Tonight, American Idol kicks off its 11th season. It has been reported that the season will show 8 audition shows…WOW…that’s a lot of “Bad” singers.
As part of the promotion for the season, many of the popular Internet sites are posting articles about former American Idol finalists. The following articles mention my favorite American Alum:
From MTV:
‘American Idol’: Where Are Katharine McPhee, Leah LaBelle Now?
We also check in with Justin Guarini, Ruben Studdard, Constantine Maroulis and more ‘Idol’ alumni before season 11 kicks off.
Season Two
The One You Know: Clay Aiken can be seen in promos for the upcoming season of “Celebrity Apprentice,” accusing a teammate of being patronizing — all in the name of charity. Although his last few albums haven’t made a big dent in pop culture, Clay still remains the fourth-best-selling “Idol” contestant ever, right behind the holy trinity. (That’s Underwood/Clarkson/Daughtry, obviously.)
The Hollywood Reporter:
‘American Idol’ Game Changers: Adam Lambert, David Cook, Clay Aiken Among the Top 10
With season 11 upon us, The Hollywood Reporter looks back at some of the defining moments that shaped the show we know today.
1. Runner-up Clay Aiken Outsells Winner Ruben Studdard
Season two was all about surprises, but who could have predicted that the fashion-challenged Clay Aiken would not only survive elimination but rise all the way to the top two? On finale night, 24 million votes were cast, but Studdard squeaked through, besting Aiken by just 134,000. Soon after, Idol fans started voting with their wallets, and Aiken’s Measure of a Man CD debuted at no. 1 with 613,000 copies sold in its first week out, easily outselling Studdard’s debut, Soulful, which tallied 400,000. Aiken’s retail victory immediately set a goal and standard for future Idol contestants that didn’t get the celebratory shower of confetti, and it put in place the oft-repeated consolation, “You don’t have to win to be a winner.” (Michele Amabile Angermiller)
From Rolling Stone:
Take a trip down memory lane with our Clay Aiken photo gallery:
Please check in later…I will be updating this article as new information is posted.