American Idol – where are they now??

With the shock of losing Pia this week on Season 10, and after compiling my review of the latest Sugarland album, and reading some info on the first chap in my list below, I thought I would look back at some of my favourites from previous seasons, and see what they are now up, post-Idol.

Looking at the Sugarland stuff, I found that Casey James, the bluesy rocker, with the model good looks, who came third in last years Idol run, is due to support the country pop duo on their American tour which started in March this year.

In August last year he inked a deal with Sony Music Nashville, and his debut cut is due later in the year. He has been writing with country songwriter Tom Douglas, and hopefully he will bring that rock edge to it, as he was a brilliant guitar player.

He had a really good voice as well, with an authenticity to it that screamed out blues rock and roll, and country swagger, and he would do well on country rock-tinged style songs. I will definitely be picking this up when it comes out, and hopefully it will be a great release.

Over the course of the season, he performed well, and went down a storm with the judges and the public alike. Guys could appreciate his abilities, and his awesome voice, and for the girls, he was very much their eye-candy for the entire run of that years Idol. Kara Dioguardi also wasn't shy about her feelings towards the guy, and he made a lasting impression on all of us, one way or another.

Another favourite of mine from last season was Katie Stevens, the teenage pop sensation, who not only had a brilliant look, but a killer voice as well, and could well have been the new Demi Lovato, had she made it further in the competition, and if she had got a better break from the American public. She came 8th, but has recently tweeted that she has been attending “meetings”, so the chances of her getting a record deal could be quite good at the moment.

She apparently has already begun writing an album, focusing on a pop rock style teen approach, which would suit her well, and hopefully she will get something signed up soon.

There is a big market, especially in the States for youngsters with this sort of talent, and still in her teens, she could really make a big splash, with some major label backing. Giving her some material in the Kelly Clarkson mould would also go a treat, although it looks like she has written a lot of stuff herself, so it will be interesting to see how that pans out, if it ever does get released. I hope it does anyway.

Last years runner up Crystal Bowersox has also been signed, in spite of coming second to winner Lee Dewyze, and her debut release Farmer’s Daughter came out late last year, but I have not yet had chance to give it a listen. I seem to recall that it charted better than DeWyze’s debut did, and hopefully she will do well out of the Idol experience

Janell Wheeler was another early favourite of mine from that season, but she was booted off really early. I thought that she was the whole package, and although she remains unsigned, she, much like all the finalists, is a real talent. She recently tweeted that she was about to make the big move to Nashville, and that exciting things are to come. Let’s hope so.

Going back to the season before, where Kris Allen narrowly pipped Adam Lambert to the post, one of my favourites was a lady called Megan Joy who had a really unique look and style to her act, and was really good on the show. She had a really soulful and bluesy voice, and I was pretty gutted when she got booted out early on.

Post Idol, she has done a lot, making her acting debut in the film Hall Pass, and she has now inked a deal, with her debut release (currently untitled) being in the works, and due to come out in the summer of this year.

In that same season, Danny (Go-Go) Gokey came a respectable third, and has released and album post-Idol, and has toured with the likes of Sugarland. I have definitely listened to that record at some point, but can’t remember much about it, and will definitely have to revisit it shortly. He was a great character though, and a real nice guy, so hopefully he will have a successful career off the back of the Idol experience. As for Lambert, we all know how well he has done, and that sophomore album is on its way later in the year, and will be unmissable.

Scott Macintyre, who was brilliantly talented, and a wonderful piano play in spite of being blind, has also gone on to release a record, and still seems to be active in the industry, as does third placed Alison Iraheta who was signed post-Idol, and released her album. Once again, I have listened to it, but can’t remember much about it, and will be digging that one out again soon, along with the Gokey’s record. She was dropped in September last year after her debut “Just Like You” underperformed, but she remains signed to 19 Entertainment, and is currently writing material for her second release. That seasons wild card Anoop Desai (“Anoop Dogg”) has also come out of nowhere, and released an EP which can be downloaded for free from Billboard’s website. That is another one to check out in the near futre.

As for those who didn’t win the show, or come a close second, they all have some way to go before they can enjoy the type of success that Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson sampled, but it just goes show that sometimes you just don’t need to win the show itself to be able to go on in the industry and have a successful career.