This is the first in a new feature, looking at unsigned artists from around the world. To be honest, when I decided to do this feature, there was only going to be one artist I would first look at.
David Cook, to a lot of UK music fans, that name won't mean much. To a lot of US music fans, it will be a household name. You see, unlike our singing reality TV shows, where the winners are thrust down our throats, in magazines, TV adverts, chat shows, you name it, if the same were to happen to the US equivalents, David Cook would be a worldwide phenomenon!
He was the season 7 winner of American Idol back in 2008, after wowing the judges, and more importantly, the voting public, with fantastic performances of classic songs, throughout the series. The difference was, he succeeded, where many have failed, in making the songs sound his own. His versions of Billie Jean, Music of The Night, and Mariah Carey's Always Be My Baby, could quite easily have been his own songs. He'd been bitten by the music bug much earlier, during his college years when he formed a heavy rock band called Axium with a bunch of friends from school, after that he tried his hand at other projects, including a solo album called Analog Heart. But he knew what he wanted and he headed to Omaha, Nebraska to audition for Idol. He never looked back.
He has since released 2 solo albums, toured right across The States, and also in the Far East. But for some unfathomable reason, has never toured the UK and Europe. Now, strictly speaking, up until recently, He was signed to a label, but he took the decision to go it alone and release his own material. The first of his self released songs is the song you can see below called The Last Song I'll Write For You, performed live on the latest season of American Idol. There's also a couple of my other favourite songs of his.
Enjoy
The last video, Permanent, was written in 2008 whilst his elder brother Adam battled brain cancer. Tragically, Adam passed away the following year. It's a beautifully powerful song, and you can hear the emotion in his voice as he tells the story behind the song, and performs it live earlier this year.
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Nice article and great compilation of videos. I agree with you, he should be a megastar by now. =)
ReplyDeleteI so agree with mlarracuente. He has a gorgeous voice and an overflow of talent as well as a wonderful personality and a big heart. Oh, and a gorgeous face, too, which never hurts.
ReplyDeleteLove the videos.
Great article but one correction. David didn't head to Omaha to audition; he went to support his younger brother, Andrew, who was auditioning. Auditioning himself was a last-minute decision after he told a cameraman he wasn't the one auditioning and the cameraman said you are now, lol.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and the others that David would be a mega-star if he were promoted differently here in the U.S. I also agree he should go to the UK at some point. I'm sure he'd love to. I also hope he decides to get on a smaller label who will promote him properly. I love his music and his live concerts. Incredible voice, incredible man!