Haley Reinhart & Casey Abrams perform The Zombie's "Time of the Season"

Haley Reinhart & Casey Abrams perform The Zombie's "Time of the Season" at Idyllwild Arts #JazzInThePines 2018

Haley Reinhart sings "Can't Help Falling in Love" at Idyllwild Arts

Haley Reinhart sings "Can't Help Falling in Love" at Idyllwild Arts #JazzInThePines 2018.

Haley and Casey Abrams perform their platinum Elvis Presley cover for Casey's alma mater. This year's #JazzInThePines celebrated the institution's 25th year as well as Marshall Hawkins. They also saluted the brave first Responders who fought wild fires perilously close to the school a couple weeks earlier.

 

Sultry, Sassy Haley Reinhart Plots 'Sultry, Bluesy Rock' Future After American Idol

Haley Reinhart is gone from the American Idol world ~ but won't be forgotten any time, soon. "Everybody is such a great big family...and I knew I'd miss them. But then again, I'm gonna see them again today," the ousted singer from Wheeling, Ill., told Idol's weekly conference call with reporters as she, in fact, rode to rehearsals for Idol's finale episodes next week. Being No. 3, after all, means not having to stay on ice too long before you're part of the show again, so Reinhart is, not surprisingly, "at peace with everything" as she contemplates her Idol past and where she'll head from here.

You'd been in the bottom three four times before Thursday. Did you feel it was only a matter of time before you'd be eliminated or were you starting to feel invincible?

Reinhart: I kind of go with option B a little bit more. I don't like to sell myself short, and I believe that taking that all in stride and realizing I've been in (the bottom three) so many times and I'm still around, there's something going on. I've got to step up my game even more week to week, and it pulled off.

Is it fair to say you were angry when the decision was announced?

Not at all, not angry. Of course everybody's gonna be surprised with the verdict, but all in all I accepted it very quickly and took it in, took it all with a grain of salt and said, "Hey, everything happens for a reason. This is a good thing." This happened for a reason, and it only means that I'm going to start my career as a solo artist even sooner.

What did it mean to perform with your parents this week?

My parents have basically just taught me the rules of the stage and everything since I was eight...It's always been a dream of mine to get somewhere, and just as important to me, it would be an honor to have my mom, my dad, to have them with me up there. So I got to go back home and play with their band, and having (her father) on stage and actually getting to give him a couple licks and show America what he could do, that was just so special to me.

In hindsight, would you have done anything differently on Wednesday?

I don't live in regret, really. There's of course gonna be some things, and I do nitpick. I'm a Virgo. Other than that, I don't regret anything. Each step along this way has gotten me to where I am today. Each song and the genres I got to show off in the early stages of everything, I wouldn't trade that for the world. I got to show versatility, and I'm proud to do that.

You covered a lot of territory on the show. What would you like your album to be like?

I have a lot of ideas, even from now into the future, of what I'd like to do. I would love to do an album that's like sultry, Bluesy Rock. I absolutely love Jazz, so if I can slip that in there somewhere or even in the future get more into Jazz...(But) I definitely am loving the sultry, Bluesy Rock feel.

If you could work with some of the folks you met and worked with on the show, who would it be?

Well, Steven Tyler, y'know. I love Classic Rock. Just growing up with Rock 'n' Roll in my life, if I could so something with him that would be fantastic. Otherwise there's plenty of people out there I would love to collaborate with. I adore Corinne Bailey Rae. I adore Esperanza Spalding. Janelle Monae -- those three women, I believe, are very unique and powerful in their own ways. I hope to do something just as cool.

Is there one moment you'd most want people to remember from the show?

I picked Elton John's "Bennie and the Jets" last night because I felt that was a big turning point. I had good performances leading up to that; starting with "You Really Got Me," they started seeing, "Oh, this is what you want to do." With "Bennie and the Jets," I had a whole vision of how I wanted it to pan out. It was my arrangement, how I wanted it to start off jazzy and slower, then rock out by the end of it. I planned that whole thing on the piano and it worked out very well, so I guess I would say that performance.

Did the rumors about you and Casey Abrams dating help or hurt in any way? Was it a distraction?

Y'know, not really, and we didn't really give into them at all. We never said yes or no. We laughed about it. That's probably the better thing to do. Obviously we have a really, really strong relationship - maybe not dating, but just the musicality between us and everything else has been just wonderful. We got so many questions about it. Either way, it's not going to hurt anybody. We had a lot of fun with it. We played the game. It was fun.

What qualities about Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery make them the American Idol?

As far as the viewers of the show, this is perfect for them. We have a very young audience out there, and they're both so darn cute and they've got that Country calling. This is a Country year, and I'm excited to see what happens. I definitely see young America being very captivated by these two.

So go out on a limb and predict who's going to win.

Naaaaah, you know I can't do that. It's a close one, and it's so close 'cause they're in such a close lane together as far as Country guys. So it's anybody's game, man.

Source:billboard.com

American Idol's Haley Reinhart & James Durbin together make up 13 of the Top 25 most popular iTunes singles this year.

"We’re getting down to the wire, so this is about the time when we all start to speculate on how successful our beloved contestants will be when they are done with the show. The first step to achieving success, at least for most, is fairing well in the recording studio.

The great part about Idol is we get a glimpse into what these kids’ recordings will sound like, as each week, the contestants release full-studio versions of their live performances.

So, without further ado, here are American Idol Season 10’s most popular studio recordings on iTunes:

(NOTE: Rankings are based on the number of iTunes song ratings (as well as their star ratings) and the number of file-sharers to account for total popularity)

1. “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals — Haley Reinhart (Top 5)

What an awesome song! Just like her live version, the song starts out a capella and builds from there. She also belts out a few more big notes than in the live version (since she was forced to cut some parts out), and I honestly believe those are the best parts of the studio bit. The Animals’ version is pretty epic, but Haley somehow tops it 46 years later.

2. “Bennie and the Jets” by Elton John — Haley Reinhart (Top 11 Redux)

Haley haters: you should really check out her studio recordings. She growls a lot less! Just so you know: she doesn’t have to growl, she just does it because it adds so much character to her voice. I happen to love the growl, and even though it’s almost non-existent in this version, it’s still extremely catchy. As well as Haley sang this one live, her studio version might even be better. Her vocals are perfect and everything about it sounds really modern. It’s also quicker than Elton John’s.

3. “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele — Haley Reinhart (Top 7)

It sure does bode well for Haley that she can take the #1 song in the country, put her own twist on it, and make it sound at least as good as the original. I liked that there is a lot more variety here than in Adele’s. Her phrasing is gorgeous (she seems to be the best at that), and the liberties she takes with the runs are quite impressive. If the radio has destroyed Adele’s song for you, give this one a go!

4. “The River” by Garth Brooks — Scotty McCreery (Top 13)

This is Scotty’s first studio recording, which explains why it is so high in the rankings. The first time you hear his studio voice, you can’t help but bop your head up and down with the song. Even if you don’t like country music, he has a much deeper, richer tone than any of the current pop-country stars we have today. His lower register is showcased brilliantly in this song.

5. “Uprising” by Muse — James Durbin (Top 7)

James was a bit clumsy with the notes in his live performance of this song, and those screams actually turned screechy. I enjoy a good on-key scream, but it was a bit much. In his studio version, his notes are obviously spot-on, and there is no overcooked scream at the end. Also, his lower register sounds infinitely better in the studio than it does on the stage, which really helped make this one sound superb. He left the song virtually unchanged from the Muse version, but I still like it a lot.

6. “Maybe I’m Amazed” by Paul McCartney and Wings — James Durbin (Top 13)

The lower parts of the song sound really nice, but when he goes into his upper register, his voice sounds strikingly thin for a studio version. This song’s ranking is a bit inflated because of James’ “shock boot”. He sang this one for his swan song, so a lot of people came back and downloaded it.

7. “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” by Carole King/The Shirelles – James Durbin (Top 6)

For the most part, James’ voice sounds excellent in the studio. He has showcased some weaknesses live, such as a thin lower register, wobbly notes, and screechiness, but you should definitely check out his recorded stuff. Since he doesn’t have to belt it out as much in-studio, his voice has a much crisper tone, and his lower register sounds really strong. There’s a lot more substance in his recording voice, which could help him land a good contract. One thing he has to do is lose the excessive screaming in his recordings, as that’s built more for live performances, not for my iPod’s ear buds.

8. “All By Myself” by Eric Carmen/Celine Dion— Pia Toscano (Top 13)

Oh. My. God. This is just unreal. Everyone knows that Pia has an amazing live voice, but she is just as good here. There’s a pureness about it that is so pleasing. Her high notes in this bit are incredible. The power notes are, of course, spectacular, but her soft highs are even more enjoyable. Great build up to the finish. I can see why it cracked the Top 10. Celine Dion has a new rival.

9. “Can I Trust You With My Heart” by Travis Tritt — Scotty McCreery (Top 12)

Meh. This one puts me to sleep. It feels like he is singing the same three notes over and over again. That’s the thing about Scotty – he has such a limited range. The first couple of times you hear him, he sounds outstanding, but that fondness wears out rather quickly. How else do you explain that after his FIRST TWO studio recordings, none of his songs appear on this list until #24? And that #24 song is “Gone” – way out of the box for Scotty. Even though he can stay in his comfort zone right now without risk of penalty, he can’t do that if he wants to be a post-Idol success. He needs to keep things fresh; hopefully he realizes that.

10. “Blue” written for Patsy Cline; by LeAnn Rimes — Haley Reinhart (Top 13)

This is going to fluster the Scotty/Lauren fans, but some may argue that Haley Reinhart owns the best Country performance on the American Idol stage this year, with this LeAnn Rimes song. The recorded version isn’t quite as strong as her live performance, but it’s still great. Some people don’t appreciate the yodel, but it’s very difficult to do. You’re moving in and out of falsetto with each note, so making smooth transitions and staying on pitch can be a nightmare. But this was done perfectly. Believe it or not, this is the first recorded song I downloaded this season, and apparently I wasn’t the only one.

11. “With a Little Help From My Friends” by The Beatles — Casey Abrams (Top 13)

12. “Your Song” by Elton John; in the movie Moulin Rouge — Casey Abrams (Top 11 Redux)

13. “I (Who Have Nothing)” by Ben E. King/Tom Jones/Shirley Bassey — Haley Reinhart (Top 4)

14. “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” by The Beatles — James Durbin (Top 9)

15. “I’ll Be There For You” by Bon Jovi — James Durbin (Top 12)

16. “River Deep, Mountain High” by Ike and Tina Turner — Pia Toscano (Top 9)

17. “Living For the City” by Stevie Wonder — James Durbin (Top 11)

18. “Harder to Breathe” by Maroon 5 — Casey Abrams (Top 7)

19. “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus — Lauren Alaina (Top 8

20. “Come Pick Me Up” by Ryan Adams — Paul McDonald (Top 13)

21. “Piece of My Heart” by Janis Joplin — Haley Reinhart (Top 9)

22. “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” by Creedence Clearwater Revival — Casey Abrams (Top 9)

23. “You and I” by Lady Gaga — Haley Reinhart (Top 5)

24. “Gone” by Montgomery Gentry — Scotty McCreery (Top 5)

25. “Candle in the Wind” by Elton John — Lauren Alaina (Top 11 Redux)

source:idolheaded