|
Description
|
Fountaindawg's Recaps
|
|
|
Charlotte
Audition - 10/17/02
Prior
to his audition in Atlanta , Clay went to an audition in Charlotte . He sang "Somewhere
over the Rainbow" . When he didn't make it, he decided to try again in Atlanta.
|
|
Charlotte Audition - Over The Rainbow |
|
Atlanta Audition - 11/1/02; broadcast - 1/28/03
Clay walked into the audition room wearing a striped button-down shirt, and
was asked "Why are you here?” His answer: "I'm the American Idol."
Clay sang an a capella version of "Always and Forever.”
Randy said, “I say yes." Simon said, "You don't look like a Pop Star,
but you've got a great voice". They sent him to Hollywood.
|
|
Atlanta Audition - Always and Forever |
|
Hollywood : The Glendale Auditions
- December 2002; broadcast 1/29/03.
Clay sang for only a short time. It was a bit of a custom melody. For the group auditions he sang Superstar. Clay makes it into the top 32.
|
|
Glendale Audition - Superstar |
|
Final 32 - Group 2 - 2/11/03
& 2/12/03
Competition: Clay was the first contestant to sing.
After a short bio clip, he sang "Open
Arms." He was wearing a suit with a lime-green button-down shirt.
Results: He made it to the top
3 for the group, but Ruben Studdard and Kimberley Locke made it through
to the final 10 and Clay was eliminated. Paula announced that Clay
would definitely be in the Wildcard group.
|
|
|
|
Wildcard 3/4/03 - 3/5/03
Competition: A new bio clip discussed Clay's
return for the Wildcard. Clay came out with an amazing rendition of "Don't Let
the Sun Go down on me.”
Results: The
results show seemed to drag out forever as the judges' picks came
before America's pick. The last pick finally came and once Ryan said
"Clay Aiken," Clay hugged everybody, including all of the contestants,
judges (even Simon!), and Ryan Seacrest. After regaining his composure,
Clay sang "Don't Let the Sun Go down on me” again.
|
|
DLTSGDOM On Wildcard Show |
|
Motown - 3/11/03 & 3/12/03
Competition:
Clay performed "I Can't
Help Myself" and Lamont Dozier, the guest judge, said "You look like you've
already arrived. You look like a professional.” Group Performance - "Heatwave".
Results: Vanessa Olivarez was voted out.
|
|
Motown - I Can't Help Myself |
|
Movie - 3/18/03 & 3/19/03
Competition:
Clay sang "Somewhere
Out There", from the movie An American Tail. Simon said, "With that
performance, you're the one they've got to beat.” Three judges gave him a
standing ovation including Gladys Knight who said he was magic.
Results: Group Performances - "Footloose" and "I've Had the Time of My Life" Charles Grigsby was voted out.
|
|
Somewhere Out There - Movie Night |
|
Country - 3/25/03 & 3/26/03
Competition: Clay sang "Someone
Else's Star." He got a standing ovation from Randy, Paula and Olivia Newton
John, But Simon said his performance was too much like the previous week.
Results: Group Performances -"Where the Blacktop Ends" and "God Bless the USA" Ford Music Video - "Mustang Sally".
Feature - During an audience Q&A, a girl asks Clay who he would
want to play him in a movie and Clay said, “Yahoo Serious, then he
asked Ryan if he was available. Finally, they talked him into Brad
Pitt. Julia DeMato was eliminated off the show.
|
|
Someone Else's Star - Country |
|
Disco - 4/1/03 & 4/2/03
Competition: Clay sang "Everlasting
Love". Randy said it was "Brilliant", Paula said his voice was "Golden.” The
guest Judge from Earth, Wind, and Fire, Verdine White said "You can SING" but he didn't impress
Simon.
Results: Group Performances - "A Night to Remember" and "Boogie Wonderland". Ford Music Video - "Car Wash". The contestants were shown recording "God Bless the USA", which will be released to benefit the Red Cross. No one was eliminated because Corey Clark was disqualified
|
|
|
|
Billboard
#1 Hits - 4/8/03 & 4/9/03
Competition:
Clay sings "At This
Moment" by Billy Vera and the Beaters. Lionel Richie was in awe of Clay's
voice: "Who is that guy?” Simon said "That song was perfect for you; absolutely
on the Money, Well done!"
Results: Group performance - "All Night Long;" Ford Music Video - "Get Outta My Dreams" featuring Ruben and multiple Carmens. Feature - The contestants visit the Billboard offices. Rickey Smith was eliminated.
|
|
At This Moment - Billy Joel |
|
Billy
Joel - 4/15/03 & 4/16/03
Competition:
Clay's Performance - "Tell Her
about It." He started out slow but then picked up tempo for the chorus. Wore
a black blazer and a blue shirt. Randy says "You did your thing", and Smokey
Robinson said "You can sing anything".
Results: Group Performance - "For the Longest Time;" Ford Music Video - "Speed Racer;" Features - Contestants visit the set of Boston Public. Kimberly Caldwell was voted out.
|
|
Tell Her About It - Billy Joel |
Halfway Home Special - 4/21/03
This
was an hour-long special featuring the final six contestants. The judges were
nowhere to be found, giving Ryan many opportunities to snark about them. Each
contestant got their own segment, consisting of a video montage, a short
interview with Ryan, and a performance of a song previously done on the series.
Clay was on last. In his interview, he discussed his love for teaching
and how the show's stylists helped him improve his look. He then sang "Somewhere Out There.” The show ended with a group performance of "All Night Long." |
|
Halfway Home - Somewhere Out There |
|
Diane Warren - 4/22/03 & 4/23/03
Competition: Clay sings"I Could
Not Ask For More." Randy says "We're trying to find the best in America, and
every week, you come up with it. You are definitely one of the best in America."
Paula says another great vocal performance, "Be truthful to yourself as an
artist - Definite Contender for the finals." Diane Warren said, "Great.
Wonderful."
Results: Group Performance - "Shine;" Ford Music Video "Fun, Fun, Fun;" Carmen Rasmussen was eliminated.
|
 |
Diane Warren - I Could Not Ask For More |
Neil Sedaka/60s - 4/29/03 & 4/30/03
Competition: Clay's
Performance - On this night, they started singing 2 songs, "Build Me
Up Buttercup"was followed by an amazing performance of "Solitaire."
This was the night Neil Sedaka told Clay that "you sing like Andre Agassi plays
tennis - PERFECTION, PERFECTION - and I would kill to write and produce your
first CD." After "Solitaire," he declared, "I have lost my song forever to you.
It will always be a Clay Aiken song." Randy, Paula, and Simon also loved both of
his performances.
Results: Group Performance - 60s medley: Clay's solo was ""Going out of My Head." Some of the past finalists return to join the contestants for "What the World Needs Now," led by Burt Bacharach on piano. Ford Music Video - "Do You Believe in Magic?" Trenyce gets voted off. |
|
Neil Sedaka - Build Me Up Buttercup
|
|
Bee
Gees - 5/6/03 & 5/7/03
Once
again, two songs. The first song was "To Love
Somebody." He wowed the judges, and Simon said it was probably the best of
all the Pop Idol/American Idol performances. This was also the infamous night of
"GREASE,"
when he wore a red leather jacket and shook his hips. Paula and Randy liked the
fact that he took a chance and he could have fun with himself. Simon hated it,
and thought it was terrible.
Results: Group Performance - Bee Gees medley, Clay's solo was "Too Much Heaven", Ford Music Video - "Ride Wit Me;" Josh Gracin was sent home.
|
|
Bee Gee's - To Love Somebody
|
Final 3 - The Night of the Vincident - 5/13/03
& 5/14/03
The contestants start to sing three songs this week: one of
their own choosing, one judge's choice, and one 'random' selection. For Clay,
the 'random' song turns out to be "
Vincent," the haunting song about suicidal artist Vincent Van Gogh. Clay
sings it wonderfully, but he messes up the lyrics. After the show, we learn
almost immediately that he had to add a verse with no rehearsal. To recover, he sings the "Mack the Knife" (Judge's Choice) and then blows the house down with "Unchained Melody," which was wonderful and brought Paula to her feet, even though he did a faster mix.
|
|
|
|
Final 2 Special - 5/19/03
This special
focused on Clay and Ruben, with a mix of video features and in-studio
interviews. Clay performed "Don't Let
the Sun Go Down On Me." A fan chosen from the audience answered questions
about Clay, much to his surprise.
Ryan had Clay and Ruben do a coin toss
to decide the order of performance the next night. Clay won the toss
and chose to go second. The other finalists joined them for a
performance of "God Bless the USA " and "What the World Needs Now." |
 |
Final Two - Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me |
|
The Final show- 5/20/03 & 5/21/03
At the end of the show, Paul Anka performs "My Way" with the lyrics changed to pay tribute to Clay, Ruben, and the judges.
Results:
|
|
Bridge Over Troubled Water - Finale
On The Wings Of Love - Finale |
