Clay Keeping His Options Open: WRAL Interview

Clay was interviewed today by Raleigh's WRAL-TV.

Video is now available in our CDD Video-On-Demand video player.

This transcript was transcribed by CDD. You may repost this, but you must give credit to www.cdd.blogspot.com.

WRAL Anchor: Clay Aiken returned home to put on a show for all his Triangle fans.

(rolls footage of Clay singing Merry Christmas With Love at Raleigh concert)

WRAL Anchor: His Joyful Noise holiday tour rocked the RBC Center. Thousands of people packed the arena to hear Raleigh's own American Idol. Before the show, our own Linda Loveland caught up with Clay.

WRAL Linda Loveland: So everyone wants to know what's the status of your move back to Raleigh and your house.

Clay Aiken: That's what I want to know too. Building a house is a lot tougher than you thought it would be. We thought it'd be done by the beginning of January, then the end of January, and now it's being pushed back into February. But it's on the way and it should be the first month or 2.

WRAL LL: Oh, that's exciting!

CA: It is, it is. And I'm thrilled about coming back. I just kind of want that calm. Driving even here today, was nice... I knew where everything was, and people drive a lot better here than they do in LA. So there's a whole sense of emotion and mood that's different.

WRAL LL: But what's the main reason you wanted to come back? What drove you from LA?

CA: Um, I'm not sure if it so much drove me from LA. LA's not necessarily a place I want to base myself. I mean it's a great place to work - I've had friends who have said it's a great place to live, but I wouldn't want to live there. But I didn't really believe them until I really lived there. And you know what, it's not a bad place to live, but if you're going to put down roots, there's no place to do that like home, you know?

WRAL LL: People can't wait for you to come home. Certainly.

CA: Ah, well... my mom, my family are thrilled about it. My mom's helping out with the house and trying to get it done as fast as she can so I can hurry up and get back.

WRAL LL: Well, you've got such a busy schedule, the tour and what not. What's up for next year?

CA: Um, well, we're working on another album, which we hope to have out by May. Um, that's the goal, but like houses, it could be September. Hopefully not. So that's the first project. And again, kind of the same old same old. I'm sure I'll do another trip with UNICEF. I really want to get back to Uganda and continue the work we were doing there. I'd like to find out more about it. And then as far as music goes, after the album, we're trying to explore different options, just to see what's available. I don't want to be doing the same thing over and over.

WRAL LL: And ideas you could give us?

CA: Um, I wish. The kind of whole thing is that I'm going to leave it open. I mean I love doing TV. I kind of enjoyed that. Whether we go with that or not, um, I don't know. Whether we try to do a different type of tour or base a show somewhere, I'm not sure either. Um, but the goal is to try to look at different options instead of doing the same things every artist does and doing something so formulae. I want to do our own thing.

WRAL LL: Kind of broaden your horizons.

CA: Well, I'll try.

WRAL Anchor: Well, Clay is now headed to Florida. He'll spend the next week performing throughout the sunshine state. And I bet his mom is going to do the interior decorating. She's very talented.