posted by Administrator on Jan 9
American Idol fifth-season finalist Chris Daughtry was honored during last night’s pre-taped broadcast of the 34th annual People’s Choice Awards on CBS.
The Idol fifth-season third-place finisher saw his band Daughtry win the award for Favorite Rock Song with “Home,” a ballad that served as background music for Idol sixth-season eliminations. “Home” defeated “Hey There Delilah” by Plain White T’s and “Makes Me Wonder” by Maroon 5.
“We’re very, very honored to be accepting this award from the people,” said Daughtry, who received the award via satellite with his fellow band mates. “You’re the reason we do what we do and why we’re able to do what we do, so thank you very much.”
Daughtry has been riding high in recent weeks, as his band took home 2007 American Music Awards in November for Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist and Favorite Breakthrough Artist — while the group’s self-titled debut album was also recognized for Favorite Pop or Rock Album.
A few weeks later, Daughtry received three Grammy Award nominations. The group’s self-titled debut was nominated for Best Rock Album; one of its singles — “It’s Over You” — received a nod in the Best Rock Song category; and “Home” received a nod in the Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals category.
posted by Administrator on Jan 9
American Idol fifth-season champ Taylor Hicks has confirmed his departure from Arista Records, describing the split from his label as a mutual decision.
“American Idol winner Taylor Hicks has announced that he and Arista Records have mutually agreed to part ways,” a statement from his representative announced, OK! Weekly reported Tuesday.
Hicks elaborated on his split from the record label in a subsequent posting on his MySpace website.
“To all my fans and The Soul Patrol, I want to take a moment to talk about the recent news that my label and I have mutually parted ways,” wrote Hicks.
“The important thing for all of you to remember is that I’ve been a working musician my whole life. This is turning the page on a new chapter of my career. Artistic freedom and control is an exciting prospect. The things that are most important to me is creating my art, performing it, and my fans. With the momentum that all of you have created over the years, Taylor Hicks is not going to stop anytime soon. I’ve started working on the new album, writing and scheduling exciting collaborations. The DVD, Whomp at the Warfield, is in it’s final stages, and will be released soon. So as one door closes, a new one opens for 2008 with more excitement for all my fans than ever before. Sit tight, because the best is yet to come!”
News that J Records had ended its relationship with Hicks had first emerged via a recent Entertainment Weekly “Hollywood Insider” blog report which claimed to have “heard” Hicks had “also” met the same fate as Ruben Studdard, who had been “quietly dropped” by J Records in December, according to a New York Post report published last month. (Earlier this week, Studdard’s rep issued a statement saying the parties agreed to “part ways to go in a different direction” sometime last spring.)
“Taylor is going to record his next album on his own,” EW quoted an unidentified “label rep” as saying in a less-than-definitive sounding blog posting that featured a “Taylor Hicks, Ruben Studdard dropped from J Records?” headline. “He is no longer on the J Records roster.”
J Records confirmed the report of Hicks’ departure, as well as the earlier reports of Studdard’s departure, in a statement released Monday.
“Taylor is going to record on his own for the next album,” J Records representative Liz Morentin confirmed in a statement released to E! News. “Ruben Studdard is still signed to 19 Entertainment [the production/management company behind Idol], and is currently working on his new album, however it will not be distributed by J Records.”
posted by AINews on Jan 7
Paula Abdul said she has learned a lot about herself during her time as an “American Idol” judge.
“I have a strength I didn’t know I had. It’s a live program, and a naughty British man is constantly making people think there’s something weird in my Coca-Cola cup,” Abdul told Ladies’ Home Journal. “But I’m proud of myself. I always figure out a way to swim.”
She also said it has been interesting to see how “Idol” contestants and winners deal with their overnight success.
“Our performers think they’re going to manage, but the reality is they’re not,” she said. “It can be a letdown even when you advance, because success is never what you expect. I just hope they have loving friends and family if they have to go back to their jobs at Burger King.”
As for her personal life, Abdul described her relationship with her new boyfriend, restaurateur J.T. Torregiani, as “a good thing.”
“I’ve experienced real loneliness, so I love knowing there’s someone I can share the good and the not-so-good with,” she said. “And I want kids! If it doesn’t happen naturally, I can always adopt.”
posted by AINews on Jan 7
A Florida judge reportedly ordered former “American Idol” contestant Jessica Sierra to spend a year in a California drug treatment facility.
Sierra, 22, was arrested Dec. 1 in Ybor City, Fla., after she allegedly went on a drunken rampage, violating her probation for an April drug and battery incident.
Tampa, Fla., Judge Daniel Perry said he had reservations about allowing Sierra to undergo treatment at the Pasadena Recovery Center, the Tampa Tribune reported.
“I don’t want this to be some stepping stone for her to have a career as a recovering addict,” Perry said.
The judge also banned Sierra, who will soon be seen on the reality TV program “Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew,” from doing interviews during her recovery, the newspaper said.
Addiction expert Drew Pinsky told the judge he thought the yearlong treatment would give Sierra a better chance for recovery than she could have gotten from the “low-level” treatment she received on his VH-1 show, which Sierra taped before her Dec. 1 arrest.
posted by Administrator on Jan 3
“American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest said recently he intends to find a romantic interest to provide balance in his life.
The popular 33-year-old TV host said during a recent advertising photography shoot that his busy career has left him wanting more balance, People magazine reported Saturday.
“I think, in a way, my goal is to focus on a little bit more balance,” Seacrest said. “I really haven’t been out with anybody. … This week I’ll literally work seven days, and I’ll get home at 10 p.m.”
When asked about his upcoming “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” appearance alongside TV personality Dick Clark, Seacrest said Clark did not appear to be feeling any aftereffects from his 2004 stroke.
“He and Fergie (Stacy Ann Ferguson of the Black Eyed Peas) and I were doing a photo shoot, and Fergie couldn’t have looked better,” Seacrest said of his time with the TV icon and pop singer. “Dick gave some vintage looks to (the) camera when he saw her gorgeous legs and body in this little skirt.”
