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ldyjocelyn

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  1. stpetecatalyst.com

    The Catalyst interview: Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken

     

    Quote

     

    The Catalyst interview: Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken

    Bill DeYoung

    Published

     23 hours ago 

    on

     
     
    Ruben-Studdad-Clay-Aiken.jpg
    Ruben Studdard, left, and Clay Aiken are touring together to mark 20 years since their record-breaking appearances on TV's "American Idol." Publicity photo.

    On Wednesday night, May 21, 2003, an impressive 38 million television sets were tuned to Fox for the Season 2 finale of American Idol.

    It remains the most-watched live, regularly scheduled, non-sports TV episode of this century so far.

    Viewers cast 24 million votes and chose (by a narrow margin) Birmingham, Alabama vocalist Ruben Studdard as the winner – the Idol – with Clay Aiken, of Raleigh, North Carolina, the runner-up.

    Buoyed by such massive ratings numbers, both singers went on to fairly successful careers as recording and performing artists.

    They’ve remained good friends over the years, and have been touring the county together for several months. The show stops Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Central Park Performing Arts Center in Largo; find tickets here.

    The stats: Studdard had a No. 2 single (“Flying Without Wings”), one platinum and one gold album, and earned rave reviews for his album-length salute to Luther Vandross (Studdard’s velvety-smooth voice has been compared to Vandross’ since the beginning). He lost a lot of weight on TV’s The Biggest Loser.

    Aiken scored two platinum albums, and his first single (“Bridge Over Troubled Water/This is the Night”) went  to No. 1.

    His personal life took center stage in 2008, when he came out (in People) as gay. Aiken said later that he “lost” nearly half of his fan base.

    In 2014 and 2022, he ran , unsuccessfully, for the U.S. House of Representatives, representing his home state.

    Both performers have appeared on major theater stages, and in 2018 brought Ruben & Clay’s First Annual Family Fun Pageant Spectacular Reunion Christmas Show to Broadway.

     

    St. Pete Catalyst: Before the show, I understand, the audience as they walk in is hearing music from 2003. Is the ultimate goal here, in the broadest sense, to bring people back 20 years? To go back to that exact moment in time?

    Ruben Studdard: I would think so. We want people to come out and remember the spirit that time held. I can only speak for the people that I’ve met, but a lot of them will come up to me and tell me how that brought their family together. I know several church groups that told me they watched it at their church, religiously – even though it was a secular show, it was something that brought the community together. At my little church in Birmingham there were people of all races that came together to have watch parties. And for us, it’s just reliving that energy, that moment.

    Clay Aiken: Let me tell you, I’d be happy to live in any other time but this one! I was looking out into the audience recently, and I would argue that our show has probably the most eclectic, diverse crowds of any concert you’ll ever go to. Age, race, religion, socio-economic level, all of it. It’s beautiful to go out into the audience every night and see how everyone’s out there having fun, and dancing and singing along … one of Ruben’s philosophies is that this is their escape. This is our audience’s opportunity to escape from what’s going on in their lives, and their problems. Everyone’s enjoying the same thing – and I gotta tell you, I don’t see that happening much in the world these days. But like Ruben said, it happened in 2003. And so if we can re-create that, that’s what we’re here for.

     

    In 2003, could either of you imagine that you’d still be out on the road 20 years later, much less together?

    Studdard: I had no idea what the opportunity of American Idol would bring. I just knew that it would give us the opportunity to do things like we’re doing right now. I’ve done shows with other people who were on our season, and it just gives us the opportunity, for the rest of our lives, to be bonded with people that enjoy music in the same way that we do, and who want to perform it and bring joy to people’s lives.

    Aiken: On that last night, we realized it was even bigger than we knew the first week. We didn’t know, throughout the process, that it was this huge show. But by the last two weeks we had been taught – or learned – that it was this national phenomenon. And I think we both knew that something was going to happen after the show ended. I don’t know that either of us could have predicted that it would still be happening 20 years later! But throughout that process, Ruben and I knew that we would know each other for the rest of our lives. We knew that we would stay close and be friends forever. Even if I went back to teaching, and Ruben was doing something else, we would still be friends.

     

    A cynical journalist would hear that and go ‘He’s just saying that to plug this duo tour – friends all these years, really?’ But you guys really did bond back in those days?

    Studdard: We did, and we also didn’t have a choice. I don’t think that anybody can live in such close proximity as the people that we lived with and not have a bond. I still talk to the guy that lived five doors down from me in my dorm room in college. That’s just me. And Clay, myself, Joshua (Gracin), all of us, we were in the same room, basically, for six months. So to think that we would go away from that and not talk to one another is just weird, to us. Because we really made a real family there. Like these wee my real live brothers and sisters.

    Aiken: We both have friends from high school who we stay close with. They say you can’t make old friends, and there is something about the people who we grew up with that makes that connection stronger. And it’s because so few people know what we were like when we were in high school. And no one else except for the 10 people who were finalists with us know what we went through. I became really close with Kelly Clarkson when we toured together the next year – in large part because, at that point, no one else besides Ruben and Kelly, and Justin Guarini, knew what it was like to spend an entire season on a TV show like that. And have your lives changed overnight, almost. Because we all went through the fire together, we have that bond.

     

    What does this concert consist of? Songs you sang on the show, songs from your solo albums, your favorite classics?

    Studdard: We intentionally avoid singing songs that are on our albums, just because we wanted this to be The Ruben & Clay Show, not The Ruben Show and then, when Clay comes on, it’s The Clay Show. And what better way to do it than sing material that is based in the people that were a part of our American Idol journey. We sing songs from people like Gladys Knight, and Robin Gibb. We do Smokey Robinson  material. Burt Bacharach.

    Aiken: This goes back to your first question, about trying to take people back to 2003. We do the songs in the same way we did them on Idol. There were a lot of medleys. They don’t do those any more. People have forgotten that for the first several years of the show, on Wednesday nights, all the finalists would do medleys together. We do a bunch of those. There aren’t too many songs that two guys can sing together, so we don’t sing right on top of each other all the time, but we’re onstage together the entire time.


     

  2. 1 hour ago, jmh123 said:

    And at least one fool poor unlucky person will show up tomorrow in a cast. 

    Hopefully not! As I suspected, there were already people at work when the call came, but as far as I know, everyone made it back home safely. There’s a lull in the rain at the moment, but it’s supposed to start up again overnight again. Eventually though it is supposed to turn to just rain, which will melt everything. 

    Oh, and my husband made it to work, only for his boss to tell him to go home and work remotely. Fortunately, he made it home safely. It’s really the side streets, parking lots, and sidewalks that are the issue. 

  3. Another snow day for me!  Actually, it's an "ice" day -- it's freezing rain at the moment, and supposedly the side streets and sidewalks are very slick.  I woke up at about 5 am this morning and checked the local news' listing of closings, and there was nothing.  At 6:30 am, though, most schools in the area were closed.  I got the call for my college at almost 7 am.  That's really late for us, as I'm sure there were some people already on campus and starting to work.

  4. ajc.com

    INTERVIEWS: Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken reunite on stage 20 years after ‘Idol’

     

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    INTERVIEWS: Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken reunite on stage 20 years after ‘Idol’

    They are touring, including a stop at Buckhead Theatre Jan. 24.
     

    The "American Idol" season 2 winner Ruben Studdard reunited with runner-up Clay Aiken for a tour to celebrate the season's 20th anniversary and will stop at Buckhead Theatre Jan. 24, 2024. HANDOUT

    Credit: HANDOUT

    The "American Idol" season 2 winner Ruben Studdard reunited with runner-up Clay Aiken for a tour to celebrate the season's 20th anniversary and will stop at Buckhead Theatre Jan. 24, 2024. HANDOUT
    48 minutes ago
     

    Twenty years ago, “American Idol” was on its way to becoming the biggest show in America, bigger than “C.S.I.,” bigger than “Friends,” bigger than “ER.” It was one of the final broadcast shows that cut across generations, before social media atomized TV viewership.

    And that spring of 2003, two very different 24-year-old men — Ruben Studdard of Birmingham, Alabama, and Clay Aiken of Raleigh, North Carolina — found themselves at the center of the pop culture universe, landing on magazine covers, awards shows and late-night talk shows.

    Aiken, a gawky teacher with an enchanting voice, made quite the visual counterpoint to Studdard, the cuddly R&B singer who picked up the nickname “Velvet Teddy Bear.” In the end, Studdard beat Aiken in a controversial finale where Aiken’s “Claymates” complained that jammed phone lines had cost their man the title. (Yes, it was so long ago, voting could only be done by calling.)

     

    Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard during the final of season two of "American Idol" in May 2003. They are coming to the Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta Jan. 24, 2024 to perform together again. FOXdata:image/svg+xml;base64,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

    Credit: FOX PUBLICITY

    Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard during the final of season two of "American Idol" in May 2003. They are coming to the Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta Jan. 24, 2024 to perform together again. FOX

    Two decades later, the pair decided to hit the road to celebrate that magical time period by reprising many of the classic tunes they did on the show. At the tail end of their tour, they are coming to Atlanta’s Buckhead Theatre on Wednesday, Jan. 24. Tickets are still available at livenation.com from $43 to $97.50.

    Studdard has toured and recorded music regularly over the past 20 years. Aiken did the same for much of the first decade before embarking on a career in politics and raising his son. Studdard is the one who came up with the idea for this reunion tour.

     

    “I put a gun to Clay’s head,” Studdard joked in a Zoom interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

     

    “It was the only way he could get me out of the house,” said Aiken, an admitted “hermit.”

    While Aiken was campaigning for a House seat in North Carolina in 2014 and 2022, Studdard would support him but say, “One of these days, you’re going to get tired of this and get back on stage.” Aiken would reply, “Okay, sure, sure.”

     

    Clay Aiken speaks to supporters during an election night watch party in Holly Springs, N.C., Tuesday, May 6, 2014. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)data:image/svg+xml;base64,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

    Credit: AP

    Clay Aiken speaks to supporters during an election night watch party in Holly Springs, N.C., Tuesday, May 6, 2014. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

    “Lo and behold,” Aiken said, “after the last campaign, I said, ‘Yup! You’re right! I’m ready!”

    The setlist includes a mix of solo covers and duets from legends who showed up on “Idol” that season, like Motown songwriter Lamont Dozier and pop superstar Barry Manilow. They also tell the audience stories from their time on the show.

    “I remember Lamont Dozier because I’m a music nerd that way,” Studdard said.

    “I remember all the arguments because I’m a drama queen!” Aiken said, chuckling.

    Good news for fans who may not have heard either of them in awhile live: they believe their voices sound better than ever. For Aiken, going on tour was a bit scary because, except for a short stint on Broadway with Studdard in 2018, he hasn’t sung much the past decade.

    “I can hit high notes better than I used to,” Aiken said. “That last note on ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ has been in the past a cross-your-fingers moment, though I always got it. Now it’s just easier. The high notes are there. My range has gone up.”

    Overall, he said, “this tour we’ve been in fighting form the whole time.”

     

    Studdard said the fans have been a delight though “every single night, there is someone who wants to dictate how our show goes or tells us our story as we tell it on the stage.”

    One fan at a recent concert was actually helpful. Studdard had come on stage and forgotten to zip his pants. So the woman came to the front of the stage and quietly showed Studdard her phone. “I thought she was showing him a picture of Ruben with her,” Aiken said. But instead, she had written in big letters “ZIPPER.” Studdard appreciated the discretion.

    “A few months ago, my zipper was down the whole act and nobody said anything until I got offstage!” Aiken said.

    The Atlanta date will be a homecoming of sorts for Studdard, who has plenty of family and friends in the area and comes here often. He recorded his last album at a studio in Dunwoody. Aiken said Atlanta is where he auditioned for “Idol” in 2002 so “it will always have a special place in my heart.”

    While on “Idol” in 2003, they said they became quick friends. “We both realized we were barbecue aficionados,” Studdard said.

    “Except he likes the wrong kind,” Aiken shot back.

    More seriously, Aiken said he loves their differences. “We are brothers and all the good that comes with that,” he said. “We are just enough alike that we have things to talk about. But I don’t expect him to know who is going to win the Tony for best musical this year. And he doesn’t expect me to know about whatever sports ballgame is on tonight.”

    They bonded even more after “Idol” was over once they absorbed the intense fandom during the “Idol” tour. Aiken’s Claymates were so rabid, he felt the need to have security whenever he left the house for about seven years.

    But neither has regrets. Studdard felt the show came at the right time after 9/11 and as a war brewed. “We needed the comfort,” he said. “‘Idol’ was a break from what was going on in the real world.”

    “‘Idol’ seasons one to five were the last time everybody in the country watched the same show,” Aiken said. “We are now just fractured media wise.”

    Aiken has no desire to get back into politics. Even between his losing 2014 and 2022 campaigns, he saw the divisions between people grow to untenable levels.

    “I refuse to lie about somebody,” Aiken said. “I refuse to slander somebody because I want to win. I didn’t want it that bad.”

    And his own inherent shyness meant the social interactions politicians have to do took a lot out of him. When these concerts end, Aiken will scurry off the stage, jump on the tour bus and change into his pajamas before the last fan is out the door. In comparison, Studdard will be happy to hang out in the lobby and schmooze with departing fans.

    “He is so laid back and casual,” Aiken said. “He’d take the shirt off his back if someone wanted it.”

     

     

     
  5. Thank you beanerknits for finding the interviews!  So much promo this time around, or at least it feels like it!

    jmh, I'm glad you were able to sell your tickets!  Hope you find a home for all your "stuff!"  

    Yes, I'm crazy busy -- too many meetings!  And major things that need to be done by the end of March.  AAAAAAGH!

  6. First day back to work this week.  MLK day was Monday, and then it was so bitter cold yesterday that almost all the schools in the area went to either e-learning or a snow day.  It was supposed to be our first day of school yesterday at my college, but I think they may have called it a no-work day because of all the other schools; many of our faculty/staff/students have children of their own and would have been scrambling for child care!  Me?  I made a pot of chili, made some hummus for lunches this week, cleaned out a drawer in my kitchen, read some of Patrick Stewart's memoir, and just relaxed.  It was nice.

    My Clay stash is in a closet as well.  I went through it several years ago and got rid of a lot of duplicates, and many of the things where Clay was only briefly mentioned in one article.  Past that though...it's still a lot.  Ugh.  My niece will probably toss it all when I pass on (if I don't do it before then!).

  7. jmh, I'll take the details of your post to CV and see if anyone can take you up on your offers.  I'm sorry you're not going to be able to make it to the tour this time.  

    I'll also try that with the post.  It's TextWriter in the Mac contingent.

    Some pictures from nicki's public FB page -- she's finally having travel issues.  She's actually lucky at this point!

    417432931_10228053079966115_1071888659273201136_n.jpg

    417385960_10228053082606181_1761053196712268079_n.jpg

    417476757_10228053080006116_4062054566523840222_n.jpg

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  8. newsday.com

    Quote

     

    Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken Team for "American Idol" Nostalgia Show at Westbury

    By David J. Criblez
    david.criblez@newsday.comDavidJCriblez
    January 12, 2024 5:00 am

    Back in 2003, singers Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard were presented as rivals on the second season of “American Idol.” But that was just on screen. The truth is these two southern gentlemen, winner Studdard and runner-up Aiken, have been the best of friends off-screen and they are currently celebrating their bond with the “Twenty Years / One Night Tour,” which comes to the NYCB Theatre at Westbury on Jan. 19.

     “The competition between Ruben and I was hyped up for the benefit of the viewing audience,” admits Aiken, 45. “I don’t think we felt competitive against each other at all. We played it up on stage for the benefit of the joke, but we never felt that way.”

    Studdard, 45, adds, “It couldn’t be further from the truth. Basically, everybody was competing with themselves. On ‘American Idol,’ your job was to be better than you were the day before.”

    SHOW HAS LI ROOTS
    Surprisingly, the seed for the current tour originated on Long Island in the venue the duo are about to headline.

     “In 2014, I semi-left performing and wanted to try other things. I stopped singing from 2014 to the beginning of 2018,” says Aiken. “Then in early 2018 I went to see Ruben perform his ‘Ruben Sings Luther’ show in Westbury. It was at that show that I realized I wanted to perform again but only if I can do it with Ruben.”

     Studdard says, “We have built a friendship on the show that we have continued over the years. When I say that I mean we are like family. Our current show is the 20th anniversary of our friendship. We want to share 20 years of great memories with the public, which is why we decided to go out on tour.”

     TURNING BACK THE CLOCK
    The current show is a nostalgia fest for “American Idol” fans featuring a revue of songs both Aiken and Studdard famously knocked out of the park on “Idol” combined with behind-the-scenes stories.

    “The show is broken down into sections and it’s about the people that inspired us,” says Studdard, who recently released his 8th album, “The Way I Remember It.” “We tell stories about the things we did, the people that we worked with and we have songs that coincide with the people that we are talking about.”

    Aiken adds, “Ruben sings by himself quite a bit and I sing by myself as well. We perform medleys together and reminisce. Our goal is to recreate the magic that was 2003 because it was a pivotal moment in our lives.”

    What made “American Idol” stand out from other talent shows was that it was the first time people at home got to vote.

    “This element created an ownership and competition among the viewers because they were devoting their own time to being on the phone after every episode trying to vote,” says Aiken. “I think that’s what made the show fun and created the 21st century variety show featuring a little bit of everything from country music to disco to Broadway to pop. Our tour celebrates all of that. We touch on every genre that we hit on ‘Idol.’ ”

    Highlights of the show include performances of Aiken’s version of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” as well as Studdard belting out “Flying Without Wings.”

    “I love singing those big power ballads,” says Studdard. “It still makes the hair stand up on my arm when we sing those songs. I feel something special is happening.”

    Aiken adds, “Those are the moments when people are most pulled back to 2003. I find myself even making the same arm motions when I sing.”

     WHEN RUBEN MET CLAY
    Aiken and Studdard first met at the Hilton Hotel in Glendale, California during Hollywood Week on “Idol.”

    “I was holding court with a couple of people and in comes Clay,” recalls Studdard. “I saw he was the only guy around a whole bunch of girls. So I came over and introduced myself.”

    Aiken, who came out as gay in 2008, notes, “He thought I was a player!” (laughs)

    For Aiken being on “Idol” was quite an awakening because he had never been around people who shared the same musical interest as he did.

    “Nobody in my world sang at all,” says Aiken. “It was sort of like this interesting, cool summer camp club where everybody was into the same thing and we all had that in common to talk about.”

     'IDOL' LESSONS
    Both men walked away from “Idol” learning some big life lessons that they still carry with them today.

    “It was not as easy to be proud of the skills I had or develop confidence in myself until ‘Idol.’ Being on the show taught me to like myself for who I am and celebrate the gifts God gave me,” says Aiken. “I think it does that for a lot of kids that are on the show now. That’s something that hasn’t changed in 20 plus years. It gives people a chance to shine and build confidence.”

    Studdard says, “The biggest lesson that I learned is that hard work and dedication pays off. The people that made it to the top 10 were extremely serious. We took pride in the work that we did and they made sure to get every ounce of energy out of us for sure.”

    Although Aiken and Studdard are simpatico that doesn’t mean their fans are fully on the same page.

    “Our fans were the ones that were competitive with one another and they continued that even after the show was over,” says Studdard.

    Aiken says, “There are still people who come to our shows that are primarily there for Ruben or me, but they know how much we love each other and that there’s no animosity between us. They now come and enjoy the show with both of us. We’ve all matured a little bit.”

    RUBEN STUDDARD & CLAY AIKEN

    WHEN/WHERE 8 p.m., Jan. 19; NYCB Theatre at Westbury, 960 Brush Hollow Road, Westbury

    INFO 516-247-5200, thetheatreatwestbury.com

    ADMISSION $29-$129.50

     

     

  9. beanerknits, I grabbed some of those too.  Loved that.

    Newsday article; definitely behind a paywall, so I'm posting the entire thing here, thanks to a generous soul at CV.  Note:  for some reason, when I copy and paste from CV, the background stays there; when I copy it to a Google Document and then copy and paste it from there, it turns the entire article bold (see below); when I copy it to a Microsoft Word document and then copy and paste it to here, it makes it into a jpg attachment!  jmh, do you know what's going on?

    Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken Team for "American Idol" Nostalgia Show at Westbury

    By David J. Criblez
    david.criblez@newsday.comDavidJCriblez
    January 12, 2024 5:00 am

    Back in 2003, singers Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard were presented as rivals on the second season of “American Idol.” But that was just on screen. The truth is these two southern gentlemen, winner Studdard and runner-up Aiken, have been the best of friends off-screen and they are currently celebrating their bond with the “Twenty Years / One Night Tour,” which comes to the NYCB Theatre at Westbury on Jan. 19.

     “The competition between Ruben and I was hyped up for the benefit of the viewing audience,” admits Aiken, 45. “I don’t think we felt competitive against each other at all. We played it up on stage for the benefit of the joke, but we never felt that way.”

    Studdard, 45, adds, “It couldn’t be further from the truth. Basically, everybody was competing with themselves. On ‘American Idol,’ your job was to be better than you were the day before.”

    SHOW HAS LI ROOTS
    Surprisingly, the seed for the current tour originated on Long Island in the venue the duo are about to headline.

     “In 2014, I semi-left performing and wanted to try other things. I stopped singing from 2014 to the beginning of 2018,” says Aiken. “Then in early 2018 I went to see Ruben perform his ‘Ruben Sings Luther’ show in Westbury. It was at that show that I realized I wanted to perform again but only if I can do it with Ruben.”

     Studdard says, “We have built a friendship on the show that we have continued over the years. When I say that I mean we are like family. Our current show is the 20th anniversary of our friendship. We want to share 20 years of great memories with the public, which is why we decided to go out on tour.”

     TURNING BACK THE CLOCK
    The current show is a nostalgia fest for “American Idol” fans featuring a revue of songs both Aiken and Studdard famously knocked out of the park on “Idol” combined with behind-the-scenes stories.

    “The show is broken down into sections and it’s about the people that inspired us,” says Studdard, who recently released his 8th album, “The Way I Remember It.” “We tell stories about the things we did, the people that we worked with and we have songs that coincide with the people that we are talking about.”

    Aiken adds, “Ruben sings by himself quite a bit and I sing by myself as well. We perform medleys together and reminisce. Our goal is to recreate the magic that was 2003 because it was a pivotal moment in our lives.”

    What made “American Idol” stand out from other talent shows was that it was the first time people at home got to vote.

    “This element created an ownership and competition among the viewers because they were devoting their own time to being on the phone after every episode trying to vote,” says Aiken. “I think that’s what made the show fun and created the 21st century variety show featuring a little bit of everything from country music to disco to Broadway to pop. Our tour celebrates all of that. We touch on every genre that we hit on ‘Idol.’ ”

    Highlights of the show include performances of Aiken’s version of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” as well as Studdard belting out “Flying Without Wings.”

    “I love singing those big power ballads,” says Studdard. “It still makes the hair stand up on my arm when we sing those songs. I feel something special is happening.”

    Aiken adds, “Those are the moments when people are most pulled back to 2003. I find myself even making the same arm motions when I sing.”

     WHEN RUBEN MET CLAY
    Aiken and Studdard first met at the Hilton Hotel in Glendale, California during Hollywood Week on “Idol.”

    “I was holding court with a couple of people and in comes Clay,” recalls Studdard. “I saw he was the only guy around a whole bunch of girls. So I came over and introduced myself.”

    Aiken, who came out as gay in 2008, notes, “He thought I was a player!” (laughs)

    For Aiken being on “Idol” was quite an awakening because he had never been around people who shared the same musical interest as he did.

    “Nobody in my world sang at all,” says Aiken. “It was sort of like this interesting, cool summer camp club where everybody was into the same thing and we all had that in common to talk about.”

     'IDOL' LESSONS
    Both men walked away from “Idol” learning some big life lessons that they still carry with them today.

    “It was not as easy to be proud of the skills I had or develop confidence in myself until ‘Idol.’ Being on the show taught me to like myself for who I am and celebrate the gifts God gave me,” says Aiken. “I think it does that for a lot of kids that are on the show now. That’s something that hasn’t changed in 20 plus years. It gives people a chance to shine and build confidence.”

    Studdard says, “The biggest lesson that I learned is that hard work and dedication pays off. The people that made it to the top 10 were extremely serious. We took pride in the work that we did and they made sure to get every ounce of energy out of us for sure.”

    Although Aiken and Studdard are simpatico that doesn’t mean their fans are fully on the same page.

    “Our fans were the ones that were competitive with one another and they continued that even after the show was over,” says Studdard.

    Aiken says, “There are still people who come to our shows that are primarily there for Ruben or me, but they know how much we love each other and that there’s no animosity between us. They now come and enjoy the show with both of us. We’ve all matured a little bit.”

    RUBEN STUDDARD & CLAY AIKEN

    WHEN/WHERE 8 p.m., Jan. 19; NYCB Theatre at Westbury, 960 Brush Hollow Road, Westbury

    INFO 516-247-5200, thetheatreatwestbury.com

    ADMISSION $29-$129.50

  10. mlive.comRuben and Clay do a throwback-style variety show with plenty of Motown in Motown

    Quote


    Ruben and Clay do a throwback-style variety show with plenty of Motown in Motown

    ruben studdard and clay aiken

    Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken are on tour together and had two stops in Michigan the week of January 8, 2024.Photo by Lindsey McCutchan

     
    Subscribers can gift articles to anyone

    CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI - They have a lot of chemistry on stage and not just with their powerful harmonies, but also with their witty banter. Rubben Studdard and Clay Aiken teamed up for a concert in Kalamazoo earlier this week and a show at the Macomb Center in Clinton Township tonight.

     

    We talked to the “American Idol” season 2 winner, Studdard, and season 2 runner-up, Aiken, last week before seeing them perform, what we can only describe as, a fun-filled variety show, of sorts.

     
     

    Studdard and Aiken, backed by a band, were mostly on stage together, either performing duets of popular songs, harmonies with one another, or background vocals for the other singer. Kalamazoo’s Nashon Holloway was also on backup vocals and even had a few leads throughout the night.

     
     

    Studdard and Aiken performed all or parts of around 40 songs with many fan favorites from their time on “Idol” through their audition process all the way to the finals with songs like “Superstar,” “Open Arms,” “To Love Somebody” and “Midnight Train To Georgia.”

     
     

    The two also told stories of what went on behind the scenes during their time on the show, like how Aiken dreaded finding out what the song themes were because he said he doesn’t know a lot of popular music, while Studdard, a music guru, always seemed to know what song he wanted to sing each week right away.

     

    The two talked about some of the big names they got to sing with on the show or work with over the last 20 years, legends like Babyface, Olivia Newton-John and legendary Motown writer, Lamont Dozier.

     
     

    The two also performed a medley of Motown hits including “I Can’t Help Myself,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing,” “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted,” “Baby I Need Your Loving,” “Dancing In the Street” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”

     
     

    The two also did a boy band medley and Studdard, who has an entire album of Luther Vandross songs, had a chance to do a few of the legendary singer’s hits, while Aiken did some Barry Manilow and Simon and Garfunkel.

     
     

    The two capped off the show with Studdard’s, “Flying Without Wings” and an encore showstopper with both of them performing “The Impossible Dream.”

     
     

    Ruben and Clay put on such a fun night of music, stories and comedy, they could probably record this two hour show and run it as a prime-time network or Netflix special. Or, you can check them out at a city near you as this tour continues for a few more weeks with shows all over the country.

     

     

     

     

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