(OUTscene AMERICA) EXCLUSIVE: Season 11 IDOL Finalists spill the dirt to MK about J.Lo and Tyler!

by MK Scott

This past month as the News was coming about the American Idol Shake-up, luckily it happened during the same week as my Annual Idol Tour Interviews. I had a chance to get the scoop directly from Season 11 runner up, Jessica Sanchez as well as Elise Testone, DeAndre Brackensick and Erika Van Pelt. How will Idol change without J.Lo, Steven and Randy? 

MK:  Was there any judge that was one of your favorites?

Elise:  I started off loving Steven Tyler because he’s been a huge inspiration for me my whole life.  And then I ended up kind of loving J Lo and him as well, so.  Yeah, it’s hard to say.

Deandre:  I love all three, but you know, I really like, I really took Steven’s words, you know, to heart.  He really knows his music, as far as like vocal, or like, you know …

Elise:  He’s been around a while.

Deandre:  He’s been around a good while.  He knows what he’s talking about.  So I really took what he said to heart.  And then Jo Lo, as far as like performing and stuff, ‘cause she’s, you know, she been doing her thing ever since she was a Fly Girl.  So, yeah.  

Erika:  Oh, man, yeah, you know what?  It’s funny because in the very beginning, I absolutely love Steven Tyler, I mean, I’ve been an Aerosmith fan my whole life.  But actually like towards the end of the competition I feel like Randy was really like my guy.  I feel like Randy was really the guy that was in my corner.  He saved me, you know, during the wild card pick.  And I don’t know I just feel like he always had my back.  So.  Me and RJ meant to be like this.  (Laugh)

Jessica:  I mean I love all of them.  I think they all have great constructive criticism to give to all of us and it was all, like it was all helpful, pretty much, to all of us.  So I can’t really pick a favorite.

MK:   Now with the recent news of them both leaving, and Now the Departure of Randy Jackson, how do you think the show will change?

Elise:  It’s definitely going to change.  With Mariah Carey doing it.  I think that would be a great fit.  She can sing, you know, her butt off, and she’s a beautiful person.  And I think if she did it Randy would probably stay too because he’s always talking about how that’s his girl.  I think it will change the show for sure, but the show was around, you know, nine years or so before they were around, so I don’t think it will collapse or anything like that, they’re just going to have revamp.  And it will just bring a new, something new and exciting to the show.

Jessica:  Tremendously.  I don’t know, yeah, it’s going to be totally different.  I mean when they did change judges, each season it like, I don’t know, I felt like people weren’t watching as much and just like, I don’t know, it just felt different.  There’s a different feel to it.

MK:   And now do you think the show should be about the judges?  Or should it be about the talent?

Deandre:  Look, I’ll say it, it should be about the talent.  You know, ‘cause … I’m not trying to say it like a bad thing, they already got where they need to be, you know?  And I think that it should be about the future people, or like future artists of, you know, that been working for this, that worked through this whole experience to get to where they need to be, you know?  Yeah, I just think that’s what it should be about.  And I think it is about us.

Jessica:  In a way, kind of.  I mean the contestants, it’s like a singing competition, but people are also watching to get, you know, to watch the judges give the criticism, so, having both.

MK:  Do you have any ideas of who you would like to see at the judge’s table?

Jessica:  I have no idea.  I’m interested in seeing who’s going to be at the judges table.

Erika:  I mean, I’ve heard some rumors that sound pretty crazy.  Charlie Sheen.

Jessica:  Oh, my gosh

Erika:  Yeah.  I mean, I’ve heard Aretha Franklin, I mean, that would be pretty amazing.

MK:  I think Aretha would be outstanding

Erika:  Right?  And that’s the queen of soul, it’s no joke.

Jessica:  Oh, yeah.

Erika:  You know, that’s, that’s the real deal!

MK:   You know I even think that, you know, they should also do, go back to their roots and go back to the original contestants, or the original winners, like Kelly Clarkson, who just did Duets.

Jessica  That’d be cool too.

MK:  You know, or Clay Aiken or someone like that.

Jessica:  We’ve heard Adam Lambert has been, it’s been discussed …

MK:  The same thing about the whole Adam Lambert thing too.

Erika:  Yep, that he might, you know, he’s been at least entertaining the thought of doing it, so, it would be pretty crazy!