Showing posts with label Kara DioGuardi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kara DioGuardi. Show all posts

Friday, January 8, 2010

Randy Jackson says no Adam Lambert or Kris Allen clones on next American Idol

There won't be anyone quite like Adam Lambert on the next season of "American Idol."

Easygoing "Idol" judge Randy Jackson told reporters during a Friday teleconference that he expected to see clones of the over-the-top eighth season runner-up or even croony champion Kris Allen show up to audition for the Fox talent competition's ninth season, which premieres Tuesday (8 p.m. EST), but there were none to be found this time around.

"Usually, whoever comes in first or second, that next season of auditions, you have a lot of those kinds of people," he said. "It's almost like a signal to everyone at home that was like them that now it's time to try out for 'American Idol.' It didn't happen like that this time. We got a very interesting, unique cast that's only unique to this season nine."

Jackson, who serves on the judging panel with Simon Cowell, Kara DioGuardi and newcomer Ellen DeGeneres, said audition cities Dallas and Atlanta offered singers with the most starpower while Orlando, Fla., was "really strange" in terms of finding talent. He also said he was on the lookout for female crooners because the past two winners have been male.

"I think there's some really talented girls that showed up this time," he said.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Katy Perry and Avril Lavigne to guest judge American Idol

Music stars Katy Perry and Avril Lavigne will be guest judges on American Idol during the final two days of auditions held this week in Los Angeles. With each star judging on a different day of L.A. auditions, Katy and Avril will join Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Kara DioGuardi at the judges' table.

Katy and Avril aren't the first stars to guest judge at Season 9 auditions. Recently, Victoria Beckham served as a guest judge in Denver and Boston, Mary J. Blige shared her expertise in Atlanta, Joe Jonas and Neil Patrick Harris joined the panel in Dallas, Kristin Chenoweth met up with the show in Orlando, and Shania Twain was the guest judge in Chicago.

The Grammy-nominated Katy Perry has captured the hearts of critics and audiences alike. Awarded Best New Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards and voted Best New Artist by readers of Rolling Stone, Katy is currently wrapping up her sold-out "Hello Katy" worldwide tour in September. Katy even performed during a Season 8 results show. See photos of Katy's American Idol performance.

Avril Lavigne has been in the industry since she was 17 years old. Her first album, Let Go, sold more than 16 million copies worldwide and earned her eight Grammy Award nominations and four Juno Awards. With her three albums accounting for over 30 million records sold worldwide, Avril is currently in the studio working on her fourth album. In addition, she designs her own line of clothing, Abby Dawn, and she just launched her first fragrance, Black Star.

American Idol will kick off its ninth season with the audition episodes this January on FOX.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Kara DioGuardi sings "No Boundaries"

American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi sings "No Boundaries", the song winner Kris Allen and runner-up Adam Lambert sang on the show.

Friday, August 7, 2009

'American Idol' Kris Allen plays Nassau Coliseum - Interview

Since Kris Allen's victory on "American Idol," the laid-back 24-year-old singer-songwriter from Conway, Ark., has been working nonstop, moving back and forth from the "American Idols Live" tour to working on his debut album.

"It's tough," says Allen, calling from a tour stop in Washington, D.C. "It's almost like you have to switch your brain over to the other side. It's a whole different animal. Touring is a whole different mind-set from recording."

Newsday: Is touring what you thought it would be?

KA: It's probably a little more work than I thought it would be, but other than that, the traveling is great. We're having a blast.

Newsday: Can you talk about who you're working with on the album and what it will sound like?

KA: I think I'm going to keep that under wraps for now. We are working hard with some artists, some pretty big writers in L.A. and we're getting in some songs as well. We've got some pretty good stuff so far. . . . I would say it's in the pop-rock genre - that genre is huge, but somewhere in there, with something a little bit different that I think people will like.

Newsday: There was some controversy about you not singing "No Boundaries" in the set anymore. What happened?

KA: We had it in there and the tour director came up to me with some other people and were like, "What if we put something a little bit more energetic in place of it?" I was like, "OK, let's see what we've got," and I came up with the idea of doing the Killers' song "All These Things That I've Done" and we just kind of ran with it. It was kind of a boost in my set.

Newsday: So how do you feel about the song [co-written by "Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi]?

KA: Um, no comment. I think it's a really good song.

Newsday: Have you had any surprises on the tour?

KA: I think the fans are a little bit crazier than I thought they were going to be. They like to touch you and sometimes in ways that maybe they shouldn't .

Source: Newsday

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Paula Abdul leaving "American Idol"

After much speculation, Paula Abdul will not be returning to “American Idol” next season.

The “Idol” judge hit her Twitter page on Tuesday night to break the news.

“With sadness in my heart, I’ve decided not to return to #Idol,” she posted on her Twitter page. “I’ll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day 1 become an international phenomenon.”

Following the announcement, FOX issued a statement of their own to Access Hollywood confirming Paula would not be in her judge’s chair next season for the first time since the show began in 2002.

“Paula Abdul has been an important part of the ‘American Idol’ family over the last eight seasons and we are saddened that she has decided not to return to the show. While Paula will not be continuing with us, she’s a tremendous talent and we wish her the best,” the statement from FOX said.

Paula’s negotiations with “Idol” producers reportedly came down to money. According to a previous report by Radar Online, the veteran reality judge was asking for $20 million to return to the show – “Idol” was reportedly willing to offer half of that amount.

Meanwhile, last week it was confirmed that the newest member to the “Idol” judging panel, Kara DioGuardi, would be returning to the show when Season Nine bows in January.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Kris Allen and Adam Lambert talk "No Boundaries"

Los Angeles – Cutting Kara DioGuardi's "No Boundaries" from the American Idol tour was a no-brainer for Kris Allen.

"Taking that out is kind of helping my set a little bit," Allen explained to us this morning as he and Adam Lambert picked up their new Ford vehicles at Galpin Ford just outside of Los Angeles. "It gave it a little bit more energy … It just felt like a better fit to put something else in."

Critics and fans have pretty much trashed "No Boundaries," which DioGuardi cowrote, ever since it debuted as the American Idol victory song during the finale in May. Allen has replaced it with The Killers' "All These Things That I've Done." "Everyone knows that song," Lambert said. "It's really great."

Our favorite singing bromancers also talked about which Idol alums they'd like to work with... "I love Kelly Clarkson," Allen said. "She's incredible, so that's who I'd want to work with."

Lambert is a big fan, too. "The album Kelly just came out with is fantastic," he said. "Great writers, great producers. She wrote a bunch of songs on there, and Katy Perry—my girl—wrote songs on there, too. It's great." But then Lambert added, "I want to work with Fantasia, just hollerin' back and forth."

On a more serious note, the openly gay Lambert said he's trying not to think too much about protesters who showed up at one of the recent Idol tour stops. "I don't think I'm going to change their minds," he said. "I respect their opinion, but they didn't need to come to a concert and spread negativity...Go use your energy for something productive."

 Source: E! Online