American Idol ends in an upset, and the benefector, Kris Allen, dishes on winning the title. What is life like now for this newlywed? We found out.
After a whirlwind couple of days, Allen’s exhausted. Yet, he is still full of life. And that life has changed forever — but with a great head on his shoulders and an adoring wife, he’s ahead of the rock-star game.
the idol experience
SheKnows: What was that first Idol audition like?
Kris Allen: The first audition was really scary. I drove there and could not talk. We were waiting for 14 hours. [It seemed like] there was no way I could sing. I was impressed they put me through on that performance. I was really really sick.
SheKnows: Did you notice they didn’t put you on screen much during the Hollywood round? Were you concerned about your American Idol chances?
Kris Allen: I did. I thought, “Wow, they’re not showing me.” It was shock. But, for me, that’s the way I live my life. I’m laid back and low-key — every once and a while, I stick my head out.
SheKnows: Now here you are as champion. What was the biggest thing you’ve learned through the American Idol process?
Kris Allen: The biggest thing I’ve learned is that I’m a procrastinator. And I found that the times that I worked the hardest were the best that I did. The harder you work at the thing you love most, the further you go.
On Kanye’s Heartless
SheKnows: One of your best performances was Heartless. How did the idea of you performing Kanye West arise?
Kris Allen: I was listening to the Kanye album, and the song came across. I thought, ‘What if I did this song as my own?” Bold and risky… I think it got a lot of good reviews. I was really excited that I could do something like that. He put the video of me singing the song on his blog.
SheKnows: During the finale, the performance with Queen was stellar. How much time were you allotted for rehearsal?
Kris Allen: We had met Queen the night before. They were so great. We went through it twice, and we just did it! Seriously, it was the best moment of the year for me. It was the exhale of everything. We had a great time. How can you not have a great time singing when Brian May is next to you?
the Married Idol
SheKnows: As a newlywed, you’ve spent most of your marriage thus far on American Idol. Have you two talked about how much things are going to change?
Kris Allen: That is definitely a topic of conversation, all the time. She’s been out here doing the whole thing going through it. We’ve been getting ourselves ready for anything. Things are going to change, and she’s really cool. Everything’s going to be fine.
SheKnows: When you won, you said that Adam deserved it…
Kris Allen: I still feel that way. Adam deserved it as much as I did. He was the most consistent person all year. He is one of the most gifted performers I’ve ever met. He’s a great guy, and we became great friends. It could have gone either way, and America could not get it wrong.
SheKnows: So, what type of album can we expect from you, as evidenced by one of your American Idol performances?
Kris Allen: I loved singing Ain’t No Sunshine. That’s the kind of stuff I want to do. It moves people — that feeling. I write my own music, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to do that on this first record.
Kris Allen’s music
SheKnows: As a songwriter, is it difficult to have your “first single” as an artist be one that someone else wrote?
Kris Allen: The song is good. Idol has stipulations on what we can do with these songs. To have your first single not be something that you were not a part of writing is a little weird — but it’s a great problem to have. I’ve been writing for six years, though — on and off — and I love writing music. It’s the way I express the way I feel. I’m not a man of many words, but it comes out in my music. That’s who I am. The more you do it, especially when you collaborate with other people, the better you get.
SheKnows: How did you and your wife celebrate? You are American Idol’s first married champ!
Kris Allen: We went to the Idol party — that was a blast. We got to spend some time together. We try to get alone time. That’s going to be very sparse right now.
SheKnows: She has had to drop everything. What is the future for her look like?
Kris Allen: I don’t want her following me around. There are things she’s passionate about, and she’ll start doing those things. I believe in her, just like she believes in me. She’s passionate about acting as well as helping people. She wants to start a foundation.
SheKnows: So, what is your ultimate goal with this priceless American Idol opportunity?
Kris Allen: I just want to be respected in the music industry — that’s all I really want. I’ve been getting ready for this all my life!
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