'Idol' runner-up Blake Lewis creates 'album I wanted to make'
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- December
- 6
Not since Chris Daughtry has an “American Idol” contestant had a legitimate shot to break big after the season’s conclusion. Among Season 6 contestants, Blake Lewis appears to be the one—especially after winner Jordin Sparks’ album debut, “Tattoo,” sold an anemic 119,000 copies in its first week of release.
Why? While Sparks has the superior voice, she just doesn’t have “it.” Sweet, likable girl, but in no way groundbreaking.
Think about it: Other than Sanjayagate, which nearly melted the show down to its core, Lewis was the most buzzworthy story from Season 6. Love him or hate him, his original, risky takes on Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love A Bad Name” and the Bee Gees’ “You Should Be Dancing” had been the season’s two most water-cooler worthy points of discussion not involving Mr. Malakar. Then his finale collaboration with Doug E. Fresh on “The Show” blew everybody out of the water, becoming “Idol’s” most riveting performance. Not just for the season. Ever.
Lewis chatted with the Associated Press about his first album, “Audio Day Dream,” whose release was Tuesday and initials are appropriate for someone as willing to switch up styles and identities as frequently as he. For example, he described its 16 tracks to AP as “electro-break funky soul pop music.”
Much like Daughtry, Lewis has admitted that not every element of “Idol” was to his liking. In addition to grumbling about “theme weeks” and the “tedious and long” postseason tour, Lewis admitted he bristled when he saw the show for the first time:
I saw this, people that cannot perform, they’re just standing there singing. The camera’s zooming in and out and stuff. I’m like, ‘Cool, the cameras are doing their job,’ What’s the artist doing? What’s this dude who’s been singing karaoke his whole life doing on this television show? So I turned it off immediately. I was disgusted. And I never watched it since.
Obviously, Lewis has changed his tune to a degree, in part because he tried not to let the show define his musical identity. He expressed disappointment that “Audio Day Dream” didn’t have more hip-hop or more dream collaborations with artists Black Thought, Talib Kwali or Mos Def, but he’s still pleased with the final product because it represents his vision. Other “Idol” alumni, he said, weren’t so lucky:
They didn’t get to do their own album. They didn’t write any of their own music. And a lot of people didn’t really want mainstream success. Like Taylor Hicks, I don’t think he really wanted success at all even though he got first on ‘American Idol.’ Katharine McPhee didn’t get to make the album she wants. … I made the album I wanted to make. … I put all this hard work and creativity into this one piece. It was the right album at its time.
A quick warning for Lewis: Kelly Clarkson made the album she wanted to make, too, but it was by far her least successful.
Still, Lewis’ first single is the addictive “Break Anotha.” And much like his performances on “Idol,” it’s as infectious as it is difficult to ignore. In addition to bending his voice as if it were on a turntable, the song is signature Lewis: predominantly pop influenced by R&B, it’s even got a bridge that busts out some ska-influenced saxes. No “Idol” alum could or should ever attempt this song other than Blake.
Will it translate into something bigger? Only time will tell.
But if Blake fails to connect with a niche audience, even more pressure will be placed on Season 7 contestants, who are, of course, the “best” ever.
(Photo by Frank Micelotta/Fox)
This entry was posted
on Thursday, December 6th, 2007 at 2:42 pm by Chris Serico.
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I like Blake and I think he has a nice voice but, his album is a bit over done for my taste. It is obvious that you have not listen to Jordin Sparks album. Try it you will like it. Anyone of the songs off of Jordin CD could turn into a hit. I also think it is very unfair to compare Jordins sells with Kelly's, Carrie's, Ruben's, Fantasia. They did not have the download fever to deal with. Only Jordin and Taylor. More CD were being sold when Idol first started out. Now this generation is downloading and burning CD's to give to their friends.
I'm 56 years old. I enjoyed Blake's versions of the different songs he did. I liked his beat-boxing. I think it's cool. I can't wait to get his CD to listen to it myself. I also enjoyed watching him, he's very entertaining.
Keep doing what you love to do and the success will come.