Kellie Pickler: Small town girl, big city wardrobe

 

Our little girl's all grown up! Season 5 "American Idol" alum, Kellie Pickler, looked positively radiant at the Academy of Country Music Awards last night, rocking this gilded-mermaid-inspired gown (above, right), courtesy of Zuhair Murad.

Murad has dressed all sorts of country music A-listers, including Carrie Underwood, Miley Cyrus and Julianne Hough. In fact, Murad also designed Hough's red carpet look at the ACM Awards last night, which featured a glittery vava-voom vibe similar to Pickler's. Do you prefer Pickler in this certifiably glamorous ensemble, or in the simpler garb of yesteryear (above, left)?

-- Stephanie Lysaght

Photos: Left, Kellie Pickler, during her "Idol" days, from Fox. Right, Kellie Pickler, at the Academy of Country Music Awards, WireImage from FilmFashion.

'American Idols' at Sunday's ACM awards

Tune in to CBS Sunday April 5 at 8 p.m. for the 44th Academy of Country Music awards, where "American Idol" alums Kellie Pickler and Carrie Underwood will be. Pickler is presenting and Underwood is nominated for four awards, including Entertainer of the Year. There's still time to vote! The ceremony will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Other stars with plans to attend are Billy Ray Cyrus, Matthew McConaughey and Martina McBride. Reba McEntire will host.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Vote for Kellie

"American Idol" Season 5 hopeful turned country star Kellie Pickler is up against some stiff competition. Not Taylor Hicks or Katharine McPhee, but Dolly Parton and Kenny Chesney! On CMT Power Picks, the viewers decide which music videos get played. Pickler is in the running for Monday April 6 and Tuesday April 7. Maybe an "Idol" past brings good luck? Carrie Underwood's "I Told You So" recently beat fellow Nashville resident Keith Urban's "You Look Good In My Shirt".

You can vote at CMT.com during the show, which airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Kellie Pickler, 'Idol's' most lovable ditz, returns Wednesday

Tuesday, as Paula Abdul revealed Wednesday night, the top eight "American Idol" contestants will perform songs from the year they were born. Hope you like '80s music.

Then, the night after the top 8 Cyndi Lauper it up, Season 5 finalist Kellie Pickler will return to the "American Idol" stage to serenade the contestants with her new ode to girl-power, “Best Days of Your Life.”

Since her time on "Idol" three years ago, Kellie Pickler has been charming the country community with her super-hot-girl-next-door vibe and charmingly ditzy one-liners. Her second album recently debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Album Chart. But the real question is, why has nobody thought to make a reality show about this girl yet?

Kellie co-wrote “Best Days of Your Life” — the song she will perform on "Idol" — with fellow fair-haired country star Taylor Swift. In the fun and flirty music video for the tune, Taylor plays guitar and sings backup. And their collaborations don't stop there. Kellie is getting set to open for Taylor on her 52-city Fearless Tour 2009.

— Stephanie Lysaght

Photo credit: WireImage

Get Carrie Underwood's flirty style

"American Idol" alum and fashionable girl about town Carrie Underwood graces the cover of People's April Style Watch magazine. The "I Told You So" singer dishes on her must-have items, which include Victoria's Secret Pink sweats and Tarte body shimmer. But her "never-fail" outfit is "jeans and a T-shirt." The article highlights Underwood's "All-American" style and has comments from the cover girl on past red carpet outfits. "Idol" relations also pop up in the mag -- dresses of Kellie Pickler pal Taylor Swift are featured in the Guilt-Free shopping section, as well as a photo of Simon Cowell's ex, Terri Seymour, with crimped hair in the Beauty department. The chic read is on newsstands now.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Kellie Pickler: 'Dressed to Kilt'

"American Idol" Season 5 finalist Kellie Pickler is no stranger to fashion. She made a splash at New York's Fashion Week this year, and will be back in the city March 30 for the "Dressed to Kilt" event hosted by Sir Sean and Lady Connery. Pickler's official site reports:

A far cry from its humble beginnings, Dressed to Kilt has developed from a simple kilt show into the highest profile Scottish event in the United States and most prestigious Scottish fashion show in the world. From fabric and fashion to art and music, all aspects of Caledonian culture are represented at this unique celebration culminating in a fashion show like no other. Dressed to Kilt features not only traditional Highland kilts but designer haute couture fit for royalty, showcasing the latest cutting-edge fashion from Scotland’s finest young talent as well as some of the world’s top designers who have embraced and incorporated “Scottishness” into their trademark styles.

And all for a good cause.

Proceeds from Dressed to Kilt 2009 will again benefit the Paralyzed Veterans of America and its Scottish equivalent, the Erskine Hospital of Scotland, through Friends of Scotland, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to advancing contemporary Scottish interests in the United States.

Tickets and more information available at www.dressedtokilt.com.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Taylor Hicks travels 'The Distance'

The new album from"American Idol" Season 5 winner Taylor Hicks hits stores on Tuesday.  The former champion is also currently touring with the road company of  "Grease," performing in the role of Teen Angel. During the tour, he will also play solo shows for "The Distance," which is his second studio album. The first single from "The Distance," "What's Right Is Right," is a catchy hit, with a sleek soulful video to boot.

We caught up with Hicks  over the phone during the San Diego leg of the "Grease" tour.  L.A. is the  next stop, with  Grease going onstage at Hollywood's Pantages Theater March 10-22 and Hicks playing  Sunset Strip's The Roxy Theatre March 18.

Question: You’re in San Diego on tour with "Grease." How is that going?

TH: It’s going great, we’re having a blast out on the road. And being able to travel to different cities and perform a Broadway show is a blessing, and a great opportunity.

Q: How’s the weather in San Diego?

TH: Well, I can say this for all of the "Grease" tour: We are extremely excited to be on the West Coast.

Q: You’re New York-based now, correct?

TH: I’m nowhere-based. I’ve been nowhere-based for actually 3 1/2 years. I kinda like being a nomad—the musical gypsy is not the worst thing in the world.

Kellie Pickler's fashion week fun

The current (March 9) issue of US Magazine features "American Idol" Season 5 runner-up turned country star Kellie Pickler in the Hot Hollywood section at NYC's fall Fashion Week, February 13 to 20. The 22-year-old "Red High Heels" singer experienced some serious style during her east coast trip. She stunned in Pamella Roland, BGBG Max Azria, Susana Monaco and James Coviello dresses, among other designers. Just Jared has photos.

Kellie told US, "I've always loved basic jeans and a ball cap, but I've been wanting to do different fun looks". Kellie's stylist, Renee Layher, added "Kellie shouldn't be wearing cowboy boots and jeans. She's not that girl. She's got a flirty, classic approach to how she's dressing. Because she's so young and fun, she can wear different designers for different reasons".

The "Idol" alum proved she knows there's more to life than shopping when she performed at the fourth annual Challenge Champions Gala on February 24 in Washington, D.C. for the National Guard Youth Foundation. CMT reports: "The foundation provides training and education to high school dropouts who have decided to pursue higher education, enter the workforce or join the military."

--Leslie Anne Wiggins

Kellie Pickler to join BFF Taylor Swift on tour

Kellie Pickler announced on her MySpace blog today that she will join fellow country singer, pal Taylor Swift, on tour. The Season 5 "American Idol" finalist and Swift will kick off the Fearless 2009 tour in Evansville, Indiana, and go on to play 52 cities over six months. The close friends, whose circle reportedly also includes Carrie Underwood and Katharine McPhee, have already collaborated on a song--Pickler's second single, "Best Days of Your Life". Pickler hints there's more to come:

"It's always fun to be on tour and be with the fans, and to be out with Taylor, who is like a sister to me, is really awesome. We wrote my current single, 'Best Days of Your Life,' on tour together last year, and I'm sure we're going to write on the road together this year, too. So guys: you've been warned. Don't make us mad, because you might just hear about it on the radio!"

Kellie’s current single, "Best Days Of Your Life," is a musical revenge song that she co-wrote with Taylor, who lends background vocals on the album as well. When her self-titled, sophomore album debuted at number one on Billboard's Country Album Chart in the fall of 2008, Kellie Pickler became only the sixth country artist in history to have both their first and second albums debut at number one.

Tickets to the May 22 Los Angeles concert will be the first to go on sale, on Friday Feb. 6 at 10am through Ticketmaster.

--Leslie Anne Wiggins

photo: Vince Bucci/Getty

Kellie Pickler hooks up with Sexy Hair

With her platinum Marilyn-esque short and sassy 'do, Season 5 alum Kellie Pickler was a natural choice for beauty care company Sexy Hair to be their new celebrity spokesperson. Details were posted on Kellie's website Monday:

"I've been using Sexy Hair products for a couple of years, and I'm thrilled to be working with them,” says Pickler. “I need all the Sexy I can get!"

Advertising roll-outs for Pickler begin April 2009 and run through December 2009 in Allure, Cosmopolitan, Launchpad, Modern Salon, American Salon and more.

The small-town girl and "Red High Heels" singer will now be associated with the big red can for which the company is famous.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

(Photo courtesy BNA Records)