'American Idol' runner-up Diana DeGarmo joins the cast of 'Carrie'

From "Hairspray" to pig's blood: "American Idol" runner-up Diana DeGarmo is heading to Broadway once more, this time for "Carrie."

DeGarmo, who last starred as Tracy Turnblad's best friend Penny in "Hairspray," has been cast in the industry reading of "Carrie," a star-studded presentation that producers Jeffrey Seller and Kevin McCollum ("Rent," "Avenue Q," "West Side Story") are hoping will help them revive it as a theatrical production.

Based on the Stephen King novel, the 1976 horror film starring Sissy Spacek as a telekinetic outcast, was previously staged as a musical in 1988. The production became one of the biggest flops in Broadway history, running for only five performances and losing $8 million. 

DeGarmo will join other cast members Sutton Foster, Marin Mazzie, Jennifer Damiano, Matt Doyle and John Arthur Greene.

The titular role has not yet been cast.

-- Denise Martin

Photo: Diana DeGarmo. Credit: Getty Images

Carrie Underwood's third album, 'Play On', tops the sales charts

Taylor Swift may have just swept the CMAs but country's other lil darlin', Carrie Underwood, also has reason to cheer.

Underwood's third album, "Play On", claims the top spot on this week's Billboard 200. It's the second album from the "American Idol" winner to go No. 1 in the last two years.

More than 318,000 copies of the disc were sold, making it the year's biggest seller from a female artist.

Underwood's previous album, 2007's "Carnival Ride", sold 527,000 copies in its debut week. 

-- Denise Martin

Bring Adam Lambert, Kris Allen and Allison Iraheta to your hometown

Ryan Seacrest today announced that he'd be bringing last season's "American Idol" top 3 -- Adam Lambert, Kris Allen and Allison Iraheta -- to the town that most wants them.

Head over to RyanSeacrest.com to "demand" a special concert from the trio. The town (or city!) that receives the most votes wins. Attending the performance will be FREE.

-- Denise Martin

Photo: Kris Allen, Allison Iraheta and Adam Lambert on "American Idol." Credit: Fox

Ann Powers and Adam Lambert, together at last

Anyone who kept up with the last season of "American Idol" via the Los Angeles Times knows that pop music critic Ann Powers is, well, a rather big Adam Lambert fan.

Months after the competition was called, and Lambert was declared the runner-up, Powers finally got to hang with the glam rocker while he geared up for the release of his debut album, "For Your Entertainment." Their conversation spanned his image, influences, and the primal screaming he could trademark as his own.

Here's an excerpt (after the jump):

Video: Kris Allen debuts the music video for 'Live Like We're Dying'

At long last: The premiere of the music video for Kris Allen's "Live Like We're Dying," the first single for his self-titled debut album, out Nov. 17.

Allen tells PopEater.com that the video was shot overnight in the Los Angeles desert. "The idea behind it is ... I plug in the clock and it starts counting down to zero and there's performance stuff in there. I'm playing the guitar and playing the piano and singing too. In the end when it hits zero, it's kind of like the song, it's like we only have so much time so we gotta do what we want to do."

What do you think? Sound off below.

-- Denise Martin

Rate it: Danny Gokey's first single, 'It's Only,' hits the radio

Danny Gokey premiered his first single, “It’s Only,” on Milwaukee 106.1 FM on Friday morning. According to MJ's Big Blog, the song is written by Dave and Charles from Lady Antebellum and produced by Carrie Underwood producer Mark Bright.

Listen to the entire song in the clip above (no video, just sound) and let us know what you think below. Just in time for the holidays? Or sentimental dreck?

— Denise Martin

'American Idol' meets Robert Pattinson?

Well, sort of. "American Idol" executive producer Simon Fuller has signed on to executive produce "Bel Ami," an erotically charged period drama starring Robert Pattinson and Nicole Kidman.

The film, an adaptation of French author Guy De Maupassant’s novel, revolves around a young man's rise to the top of Parisian society in the 1890s via the beds of the city's most glamorous and influential women.

Stage directors Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod will direct from a script by Rachel Bennette.

-- Denise Martin

Photo: Robert Pattinson. Credit: Associated Press

Randy Lewis on Carrie Underwood's new album, 'Play On'

"American Idol" winner Carrie Underwood releases her third album, "Play On," today. Times staff writer Randy Lewis weighs in:

If there's a slam-dunk aspect to Carrie Underwood's third album, it's that she's handed her "American Idol" benefactors a theme song for the next episode of "Idol Gives Back." That song is "Change," an exercise in social responsibility that challenges the listener to stay open to the possibility that a small gesture can make a big difference.

Underwood puts that idea across convincingly -- it's one that also would do wonders for her music. Unfortunately, there are no small gestures here. As on 2007's "Carnival Ride," Underwood and producer Mark Bright lunge for one climactic crescendo after another at the expense of vocal nuance, lyric subtlety and even aural clarity, thanks to the excessive sonic compression again applied to most tracks. 

Of course, the same formula has helped her sell more albums than any other "Idol" alum, but "Play On" exhibits a distressing lack of dimension for a singer with Underwood's obvious abilities.

Read the full review on the L.A. Times' music blog Pop & Hiss.

-- Denise Martin

Photo: Carrie Underwood. Credit: Associated Press

Lady Gaga, Pink, Ryan Tedder among Adam Lambert's album collaborators

Adam Lambert's debut album, "For Your Entertainment," doesn't come out until Nov. 23, but thanks to an early posting on RollingStone.com, you can get a sneak peek at the track listing right now.

Pink and pop hit-maker Max Martin joined forced on a number called "Whataya Want From Me," Kara DioGuardi co-wrote the track "Strut," and OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder worked with Aimee Mayo and Chris Lindsay on "Sleepwalker." Though it's not listed here, RollingStone.com also reveals that the much-talked-about Lady Gaga-penned song is in fact No. 9 "Fever."

"Time for Miracles," released as the official single from the coming film "2012," will turn up here as a bonus track.

Here's the list, with titles, lengths and writing credits:

1. “Music Again”; 3:16; Rob Cavallo, Justin Hawkins of the Darkness.
2. “For Your Entertainment”; 3:35; Claude Kelly/Dr. Luke.
3. “Whataya Want From Me”; 3:47; Pink, Max Martin.
4. “Strut”; 3:29; Adam Lambert, Kara DioGuardi.
5. “Soaked”; 4:33; Muse.
6. “Sure Fire Winners”; 3:32; Rob Cavallo.
7. “A Loaded Smile”; 4:04; Adam Lambert, Linda Perry.
8. “If I Had You”; 3:48.
9. “Fever”; 3:26.
10. “Sleepwalker”; 4:25; Aimee Mayo, Chris Lindsay, Ryan Tedder.
11. “Aftermath”; 4:26.
12. “Broken Open”; 5:03.
13. “Time for Miracles” (bonus track); 4:43; Rob Cavallo.

-- Denise Martin

Photos: Lady Gaga, Ryan Tedder and Pink. Credit: All from Getty Images

Ann Powers on Adam Lambert's new single 'For Your Entertainment'

L.A. Times' pop music critic Ann Powers weighs in on Adam Lambert's "For Your Entertainment":

With a toy whip in his hand and a glittery gleam in his eye, Glambert croons familiar phrases about making it hot, getting rough and staying in control. Scandinavian hitmaker Dr. Luke wrote and produced the track, and it has that compressed, noisy rock 'n' roll circus sound he's created for others, including Britney, Pink and that other neo-vaudevillian troublemaker, Katy Perry.

Some Glamthusiasts may bemoan the restraint (and processing) applied to the song's vocal, but Lambert is making another move in this song, one likely to become a signature. He sings with an arched eyebrow, executing a come-on that wryly takes the pffft out of itself.

As on his blockbuster-movie power ballad "Time for Miracles," Lambert practices some pop restraint at first, only really letting go at the song's three-minute mark. "Let me entertain you 'til you scream," he wails, his voice fully entering the androgynous zone. It's a game that's led from the dance floor to the bedroom: seduction as a wicked parlor trick fully enjoyed by the master and his victim, the light fantasy of dominance and submission that's a metaphor for what happens between performer and fan.

Read the rest of her review on the music blog Pop & Hiss.

Photo credit: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times

First listen: Rate clips from Kris Allen's new album

By now, you've probably heard Adam Lambert's new single "For Your Entertainment" -- but have you heard the songs from Kris Allen's upcoming self-titled debut?

MJ's Big Blog has got the goods: Clips from all 13 of Allen's songs have hit the Web and we're curious to know what you think. Click here to sample them all, and then sound off:

"Kris Allen" will be in stores Nov. 17.

-- Denise Martin

Photo credit: Irfan Khan / For The Times

Adam Lambert knows the cover of his new album is 'ridiculous'

 

One of my Twitter friends compared the just-released image of Adam Lambert's new album cover to a Lisa Frank trapper keeper she owned as a child. Another asked, "Is this 1984? Duran Duran meets Prince meets Joan Collins."

Me? I thought to myself that I'm all for the androgynous look but here Lambert has been airbrushed into a straight-up girl. I kept asking, "Why?"

Lambert took to his Twitter this morning -- just hours after the image hit the Web -- to clear things up:

Thank you to those who appreciate and understand that the album cover is deliberately campy. It’s an homage to the past. It IS ridiculous.

For those that don’t get it: oh well… Glad to have gotten your attention.

Androgyny. Rock n Roll.

What do you think? Is it camp-tastic? Or did he not go far enough? Could we also have used a unicorn and more fluorescent pink? Vote now!

-- Denise Martin

Photo credit: RCA

Rate Adam Lambert's music video for 'Time for Miracles,' peep Allison Iraheta's new album cover

Time For Miracles

Adam Lambert | MySpace Video

You've heard the song, now watch the music video for Adam Lambert's "Time for Miracles." The single will be on the "2012" soundtrack, and the video is brimming with footage from the upcoming Roland Emmerich disaster movie.

What do you think? Are the explosions (and ample green screen) jarring or a match for Lambert's operatic stylings? Let us know below.

And in case you missed it on EW.com, the new artwork for Allison Iraheta's album, "Just Like You," is out.

 

You can pre-order it on Amazon; it's scheduled for a Dec. 1 release. In the meantime, you can hear her first single, "Friday I'll Be Over U," right now, right here.

-- Denise Martin

Photo credit: EW.com

Adam Lambert goes 'heterosexual' for Details magazine, records with Lady Gaga

Adam Lambert describes the extra-racy spread he did for the new issue of Details magazine, which you can find on newsstands now, as "heterosexual."

In the video clip above, the singer said he "really delved in" to the shoot. He's posed provocatively with a nude model in several of the shots. "It was educational, nostalgic, sweaty.... I'll remember this one definitely." See some of the other photos here.

But don't be deceived: Lambert told the magazine, "I am gay, but I like kissing women sometimes. Women are pretty. It doesn't mean I'm necessarily sleeping with them."

In other Lambert news, the "American Idol" runner-up has been working in the studio with Lady Gaga to record a song she wrote for his upcoming album "For Your Entertainment," out Nov. 23. 

He tweeted Monday: "Yes it's true: I spent yesterday in the studio w the insanely talented and creative Lady GaGa recording a song that she wrote! I love her." And later in the day: "GaGa just gets it, ya know?"

Snap judgment: Adam Lambert's 'Time for Miracles' begins his triumphant ascent

Power ballads exist to climax. I use that final word, in all its lascivious glory, for the obvious reasons. Created to accommodate "soft" emotion in hard rockers, these flash pot-fueled show-stoppers have to be as uncontainable as juvenile delinquent rock itself, and from "Dream On" onward that's meant one thing: an explosive ending in which the band, and especially the singer, pump blood into the vulnerability they've expressed by pushing themselves into unstoppable overdrive, straining at the song's seams, and finally breaking through with a swoon that obliterates everything else.

You think I exaggerate? Listen to "Time for Miracles," the single that begins this fall's triumphant ascent of "American Idol" finalist and hard rock liberator Adam Lambert with a swoosh and bang that does Freddie and Steven (and Ann and Jon and Axl) proud.

The song itself is surprisingly unoperatic, though its back story is straight out of "La Boheme." Co-written by Los Angeles rock power couple Alain Johannes and Natasha Shneider, it's a lonely declaration of faith in the healing power of love -- a message made tragic by the fact that Shneider died of cancer in 2008.

Lambert communicates this context through a world-weary approach in the early part of the song, including a nice, depressive blue note in the middle of the first verse and a vocal crack a few phrases later. There's not much drama for him to milk here -- no bed of roses, no pleasure cruise, just an aching heart and some deeply familiar romantic imagery. Lambert works his way through the undying flames by keeping it conversational, adding a slightly soulful twist as the strings swirl behind him.

Then, three minutes in, Lambert's melismatic growl signals that the summit's within sight. Producer Rob Cavallo gives him a hand with some pumped up kick drum and more orchestral dervishism. From there it's all fireworks. Lambert's voice is multitracked so that it keeps careening into itself, resolving in a final squall that, I must say, is pretty Aretha-esque.

Then Lambert takes us back to the lonely bedroom with a final, mournful reassurance that he's not giving up on us. The conductor puts down his baton and we're done.

For those of us biting our nails about what Lambert might accomplish with his debut album, this song, custom-made for the upcoming movie "2012," is neither utterly reassuring or at all discouraging. It's like a speed trial. Power ballad? Check. What comes next?

-- Ann Powers

Photo: Adam Lambert. Credit: Irfan Khan / For The Times

After hiatus, 'Idol Gives Back' returns in 2010

The annual "American Idol" special "Idol Gives Back" is returning for a third year. The benefit concert will be back April 21, during the top 7 results show.

After two successful editions of "Idol Gives Back," plans for a 2009 special were nixed. Executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz said then that she wanted the charity event "to take a break, personally. ... I think that's the right amount of time. I don't think you should go back to the country and ask them to donate every single year. I think it's too much. Every two years to me feels right."

Proceeds from the next edition of "Idol Gives Back" will go to Children's Health Fund, Feeding America, Malaria No More, Save the Children and the United Nations Foundation. More than $140 million was raised in the two previous specials.

The ninth season of "American Idol" returns in January.

-- Denise Martin

Allison Iraheta: The ultimate interview, Part Four

In the final part of this four-part interview, "American Idol" finalist Allison Iraheta talks about her final weeks on the show and this summer's "American Idols Live" tour. Read Part One here. Read Part Two here. Read Part Three here.

Let’s talk about some more of the songs you performed on “American Idol” this past season. When you had to pick a song from a movie, you went with Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.”

It’s one of my all-time favorites, in my top five. Maybe number three.

Did you see the movie “Armageddon” and do you remember hearing the song for the first time?

Yup, and I remember crying like a baby.

Since this is one of your all-time favorites, had you ever performed the song before?

I had never performed the song, ever. I learned it just because, you know, you have a favorite song, you listen to it so many times, you learn it eventually.

Have you ever met the woman who wrote the song, Diane Warren?

She’s so amazing. I met her and I talked to her. She’s just so great. I even told her “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” is one of my all-time favorites.

I’m sure she loved hearing you say that. Let’s talk about the song you chose when the theme was “Disco.” You sang Donna Summer’s “Hot Stuff.”

I knew the song. Disco Week was so hard for me. Me singing disco? Not so much! I felt I definitely needed to change it up. I can’t be doing the whole disco style. I can’t. It was between “MacArthur Park” and “Hot Stuff.” I did not connect with either of them, but I felt you can either do something that will show off your voice and be safe, which was “MacArthur Park,” or you can do something and actually enjoy doing it and change it up and make it your own. So “Hot Stuff” was the one for me.

Allison Iraheta: The ultimate interview, Part Three

In the third part of this four-part interview, "American Idol" finalist Allison Iraheta talks about her experience on the show. Read Part One here. Read Part Two here.

You mentioned connecting with songs and it seems to me that you always connect with whatever song you are performing. Is that how it feels to you when you’re singing?

For me, choosing songs always had to be about connection. Obviously, it was kind of hard for me to do that on the show when you’re being told to choose from a list and you don’t know some of the songs that are on there; that was a toughie on the show. That was hard for me to do.

When you connect with a song [it’s through the] lyrics and the genre as well. For me, the song is always going to be something that will represent who I am.

Since you’re so young, a lot of the songs you perform must seem like ancient history or maybe too adult for a teenager to sing.

Sure. Singing songs like “I Can’t Make You Love Me” and “Hot Stuff” was weird. It’s like you’re given a role to do. You have to work with what you’ve got.

But despite your youth, you seem to have a wide knowledge of songs from different eras.

I guess I do. I knew “Someone to Watch Over Me” already. I knew most of the songs in Rat Pack Week. I guess that comes from my parents listening to a very large variety of music -- my dad listening to the Beatles and Led Zeppelin and my mom ABBA and it was totally different but through both of them combined, I learned different kinds of music.

Ever since I was little I listened to different genres. It helped during the competition because I knew they were going to throw themes at me and I think maybe that’s what helped from watching “Idol.” I would ask, “What are they singing? Why are they singing about this?” And that’s when I learned that they have to sing different genres each week. So that would be one of the things that actually helped prepare me for different kinds of music.

Do you also know a lot of songs because you’ve been performing since you were a child?

Yes. For example, the song I did during country week, “Blame It on Your Heart,” I had been performing ever since I was 11. I used to do it just for fun at country clubs and parties where people actually enjoyed country music. I think that’s also why I learned different kinds of songs because people would hire me along with a band and we would play at parties. They would ask for music and I would know a bunch of oldies and country music and for me, singing country I was like, “Oh, geez,” but it was pretty cool and what matters the most is that people enjoy it. Obviously it’s more important if you enjoy it, but it’s pretty cool when you see people enjoying the music you’re doing.

Allison Iraheta: The ultimate interview, Part Two

In the second part of this four-part interview, "American Idol" finalist Allison Iraheta discusses her first "Idol" audition in San Francisco and the beginning of her "Idol" journey. Read Part One here.

Even though your family was very supportive of your music, did your parents suggest you have a backup plan for another career?

Yes, my dad always said, “Stay in school because you never know what’s going to happen.” My dad still says, “You’re a good singer, but you better get your butt in friggin’ university. It doesn’t matter.” And yes, definitely, I am going to continue with school.

Did you ever have a “Plan B”?

I’ve always wanted to be a vet. I love animals. Now, I would continue songwriting, if anything.

“American Idol” was not your first TV series. I understand you competed on a Spanish-language show?

It was called “Quinceañera.” It was on Telemundo, Channel 52 here. It was funny, man. “Quinceañera” in Spanish is a heritage where you’re Latin and you have a little party when you’re turning 15. So we saw the commercial on TV and I thought, “That’s just bogus.” I honestly thought it was nothing. My mom said, “You should try out.” I was already thinking about “Idol” at the time, but I was 15 and my sister told me, “You’re going.” So I auditioned. I had to sing and they immediately asked, “Are you able to go to Mexico tomorrow?” I’m like, “Whoa, tomorrow?” “Yeah. We start recording. It’s a TV show for 10 girls who are 15 or 16 years old and you’ve been chosen to go to Mexico to live there for four months.” I’m like, “Ha ha. What?”

So you went? And what about school?

It was during 10th grade. You had to do school there, so I’ve been doing school on the road. I went to Mexico and the winner was going to win $50,000. I did win, so I had to apologize to my sister because I gave her a lot of crap about me not wanting to go. She said, “See, see what I do.” I mean, if I hadn’t gone, I wouldn’t have won.

Allison Iraheta: The ultimate interview, Part One

"American Idol" finalist Allison Iraheta sat down with writer Fred Bronson for a no-holds barred interview. In Part One, Iraheta discusses her early musical influences.

Allison Iraheta, fourth-place finisher on Season 8 of “American Idol,” was born April 27, 1992, in Glendale. She grew up in Huntington Park and then moved with her parents, Carlos and Sara, to Downey.

Allison, when did you discover music?

I always liked music. When I was 3 or 4 years old, my mom was a cashier for a hospital cafeteria. She would take me to work with her and I’d wander off. I’d go up to random people and sing to them. I did “My Heart Will Go On” a lot. That was the song back in my day.

I was 5 years old when I first started watching TV. My parents would always watch music television and Spanish music television as well.

Did your parents have a record collection or listen to the radio?

My dad listened to a lot of classic rock, which is probably why I have a lot of classic rock in me now. My mom listened to Spanish music, so I started singing in Spanish. I didn’t know what I was saying because I didn’t know Spanish back then. As I got older, I began singing classic rock. The funny thing is I started with Celine Dion when my dad listened to classic rock, but I guess it was because of the movie “Titanic.”

Did you buy CDs?

I would tell my sister Sarah to buy them for me. I would always say, “Hey, go get me this song.”

What kind of music would you ask her to buy for you?

Mostly the hits back then. You know, K-Ci & JoJo. TLC. Whoever was hitting back when she was in high school. I guess I was always moving with the flow as to what was in. I grew up listening to all kinds of music, like classic rock, Spanish, R&B and the oldies as well.

Sarah bought music for you. What about your brother, Carlos, did he have any influence on your love of music?

He plays the guitar. He taught me how to play. I was the youngest, so whatever they did, I wanted to do. Whatever my sister was into, I wanted to listen to and when I noticed my brother started playing the guitar, I thought, “That looks like fun,” so I picked up a guitar.

When you first picked up a guitar, did you feel like you had a natural ability to play it?

I remember learning things very quickly. I never really took any lessons for it. I never enjoyed them because they didn’t give me the freedom to do what I wanted to do. So I started learning on my own. After my brother went to college, I decided to teach myself.