SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hey, this is Casey Abrams with the Idols Podcast. This week we have Allegra Miles. I first saw her on social media doing some really cool things with a guitar with some hammer-ons and some jazzy stuff and singing beautifully. Then I didn't realize that she was actually on American Idol and the voice, and she killed it on both sets. It was really nice to meet her, such a fun ball of energy. She is such a hippie, just like me. See? We talk about Halloween costumes, Stevie Wonder, jazz. We jam at the end on a Stevie Wonder song, and it is amazing. She is just such a pure soul and such a fun person to talk to and jam with. She recently just sold out Red Rocks playing one of her songs. This is a fun one. Thanks for watching, Bassie Out.

SPEAKER_02 0:41

PRIDOS PRIDO.

SPEAKER_00 0:52

You hear yourself?

SPEAKER_01 0:53

I do, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 0:56

Say something.

SPEAKER_01 0:57

Check one too. Check one too.

SPEAKER_00 0:58

Good. Okay, la la la la la la la la la La la la la la la la. That's my new song. Uh do you play video games?

SPEAKER_01 1:08

No, actually.

SPEAKER_00 1:09

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 1:10

No, I I feel like sometimes I I resonate with I resonate with like the um the lingo and shit, like, yeah, like bro is popping off in the chat and shit, like, but you know, like drop a W in the chat. Like, I guess that's like streamer culture and stuff, but um, no, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 1:30

Okay, because you're you I feel like you named your guitar, at least you did it in one clip, Princess Pete. Yes. So you never played like the old games?

SPEAKER_01 1:37

No, no, okay. Growing up, I had a Wii. My sister and I played Wii, so of course we played Mario Kart. Absolutely. Good, okay. Just as an adult, I haven't, but like yes, growing up.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

I constantly, I'm always playing video games. It's really bad. Amazing. I shouldn't be doing it.

SPEAKER_01 1:50

What do you play?

SPEAKER_00 1:51

It's not bad. I play I play uh Mario Kart. There's the new Mario Kart. I've been playing all the Mario things because I've been getting bored. Mario Galaxy, Odyssey. It's really cool. You throw a hat and you can jump on it and you can turn into T-Rexes. It's really, really fun. But what did you play as on Wii other than Mario Kart? Was that the only thing? Or what was another big thing?

SPEAKER_01 2:08

It was it was wait. Also, I want to play that where you turn into a T-Rex because that sounds a little bit Yes, I'll send you the link.

SPEAKER_00 2:13

Okay, please You can turn into a lot of things, like a washing machine, a car. It's really cool. Let's fucking go.

SPEAKER_01 2:20

I love it. Um what else did I play? I played, yeah, mostly Mario Kart. Um fucking Wii Sports. Oh Wii Sports Resort.

SPEAKER_00 2:30

Oh.

SPEAKER_01 2:31

Wii Sports Resort. You've never done it. Never?

SPEAKER_00 2:33

Does it make you sweat?

SPEAKER_01 2:34

Oh, absolutely. No, like you're working.

SPEAKER_00 2:36

It's it's really so it's it's worth it. Okay. It's totally worth it.

SPEAKER_01 2:40

And then um there's one where you can you're flying, you're like in a plane, so you're the pilot of the plane, and you're popping all these balloons in the sky. It's so fun.

SPEAKER_00 2:51

Do you have VR headset?

SPEAKER_01 2:52

No, I mean, not back then, at least. Like this was when I was a kid, so I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_00 2:56

Okay, the VR headset is a game changer. It's really, it's really fun. All these video games. Anyway. Sick. Yes. Wait, so did you grow up in Florida or like an island? I saw there was a virgin island, or what was going on?

SPEAKER_01 3:08

Yeah, kind of both. So I was born in San Diego and then moved to the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean, and then moved to South Florida, West Palm Beach area, and then moved here.

SPEAKER_00 3:20

Okay. And has nothing to do with the army, right? No. Okay, because because I know your parents are musicians. Yeah. So why were they moving around a lot? Do you know? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:28

So basically, my grandparents moved to the islands in the 70s and they were like total hippies, like very like uh, you know. Are your parents hippies too? Yes, yes. Just like you. Okay. Very much you too. Yeah. I mean, yes. Look at me. It's beautiful. Look at me.

SPEAKER_00 3:45

Okay, so they moved there.

SPEAKER_01 3:47

Yeah, and so they uh my grandparents moved there, and then um they kind of like were just there hanging out. My grandpa built a wooden sailboat that uh my dad grew up on. So my dad grew up like with my uncle and my grandma and grandpa um sailing literally around the world. Like they sailed to Africa, South America, Europe, all over the Caribbean, everywhere. Um, so yeah, so my grandparents were still there, so we moved to be with them. And my grandpa had Parkinson, so we like he just needed more support and stuff.

SPEAKER_00 4:19

So it's nice you can be with family and be in a nice place. Exactly. That's really good. That's really good that you can and you can take care of him. Exactly. That's so nice. And was he a musician as well?

SPEAKER_01 4:28

Not my grandpa. He he always loved music, like all different types of music from all around the world, like super eclectic taste. Um, and uh my grandma as well. But my grandma on my mom's side is she was an incredible pianist, like playing by ear, just she never knew any theory, but she was just always do you do you um jam?

SPEAKER_00 4:49

Do you ever have like a do you have a like a family band that you ever do? Oh yeah. Okay, did you ever do gigs together when you were a little kid? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:55

Oh wow, that's kind of like how I started really doing it. So my parents would always have jams at our house, and everyone would just come over and some of my it's so nice, yeah. And uh some of my earliest memories musically are like we would be jamming, and or my parents would be jamming until you know, whatever wee hours in the morning. And it was like my sister and I would fall asleep on some chair somewhere. Oh, that's so cool with music, which is awesome. That's uh just one sister that you have, or yeah, I have another sister.

SPEAKER_00 5:26

So funny that almost sounds like Haley Reinhardt. You know her? I do, not personally, but I know. Okay, but yeah, she's she I mean, she grew up with a family, like the dad was a guitarist, and mom was a singer and played bass a little bit, but they would always have like four-part harmony jams. I was always a little jealous of that. My my dad plays a little guitar, my mom plays a little piano, and my cousins play like clarinet and stuff like that, but I never had that like let's all sing around the fire. I I always enjoyed singing for my family, but never like a like a family band jam band exactly. So then you tried out for uh The Voice or American Idol first?

SPEAKER_01 6:00

The voice was first.

SPEAKER_00 6:02

Okay, and how old were you when you did it?

SPEAKER_01 6:03

I well, I actually auditioned five times. It was my fifth time that I actually made on. I started auditioning when I was 14 for The Voice, and I got on when I was uh 16. Oh my goodness. Yeah, so I had done like two auditions a year, basically. Because that was always a dream of mine to be on The Voice uh when I was younger. Um but yeah, so the fifth time I got on, and then after that was idol, but yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:33

Gosh, that's insane that that you had to take that that long. Yeah. Um I felt very lucky because I did American Idol. I tried out once, got on. Yeah, but now the auditions afterwards are very, very tough. In fact, I'll be honest, the voice hit me up a couple times. They're like, Do you want to try it? It's like I've done it, but let me try. And so I tried, I've tried it three times, and America's got talent. They they're like, that was good. I've made it to the semifinal rounds, but then they're like, nah, let's not have you. Really? Yes. So it's kind of a reverse thing. But anyway, you're inspiring me because it's like just keep auditioning, just see what happens. It's gonna happen. So you did the the voice thing, and was that during the time of COVID?

SPEAKER_01 7:11

It overlapped. So we had filmed the first three rounds before COVID, and then so that was like already prepared.

SPEAKER_00 7:20

I'm glad you got a taste of it at least. Okay. Yeah, and then you had to go to your house. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 7:24

Okay, yes. So I no, I was super grateful to have because then I think the next season, I don't know if it was all virtual or what, but we had the first few rounds, yeah, in person. That's so cool. Got time with like like Nick Jonas was my coach and like you know, and got to see all them in his that was fun. Got to meet him in person. Yeah, yeah. Is he nice? He's great, he's lovely. He's he's super like grounded, yeah, feeling.

SPEAKER_00 7:48

Yeah, he seems down to earth and he's very supportive of you and gave you all the standing ovations. That was really cool. Yeah, do you still keep in contact with him?

SPEAKER_01 7:55

Not no, not not we don't need to talk to that.

SPEAKER_00 8:01

No, no.

SPEAKER_01 8:01

But you know what's kind of funny is now, like just between me and you. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 8:05

Um Okay, between you and me and the cameras.

SPEAKER_01 8:08

Yeah, yeah, and and everybody else. Um no, now in the past couple years of being in LA, uh, now I'm super close friend. Again, like, don't air this because that feels weird.

SPEAKER_00 8:18

Don't air okay, all right.

SPEAKER_01 8:19

Yeah, yeah, I don't know. That feels like weird.

SPEAKER_00 8:21

But I'm just Was there any other celebrities that that that hit you up? I know John Legend was on there, but did because I don't think there's any other like vocal people like there was on American Idol, right? No one came in specially, because I know Bab BB Rexa came in during the idol season, right?

SPEAKER_01 8:38

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 8:38

So did anyone like that come in on the voice?

SPEAKER_01 8:41

Dude, yes. So uh we got to meet James Taylor, which was, dude, it was insane.

SPEAKER_00 8:48

Wait, wait, who was on your season? Anyone I would know? I've I've I I saw all your videos, but I was like Lila Ford on your season? No.

SPEAKER_01 8:57

I'm trying to think who else he would know. Like, um the winner was Todd Tillman. He's amazing. Okay, he's great.

SPEAKER_00 9:05

Um I'm sure I've I'm trying to think if he would yeah because I someone else met James Taylor, but then again, it maybe it was on idle. All right, so on on the voice, James Taylor came in before COVID happened.

SPEAKER_01 9:19

Yeah, so this was the last round before we went home. It he is just the sweetest man, like so lovely. And I you know, I I'm sure the same with you. Like I grew up just my mom would always play his songs and to me, you know. And um, yeah, so grew up with so much James Taylor influence, and he's just one of those.

SPEAKER_00 9:38

I can't believe you got to to meet him. That's I feel so grateful. He coached you. He was like, he so what did you sing in front of him?

SPEAKER_01 9:44

That was I did my rendition of Chandelier. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 9:50

Gosh, that's insane that you got to like meet him on and off camera. Do you have jazz roots?

SPEAKER_01 9:55

I do, somewhat.

SPEAKER_00 9:56

Okay. Yeah. Okay, so did you go to school for it? What what how did you figure out guitar and a piano?

SPEAKER_01 10:05

Boop-a-da boop.

unknown 10:06

Skip it a boo.

SPEAKER_01 10:07

Um in the wise words of case, yeah. That's the quote.

SPEAKER_00 10:13

It's on my website. Skip itabout boo-boo.

SPEAKER_01 10:15

Skip it about boo boo. That's what I'm saying. Um so growing up, I think I just always loved jazz music. My mom put me onto a good amount of jazz as well, but I've always been emotionally drawn to like jazz and jazz chords and the tension and the emotion behind it. I think even before I really knew what it was or like you know, how to navigate it. But I did, I had some piano lessons and I I learned some jazz theory in um in my lessons, which I'm so grateful for. And but like not like enough to be you know, it's not like a jazz theory that you would learn in school, but I think it's totally enough where I can use theory in a way that helps me creatively, right? But I've never felt like like encumbered by it. You know, sometimes I feel like sometimes when people know so much theory, then it's like overwhelming. Of course, there's great things about that, you know? Yeah, like I wonder if you felt that because you're so like tapped into everything and you know all the things.

SPEAKER_00 11:27

Yeah, that's that's funny. Um I there there's some there's some jazz musicians that maybe I get a little bit annoyed with because they're so into to music theory that are that are popular that I won't name. He used to be cool. He used to be a little he like I used to be like wow, but then now he's just a little bit it it it like I feel like there's gotta be a balance total between uh uh jazz theory and commerciality. You know what I mean? Like it's like you want people to listen to it, and that's why I love Stevie Wonder. Stevie Wonder is just like he's got like the melodies you can sing, but then the chords, bands are gonna be like, whoa. It's like a perfect balance.

SPEAKER_01 12:03

I totally agree, and he is my number one of all time.

SPEAKER_00 12:06

Good, good, yeah. He's great. And you did a you did a uh Stevie song. That's that's a that's a hard song, or overjoyed. Yeah, yeah, and then like, and did you work on the arrangements? Like, because you know like what a you know, a C7 or a F7 Sharp 9, you mustn't all that stuff, that must have helped you to tell the band what to do because you had different versions. I forget exactly which one it was, but you you've you worked on arrangements and it you know there was different arrangements. I'm sure that was in your head and you told the band what to do, right? Yeah. So did you write it out?

SPEAKER_01 12:36

I no, I didn't write it out. I think for all of them, I kind of just had different arrangements and versions that I had been crafting for a while, especially for the first couple, like use somebody. I had been working on that for a while. Same with chandelier, I had kind of been living with these arrangements in my head. And um, and then I just kind of I think I just sent a voice memo to them or or played it. But dude, the bands on on both idol and the voice are you know, they're so incredible. Yeah, it's so fun to like.

SPEAKER_00 13:07

And I think that they uh you know, I I remember during my Hollywood week, I went in with George on my mind, and everyone was just kind of like, all right, next. And then as soon as I told the band what to do, which I was like, hey guys, could you do these changes? They're like, Oh, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 13:21

Then they're like, Oh, okay, he, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:23

Yes, and I think they pay, and it's like almost like squeaky wheel gets the grease. Totally. So they and then they pay attention to you a little bit more, right? And they they kill it. Yeah, I love I loved your arrangements, they were awesome. And then when you went on American Idol, you did an original song.

SPEAKER_02 13:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:36

So, like, did you when did you write that? Did you write that even before the voice? Or like and what made you want to do it? It was brave.

SPEAKER_01 13:43

Thank you. Um honestly for me, I think the only reason that I did American Idol after the voice was because I could do originals.

SPEAKER_00 13:54

Oh. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:55

So the voice didn't let you, or it's you just don't really do them until I think maybe the the very the finale. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 14:04

Oh yeah, because they like give you something.

SPEAKER_01 14:06

Yeah, it's just kind of a different format, but Idol, you know, I think they encouraged that. And when they had reached out to me, they were like, Oh, you can do your originals.

SPEAKER_00 14:16

They reached out to you, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 14:18

They DM me, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:20

On Instagram?

SPEAKER_01 14:20

On Instagram, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. I feel like that's how they do a lot of their casting these days. Like a lot of people who were on my season, they're like, Oh yeah, they just DM me.

SPEAKER_00 14:30

That's so crazy. A lot of it's it's I mean, the this year they on Idol they voted through not even like a text, it was through like comments on Instagram. Oh, really? Which is pretty crazy.

SPEAKER_01 14:39

Oh yes. There the times are changing. Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00 14:44

Yeah, even from my season to your season, your season to this season.

SPEAKER_01 14:47

Because when was your season again?

SPEAKER_00 14:49

2000, 2011.

SPEAKER_01 14:58

Sing that.

SPEAKER_00 14:59

Yeah, every time someone asks, I have to do that. It's contractually obligatory. Uh right.

SPEAKER_01 15:03

No, it's written to the idol contract. People don't know that.

SPEAKER_00 15:05

Yes, I have to sing every year. Right. It's convoluted. Yes. When did you do it?

SPEAKER_02 15:11

When was your season?

SPEAKER_01 15:12

Uh, I think it was 2020. 2022. You were 2011? Of Idol was 2022, yeah. And then the voice like aired in 2020.

SPEAKER_00 15:24

Gotcha. Yeah. Oh. Wait, but the cov so then the COVID was like just finishing it 2022, or like it I think they had gotten to a point for Idol where where they just we had COVID protocols and stuff, but it was in person.

SPEAKER_01 15:39

But like they were t we were testing all the time.

SPEAKER_00 15:41

It's kind of when it was going out. Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_01 15:43

It was going out of fashion now.

SPEAKER_00 15:47

You know, I didn't know.

SPEAKER_01 15:48

Yeah, edit the show.

SPEAKER_00 15:49

I'll I'll edit a couple things, but there's a there's some good stuff. Yeah. Speaking of maybe editing things out, uh, what is your stance on peeing on the hot tub? Do you're fun? You've done your research.

SPEAKER_01 16:01

You're hilarious for that. Um once in a while, once in a while, hot take, it's not the worst thing you could do. I'm not saying you should do it all the time. Peeing in the pool is like, if you're gonna sit here and tell me you don't pee in the pool, I just don't believe you. You know, that's kind of just that, you know.

SPEAKER_00 16:24

I I agree.

SPEAKER_01 16:25

Okay, thank you. Hot tub is different, it's smaller. I get that. If if you're with like 10 people in the hot tub, maybe you don't. I wouldn't do it then.

SPEAKER_00 16:35

Yeah, but I mean it gets filtered out.

SPEAKER_01 16:37

It gets filtered out. To be fair, when I made that video, I it was just me and my ex, so I think like he kind of like deserved love.

SPEAKER_00 16:48

Your ex deserved to get peed on. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 16:50

With maybe he wanted to get peed on.

unknown 16:52

Sorry.

SPEAKER_00 16:55

If you're into that, come on.

SPEAKER_01 16:56

Hey, some people are into that, you know.

SPEAKER_00 16:58

Listen, uh, and then uh speaking of it, he was was he a little fruity, or is all guys a little fruity? I think so. I think so. Do you agree? I agree. I think everyone's a little fruity.

SPEAKER_01 17:08

Thank you. I agree.

SPEAKER_00 17:10

If you love yourself, you're gonna maybe love some, you know.

SPEAKER_01 17:13

Love is infinite. Yes, you know? There we go. Okay, right. It I think I do think it's a spectrum. I think lots of things are a spectrum. Um, but yeah, sexuality is very like fluid, and I think everybody should feel free to allow it to evolve too. You know?

SPEAKER_00 17:31

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 17:32

You don't have to be bound to like any one way that you thought, and it can ebb and flow and like be this way and then go back to that, and you know, yeah, don't be afraid. Beautiful, don't be afraid.

SPEAKER_00 17:41

Okay, um, BB Rexa. BB Rexa. Was she great?

SPEAKER_01 17:44

She was super sweet, she was awesome. She really helped me um with like my physicality on stage.

SPEAKER_00 17:51

I saw yeah, like how to like perform. Yeah, yes, totally because you had the voice. So and she's like, you know what, leave the you have the voice, work on the that's that's really cool. Because you were doing in were you are you used to having instruments even to this day, or like what was it always an instrument made you feel comfortable?

SPEAKER_01 18:09

It was, I think for the most part, like I had done some on the voice without an instrument, but also at that time I had been gigging so much in Florida with guitar and piano, so that was kind of my comfort zone. So I I didn't really know what to do with my body and stuff, but um that works. There you go. Woohoo! You know, Halloween comes along, you're good. Oh, I'm set. You know, you're set too. We're ready.

SPEAKER_00 18:42

Oh, yeah, you're right. I can be a wolf man. Yeah, you're the ghost.

SPEAKER_01 18:46

What have you been for Halloween? Like, what are your favorite things you've been for?

SPEAKER_00 18:48

Okay. Um, okay. I mean, if just guess, like what would be the biggest. There's there's two big things. Like, if I have my long hair down, like just guess.

SPEAKER_01 18:58

Like Chewbacca?

SPEAKER_00 19:01

No, but I should.

SPEAKER_01 19:02

You would that would be lit.

SPEAKER_00 19:04

I love Chewbacca. He's my he's my spirit animal. No, but I love uh uh Jesus. I've been Jesus before. That's lit. I'm usually Jesus, I've probably been Jesus half my life. It's just so easy. And you know what? It's it's almost like acting, it's like it's like method acting. Right. Like I I've done it and people like are a little bit more excited to see me. Because you're when you're Jesus. Right, right. Yeah. Oh, yeah, finally he's come. Yeah, exactly. And I feel I'm like, wow, this is great. And people are like, and even even Christians, they're they're like, it's good, you know. I'm like, is this sacrilegious? Right, is this they like it? They like it. So that's that's really nice.

SPEAKER_01 19:44

I love that for you. I mean, you gotta like kind of live, you gotta lean more.

SPEAKER_00 19:48

Why am I gonna do that? I was the uh hound from Game of Thrones.

SPEAKER_01 19:51

Love. I see that, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:52

Okay, thanks. Yeah, and then um, and then for this did this didn't make any sense, but I love Reno 911, and I was one of the police officers with the guy with the short shorts.

SPEAKER_01 20:01

Um are these booty shorts?

SPEAKER_00 20:03

Uh no, I wish. I wish they're short shorts though. Right. Um and then and then I was a banana. I think that's that's that's about it. I when I was a little kid, I was always a pirate. I loved being a pirate. And I think I turned into a pirate. What about you?

SPEAKER_01 20:16

I wait, I love that. Also, I'm gonna I feel like I was uh oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:21

Is it like shrinking?

SPEAKER_01 20:22

No, it's okay. I was just I need to sit up straighter, I feel like. Just in the presence of it all, you know. Yeah, for sure. So, anyways, um okay, ban that that's fire that you were a banana.

SPEAKER_00 20:35

That's that's I love the I have a song about a banana. And I'll always have a banana come out on my some of my shows. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:42

Like, are you the banana though? You'll have someone else.

SPEAKER_00 20:45

I'd love to be the banana, but I'm playing the bass and singing, and it's it's about a banana that's on the floor tom of the drum, and that's literally it's called banana on the floor tom.

SPEAKER_01 20:53

Banana on the floor.

SPEAKER_00 20:54

Yeah, and so I'll have one of my friends become a banana and dance with me on stage.

SPEAKER_01 20:57

That's so Yeah, but what about you?

SPEAKER_00 20:59

So what's your what's your go-to costume or is it different each year?

SPEAKER_01 21:05

Wait, is it okay to curse? Yes. Okay, I was just making sure. Um, okay, well, last year I was two things, and I'm very proud of these things. Um my first costume this past year was Little Ho Peep.

unknown 21:23

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 21:24

And then and my second costume, I guess I could find it picture, but you can you can show it to me afterwards and I and then we could put it in.

SPEAKER_01 21:32

We could put it in. Basically, I was serving cunt, but I I had a tray that said cunt on it. I had a bo I had a tray. Okay, just the word. Just the word, okay. And then a box that said cunt. So I was serving cunt.

SPEAKER_00 21:46

Were you dressed as a a waitress?

SPEAKER_01 21:49

Or was it just you literally I had a shirt that said, what did it say? It said something crazy. I found it the silver lake flea. It said, it says, um it's it says something like it's not gonna. Wick itself. And then I said, and then kind and then I had my silver cowgirl boots on. Okay. So it was like serving country.

SPEAKER_00 22:09

Okay. So then if you had to go inside a uh you know a place of business, you'd be like, no, no, no, it's not offensive.

SPEAKER_01 22:15

No, I'm serving country. Country.

SPEAKER_00 22:18

Beautiful. Okay. Yeah. So you like you like you like the uh cerebral kind of things. Absolutely. Yeah, I've I've had people that were uh a reverse cowgirl that was That's good. Yeah, yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 22:30

I saw that last year too. That was good. Yes. I like that.

SPEAKER_00 22:33

And I was I always wanna I've never had a party like that, but having a party where you have to dress as something, it's like a theme, you know, like your favorite SpongeBob out the character. I've never had those, but I would like to do those. I've seen those on Instagram.

SPEAKER_01 22:45

Right. That's a lot of work. We should do that. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 22:47

I wanted to have a Halloween show.

SPEAKER_01 22:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:49

Or, you know, and maybe a Simpson show. We'll we'll see what happens. We'll see what happens. I always have it at the Hotel Cafe, but they're going out of business. Have you played there before?

SPEAKER_01 22:56

Oh, I have, yeah. It's so sad that it's really sad. It's it's kind of crazy too, because it's hotel cafe is like the most pivotal. It's a rite of passage. I feel like because everybody plays there in a different sense, and then they get, you know, big like I saw like Katie Perry just She just did it.

SPEAKER_00 23:11

Just did that. She's your judge. Yeah. That's so crazy.

SPEAKER_01 23:14

So everybody kind of passes through there.

SPEAKER_00 23:16

Right, yeah. And she started there, and I remember JP Sachs and Phoebe Bridgers and all these people. I mean, I I I played a show there on the second stage, and then Dave Chappelle played the main stage, and I literally just walked over there. So cool. That's so sick, dude. Yeah, it's so it's so cool. But yeah, I think Katy Perry got her start there, and that's kind of why. Yeah. Was she did you get to talk to those the idol judges a lot? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:41

They were super sweet. They were honestly very supportive and um encouraging and had some good pieces of advice.

SPEAKER_00 23:51

And Ryan Seacrest was was nice too. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I like him. He seems to be on his on his shit. He's on his shit, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:57

Uh funny story about that was um speaking of being barefoot, I actually in one of the last rounds I did, might have been the last one, um, I got permission to go barefoot, which on stage.

SPEAKER_00 24:12

I believe that's a oh, because there's a lot of things that can fall on your feet. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 24:16

Well, yeah, yeah, because it's, you know, sound state. Yeah, you know, you know. Yeah. Um, and so, but they like approved it, which was great. And so I was playing piano. I like started on piano and then I got up and sang. And uh Ryan actually, after I sang it, he came out barefoot too.

SPEAKER_02 24:31

Whoa.

SPEAKER_01 24:32

Yeah, yeah. And he was like, he was like, ah ha ha ha, look at our feet.

SPEAKER_00 24:37

He's good at that. He's good at that. He he came out with a beard once. He he he um he he came out, he's like, it's Casey. And I'm like, hey, you have a beard. He like glued a beard. He glued a beard. Let's go. And I didn't know his glue. I didn't know his glue. He could have just grown it. I what's that? He could have just grown it in real time, right? Yeah, he's he's manly. Yeah, no, but I I he he was standing right there and he's like, vote for Casey. And I I figured I was just like, I thought it was like a like a thing that you just wear, like a string attached. So I just pulled it, and it and he was like, You pulled it. I'll find the clip. Yeah, but it was I felt so bad, and I was like, oh my gosh, it was like a little bit harder to to pull off, and he looked like he was in pain. But he was he's he's such a he's such a professional. I love I can't believe that you got to do both of those shows. Which one not better, but like which which one was harder?

SPEAKER_01 25:30

Ooh. Hmm, that's a that's a great question. People always ask which one did I prefer? Uh I think idle was harder.

SPEAKER_00 25:41

Yeah. More more time and energy towards the week, do you think?

SPEAKER_01 25:45

Or yeah. I would say I felt like the voice, the main difference between them is like the voice, they want they want everything to be polished, and they put the time and effort and intention in all aspects of your performance to be polished from the first round from the blinds, you know, versus idle, they like when it's unpolished, they like, you know, fresh off the street. Oh my god, this kid from Kentucky has never sung a day in his life before. It's his first time ever singing for us, you know, which is there's something cool about both for sure. But um, like idol, I think there was you get like a little bit more freedom sometimes. You get to pick whatever songs, like honestly, the voice, I got to sing all the songs I wanted, which I'm grateful for, but not everybody gets that. But like, yeah, idol, um I you get to pick your songs. The the originals. I feel like I never really answered the originals question, but yeah, I was really grateful to get to sing my originals a cup three times, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:56

And I know that you did the same song that you auditioned with later. Yeah. Is there another one?

SPEAKER_01 27:01

There was another one, they didn't air it, but um, yeah, and that was cool because I think at the time I was like, okay, I got to do the voice, which was really cool, but I s I've then and definitely now I view myself much more as like an artist, songwriter, more than just a singer, you know? So that was cool, and honestly, yeah, that song tainted that I got to do twice. I had written it pretty close to when Idol started, like pretty close to the audition, and it was about a super traumatic experience. So honestly, getting to do it on that platform was very cathartic for me, and I felt like I was taking back my power. So I'm super grateful for that. That was like awesome.

SPEAKER_00 27:54

Yeah, it's beautiful that you can do that. Yeah, that's yeah, that's that's that's really magic that you can um it. I mean, that's what art is, isn't it? It's like releasing something and making you feel good, but making other people feel good too. And that's like you can relate to that experience. And I know that you're doing a lot of really cool music. I I put on your your song uh wait, weightlifting. Waitless, weightlifting, yes, okay.

SPEAKER_01 28:19

RDLs, RDLs. Uh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:22

But yeah, I was like, oh, this is this is like a a different type of thing. I really, I really liked it. And you're working with some cool producers, unless you're you're producing it yourself, or I'm sure you're working with, but man, that was like a jam. It like maybe you want to dance. Do you like play festivals ever?

SPEAKER_01 28:37

I do, yeah. Well, I've been doing a lot of electronic music, like collabing with DJs.

SPEAKER_02 28:43

That's so cool.

SPEAKER_01 28:44

It's been really fun. Um, I've gone to play a couple festivals, like for my project, and then uh I just got to sing at Red Rocks, which the best.

SPEAKER_00 28:54

Have you played? I played there once with postmodern jukebox. It's so good. It's so good. It was butterfly mating season, and so there was it was like pink butterflies all over the place. Are you serious? It's so crazy. Yeah, but anyway, Red Rock, that is. It was it was but I'm sure so it was and but it but I was just with postmodern jukebox, but this was under your name, huh?

SPEAKER_01 29:15

It no, it was under so my friend Garrett, he goes by It's Murph. He's an amazing DJ, like he we're super close friends. I I love him so much and like what he how he moves about the world. And so, yeah, we made waitlist together, we've made you know a few different songs together. He's great, and so he sold out Red Rocks in like 20 minutes, you know, because so many people just love the energy that he gives to the world and his music. Um, so yeah, we got to do waitlist together, close out the show um together, and it was it was so special. And I yeah, the energy of it all was like pure love, pure love, pure uplifting, community, light. Like that was what that space gives, and I think what we cultivated, and it was it's a magic, magic place, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_00 30:11

I'm glad you you got to do that. Um and then do you keep in contact with all the people that were on the voice or in the um and on idle as well? I do group text or anything like that.

SPEAKER_01 30:21

We have had a few different group chats, um, but yeah, yeah. I mean, you get I know you know too, like you get so close with those people because it's such a it's such a singular experience and you go through a lot together, like amazing highs and sometimes really hard lows, because every week people are getting eliminated. Like these this is your family, and it's like watching your family be stripped away from you, you know. So yeah, we got super close. I I yeah, I'm very close. Like my friend Sage, she's amazing. She just moved to Nashville, actually. She's from here, but that's my girl. There's a lot of there's a lot of um, like my friend Fritz, he was on. You should talk to Fritz, he's super cool. Okay, he lives in Nashville as well. But um, my friend Leah, like there's there are so many incredible people, but just kind-hearted souls. And you know what's funny too? You I wonder if you'll resonate with this too. Like sometimes, being that American Idol is a reality show, you know, a reality competition show, but it is a reality show. They they like to stir the pot, or they like to try to stir the pot. Oh, you know? Yes, and so sometimes, like, I don't know if they did this for you, but they would ask questions in interviews. They'd be like, they'd be like, oh, like, who do you think is your biggest competition? Blah blah blah. And especially on our season, we all just loved each other so much. And they were trying to pull out this catty drama energy, and we just didn't resonate with that at all. And we were like, oh, like our biggest competition is ourselves because we just want to keep getting better and each week. And majority of us did not give them the like comparing petty energy that they wanted, and we were just like, no, we love each other. But that's my friend. I'm rooting for my friend, you know what I mean? And I love that. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:23

Don't read into that. I mean, like, don't play into their game. Yes. Yeah, because they can do that. They can a lot of TV shows do that. We we didn't have that. You didn't? Okay, good. No, I mean we we we did a little joke thing. Uh, me and uh the fourth place winner, I was sixth place in here.

SPEAKER_01 32:38

You were okay, yes.

SPEAKER_00 32:39

And so me and him, we we did like a little thing, like who was the most shocking elimination? Was it Casey or was it James, this guy? And we made a little thing, uh a little like joke joke piece for the finale. Okay. So I think that's how they they got it. But yeah, they we were it's funny, we didn't like each we did we were definitely we've had some arguments. I've I've heard screaming. Uh I never screamed at anyone, but there was definitely some screaming between the top 11 and our season. But then as soon as we went on tour, we went on tour afterwards. We did the tour set it was beautiful, and you know, because like everyone already, you know, we already knew who the winner was, and we get to tour around the the United States, and we even went to the Philippines, and we're like we we we love each other now, so it's yeah, it's really it's really good. But I'm glad that you didn't didn't do that because people like especially if someone has a camera, they can be like, so you know, like let me I mean I I I saw a piece on this where like Sunday CBS Sunday morning kind of does this where they're like, You felt bad, right? You know what I mean? It's like no, no, but but people can be like, uh yeah, oh yeah, I did. I mean, you see, have you seen Jimmy Kimmel where he's like, hey, you love the that band Splurpy Derpy? Right. It's like, oh, I love Splurpy Derpy, even though it's not a band.

SPEAKER_02 33:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:52

So it's good that you did that, and it's good that you you like almost re-mind gamed the mind game. You know what I mean? Yeah. Was there auto-tune on your own?

SPEAKER_01 34:03

No, I mean not not that I know of. Okay. I don't think so. Okay. Well, no, actually, no, because I heard moments where I was definitely pitchy.

SPEAKER_00 34:11

No, no, and it wasn't it wasn't you. I like there's there's times where I've seen the voice where I'm like, they they're making I I hear the auto-tune.

SPEAKER_01 34:20

I think, yeah, either auto-tune or like maybe some light melodyne when things go crazy. Right. And it is also interesting to think about like some of that could be strategic, like people that they fic. I again, I don't know. People that they like do maybe correct, and then other people that they don't for a strategic sense of like who the producers want. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 34:43

It's like uh yeah, you never know. I felt like it was Game of Thrones. You never know who's gonna get voted off. And sometimes I'm like, did they kill off the main character to like keep people watching? You know, I mean, oh my god, if that person got voted off, maybe we have to keep watching and voting, you know? So that's probably something that you know they made people look bad, people look good. Oh, that good person got voted off.

SPEAKER_01 35:03

Oh my god, yeah. Wait, can you tell me about the tour? Because I've I've heard of different like idol tours, and that's such an era. Like, where did you go and what did you think?

SPEAKER_00 35:12

Okay, well, so we had it was the very first season where Simon Cowell wasn't there. Okay. Steven Tyler and J Lo just got on. Wow. And we were like, is this gonna work? And it I feel like it, we were blessed because it worked really well. We were selling out so many like arenas. Oh my gosh! So insane. Um, at like 10,000, 20,000 seat arenas. Uh Scotty, yeah, Scotty McCreary one, he was a really cool country dude. And his hometown, Nashville, we did two nights in a row. That had like 15,000, 20,000 people. It was amazing. Yeah, uh, like, yeah, I I would love to do something like that again. But it was it was insane. We did a California one. Um we did everywhere. We did everywhere. And uh it was cool. It was the top 11. Okay. And we had five band members with us, and uh, we I think we had three tour buses where people slept in, and then like five trucks that brought all the equipment.

SPEAKER_01 36:10

So it was a big production. It was huge, huge. It was huge, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:13

I'll show you. Yeah, it was it was like such a good good time. And then we we did one thing in Canada, and then we flew over to the Philippines and did two nights at in the Philippines for some reason. I don't know why. But and that was like a skeleton crew, but you know, it was just all of us, the the top eleven, and then I think like maybe five or six people, like a security guy, a front of house guy, and we went there. And yeah, it was it was so cool. It was like literally like wake up, uh do some interviews, yeah, sound check, do some more interviews, uh, hang out, uh, do some meet and greets, do like a like a very VIP, very, very important person meet and greet, and then um do the show, and then do another meet and greet. And then you if you wanted to, you could go to the buses. People usually had signs and things to sign and uh uh take pictures with us kind of vibes at the like the fence right next to so you could either just like go to the bus or you could just like go to the fans and just take pictures with them. It was it was really, it was really like I've never I haven't had an experience like that since. It was super super magic and um and I've had like tour bus tours before, but yeah, that was that was like the biggest that was the biggest thing. And I remember um I had my in-ears and it was so big that when I would take out my in-ears, I I had a get like a um a gag where I would be singing and I'd be like, it's getting harder and harder to breathe. And then I'd take out the thing, I'd be like, Hello, you know? Yeah, do you hear what the Casey's cooking? And so I would and then I would hear, I couldn't even hear myself sing. Right because I would take out the in-ears and I would talk, but all I could hear was screaming. So that's yeah, it was I got chills.

SPEAKER_01 38:00

That's so cool.

SPEAKER_00 38:01

That's awesome. Yeah, yes, it it was it and and uh I hope that it comes back. I know that there's been a a bunch of like places that have been like dropping, like there the I've been reading about um the fact that arenas are like not selling so well because like even with big artists, but I don't know. I think I think it's it's always gonna be there. You know, there's there's people need live music, you know. Absolutely. Have you done a tour bus tour?

SPEAKER_01 38:27

Not a tour bus tour. We did um we actually kind of did a mini idol tour cool um with there were four of us, so from a couple different seasons. So my friend Frit uh Fritz, who is from my season, Francisco was from a couple seasons before, and then Johnny West. Okay. If he's yeah, I feel like I've heard that. Um so it was the four of us, and we were in a sprinter. So it was like yeah, the we had a like a band that we shared with.

SPEAKER_00 38:57

Were there bunks in the sprinter?

SPEAKER_01 38:59

No, we we were hotels. Um there were eleven of us total. So it's like me and one other girl, the photographer, and then like nine guys. And let me tell you, that sprinter, after three, two weeks, three weeks on the road, that sh shit smells so nasty. Like disgusting, like like more nasty than one would even assume. Guys do that, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But like it was crazy, it was like some crazy smells I've never smelled before. But um, yeah, that was like our version of the idol tour. So we did different kinds of venues. Some of them were smaller, some of them were like 200, 300 cap, some of them were a little more like 500. Um, but it was fun, it was really cool. Yeah, got to kind of see lots of parts of the country. It was well, how many dates? I don't know, 15 or something. So got to see a lot of different like the Midwest and places I had never been before. And that's so cool. It was fun, but dude, that's so sick that you had like an arena, like 20,000 is so we were we were very lucky, yes.

SPEAKER_00 40:11

It was it was so good. I think I think bec and we were lucky because I think the voice literally had just started that season, and so and then America's got talent wasn't big. There was like other things. American Idol was the thing. The thing, yeah, yeah. And it was like they kind of wanted to see what J Lo had to offer and what Steven Tyler had to offer. And so we were really, we were really lucky. Um, but yeah, it it was magic, and um, but but that the fact that you've gotten there even without the idol thing, you know, you you're doing it, you're you're playing Red Rocks, you know? That's that's huge. That's huge. You're yeah, you're killing it. Uh a couple more questions. Yeah. Who is the nicest celebrity you've ever met?

SPEAKER_01 40:52

Like just anywhere. Anywhere. Oh, that's such a good question. The nicest celebrity. That's okay. I'm trying to think. The nicest. Oh yeah. Okay. Like Kelly Clarkson was so nice. Okay. She's lovely. She's exactly who you think she is. You know what I mean? Like how she presents on her talk show, on anything you really see of her. She's so authentic. So yeah, she's she's so lovely. Um, I just met Khalid because Khalid, um, he's awesome. I know I've always loved him too. He has a song with Murph as well. So I met him at Red Rocks, yeah. Oh, cool. Because he was singing there. Oh, nice. He is so lovely. He's just like so lovely and gentle and sweet. And um, he was really cool. It was just cool because like I've, you know, send me your location since I was like, I don't know, 12 or something. Tell me a little last. Save the dance in the night. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:12

Here's another one. Uh can we just talk? Is that him too? No, that's not.

SPEAKER_01 42:16

Can we just yeah, yeah. And think about a little bit of jazz.

SPEAKER_00 42:25

Give it about it. Okay, what's that what's the nicest compliment that anyone's ever given you?

SPEAKER_01 42:30

You you're asking such good questions. Thank you. Oh wow. Um I need to get some good answers for you. Um better. Yes, yes. I'm sure trust me, I'm cook I'm cooking. Chat, we're cooking. I'm just, it's like percolating in my head right now. Um I will say, like, compliments that are super specific always feel the most intentional and I think hit the most. Like compliments that maybe they couldn't say to anybody else.

SPEAKER_00 43:06

Right. You know? Um Is there a time, yeah. Is there a time where anyone could be a celebrity, a family member, or someone just said something that made you be like, wow, I'm gonna think about that and I'm gonna keep doing that.

SPEAKER_01 43:18

Yeah. I'm trying to think who it would be out of Canada. Was it Kelly Clarkson? Did she say something nice or she did, she did, yeah. I don't know. I think compliments when people like really see me like how I want to be perceived are really cool. I don't know, when people do they like see my freak and also see my kindness, you know? And I feel like people do, because I'm just being myself, but like uh I don't know that. Literally we'll be talking about Every time I put on a pair of headphones, I'm like, which way? And there's always a where does it say it? Like, am I illiterate? Wait, can you Oh my god, shut up down. Look at Wanda. So if you like that too. Okay.

unknown 45:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 45:12

Yeah. Yeah. Oh wait. Hey, come back on. Looking back on Buana. Yeah, up to you. Yeah. Yeah, wait. Love. So sick, dude. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 45:31

Let me just make sure I get that forward too.

SPEAKER_01 45:33

Yeah.

unknown 45:38

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 45:39

Dude, you're so cool. Oh. Looking back on when I was a little nappy-headed boy. And my only worry was for Christmas what would be my toy. Even though we sometimes when I get a day, we were happy with the joy the day would bring. Sneaking out the back door to hang out with those hoodin' friends of mine. Oh greeted at the back door. But thought I told you not to go outside.

SPEAKER_02 46:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 46:34

Try your best to bring the water to your eyes. Thinking it might stop her from whooping all behind. I wish those days could come back once more. Why did those days? But I have to go. I wish those days could come back once more. Why did those days? But I have to go, cause I love them so the telling Batch playing Doctor With Ecker. Ooh Just don't tell I give you anything you want in the top. Mama gives you money for Sunday school. You trade us with candy at the judge's door. Smoking cigarettes, writing something nasty on the wall. You nasty boy. Teacher sends you to the principal's office down the hall. Oh yeah. You grow up and learn that kind of thing, right? But while you were doing it, it's just fell out of sight. I wish those days could come back once more. Why did those days? Come back once more. Why did those days? Play that shit. Two more times. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 49:27

Oh, that's so good.

SPEAKER_01 49:28

That was so nice. Dude, you're so sick. Oh my gosh. That was so idol.

SPEAKER_02 49:42

Come talk with me, come sing with me, be your idol. Come talk with me, come sing with me, be your idol.