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'Idol' lineup filled with Hoosiers
Posted: Feb 18, 2008 in Music, TV and Celebrities
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The show's final 24 contestants include 3 Indiana singers
We've heard the American Idol finalists sing. Now we get to learn about their experiences in their own words.
Keeping quiet for this long has been a difficult task for all of the contestants, including the three from Indiana: Crawfordsville native Luke Menard, Purdue graduate Amy Davis, and Mulberry's Amanda Overmyer.
Thanks to this trio, Indiana is the second most represented state in the competition (California has five). They are also the first Hoosiers to make it this far in the hit reality show on Fox, which debuted in 2002.
The top-24 level is when all of the shows are live and viewers can vote on whom they want to win the major recording contract.
The audition shows were taped in August and November, but the finalists were not revealed until Wednesday night.
The final 24 were chosen from about 100,000 hopefuls who auditioned in 2007 in San Diego, Dallas, Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, Omaha, Neb., and Charleston, S.C.
While the 24 singers are now rehearsing and bonding, everything will change at 8 p.m. Tuesday, when the first voting show goes live.
The final 12 will be announced March 6 with the finale planned for May.
"These are really great people and we've become very good friends," said Menard from Hollywood. "We're not out to get each other ... yet."
Amy Davis
Age: 25
Marital status: Single, has been with boyfriend Mike Krupa for four years
From: Lowell
Education: Graduated from Purdue University with a degree in horticulture; she is halfway through earning her master of business administration degree from Purdue University-Calumet.
What kind of music are you most comfortable singing?
"My style is more folk-pop, folk-country. I most enjoy folk singing, but back home I do sing in cover bands to just about everything except maybe rap. Patty Griffin, the folk singer, is my favorite. For the auditions, I did do a Patty song and a Janis Joplin song but I slowed it down and made it more me.
"I started out in Lafayette singing at an open mic at Champ's. It was just me and my boyfriend for four hours. I just watched him and then sang with him for a couple hours."
When and where have you auditioned for American Idol?
Aug. 6 and 7 in Dallas. "I tried out for the second season. It was a few years before I started performing in public. Then, I did not have enough experience and confidence to get their attention. It was nice to have that previous cattle-call experience for this season's auditions."
How will you handle the different genres that American Idol gives each week?
"It's definitely easier for me from being in the cover bands. I have the secret guilty pleasure of singing my head off to Alanis Morissette and I like to do R&B, too. This will be an outlet to show America that I can do other genres."
Who did you hear from after you made the top 24?
"I heard first from family and then friends and musicians I've jammed with at shows and were in bands with me back home. Then I heard from people from high school that I hadn't talked to in eight years. But it was great to connect with people you'd like to connect with. They wished me good luck and it has been great to know so many people are supporting me."
What do you think it will be like performing live on American Idol?
"I think it will be actually a little less intense. During Hollywood week, it's just you and those three judges. Live, you'll have your family there and you'll know your entire hometown is watching you on TV ... and the extra lights and glamour will make you feel like a celebrity."
What were your goals going into American Idol, besides winning that recording contract?
"My first goal was to look for confirmation from judges that I have at least some talent, to see if I was better than average. Do they think I'm good or good enough to make it pretty far? My second was that since I'm here, I want to gain a fan base. As a performer, you rely on your fan base and I hope America gets to see me and I hope America likes me enough to go see me play somewhere."
Web site: www.americanidol.com/contestants/season7/amy_davis/
Amanda Overmyer
Age: 23
Marital status: Engaged
From: Mulberry
Education: Delphi High School; started her practical nursing license at Purdue University before finishing it at Ivy Tech Community College
What kind of music are you most comfortable singing?
"I was raised on 1960s to '80s classic rock, which was what my dad listened to -- Bob Seger to Lynyrd Skynyrd, REO Speedwagon to Styx. I started singing when I was a kid, and in my teenage years I got to sing in school. Then I was singing in rock bands locally and I learned to morph all of the singing I've done over the years into a sound that has become my own. ... A lot of people compare my voice to Janis Joplin's, which is human nature. She's the gravelly-voiced female rock person and a common name, of course, everyone thinks of. She's a helluva person to be compared to. I'm not complaining."
When and where have you auditioned for American Idol?
Aug. 14 in Atlanta. "It was my first time trying out."
How will you handle the different genres that American Idol gives each week?
"The different genres are going to be fine. Anything I sing, it's going to sound like me. I prefer electric guitars and a lot of drums and a lot of energy. But when I open this big ol' mouth, my own voice is what comes out. ... Ballads and whatever genre they throw at me, I'll do that."
Your calm reaction when you made it into the top 24 was interesting. What was really going through your head?
"(Host) Ryan (Seacrest) kidded me a couple times saying I couldn't be any more 'less excited,' but that's just my personality. I'm even-keel. I never get overly upset or angry. There's no huge emotional difference. I look at life from the big picture. This is the biggest opportunity I'm gonna get. I refuse to have a nostalgic view. I'm completely grounded. The show is a very small part of the spectrum of life, so I'm not getting overly excited. At the same time, I did make it to the top 24, which is great, but there is a lot of time before I get to No. 1. I'm not going to put the cart in front of the horse."
What do you think it will be like performing live on American Idol?
"The only thing I've been concerned about is performing on that stage on live TV. I'm used to people in front and instead it will be TV cameras. I have to teach myself to perform to a piece of machinery. It'll be difficult for me to know there are 30 million people watching but I can't see them. I'll have to pretend there will be some friendly faces in front of me."
What's the atmosphere like on the show?
"Through Hollywood week, it was a pretty long experience. I sang only two times during the Hollywood week so I got to spend a lot of time going through the songs along with sitting and waiting around. Now that it's the top 24, things are more personalized for us and they pretty much have us busy every day with interviews and photo shoots, which is good for me because I like to be kept busy."
Web site: www.americanidol.com/contestants/season7/amanda_overmyer/
Luke Menard
Age: 29
Marital status: Married
From: Crawfordsville
Education: Graduated from Millikin University, Decatur, Ill.
What kind of music are you most comfortable singing?
"I'm going to do all opera. Just kidding! I have a higher voice. I tend to emulate (British rock band) Keane. Maroon 5 is another band I listen to. ... I've always looked up to James Taylor. I really admire how consistent he has been and how he can modify the way his voice sounds. He's a healthy singer and is still selling out the stadiums. ... I didn't start singing until I was in high school in Crawfordsville and I got really involved in college. After school, I started singing full time in an a cappella group called Chapter 6."
When and where have you auditioned for American Idol?
Aug. 10 in Omaha, Neb. "I actually auditioned for season six in Memphis. I was cut before making it to Hollywood. But I used it to drive me to be better, and I came back and auditioned in Omaha this year."
How will you handle the different genres that American Idol gives each week?
"That's definitely something I've thought about. They'll throw a genre or a decade out there and it's something that you have to do in your own style. A lot of times people will vote on how different you can be in a certain type of genre."
Who have you heard from already?
"I've been getting a lot of e-mails. My high school choir teacher has been offering support. I've been hearing from a lot of my high school classmates. They've been calling me, lots of e-mails. It's kind of crazy."
Have you performed on TV before? What do you think it will be like performing live on American Idol?
"With the a cappella group, I've been on local TV shows, but nothing like performing before millions of people. ... You have to look into the cameras and sing to the people who are voting for you. You have to pretend that you're looking at someone right in the eye. Millions of people will be looking right at your big mug on their screen, every mole and every bump on your face."
What's the atmosphere like on the show?
"Being around such great performers, the band, everyone is so professional, it will make me become a better singer."
Web site: www.americanidol.com/contestants/season7/luke_menard/
-- -- Tim Brouk / Lafayette's Journal & Courier
I'm sorry, Why do people still watch this? more importantly why is there a time set aside to discuss it durring the morning news. I'm sorry but arent we in a war?