Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
David Archuleta was just 16 years old when he became the runner-up (to David Cook) on “American Idol.” Since then, the singer — now 28 — has released a steady stream of music, including his brand-new single “Paralyzed.” A perk of his career is getting to travel. “I’ve recently gotten to see Russia for my first time for a youth conference,” says Archuleta, who resides in Nashville.
After a successful residency last year in Las Vegas, Adam Lambert and Queen will reunite again this summer for their Rhapsody tour across North America. Lambert says being on the road is made more pleasurable by bringing along a few must-haves. “My iPad is my saving grace,” says the Los Angeles resident, who grew up in San Diego. “I load it up with shows and movies to pass the time. There’s so much great entertainment out there right now — Netflix, HBO, Showtime, Amazon …”
Musician James Durbin remembers taking “road trips to visit with my oma and opa (grandparents). We’d load up the RV and see the country with them. It was their RV. We rode on a ferry when I was three or four years old in Kentucky. I also remember going to Kentucky to stay at my great aunt’s house for a month and that was cool.”
Singer, actress and former “American Idol” runner-up Katharine McPhee, 26, was born and raised in Los Angeles, where she currently resides. “I love traveling and am on the road all the time for work, but I don’t get to go on as many vacations as people would think,” she says. “But a lot of people can work on vacation or relax while they’re traveling for business. And that’s what I’ve started to do.” Her favorite vacation memory, actually, is of the days off she had during a business trip to Italy. McPhee’s latest CD is “Christmas is the Time …(To Say I Love You).”
Though Jordin Spark’s tours have taken her to many destinations, the young singer has a long list of places she’d still like to visit. And she plans on taking her dog with her, if at all possible.
Elliott Yamin says there’s something special about getting to stay home every now and again, especially since he has purchased a new house in Los Angeles. “I have a big, beautiful house that I never really get to see,” says the 30-year-old former “American Idol” contestant. “Sometimes it feels like I’m on vacation when I just get to sit on my sofa and hang out in front of my TV. But I will say that the thought of a really great, relaxing vacation can get me off my butt in no time because I really do love to travel. I love every part of it. Getting the chance to see the world is just an amazing perk of my job. It’s great.”
“I got the travel bug early,” Justin Guarini says. “Some Americans don’t like going outside of the U.S. Although that’s not my choice, I can understand it to a certain point. But with what’s going on with the rest of the world’s views on America, I do think that it’s imperative that Americans travel and try to understand other cultures if they can. Besides, it’s so much fun to get a glimpse of other parts of the world.”
Clay Aiken is in the news a lot these days. Besides getting good reviews for his performance in the Broadway musical “Spamalot,” the former “American Idol” contestant is busy promoting his latest album “On My Way Here.” But the congenial redhead is keeping mum about the juicy tidbit that has the tabloids drooling: becoming a baby daddy with his good friend Jaymes Foster, who also executive produced his CD. Aiken is more vocal about his love of music and traveling.
The Kelly Clarkson/Clay Aiken concert Monday night at the United Center was exactly what you would expect from a pair of winners — well, one winner and a runner-up — from “American Idol.” It was sweet, earnest and well rehearsed, but not particularly memorable. While it’s clear that each performer has a strong set of pipes, neither has toured enough to put on a truly exhilarating live show. You can sit home and listen to their CDs and pretty much get the same experience.
Let’s face it. We’re not a society that recognizes No. 2 — except when it comes to Clay Aiken. The runner up in last year’s “American Idol” contest has proved to be the little Southern boy who could. His debut album, “Measure of a Man,” easily outsold first-place winner Ruben Studdard’s effort. And Aiken’s the one headlining a tour with Kelly Clarkson, the first “American Idol” winner.