Kris Allen | "Kris Allen" Era | 11.17.09

[realityBITES]

May 22, 2009 19:16:37 GMT -5 XXIX said:

I def want him to go the Jason Mraz route. Not country. He already said no to that anyway.

I agree -- but I do think some of his songs may cross-over to country, which is cool. But he's a pop artist.

[XXIX]

Are there many pop songs that cross over into country? What was the last one?

[realityBITES]

yeah, lol you're right -- only miley's song comes to mind

funny thing is this guy from my country station said the only music he sees for kris would be country -- and i couldn't believe it

[jessluvsnick]

He sounded great w/ Keith. I was like hey he could do country.

[XXIX]

May 22, 2009 19:26:45 GMT -5 realityBITES said:

yeah, lol you're right -- only miley's song comes to mind

funny thing is this guy from my country station said the only music he sees for kris would be country -- and i couldn't believe it

LOL, I wasn't trying to be right. I was just curious if there were any. Like I wouldn't have been surprised if you told me "I'm Yours" got some country airplay.

I just can't see him doing some full on country.

[shaq91]

May 22, 2009 19:25:25 GMT -5 XXIX said:

Are there many pop songs that cross over into country? What was the last one?

before he cheats by carrie did! taylor swift's love story and other songs of hers have!

[folkfan]

Kid Rock has had a couple crossover, Sheryl Crow had at least one, and I think that Colbie Caillat's Bubbly got some country play.

[XXIX]

May 22, 2009 19:42:43 GMT -5 shaq91 said:

May 22, 2009 19:25:25 GMT -5 XXIX said:

Are there many pop songs that cross over into country? What was the last one?

before he cheats by carrie did! taylor swift's love story and other songs of hers have!

Those were country to pop...

Just to remind you all.. Kris will be on Larry King Live tonight @9pm!

[XXIX]

Also, some album called "Brand New Shoes" leaked on jonwire... don't know exactly what it is... I'll listen to it after Larry King..

[discoloser]

It's his EP from before Idol.

[lyrichord]

AI and iTunes need to get with the program and put Kris & Keith's duet up for sale. That was awesome. While I don't think Kris will go country, he should work with some of the Nashville songwriters, they tend to write more meaningful lyrics than the pop songwriters. The usual beat driven, production heavy, lyrically light pop music doesn't seem suited for him.

[ZAYN]

May 22, 2009 20:06:07 GMT -5 XXIX said:

Also, some album called "Brand New Shoes" leaked on jonwire... don't know exactly what it is... I'll listen to it after Larry King..

LOL I've had that for so long now!! My username that used to be "Wastin Time" is a great song from it!

[₫anny Jerz ♔]

Kris Allen Just Wants Respect After Winning 'American Idol'

With speculation already underway about whether "American Idol" winner Kris Allen's future in the music industry will go boom or bust, the singer wants everyone to know that he's defining success on his own terms.

"The only thing I really want to do is just be respected in the music industry," Allen tells Billboard.com. "Whether that means selling albums or winning Grammys or just people liking my music, that's all I really want to do."

Allen may not be selling albums just yet, but he certainly is selling singles. His recording of "Heartless" was at No. 4 on iTunes Top Songs chart Friday afternoon (May 22), and his first single, "No Boundaries," which was co-written by "American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi, tops the list.

Covering Kanye West on the show was an easy decision for the 22-year-old singer. "I was just like, "What if I did this song and made it my own? I'm not gonna ask anybody about it; [I'm going to] be bold and risky.' As for "No Boundaries," Allen says that performance was a bit tougher for both him and Lambert. "That song is hard to sing, and I don't think me or Adam were happy with our performances at all. [But] the track actually sounds really good."

"To have your first single not be something you wrote or were a part of writing is a little weird," adds Allen, who writes his own material and hopes to present it to 19 Entertainment as the recording of his solo debut gets underway. "But you can't complain."

Few "American Idol" contestants have been as quietly consistent and humble as Allen. Upon winning the Season 8 title Wednesday night, he told host Ryan Seacrest, "It feels good, man, but Adam deserves this. I'm sorry." Two days later, the singer's view hadn't changed. "I still feel that way. I feel that Adam deserved it just as much as I did. He was the most consistent person all year; he was seriously one of the most gifted performers I've ever met."

That said, Allen made it clear that he also believed he deserved to win. "I think it could've gone either way, and American couldn't have gotten it wrong."

Among the highlights of his "American Idol" experience, Allen said his performance of "We Are the Champions" with Lambert and Queen ranks the highest. "We went through it twice, I think, and then we just did it. Seriously, it was the best moment of the year for me because it was just like the exhale...and we just had a great time together--I mean how can you not have a great time when you're singing and Brian May is right next to you?"

Though Allen also enjoyed his country duet with Keith Urban, he doesn't plan to go that route on his debut album. "I don't feel like I would go the country way. That's not my type of music, and that's not the feeing that I want in my album...when I went on the show and did 'Ain't No Sunshine,' that's the kind of stuff I want to do. Stuff that moves people."

As for the degree of creative control he'll have over the record, Allen says it's all up in the air for now. "I do write my own music, but I don't know if we'll be able to use any of that stuff on the first CD or not. We'll see."

www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/kris-allen-just-wants-respect-after-winning-1003976211.story

So glad he isn't going the country route since that is not who he is or who he has presented himself to be at all. It would be completely asinine to turn his back on the style that led to his Idol victory. He needs to stick to the obvious John Mayer meets Jason Mraz route.

[I Wish]

Interesting excerpt from one of the articles talking about Kris' future.

Allen and Lambert will then focus on their solo careers, recording new albums that are projected to hit shelves late this year or in early 2010.

www.livedaily.com/news/19178.html

Is that honestly a possibility? I'm really worried about the label rushing out an album that'll be all generic... I mean, I WANT him to get those holiday season sales, but really? At what cost. When do the AI winner & runner up start recording albums anyway? All I know is that they're always released in November... I hope some/most of his material is used for his debut, even though that's HIGHLY unlikely. It's funny to read that he's well aware of the possibility of no say in his debut.

Here's another interesting excerpt from the press call as well:

Looking back on his final performance of what would become his first official single, the Kara DioGuardi-helmed “No Boundaries,” Allen says the song was a tough one to perform. Despite Simon Cowell’s harsh comments about the tune, he says he actually likes what DioGuardi came up with. “The track sounds really good, but, doing the live performances, just doing them acoustically on guitar and piano, it fits me a little bit better,” he says. “To have your first single not be something that you were a part of writing is a little bit weird, but I can’t complain.”

Allen says he’s looking forward to working on his album, and when asked what fans can expect from his debut, the Idol champ says if you watched the show, you already know what to expect.

“For me, I felt like I did exactly what I wanted to do on the show that I would want to do on a record. When I went on the show and did ‘Ain’t No Sunshine,’ I felt like that was the kind of stuff that I wanted to do, stuff that has that feel, that moves people and has that feeling. I know its going to be great.”

For many Idol viewers, Allen was, at the start of the season, an unknown. The program barely focused on him or his story, barely showed any of his audition, barely showed him during Hollywood Week, and by the time he’d made it into the Top 36, and then into the Top 13, many were wondering where he’d come from. He said it was frustrating at first, because he didn’t know why he wasn’t being featured.

“I was shocked,” he said. “I felt like I had done my thing, and a lot of other people were getting shown. But for me, that’s kind of the way I live my life. I’m kind of laid back and low key, and every once in a while, I stick my head out and that’s sort of how I did the competition. And it worked out.”

www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/05/22/kris-allen-still-thinks-adam-lambert-deserved-american-idol-crown/

Poor Kris. lol All that time he must have thought he had no chance.

Current Positions on iTunes Top 300:

1. No Boundaries
2. Heartless
14. Ain't No Sunshine
20. Heartless (Favorite Performances)
40. Ain't No Sunshine (Favorite Performances)
44. Apologize
63. Apologize (Favorite Performances)
67. Falling Slowly
83. What's Going On
92. Falling Slowly (Favorite Performances)
97. To Make You Feel My Love (Favorite Performances)
98. What's Going On (Favorite Performances)
100. Renegade w/Danny Gokey
118. To Make You Feel My Love
162. The Way You Look Tonight (Favorite Performances)
203. Come Together (Favorite Performances)
209. Come Together
226. The Way You Look Tonight
227. She Works Hard For The Money (Favorite Performances)
249. She Works Hard For The Money
280. Remember The Time (Favorite Performances)
283. How Sweet It Is (Favorite Performances)

[XXIX]

May 23, 2009 0:00:40 GMT -5 ZAYN said:

May 22, 2009 20:06:07 GMT -5 XXIX said:

Also, some album called "Brand New Shoes" leaked on jonwire... don't know exactly what it is... I'll listen to it after Larry King..

LOL I've had that for so long now!! My username that used to be "Wastin Time" is a great song from it!

From what I understand the whole thing hadn't been out.. just a few songs here and there.

[XXIX]

May 23, 2009 1:57:09 GMT -5 I Wish said:

Is that honestly a possibility? I'm really worried about the label rushing out an album that'll be all generic... I mean, I WANT him to get those holiday season sales, but really? At what cost. When do the AI winner & runner up start recording albums anyway? All I know is that they're always released in November... I hope some/most of his material is used for his debut, even though that's HIGHLY unlikely. It's funny to read that he's well aware of the possibility of no say in his debut.

The always release albums at the end of the year. What's the big deal?

I don't know if they record during the tour, but I'm sure he starts right after it's done. They probably just give him songs to sing.

[I Wish]

May 23, 2009 2:29:21 GMT -5 XXIX said:

May 23, 2009 1:57:09 GMT -5 I Wish said:

Is that honestly a possibility? I'm really worried about the label rushing out an album that'll be all generic... I mean, I WANT him to get those holiday season sales, but really? At what cost. When do the AI winner & runner up start recording albums anyway? All I know is that they're always released in November... I hope some/most of his material is used for his debut, even though that's HIGHLY unlikely. It's funny to read that he's well aware of the possibility of no say in his debut.

The always release albums at the end of the year. What's the big deal?

I don't know if they record during the tour, but I'm sure he starts right after it's done. They probably just give him songs to sing.

Eh I'm more emotionally invested in Kris than I've EVER been to any other Idol. I'm just hoping he gets a large say in his debut. That's why I asked if it was honestly a possibility that the album COULD be released next year.

[kcchica]

Has anyone listened to his pre Idol album?
It is very good....when you listen to it you can see what kind of artist Kris is, and he definitely stuck to that on Idol. There are some songs that are just great.

I agree with Howard Benson when he mentioned that Kris does have to change it up in some songs....it could become generic or boring.

I hope the label allows him to still be himself on his debut. I think that David Cook's album was a good balance....so I hope that they allow Kris the same.

I love that he wants to just be respected in the industry....I love when the winners or contestants do Idol for the love of music and not the fame.

And that song that Kris/Keith did on Idol was really good, but that is NOT country music. I can't see Kris doing "country" if anything I can see a folk/americana vibe.

From what I understand the whole thing hadn't been out.. just a few songs here and there.

The link I got had 11 songs that I downloaded. Good stuff on there.

[Baby In a New Dress]

^ Where can I get the album?

Anyway, about him going country. It seems like a good/bad idea. On the good side, if he makes it, he'll sell very well. But on the bad side, they may not accept him- didn't Carrie have a really hard time breaking in? And if you listen well, Taylor Swift's material sounds like acoutic pop Jazon Mraz with steely guitar. If Kris just adds some steely guitar.. there ya go!

But it'd rather he'd just stick to what he's doing. He doesn't have to sell like Daughtry. He should just keep doing what he does best. He doesn't really want to be a superstar, and I don't want him to be a superstar either. He's gotten good exposure, and now his music can be introduced to a bigger audience. :)

[desertfloods]

May 23, 2009 2:24:29 GMT -5 XXIX said:

May 23, 2009 0:00:40 GMT -5 ZAYN said:

LOL I've had that for so long now!! My username that used to be "Wastin Time" is a great song from it!

From what I understand the whole thing hadn't been out.. just a few songs here and there.

Nah, it's been out for quite some time. Only one track was missing until recently.

Anyway, that pre-Idol album is awesome. Love the style, hope he sticks to the same style for his debut album :)

Does anyone know if Kris was the one who wrote the songs on Brand New Shoes album?

[Active Aggressive]

I just found his studio version of Falling Slowly. WOW. I had never heard this song before he did it on Idol and I was amazed then. This is even better. Tears.

[Active Aggressive]

Also, I like No Boundaries more than any other Idol finale song. Maybe just because it's Kris singing tho...

[nsfb17]

May 23, 2009 9:17:01 GMT -5 Baby In a New Dress said:

But on the bad side, they may not accept him- didn't Carrie have a really hard time breaking in?

Carrie had no trouble breaking into the country industry. If anything, it was the total opposite. Her first official single there reached #1 easily, as have all of her follow-ups.

[lyrichord]

Acoustic piano + guitar "No Boundaries" on Ellen (mislabeled as "Heartless"):
ellen.warnerbros.com/videos/?autoplay=true&mediaKey=e7cf845e-b5c4-484b-8cbb-ac5ce66b740e

[ZAYN]

^ SPECTACULAR! Everytime he performs it, it's better!!

[XXIX]

Great performance of "No Boundaries" on Ellen.

About his pre-idol album... I like most of it, but the production is very distracting to me. It sounds like his voice is secondary to his guitar.

I think he should take the route from his pre-Idol album and mix in a bit more Pop, which is what he wants to do.

If he releases it in early 2010.. it doesn't mean they gave him more say. It just means they couldn't find the right songs to give him, LOL. He'll probably write while on tour and present it to 19 and see what they say. I think he has great ideas judging from the album, but he needs help when it comes to production and final product. He'll be just fine.

[ZAYN]

I am planning on giving him a notebook of some of my "high-light" songs if I get lucky enough to meet him on the tour...littered with contact info, of course...but this could be big for me, cuz his type is exactly the "main" type I write for.

[Works In Zero Gravity]

I like him.. Wish him all the best.

[britfan]

"Wipe It Away" and "Be My Lady" from the EP before Idol are soo good. I read some interview where he said he wanted to write but he didn't know if they would let him for his first album. I hope they give him artistic freedom. He should sign with Jive.

[blurple]

May 23, 2009 12:42:26 GMT -5 lyrichord said:

Acoustic piano + guitar "No Boundaries" on Ellen (mislabeled as "Heartless"):
ellen.warnerbros.com/videos/?autoplay=true&mediaKey=e7cf845e-b5c4-484b-8cbb-ac5ce66b740e

This was good! It looks like the song is getting better and better. I can actually tolerate it now. It sounds best with just Kris and his guitar.