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Interview With Booke White From American Idol 7

Posted on 05/02/2008 by RealityWanted in American Idol and Cast Interviews

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Q:  One of the interesting things about the show is the differences in experience.  Before you started the show, what was your experience as far as performing live in front of an audience?

 

A:   At the same time I was being a nanny I was doing my best to do the singer / songwriter thing.  I did do an independent album and performed around L.A. for a couple years and tried to get some of that experience under my belt.   But that was pretty much it.  I was going out and doing it the hard way.

 

Q:   What kind of places were you doing it - were you basically sitting at a piano?

 

A:   Yes. My very first gig was at Molly Malone’s and I was on a little Rhodes piano, just me and the Rhodes.  Then for about a year I would do a couple of shows at the Roxy.  Then I went to Arizona and did a few little hometown shows.  But it was mainly clubs around L.A.

 

Q:  I wanted to ask you about the journey and the difficulty of maneuvering the show and dealing with nerves and pressure because a few times it really did get to you.  How did you push through with having to do the show every week?

 

A:   I don’t know if you really have a choice. I think there has been something within me when I thought I wasn’t able to keep going and you totally feel like you’re sinking and then it’s like o.k. - swim.  You’ve got to.  You realize you’re here and you have to make the best of it. The pressure is so incredibly difficult but I was here to do my absolute best and be as true to myself as possible and I can say in my heart, even with the challenges that I faced, I think I was able to do that. 

 

Q:   What did you think was your strongest performance in your personal opinion?

 

A:   Totally, absolutely Let It Be.

 

Q:   I have one funny question.  Your husband pledged not to cut his hair until you were off the show.  When is he planning on cutting his hair and are you going to do it?

 

A:   (Brooke asks her husband “Dave, when are you planning on cutting your hair?”)   He just said “Whenever you get around to it.”   So I’ll be the one cutting it but I’m not sure when that’s going to happen.  We’ll have to pencil it in somewhere.  It will probably have to be at 3:00 in the morning sometime.

 

Q:   When you were up on stage last night you obviously were feeling emotional.  What was going through your head?

 

A:   Everything.  I kind of anticipated it in a strange way.  It was in my gut.  I thought I was strong, I really did.  I felt so grateful and happy and then boom - it hit me – this is done, this is over.  The finality of that phase of the experience being over was sad.  The fear of going back into the real world and what does the future hold, was also an excitement.  So it was a lot of feelings.  I guess I was…..feeling!  Yes it was emotional.  I hoped so much that I could have been stronger but I guess I’m an emotional girl and I’m passionate and I guess that came across on the stage because I felt really vulnerable every time.

 

Q:  I know last night Ryan Seacrest pointed out that on Tuesday night you had the lyrics to the song written on your arm.  

 

A:   I had the word palm on the palm of my hand.

 

Q:   Are there any other tips that you’ve used throughout the show for jogging your brain or remembering the lyrics or any little cheat sheets?

 

A:   No.  Actually I have not had any problems with the lyrics up until You Must Love Me and it freaked me out and I started thinking oh my gosh what if this happens again.  You kind of play head games.  When I was singing the song in rehearsal palm trees was not sticking to my brain so just the practice of writing it on the palm of my hand helps me to remember it.  I didn’t even look at it because it was on the underneath side of my hand but whatever you can use you use.  We don’t use tele-prompters and I was playing an instrument and singing two songs so there was a lot of things to remember in less than a week’s time.

 

Q:   Your husband throughout the show seemed really supportive.  Do you sing for him around the house?  Does he enjoy it or is he like “Hey c’mon Brooke I’ve heard you sing too much” or anything like that?

 

A:   He likes to hear me sing.  He’s pretty great.   He’s a very laid-back fellow with great perspective and 100% supportive.   I’ve been really fortunate to find a guy who could hang with me through this. 

 

Q:   Were there are any songs you couldn’t get cleared that you would have loved to perform on Idol?

 

A:   Absolutely. I would have loved to sing a Fleetwood Mac song or a James Taylor song.

 

Q:   You got “You’ve Got A Friend”.

 

A:    Well, Carole King wrote that song so she owns the publishing.

 

Q:   What were you planning on singing for next week’s rock and roll hall of fame theme?

 

A:    I hadn’t completely decided but one that I was definitely thinking of singing was Help Me by Joni Mitchell.   I love her.  I spoke to Carly Simon on the phone this morning during an interview – it was amazing.

 

Q:   What did she say?

 

A:   She was incredibly supportive, very generous in her comments and it really boosted my spirits.  It gave me a kind of motivation and hope to keep going in the direction that I am.  I can relate to her and those singer-songwriters of the 70’s and connect with what they do.  I hope I can make that happen in 2008 in a more modern way and incorporate both of those sounds.

 

Q:   What are you planning on doing during the tour?

 

A:    Well I still haven’t decided on all my song choices so I couldn’t even tell you yet.  But we are doing about three songs a piece.   I’m really looking forward to it.  I’m definitely going to be playing piano and just having a good time and connecting with the fans.  It’s all about the music and not all about the competition or the judging - just the good stuff.

 

Q:   It was kind of funny when Simon was saying he was going to tempt you over to the dark side.  How has the last few weeks and months been along those lines?

 

A:   Actually he joked with me last night that he thought he might have brought me over to the dark side and I just said “Absolutely not.”   I’ve had a lot of support from people to remain the same person that I am and I feel like I have the strength to just remain that way.  So it’s all good.

 

Q:   Two of the last five on the show were both Mormons.  Do you talk about that at all?

 

A:   It’s just part of our lives and it’s been a great part of my life.  It’s helped me to make a lot of decisions and it has brought me a lot of peace through the competition. My faith has been a great thing so it’s all good.

 

Q:   We saw you cry on camera.

 

A:   Like fifty billion times.

 

Q:   We’ve heard reports when the cameras are off during the commercial breaks, particularly last week, it was very emotional and you cried really hard off-camera.  Is it a relief to be off the show?

 

A:   Yes and no.  I think after Tuesday night I was re-energized and my spirits were up and I wanted to keep going.  And then I woke up Wednesday morning and I knew in my gut “Brooke you’re going home”.  Weird.  Part of me was like I want to keep going and the other part of me was thinking, you know what, this has been amazing.  It is kind of a relief.  Song selection and the pressure is really increased with two songs;   preparing for the finale - it was an incredible amount of pressure and so in that sense it does feel kind of good to be done with that.  But I was welcoming the challenge as well.

 

Q:   Did you have a certain amount of survivor skills after last week with Carly Smithson going home and you having a problem with the lyrics?  What was going through your head on Wednesday night last week?

 

A:   I don’t know if guilt is quite the right word for surviving.  I was grateful.  This show is very interesting, the voting process.   That’s why you say you never know what’s going go happen.  I think you take what you can get, and I was grateful to people for seeing past my mistakes.  Beyond the mistakes I did my very best and emotionally  connected with the song and I gave it everything I had.  For whatever reason people felt motivated to vote and that’s beyond my control. 

 

Q:   What was your thinking going into last week’s results show?

 

A:   Well I’ve been packed for two weeks.  There’s always a chance you can go home but in these last couple of weeks it sort of became more real.  The contestants were so strong and you just never know.  Ever since Michael Johns went home I think there was always this question in my mind “How long do I get?”  It could be any week.  So you give your best performance and then it is out of your hands.

 

Q:   Did you not see yourself making it all the way to the final two?

 

A:   I hoped for that but at the same time it’s scary to set goals.  I tried to set goals.  Once I got the top 24 it was the top 12.  Once I got the top 12 it was the top 10.  Once I hit the top 10 it was the top 5.  So you just have to take it in increments because you can overwhelm yourself and the expectations can sometimes bring a lot of disappointment.  Every time I was up on stage I threw my heart into it but I was open to whatever may be.  We only have so much control in this situation.

 

Q:   Are you going to be coming back to Arizona any time before the tour?

 

A:   I’m planning on it, I’m hoping on it, but I don’t know when.  They’ve got me very busy up to the finale.  I’m off the show but not really.  I’ve got a lot to do but I hope I get to because I’m just dying to see my family.  The support in Arizona was incredible and I’m so grateful.

 

Q:   What are you going to miss the most about the show – the friendships with the contestants?

 

A:   Oh…..the friendships with the contestants.  But you know what, we’re going on tour together which is going to be a great time.  But this experience, we’ve talked about it, just sitting in rooms waiting for stuff to happen.  The experience of this is unlike anything else I’ll ever have again and I don’t know how to put it into words but it has become this incredible roller-coaster ride filled with a lot of emotion and experiences that I don’t think I could ever have gotten in any other way.

 

Q:   Simon always says it’s difficult to maintain friendships because you are competing against each other.  Do you think that’s true?   Is there an undercurrent to the friendships?

 

A:   No.  I can only speak for myself.  I’m not very competitive by nature and we’re all very different from one another.  It’s not like we had two similar voices.  It’s just a matter of what people like.  One of the vocal coaches said “You know Brooke, when I’m listening to the Carpenters I’m not saying – they’re so much better than Van Helen.”  It’s two different things and if you’re constantly caught up in comparing the two then you’re missing out on the joy of the music.   Yes, it’s a show, a competition, but we literally got along.  They always commented how well they thought we did get along.  I think we really related to each other and we were all going though this similar experience that no one could possibly understand.

 

Q:   You said you struggled with confidence.  What did that mean to you before you went on Idol and what impact did being on Idol have on that problem?

 

A:   I was very honest and open about the struggle that I have.  To be honest again, it escalated at times during Idol and other times I felt like I had a better handle on it.  It was very much a roller coaster ride.  Tuesday I felt a re-surge of confidence that I hadn’t felt in long time, a lot of joy, gratitude for being in that place, and I think that’s  what gave me that boost.  It felt great.   Even though I went home, it was wonderful to leave on that note.  I know that Simon said it was a nightmare.  Whatever.  But personally I think it was a great moment and I had such incredible support from fans which helps to reassure you.  But finding that inner confidence is something that has definitely been a struggle for me but I’m learning and I’m growing and Idol definitely helped me to work on that.  We always say that this show brings everything to the surface which might be an issue for you and that is certainly one of them.   But I worked through it and at times I had to work through it in a very public way.   That’s hard and a very vulnerable position to be in.  But it feels good to be honest and it feels good to work through it and face that challenge.

 

Q:  Can you clarify what is the problem – is it that you don’t feel that you’re as good as other people or what?

 

A:   I’ve definitely had comparison issues my whole life. I didn’t start singing until I was a teenager.  I was David Archuleta’s age.  I never thought I had a nice voice.  It wasn’t pretty.  It was just this low raspy thing.  I didn’t have a big range and I was intimidated by other singers and especially on American Idol where it’s so focused on vocals.  I didn’t know how well I’d do or if I’d survive.   Often times during rehearsals I’d hear everybody sing and I’d think “Wow, how did I get here?”  It was amazing.  These people are incredible.  Sometimes it was easy to feel intimidated.  But you know what?  I’m learning.  Everybody is different.  I spoke with Carly Smithson this morning during the interview and she said some things that really meant a lot to me.  It’s o.k. to be different.  There are people out there who appreciate it so you have to go with it.

 

Q:   Since you didn’t win, how do you see yourself?  Where would you like your career to go after this?

 

A:   I want to be a singer-songwriter.  What I did on this show is as close to what I do without performing my own material.  I would love to write or at least co-write and kind of build an album around that organic sound.  Keep it real, keep it raw, keep it fresh.  I know it’s 2008 so you gotta make it current but I definitely think that’s my avenue.  I want to play the piano, I want to play the guitar, and I want to be very involved in the music.  I want to connect with the people on a very honest level.

 

Q:   Sort of like Carly Simon huh?

 

A:    Yea.  Carly Simon, Carole King, those are the people I grew up listening to.

 

Q:  What did you learn from the Idol experience?

 

A:    That’s a loaded question.  I learned many things.  But I think it is finding a balance between being true to yourself and taking the advice and wisdom from people who have great perspective and knowledge.  Holding on to who you are, tuning into that inner voice, listening to your gut, and making decisions that you feel good about.

 

Q:   Everybody looks so different than when they started.

 

A:   Yes, it’s part of the program and we have incredible stylists who work with us.  Sometimes we went for curly hair and sometimes we went for straight hair.   I have naturally curly hair and I love it and I embrace it.  It’s fun, it’s not permanent, you can straighten it and you can take it back to curly.  That first audition I had is probably the truest to what I am normally.  I’m very organic and laid back kind of like the music.  I don’t mind getting glamourous every once in a while and on the show they like us to be glamorous.   At the same time I like the jeans and the boots and the wavy hair.  But I’m a girl so I don’t mind dressing up too.

 

Q:   I wanted to talk about Paula’s incident on Tuesday night.  What do you think happened and how uncomfortable was it for you guys standing up there?

 

A:   It’s live television, anything can happen.  Last week I stopped and re-started my song.  It’s just human moments that happen on the show.  I don’t know exactly what happened with Paula but it’s live and things can change very quickly.  They kind of decide in the middle of the show to change something and I’m sure she just got lost in the moment.  She’s a good-hearted woman and you just move on.

 

Q:   Neil Diamond said last night gave you some advice where he said don’t listen to what Simon said.  How confusing is it when you get a mentor like that but then you’re supposed to listen to Simon?

 

A:   Oh gosh, it’s quite a challenge.  Every week you go up there, not that it always turns out the best, but I give my best.  And when you’re standing there in a place of vulnerability it’s hard to know what you should take and what you should not take.  I think sometimes he has some valid points.   And sometimes I think his delivery is just plain mean.  I like him!  I think he’s a good guy.  But what Paula said last night “Someone has to give hope to them for their dream, someone has to be positive” and I think she gets that.  I think Simon comes from another side where he wants you to do your best.  And his way of doing that is being harsh and very blunt.  That’s the style, sometimes I take it and sometimes I leave it.

 

Q:   Backstage was there any kind of boosting up of Jason after Paula said “You’re second song was bad” and he had to go out and sing it?

 

A:   You know, Jason is a very laid back guy and he was o.k.  He does what he does and he’s great.  I always say live television is very interesting.  We called it fly by the seat of your pants television and that’s what it is.  You just go with it, things change and it can be very confusing.  You don’t always hear what’s happening and you just go with it and that’s exactly what happened.  Paula, bless her heart, made a little mistake, and it happens to everyone.  We’re just human doing our best and you move on.

 

Q:   Do you have any regrets – something you wish you had done on the show that you didn’t?

 

A:   Enjoyed it more.  Honestly the pressure was gigantic and I didn’t even tune into the media.  Just your own insecurities that you feel throughout the whole thing and the pressure and the workload physically, mentally, emotionally, it’s huge.  But you still have to find a way to enjoy it and I did in so many ways but sometimes on that stage I let it get to me.  I gave it my all, I gave my heart, and I have no regrets because of it.

 

Q:   Were you excited when you got to play an instrument this year?

 

A:   I was so excited because I think in the beginning I felt so insecure that my singing wasn’t going to be enough, and I’m not a good enough singer for this show.  I’m learning to get over that as well.  Just because you think your voice isn’t good enough doesn’t meant that there’s people out there that don’t appreciate it that do appreciate it.  But part of what I want to do is be a singer-songwriter and that means playing an instrument.  I didn’t know going into it that they were going to let us do that this year so when I found out I was like gosh, this is it.  This is the year I needed to do this.  It’s something that I love to do but it is very difficult.  It increased the workload a lot and especially this week.  It was basically like doing four different things.  Paying the guitar and singing and playing the piano and singing and it wasn’t fake it was real.  There’s no tele-prompter.  But I’m glad I challenged myself and took risks.  I don’t know if it always worked but at least I tried. 

 

Q:   Who are you rooting for now that you’re off the show?

 

A:   I’m rooting for all of them and that’ s probably the most boring answer in the world but for all different reasons each contestant is really special and this show is very unpredictable and it depends on what America wants.  But I couldn’t really single out one person.  I don’t think that would be fair.

 

Q:   Carly Smithson thought the voting was a little off this year because girls were voting for the guys because they’re so cute.

 

A:   The boys are awfully popular this year and I know that because their fan mail came in great humongous stacks and the girls got like three a day.  It’s amazing.  But the boys are very talented and very charming. It probably would have been helpful to be a boy, but so are the girls.  I’ve got to give them all props.  Everyone has been so good.

 

Q:   Brooke do you have any closing remarks?

 

A:   If I could throw a thank you out there again for the incredible support I have been given to even get me to the top five.  It’s meant so much to me and I just really hope that we get to continue on with this music thing.

 

You can read more of Mary’s television blogs at www.myspace.com/italiangirl57


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