Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Remember Idol semifinalist Jackie Tohn, the gal with enough TV and movie credits to merit a page on imdb.com?

Well, head to her Web site and you can purchase an independent album she released just last year. The 12-track CD is called “Beguiling,” and you can check out all the songs free on her site. Just click on the “ear candy” link.

Quirky is a good way to describe her music. Don’t believe me? Check out the video for “Beguiling” at the end of this blog. It features Adam and Eve, guys dancing in loincloths and bikini clad gals playing with hula hoops. Plus Jackie, in fast motion.

Hey, but quirky isn’t necessarily bad. Make sure to check out “Charlotte” and “Natural Disaster” (among the lyrics: “There should be caution tape / around his face”).

On her Web site, Jackie says the album will be available on iTunes soon. “The hard copy is cooler,” she writes. “Has 12 pages of liner notes. Call me old school, but I just like to hold the real thing.”

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Looks like Joanna Pacitti is following up on her Idol notoriety by working on a new album.

Joanna has posted two songs — she calls them “rough demos” — on her MySpace page. She talks about working on a new album in a short vlog on the page. Another vlog features studio footage of the recording of a song called “Storm Before the Calm.”

And on Saturday, she posted a live version of a song called “Nice to Meet You” to a montage of photos that include some from her time on season eight of American Idol.

For those with a short memory, Pacitti is the dark-haired beauty who got booted from Idol after qualifying for the final 36, allegedly because of her close ties to two 19 Entertainment executives.

Joanna also has two upcoming concert dates scheduled in California, including an acoustic show with boyfriend Mark Ballas.

Here’s a link of a review of her first album, “This Crazy Life,” released in August of 2006.
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On a week when season eight made history (judges’ save and all, you know), past Idol contestants were also generating a good bit of news.

The big news of the week is that Jason Casto has signed with Atlantic Records and should have a debut album in stores later this year.

Yes, folks, we’ll be getting new music from Sir Dreadlock, who graced us with memorable moments last season with his versions of “Hallelujah” and “Over the Rainbow.”

According to the press release from Atlantic, since the 2008 Idol summer tour ended, Jason “has been busy writing and woodshedding the new songs that will appear on his new album.”

Among the songwriters he’s working with — none other than Kara DioGuardi, Idol’s new judge.

Jason also has a new Web site. Here’s the link.

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Michael Johns released the first single off his upcoming album Tuesday. The song’s named “Heart on My Sleeve,” and you can hear it on his MySpace page.

Michael performed the song this week on American Idol Extra and told host Jillian Reynolds that he, indeed, wears his heart on his sleeve. “Sometimes that’s the best thing and sometimes it’s the worst thing,” he said. “But at least you’re honest.”

Michael’s first post-Idol album will be out June 23. He said Diane Warren wrote one song for the CD; most of the rest comes straight from Michael.

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The Associated Press reported this week that Idol season three winner Fantasia will be the focus of a VH1 reality show that might hit the air early next year.

Of course, Fantasia isn’t exactly a stranger to cameras or TV work. She starred in “Life is Not a Fairy Tale,” a Lifetime movie about her life. And she has been cast to star in a film version of “The Color Purple” after playing the lead role of Celie on Broadway.

The new show will focus on how she has dealt with post-Idol fame, according to the AP report.

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And, now, the link to the video version of “Beguiling.”