Music Buzz: Rihanna Barely Fends Off Archuleta, Who Debuts a Record-breaking #2!

Congratulations, Archie. You've Arrived!

Crush nearly beating Disturbia as to position, but leads it by 26k as to sales.

Putting "leaked" numbers and figures aside, Archuleta's debut on the Billboard Top 100 is "officially official", just barely missing the top spot taken by the with-a-disturbing-video single from Rihanna (pun intended!).

Although with limited airplay --being that radio date add goes as far as Sept. 2-- Archuleta's debut single which sold 166,000 downloads on its first week and held the #1 spot on iTunes for a week, takes the #2 spot in the prestigious Billboard chart, the "best chart debut in more than 18 months", reports Billboard's official website.

After the pressure-packed reality show Idol and amidst the current exhausting 50+ state-tour stops, this 17-year old runner-up must be having the time of his life (no pun intended!) --with the adulation of his legion of fans, who with Archuleta's demeanor appropriately call (our) themselves the "Arch Angels", with the conversion of thousands of previously-non-fans-but-was-mesmerized-by-his-amazing-voice-live, and with the countless mega-positive tour and single reviews-- and although he didn't run away with the Idol crown, Archuleta seems to be winning big time with his chart breaking antics and monster first week sales. And did I mention record-breaking?


Archie's debut single "Crush" is:

• The highest debut, at #2, on the Hot 100 this year.
• The highest debut of all Idol album songs on the Hot 100
• The highest position of all Idol album songs (tied with Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone”) on the Hot 100.
• The highest chart position for an Idol, period, since Taylor Hicks coronation single, “Do I Make You Proud” debuted at #1 in 2006. (Mj's Blog)
• The highest opening for an Idol with a song not performed on the show. (Billboard.com)

Okay, so that may be a lot to remember, but I am pretty much certain Archie wouldn't have issues with it as he considers himself a "chart-dork" after recently admitting in an interview his "obsession" --owning (when I didn't even know such existed) Billboard "books" and learning hits from all over the globe)-- over billboard charts and the like even when he was younger. Billboard's Fred Bronson couldn't have said it any better:

So it's nice to report that the artist who earns Hot Shot Debut honors on this week's Hot 100 has an obsession with the charts. More accurately, and at the risk of self-aggrandizing, he is obsessed with my Billboard chart books. With his new single entering at No. 2, he has assured himself a place in the next edition of "Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits," even if he has to wait a few years to see his current single listed among the top 5000 songs of the rock era. (Fred Bronson)

With the way things are going for David Archuleta this early, and if chart positions, by any chance, indicate the future of his career, Boy oh boy is he in for great-scratch that-spectacular ride.

Photocredits: submissions to FB, FOD.

Person Fred Bronson

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Music Buzz: Archuleta's Single Crushes Yet Another Chart; Billboard "Predictions" and More

Awaiting the Big News for Little D

Archie on location, filming for MV to first single

While everyone's waiting for the Billboard Hot 100 Numbers, here's some stat of Archie's "Crush" in the Digital Downloads.

David A. crushes competition

I'm reversing the order of the posts this week, because the big news is on the download side (you're getting this even before the general music sales post goes up). David A.'s first single, Crush, makes its debut at No. 1 on the digital songs chart by selling 166,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It holds a 26,000 edge over the closest competitor, Rihanna's Disturbia. (Ken Barnes, Idol Chatter)

Although Archie may have beaten Rihanna as to the sales of their current singles, the latter may win the battle of airplay basically because adds for Crush in radio stations in the US doesn't become "officially official" 'til Sept. 2. So maybe Archie has a shot at #1 for the Billboard Charts, but I don't want to keep my hopes high enough so as to avoid disappointment - you know how fangirls can be - so I'm lowering my expectations: "Archuleta Debuts at #2" sounds fair enough to me. Any spot in the Top 5 is actually an astounding achievement for a debut, with little to no airplay (yet), to be honest.

Speaking of Crush, Archie has (most likely) just recently shot the music video for his single at Wynn's Pond, Georgia (think Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama). With his video out soon, it may be safe to say his sales may go up even more - something I'm sure Archie, a chart-geek himself together with his fans, critics, and more importantly *hints*sarcasm* haters, will be enjoying.

Music Buzz: Little David "Crushes" iTunes' Top Spot!

Archie debuts at #1 on the iTunes Top 100

After only 18 hours and 58 minutes, Archuleta's debut single hits #1 on iTunes, beating already-certified-chart-toppers-though-not-necessarily-the-most-musically-gifted, the JoBros and Rihanna (left img). Not bad, or rather, very impressive for a debut single from someone who didn't win the Idol Crown. What's even more note-worthy is the fact that the single was released not without competition, as Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, and the Jonas Bros. released their singles and album, respectively, on the same day. Chris Brown's single was also released just a few days earlier.

But the wow-list doesn't end there. Crush premiered only on the radio, approximately 14 days before the single was dropped to the digital market for purchase and with little promotion -- fans finding out only days before the actual premiere, no TV interviews and no Talkshow guestings, AT ALL.

ALthough his exposure in the show may have helped, it is not to be entirely attributed to American Idol --a tag that so often attaches to every have-been-idol-artists whether they bask in success or failure-- especially when former idols, some winners even, barely broke into the charts, save the given often-with-magic-rainbows-or-with-the-lryic-moment-and coated-with-cheese winner's single.

Admittedly a chart-geek, and now seeing his single debut at the #1 spot on iTunes, Archie should be in cloud 9 as we speak, although it's highly ironic for the most grounded person alive right now.

Notwithstanding limited airplay and promotion, Archie has proven that he CAN be contemporary, and bust out hits. I hate the "i told you so" attitude, but with his single sitting comfortably at #1 for at least 6 days now, Little D (as the media calls him) has just crushed the iTunes Charts, together with some haters' hearts, BIG time (right img).

Music Buzz: Archueta's Debut Single Hits the Airwaves!

This Kid Ain't Going Awayayayayeah...

Finally, Archie's new single is out for the world to hear (only)! "Crush" first hit the airwaves on z100's Morning Show, yesterday, August 1, 2008 at around 7:45AM EST (7:45PM Phils, HK). I actually had to cheat on my IP address just to be able to listen to Z100's live stream of the interview/debut due to some licensing issues, so all hail Hide-My-IP. Of course, while listening, I was spazzing like a total fangirl, all giddy and skippy in anticipation --much like Nurse Joker --yet nervous and hopeful at the same time.

I love how the single has a catchy Chris Brown-ish beat to it, fun, young and very very very radio-friendly. The guitar riff just before the chorus is crazy cute, and it would be seriously a miracle if you don't end up with Awayayayayayeah stuck in your head all day long. If I were not biased, I would say it has "hit" written all over it, not that my bias affects such fact. Of course, the great vocals from Archie is already a given. *rolls eyes* Nonetheless, reviews are better if without bias, so I thought it wise to compile some reviews, comments and videos in connection to the said single which would not only showcase the hilarity of some people's line of thinking , but more importantly leave the fans' --old and recently-converted alike -- hearts aflutter. Just move further in this post, and enjoy!

Reviews/Announcements

American Idol's David Archuleta and Crush could give Clay Aiken a run for his money. Although David Archuleta appeals to the teen girl demographic, I believe his appeal is universal. On Elvis Duran's show, he was also receiving support from male fans, thirty-somethings, and senior citizens. Another fan also wanted him to record an album in Spanish. At 17, American Idol's David Archuleta has a bright future ahead of him. (Read entire article at the AP)

If Cook was the raw sexy masculinity on this past season’s American Idol, then Archuleta was the boy band barely-postpubescent cuteness. And earlier this morning, the AI runner-up was all smiles as he exited the Z100 Studios in New York City after debuting his new single “Crush” to the whole world.
And it looks like David has received a style upgrade since his Idol days, as he was sporting a very trendy blue Hurley screenprinted t-shirt with a pair of distressed denim jeans and some Converse All-Stars. If “Crush” is any indication as to Archuleta’s overall musical sound, it looks like we’ll have a radio-friend-winning album coming to a store near you later this fall. (Read entire article at CelebrityGossip)

...David Archuleta's "Crush" debuted on Z 100's Elvis Duran and the Z Morning Zoo this morning (Friday), and no joke - this kid is going to be a HUGE star!...
People Magazine reports: The singer was reportedly shaking when it first aired, but whether it was nerves or excitement, his fans have nothing but praise for the track. You can call him young all you want, but this 'kid' is going to be a big star. (Read entire article at the PostChronicle)

Hold on to your to hats Archie fans, David Archuleta's brand new single, "Crush", debuted this morning to lots of fanfare. And I have to admit, I sort of loved it. It's very pop-y and American Idol-like -- and it is going to be a smash. (Read entire article at The Daily Blabber)

When we heard that angel-voiced American Idol runner-up David Archuleta had signed to Jive Records a couple of months back, our excitement was tempered somewhat by the news that his debut album wouldn't be released until after the one from his pitchy, balding nemesis, Idol winner David Cook. This morning, though, with still no word yet on a new record from Cook (supposedly it's coming out in November, maybe), Archuleta stopped by New York's Z100 for the radio premiere of his wonderful first single "Crush" While we don't have a definitive release date for Archuleta's album, the fact that Idol's producers are allowing him to promote it already sort of implies that his will come out first.
And while a runner-up's album beating the victor's to stores isn't unheard of, it usually only seems to happen when producers are trying to sweep an Idol winner under a rug (sorry, Cook, no pun intended) — Clay Aiken's record came out before Ruben Studdard's, and Chris Daughtry's was released before Taylor Hicks's. Cook is reportedly hard at work on music with songwriters from Collective Soul and Our Lady Peace (so you know it'll be good), but does this latest development mean someone behind the scenes secretly doubts its commercial viability? We're pretty sure we're not going to buy it! (Vulture)

It has a confectionary pop sheen, something Chris Brown could have sung. Although Archuleta’s strength has often been very adult contemporary ballad-type material, the producers clearly picked this song to give Archuleta a more modern R&B feel. I expect his big fans will eat it up and it would fit just fine on Star 94 or Q100 in between Justin Timberlake and Rihanna. Compared to other runners up, this beats the first singles by Diana, Bo, Kat or Blake and I can see it going top 20, possibly top 10. No. 1? (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

We are definitely liking “Crush”….A LOT!!! (TeenScoop)

We listened to the song and it was, in our opinion, a great freshman outing — the tune is catchy, sweet, and young ladies will swoon... (TVGuide)

ONE-LISTEN VERDICT: I finally "got" David Archuleta when he performed "Apologize" with OneRepublic on the American Idol finale. Not that I'm a big fan of that song, but its breathy, wistful feel allowed the timbre of Archie's voice to shine through a lot better than any of the big quasi-inspirational tracks his father saddled him with during the initial weeks of the competition. Whoever is putting together his debut album must feel the same way, as "Crush" is a laid-back, dreamy ballad in the vein of "Apologize" and "Tattoo." Archie even slips in some falsetto, as if to further make his combined fanbase of 12-year-olds and their mothers swoon in unison. (Idolator.com)

I was surprised by how much I liked it. I mean with title like "Crush", the corniest concepts come to mind. Of course, his voice sounds phenomenal recorded, so that was never the problem. The production must have been done by Stargate, because it sounds a lot like their previous work, especially Chris Brown's "With You". Nevertheless, it sounds really good. The lyrics are also pretty good, and easily relatable. Everyone has had that big crush on someone, so its an easy subject to write a song about. However, this song may be one of the best I have heard about the subject (Mandy Moore's was terrible)...
... I wouldn't call "Crush" awesome, but its definitely a good start for one of Idol's best contestants ever. Radio will be spinning this all fall, so don't be surprised when you hear Archie on your radio soon. Congrats to him. (Brandon's Best Worst)

Hilarious Comments (gathered from non-fans/haters in Message Boards, Sites, Blogs, YT, etc. - Of course, the haters ones are easy to determine. lol.)

I'm sure everyone thought Archuleta would have the corny 1st single while Cook would have the awesome one. Yeah, try reversing that a bit. (Brandon's Best Worst)

Ok, I'll admit it. If we are talking pure song, disregarding the singer, I would like Crush better. But because it's David Cook, I still choose Time Of My Life. (Message Board)

I hate this kid. I mean HATE him. But I love this song. (Message Board)

Okay, I am sorry, but I actually like David Archuleta’s new song Crush. But just to make up for it, here is Paperboy Eli Reed’s Am I Wasting My Time. (Meaningful Distractions)

I think this is a good first single for him. Pop isn't my thing--but it's catchy and should get plenty of radio play. (LJ)

While not a big Archie fan during the show - I'm pleasantly surprised. This song is very catchy. Total earworm, lol. I predict a fast rise up the Top 40 charts. (TVGuide)

Aww I like it. It's not a horrible ballad like I was expecting so thats even better! (LJ)

I gotta admit it was better than I expected and sounds young and current enough to appeal to the younger listeners. (IDF)

Heck, I wish I had a crush on someone right now. (IDF)

I am a big David Cook fan but I have to admit this is a really good song and will definitely be a hit. (TVGuide)

This song is like. Drugs. Just. Not as illegal, and more addicting. (IDF)

OMG, y'all are right. This song IS like CRACK. (IDF)

I seriously need to have this song on my itunes. It's way too catchy. Darn you Archuleta! (IDF)

Won't even lie, i like this song. Hope he doesn't look awkward in the video. (LJ)

I've never followed AI, but this song is good.(LJ)

and my most favorite:

Damnit, it wasn't awful. (LJ)

Rotf. It's amazing to see how it pains some people to acknowledge such immense talent! Anyway, it was fun to follow some of the stats on the web: #4 on Z100's Interactive 9 at 9, inlcuded on Yahoo's Most Buzzed, Crush being Youtube's Most Viewed, Most Talked About, Top Favorites, Most Rated, etc. The list is nearly endless, and this is barely 24 hours after the premiere of the single. The buzz has been amazing, and to a fan like me, extremely overwhelming but most importantly, well-deserved. You go, Archie!

For now, it's your turn to listen! Feel free to tell me what your think of the new single. You may listen to it below (it's currently on my blog player playlist too!):

If you want to listen to Z100 and catch for yourself a live airing of the single, you may check their live stream or listen to/view the interview and single at Elvis Duran's site. If neither works, here's a stream from Utah's 97.1 (?), or here's more youtube goodies to save the day, Enjoy!

Archie's reaction hearing his single for the first time at Z100:


Archie on Elvis Duran:

Today, Archie is officially a recording artist! I am excited for the days to come, and the future of his career which I am sure to follow! His single will be up for (legal) donwload on Itunes on September 2, however, some sources have reported it may actually be up for digital purchase as early as August 12. Some big faith Jive has on Archie, I must say! So have I, all along.

Music Buzz / Idolmania: Nuts Over Archie's Insane "Crazy" Performance!

Urban Legend No More

If you have followed the AI's past season religiously, I am sure you are well aware that Castro and Archuleta's Hollywood Week Day1 auditions never aired due to song clearance issues. Clips, however, showed the judges raving over this certain song the latter did which viewers never really knew what until Josiah Lemming spilled in an interview it was Gnarls Barkley's Crazy. He said the performance was so amazing it gave him chills, or something along those lines. Here's how Simon, Dawg, and Paula reacted (around 0:26 - 0:45) :

Ever since the fans knew about the song being Crazy, it's been kind of a wishful thinking to hear Archie sing it on the show, which obviously didn't happen. Although he hinted about having panned to sing it during the finale, song clearance issues barred such a dream from coming true. Of course, after the show, Jason (who i, too, love!) surprisingly got the song cleared for his tour set. I love conspiracy theories, especially with the farce that is AI but I'd rather abuse your mind, and save the detective work for a separate blog. Since the song has already been cleared, naturally Archie, ever the fan-spoiling artist, finally heeded his fans' year/months-long cries and demands as he guested on Fox 13's Good Day Utah.

Not so Random Story: That reminds me of the insane evening I had last night when I found out he would go on live to perform a song on Fox13. I followed the live stream online around 7am Mountain Time (9am Est, 9pm Phils), and was all giddy when he finally got on the set. Little did I know such excitement would turn into extreme anger when my brother picked me up. Of all the times he could, he did so at that moment when I was finally going to verify the myth of the Hollywood Week auditions, and boy did I act like a brat. I stomped my foot, furrowed my brows, and grumbled incessantly. What would you have done in such a frustrating situation? I am certain I blurted out what seemed like "Go. FLLLYYY home." to him as soon as I got in the car, to which he obliged. We zoomed our way through the road and the next thing I knew, we were home. Still at the gate, I already pulled out my laptop and connected to the feed like a crazed little fangirl. Thank God for wireless signals, as soon as the car was parked, the door flew open and I dashed thru the living room, up the stairs and straight into my room -- with my laptop screen flipped open, and the entire unit dangling on my side and held by one hand. I plugged my earphones and sat down to listen. I was majorly pissed when I missed Archie doing the weather, but was delighted to learn he hasn't performed yet. So yeah, it turned out to be a happy ending - although without magic rainbows!

Finally, here's Archie's soulful rendition of Gnarls Barkely's Crazy, performed live on Fox 13's GDU:

I think it was hauntingly beautiful! So much soul! Brilliant! Pure love!... it's an endless string of adoration. If you enjoyed that, here's an enhanced mp3 version (less echo/reverb) for download. That ends my little ramble for now.

Credits: Video - ronaldsf, Audio - sl_productions

Music Buzz: Archuleta's first single "Crush" to air on August 12, 2008

Crush, by the Crusher

Archie is reported (well, more of a result of excellent detective work by Nicole of Idolforums) to have a single listed under ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers), named "Crush". This was discovered a few days ago, and naturally, all the fangirls/boys came spazzing and freaking out (in a good way) over this, possibly, as the first single out.



Lo and behold, today's news at All Access, (you will have to be registered to see this sidebar on the left) reports that Archie's new single "Crush" will impact radios on August 12, 2008 . The single will air on radios everywhere (hopefully soon enough here in my region!) although it wouldn't yet be available for download right away. This is a strategy on the record label's part to make sure the single gains enough following (not that Archie doesn't already have a ton) and exposure before putting it up. I love the fact that Archie is signed with Jive!

As for the people involved, or those he is working with for the single, here's MJ's report:

Checking out the ASCAP listing for “Crush”, it has Dave Hodges, late of the band Evanescence–and famously the subject of Kelly Clarkson’s blistering single “Never Again”–listed as a writer. Hodges wrote “Because of You” and “Addicted” with Kelly for her album Breakaway. ASCAP also lists two other writers on the cut, Jess Clayton Cates, and Emanuel Kiriakou.

More more on David’s upcoming album–it’s been reported that he’s working with The Underdogs, Kara DioGuardi and Ryan Tedder of the band OneRepublic.

So they're definitely one of the best hitmakers out there, that's for sure. And I am keeping my fingers crossed that Archie will be on top of the Billboard charts soon enough. Although i found my boo's habit for checking the US charts for what songs to look forward to as a bit obssessive, I am conceding to the thought of going all geeky and follow the US, UK, World Charts to keep track of Archie's status. I need to find a better word for obsession.

I find it funny Cowell said he "crushed the competition", and that Seacrest kept calling him "the crusher" on the show. Papa Johns even labeled him as a "juggernaut". Looks like 19E and Jive agrees. Haha, although the song may well be about heart-related issues.

To add to the fangirliness, and give you an idea of how freaking excited I am, here's how i look like:

Idolmania/Music Buzz: Update Turned Rant Turned Cookie vs. Archie!

No Use Crying Over Spilled Milk?

Great. Now, im confused whether this should be under Idolmania or Music Buzz. I'll decide later, when I'm done with this piece.

It's been ages since my last Idol-related post, since I've decided to skip the ranting in relation to Cookie's effing "win" over Archie. Some 12 million (and more) people over at America must be having some terrible and serious hearing deficiencies, having voted their fingers off for Cookie. Ahem. Half of you probably didn't really vote FOR Cookie. You just voted AGAINST Archie. Well, whadayaknow, I didn't really skip my ranting post after all.

/rant.

Moving on, Here's another Post-idol "outing" for the Davids. I know, I'm an entire month late, not to mention not having been able to post about their appearances on TRL, The Today Show, Mike and Juliet, Larry King, etc, but i'm not sorry. lol. Anyway, their latest appearance was on ABC's The View. I missed it when it showed on Velvet. For crying out loud, who watches a "morning" talk show at 12:00am? Way to take things literally, Velvet! Of course, I was working my lil' booty off at work when the replay aired at 8:30am. So, screw unfriendly schedules. The Davids had their interviews, and their performances. Cookie sang his "magic rainbow" song, while Archie did Stand By Me. I'm linking the video from Rickey's.

Archie's SBM starts right after the interview, past halfway this clip:

Archey-view
by greateggs

Hott! I know. How can someone be so good live? Not to mention, being able to beat such an already-wonderful performance? Here's Archie's first SBM performance at Idol's Top 4 Week (No, i did not just pick that fact from my brain!):

Obviously, Idol is treating them both as co-winners. With all their backstage manipulations, they do owe Archie anyway. So, following their "fair" example and my ulterior motive of proving who's the [waaaaaaaaaaay] better singer, I will need to post Cookie's Time of My Life too. How unfortunate it is for him to keep promoting such a cheesy magic rainbow song, so cheesy I can dream of unicorns tonight. Funny though how throughout the season, everyone was correlating Archie with cheese, ballads, Disney etc. Oh, did I mention Cookie did a theme/song for Disney's Ad? Ha. Look who's with Disney now. The irony of this all is so great, I can only imagine the 5 stars TOML will add to Cookie's Rock Credibility. So much for the spite because after all, I love the two Davids (i still love you Cookie!).

Here is AI's first "rock" idol, with his first "pop" single:

Cookey-view
by greateggs

And to prove I'm not bitter and have moved on, here's Cookie's rendition of the Star-spangled Banner:

Okay, so maybe I was biting my nails at the beginning of that clip almost couldn't finish, not to mention struggled not just a bit watching it, but I'm really not bitter. I do not even need to make a point right? But what the heck, here's Archie's rendition of the American National Anthem:

*wipes smirk off face* Amazing how that voice can radiate even through a crappy phone cam recording! Sadly, that event wasn't televised for reasons only known to Nigel and his devil crew, because as far as i can remember Syesha and Cookie's hometown performances were aired. Only Archie's weren't. They probably wanted some "fair" exposure. I'm not bitter nor sourgraping, but I am (I hope the fangirliness of the next words/phrases doesn't pull down my blogging creds) just healing. I will, and probably already have moved on! I am just celebrating the season that was, and the Archuride that was, that is, and will be! I am thrilled! Archie will forever be my Amercan Idol!

I guess I just ended my blogging stint right there! lol *blog breaks down into cheeses..i mean pieces* Well! That sums up my Post-idol ranting, i mean posting. So who's to say crying over spilled milk ain't helpful? I mean someone's face is filled with a huge grin right now, typing behind her laptop screen, knowing the furrowing eyebrows and boiling blood pressure her post will cause some Cookies and closet Cookies *coughsPercycoughsKimja* out there. The only bad thing it has brought with this post though, was the memory of the Lakers's loss. Oh well, Boo already did his grievance/mourning a.ka. review for that.

PS: Oh, oxymorons, ironies and sarcasm make blogging SO.MUCH.FUN! Boo, here's the "expansion for articles" for you.

Music Buzz: My ArchuD2 signs with Jive!

ZOMG.

Before anything else, I would like to express my sincere apology for the extreme fangirly-ness of this post, starting with the title itself, of course.

At long last, the confirmation is out! I've been dying to hear from the Press since the heart-breaking, not to mention mind-boggling, Idol conclusion some 2 weeks ago.

What's to note here is that, among the 7 record labels (yes, you read the figure right), Jive won the bid (most likely being that it's under the Sony BMG umbrella). Jive is probably the best label out there now, considering its remarkable top-charting roster: Usher, Chris Brown and Jordin Sparks to name a few and they sure know how to market their talents, giving them a fresh, young, hip and very "now" image. This is what excites me, as this fact alone is a slap on the faces of those who hate the kid - boring, no personality, bla bla. Guess the last laugh's mine? ha ha.

Excited for the single, and for the album! Yay. Oh, here's the ALLCAPS headline/news at Jive's Official Website.

(New York, NY) - It was announced today that American Idol sensation DavidArchuleta has signed to 19 Recordings/Jive Records. Archuleta is currently gearing up for the upcoming American Idol tour which kicks off on July 1st in Glendale, AZ. The 17-year old is expected to release his debut album later this year.

“Signing a record contract with 19 Recordings/Jive Records is truly a dream come true,” states Archuleta. “Being a fan of American Idol since season one and admiring the alumni, I am honored and humbled to be a part of that group. I’m really excited to start working on everything.”

David Archuleta, the runner-up on the current season of “American Idol,” has three songs entering the Hot 100 this week, starting with his stunning remake of John Lennon’s “Imagine” at No. 36, along with his highly-praised rendition of Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me, and his finale song, In This Moment.

Simon Fuller, creator of the popular TV series and chief executive and founder of 19 Entertainment Label Group, states, “It was fascinating to watch David’s journey through Idol. He is a genuine pop star, and is a gifted singer who instantly won over a huge audience when he first appeared on the show. Since then, he has dealt with the pressure and the high level of expectation with real fortitude; he’s given us some of the best performances of the season. Without question David Archuleta has a great future ahead of him”.

Tom Carrabba, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Jive/Zomba Label Group comments, David Archuleta has already shown the world that he is a star. Here’s a young, talented singer with wide appeal and we are thrilled to have him join our roster.

David Archuleta is from Murray, Utah, a town outside Salt Lake City. He recently came to national attention and captured the hearts and imagination of a nation with several show-stopping performances on “American Idol.”

I'm guessing he's going the pop/r&b route. Back to his soul roots, then! An official site, the promotions, this and that. Oh, the good stuff that is to come! This news is sure to spark a whole new wave of speculations on collaborations, songs, chart-topping/flopping potentials etc. Hurray for message boards and the crazy fandom!

I love being a fangirl, and the drama it brings! zomg.

Idol Top7: The MC Week Recap

Idol: Where Cruelty is actually GOOD.

Just when KLC was starting to pick up momentum, and when I was starting to *cough* like *cough* her, she gets the boot. Her pretty face must have been the subject of all hate when the earlier favorites got the boot before she did. Whitaker, Epperson, Malubay, Hernandez and Johns to name the lot. I will miss you, barbie doll.

After Ryan's (and his scriptwriter's) classless "method" of breaking the elimination news to Papa Johns last week, Idol Producers just cannot resist the need to get any meaner, can they?

This week, they choose to toy again with the contestants' feelings in their annual "Choose" stint. Ryan divided the group into two: Cookie, KLC, Brooke vs. Carly, Jason, Syesha. I bet they had a million thoughts per millisecond during those moments... thoughts such as, but are not limited to the ff:

Everyone: Wtf is this, Seacrest?
Carly: KLC with Cook in the "Top3"? This must be a joke.
Jason: Duuuuuude... ...this is not cool
KLC: I'm safe? Hmm, Mr. Dreds, you're next.

Wittle David, however was the last to be called on stage. Leaving confuzzled wittle David backstage the whole time must made the poor thing nervous to bits! And Mr. Not-So-Genius Seacrest should even ask him if he was enjoying. "Ooh Yeaah", replies wittle David although the audience must have reminded him that his facial expressions show otherwise. I thought he was gonna throw up at a weirdly-tanned-and-looking-orange Seacrest. He seriously thought he was going home! The poor kid must have been a nervous wreck the whole time, and forgive the fangirl in me who just wanted to hug him ."There, there..of course you're safe, sweetie." To clear the confusion as regards the impossibility of the groupings, Seacrest performs a switcheroo between Syesha and Cookie. Now, its Syesha, Brooke, KLC vs Cookie, Carly, Jason. Yes, things made more sense.

Like leaving him all by himself wasn't already mean, Ryan eventually asks David to join which group he believes is safe.The audience gasps, Carly does her famous slackjawed and killer eye look, and the producers loved, loved, loved the drama! Wittle David, on the other hand was at his extreme spacey-ness mode. The look on his face was precious! And the way he just plops on the floor refusing to choose was hilarious. Everyone applauds such show of class and extreme adorkability. Simon and Ryan was already pointing him to the safe group, and still, he just stays put as if saying "Nah, I'm good here", and when Paula tells him to move to the "middle" middle , he gives an "omg, whaa?" face. lmao. this kid can't get any more adorable! It was still very very mean, though.

Ryan, Nigel, you guys are just c r u e l.
Thank you for that, and that ultimate adorkable and endearing archud2 moments it gave.

I'm not sure though which is more hilarious, David's refusing to understand and pick which group is safe, or Carly's 30-second delay in understanding she was safe. See for yourself.

Idol Top 9: The Dollywood Recap

Rami won me over, while the KLC hate continues.

Ramielle is Filipino, I know. I think she has a wonderful big voice, the little girl with the great big voice, as the judges branded her. But I wasn't rooting for her since the auditions. Strangely though, I felt really, really bad when she got the boot today.

I actually got spoiled early this morning, and read that her idol journey has come to the end. I thought it was fine. Objectively speaking, she has not delivered since after the Top24 night. But I know she has that great talent and big voice in her.

And so I watched the show. I was squeeing, again, like a little fangirl over the group medley, which is so far, my favorite. The group sang 9-5 and The Archuleta had solos, beautiful ones, thank God.

The weird trio did their weird instrument strumming. IGB clips and even more. Dolly Parton sang Jesus and Gravity. Then, the bottom 3, of which I got a 2 out 3. (not bad for a first time review, eh?). Brooke was crying and had gotten very emotional. Kristy was (still) being a pain in the arse. Ramielle was doing her adorable Oh-dear-i'm-squished-by-these-giants pout. I didn't really dwell on my fellow Filipina's fate at all. Then, TMOT. It's official, Ramielle is OUT. She broke into sobs, and out of Is-this-Atlantis-nowhere, I ended up *insert cheese here* crying as well.

I felt so bad for her, having to hug the lady who should have gotten to boot forever ago. Yes, I predicted Rami's Idol fate ends today, and *insert more cheese here* I friggin' wish I could take it back. I realized how, unpatriotic I have become. I should have shown more blind support, no matter what, not only because of her talent, but because she is Filipino (last word used as an adjective, not a noun).

There you have it, Not only did this emotional boot make me a Rami-convert (not really the Archie FTMFW kind), It also made my perception of KLC "devolve" from her being a cat with nine lives to that night bug you'd want to keep squishing but can't get dead.

Moving on.

Dying to cast a vote for your idol?

As promised, here is my TIP on how to vote for your favorite even if you are outside the US. (I'm sure Ramielle would've appreciated if I posted this a week earlier.)

Download GIZMO5 from this site. This works with XP/Vista/Mac/Linux etc.

Install it.

Register and you're good to go.

Launch program.

Click the DIALPAD tab on the console and dial your fave's number.

+1-866-IDOLS-06 was Archie's this week. I got more than a hundred through. Fair enough considering there's like a 20-30 second lull between hanging up and the console getting ready for another call.

And oh, the best part of it all? +1866 numbers are free. So vote your idol to victory. Archuleta FTW!

There. You now have a chance to not feel the way I did tonight over Ramielle's going home.

Idol Top 9: The Dollywood Recap

Wow. I don't even know how to start this. Dang. I should learn how these review thingys work. Okay, here goes. If you're one of the crazy fandom-ers who go rummaging through the web for reviews, articles and bashing slash critiques, Please skip this site. My critiquing (is that even a word?) skills are rather amateur-ish as of the moment.

Out of 10,this is how I'd score the idols:

FTMFW! (absolutely brilliant 10pts)
WOOT! (great 9pts)
COOLIO! (good 7-8pts)
BLAH! (alright/okay 5-6pts)
PFFHT! (bad 2-4pts)
WTF? (like KLC's 8daysaweek. 1pt for the effort)

Oh, and I'm not really big when it comes to Country Music, and this one being Dolly Parton week, I was unfamiliar with most of the songs. This week, I'll be judging based on their performances alone, no song choice considerations whatsover. I'm Asian for crying out loud.

Ramielle - I hate to say this, being a Filipino, but she just hasn't delivered since after Top24 week. Today is no different. I'm afraid she might actually go bye bye. (PFFHT!)


Brooke - She sang Jolene, with her folk band around her on stage. I love Brooke, I think she's a good musician, but I didn't like this particular performance. At one point I thought she was like running a race. I went wth? (BLAH!)


Cookie - Sorry for the nickname. I like David Cook. I love grunge and alternative, and he's just my favorite rocker boy on Idol. I'm not rooting for him though. I liked his previous peformances, and even loved some. The same goes for this performance. I thought he couldn't handle country, but i spoke too soon. He did pretty good,from the falsetto to the acoustic guitar. Plus, I'm more than happy he took the emo look out. He may look smug all over again with his new look, but me likey. (WOOT!)


Carly - I agree with Simon, she needs to look like a star by this time. What's with all the black? Her performance was very good though. Very solid performance, imho. (COOLIO!)


Jason - Funny how Idol actually approved a rather preachy/gospel-y song to be sung on stage. Don't get me wrong, I grew up in Church but I just didn't expect the AI audience to.. well.. be very accepting of it. Whatever, maybe I'm culturally biased. I loved the performance though. Definitely NOT boring. Nice to see him out of his usual comfort zone. Liked it. (COOLIO!)


Syesha - She did the most famous of 'em all - I Will Always Love You - which I thought wasn't smart at all. Okay, she did good at the start, but the rest was just blah. When she decided to go Whitney and belt it out, I went Uh-oh. She didn't crack, but she didn't wow me either. Which makes it all the more useless. I mean, you can't avoid the Whitney comparison. So if you can't surpass that, then imho, nevermind. I didn't get the last prolonged note either. I actually went wth? Nothing against her, in fact I loved her version of Yesterday, but i just didn't like this one at all. (Wow. I seriously think I sound like Simon) (PFFHT!)

Kristy - I have been wishing she get voted off since like, forever ago. And looks like I'm not getting that this week either. She stayed around despite the horrendous 8daysaweek performance, I don't think that's going to change since country is her cup of tea. Hatred aside, I actually liked her performance. Good enough. (BLAH!)


Aussie - Finally his blues side! I loved his performance. The piano, the jazz strings, the rock, the soul. Awryt! Michael's back as one of the strong contenders, imo. Rock + Blues + Aussie = pure love. (WOOT!)


Archie - It seemed the world was on a high during his stellar Imagine performance, but it has been a rollercoaster ride since then. Fans love him even for flubbed lyrics, Haters hate him for doing "ballads all the time", and haters still hate him for doing up/midtempos saying "he should just do ballads instead". Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. It's getting really annoying, all this hate for this sweetie, but I just tell myself, If song choice is all they can fault him with, Damn, he must be one heckuva talented kid.
The Long and Winding Road, was master class. You're the voice was obscure but good. Think about it, If Cook sold Billie Jean an already famous song, like hotcakes, he's good. But what does it take for one to sell to America a totally obscure, almost unheard of, song like Archie did last week? Surely, charm can't be enough. You do the math. Like Paula said, he could sing the phonebook and we'd all fall in love. Before this turns into a love letter, I better get moving. Smokey Mountain Memories - Archie just sang it with so much conviction and emotion, even Dolly was moved to tears. He also hit notes we heard for the first time from him, and finally a glimpse of his falsetto - which is just as beautiful. His runs were wonderful, and the total performance was just brilliant. Okay, i don't want this to be an overkill. So, on the bad side, I didn't really dig the brown and beige outfit. I said that just so you wouldn't think I'm biased, but I guess the 2-paragraph review spills it all. (FTMFW!)

Bottom 3: Ramielle, Syesha, Brooke.
Top 3: Archie, Cookie, Aussie.
Who gets the boot? Ramielle. (She's nice and all, but i, too, have been very disappointed)

Results show, tomorrow. I'd post hints on how to vote for your fave, even when you're outside the US!

Idolmania 2008

I'm not huge fan of Idol.
I haven't seen any episode of Season 1, 2, 3.
I started watching during the Top 4 Week of Season 4. And i rooted for Bo. (><,) I watched only the finale of Season 5. I started watching during the Top 10 of Season 6. I rooted for ChrisR, and stopped watching when he got the boot. I thought I would love Blake just as much, but nah. I didn't really join the Jordin bandwagon either. This is the only season of Idol wherein I've watched ALL the airings since the auditions.
Yes, I've seen Lapuz' Brothers Forever. Un/fortunately, Simon's horrible gut feeling of it being a hit single came to past. While having pizza last night, I thought i heard a rather familiar (in a bad way) tune. I realized it was Brothers Forever, mixed with this certain beat. I was torn between laughing and getting annoyed.
Yes, I wish they'd shown Archie's Hollywood Day1 rendition of Crazy, by Gnarls Barkley.
Yes, I loved the Aussie's Bohemian Rhapsody.
Yes, I wish Josiah Lemming didn't get cut.
I saw every single episode. And this is record-breaking, for me, considering I'm not a tv person at all.

I always wanted to write about it, but I thought blogging would jinx the chances of my favorite, so I didn't. Instead, I just squee like a silly little fangirl, all giddy inside, every Wednesday for the past 2 months or so.

Since the Top 16 week, I would follow the show live (because it airs an entire 12 hours later in my part of the world) via live blogging. Yes, through the internet. Rickey's, Slim's and Idollive's are my favorites. These three usually compete like maaadddd when it comes to putting up videos and audios of the performances first. Not that I'm complaining. I'm the type of person who cannot live a spoiler-free life. I just have to KNOW before watching. Otherwise, I'd faint due to so much...err..emotions. The same goes for my favorite series (PB, Lost, Chuck, etc) whose "suspense" I like killing off by checking DarkUFO's site.

Back to Idol, I actually couldn't contain all the squeeing and giddyness to myself anymore.

So, I thought I'd just start this errr.. review sort of thing. You just have to bear with my biases of course. I promise to reduce them to the lowest possible percentage though.
So, err. Yeah, I basically decided to join the pool of already-overflowing bloggers/critics for Idol.

To add to all the pop-culture crap and cheese, I'd end this post not on one corny one-liner, but on 3.

Welcome Aboard, self.
Idols, here I come.
What can i do? I freaking love this cheesy show!