The Idols Live Tour, featuring the top 11 contestants from "American Idol" Season 10, kicks off July 6 at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah, and the Idols have been hard at work in a super-secret Los Angeles bunker getting ready for the big tour.
Among them are one of my favorites from Season 10, the wonderfully quirky Paul McDonald. Reality Rocks recently gained entry to that super-secret bunker, where I got to interview all 11 Idols about their tour plans and beyond, and my chat with Paul was one of the best of the bunch.
Paul was quite forthcoming, explaining that original material, not cover songs, is what's near and dear to his rocker heart (his original tune, "American Dreams," was the one of only few times an Idol's own song was performed on the show). So he said he'll be spending much of his time on the Idol Tour bus working on his own songs, adding to the 15 originals he already has written for his upcoming solo album (which will likely feature playing by his Grand Magnolias bandmates).
Paul also discussed his fight to get original songs on "Idol," "selling his soul" to the show (that was a joke! I think...), and his wacky first unaired audition (he sang a Little Richard novelty song--come on, Fox, release that footage!). He additionally talked glowingly about his fiance, actress Nikki Reed, and even offered a rare peek at his "Nikki" hand tattoo for the Reality Rocks camera.
Check out what Paul had to say below...and listen hard to hear Naima Adedapo singing her own original song in the background:
Coming up next...Stefano Langone!
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