Oakland Tribune/InsideBayArea.com Interview

Clay was interviewed by InsideBayArea.com, the online sister of the Oakland Tribune today.

10 minutes on the phone with Clay Aiken
By Leslie Katz, STAFF WRITER

POP SINGER Clay Aiken brings his second "Joyful Noise" tour to Oakland's Paramount Theatre next week. Rehearsing last month in Southern California, the busy Aiken took a 10-minute break for a phone interview.
Q. We hear your new holiday show has theatrical vignettes. Tell us about them.

A. Last year's holiday show was my favorite of the year, and I was thinking, "What else could I do?" In my pajamas, sitting at my computer one day, I had this fancy idea to add theatical elements to the show. My old high school chorus teacher plays a role. But the teacher from my senior year isn't in the show. (He got cut from chorus senior year.)


Editor's note: Each show on Aiken's tour features local thespians. He'll be joined in Oakland by performers -- many from the Tri-Valley area -- who appear with the Pleasanton Playhouse. See above photo.


Q. Where's home? We hear you might be leaving Hollywood.

A. Home's on the bus. I'll be moving back to Raleigh, N.C., to re-establish myself. I sold where I was living in L.A.


Q. Are you working on any new material?

A. We've been working on quite a bit, slipping in what we can slip in (with the busy tour schedule). There was so little time to do the last CD. I've been able to collect a lot of stuff, and now we're looking at the problem of what kind of new album to put out -- it could be Mexican folk songs.


Q. Last year around this time, you had a Top Ten recording, book and concert tour. Was that the first time that happened for any artist?

A. Um, sure. The book was therapeutic, an opportunity for me to reflect, sit down and slow down after such a full year.


Q. Who does your clothes?

A. Who "does" my clothes? I have people who help. I never knew anything about clothes in Raleigh. I went to Structure and I bought myself an outfit I thought was nice -- that was the "before" picture. (The "American Idol" runner-up does say he likes designer Paul Smith and thanks us for complimenting him on the remarkable half-jacket/half T-shirt he wore when he performed in concert with Kelly Clarkson in San Jose.) I'm not known for my fashion sense.


Q. Do you have a dog?

A. Yes, she's a border terrier (named Raleigh) who travels with me on tour.


Q. What are you looking forward to?

A. I know I sound like I'm just trying to publicize my Christmas tour, but it really is an amazing way to culminate the year for me. (Christmas is) a month and half away and I'm already in the mood.


Q. Do you have free time? What do you do?

A. I don't have any free time.