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Wednesday, June 30, 2010

American Idol winner Lee DeWyze talks about Recording his Album, what he'll be singing on Tour, his bromance with Andrew & More

Lee DeWyze is a man of few words.

Perhaps it's because he's saving all of them for his upcoming album, which DeWyze told TV Squad that he's already started writing. Either way, the former paint salesman from Chicago, who came from behind to beat frontrunner Crystal Bowersox with his raw vocals and shy-guy-with-a-guitar appeal, woke up early (sorry, Lee!) to chat with TV Squad about his about his upcoming album's rock sound, meeting season 8 winner Kris Allen, his "bromance" with fellow Idol Andrew Garcia and shucking the "no confidence" portrayal of him this season.

Still, there were a few subjects DeWyze in which decided to remain mum on. (Darn those mysterious musicians!)

Can you tell us one song you'll be singing on tour
I'll be doing "Treat Her Like A Lady."

How are rehearsals going?
It's going really good, actually. It's just nice to get in the rehearsal space and play a full song, as opposed to the minute and a half stuff. [Laughs] ...We still have a little bit more to go. For me, rehearsals kind of just started, like, a week or so ago, because I was out flying around doing all that stuff. So when I got back, I kind of had to get right into rehearsal.

Will you be writing and recording your album during the tour?
Yeah. I'm gonna be doing that ... It's gonna be quick. I'm going to be going, and touring and recording the album, and by the time we're done with tour, it'll be close to being done. I have personally done writing for it. In the next couple of days, it'll be my first time in the actual studio with the people I'm going to be working with. It's really cool.

Do you plan to collaborate with anyone from season 9?
Not right now, no. Eventually I would (like to); there are people I would work with that were on this season. But right now, it's just kind of about the tour, and then me putting out my album. Someday down the road, I would.

Any idea what the album's going to sound like when it's done?
It's definitely going to have a rock feel to it. Some songs are going to be heavier than others, some songs will be broken down and slow. It'll be cool. It's gonna be very "me." [Laughs]

Is it similar to your pre-American Idol albums (So I'm Told, Slumberland)?
I mean, I don't know. It's probably going to be a little bigger, a little different. We'll see.

Did you get a chance to talk to season 8 winner Kris Allen at all?
I did get a chance to meet him at the finale. I got a chance to hang out with him and his family and everything. He's a really cool guy. I like him a lot. He had some words of advice; but just over all, a really nice guy. I was like, "Wow!" Yeah, I talked to him, and David Cook and a few of the others, and they were all like, "Congratulations!". They've all been real cool.

Have you seen the "bromance" buttons with you and fellow contestant Andrew Garcia?
I didn't see that. That was really awesome. [Laughs] No, we didn't know that. I think it's funny. Oh, I didn't even know about the button. Andrew showed it to me. He was like, "Dude, they got a button for us!" I was like, "Nice."

Season 9 didn't do a great job of showcasing contestants' personalities. Do you think the show accurately portrayed you?
I think, if anything, they harped on the confidence thing too much. That's about it. That's the only thing I would say that I don't think was accurate about me -- just saying I'm not confident. Every week I'd get up there, it'd be like, "Okay. I am."

Are you confident?
Well, yeah! How do you get up in front of millions of people and do that if you're not? But, you know, if you go with it, you roll with it.

What made you choose "Beautiful Day" as your first single?
It just was the right song for the time, I guess you could say.

Are you going to be performing it on tour?
I don't know yet. Since the show's been over, I have come up with an acoustic version of it, a kind of more acoustic-rock version of it, I guess you could say. So if I was (to sing it), it'd be something like that.

Have you seen the bus yet? Do you know what the sleeping arrangements will be?
No, but I can't wait to find out. [Laughs] I'm sure it's going to be interesting. We'll see. As long as I'm not next to Big Mike -- I'm just kidding. We're all looking forward to it. It's gonna be awesome. I mean, who gets to do this, you know?

Which cities are you most excited to visit on tour?
Canada and Chicago. Chicago, (my) hometown, for sure. Yeah, it's gonna be cool.

SOURCE: by Gabrielle Dunn, TVSquad.com

Monday, June 28, 2010

Lee DeWyze talks about Going all the Way, and His Upcoming Album

GiveMeMyRemote's Marisa Roffman talks to American Idol season 9 winner Lee DeWyze about his crazy couple of weeks, his upcoming album and more.


Friday, June 25, 2010

Lee Dewyze "Starstruck" by Andrew Garcia ~ Interview at Rehearsals

American Idol winner Lee DeWyze and good friend and Idol roommate Andrew Garcia sit down for a casual and fun interview during a break from rehearsals for the American Idol LIVE Tour.


Lee DeWyze Felt Judge Simon Cowell's Advice "Mattered the Most"

In the month since 24-year-old Lee DeWyze won the ‘American Idol’ crown, it has been a crazy new life. Next on the calendar is the annual ‘American Idol Live!’ North American tour, hitting 51 cities from July 1 in Detroit to Sept. 11 in Cleveland. Joined by this year’s eight other ‘Idol’ contestants (including runner-up Crystal Bowersox), DeWyze, still an eligible bachelor, isn’t quite ready to give up work for a committed relationship. At least he has a busy work schedule to keep him busy, and the envelope given to him by Ryan Seacrest from May 26’s finale, announcing him as the ‘Idol’ winner. DeWyze is also writing his first major-label CD (through RCA), ‘Beautiful Day,’ which hits stores and digital download Oct. 26. He took a few minutes to talk with Fancast Thursday in L.A., preparing for the ‘American Idol Live!’ tour. (See Lee LIVE in concert!

How have you been living day to day since your big ‘Idol’ win?
It’s all day, every day, busy. It’s a good reason to be tired. It’s a good reason to be doing this. But to go from what I was doing before, to what I’m doing now, it’s just a different life. Different everything. So, it’s just a blessing to know I can cut an album, tour, and do what I always wanted to.

How do you recuperate?
You really don’t. You sleep when you can sleep. It is the best thing you can do. That’s the biggest lesson I think, to anybody who’s ever doing anything like this. Sleep, when you get a chance do it.

How do you keep from feeling overwhelmed?
Literally, they give me my schedule for the next week. I get tomorrow. And then tomorrow, I will look at the next day. I know I have stuff going on next week, [but] I have no idea what it is. I know it’s there, [and] I know I’m going to look at it. Right now, I am one day at a time. You cannot take in your whole week. You will get swallowed up by it.

What’s the best gift you got for winning ‘Idol’?
[Ryan] Seacrest gave me, you know the envelope he reads from, “the winner is”? He came up to me, and he said, “Hey man, you can have this.” I thought it was kind of cool. It was a nice memento from the show. A lot of fans have sent me some really nice things. My family sent me some stuff. It’s cool that people are looking out for us and really being supportive. Knowing the people enjoy what I was doing and to get to do it even more [it's great].

You have been approached by some big name artists to work with you on the CD, I am sure.
Yeah I have, but I’m not supposed to say. Definitely artists I respect and would love to work with.

What’s the CD going to sound like?
Everything from rock ballads to folk to bluegrass rock. I don’t really have a limit on what I like to do musically. Mostly, if I like the way something sounds, I want to do it. I know what I want. I want good melodies. I want stuff that at least I can connect with.

How do you focus creatively with so much going on?
It’s hard sometimes. When you are tired or have a lot going on, it’s good to break away from that creatively. But, yeah man, when you get in that studio, it opens up a whole new door for me. I get to do my thing, and it is an awesome experience. I write stuff on my own, but you know, in the studio, guitars, drums, recording systems, everything around me is ready to go.

Who impressed you most on ‘Idol’?
It would be Simon. He gave me the most advice that I used. You take the good with the bad. What he said to me that mattered the most was to [record] songs that you will have on your album. That’s what I that’s what stuck with me and that’s what I try to do.

What’s up with a girlfriend?
When I find the right girl at the right time, I’m all for it. Now, music is my main focus. Because if a relationship started now, it really would be hard for me and hard for her. Whatever happens, happens. I’m definitely up for a relationship. With the right girl, it will happen.


Source: Nicolas White/Fancast

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Lee DeWyze Names His Celebrity Crush on SIRIUS XM Radio

Megan Fox? No -- Lee DeWyze names Joss Stone when asked what celebrity he'd like to hang out with now that's he's made it big. Lee also talks about the 'winning moment'. Watch the SIRIUS XM Hits 1 "Morning Mash Up" crew chat with Lee in these interview excerpts.




Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Lee DeWyze and Siobhan Magnus interview each other (video)

During a break from rehearsals for the upcoming American Idol Live summer tour beginning July 1, and after running through their group number - a cover of Kelly Clarkson’s “My Life Would Suck Without You” more than a dozen times - the Top 10 Idols paired up to grill each other. While some Idols did their interviews completely unscripted, others had the help of index cards. All offered plenty of laughs!

Siobhan Magnus and Lee DeWyze interview each other:

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

American Idol Winner Lee DeWyze's Secret Influences ~ The Rolling Stone Interview

Illinois native Lee DeWyze on Sufjan Stevens and Marilyn Manson, plus Crystal Bowersox talks up her metal muse
By Rolling Stone

With an all-star list of producers and songwriters opening their door to Lee DeWyze since his improbable American Idol victory, the low-key Chicago rocker surprised Rolling Stone when he told us that one of the artists he most wants to collaborate with is Sufjan Stevens, who like DeWyze hails from Illinois. As the new American Idol champ tells Rolling Stone, Stevens' 2005 disc Illinois — part-Land of Lincoln travelogue, part-historical concept album and all-around impressive LP — provided endless inspiration when he first heard it a couple years ago.

"I heard of Stevens through friends and I was like, 'Man, I'd really like to check it out,' and I listened to it and I was just in love with the music. I love that kind of stuff, that deep, earthy, lyric, folk feel is just really, really cool," DeWyze says. "I don't shy away from anything. I sing rock sometimes, but sometimes I can break it down and I like it to have a quieter feel, a more intimate feeling to it. I've been listening to him for a long time now. I'm a big fan."

DeWyze's first post-Idol single is a cover of U2's "Beautiful Day," an appropriately ambitious choice considering DeWyze hopes his brand of music reaches the same peaks as arena-filling rockers like Dave Matthews Bands, Kings of Leon and Ben Harper. "I listened to a lot of Ben Harper before I came on the show. I remember I listened to that on the flight out here," DeWyze says. "I love Rage Against the Machine, Counting Crows. I really do like all types of music, and I think that's why the show kind of worked for me a little bit. It was a lot of different genres, and I can get into all that." Though Bono didn't reach out personally to give DeWyze the thumbs up, Lee says the U2 frontman approved the selection. "They had a huge part in allowing me to do that, so thanks to them."

Runner-up Crystal Bowersox revealed to Rolling Stone that her first taste of rock & roll came in the form of a Pearl Jam cassette tape given to her at the age of six. "I love it, though I didn't listen to it for a long time because I didn't know who Pearl Jam was when I was six," Bowersox admits. Despite being tailor-made to sing the blues, Bowersox says her musical influences go well beyond — and somewhat louder — than that. "Type O Negative is one of my favorite bands. It's something people probably don't guess abou me," Bowersox says. "I like old punk, classic rock, country, blues, rock, R&B. I mean, there's really no limit."

DeWyze took some Idol fans aback when they discovered he'd stripped down Marilyn Manson's "Beautiful People" into an acoustic tune years before he entered the competition. "You'd be surprised at how many people have come up to me that never listened to it like, 'You know I really like that song, was that yours?' I think it's got a cool melody, a cool hook, everything is cool."

Monday, June 21, 2010

Lee DeWyze interviews on Fox News Radio

American Idol Season 9 winner Lee DeWyze stops by Fox News Radio for an early morning interview with Tom Sullivan.



Saturday, June 19, 2010

American Idol's Crystal Bowersox & Lee DeWyze LIVE CHAT on Father's Day

American Idol's Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox to have live chat on Father's Day

Nothing says, "Thanks, dad" like chatting it up with some "American Idol" singers.

Before the Top 10 finalists from Season 9 kickoff their nationwide tour, a few of them will take to the computer for a live Ustream chat on Sunday, June 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:40 p.m. PT on AmericanIdol.com.

Besides winner Lee DeWyze and runner up Crystal Bowersox, fans will get the opportunity to pose questions like, "What conditioner do you use?" to Casey James and Didi Benami if you so wish.

Just tweet your questions with the hashtag #IdolsLive to submit them for consideration.

The "American Idol Live!" tour starts on July 1 in Detroit.

Friday, June 18, 2010

American Idol winner Lee DeWyze onstage interview at Walt Disney World

American Idol Season 9 winner Lee DeWyze appears at The American Idol Experience with Mickey Mouse. Lee talks about winning Idol and the upcoming Idols Live Tour.


Monday, June 14, 2010

Lee DeWyze's "Idolatry" Interview, part 5

Part 5: American Idol guru Michael Slezak interviews the 2010 Season 9 Idol winner Lee DeWyze in the episode of Idolatry.



Sunday, June 13, 2010

Lee DeWyze Idolatry interview parts 3 & 4

Parts 3 and 4: Michael Slezak interviews the 2010 American Idol winner Lee DeWyze.




Saturday, June 12, 2010

Lee DeWyze Idolatry Interview - Parts 1 & 2

Idolatry: Lee DeWyze on his win

EW.com's Michael Slezak gets the scoop from Season 9 champ Lee DeWyze on "pitchy" talk, "Hallelujah," shaping his debut album, and lots more!

Parts 1 and 2:



Friday, June 11, 2010

Idol Winner Lee DeWyze's "Beautiful Day" Hits #1 on the Charts!

The American Idol Finale Impacts Billboard Charts

Millions tuned in for the Season 9 finale and they liked what they heard. Soon after Lee DeWyze was crowned the American Idol, his version of U2’s “Beautiful Day” went to #1 on the Billboard Rock Digital Chart. This is the new champ’s first Billboard #1.

Season 4’s American Idol, Carrie Underwood, performed her latest single, “Undo It,” on the May 26th finale. The song, which is co-written by Idol judge Kara DioGuardi, took the #1 spot on Billboard’s Country Digital Chart.

With Lee’s and Carrie’s additions to the charts, the American Idol contestants have now accumulated 272 #1s to date.

Kelly Clarkson – 56
Carrie Underwood – 46
Chris Daughtry (Daughtry) – 35
Fantasia – 21
Ruben Studdard – 16
Jennifer Hudson – 13
Clay Aiken – 11
Mandisa – 10
Kimberley Locke – 8
Josh Gracin – 7
Jordin Sparks – 7
David Cook – 6
David Archuleta – 4
Kellie Pickler – 4
Elliott Yamin – 4
Taylor Hicks – 3
Adam Lambert – 3
Kris Allen – 2
American Idol Finalists – 2
Bo Bice – 2
Bucky Covington – 2
Blake Lewis – 2
Chris Sligh – 2
Paris Bennett – 1
Jason Castro – 1
Diana DeGarmo - 1
Lee DeWyze – 1
Tamyra Gray – 1
William Hung – 1
source:American Idol News

American Idol Season 9 winner Lee DeWyze is tearing up two other Billboard Charts as well! Just 3 weeks ago, Lee's pre-Idol album "Slumberland" debuted on Billboard's Heatseekers Albums Chart at #32. In it's second week on the chart, this second release (after "So I'm Told") from Chicago's WuLi Records had jumped to #17...the largest move by any album on that chart. Now in it's 3rd week on the Heatseekers Chart, "Slumberland" has jumped to #7! "Slumberland" debuted at #39 on the Independent Albums Chart, which tracks the week's top-selling albums across all genres, sold via independent distribution channels.

Come on FANS...let's make our American Idol Lee DeWyze #1!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Ford Gives Lee DeWyze & Crystal Bowersox Cars

One of the perks of making it to the American Idol Finale is the gift of a Fiesta from the Ford Motor Company. The Season 9 Top 2, Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox, created custom graphics with the Ford design team. Lee's black Fiesta has musical notes down the side, and his favorite fabric pattern - plaid - on the hood. Crystal designed her red Fiesta with large Sunflowers at the front, with petals blowing off and along the doors.



Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Stick Figure Lee DeWyze sings The Rolling Stones' "Beast of Burden"!

American Idol Season 9 winner Lee DeWyze, in a self-portrait from the article "Lee DeWyze looks back on his time in 'La-La Land'" (Go to the Blog Archive for this great article!) singing "Beast of Burden" by the Rolling Stones. Along with Lee's stick figure drawing, this animation features artwork by fellow American Idol Season 9 contestants Casey James, Aaron Kelly, and Crystal Bowersox.