Even though he’s currently on a hiatus from music to fulfill a Mormon mission, David Archuleta‘s presence continues to be felt amongst his devoted fanbase. As a token of his thanks, Archuleta recorded BEGIN., an inspirational album comprised of nine cover songs and one original track (“Broken”), to tide his loyal supporters over until his return in two years time.
My sense of motivation is always at an all-time high during the Olympics. There’s something about seeing athletes achieve their goals that inspires me to believe that any dream is possible with hard work, determination, and an optimistic outlook. As I watch the Summer games in London, I am reminded of a few important lessons that I learned from a celebrated Olympian this past Spring…
Back in March, YWiB SFU hosted the 2012 International Women’s Day Conference, a day dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women from around the globe and encouraging women to share their own stories in an effort to connect girls, overcome adversity, and inspire futures.
Among the roster of speakers was the ambitious Anna Rice, whose remarkable list of accomplishments include being a two-time Olympic athlete for the Canadian National Badminton Team, an ambassador for the international non-profit organization Right to Play, and a coordinator for the Choose Again foundation. During her keynote presentation on tapping into your strengths and unleashing the true and unique essence of who you are, she shared her five steps to ‘Connecting with your Inner Olympian‘:
Phillip Phillips‘ music video for “Home” is just as the song’s title suggests – homely, humble, and hopeful. In Phillips’ video debut, the singer-songwriter chronicles his ventures as a musician on-the-road, featuring footage from the American Idol tour (which is currently traveling along the east coast – get your tickets here!) interspersed with glory shots of the pensive artist and the great outdoors of America. As a fan who has been following Phillip’s journey since his Idol audition, it is comforting to see how he has retained the same down-to-earth composure through it all. “Home” is a beautiful song which will always remind me of the Summer of 2012!
The reigning Idol champion struck gold with his certified golden coronation single “Home”, which is gaining speed on the digital charts once again, thanks to exposure from NBC’s Olympic coverage of Team USA’s Women’s Gymnastics Team and the theatrical trailer for Clint Eastwood’s upcoming film, “Trouble With The Curve“. With this recent surge in iTunes sales, “Home” should be sprinting towards platinum status in no time!
“Home” will make its television debut on tonight’s broadcast of So You Think You Can Dance on FOX.
Just know you’re not alone, I’m gonna make this place your home.
The American Idol journey is far from over after the confetti has been swept away from the finale stage. Every summer, the Top 10 Idols embark on a cross-country summer tour, during which they get to sing for all of the fans who supported them on the show. Without the stress of the competition on their shoulders, the Idols soar to new heights vocally, managing to both impress and gain new fans through the live concerts. This year’s Idols proved to be no exception! After witnessing the American Idol Live! Tour in Seattle on July 18th, I can declare without a doubt that this is one of the strongest Top 10 in years, and is now my second favourite group, right beside the illustrious Season 7 Idols.
Continue reading “Concert Review: American Idol Live! Tour 2012 in Seattle”
I am a shameless fan of singing competition reality shows. While some may write off shows like American Idol and The X-Factor as overhyped karaoke contests, one cannot deny the tremendous impact that these shows have had on the music industry. Where would stars like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and One Direction be today without Idol and XF? Probably not on our iPods!
This summer, Queen Kelly (a.k.a. the original Idol) is devoting her time to being a mentor/coach on Duets, a new singing competition which pairs amateur singers with their musical idol as duet partners. The fascinating premise of this show led me to realize something significant about these reality shows. Though Idol and XF mainly serves as a launchpad for solo artistry and group acts, some former reality show alums have gone on to establish some great singing duos as well, forging collaborations with fellow musicians, contestants from other singing competitions, and even former competitors!
On that musical note, here are three of American Idol and The X Factor’s finest duos for you to check out – it’s double the discovery and twice the listening fun!
Elizabeth Rosalyn 