No matter what he accomplishes later in life, season 7 American Idol fourth runner-up Jason Castro will go down in history (and possibly in Trivial Pursuit: The American Idol Edition) as the first semi-finalist to perform with a musical instrument on the show. And that's quite an accomplishment in and of itself. Until season 7, AI contestants were not allowed to play instruments, so the majority of competitors fells squarely into Mariah/Celine/Whitney diva territory. But in season 7, singer-songwriter musician types like Jason Castro, Brooke White, and David Cook changed the Idol game--bringing a new credibility to the show, broadening its fanbase and genre span, and paving the way for the likes of season 8's Kris Allen and Matt Giraud. In many ways, Jason Castro was an Idol pioneer.
So of course Jason took his time finding the right record deal, one that would allow him to be himself and enjoy his creative freedoms. It took a minute, but he eventually signed to major label Atlantic, and the result is his wonderful just-released EP, Love Uncompromised, and one of the best post-Idol debut singles ever, the impossibly adorable "Let's Just Fall In Love Again."
But things are coming together for Jason personally as well as professionally: Only days before his interview with Reality Rocks, he was on his honeymoon in Bahamas with his new wife, Mandy. So he was understandably in great spirits when he came to the Yahoo! office (even performing an impromptu acoustic concert for a field trip of visiting children). And it all couldn't be happening to a nicer fellow.
In part 1 of Jason's interview below, he chats about his wedding and honeymoon, life after Idol, how he and his fellow season 7 Idols were trailblazers for the show, and his new music.