A friend discovers Clay Aiken’s Sacrificial Love
So I was with my friend yesterday, and she was enthusiastically telling me about her latest craze, Dancing With The Stars, especially a certain Mark Ballas.
Then she asked me if I knew that the contestants had danced to Clay’s “Sacrificial Love”– she saw it on youtube. And, of course, I was puzzled. I didn’t remember his song ever being featured on the show. And sure enough, when I got home, I looked it up, and it’s a montage of video clips from DWTS set to Clay’s song. The video so seamlessly matched that my friend didn’t realise that the song wasn’t used in the actual show. Also, the combination of waltz to song was so effective that it made her love the song.
What a compliment to LoveClaysVoice, the creator of the clip. Check it out:
Clay Aiken to release new CD in 2010
The actual focus of the news is Clay signing with a new record label (Source: Clayonline.com August 10 2009 news), but for me, the exciting part is of course..
NEW CD!!!
The first half of 2010 seems just a bit too far away, though. Why, that could be as long as year. I sure wish he would release a couple of singles in the interim, songs which needn’t necessarily make it onto the next album but which would be released to radio and promoted through TV appearances, and perhaps even a music video? I miss seeing him perform. But I don’t suppose that will be happening. It’s lucky that patience happens to be one of my few virtues.
Clay Aiken singing at David Foster and Friends, 9 May 2009
Every time I hear Clay sing live, I’m wowed all over again. He really should do at least one solo concert this year — bet lots of fans will travel wherever for that.
In the meantime, here’s a video of Clay singing a Peter Cetera medley at this year’s David Foster and Friends concert (uploaded to Youtube by another fan, not me):
Talent is so much more magical when it’s unexpected
So this week, I was reading the message boards, and I came across this:
Susan Boyle – Britain’s Got Talent 2009 (Audition)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKhIkeTkm8s
It’s so lovely when we stumble across something unexpected like this… when magic comes out from someone who looks as ordinary-looking at her. What a doll she is in terms of personality too.
One commentator wrote that it’s kinda like when we saw Clay Aiken on American Idol. And that’s true – it’s something special to see someone succeed when we don’t expect from them.
Clay Aiken – American Idol 2 (Audition)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu0CKMHT1tI
Looking at these performances actually gave me some insight into why I find this year’s American Idol especially unappealing – this year, there’s no unlikely idol in sight. I actually felt relieved this week to see Anoop Desai doing well with Everything I Do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV9fjxjW7OM
It does the heart good to see someone who’s had quite a rough time of it finally get everything together. He looked really comfortable up there, and I thought that his voice was really nice at that key.
And since I’m posting, I guess I might as well mention my thoughts on the other idols this year:
* Adam Lambert is being way over-praised — he’s coming across too theatrical, too practised. Amazing range, though I’m not that into the tone of his voice.
* Ditto for Danny Gokey. He’s good, but as good as the judges make out? I don’t think so.
* Poor Lil and Matt, especially Lil. Trying too hard to please the judges, and twisting themselves in knots as a result.
* Allison Iraheta. I personally don’t enjoy the timbre of her voice that much, but I can see that she’s talented. I’m so glad she’s survived this far.
* Kris Allen. I’m neutral on his voice, it’s nice, not amazing. But he’s there doing his thing week after week, and he seems to be so himself. I’d like to see him find his niche in the recording industry post-Idol.
