Colton Dixon [photo: Fox]The seventh-place elimination of Colton Dixon was arguably the most shocking cut of "American Idol" Season 11, and perhaps one of the most shocking "Idol" eliminations of all time. But it turns out Colton's unexpected early exit was a blessing in disguise. As he recently told Reality Rocks, he went on an all-out songwriting rampage immediately after leaving the show, penning 11 new tunes in 11 days--and now he will get to perform one of his originals, "Never Gone," on the Idols Live Tour kicking off this Friday in Detroit!
Watch an EXCLUSIVE sneaky-peek preview of "Never Gone" from Colton's tour rehearsal:
It's almost unheard-of for an "Idol" non-winner to get such an opportunity (Pia Toscano, who performed "This Time" on last year's tour, was a rare exception), and Colton is extremely grateful for the chance. "I honestly don't know why I was allowed to do an original song on tour; I'm just so appreciative to have people believe in my music enough to give me this opportunity, and I'm stoked to be able to give my fans a glimpse of what I have been working so hard on in the studio," he says.
The track--which Colton co-wrote with Adam Watts/Andy Dodd (Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, Switchfoot, Jesse McCartney, Miley Cyrus) and Gannin Arnold (Red Decibel Productions), and features Colton on piano and "various keyboard things"--holds true with the singer's well-known Christian beliefs and CCM aspirations. "This song is about how we sometimes we need a reminder for why we do what we do or in this case Who we are living for," he explains. "As a kid, you get scared of the dark and turn the lights on to make sure everything is okay. Same goes for God. I want to make sure that He's there, and He always replies with 'I never left.' This song means a lot, because I've experienced it. I've gone through hard times and I just want to know that God is there."
Colton also credits his faith for the song coming to fruition in the first place. "We were not having a great writing session that day, and we had actually stolen the melody to 'Stop And Stare' by OneRepublic without knowing it, so we had to start over the chorus," he recalls. "We were frustrated, but individually and unaware to one another, we prayed that God would take control and use the situation for His glory. I believe He did."
There's no official word yet on whether Colton has signed a record deal or is in talks with any labels, but this development certainly bodes well for his future...so watch this space for more Colton news. In the meantime, what do you think of "Never Gone"? Are you excited to hear the entire song on tour? Let me know.
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