Clay Comments About His American Idol Experience in Billboard

Cover courtesy ClayReport.com.

Here's an interesting snip from the January 20 issue of Billboard. Billboard interviewed Clay and asked him to reflect on his AI experience four years later:

Clay Aiken

SEASON/FINISH: 2003, second

CHART HISTORY: The Billboard 200: "A Thousand Different Ways," 2006 (No. 2, 489,000); "Merry Christmas With Love," 2004 (No. 4, 1.4 million); "Measure of a Man," 2003 (No. 1, 2.8 million). The Billboard Hot 100: "This Is the Night," No. 1; "Invisible," No. 37; "Solitaire," No. 4.

I'll clear up a misconception people have. When I watched the show last year, [I've heard it said] I said to myself, "I'd much rather be the second-place winner because the first-place person is tied into the contract and the second-place person can go and shop their own." Well, that's not the case. I signed with RCA—there was a right of first refusal with RCA so I signed with RCA automatically at the end of the show. But there's definitely not a downside to that at all. I'm happy with that. Every person who's been on the show at some point wants to distance themselves a little bit, but no matter what, I came from there. I'm only here because of that show and so I can't help but be appreciative of that. Any time that they want me to come back, I'll be happy to. [Working with Simon Fuller] has turned into a really great relationship. I mean, he's really exactly what anybody would want in a record label head. We auditioned for the show because it looked like fun. I think every year after that, the fourth and fifth [season] especially, you found people who got into the show because they knew something big was going to come out of it. I kind of liked seeing contestants come up out of obscurity. It's lost a little bit of its innocence and so it's not as much fun for me anymore.

... and here's a few more items from Billboard and its array of music industry websites:

• Billboard.com - write up for Clay's new single "A Thousand Days" --

  It's "Idol" release week, eh? The previous single from Clay Aiken's "A Thousand Different Ways," an inexplicable cover of Mariah Carey/Harry Nilsson's "Without You," barely connected at AC radio. Follow-up "A Thousand Days" is an original song that delivers upon the potent interpreter's signature: hand-flinging vocals, a soaring melody and a simple, singable chorus. Aiken's challenge at this point is more a public relations issue. As press reports continue to spread repeated tales of his lack of humility and haughty, diva-like disposition, how much longer before fans retreat and any semblance of radio support fades like a Christmas wreath? —Chuck Taylor

• Billboard.biz - American Idol the "American Way" --

  Clay Aiken has had two albums scan more than a million units: His 2003 RCA debut "Measure of a Man" sold more than 2.8 million units, while his follow-up 2004 holiday album, "Merry Christmas With Love," sold 1.4 million units.=
  

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