Singapore Articles/Interviews with Clay

There are two fantastic articles/interviews with Clay in the Singapore media this weekend.


The first one appeared in yesterday's Singapore Electric New Paper. Thanks for mezzogal at Clay Aiken Singapore for typing it out:

American Idol 2 runner-up Clay Aiken when told he looks better and fitter: Are you saying I was ugly?
By Jeanmarie Tan

After more than a year away from the spotlight, Clay Aiken (left) is back with a new look, new album and, best of all, a new attitude.

The hiatus seems to have blessed the American Idol 2 runner-up with new found levity.

Where once he was bored, uncomfortable and guarded during media interviews, Aiken was all sweetness and light during a chat with The New Paper over the phone yesterday from his hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina.

The 27-year-old balladeer was unnaturally chirpy and gave interesting answers, while compliments on his handsome image were met with uproarious, disbelieving laughter.

When told it’s an extreme makeover from his geeky, scrawny American Idol days, he joked: “Are you try to say I was ugly before?”

According to Aiken, he grew his hair out due to his “laziness”.

“It’s been so long since I’ve done anything different, so I just decided not to cut it and see what happens. Maybe one day, I’ll grow it to my ankles. I’m not very good with style or fashion though, so I just sit back and let a team of highly-trained professionals make me look like this!”

To suggestions that he looks more buff than before, the reluctant heart-throb cracked up uncontrollably.

Did he work out?

“Oh Lord, no! I’m not the gym type. Wait, are you saying I’ve (become) fat? I’m trying to figure out if you calling me fat is a compliment,” he said, highly amused.

“I’m not sure how much I weigh now, but maybe it’s the ‘Freshman 15’ (a slang for the 15 pounds a college student usually piles on in his first year of college).

“So maybe it happened in my first year in this business.”

Aiken unveiled his new image at the American Idol 5 finals – which was made even more dramatic when he went onstage and sang with his impersonator-@#%$-fan Michael Sandecki, a spitting image of Aiken’s dweeby former self who almost went into convulsions upon seeing his idol in the flesh.

Aiken recalled: “It was like facing a time warp mirror. I had not met the young man until I got onstage, and the reaction that came from him…words cannot describe.

“I may have looked calm and cool on the outside, but inside I was like ‘Where’s the exit, how do I get out of here?’

“But it made for good TV, and it was an exciting night for me because I got to return to the show and be part of such a spectacular and funny routine.”

Maybe Aiken’s so cheery nowadays because he’s been on happy pills.

He openly admitted on Larry King’s talk show that he’s battling paralysing panic attacks and is taking anti-anxiety medication.

He said: “My family has never been one that is big on medication, mental help, therapy or counselling. So I was sceptical and hesitant when I started the treatment.

“Now, I’m not always so nervous in public, and I’m losing my hat more often.”

Even though Aiken claims he hasn’t suffered an attack recently, he’s still a “work in progress” because there’s no “miracle cure”.

SEXUALITY QUESTIONED

Not even bringing up the sensitive topic of his oft-speculated sexuality put a dent in Aiken’s aw-shucks armour.

Good Morning America host Diane Sawyer tried to get him to “come out of the closet” on national TV recently.

But he’s past feeling frustrated or annoyed after being dogged by gay rumours for the past three years.

He said: “There are journalists who want to make a name for themselves, who want the bigger story, so I go in always expecting someone to ask something controversial.

“But at least (during the Diane Sawyer interview), I went to a place where I said I’m done. I’m not talking and not addressing this anymore. I’m tired of fighting the fight. My job is to sing and perform and entertain people.”

Sure enough, his legion of loyal fans who call themselves Claymates are lapping up his latest album, A Thousand Different Ways, in which he covers 10 classic love songs and introduces four original tracks.

It has sold over 300,000 copies since its release last month, compared to his 2003 debut album Measure of a Man’s 2.8 million.

Aiken agrees that the public enthusiasm over albums by American Idol alumni have been waning over the years.

“The show continues to maintain its appeal, but after a while the market is saturated with this Idol, that Idol, this Idol. So for the newer Idols, it’s more important to make sure your album is phenomenal.”

But Aiken assured he won’t get another panic attack if A Thousand Different Ways doesn’t match up to the record-breaking sales figures he used to enjoy.

He said: “Everything happened so big and so early for me, that anything that comes after would be disappointing. It’s hard to sell 615,000 in your first week again.

“But I do feel this is like my first album again. We’re selling it with a normal amount of publicity and fanaticism. It’s a true test. But from now, anything I do is successful in my eyes.”

A nice piece also appeared in today's Singapore News Today. An online version is available at their website. Thanks to suz at CAS for the scan.

Aiken's not breakin'

American Idol alumnus takes the media frenzy and gay rumours in his stride
Weekend • November 11, 2006

Juliana June Rasul
plus@newstoday.com.sg

Plucked from suburban North Carolina to become the unexpected darling of middle-aged women who christened themselves Claymates, Clay Aiken's near-overnight success on the American reality TV show American Idol has come with more than its fair share of harsh realities.

When his latest CD, A Thousand Different Ways, was released in September, the media flurry was not only over the album of 80s covers but also over rampant rumours that Aiken is gay.

The 27-year-old singer had to address the issue twice in interviews with top US news figures Diane Sawyer and Larry King.

In the end, Aiken told Today over the phone from Raleigh, North Carolina on Thursday, the attention is part and parcel of having a career in entertainment.

"I've always known that I'd have to handle things, certain things that come with the territory of being in this business," he said.

"I don't necessarily pay attention to it, but I will address it when other people talk to me about it."

Indeed, this pragmatic attitude does lend weight to Idol judge Simon Cowell's claims that Aiken was the most "grown up" of his fellow contestants in 2003.

Then again, Aiken's squeaky-clean image is an anomaly in an entertainment business preoccupied with bad boys and sexpots.

"There's a misconception about the kind of pressure you get once you're in entertainment," he said. "I've never felt pressure to do things that I never wanted to do."

Although Aiken mentioned no names, he acknowledged that people's misconceptions of celebrities have been based on the conduct of "some people who prefer to go with an edgier image".

As for the singer himself, it was clear during the phone conversation that he is sick of the media's unblinking focus on his personal life and was more than happy to talk about A Thousand Different Ways.

Initially meant to feature only a few cover tunes, the record ended up including a selection of classic love songs at the urging of label boss Clive Davis.

"I was a little apprehensive because as a brand new singer, it's risky to pretend you can sing other people's songs," Aiken admitted.

In the end, he and album producer Jaymes Foster were intent on "changing up the tunes and doing something special with each one of them".

"We weren't trying to be competitive or anything, but we did want to do things a little differently," Aiken said.

Most of the songs are reminiscent of the kind of power ballads the singer specialised in during his stint on Idol: Foreigner's I Want To Know What Love Is is given the Aiken treatment, as is Bryan Adams' Everything I Do (I Do It For You), which received the thumbs-up from Adams himself.

"Yeah, I got some email from Adams as well as Diane Warren, who said they enjoyed my take on their songs," Aiken said with a laugh.

"I'm fine with being the guy who sings the songs that everybody likes. Now, that's different."

As pragmatic as Aiken is, he is fully aware that fame in the pop music game is fleeting.

"I don't really know whether I'll be around forever," he said. "I'd be second-guessing myself right now if I thought about it too much, but I know that once I get tired of this, it will be time to stop."

He gamely recounted a recent incident on board a plane when a mother tried to point out Aiken to her four-year-old son.

"He was all: 'I don't know who that is!'" said Aiken with a chuckle.

"He was probably only a year old when I was on American Idol. That's when I realised that soon there'll be all these kids who'll grow up and not know who I am."

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