life after idol

The LA Times has this piece about season 7 contestant Carly Smithson's difficulty finding her recording niche post-Idol.

Carly moved to Hollywood and signed with an entertainment manager. She's now recording a demo disc.

An excerpt from the article:

Drawing on her contacts from the first time around, Smithson signed with Arthur Spivak, a veteran entertainment manager whose clients past and present include Tori Amos and Three Days Grace. Spivak advised Smithson that, rather than seeking an immediate record deal, she should work with a co-writer/producer and record a handful of songs that would create an artistic identity.

"American Idol," for all the fame it bestows, can be a marketing handicap. A surprising number of former contestants face the question, "What kind of artist are you?" This is certainly the case for Smithson, whose powerful vocal skills broke through the clutter in Season 7 but whose pop/rocker style was difficult to express around the songs of Mariah Carey, Dolly Parton and Broadway musicals.

Sure, the dilemma is obvious, but it'll at least serve as an additional word of caution for the next group of hopefuls.

about those changes...

Paula's not leaving, but AI will shake things up a bit for its eighth season. Here's a recap of what's happening:

*No "Idol Gives Back" special. A result of tough economic times, producers say.

*A different format for the semifinal rounds. Instead of 24 semifinalists, there will be 36. They will perform in groups of 12, with viewers voting 3 contestants into the final group each night. Then there will be a wild card round when the judges pick the last 3 finalists.

*We're also promised more footage from Hollywood week -- which this year becomes Hollywood two weeks.

*Oh, and don't forget about the fourth judge, Kara DioGuardi. AI's eighth season premieres Jan. 13. Get a schedule for the first part of the season here.

while you were sleeping

Finally...I've stopped shaking at the mere mention of all things David and I'm ready to blog another season of Idol.

Welcome back, everyone!

This blog has been updated sparsely since last season's finale, partially because of the months I spent in cover-tune rehab.

And also because, well, you can only write so much about an unhealthy David Archuleta addiction without being investigated by federal authorities.

Fortunately, that's all water under the bridge now and I'm back for more.

Season 8 premieres Jan. 13, but let's step back in time for a quick rundown of the AI-related news you probably didn't miss in recent months:

*Some former Idols basked in financial prosperity. Others did not.

*Despite a breakup in his personal life, Simon Cowell remains more famous than God.

*There were two AI-related tragedies: The murders of Jennifer Hudson's family, and the alleged stalker, Paula Goodspeed, who was found dead in a car outside Paula Abdul's home.

*Regarding the latter, Abdul later pointed to a conspiracy theory while discussing why Goodspeed was allowed to audition for AI. But her claims of wanting to leave AI seem more like a publicity stunt, many agree.

*At any rate, AI will add a fourth judge in Season 8. The three original judges stay the same.

*Jordin Sparks is still happy to be a virgin.

*And last, but most certainly not least, Clay Aiken has a son.

Got it? OK, now take a deep breath. It's time to move forward.