Adam Lambert: The ultimate interview, Part Three

In Part Three of this four-part interview, the "Idol" runner-up talks about his time performing in the cast of "Wicked" and his decision to audition for "American Idol." Part One of this interview can be read here. Part Two can be read here.

So you left “Wicked” to become a rock star?

I came back [to Los Angeles] and took some promo shots and started rehearsing. We had a handful of songs. I don’t know if any of them were great, but it was a start. At the time, we believed in them. We did a couple gigs here and there. The band was called the Citizen Vein. We performed at the Knitting Factory one night, the Cat Club on Sunset, and a club in Hermosa Beach. We did three gigs and that was it and we recorded a couple things, like rough recordings, and I don’t know, it didn’t quite click. We kept writing and doing things, but then I got into my first relationship and I fell in love and I was going out a lot. I was dressing up, just living my life and having a great time. Falling in love was major. It changed everything, because up until then, I was 25 and I hadn’t been in love. I felt like there was a part of me that was like, “I don’t understand something about life, like a big thing.” I listened to these songs on the radio or CDs or I’d see these musicals about people being in love with each other and what that feels like and what heartbreak feels like and the joy of what love is and I had sex but I’d never been in love and just didn’t get it. It was really interesting because during and after that relationship, everything changes. It’s like, “Oh, that’s what they were talking about.” I thought that was so corny before and now I am crying because I totally identify with what that feels like. So that was a big turning point for personal growth.

I went to Burning Man...

Brooke White's High Hopes & Heartbreak release

Today marked the public bow of Season Seven finalist Brooke White whose album "High Hopes & Heartbreak" hit stores this morning, after a week exclusively on iTunes. In May at the Season 8 "Idol" finale, White described it as "raw" and "organic".

Mesa, Ariz.-bred White became a quick fan favorite on Season 7 of "Idol" after her rendition of Carly Simon's "You're So Vain", which even won praise from Simon herself.

"High Hopes & Heartbreak" is executive produced by Randy Jackson, his first project with a former "Idol" contestant. It came to happen after White and Jackson ran into each other at L.A.'s Guitar Center.

For anyone who's been missing White's easy-vintage style since Season 7, today you can get a hopeful mix of summer songs, including the lead single "Radio Radio".

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Kris Allen, Adam Lambert and Danny Gokey visit 'Regis and Kelly'

This week the "Live with Regis and Kelly" New York set has been busy with "American Idol" Season 8's top three: see winner Kris Allen's appearance here, and Adam Lambert's appearance here. .

Allen brought his guitar along to perform "No Boundaries" on the show Tuesday May 26, Lambert wowed with "Mad World" today, and tomorrow (Thursday May 28) Danny Gokey will appear on the morning show.

All of the Top 13 crew visited Regis and Kelly to perform post-"Idol". Videos are posted as part of the "Idols on Live" series. In Los Angeles, the show airs at 9:00 a.m. on ABC.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Kris Allen on 'Ellen' Tuesday

In one of the final  legs of his victory pr tour, "American Idol" Season 8 winner Kris Allen will be on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Tuesday May 26.

On Monday, "Idol" finale performer Steve Martin stopped by to play the banjo.  Allen will follow in his footsteps by not only chatting with DeGeneres but also treating everyone to some music. Fellow young newlywed (to singer-songwriter Ryan Adams) singer Mandy Moore will also be on Tuesday's "Ellen", performing her new single, "I Could Break Your Heart Any Day of the Week".

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Scott MacIntyre's new best friend

 During Season 8 of "American Idol" we saw the contestants kindly assist friend and co-star Scott MacIntyre on stage, as needed due to his vision impairment. While Scottsdale, Ariz. native MacIntyre is not legally blind, he just sees a very slight percentage in tunnel vision. Now, without his "Idol" pals to show him the way, Paula Abdul wanted to make sure he had no worries about finding his way around. E! Online reports:

The night  Scott MacIntyre got booted from American Idol five weeks ago, Paula Abdul took him aside and said, "I have a wonderful surprise for you in a couple of weeks," he told Access Hollywood. That surprise came on Friday [May 8] when the Idol judge presented the visually challenged singer with a guide dog from Guide Dogs of America in Sylmar, Calif.

Scott walked—or "test drove" as he joked—two of the organization's Labrador retrievers on Friday, but he won't get his dog until after the American Idol tour ends on Sept. 15. At that time, he'll get matched up with the right pooch for him and go through a 28-day training process. "We have to find a dog that really likes loud music," joked Paula.

This should make for a sweet ending to the summer tour for MacIntyre!

--- Leslie Anne Wiggins

photo: Fox

Adam Lambert’s hairdresser keeps it real

At Los Angeles’ Fusion Hair Salon on La Cienega Boulevard, you can visit Abrea Saunders. She’s the trusted friend and hairdresser of "American Idol" Season 8 stars Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, Megan Joy, and Emily Wynne-Hughes. How is she handling her clients’ recent and extreme fame? Well, she hasn’t raised her prices but has been keeping unusual hours, visiting hotels with extensions for Iraheta and working on Lambert’s sleek black ‘do till early morning hours.

“It’s been pretty crazy”, the craziness includes a claim that Saunders gave someone a lock of Adam’s hair which ended up on eBay. While that may not be the case, Saunders did give us some inside info on the “Idol” crew--she says Iraheta uses L’Oreal color, but in the salon Schwarzkopf and Special Effects dyes are used.

The hairdresser to the "Idols" says business is “slowly getting better” and thinks maybe people have a hard time finding the salon. Here’s some help with that: 371 N. La Cienega, Los Angeles 90048.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

VIDEO: 'American Idol' finale, finalists and more

Get your "American Idol" fix with exclusive interviews, backstage access and more.

             

Catching up with LaKisha Jones

“American Idol” Season 6 fourth-place finalist LaKisha Jones is releasing her debut album, “So Glad I’m Me,” on Tuesday. It's made up of 12 R&B-style songs with a definite positive vibe, including “Let’s Go Celebrate” (the first single) and “Beautiful Girl,” a song for her 6-year-old daughter, Brionne, as well as a cover of Whitney Houston’s “You Give Good Love.”

Jones says fans “can expect to see a different side of LaKisha than they saw on 'Idol.' Of course, everybody’s used to me singing the ballads. This album is more adult contemporary, more urban. It does have an inspirational song on it also, so they’ll get to see another side.”

The 29-year-old native of Flint, Mich., started singing at age 5, so it’s no surprise that her young daughter also has it in her. “We’ll be in the car sometimes, and I’ll start singing, and she says, ‘Mama, you can’t be everybody.’” Maybe Brionne’s just trying to give her busy mom a break! Tech-savvy Jones (who used a Bluetooth headset for the phone interview) enjoys Twitter, where she directly updates fans (“I’m trying to do my best to kinda keep up with it, and keep the fans posted on what I’m doing and what’s going on”). As far as keeping up with Season 8 of “Idol,” she says she either watches or records it — but admits that though it’s the week before the finale, “I don’t have a favorite as of yet.” She says “Idol” — the platform that let her do what she’s doing now — is something she “won’t ever forget.”

The Houston-based singer had a “Hollywood fantasy wedding” at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in October to financial advisor Larry Davis. Several “Idol” castmates attended, including Melinda Doolittle and Sanjaya Malakar. The newlywed is expecting her second child — another girl — in August. She says she’s “changing every day.”

Jones says she’ll “probably go on tour after I have the baby.” Maybe fall? “Probably so.”

— Leslie Anne Wiggins

Danny Gokey has a fan in Rick Springfield

"American Idol" Season 8 star Danny Gokey received a warm "welcome to show biz" from Rick Springfield on May 8 in Milwaukee. The Grammy winner ("Jessie's Girl") and "General Hospital" star added, "I think you're going to be here a long time."

Los Angeles-based Springfield, who was in Milwaukee for three nights of concerts at the Potawatomi casino, told the crowd at the Summerfest grounds that his wife is from Beloit, Wis. where Gokey works at the Faith Builders church (in addition to the Milwaukee location).

Gokey performed a mini-concert for the Summerfest crowd that included Michael Jackson's "PYT". While home in Wisconsin, the eyeglasses aficionado also sang the national anthem before a Milwaukee Brewers vs. Chicago Cubs baseball game.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

'American Idol' tour presale has started. What are you waiting for?

The 'American Idol' tour does not kick off for another two months, but that's no reason you can't get your ticket now. Presale begins today. Just go to ticketmaster and type in the password Idols2009.

And if you don't get around to buying tickets at the presale today, don't fret. The real sale begins tomorrow.

The Season 8 American Idols Live! Tour, debuts in Portland, Ore. on July 5, and then travels to 50 North American cities.  The entire top 10 -- Danny Gokey, Adam Lambert, Kris Allen, Allison Iraheta, Anoop Desai, Lil Rounds, Scott MacIntyre, Matt Giraud, Megan Joy and Michael Sarver -- are confirmed to appear.

Did any of you attend the 'Idol' tour last season. If so, were there any standout performances?

-- Stephanie Lysaght

Related: 

Mark your calendar: 'American Idol' tour tix on sale May 9

Photo: Fox