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| Tips to Get the ‘American Idol’ Golden Ticket |
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| Written by Jason Boyd, The Shothorn news editor | ||||
| Tuesday, 23 June 2009 02:26 PM | ||||
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Want to be the next “American Idol,” make millions, fist-pound Randy Jackson, hug Ryan Seacrest or maybe just be on TV? Simon will probably still hate you, but The Shorthorn has some tips to win the judges and producers over. PICKING THE AUDITION SONG(S) Laurie Cosby, a Fort Worth private singing instructor, suggests picking an artist first. Nail down what fits your vocal style. Unless planning to drastically alter a song from an artist, don’t pick a title everybody knows because it makes it easier to tear your version apart. “Don’t pick top 25,” she said. “Pick the third or fourth popular song. Find the little gem.” Don’t try what you can’t do. Focus on strengths not weaknesses. If handicapped by an itty-bitty vocal range don’t pick a power song with four octaves. Like Cosby points out, if you don’t do what you do well, your faults will be obvious. Know the judges. Do the research and learn what tunes irk the judges. As seen in previous seasons, name-dropper Randy Jackson is tough on any singer covering Mariah Carey because he’s tight with her. Simon Cowell will break anyone in two who sings “Unchained Melody” — unless they perfect it. Avoid anything the judges produced, wrote or professed love for, as the most minor mistakes will be amplified. DRINK IT UP It’s important to stay hydrated. A dry throat won’t be good for singers or judges’ ears. But not all liquids are made equal. The safe bet is water. It won’t dry the throat out like some other options, and it’s cheap, if not free. Throat Coat Tea Cosby favors Throat Coat Tea if water doesn’t have enough firepower. Offered by Traditional Medicinals, the tea costs about $5 a box. It’s reputed to form a protective coating on the mucous membrane lining of the throat. Lemonade Lemon and sugar will dry the throat out, so lemonade is a horrible option, Cosby said. Exceptions include being sick with an excess of mucus. Lemon can help break through the gunk. Still, cut out the sugar. When liquid won’t do it. Sometimes no amount of water helps and the throat feels like sandpaper — maybe it’s a cold or allergies. Cosby said Entertainer’s Secret is the most popular spray in the singing world for this problem. At entertainers-secret.com it’s $15 for two bottles. WHAT TO WEAR Singing will take you far, but look where it took Milli Vanilli — looks can work wonders. What you should wear. Be bold with clothing, but not too revealing. It’s a fine line between branding yourself and typecasting yourself. Some have been forgiven for sloppy style, like Clay Aiken, but they shared Aiken’s pipes. Wear something flattering but casual — you’re trying to look young and hip. For men: Last season’s winner Kris Allen wore a flannel button up, which would become his signature with jeans and a beige cap. Understated, very boy-next-door but stylish when combined. Season seven’s winner David Cook wore a flannel sweater vest, dark button-up and black tie. Kind of mellow — but he topped it off with a red-tipped faux-hawk. For women: Carrie Underwood or Kelly Clarkson. Both different styles, both worked. Carrie went with a floppy pink T-shirt with a hint of a bra strap and faded jeans — very country girl with a spark. Clarkson merged classic and modern — black slacks and a top she made herself out of acid-washed jeans — instant hit. What you shouldn’t wear. Season eight’s Bikini Girl aside, most gimmicky selections never get past the judges panel and onto the Hollywood stage. This includes choices like tribal gear, superhero costumes and loud-sequin gowns. All have been tried, all have failed. What you can’t wear. Idol has rules on the matter at www.americanidol.com/auditions. It discourages clothing and items displaying designer, corporate or sports team names, logos, copyrighted images, celebrity names or images (living or dead), cartoon character images or inappropriate messages or words. Contestants might be required to remove such clothing, turn it inside out or cover it. The same goes for tattoos, so cover those that violate the above rules. SPECIFICS When: Today through Friday Where: Cowboys Stadium Cost: Free What to bring: Two forms of ID showing proof of age and photo RULES Age: 16-28 (between June 13, 1980 and June 12, 1993) Guests: Only one allowed inside the venue, and the guest must register with you. Instrument(s): May bring for personal enjoyment, but can’t audition with them. YOUR CHANCES Texans have a larger chance than some might imagine. “Idol” seems to love that southern drawl. Eight out of the last nine winners have been from the South — one of them from Texas. Dallas is the only Texas audition site, and the other sites in the southern U.S. this year — Florida and Georgia — have never turned out a winner. So chances are good for running around crying, holding a golden ticket to Hollywood. CHECKLIST Make sure you’ve checked all these before jumping in the “American Idol” lines this week. • Memorize the lyrics and notes to the perfect song • Check the threads to comply with the rules and wow the judges • Pack plenty of water • Research the route and parking plans, leave early to beat the traffic • Bring a friend — he or she will have to register with you to come to your audition Views: 1277 | E-mail
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| Last Updated ( Monday, 31 August 2009 01:48 PM ) | ||||
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