The Post caught up with the first three “American Idol” contestants to make it to the Top 12 – punk pixie mama Alexis Grace, oil rigger Michael Sarver and weepy widower Danny Gokey.
Here are some interesting tidbits we learned about the eclectic group of songbirds:
* Grace, who is only 4’11 and weighs under 100 pounds, says her ideal “Idol” mentor would be Aretha Franklin, Fleetwood Mac or Bruce Springsteen.
* Gokey has a secret love for salsa and heavy metal rock.
* Both Grace and Sarver’s kids watch “American Idol” to see their respective parents perform every time.
* Sarver and Gokey keep the faith by praying together.
* Gokey has one brother and four sisters – no wonder he’s so “nice.”
* Grace’s favorite movie is Jack Black’s “School of Rock.”
* Sarver says he’s never performed in a bar or a club, keeping his music true to his religion and singing in Church and other Christian events, while Grave is a self-proclaimed “bar scene” singer and performs in a band with her dad.
* Gokey loves wearing his glasses so much so that he bought several new pairs to debut when the Top 12 begin performing.
* When waiting to take the stage, Grace loves to play Scrabble and Scattergories with her fellow contestants.
Grace says…
“I don’t know what [the other contestants] were thinking in their minds while they were singing, but I can tell you what I was thinking. I was just thinking, ‘You know what? I’m going to make the best of this night.’ I’m going to take in everything that the people on this show have been telling me and just, like, cherish this moment forever and just go out there and have fun and perform because that’s what you want to do,’ right? I mean that’s what I want to do.”
“As soon as I left my live audition, I really started working on my look because that was what they told me… So, I think over time it’s gotten easier and I’ve kind of really come to know what kind of style I like and [am] comfortable with wearing… and knowing what looks good with my look – just playing around and having fun.”
Sarver says…
“I wasn’t intimidated by knowing there was a new judge at all. I think it just adds more flavor, more intellect, more knowledge and I think it benefits us as contestants rather than hurts things for sure.”
“I can acknowledge that the hard working American is part of the appeal. I believe that real life people can relate to me, especially in the economy. It’s very difficult for a lot of people, and I see it as a chance to see someone rise from the ashes. It’s not that my life is bad, but things are tough and to see some excel and succeed, I think people relate to that and it’s special to their hearts.”
“I wouldn’t say that [singing] began in church. It really began at a time in my life that was really tough. I won’t go into personal details, but I had a little family situation in my life when I was 11-years-old and I resorted to music. I found joy in music. I found the peace that I needed. Music just kind of made everything make sense to me and that’s when I really attached myself to what music means. And then, I started singing and really realizing, ‘Well, wow. There’s actually something there,’ and then I’d hear compliments from my mom hearing me sing around the house.”
Gokey says…
“Well, I’m honored. I’m, first of all, honored that people support me. I think very highly of everyone who supports me. It’s just an honor to see that they think this way of me and that they want to see me succeed; people who I’ve never met. I just hope that I can keep them all the way through the competition.”
“It’s only been seven months since [my wife] passed. This is who I am. It’s not that I throw it in people’s faces, but I get asked about it all the time, especially like right now. I’m talking about it at this point. In a previous interview that I did today, everybody wants to hear what I have to say. It weighs on my mind a lot though because honestly, this is a sob story I don’t want. I don’t want this story, but it is shaping my life and it’s causing hope for a lot of people knowing that it’s causing hope for my life. I didn’t want to live any more after she passed…”
“I never forget the memory of my wife, but the hurtful emotions that were really tying me down, especially during Hollywood week with all the pressure, the producers, and all the pressure that’s put on you from the show because you’re herding all these kids around and all that talent there… She’s in my heart. You can never take that away.”