TVSquad Talks To "Idol's" Aaron Kelly on Idol Tour, Album, School, and Being an Uncle

[JamesG]

"American Idol" Contestant Aaron Kelly on Songwriting, Going Country and Becoming an Uncle
by Gabrielle Dunn
posted Jun 21st 2010



Aaron Kelly has certainly been working his tail off since his run on "American Idol" ended.

The 17-year-old high school student has already been writing songs for his upcoming album, which he hopes to release in the ever-lucrative modern country genre. (The male Taylor Swift anyone?)



Kelly, who finished in fifth place this season, spoke to TV Squad about his passion for songwriting, his new baby niece and which other "Idol" contestant he doesn't want to bunk with on tour.

(As an aside: Kelly also called this reporter "ma'am" twice during our conversation, despite an age gap of only five years. What a gentleman ... I think?)






What's your tour set going to look like?

I don't really want to give anything away.

But I will say that it's going to be very modern country-themed, like the style of artist that I see myself. If I were to put out an album, that's the direction I see myself going in. My set's going to really revolve around that.




Can I guess?

[Laughs] You can guess.
It'd probably be best if you guessed some artists. I think that would be best.




I would say Rascal Flatts.

Rascal Flatts -- they're definitely a given. [Laughs]
But around that genre, yes, ma'am. I will say, 'Fast Cars and Freedom' is one of the songs I'm doing.











Going back to the finale, how was it meeting the former "Idol" contestants?

The Idol party was so incredible ... At the finale, when I was standing on stage for Simon's number with all the past Idols, it was, like, blowing my mind. I voted for some of these people up here and it was incredible to be sharing the stage with them. Meeting them was just -- that was incredible to me ...

I got to talk to David Archuleta, which was very cool; a lot of people have been comparing us. It was really cool to get to meet Archie and Brooke [White]. She was just super sweet, and I voted for her in her season.

Just getting to meet all the people I voted for and talk to them was so awesome.




Would you want to collaborate with any of them?

Oh, I would definitely love to collaborate with Brooke. If I understand it, she had mentioned she was a songwriter in her season, but I don't really remember.

I love her as an artist and she was just so sweet -- her personality and everything about her. She was just really nice.











I read on Twitter that you've been writing songs for your album.

I have been, yes, ma'am.

Actually, two of the writers I'm working with are here today; we're having lunch. We're writing some more this morning and we're gonna be writing a little bit more today. We've already got one song completed and we're gonna be working on another one now.



My plan is to get as many songs written as I can so that when it does come time for an album I've got this thing all set and ready. That way, I'm not caught off guard, and that way, I'll already have songs that represent me as an artist, because I felt like songwriting is another perspective of an artist.

It's something that shows you kind of in a different light. It's a different perspective of me that people didn't get to see on the show --- that I write songs -- so it's something new that the audience or the fans watching the show get to learn about me.




What do you typically write about?

We kind of write about everything -- anything and everything. It's just kind of whatever comes to mind, or whatever fits into a good idea, and then we write around that.

It's kind of like the teen love story thing. [Laughs] ...Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift.




Is the plan to put something out as soon as the tour is over?

It's not that. We haven't talked to anybody yet, record label-wise; none of us have had the chance to. But I want to when I do get that opportunity. I want to have everything on the table there -- everything that I have to offer -- so that I'm prepared for everything.


I don't want to be caught off guard by anything. I want to walk in there and know what I want, because, I mean, I definitely know what kind of artist I want to be, so I want to go in there very prepared and say, "All right. This is who I am. This is what I want the fans to see."











Some of the season 8 contestants put out their records and singles independently after they didn't get signed.

Would you consider doing that?

I would definitely do that. Songwriting is also another thing that I could really get into -- doing some songwriting in Nashville and, you know, pitching songs to other artists. There are so many different things that I can do with music.


"Idol" has really given the platform and the chance to get into that quite a bit ... Before, I wouldn't have really been able to do these things, or nobody would really listen, because you're a 17 or 16-year-old kid and people don't really take you seriously.

But now, I have that advantage a little bit. The show's given me that opportunity.









Do you know what future plans for school are?

I'm definitely going to finish, because I'm so close to finishing ... I'm going to finish up and graduate. I'm going to hold off on going to college for a little bit, because I really, really want to focus on music, and then, there's always time to go back to school.


I'm always going to have that opportunity, so I'm going to work on music for awhile. I don't see myself doing anything else; I don't know what I could do if it weren't for music. [Laughs]

I have to figure myself out in that way, too: what I want to go to school for, what I want to do as an occupation almost. [Laughs]











Have you seen the bus?
Do you know what the bunking situation yet?

We haven't seen the bus yet, but I just hope they don't put me under Big Mike [Lynche]. [Laughs]




[Laughs] That would be so dangerous for you!

I'd be sleeping with my eyes open. [Laughs]











I also read on Twitter that you just became an uncle!

I did! ... I mean, I'm not an uncle yet, but they just found out the baby's a girl. I'm really, really excited about being an uncle. I love kids.

I'm very excited, because I can spoil my niece and then I don't have to be the one that has her at the end of the night. I can just send her home to my brother to put up with, because she's so spoiled.

I'm really excited to have a niece of my own. I always tell my brother, "It's about time!"




How old is your brother?

My brother's 24.











Is there a city that you're most excited to visit on tour?

I'm very excited about visiting Hershey, PA. That's really the closest to my hometown, and I know there's so many supporters, because the support for me was so huge back home ... It's amazing that the show has brought them together so much.

And Hershey, there is going to be a lot of supporters there, so I'm excited to get to see some of the hometown supporters. That's probably going to be where the most support is in terms of people I live close to and people I went to school with and all that.




Any plans to throw on a cowboy hat during your set?

Oh, no cowboy hat! [Laughs] No cowboy hat!

I'm definitely always gonna have the boots -- cowboy boots -- and keep it with my country thing. It's going to be very modern country.

http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/06/21/aa...ur-idols-live/