friends, really. We’re having a good time, especially after the shows. We have fun. We go to the bus, and by the time we leave we’re all in the back playing music and cracking up together. Another good thing is I’ve gotten Scotty, Casey, and Stefano into watching wrestling. Every other night they’re asking me to put on wrestling. The hardest part is being away from my family. I don’t get to see them until the very end of the tour. They came to a couple stops early on. We talk a lot on the phone and computer, but it’s not really that good of a substitute.”

James has received a particularly special gift from a fan. “I’d say the coolest thing I got was a book that chronicled every stage of my journey on the show such as my audition, Hollywood Week, Vegas round, Top 24, 13, 12 11, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, and then the finale and post-show things and even pictures from the tour, so that was very cool.”

The Santa Cruz dad is engaged to Heidi, and we wanted to know how the wedding planning is coming along. “It’s hard to plan a wedding. She’s doing most of it and I don’t really have the energy to do it, which really stinks,” James admitted. “It’s hard for me to find time to do it and have the energy for it because I’m not getting to see what’s going on and where we’re choosing because I’m on the road.”

If you’re planning on auditioning for Season 11, James advises, “Don’t hold back. Just believe in your cause and shove it down their throats! If there’s something you believe in and something you stand for, don’t back down to anybody.”Through American Idol, James has racked up a very devoted fan base right here on AmericanIdol.com! “I love that the fans created the photo thread on AmericanIdol.com because that’s the only way I’m able to see any pictures of things that I’ve done on the show and things that I’ve done live. That’s how I get all my pictures, so kudos to them for working so hard.”

This week, James announced some big news: he signed a deal with Wind-Up Records. He said, “Wind-up Records isn’t a label, it’s a family and I wanted to be a part of that. They are true music fans that want to see me have a long career as an artist. I couldn’t have asked for more when signing a record deal.”

Happy Birthday, Haley Reinhart!

Season 10’s third place finalist, Haley Reinhart, turns 21 today! She is celebrating her big birthday in Toronto on the penultimate stop of the American Idols Live! 2011 Tour before she heads to the Philippines with the Top 11.

Born on 9-9-1990 at 9 a.m., it’s no surprise that Haley’s lucky number is 9, which she revealed during “Songs From the Year They Were Born” week. She actually auditioned for Season 9 but didn’t make it past the judges. On the live Season 10 shows, Haley’s performances of “Bennie and the Jets,” “House of the Rising Sun,” “I (Who Have Nothing),” and “What Is and What Should Never Be” earned her rave reviews and standing ovations from the judges. During her performance of Led Zeppelin’s “What Is and What Should Never Be,” Haley accomplished an American Idol first by performing with her father on stage—he backed her up on guitar. After leaving Idol in third place, Haley returned to the finale the following week to perform “Steppin’ Out With My Baby” alongside the great Tony Bennett. Many famous fans declared their support for Haley during Season 10 including former Idol judge Ellen DeGeneres, Tom Hanks, Adam Lambert, and Kelly Clarkson among others.

While touring with the Top 11, Haley released the exciting news that she signed a deal with 19 Recordings/Interscope Records. In my recent interview with Haley, she revealed her plans to write songs for the album, which will be a blend of genres. Recently, The Huffington Post named Haley one of the “15 New, Young Artists On The Rise.”

Happy 21st Birthday, Haley!

Happy Birthday, Leah LaBelle!

Season 3's Leah LaBelle celebrates her 25th birthday today. Just 17 years old at the time, Leah was chosen by Paula Abdul as one of the wildcard contestants to advance in the competition. She was eliminated in 12th place.

Leah's parents immigrated to America from Bulgaria, which has inspired Leah to work hard to make her singing dreams come true. Leah has performed with hit singer Keri Hilson and she sang back-up vocals for Season 6 American Idol Jordin Sparks. Leah even appears in Jordin’s music video for her popular single “S.O.S. (Let the Music Play).”

Happy Birthday, Leah!