Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Editor’s Note:  I wish American Idol would give us a scorecard of sorts for Group Night. You know what I mean.  A list of the team names and the members of each team.  It would make it so much easier to follow along with who survives and who doesn’t.  Especially when Idol identifies a couple of members of the team during the telecast and not the rest. 

In an effort to make it a little easier for viewers, I’m providing profiles for four of the most visible teams from last Thursday’s episode.  If the name of the contestant includes a link, that means I’ve written a separate profile of that singer.  You can find all the profiles — more than 90 in all — by going here.

They’re called the Most International Team, but it looks like a civil war might be brewing.

Richie Lawson (he performs as Richie Law)  is a vocal performance major at Nebraska Wesleyan University and decided he should put that know-how to use by directing his group’s performance.

The direction wasn’t entirely welcomed by Heejun Han, who wound up labeling Richie “that crazy cowboy” and predicting something less than perfection when the group takes the stage.

Here are the members of the Most International Team.

Richie Lawson, 19, Centennial, Colo. (Aspen)

Inspired to audition by:  He’s been trying to make a career as a professional musician, and sees Idol as “a great door.”
When was the first time you performed for an audience?:  At age 3, he collected a lot of pennies around the neighborhood because sick kids needed money.
What makes you unique?:  “I have a lower range. I like to think I have my own sound. I write (music).  I like to think I have my own style as a musician.”
Favorite former Idol contestant:  Chris Daughtry, for the way he made songs his own on Idol.
Favorite Idol moment:  Getting the golden ticket.
Why are you the next Idol?:  “I am the next American Idol because I’m an individual musician and, so I’m told, a good singer.”

Heejun Han, 22, New York, N.Y. (Pittsburgh)

Inspired to audition by:  He works at a nonprofit organization for kids with special needs. “I wanted to prove that if you really, really want something, and if you really, really believe it, you can do it.”
When was the first time you performed for an audience?:  At 4 or 5 years old.
What makes you unique?:  Says he can speak fluent Korean, works for a nonprofit and loves it and can fold his tongue in half.
Favorite former Idol contestant:  Haley Reinhart.  “I love her voice.”
Favorite Idol moment:  Haley performing.
Why are you the next Idol?:  “I am a good singer, and very hot at the same time.  So I’m a hot singer.  Isn’t that what you guys are looking for?”

Phillip Phillips, 21, Leesburg, Ga. (Savannah)

Inspired to audition by:  His family and friends.  “I’m glad they did.”
When was the first time you performed for an audience?:  About 3 years ago at a local place I play with family members. “I come from a very musical family.”
What makes you unique?:  “I can take a lot of songs from hip-hop to jazz to blues to old songs, like by Michael Jackson, and make them my own and really show people what I can do with music.”
Favorite former Idol contestant:  Casey Abrams, for bringing “something different to the table” on Idol.
Favorite Idol moment:  Watching the auditions.
Why are you the next Idol?:  “I bring all different styles (of music) and I have my own voice.  I really think you can pick it out from other people.”

Jairon Jackson, 20, Denver, Colo. (Aspen)

Inspired to audition by:  Friends and family. “I actually wasn’t going to audition at all.”
When was the first time you performed for an audience?:  In church at age 6 or 7.  “It was my first solo and I messed up and said ‘oops’ right into the microphone and everyone started laughing.”
What makes you unique?:  His name.
Favorite former Idol contestant:  Fantasia
Favorite Idol moment:  The Season 2 finale between Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken.  He says he honestly didn’t care who won, they were both so talented.
Why are you the next Idol?:  “Because I’m from Denver, Colorado, and you don’t have a lot of artists coming from Colorado.”