Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Brooke White and Jason Castro reflect on whirlwind TV show while preparing for ‘Idols Live’ tour

By FELICIA COUSART MATLOSZ
THE FRESNO BEE

last updated: July 03, 2008 04:43:22 PM

Season seven of “American Idol” came down to The Battle of the Two Davids, but it also offered engaging personalities in Brooke White and Jason Castro.

White, 25, was the sunny, chatty, vulnerable one from Van Nuys. The one-time nanny could flash a smile as bright as Goldie Hawn and, with her flowing gold locks, carried the aura of a ’60s flower child. She also wore her emotions on her sleeve, sometimes looking nervous and teary-eyed before the judge’s pronouncements. No other finalist this year lived so much on the edge.

Castro, 21, was a construction science major at Texas A&M University. He cast a mellow, goofy demeanor (and, hey, he himself says he is kind of goofy) with his long dreadlocks and looks of a young John Travolta. And the young female fans swarmed as if he were a young John Travolta. He could appear befuddled or delightfully self-aware. You had to chuckle when, asked the biggest obstacle to overcome this season, Castro said: “The brain being dead.”

Both now are on “AI’s” summer tour. The tour performers are the Top 10 finalists, who include winner David Cook and runner-up David Archuleta.

White finished fifth, and Castro fourth in the “Idol” contest.

Both took advantage of a new rule this year that allowed singers to play instruments. White occasionally performed on piano and Castro on guitar, and they both seemed more at ease when they did so.

The “American Idol” stratosphere can be a dizzying environment. You go from being an unknown to someone seen by millions of viewers every week. It’s no wonder that White and Castro now have Wikipedia entries on the popular Web site.

We found them in separate telephone interviews while they were still in the Los Angeles area preparing for the tour. They came across just as they did on TV -- White is loquacious and generous, Castro low-key and charming. Excerpts from the conversations:

Q: Is it still a whirlwind? Or have you had time to get some perspective?

White: I don’t know if you get any time for something like that. Once in a while, you get this moment when you’re like, “I just did that? A year ago, I was doing normal life things, and now we’re on a show in front of 30 million people a week, and now we’re going on an arena tour.” It’s insane.

Castro: I don’t know. It’s still kind of crazy ... but, as far as the schedule, it’s really slowed down. Now I feel very relaxed, not very stressed.

Q: Was there added pressure this year? Given that the show’s producers and other people kept saying you were in the best field ever of contestants?

White: Every time they did that, I was like, “Oh no, shut up.” Whenever there is, like, hype, it sets people’s expectations really high. It can be scary when somebody does have expectations up that high. There’s more opportunity to let them down ... I think, as a whole, it was a great season. The talent was huge. I was able to be a part of season seven. Being in the top five meant a lot to me.

Castro: No. Actually, that kind of made me feel better. That gave me more confidence than I had coming in. It meant that I was part of it.

Q: What was your best moment on “Idol,” and what was your worst?

White: My best “Idol” moment would be the night I got to sing “Let It Be.” I had had a couple of weeks before that, feeling really good and in my element ... I had that full orchestra behind me and the grand piano. It was a moment that everything was coming to fruition. I was there. I was so present, and it felt so great.

My low point? I went through a couple of weeks where I was fairly down for a variety of reasons. The weeks I was singing and (had) the stop-and-start thing ... I don’t want to say it was low, but it was one of those things where it’s kind of hard. “She’s the girl that stops and starts.” (She also mentions a subpar performance of a song by Andrew Lloyd Webber.) It was hard. I was embarrassed ... but this is what I realized: I just came to accept I’m not a perfect performer.

Castro: I think my most memorable moment for me was when I sang “Over the Rainbow.” It was memorable to me for so many reasons. I learned the ukulele in a week. That was the only song I watched the playback. It’s my favorite.

As for worst moments? I don’t know. I don’t think there was a worst moment.

Q: What songs will you sing on tour?

White: I can’t tell all. I can tell one. We’re all going to do three songs each. (Cook gets five and Archuleta four). I’m going to do “Let It Be.”

Castro: I can disclose one. I was playing the ukulele (“Over the Rainbow”).

Q: What are your plans after the tour?

White: I definitely look forward to putting together an album. I got into this to make it a full-time thing. At least, to expand it to something bigger than something I was doing before. When I was a nanny, I also was doing the singer and songwriting thing and playing clubs, trying to get a deal that way.

Castro: To put out an album, naturally. And, I don’t know, do some writing while I’m out here. I can’t wait.

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