Originally posted Monday, September 17, 2018 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
While YouTube is now the primary way many of today's stars are discovered, reality TV is still an avenue many pursue. Just ask Cardi B ("Love and Hip Hop") and Camila Cabello ("The X Factor").
"American Idol," airing on ABC for the second time in 2019, remains the standard bearer in its 17th season. It has been awhile since "Idol" has created anything remotely close to a star (see Georgia's Phillip Phillips from season 11) but that doesn't mean someone won't rise from the mist.
The final first-round auditions this year come to Infinite Energy Center in Duluth on Thursday morning. Note: host Ryan Seacrest and the celebrity judges (Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie) will not be there. ( "Idol" has yet to announce the cities and times when the trio will show up.)
Here are notable qualifications, which appear to be the same as they have been in recent years:
- You need to be between the ages of 15 and 28 as of June 1, 2018 and a legal U.S. citizen at that time.
- You can't have an existing exclusive recording contract, merchandising contract, touring agreement and in most circumstances, an exclusive management contract.
- You cannot currently be a candidate for public office and must agree not to become a candidate for public office until one year after the initial airing of the final episode in which you appear.
- You can register online before hand at https://abc.go.com/shows/american-idol/auditions or on the day of the audition starting at 9 a.m. Thursday. You cannot camp out overnight.
- While one other person can accompany you in line, you cannot bring anyone under the age of five. If you are under 18, you must have a parent or legal guardian accompany you.
- You can bring an instrument of your choice and be prepared to sing two or three different songs. Bring a photo of yourself on top of official ID.
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Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Ada Vox made the "American Idol" top 10 this year, the first drag queen to get that far on the show, but was cut just before the top 7. This meant she missed out on the "Idol" tour.
But this didn't mean the diva-like Vox sat around twiddling her thumbs. She got herself a great agent (Stephen Ford) and began booking gigs all over the country. She will be part of Atlanta Pride next month on the main stage at Piedmont Park Sunday, October 14.
“It worked out for the best,” Vox said in an interview. “I’ve been able to see so many places, meet so many wonderful people. I’ve loved every minute of it. Everything I’ve gotten to experience because of the show. And I was blessed with the opportunity to touch people’s lives.”
He said he is thrilled when fans come up to him to tell them how she encouraged them to come out to their families or to just live their lives more confidently.
She also has a new single out, a club track called “Because of You.” She likes the message of love and encouragement. “It’s a good, positive thing,” she said. Though she doesn’t see herself necessarily as a dancing diva, “the uptempo dance vibe made it possible for more people to enjoy it,” she said.
Vox was able to visit Paris for the first time earlier this year for the Gay Games, courtesy of her agent Ford, who has worked with everyone from Cher to Thelma Houston to Fantasia and Frenchie Davis.
She loved the Pride parade in San Francisco, enabling her to perform before tens of thousands of people. But she truly appreciated the very first New Mexico Pride, where she headlined for the first time. "There weren't even 100 people there but it was beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Everyone there was so happy to be there and so proud to celebrate."
Vox has been performing for 12 years though only in drag the past four years or so. Before that, she was Adam Sanders and she showed up on "Idol" Hollywood rounds as Adam several seasons ago.
She has performed in all sorts of settings, from drag queen showcases to jazz clubs to oyster bakes to weddings.
“I’m all of 25 years old,” she said. “The sky’s the limit! There is so much more I can do. I’m waiting to see what will come to me. I am hoping it’s only going to get better and better. “
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Carrie Underwood had three miscarriages before she became pregnant this year, she told "CBS Sunday Morning" in an unusually frank interview.
She has a three-year-old son Isaiah with her hockey player husband Mike Fisher.
“I’d kind of planned that 2017 was, you know, going to be the year that I work on new music, and I have a baby,” said Underwood, 35. “We got pregnant early 2017, and didn’t work out.”
She had two more miscarriages and “ it was just kind of like, ‘Okay, like, what’s the deal? What is all of this?'” said Underwood. She tried to be grateful she at least had Isaiah but when she thought she might have a fourth miscarriage in a row, she got angry. She told God, “Why on Earth do I keep getting pregnant if I can’t have a kid? Like, what is this? Shut the door. Like, do something. Either shut the door or let me have a kid.”
Two days later, the doctor said her pregnancy was fine: no miscarriage!
Underwood is promoting her new album "Cry Pretty." Her latest single is "Love Wins," which is climbing the carts. The first single "Cry Pretty" was her worst-performing initial album release ever, peaking at No. 9 on the Billborad country airplay chart. Her 2019 tour includes a stop at Philips Arena October 19, 2019. Yes, that's 13 months from now.
This CBS Morning News piece is definitely worth watching simply because she is so open.
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Credit: NBC
Credit: NBC
"The Voice" via Extra TV released a promo video showing Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson tie their own experiences on reality TV to the fortunes of the contestants on the show they're on now. But naturally, the entire video somehow avoids the "I" word, as in "American Idol." Why bring up the obvious competitor's name unnecessarily, right?
They also semi-awkwardly talked about “Idol” below without mentioned “Idol” by name.
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Speaking of Kelly Clarkson, she has a tour in 2019. She is coming to Infinite Energy in Duluth on March 28. And she's bringing her "Voice" winner Brynn Cartelli for a bulk of it.
Kelly Clarkson –Meaning Of Life Tour
with special guests Kelsea Ballerini & Brynn Cartelli
1/24/19 – Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena**
1/25/19 – Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center**
1/26/19 – Los Angeles, CA @ STAPLES Center*
1/30/19 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Vivint Smart Home Arena**
2/1/19 – Glendale, AZ @ Gila River Arena*
2/7/19 – Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center**
2/8/19 – Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center**
2/9/19 – Southaven, MS @ Landers Center**
2/14/19 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena*
2/15/19 – Green Bay, WI @ Resch Center**
2/16/19 – St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center*
2/21/19 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena**
2/22/19 – Chicago, IL @ Allstate Arena**
2/23/19 – St. Louis, MO @ Chaifetz Arena**
2/28/19 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center*
3/2/19 – Wichita, KS @ INTRUST Bank Arena**
3/7/19 – Uniondale, NY @ NYCB Live Nassau Coliseum*
3/8/19 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden**
3/9/19 – Allentown, PA @ PPL Center*
3/14/19 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena*
3/15/19 – Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena*
3/16/19 – Baltimore, MD @ Royal Farms Arena**
3/21/19 – Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena**
3/22/19 – Indianapolis, IN @ Bankers Life Fieldhouse**
3/23/19 – Cincinnati, OH @ U.S. Bank Arena**
3/28/19 – Duluth, GA @ Infinite Energy Arena **
3/29/19 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena**
3/30/19 – Greenville, SC @ Bon Secours Wellness Arena**
**with Kelsea Ballerini and Brynn Cartelli
*with Brynn Cartelli
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Clay Aiken Tweet of the Week is pure nostalgia:
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