Clay #5 on Lycos50

Clay is #5 on this week's Lycos50, his 435th week on the list.

Keep those Clay searches coming at Lycos to move him up to #1.

Album Interviews You Tube'd

In case you missed it: Clay's recent interviews about the new album with AOL and MP3.com are up on Clay's YouTube page.

It appears this video is blocked to those of us (including myself) outside the United States.

Clay on Insider Tonight

Clay's interview with The Insider from yesterday's Spamalot event at Planet Hollywood in NYC, will air tonight. The online version of this interview was posted last night and can be viewed at TheInsiderOnline.com.

Clay Interviewed by ET in NYC This Morning: Report

The Clayboard's Dazaccent reports that a crew from Entertainment Tonight interviewed Clay this morning at the trendy Sardis restaurant in New York City:

Just left Sardis with Tangerinee and lsdolly.....and found out that Clay was interviewed there this morning. Seems like the interview wil be featured on ET soon. We should be on the lookout!

No word on when this will air on TV... but it does appear to be part of RCA's push for the new album.

"On My Way Here" Digital Download Coming Soon

"On My Way Here" - the song, that is - will be released soon exclusively to the Amazon Music Download store, according to the CH's Corabeth who received the information from RCA marketing: "The digital single of 'On My Way Here' will be available via Amazon's digital music store exclusively as we go to radio (starting on April 29)."

Call us a little confused, as to why this single would be "exclusive" to Amazon.com, especially when we're hearing that Amazon's competitor, Apple's iTunes music store will offer an "exclusive" bonus track for everyone who pre-orders before May 6.

As always, we'll keep you posted!

RCA Issues New Press Photos

Yep, we're been officially spoiled rotten of Clay the past week. But, hey, that's not a bad thing, as these new RCA press photos prove. THUD.

Tidbits 4/9

Broadway.com - Clay promotes "Spamalot" at the heart of New York City -

Clay Aiken stopped by the Planet Hollywood in Times Square, just around the corner from the Shubert Theatre where he's playing Sir Robin in Spamalot. The American Idol runner-up and pop phenomenon joined the likes of Jack Nicholson and Whitney Houston by preserving his hands for display on the restaurant's wall of fame. The adorable Aiken surprised lunchtime diners who looked on as he plunged hands-first into the cement. And need we mention the throngs of so-called "Claymates" who follow the pop star... oh, everywhere?

• Just Jared - Clay promotes Spamalot at Planet Hollywood in NYC -

  Clay Aiken promotes his starring role in the Tony Award winning Broadway musical Monty Python’s Spamalot with a handprint ceremony at Times Square’s Planet Hollywood on Tuesday in New York City.
  
  Claymates will soon be rejoice — a new CD next month will be released by their almighty Clay.

• The Outlook Online - Choir singer a big fan of Clay Aiken:

  Christine Greenhalgh rolls her eyes in mock disgust when asked how many Clay Aiken tunes are in her iPod.
  
  “All of them,” she answers with a laugh.
  
  The Gresham High School senior’s iPod now also contains the famed American Idol runner-up’s John Hancock, which Christine was able to obtain after meeting him at the stage door to “Spamalot,” the Monty Python musical playing on Broadway.
  
  “He is a really good singer, and I respect that in everybody,” Christine, 18, adds.
  
  However, Aiken only came in second in the 2003 edition of “American Idol,” whereas Christine and her fellow Gresham High Concert Choir members can now claim two firsts from the prestigious Heritage Festival of Music.
  

• TV Fan from Entertainment Weekly - David Archuleta almost a carbon copy of Clay Aiken?

  David Archuleta has no problem with this. Choosing that Robbie Williams song was probably smart, considering it just cemented his status as the ultimate soccer mom fantasy. I think he is so much like Clay Aiken, it's crazy. He'll come out with a Christmas CD this year and 50 year old women will play it R

• Reality Wanted - "Idol 7" - where is the talent?

  The judges keep saying this is the best season of talent but who are they trying to convince, us or themselves? I honestly don’t see it. If that is the case where is this year’s Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, or Jennifer Hudson? Carly definitely has a voice like the three of them, but she just pales in comparison to each of their personas.
  

• Roanoke Times - "Idol Gives Back" airs tonight -

  I keep reading conflicting news items on which of the past participants will grace the stage. Some say Chris Daughtry. Some say Kelly Clarkson. Some say Daughtry and Carrie Underwood. I guess we'll see. Whatever the case, this year's show is said to be "bigger and better" than ever, of course. Is that why we won't see former contestants like Ruben Studdard or Fantasia or Clay Aiken, or what about Justin Guarini? Where's he? I liked him.

• Star Courier - American Idol 7 -

  Part of the magic of “American Idol” was watching someone go from unknown to superstar in front of your eyes. More than half of this year’s top 12 have previously signed deals with major record labels, although all fizzled. This year’s phenom, David Archuleta — picked to be the next Clay Aiken whether he wins or not — even reportedly won “Star Search” when he was 10.
  

• antiMusic needs a new taste in music -

  And with the exception of that William Hung guy, most of these mutants have practically no personality whatsoever. (Clay Aiken…need I say more?) Let's give credit, though: Kelly had a great voice, no argument. Too bad about that movie with the kid sporting the Juan Epstein hair, but I digress…

• Nothing here yet
  

RCA Marketing Email for OMWH

Many of you will have received an email from RCA Marketing today getting the word out about the new album. At the end of an email is a Raleigh phone number - if you call it, you will get a recording of Clay talking about the album. Cool!

LATEST NEWS FROM CLAY AIKEN

Be the first to hear "On My Way Here"

Go to AOL's PopEater.com to catch a glimpse of Clay's new album with the title track "On My Way Here." The album hits stores May 6th and is available for Pre-Order now!



Creating the Album - Webisode:
Now you can catch Clay's new webisode about the creation of "On My Way Here" on MP3.com.



Mobile Sneak Peeks of "On My Way Here"!
Call Clay at 919.883.5111 from your mobile phone to hear exclusives and sneak peeks on his new album!

Tidbits 4/8

Clay is featured in Yahoo! TV's gallery of American Idol's Biggest Transformations.

• Austin 360 - New Clay Aiken CD on the way -

  Claymates everywhere are rejoicing — and rightfully so.
  
  Their hero, the almighty Clay Aiken, will release a new CD next month.
  
  “On My Way Here,” featuring a title track by OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, offers “a little bit of something for everyone, from symphonic-type ballads to upbeat, edgy stuff,” according to an interview in USA Today.

• Curlio.com - Claymates rejoice for new album -

  Claymates around the universe are rejoicing as Clay Aiken has set a release date for his first album full of original material since the release of his debut album in 2003. Technically this is Clay's fourth album, but albums two and three featured Christmas music and cover songs.
  
  "On My Way Here" will hit record stores near you on May 6th. Clay says these songs show a more mature side of himself.
  

• American Idol mentions:
• Associated Content -

  But in the end, the show is about making only one of them the season's American Idol (regardless of which one goes on to greater fame and success, like Chris Daughtry, Jennifer Hudson, and Clay Aiken).

• Reuters -

  Past winners such as Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, and even those who didn't win such as Clay Aiken and Chris Daughtry, have gone on to successful music careers.

• New York Daily News - Leona Lewis, winner of UK's "The X-Factor" releases CD in America -

  Judging by Lewis' full CD, which hits U.S. stores today, "X Factor" makes "A.I." seem downright avant-garde. No "American Idol" winner yet has released an album quite this slick, conservative or derivative. Not even Clay Aiken. It's wall-to-wall characterless ballads penned by the predicable likes of Ryan Tedder, Johnta Austin and Walter Afanasieff.

• ClaySpots - Clay ready to drop new album -

  It's Aiken's first CD of all original material since his debut CD, 'Measure of a Man', which sold 613,000 copies its first week, with total sold of 2.7 million. Aiken's second CD, 'Merry Christmas, with Love', was, at the time, the fastest selling Christmas CD in Soundscan history, selling 1.3 million out of the gate in just 6 weeks.
  

Clay at Time Square Today - UPDATED

Clay hit Time Square in New York City today to promote Spamalot. The Insider accompanied Clay and has video forthcoming of all the action, according to the show's website, TheInsiderOnline.com:

CLAY AIKEN is heading to New York's Times Square this afternoon to promote his hit Broadway show Spamalot with a handprint ceremony at the ever popular Planet Hollywood restaurant -- and the "Insider" is there for all the action! Keep checking back here for the exciting video!

---



Updates! Photos are in! Clay was at Planet Hollywood to add his "mark" on the Planet Hollywood Wall of Fame, and to promote Spamalot. Looking handsome, as always. If you are really observant, you'll notice Clay wore the same shirt back in 2004 during the Independent Tour:


ETOnline.com and The Insider are both running stories on their websites.

• ET:

  At New York's Planet Hollywood today, CLAY AIKEN tells ET about coming to the end of his hit role on Broadway's Spamalot, and whether he would consider auditioning for "Dancing with the Stars"!
  
  "I don't think I could pull it off," he reveals. "The choreography for 'Spamalot' is tough enough for me!"

• Insider:

  FROM NY TODAY: A blonder CLAY AIKEN adds his famous handprint to Planet Hollywood's wall of fame!
  

LALate.com: "Clay's Amazing New Song" is "definate number 1 material"

The reviews are starting to come in of Clay's new single, "On My Way Here". LALate.com's review praises the song:

A very clean, simple, fluid, and beautiful flowing song that seems almost timeless in its melody makes “On My Way Here” definite number 1 material. And that’s irrespective of the fact that it’s so good it doesn’t resemble any other current sound getting airplay currently.

Amen!

"On My Way Here" Impacts Radio April 28

"On My Way Here", the lead single from Clay's new album of the same name, will be officially released to radio on April 28, reports All Access, a music website:

April 28, 2008
impacting songs

Artist - Clay Aiken
Title - On My Way Here
Label - RCA/RMG
Format - AC

Listen to Clay's new song exclusively at AOL Music.

Bubel Aiken Foundation Fan Video Wins Goodsearch Contest

On March 25, Clay's Daily Double ran a story entitled Your YouTube BAF Video Could Raise Funds For The Bubel Aiken Foundation. If you entered a video about your favorite non-profit group and it won, you would win $100 for that non-profit group.

Well, Foxylady at The Clayboard got a notice from Kari McMinn at Goodsearch about a winner who sent in a video about the Bubel Aiken Foundation. Here's what that notice said:

I just wanted to let you know that BAF was featured in the winning video of the GoodSeach video contest! As a result, this video and BAF will be featured on the GoodSearch homepage on 4/11/08 and BAF will receive an additional $100 donation from GoodSearch which will be reflected in the amount raised page.

The winning video was sent in by Yollie950. You can view the video at Goodsearch or watch it below:



What a great video!! Congratulations Yollie!! And congratulations to The Bubel Aiken Foundation for winning $100 to help in the wonderful work that they do for inclusion!!

Exclusive Bonus Pre-Order Track To Be Available on iTunes

Ellenpoppy at The Clayboard has some interesting news that she got from Corabeth at the Clackhouse concerning an I-Tune bonus. Check out this news below:

I'm bringing over Corabeth's post from CH. Her contact at RCA has continued to feed her prompt, RELIABLE information and has asked her to relay this to the rest of us to keep us updated on what we can expect.

From RCA Marketing

In addition to the Amazon (physical) preorder, there will be an exclusive digital preorder on Itunes which will begin on April 21.

This digital version of the album (which will include the standard album and a digital version of the booklet) will include an additional bonus preorder only track.

That song will only be available when the album is purchased during the pre-order period.

No word on what the bonus is, but I'm sure it will be something we will all enjoy!

Clay to Sell OMWH on QVC

Clay will sell his new CD, On My Way Here, in person, and live on primetime TV on April 28 via the QVC shopping channel. QVC's website has Clay scheduled for April 28 between 7 and 8 PM:04/28/2008

07:00 - 08:00 PM
CLAY AIKEN -ON MY WAY HERE/GADGETS & GIZMOS

QVC TV can be viewed on the internet at QVC.com - click on "Watch Live TV" on the left hand side of the page.

MP3.com's OMWH "Webisode": Clay on his recording "family"

MP3.com posted a slightly different version of the AOL Webisode that was released several weeks ago showing the behind the scenes workings that went into producing the new CD, "On My Way Here". Clay talked about how it was nice to have a "family" working with him on the entire CD, eliminating the need to switch producers or musicians for every song, as he did for MOAM, MCWL and ATDW.

View the webisode at MP3.com.

Tidbits 4/7

• AOL PopEater - stars going blond -

  Follicular schizophrenia is nothing new in the music world -- everyone from Miley Cyrus to Clay Aiken have changed their hue at some point.
  

• AM 1150 News - Clay Aiken to release new album -

  Clay Aiken will release his new album, On My Way Here, on May 6th, E! News reports. It will be the former American Idol runner up's first album of entirely original material since 2003's Measure of a Man. Since then, Aiken has issued a Christmas album and 2006's A Thousand Different Ways, a mix of original songs and cover tunes.

• Birmingham Weekly - Spamalot article -

  The Playbill program for the show has an awful lot about Clay Aiken, who is performing the role of the Sir Robin in the New York production of Spamalot. Even if you didn’t care about American Idol, it’s hard for a Birminghamian not to wince when she reads “… he has long since outsold that season’s ‘Idol’ winner, the affable, velvet-voiced Ruben Studdard…” Pah! No doubt Aiken’s mother was a hamster and his father smelt of elderberries. Anyway, the role of the Not-So-Brave knight is played in the touring production by the terrific James Beaman whose, “You Won’t Succeed on Broadway” is one of the highlights of the show, even though the song’s repeated punch line (“You won’t succeed on Broadway if you don’t have any Jews!”) doesn’t get the laughs from a Deep South audience that it surely does in New York.

• Clay was mentioned in an off-Broadway play in NYC, the CB's heartsaiken4ca:

  My friend just returned from New York and said she saw the off-Broadway play, Alter Boys, which she said was hysterical. From what I could gather, there are some guys who are singers, or aspiring singers, and one of them says he wants "to be as good as Clay Aiken", or "like Clay Aiken", or something like that. She said it was a positive mention.image I'm just speculating here, but perhaps it was added to the show after hearing all the buzz about our guy "on" Broadway.

The Clay nation reacts to Clay's new single, "On My Way Here"

• All That Is Clay Aiken -
  

  My opinion - It is very powerful. The arrangement is perfect.
  I love that you can hear Clay's voice above the music. The balance is just that - balanced.
  
  It has an underlying beat that you cannot get out of you head. Some are calling it an "ear worm". I love how it starts out slowly and then builds. Clay puts just the right amount of emotion into this song.
  
  OK - I admit it - I am addicted to this song.
  
  I do believe Clay has a hit on his hands.

• Something That Really Happened - "It sounds great! I love it."
• There Was A Man
• Carolina On My Mind -

  AOL First Listen no doubt has received lots of weekend hits as CA fans make sure all systems are "go" for the Monday premiere of "On My Way Here," the album's lead single.

• Chexxxy's Pearls
  

Here It Is: AOL Debuts "On My Way Here"

Well folks, we've been waiting for this day since September 19, 2006. Clay's new single "On My Way Here" officially debuted today on AOL Music. Listen to it at the AOL PopEater blog.

The new album, titled after this song, will be released on RCA Records/19 Recordings on May 6 - now less than 1 month away!

Tidbits 4/6

• Canyon News - In an article about AI7, specifically about David Cook and David Archuleta, it says:

  Bottom line, both guys have proven themselves enough to have wildly successful stand-alone careers after the show ends, regardless of who wins (the loss didn't hurt Chris Daughtry, Jennifer Hudson or Clay Aiken), and if you ask me to choose between the Davids, I won't. They're both too good to call.

• Birmingham Weekly Mixed Media - The article "On The Boards: Spamalot at the BJCC", says:

  The Playbill program for the show has an awful lot about Clay Aiken, who is performing the role of the Sir Robin in the New York production of Spamalot. Even if you didn’t care about American Idol, it’s hard for a Birminghamian not to wince when she reads “… he has long since outsold that season’s ‘Idol’ winner, the affable, velvet-voiced Ruben Studdard…” Pah! No doubt Aiken’s mother was a hamster and his father smelt of elderberries.

• Posted by clayitonme at The Clayboard - This is a great mention of Clay's success. Bolding is mine:

  loveOMC wrote: Part of a recap from oldmoviegal at CH:
  
  One thing that I wanted to mention in my recap-that-never-was, just because it gave me a little tingle, was this: while I was in New York, I had dinner with an old friend who is a producer at one of the networks (and her partner works on one of the late-night shows that tapes in the Ed Sullivan Theater). She thought it was funny, but in a good way, that I was going to see the same show more than once while I was in town. I defended myself by saying that Clay was soooo cuuute, and by the by, he was getting great reviews for his performance. And she replied, in all seriousness, "Yes, yes, absolutely -- everyone has been talking about it." She didn't say much more, and I didn't press (because we had other stuff to talk about, and at just that moment the waiter brought our veal chops in black truffle sauce) -- but she was very clear on the fact that the media community in New York has noticed Clay's success in Spamalot, and that (as another famous Broadway show would say) attention has been paid.
  
  

  I'm posting this because I wanted to add that the friend who lent me the apartment in NY for my Spamalot stay is well connected in the industry and knows many important people in the community. She also said that the buzz about Clay was very positive! So, this Spamalot gig is going to provide a tremendous boost for Clay's career, and, I daresay, for the kind of critical notices he receives.
  
  Yes, I always do look on the bright side of life. Works for me!

Final Results Are In For Parade's "America's Giving Challenge"

Last year, on December 13, Parade magazine began "America's Giving Challenge", giving people the opportunity to raise funds for their favorite charities. Clay's fans rose to the occasion, hoping to be one of the winners of $50,000 for The Bubel Aiken Foundation by having the most people give. Though we fell short by two places, we still raised a lot of money, including an additional $1000 for being in the top 100 charities.

In Sunday's Parade Magazine, an article entitled "The Joy of Giving" was included about the Challenge, and on Parade's online site, the final confirmed results of are in. The article, on Page 10 is called "The Joy of Giving" and states:

We called, and you answered: 48,000 readers responded to the first America's Giving Challenge. The Challenge generated $1.2 million in online gifts to more than 600 charities, with an average donation of $25. PARADE and the Case Foundation gave an additional $50,000 to the eight charities with the most individual donations, and 100 charities got an extra $1000. Among the winners: a foundation that helps Cambodian children and one that rescues abandoned animals. Stephen Hollister championed another winner - the IDEA League, which advocates for children with Dravet syndrome, a neurological disorder. "We fell blessed that our team effort gave us a way to fight back against this horrible disease," says Hollister, whose daughter has Dravet. To learn about all the winners, go to Parade.com.

Click on the red "100 Participation Award Winners" on the right side of the page online to see the listing of winners that includes BAF. BAF is second on the list of $1000 winners. Unfortunately there is no big artcle about the Giving Challenge online or in the magazine. I tried to contact them to see if there would be a bigger story about this later on, but I keep getting an "error message" that won't let me write to them. I'll let you know if I am able to reach them.

Great work everyone!! We done good for BAF and the children!!