by Todd Betzold

 

America seemed to have a love/hate relationship with Elise Testone on American Idol. She spent many weeks in the bottom three, but then she'd throw a week or two in there where she'd be at the top of the pack. I am a fan, the judges seemed to be fans and Jimmy Iovine seemed to be a fan, but in the end America decides and she could not win them over completely and Elise was sent home last night. Today, Elise spoke with RealityWanted and other reporters in a conference call about her song choices, the judges, the summer tour and much more.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: You will be going on tour this summer with the Top 10. What are you most excited about for the tour?
A. Elise: I'm really excited to see all the landscapes and just get on the road and travel. I'm really just excited to sing and rock the stage...just singing the whole song and not just edited versions of the songs. I shine best when it's just real and I have time to get into it and to see the fans...all the people that have been supporting us from the outside.

 

Q. Todd, RealityWanted: Speaking of songs, last night Jimmy said you made two bad song choices this week and the judges seemed to agree on your Jimi Hendrix song choice. So, what made you choose those songs and do you agree with the judges?
A. Elise: Personally, I don't agree because those were the best choices for me and I felt that and I believed in it, but everyone's definition of what's right is different and I guess they think what's right is what is the majority of people going to take a liking to and I think what Steven was saying...he said he loved the song, he was a fan of it, but maybe what he meant was that the melody wasn't one people could sing along with at home and probably the majority of people want to sing along, but as an artist I'm trying to convey the message of the song and bring the lyrics to life and I did that, so I feel successful.

 

 

 

Q. What made you decide to audition for Idol and why now?
A. Elise: I did audition one time when I was younger and it didn't work out. I always felt that I wouldn't be ready for a responsibility of the same until I was older and kind of learned those life lessons. You know, to see who I was more before throwing myself into the hand of others. Also, I was very, very inspired by the students that I teach at the school to kinda be a role model for more people...just seeing how I played a role in their lives.

Q. What kind of album do you see yourself making?
A. Elise: Throughout Idol I definitely learned that my forte is the rock genre, but I definitely will have the elements of blues, soul and jazz in there...and funk.

 

Q. What's next for you after you come home from the tour?
A. Elise: After the tour and during the tour, I will be writing songs and really constructing a plan to get my album ready. I've been waiting my whole life to release an album, so it's not going to be something I want to rush, so I am going to take my time and experience it and put it into those songs and really just figure out who's going to be the guests on those albums and who I want to help produce it and all of that. So, that will be my main focal point, but I also hope to perform as much as I can.

 

Q. Who would you like to do some duets with?
A. Elise: I would love to do something with Stevie Nicks, since she mentioned it. I would love to have Brian May play guitar on a song, as well as my guitarist, Wallace, from my band. Steven Tyler would be a great duet.

 

Q. Do you have a theory as to why you weren't connecting with the viewers?
A. Elise: I think the majority of voting comes from middle America, so if I can't win them over it's not gonna happen, but that's just a theory. I really don't know...I felt like I was honest and sung with my heart and passion and that's the best I could do...I don't know.

 

Q. You don't think it was a younger demographic, possibly?
A. Elise: That could be true...I don't know. I feel like I still connect with them and maybe that's wrong. As a teacher, I had a lot of younger students and I probably felt closer to them than people my own age, but I don't know if they saw that given the little amount of time they could see me on the air.

 

Q. Since you are older than the other contestants, did they come to you for advice or maybe treat you any different than the younger contestants?
A. Elise: They definitely would come to me for advice, which I admired...I was really excited about that and I also went to them, so it was a two-way street. When we did group stuff, I felt like a leader...I'm a natural leader, in that sense, just because I have arranged shows before, so I know what needs to happen and what can make something sound really great and what would be missing, so whenever they were unsure I could always see their eyes shifting over towards me, like looking at me with eyes like what should I do...I'm sad about leaving from that.

 

American Idol airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8/7c on FOX.

 

(Image courtesy of FOX)

 

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