Clay Aiken (the runner-up of Season 2 of “American Idol”) chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about his new album “Rewind.”
The 9-track collection marks Aiken’s first album of new original music in nearly two decades and a long-awaited return to the recording studio for the multi-platinum singer.
Led by the title track “Rewind,” written by Colton Avery and Dave Audé and produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Audé, the album introduces a new chapter for Aiken while keeping the unmistakable voice that first connected him with millions of listeners more than two decades ago. Aiken debuted “Rewind” on the American Idol finale in May, returning to the stage where audiences first discovered him.
Song selection approach for the new album
Regarding the song selection for the album, he said, “This time, it wasn’t so much about selecting songs as it was about writing them. The material was written specifically for the album. I knew what I wanted to talk about and what I wanted to communicate, as well as the messages I wanted to get across.”
“So, I sat down with the songwriters, explained my ideas, and they helped bring them to life,” he noted.
“There are plenty more upbeat songs that people can sing at karaoke now,” he enthused.
Personal favorite song on the new album
On his favorite song on the new album, he shared, “That is like having a whole bunch of babies and being asked to choose one. I think ‘Rewind’ was the song that excited me the most and really got the whole process rolling. So, I suppose that’s probably my favorite, but I also like ‘Way Out.’ Honestly, I like them all.”
“I sang ‘Kyrie’ on tour more than 20 years ago, so finally getting to record it is pretty cool. There are a lot of favorites. I also love the message behind ‘Look How Far We’ve Come’,” he noted.
Covering a Cyndi Lauper classic
On the decision to record a cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” Aiken said, “That was actually one of the few songs I didn’t chose. In fact, it was the only one I didn’t pick. The producer, Calvin ‘CL’ Baxter, who was working with me, knew we needed one more cover song. He really loved ‘Time After Time,’ and he had an idea for it. I told him, ‘Okay, go for it. Let’s see what you’ve got,’ and it turned out incredible.”
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Aiken said, “I’m not really part of the digital age yet. I’m still learning as I go! That has been one of the strangest parts of this whole experience. The last time I released an album, I wasn’t using social media at all.”
“Spotify didn’t exist, and I think iTunes may have existed, but you bought songs for 99 cents apiece. Facebook either didn’t exist yet or was only being used by college students. Instagram didn’t exist, either,” he noted.
“All of this is very new to me, so trying to figure it out has been a little scary,” he added.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he revealed, “It would either be ‘Rewind,’ ‘Rebirth,’ or maybe ‘Renaissance.’ My title definitely with ‘re,’ I know that much,” he said with a sweet laugh.
Advice for young and emerging artists
For young and aspiring artists, he said, “You have to be who you are rather than trying to be what you think the industry or the audience wants you to be.”
“People can tell when you are being fake or if you are manufacturing something. Especially now, when everyone is so used to watching YouTube and seeing things that feel real, we can recognize when something is fake or staged,” he elaborated.
“If you try to be someone you are not, people will pick up on it much more quickly,” he noted.
Career-defining moments
On his proudest professional moments, he shared, “I would say ‘American Idol’ was a pretty defining moment. I don’t know of anyone who came off Idol could point to something bigger that defined their career.”
“I suppose Jennifer Hudson winning an Oscar was a huge moment for her, but for the rest of us, Idol put us where we are and gave us the opportunity to pursue our careers. That was probably the biggest defining experience,” he added.
Superpower of choice
On his superpower of choice, he said, “I would love to fly! Have you seen the movie ‘The Green Mile?’ I would love to have the power that character had to take away people’s pain.”
“That is one of the most healing abilities imaginable. I don’t mean just physical pain, but emotional pain, and being able to take all of that away from someone. I would love to have that power, although I wouldn’t want to take on the pain myself,” he said with a sweet laugh.
“I would want to relieve other people’s suffering without having to experience it myself,” he clarified.
Touring in the East Coast
Aiken is looking forward to touring again, especially on the East Coast, to promote his new album. “I haven’t toured on my own in 15 years, so it’s going to be interesting,” he admitted.
“I’m excited, though. Touring is definitely more fun for me than recording, but it has been a while, so I hope I can handle being on the road that much,” he noted.
“It would be nice to get away from home a little,” he said with a sweet laugh.
Lisa Lampanelli
When asked about Lisa Lampanelli, he said, “I worked with Lisa on The Celebrity Apprentice around 2011 or 2012. I absolutely love Lisa! She used to come across as very different onstage because she was known as the roast queen or the ‘Queen of Mean’.”
“In person, though, she couldn’t be further from that. She may be different on stage, but in real life, she is one of the sweetest and smartest people you could ever meet,” he added.
Success
On his definition of the word success, Aiken said, “At my age, success means being happy with yourself, being comfortable in your own skin, and feeling confident in who you are.”
“You can achieve financial success or all kinds of tangible accomplishments, but if you aren’t happy or comfortable with yourself, none of it means much,” he noted.
“On the other hand, you can be dirt-poor, with no financial or career success, and still be happy and comfortable if you genuinely like yourself,” he acknowledged.
Message for his fans
For his fans, Aiken stated, “To anyone who has stayed with me since 2003, through the long break I took, and patiently continued to support me, I consider you my heroes. You are the foundation on which everything I’ve done has been built.”
“Some people stepped away from following music because life moved on. They had children, started families, and focused on other things. To those fans, I say, ‘Come on back!’ My kid is getting ready to leave the house, and I’m back to singing, so come on back,” he enthused.
Closing thoughts on the new album ‘Rewind’
Aiken remarked, “I hope people understand that it isn’t about nostalgia or simply rewinding to a different time. For me, it’s about being brave enough to do something that scares you… something you might not even be sure you can still do.”
He noted that the song “What Comes Next” is about being a little afraid of the future and not knowing what will happen.
Aiken added that “Look How Far We’ve Come” celebrates success and everything you’ve managed to achieve, and that “Way Out” is about hope.
“The album is really about overcoming the things that frighten us a little and learning to look at life differently,” he noted.
“I hope listeners can connect with those ideas. On my first few albums, I didn’t necessarily know what I wanted to say. I simply sang the songs that were given to me,” he elaborated.
“After being away for quite a while, I came back feeling like I had things I wanted to talk about. These songs mean more to me personally, and I hope that comes through to the listeners,” he concluded.
“Rewind” is available on digital service providers by clicking here.
For more information on Clay Aiken and his new music, follow him on Instagram.
Read More: Rave review of Clay Aiken’s “Rewind” album.
