Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Think back to Hollywood Week on American Idol…

Remember the end of the group performance episode, when the just-ousted Nancy Wilson cussed out a female colleague — in the middle of the Kodak Theatre — in front of the judges and some of the other contestants?

Folks, meet the female colleague, Kristen McNamara.

Kristen, 23, a native of Napa Valley, now a resident of Nashville, entered the Idol competition as a singer-songwriter who had put out three independent CDs and finished sixth on Nashville Star in 2006.

She was eliminated during the Idol semifinals, before we got to hear nearly enough of her singing and before America got familiar with her sense of humor.

You can correct the former by heading to her MySpace page, where Kristen has posted samples of several songs. You can hear more Kristen on YouTube. Many of the songs there pre-date her switch from country to pop music. But be sure to check out the full-length version of “Sweetface” and the ballad, “Blow Away.” Especially the latter. The title’s appropriate; I was blown away.

As for the sense of humor, read on as Kristen chats about her time on Idol, her plans for the future, a squirrel skin good luck charm and that episode.

You can also check out the L.A.U.G.H. MySpace page, which has nothing to do with Kristen’s sense of humor, but rather her attempt to remind others to help the less fortunate. The acronym stands for: Love All Unconditionally, Give Hope.

Now, the interview:

Idol Chatter: What prompted you to switch from country music to more of a pop sound?

Kristen: “After being on Nashville Star, it was just obvious. I didn’t get any offers. I didn’t get any attention really from the music industry after I was on that show, so I decided maybe I’m not supposed to be a country singer. I turned down a few pop deals when I was 15, out of New York, just because I wanted to sing country. As I started writing more and, after Nashville Star, I just realized I was more of a pop musician.”

Question: How would you classify your American Idol experience?

Kristen: “Idol was a very rare — a great experience. And I was very lucky to go as far as I did. It was a fun thing to do, but a lot of people don’t realize it’s been the last eight months of my life, from the first audition to now. There’s nothing like that show. It’s in its own league, for sure.”

Question: Can you remember what your reaction was when you saw the group performance episode?

Kristen: “I think I sat in my beanbag chair so I was closest to the floor, knowing that I might fall onto the floor because I was told by one of the cameramen, ‘Oh, don’t be surprised if you have your own episode.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, great.’ … And that was not the fight in fact, that was the first part of Hollywood. And then a few days later, I had to go back to Hollywood, so I actually watched that crazy show with the entire cast. When that aired, we already knew who was in the top 36. … That was back in November, but this aired in January, I think it was. And I think a lot of people, even in the 36, didn’t realize that happened to me, so I think everybody felt real bad.”

Question: But you had to know what was coming, because Idol had teased it enough in their Hollywood Week promos.

Kristen: “I remember seeing that. And it was like all over everybody’s television, me crying for three seconds. And on live TV three seconds can be a long time when it’s just of your face crying. (laughter) I was a little bummed out that was my first, ‘Hi, America, this is me’ because it came off maybe a little too dramatic. The whole thing was just a wreck. And you know, we picked out our own groups, so I did that to myself.”

Question: And at one point Tatiana (Del Torro) came over to join your group and you nearly embraced her.

Kristen: “Oh, gosh, Tatiana. I didn’t even know who she was. And Tatiana has always been nice to me, but I didn’t realize that she was that dramatic. So Tatiana came into our group, and I opened my arms thinking, ‘Yes, we need a fourth person. That would be great.’ And my group didn’t like me very much for that because, apparently, they knew what I didn’t.”

Question: So, was all that drama for real?

Kristen: “All the drama was very real. If there’s one thing I will say about American Idol, it is that they do not plan their drama. They just don’t. It’s very real, and I think that’s why the show is such a success. It actually was worse than how they portrayed it. There’s kids watching the show. … I mean, they bleeped Nancy out a few times when she was freaking out. It was bad. (laughter) It was real bad.”

Question: Do you think that group performance drama might have affected viewers’ perception of you?

Kristen: “TV can do that. I think that me starting out with dark purple (streaks in her hair) and a black t-shirt (during auditions), that could easily come off like I’m a very dark person, which is a complete opposite. You know, I think when it came to Hollywood, some people, I think the instant reaction was, ‘Oh, my gosh, that poor girl.’ The poor girl, no one knew, could sing. Finally, when they did show me singing ‘Mercy’ in the group thing, I think that was the first time anyone (watching the show) had ever heard me sing at all. And so I was really happy about that. That at least I got to sing in the end of all this.”

Question: They changed the format for the semifinals this year. Do you think that worked to your advantage or disadvantage?

Kristen: “I think that the format was a little nerve-wracking for me because I had Lil Rounds and Scott MacIntyre in my group, and I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, there’s no way I’m going to make it.'” I really wish all of us could have sang as one big group. I think it would have been a little more fun for the cast. From Idol’s perspective, there was so many of us this year, it would have been impossible to get all of us on one stage on one night.”

Question: And the way it was set up this year, you only had one song, about 2 minutes worth of song, to sell yourself to America. What was that like?

Kristen: “I didn’t even know. I’m just so oblivious. Because all I care about is singing. I try not to think about the politics of the show and the craziness with the judges. I just try not to think about that stuff. I just try to focus in on why I’m there, and do the best that I can do and be a professional at it. And, so, with that mindset, I didn’t even realize until right before the show started for all of us that that’s how it was going down this year. Everyone else knew, but I didn’t. And I sat there at dinner one night and I said, ‘Wait a minute. We get one chance to make the top 12?’ And everyone’s like ‘Yeah, Kristen. Hello.’ And I’m like ‘Oh, no, that’s not fair at all.’ (laughter)

“But, you know, everything happens for a reason. I was put in the group I was for a reason. I was allowed to sing for America for the time that I was for a reason, and I believe it with all my heart … you know, maybe it was that I changed my image so much for the show that I kind of stopped being myself. That’s a little hard to keep performing and doing your thing.”

Question: You did change your look quite a bit for the semifinals.

Kristen: “I sure did … The judges, since day one, have continued to kind of harp on my look a little bit. I thought, ‘OK, they’ve been doing this now eight years. And though I’ve been doing it just as long in my world, the American Idol world is totally different, so they probably know what they’re talking about, so I’m going to listen to them.’ And so I toned down my hair. Mom took me shopping and we got some new outfits. My hair went through quite the train wreck to get it back to a normal color, which today, I’m going to the hairdresser … which leads me to the next thing, I think I’m going to put pink back in it. (laughter)

“But I sure did, I changed. I changed a lot. Not deep down inside though. And they kept saying. ‘You don’t know who you are. Who are you?’ And it’s interesting because I sang Leona Lewis in Hollywood. I sang Kelly Clarkson, and I sang Duffy, and through auditions and things that haven’t been aired I sang Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera. And to me, it was obvious what kind of music I wanted to do. It was R&B pop rock.

“When I did ‘Give Me One Reason,’ (in the semifinals), I did that song because I thought, ‘I see myself as more of a Kelly Clarkson but I’m not going to come out and sing a Kelly Clarkson song and sound like a copycat.’ You know, I’m not going to do that. I refuse to do that. So I picked a song that I’ve known for years and I love. A fan made a good point. He said, ‘When Kelly Clarkson was on the show, before there was a Kelly Clarkson, she would have picked the same song.’ That was a compliment to me, because that is my American Idol, Kelly Clarkson. She picked a lot of bluesy stuff when she was on the show. The song was great … it was so much fun. I’m so happy I was able to bow out gracefully, listening to the judges and respecting what they had to say about my image and putting on a show for two minutes that I would hope that a lot of people would pay to see some day.”

Question: And you were facing quite a bit of strong competition in that final semifinal group.

Kristen: “I sure was, not just that night. Just in the top 36. I’m saying this not just because I was in the show, but I really believe that this year had some of the most talented singers I’ve ever heard such as Ricky Braddy and, well, I’m not allowed to talk about contestants who are on the show right now. But some of those people still in the competition are very, very, very close friends of mine, and they’re doing great, and I’m so proud of everybody. It’s like watching your family up there. People forget we’ve all been rooming together in hotels and stuff for the last few months … Even the kids who have been voted off. One of my best friends was Jorge Nunez. He’s got a gift, too. Even Tatiana, bless her heart, as crazy as she might seem on camera, she really does have a good voice.”

Question: So, what do you think you took away from American Idol that will benefit you in the future?

Kristen: “I think that anytime you walk away from a television show, winner or loser, you meet so many different people … People forget that American Idol is kind of three different things. It’s Fox. It’s American Idol. And it’s 19 Entertainment. Those are three huge companies that I’ve met so many people from. You never know when I’ll get a call to do something, or I’ll need a favor from one of them and I’m able to call them up. So I really think you’re walking away with a ton of contacts, a ton of experience.

“And my favorite thing to walk away with was that I got to work with Simon Cowell (laughter). You know, even though he’s not the nicest person, sometimes he’s still my favorite judge, and I’m happy to finally have been able to sing for him because that’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

Question: Did you get any advice from him other than fashion critique, though?

Kristen: “I did. They don’t show everything on camera. Musically, that’s one thing I wish I could have left the show with, a little more critique on my music. You know, my hair changed colors. It was purple (streaked), then it was pink (streaked), then it was blond. I don’t have any tattoos or any piercings. I’m not really a crazy rock chick. But I suppose they wanted a little more of a wholesome looking person so I put my hair back to normal. He said I had a great voice. He at one point (in Holllywood) said he didn’t even care if my hair was green.”

Question: Looking back, what was your favorite Idol moment?

Kristen: “My favorite Idol moment was singing my song and standing next to Ryan Seacrest and, after they asked me, ‘Well, who are you?’ I said, ‘I’m Kristen McNamara.’ I hope that that takes me a long way.

“And then he (Ryan) said, ‘Well who are you on the show?’ And I’m thinking, ‘Is this what character are you or how good of a singer are you?’ And I thought, ‘Well, I’ve always been that girl who wears a huge bow in her hair and stretch pants and a big mismatched t-shirt.’ And that’s the total truth. I’m half of my mom, and I’m half of my dad. My dad’s a huge redneck who likes to fish and hunt. And my mom likes to shop, and she’s a business woman and a bank manager. So I’m really half and half. So what happens is I get all dressed up and wear crazy stuff, and as a kid I’d go climb a tree or go fish in high heels.”

Question: Speaking of which, in a video blog you did for Nashville Star, you showed off a squirrel skin good luck charm. Do you still have it?

Kristen: “I did shoot a squirrel when I was 7. I still have it. (laughter) I don’t really kill animals very often, but my dad was teaching me how to hunt, and the squirrel was eating the pine cones off all of our pine trees and making a huge mess. So he allowed me to shoot that one squirrel.”

Question: So, did you take the good luck charm along on Idol?

Kristen: “I did not bring the squirrel skin because I knew that I if I came to Hollywood with a squirrel skin there was a good chance everyone would turn around and run, and I was a little afraid that I wouldn’t make any friends. Here in Nashville on Nashville Star, it’s a little different. But going to Hollywood, with all the glitz and the glam, I decided to leave the squirrel skin at home.”

Question: Let’s look forward. Your MySpace page lists 19 Entertainment as your label?

Kristen: “Every person in the top 36 is with 19 Entertainment until August. They help us if we want to look for a record deal … Respectfully, I posted it just so everybody knows all of us are really tied up until August.”

Question: So, what will you be doing between now and then?

Kristen: “From here to then, I’m going to write, and I’m actually working with a producer whose name is Mikal Blue, and he produces Colbie Caillat, and he works with Jason Reeves and Kara DioGuardi and Angel Taylor and Hope and a lot of singers.

“He and I were friends and, after he saw me on Idol, I think he was like, ‘Wow, I really want to work with her.’ So we’re writing and working together and then we’re going to shop for a record deal after August. He’s gotten 10 artists record deals in the last five years, including Colbie. So hopefully you know, I can run in there and do my thing. And it’s a really cool atmosphere. He’s really nice and, again, he’s really close to Kara, so I’ll be able to write with some of Kara’s writers and hopefully write some hit songs this summer and convince a label that I’m ready.”

Question: You’ve posted about a half dozen songs on your MySpace page. Are those songs you wrote?

Kristen: “I have written most of them, I think. “Sacred,” I didn’t write. And, obviously, “Give Me One Reason” is up there, and I didn’t write that one. But I’ve been writing since I was 12-years-old.”

Question: One of the songs on MySpace has a heavy dance flavor sort of sound. Is that the sound you’re going to be going after?

Kristen: “I think you’re talking about ‘Sweetface.’ That’s a remix. ‘Sweetface’ is a song people gravitate toward and, you know, I think what I’d really like to do is hit that Leona Lewis market, but with a little more fast, more upbeat songs.

“I’ve got to sit down with Mikal. I’m going back to L.A. in a few weeks, and we’re going to kind of decide and hone in on a sound that fits my writing and my personality and how I’d like to be as an artist. So I think we’re going to go for more of … maybe a little more subdued, not quite as dance sounding. But there’s always room to remix songs. For instance, tomorrow night I’m going to play ‘Sweetface,’ but it will be just me and my guitar. So it just sounds totally different and not as produced.

Question: Is there an artist out there that you’d compare yourself to? Carrie Underwood? Kelly Clarkson? Lady Gaga, maybe?

Kristen: “As an artist, I really think that I’m coming from out of the box and doing something that’s never been done. I love to dance, but I also sit down at the piano and also (with) the guitar and I write a lot of my own stuff and I like to bring it down to real music that’s very marketable to the young crowd as well as anyone of any age. It’s not really been done the exact way that I’d like to do it. I really think that it’s a mixture … kind of like Kelly Clarkson, but not quite as rock. You know, I still have that R&B soul in my voice so I’ve got to find a way to twist that in.”

Question: You’ve been on Nashville Star and on Idol. Do you think you’ll do more television shows?

Kristen: “You know, I’ve done three television shows like that. I’ve done Star Search. I’ve done Nashville Star. And now Idol. I think my mom sprouted like 450 extra gray hairs after this season of Idol and I just don’t think I could put my mom through it again. I think I’m done with reality TV. I really think that … unless, I’m judging, of course. If I was asked to be a judge on a show, I think I could do that.

“I don’t think any more singing competitions are in my future. I went out there. I tried. I tried three different times. I’ve come close enough each time. I’ve grabbed myself a nice fan base. I really think that now it’s time to get into the serious side of the business and kind of just be thankful for the experience and move on.”

Question: One last question about the image. So, let’s say you get that record deal. You appear on album covers. You appear in videos. What Kristen McNamara are we going to see?

Kristen: “Labels have a lot of control over your image, but for me, I really, really believe that you’re probably not going to see an all-blond in a dress, like you saw (on Idol’s semifinals).

“I think I’m definitely going to go with something a little more fun. I haven’t quite decided. I like pink. And I like purple. I think it’s definitely going to be a little more fun, a little more edgy, but not so edgy that I can’t be around all the kids. I have a sister who’s seven years younger than me. She and her friends loved the pink and all that. I think I’m just going to go with something a little more fun.”

Question: I take it you can’t say who you think should win Idol this year?

Kristen: “I can’t say. I definitely know who I would like to win, but I really just think everybody up there is going to be successful. I think whoever the winner is will sell lots of records and, hopefully, want to write with me. (laughter)

Question: So you’re working on music full-time now?

Kristen: “I am. I’m working full time on writing music. I can’t really do a whole lot now while the show is still on. For now, I’m just going to go back and forth to L.A. And even Nick Mitchell, aka Normund Gentle, and I might go out to watch a couple shows or something. And he might wear his outfit, and I just might show up with a polka-dotted dress and some purple hair. You never know.”