Idol Chatter & Voice Views

His audition: Patrique Fortson, 38, of Atlanta, Ga., performed Oleta Adams’ “Get Here.” His powerful vocal prompted a quick chair turn from Jennifer Hudson. Adam Levine later joined her, saying not to turn would have been “an insult to singing.” Jennifer said when Patrique’s voice opened up, the gates of heaven opened up. Patrique joined Team Jennifer.

His background: He calls himself the Clark Kent of music. He’s a claims adjuster for the insurance industry by day, but spends lots of time thinking about music. After work “I put my cape on and do my thing.” He had a taste of the gospel music industry when he was young. He was signed at age 6 and released an album at age 7. From ages 7 to 10, he was doing well in gospel music, he says. But then his label folded when he was working on his second album and he eventually took a 9-to-5 job to make ends meet.

On picking Jennifer: “I felt like Jennifer would just understand me more. I feel like our journeys are very similar. She’s a music lover of all genres, and I felt like she would get who I am, but would also challenge me as well.”

What the show didn’t show:

* Patrique identifies himself as a singer, songwriter, entertainer, actor, stylist, image consultant and praise and worship leader on his Twitter account.

* This is his second shot at a televised singing competition. Back in 2003, as Patrick Fortson, he made the Top 32 on the second season of American Idol and his performance of “Unbreak My Heart” was televised.

* Simon Cowell savaged his fashion style following that performance, something Paula Abdul found quite amusing. Patrique’s reaction looking back at the epsiode; “I am very confident, so one person’s opinion is not going to shatter me or shake me. I’ve always been a person who’s very comfortable in his skin, how I dress, what I like.”

* Patrique also says he feels more prepared to compete this time around. “The major change with me is that I know who I am as an artist as a 38-year-old versus a 23-year-old,” he said during a conference call with the media. “I know what I want to do. I know what I don’t want to do. And I think that confidence will shine more now.”

* For instance, Patrique says he is no longer strictly a gospel artist and is interested in R&B / soul as well. At the same time, he says, “I would never disrespect how I got my start.”

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