I was thinking Jason Castro!

We saw in him, what others are beginning to see now. What irritates me is how many people are 'turned off' about him because of his dreads. Personally, to me, that was a big draw, and of course his voice, eyes, voice, charisma.........heck the whole package. I saw star potential from the start. He is being very smart. Abrahammy, you nailed all the reasons.

That is such a great picture Abrahammy!

I am not a fan of dreads, but I sure the heck wouldn't be "turned off" by a singer/performer just because of them My 17 year old is a huge Marley fan and now I have to look at dreads on his t-shirts and posters

A really good vid of JC talking to the crowd before singing Daydream. He is so comfortable up on that stage and singing this song.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=36uxay9Qetw

He takes adorable to a whole new level!

I was at that Tacoma show down in the front and, yes, he is adorable. He has a very nice tone which is even more evident in person and I think he is a whole lot better now than he was on the show. I'm sure not worrying about being judged makes a BIG difference in the performance.

In fact, I thought all the idols were so much better than they were on the show and I enjoyed all of them. DC's backbend was a surprise and he does deserve the title. I think Carly and David A. are the two best vocally and, like Jason, sounded great in a live performance. I am a Coldplay fan and I think Brooke did a fantastic rendition of "Yellow." It was beautifully sung and it was wonderful to see her enjoying performing for an arena full of appreciative fans. MJ is even better looking in person and it's obvious that he loves the rock genre.

I think this is one of the better AI tour shows. There were only two choreographed group numbers which was fine with me, as it reduces the cheese factor that seems to be part of the format of these tours. This belongs in the AI thread, but since I started commenting on Jason, it transitioned into talking about the whole show.

Thanks for sharing your review Janice!

Yes, the back bend is amazing! Too bad he hurt his knee doing it

Yes, DC so deserved the win and I also think this is the best top 10 ever!

Janice, of COURSE they're all better when they don't have the three manipulators sitting in front of them! I mean, if you need any proof that it affect their performances, just look at how much better their sing-out is as compared to just the night before. Jason would be the most notably more relaxed since he had it worse than any other AI contestant ever.

I'm glad to hear he's doing really well and that more people will get to hear and see him perform in a real setting and realizing he can sing and perform when people aren't telling him his performance is shit before he performs.

ETA:

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MJ is even better looking in person and it's obvious that he loves the rock genre.

GE - why the shocked face? Because MJ prefers rock or because he is even better looking in person? It would be a shock if he was even better looking in person because DAMN he is fine enough on TV!!!!!!

Are you kidding? You have to ask? It's definitely that the man is even finer in person!

I think the whole Top 10 this year is a good looking group. It's a good thing we are supposed to stare at them while they are on the stage! Seeing them smiling and enjoying performing makes them even more fun to watch.

I just saw Jasonnnnnnnn's newest Tuesday Date Night! The kid is just so totally adorable and charming it isn't funny! He really needs to be on TV in some capacity.

Totally. MTV. The Making of "Someday" (his album.) The camera follows him around as he works on the songs, records them, plays a live gig. With special guest appearances from his adorable kid sister. The reality show airs in the fall, the record is the result, cross-advertising, he's a star. Move over Cheyanne, it's all about your ex-boyfriend now.

As for Jason singing better now than he ever did on the show... Janice, what I am about to say is not really directed at you, but it hit a nerve rubbed raw by the behavior of others.

Jason's last three weeks on the show were pretty crappy. First he was sick, then he was pretty severely abused, and then he kinda collapsed. His first NINE weeks on the show were GREAT. Rickey has THREE of Jason's performances in his Top Ten for the year, and he's an Archie fan. Jason has at least two entries in any reputable top ten list. He WON Ken Barnes' wrap-up.

I get very frustrated because for awhile there it appeared that as soon as he sang "Memory" the judges, the press, and the general audience completely lost theirs, and they assumed that Memory is the defining moment for assessing his talent, his potential, and his overall quality as a contestant. I read one comment from an idiot who decreed that he has no chance in the music world because he's got a really limited "Marley Mon genre." Because his Bob Marley performance of I Shot the Sheriff is a really good measuring stick for his season as a whole.

This kid sang the hell out of Hallelujah. He just knocked walls down with Daydream, and he sent us all Over the Rainbow. I don't think he's singing remarkably better than he did during the show. I think he's singing the way he did before they started screwing with him. I think that guy on tour right now - that's Jason. That's the guy I voted for, and voted for and voted for, even when he was sick and singing poorly.

That's ABSOLUTELY the guy I saw at the Homecoming.

Abrahammy, I know that Jason was sick during the show and what the judges comments were, and other idols were also subjected to harsh comments that I didn't agree with. I watched the show and downloaded the recorded versions of songs, including Jason's, which I thought sounded better than the performances on the show for a number of reasons. IMO the format of the show does not really showcase the contestants talents to the best of their abilities. Being forced to sing in genres that do not fit their voices and styles is only one of the issues. The inconsistencies, biases and behavior of the judges and producers can make one's eyes roll out onto the floor, but none of these are new issues. This is partly why I like seeing them on the tour. That is when the audience gets an inkling of how they will look and sound when they are out on their own.

I stand by my opinion that I think they all sounded better in person, and not having to worry about being judged in front of many, many millions makes a difference. I try not to write any of them off during the show or be too critical about their performances on AI because having been to all but the first tour, I can see that many of them have more talent than they display on the show.

I don't get upset by the negative comments by those who judge solely on the 1 minute 30 seconds, because if any of the contestants catch the ears and eyes of someone who can actually mentor them, they are on their way to start their journey. The exposure they get on the show is, I guess, worth the risk to them of being criticized in front of and by a TV audience. I would not have guessed that Kellie P. would be signed, but, hey, she has a gold record and tours with CMT award winning country artists. Having the talent doesn't mean they will succeed in making a career in the very fickle music business, but I enjoy seeing dreams coming true for those who are fortunate to realize them.

I hope for success for David A., Carly, MJ and Brooke as well as DC and Jason. They are all deserving, IMO.

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IMO the format of the show does not really showcase the contestants talents to the best of their abilities. Being forced to sing in genres that do not fit their voices and styles is only one of the issues. The inconsistencies, biases and behavior of the judges and producers can make one's eyes roll out onto the floor, but none of these are new issues.

Absolutely the truth. There is one thing about American Idol that I didn't quite come to grips with for a long time. I knew they didn't always grade objectively, but now I understand that they really want some of the legitimate contestants to fail. They get off on humiliating people - not just the trainwrecks, but the good ones. For a long time I thought music and singing was the point, and every once in a while a bad singer gets embarrassed. Now I get that embarrassment and humiliation is really the point, and every once in a while you get some very good performances.

One of the reasons why they make people sing out of their comfort zone is they want a Memory situation where they can force a round peg to look really stupid in a square hole and then start insulting him.

I can't watch it anymore, knowing that. Knowing that, if they don't have a Sanjaya, they will manufacture one out of somebody not only talented, but mad talented. I think the best I can do is lurk here, and if you all mention that so and so performance was really good, I'll go watch it on Youtube without the judges comments. All I ever wanted to do was watch kids sing.

I so agree with both of you. I went into this season thinking it would be all about MJ and DC...............Jason completely blew me away and stole my heart. That's different for me, I generally like Rock music, but really all music, with some exceptions! I got all of the studio recordings and everytime I listen to "Memory" I wonder what does ALW think now, after hearing this recording? Was he also 'in' with degrading a beautiful singer and person? It makes me sick to personally know people who believe all the crap they heard on the show and all the degrading rumors that were said about Jason, and to judge him just as harshly as the judges. I've heard, "Oh him, yeah, but I just can't get by the hair!" WTF??? Or comments about him being a stoner, these rumors do stick and form narrow minded peoples opinions. I don't want to take anything away from any of the top finalists, they all are good singers.

Jason is very smart, he is staying in touch with his fans and treating them with respect. Abrahammy, this tv show........great idea! I'd be glued to the set!!!

Simon actually makes me sick with his drooling sadism. I do not think he is funny or charming. I remember being absolutely horrified the year (maybe it was the Carrie year?) Simon said to a cute female singer in the most disgusting lecherous tone that he would like to be the microphone in her hand. She was shocked. I was shocked and offended. Nobody ever did anything to him because of it.

I enjoyed this past season so much more by not watching it most of the time. I did enjoy keeping up by listening on rickey.org.

I am delighted that Jason is finding his own way. I suspect he won't be hanging around with Simon. Like, ever.

Frazzle, I think I will use your strategy. I don't want to be left behind on the conversation here, but I really have finally completely had it.

I love this article and thought I'd share for those that might not have seen it.

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Jason Castro's Homecoming

by Pamela Gwyn Kripke

HALL OF FAME: “Celebrity offers a little bit of power. What you do with that is
up to you.”
photography by Dave Shafer


He is not very good at the waving part. “Stand here by the edge,” the boat man tells him. “They want to see you.” Jason Castro leaves the helm of the 40-foot catamaran and strides to the railing, his boots secure on the wobbly craft. On this day in late May, 12,000 people are waiting for him in Rockwall’s harbor, screaming and cheering and professing their love for him.

“Wave, Jace,” the man suggests.

“Okay,” he says, lifting an arm.

Fame feels funny to Castro, the 21-year-old whose distinct acoustic sound and unassuming charm propelled him to fourth place on this past season’s American Idol. For five months, he kept his auditioning a secret from his buddies at Texas A&M, where he performed occasionally around campus or, more often, in his dorm room. Now he is piloting large boats across lakes to receive people who are wearing t-shirts with his face printed on them.

“Is this weird?” he is asked, on land, of the frenzy surrounding both the national recognition and his return home. “You’re on shirts.”

“Yes,” he says, seeming relieved, almost, to tell. “I don’t like the whole idea. You can lose your person, you can become like a monkey. For me”—he continues, intently, despite the hover of assorted helpers—“it is the music. In order to do the music, you have to do this. Once the music stops, this is no good.”

While it is going—and the hope is it will go for a long while—complete consciousness of what accompanies the art is essential for Castro. “You have to know that celebrity is flattering, but you need to know who you are and realize that you’ve been given a chance to see life in a way that many people haven’t,” he says.

On the banks of the harbor, an undulating mass of humanity—more than a third of the city’s population—begins to form in the mid-afternoon heat, four hours before Castro is due to cruise into shore and sing a few songs. Supporters who share his taste in hairstyle, self-declared Dreadheads, roll into town from across the state in two school buses, spilling out of the windows like dolls from a toy chest. A bulldog sports a cap, outfitted with fake locks, and poses for pictures. Several ralliers traveled from as far as Albuquerque, Boston, and Chicago. A congressman presents an American flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., and cheerleaders, so many cheerleaders, from local high schools, middle schools, preschools, maybe, if we could have snooped in the strollers, attach to the moment with gusto and adulation never seen on a Friday night field. “Will you marry me?” a sign reads. “We love you!” a voice squeals.

Just what does one open with the keys to the city?

Castro was born in the United States to Colombian parents, the eldest of three children. His father owns a pool design and construction company. His mom, Betsy, clearly the bearer of the charisma gene, keeps close watch, though you might not realize. “I’m the mother of this child,” she introduces herself, a splashy print blouse catching the wind. “I put this top on to cover up my arms,” she laughs. “I got it at Wal-Mart.”

This lack of pretense, combined with an engaging personal style, would seem to serve the stage, a place that Castro came to know in his teens. He took drum lessons, and through high school, performed in a popular local band, Keeping Lions. During freshman year, he came home from A&M to practice and play gigs on weekends. But the travel became exhausting, and his grades slipped. He had entered college on a full academic scholarship, working toward a BS in petroleum engineering.

“I was wasting my opportunity at school, and I felt I needed to please my parents,” he says. He quit the band. His drums were sent back to North Texas. “I was miserable. I declared myself a music minor, and failed Theory 1. I don’t know how it happened, but I started to sing, just three years ago. I taught myself the guitar. I’d go to the park across the street, where no one could hear me, and the sound just came out. After a while, I started to get better, and by summer, I was okay with myself.”

Okay enough to be one of 100,000 singers hoping for notice they wouldn’t have in a park across the street, or a corner bar or living room. “Jason sang in my house a couple of times,” says his friend Philip Venegas, a civil engineering major and fellow member of the Aggie Men’s Club, a Christian campus service organization. “I think he’s still thrown by something like this, but he is so grounded. What you see is who he is.”

On the show, Castro was not the typical contender, seeming to avoid the game of the thing, the strategy, the ploys to win votes. He was a sort of anti-Idol, playing up nothing, saying he didn’t talk much, smiling instead of crying. Just a guy with a guitar, some cool tunes to let loose, and not a chance he’d make that silly telephone pantomime with his hand. Unaffected by the pressure of the race, he didn’t seem to need to win; being there was enough. And that is what we, the real live regular people who don’t sing on TV shows, liked. A lot.

His voice has been described as smooth and airy, unusual, creative. He takes risks with inflection, and for that, his sound is recognizable. He has an endearing tone, a peaceful quality to his music, much of which he writes. He doesn’t belt out applause-snagging high notes, though some critics say he could stretch his vocal range. He doesn’t choreograph steps to match his lyrics, or seem too committed to performance, or showmanship. He says he is influenced by the raspy folk singer Ray LaMontagne. The Los Angeles Times called him a “genuine find.” He calls the attention “strange, but an honor, almost undeserved.”

Almost. “I began seeing a vision in my mind, and I grew more and more confident,” he says.

In a back hallway at a reception after the concert, Castro is happy to take a walk. The crowds have been imposing, and he is home for just a couple weeks before returning to Los Angeles for summer tour rehearsals. Unlike the carefree and sometimes daffy demeanor caught on television, Castro’s live presence is decidedly reflective, and certainly smart. Right now, despite the glitter—and mania—of new fame, he is thinking more heady thoughts about how to reconcile it, manage it, and give it a purpose.

“I have a conflict with a lot of the lifestyle of the music business. But I know that you can do it your own way. Celebrity offers a little bit of power,” he says, slowing his step. “And with that power comes responsibility. What you do with that is up to you. I hope I can use that power for good.”
We reach a huge empty room at the end of the hall, where photographers and other reporters are set up by a picture window, lenses angled and ready. There is one chair waiting, like a target. Castro hesitates to sit.

“Look at the sun,” he says, pointing west. “It’s setting.”

No one else looks.

“Fame is fake,” he said earlier. “It is not what it appears to be. You can be very much alone, so you really have to know that you are okay, wherever you go.”

Magnificent article. Some really thoughtful, well-considered quotes. Not too bad for a stoner who is as dumb as a box of rocks, huh?

I hope they eat those words.

Anyway, I came to leave some beautiful pics.

Wonderful article! In some ways he reminds me of Clay. His feelings about fame and wanting to do good with his celebrity. He seems to be a really great young man. I hope great things happen for him!

Jason is recording a full-length version of Hallelujah for a Mexican film called Tierra de Tigres.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080724/ENT04/80725008/1039

That's cool! That is a nice little write-up about several of them.

Tonight's date night is so adorable!! This kid is just so damn charming!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ERiGYePmYA

OMG..................I am so in love with this charming beautiful young man. Can anyone be any more adorable?