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May 25, 2007
They're best buds
Michael Becker/Fox
There's not two more tired folks on the planet than "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks and runner-up Blake Lewis (shown here from Wednesday night's finale).
Except maybe me -- after covering the show for more than four months!
Everybody -- and I mean everybody -- wants to talk to Jordin and Blake. Talk shows (Jay Leno and Ellen DeGeneres), entertainment shows ("Entertainment Tonight," "Access Hollywood"), Fox affiliates, magazines and, of course, newspapers, including The Bee.
Today, they hung in there and shared their thoughts on the season that just ended and what's in their futures. And, yes, they really do like each other.
We start with Jordin.
Q: What's one thing you've learned from the other "Idol" winners, especially Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino and Carrie Underwood?
Jordin: Oh, my gosh, I look up to all of them. I've been watching the show the past couple of years, and I have all their records. I definitely would model my career after theirs.
Q: What did you think when you heard the winning song that you would be singing on the final night of competition?
Jordin:"This Is My Now" was so perfect. When we got it, I couldn't believe how perfect it was for this whole process. It reflects what I've been dreaming of. It spoke to me that way.
Q: You and Blake got really nice Mustangs. Which one did you get, the blue one or the red one, and do you even have a driver's license?
Jordin: I have my driver's license. I got it in July last year, before I auditioned. And no tickets yet! I wanted the red one, and Blake wanted the blue, so it worked out. I haven't seen it yet.
Q: How well do you think you handled the pressure on the show?
Jordin: I'm a minor, so I had to have a guardian with me. It was always either my Mom or my Nana (grandmother). I had them to lean on, and the other contestants, too.
Q: Was there a particular point when you thought you actually could win "American Idol?"
Jordin: When I made the Top 12. I thought, "I have a 1-in-12 chance of winning this." And you improve as you go along.
Q: Speaking of the Top 12, most of the contestants got attention for different reasons. What do you think put you over the top?
Jordin: I don't know. It came down to what America liked. Each one of us is so different, and there were different storylines each week.
Q: Did Blake try to teach you beat-boxing?
Jordin: He tried, but I'm really horrible at it!
Q: What did he say to you right after you won?
Jordin: He said, "Congratulations, honey." He's been one of my biggest supporters from the beginning. It was an honor being on the same stage with him.
Q: With all this sudden attention, how will you keep yourself grounded and avoid all the hype about getting thin and going out all the time?
Jordin: That super-thin stuff, Hollywood needs to get over it. I love my family and the people and friends who are around me. They've already told me not to let it go to my head.
Q: Are there any female pop stars you would like to collaborate with? And what type of album would you like to make?
Jordin: There are so many. I have such broad musical tastes. I love Christina Aguilera and Martina McBride. They're the first two that pop into my head. As for the album, again I love so many different genres of music. I'd like to infuse a little of everything -- pop, country, rock, R&B -- with my little Jordin flair to it.
Q: The Final 3 included you, Blake and Melinda Doolittle. Would you have been more nervous competing against her?
Jordin: I actually thought it was going to be Blake and Melinda in the finals. She's one of my best friends ever. If I had been up against her I would have been so happy if she had won. But it would have been anybody's game because we reach out to different people.
Q: Other than winning on Wednesday, what was special about that night?
Jordin: Singing with Gladys Knight was so amazing. When she walked out during rehearsals, I couldn't believe I was going to sing with her. Melinda and I looked at each other and said, "Wow!"
Q: This victory was a huge pinnacle in your life. Before this, what was important to you?
Jordin: You'll laugh. It was getting my braces off. That was awesome.
We end with Blake.
Q: Looking back, do you have any regrets?
Blake: Never. I had too much fun on this experience and journey. I ended it with a bang with Doug E. Fresh. The most calm I've been (on the show) were the two nights in the Kodak Theatre.
Q: How was it performing with Doug E. Fresh?
Blake: I met him about a month and a half before when Gwen Stefani and (Clay) Akon were here. After the show, we talked and beat-boxed. I asked him if there was any chance he would perform on the show. Flash forward to the finale, which was a magical moment. I was more excited than anything to end my run on "American Idol" with Doug E. Fresh.
Q: Which song(s) that you performed best sum up your "Idol" experience?
Blake: The most work I put into any song was Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name." That performance represents me. "You Keep Me Hangin' On" and "This Is Where I Came In" were arrangements I also put a lot of work into.
Q: How did you feel about the judges' comments during the final competition?
Blake: Well, from the beginning it was always hard to actually hear what they were saying. I bite my tongue and said, "Thank you." It's just three peoples' opinions. I myself don't like criticism right after you sing a song. That doesn't happen anywhere else. I took it for what it was and moved on to the next song.
Q: What was your smartest song choice and why?
Blake: It really depends on the week. I was scared of Country Week. I was lucky to sing "When the Stars Go Blue." I think I made a smart choice every week. Beat-boxing was my "strateegery," as George Bush would say.
Q: Speaking of song choice, would you rather have had a finale song that better suited you than "This Is My Now"?
Blake: I would definitely say yes. It wasn't my style. It's a song I wouldn't have sung if I didn't have to. It fit Jordin perfectly. I think they should have had two songs tailored to both of us. I could have done something groovy and jazzy that would have been just as uplifting. The song was not very melodic.
Q: Up in Seattle, you're like the crown prince of pop karaoke. Did you sell out going on "American Idol"?
Blake: I've stayed true to myself throughout this process. I love that term, selling out. You can't sell out until you have a fan base, and I don't think I have that yet. I've never sacrificed my integrity. If you hear me singing songs like "This Is My Now," I will have sold out.
Q: Besides your beat-boxing, you had a hip fashion style. You're into vintage clothes, so did you shop much for your outfits?
Blake: The show has stylists for us, and they told me they loved my style. They also helped with what would look good on camera. I met (L.A. designer) Ashton Michaels on one of the Ford commercial shoots. We hit it off. I went to his boutique, and he started making clothes for me for the last couple of shows.
Q: Are you planning to move to Los Angeles?
Blake: I think I'm going to move to L.A. for a while so I can be around the (record) label and my management. I've made good friends here. It would be a new environment, a new experience. But I probably would only live here for a year or two. Seattle is my home. I can't be away from the musicians I play with and my family.
Q: What's the best thing about not winning "American Idol"?
Blake: You know, I never thought I'd get to this moment -- ever. I picked Jordin to win from the Top 24. I'm so completely satisfied coming in second. I would have been happy at fourth, fifth, sixth ... . My art is not as mainstream as most people. I'm more of an eclectic, independent artist. Now, I can't wait to go on tour and show people what I can do.
Q: Do you think "American Idol" will become more hip because of you?
Blake: "I can only hope that it keeps a contemporary edge. It's getting more contemporary. There was a lot of classic stuff going on this year. I think they need to play more to what's current, what's out there."
Posted by Leigh Grogan at May 25, 2007 08:48 AM
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