American Idol season one contestant discusses his new album and life as an openly gay artist
It’s hard to believe it’s been three years since then 19-year-old cutie pie Jim Verraros heard the words “America has voted…” and walked off the American Idol stage into the real world.
Something changed that day, as evidenced on Jim’s debut album Rollercoaster, released earlier this summer from Koch Records. Don’t do a double take when you see the cover. Jim says he alone is behind the decidedly sexier, sleeker look he’s adopted since donning glasses and sweaters in early Idol episodes.
His kick off single, "You Turn It On", went Billboard Top 25 and scored a rave in the magazine. And, of course, who could forget his memorable turn as cute, awkward, quirky Kyle in last year’s Eating Out? Critics generally agreed… Jim was the best thing about the movie.
For all his current successes, the road Jim traveled from American Idol to where he is today was paved up a steep grade. And though he now makes his home miles away from where he made history as the show’s first, and to this day only, openly gay finalist (openly being the operative word), don’t think he’s stopped clawing his way to the top of the entertainment industry heap. He’s just taking it one step at a time.
“People assume that once you make it to the top ten, you’ve given these amazing opportunities,” Verraros says from the home he shares with his parents in Crystal Lake, Illinois. “But we were the guinea pigs. Then it blew up and became this huge phenomenon. Now, as a solo artist, I would kill for that kind of exposure again. But the fact is, it’s going to be really hard for the rest of us to make it to that Kelly Clarkson status.”
Before you jump to conclusions and start labeling Jim as a bitter runner up, bear in mind some of the slings and arrows his fellow Idol cast offs have flung. Earlier this year, season two cast off (well, actually, he was given the boot by producers) Corey Clark accused judge Paula Abdul of sexual harassment… just says before his single and book were scheduled to drop. Fellow cast off Trenyce sided with Clark on a live TV interview, saying the show was a sham and producers like prison wardens.
Though Jim’s post Idol road has been rough (two months after he was voted off, Verraros found himself wiping down sweat filled tanning beds at an LA salon just to make ends meet and stay in Hollywood), he says he has no regrets and only good memories of the show. And as for that Idol winner he mentioned – you know, the one who’s gone on to sell 6 million albums in the U.S. alone and is likely to score big at this year’s Grammy Awards – he offers nothing but high praise, saying she is, hands down, the best example of post Idol adjustment.
“She’s been the most normal,” Jim says. “She’s the most successful, and she’s still the most grounded and true to herself. She’s fought for everything she has, and I know she works her ass off. There are so many people in this business who are not like her. But we have to remember, people voted for us. They made those calls so our careers could exist. So many artists tend to forget who’s putting money in their pockets, but she’s always been grateful.”
Hearing Jim talk, it’s interesting to see how he handles, and in some ways is still learning to handle, this weird sort of fame he’s amassed.
On the one hand, he will forever be known as the gay one from American Idol – and he says he doesn’t mind the Idol questions because, after all, “it’s where I got my start.” Fans e-mail him questions — sometimes requesting deeply personal, tough advice Jim says he feels compelled to answer but doesn’t necessarily feel equipped to. He’s been published in The Advocate and performed at Gay Pride festivals and events galore across the U.S.
On the other hand, he’s a frustrated young artist… one who’s found himself in the unique position of being the only Idol alum to have to content with two strikes against him. Reality show vote off? Strike.! Gay? Strike two!
Post Idol, Jim hooked up with producer Gabe Lopez (who also performs around Los Angeles with his own band and serves as Rollercoaster’s Executive Producer), recorded a demo and an indie album and pitched his music to “every major label in the U.S. two or three times” in search of the one who would be OK representing an openly gay artist. When no doors opened, he moved on to the UK, pounded down doors of management for Melissa Etheridge, George Michael and other people who might get working with a gay artist.
“I worked and I worked and I worked, and, for a while, I thought it was my fault, that I was bad,” Verraros remembers. “So I’d go in and work harder and record more songs.”
Koch came into the picture when Jim heard the label was looking to record a compilation disc of songs from past Idols. Koch asked Jim if he had any material he could send them, so, jumping on the opportunity, he sent off a demo. A week later, he had a record deal.
“You know, I could be selling more records, but I can walk into a gay bar just about anywhere and not watch my back,” he says, a smile to his voice. “Just to hold a guy’s hand when I’m walking down the street and not worry is amazing. I wanted to prove to gay youth that you can be whatever you want to be. I just hope people will look back and say, ‘You know, Jim Verraros kinda helped that happen. He was cool.’”
Kinda like one of his idols, George Michael — “minus the bathroom incident,” he’s careful to add. Beyond the obvious comparison, Michael’s musical infuence is evident throughout Rollercoaster — the album recalls the singer at his peak. Michael tops the list of Jim’s dream collaborators, which also includes Clarkson (“I think she’d be a blast”), Aretha, KD Lang and Tina Turner.
But until then, Jim’s focus is squarely on taking his career to the next level. His new single "You’re Getting Crazy (Estas Enloqueciendo)" was just delivered to radio, complete with a score of remixes from some of the hottest DJs in dance music today. Jim’s crossing his fingers that it charts a bit higher than the first single, calling it “make or break time to see if this album can do what I think it can.” Later this month, he’ll perform at the New York City Gay Life Expo with fellow Idol alum Kimberly Locke.
And until the next gig shows up on his plate, Jim seems ready, willing and eager to try just about anything that will help catapult his career to that next level.
Anything, that is, except bash the competition.
“I guess the only thing I get sick of is the Clay Aiken questions,” he laughs. “I feel like we’re so much energy on people who are not out, but we should be focusing on people who are and the progress and changes they’ve made. But hey, at the end of the day, he’s sold more albums than me, so …”
Bitter? No! More like realistic!
Written By Ross von Metzke
Related: Jim Verraros serves as a celebrity judge for AFC's World of Chocolate, Thursday, December 1st.
Something changed that day, as evidenced on Jim’s debut album Rollercoaster, released earlier this summer from Koch Records. Don’t do a double take when you see the cover. Jim says he alone is behind the decidedly sexier, sleeker look he’s adopted since donning glasses and sweaters in early Idol episodes.
His kick off single, "You Turn It On", went Billboard Top 25 and scored a rave in the magazine. And, of course, who could forget his memorable turn as cute, awkward, quirky Kyle in last year’s Eating Out? Critics generally agreed… Jim was the best thing about the movie.
For all his current successes, the road Jim traveled from American Idol to where he is today was paved up a steep grade. And though he now makes his home miles away from where he made history as the show’s first, and to this day only, openly gay finalist (openly being the operative word), don’t think he’s stopped clawing his way to the top of the entertainment industry heap. He’s just taking it one step at a time.
“People assume that once you make it to the top ten, you’ve given these amazing opportunities,” Verraros says from the home he shares with his parents in Crystal Lake, Illinois. “But we were the guinea pigs. Then it blew up and became this huge phenomenon. Now, as a solo artist, I would kill for that kind of exposure again. But the fact is, it’s going to be really hard for the rest of us to make it to that Kelly Clarkson status.”
Before you jump to conclusions and start labeling Jim as a bitter runner up, bear in mind some of the slings and arrows his fellow Idol cast offs have flung. Earlier this year, season two cast off (well, actually, he was given the boot by producers) Corey Clark accused judge Paula Abdul of sexual harassment… just says before his single and book were scheduled to drop. Fellow cast off Trenyce sided with Clark on a live TV interview, saying the show was a sham and producers like prison wardens.
Though Jim’s post Idol road has been rough (two months after he was voted off, Verraros found himself wiping down sweat filled tanning beds at an LA salon just to make ends meet and stay in Hollywood), he says he has no regrets and only good memories of the show. And as for that Idol winner he mentioned – you know, the one who’s gone on to sell 6 million albums in the U.S. alone and is likely to score big at this year’s Grammy Awards – he offers nothing but high praise, saying she is, hands down, the best example of post Idol adjustment.
“She’s been the most normal,” Jim says. “She’s the most successful, and she’s still the most grounded and true to herself. She’s fought for everything she has, and I know she works her ass off. There are so many people in this business who are not like her. But we have to remember, people voted for us. They made those calls so our careers could exist. So many artists tend to forget who’s putting money in their pockets, but she’s always been grateful.”
Hearing Jim talk, it’s interesting to see how he handles, and in some ways is still learning to handle, this weird sort of fame he’s amassed.
On the one hand, he will forever be known as the gay one from American Idol – and he says he doesn’t mind the Idol questions because, after all, “it’s where I got my start.” Fans e-mail him questions — sometimes requesting deeply personal, tough advice Jim says he feels compelled to answer but doesn’t necessarily feel equipped to. He’s been published in The Advocate and performed at Gay Pride festivals and events galore across the U.S.
On the other hand, he’s a frustrated young artist… one who’s found himself in the unique position of being the only Idol alum to have to content with two strikes against him. Reality show vote off? Strike.! Gay? Strike two!
Post Idol, Jim hooked up with producer Gabe Lopez (who also performs around Los Angeles with his own band and serves as Rollercoaster’s Executive Producer), recorded a demo and an indie album and pitched his music to “every major label in the U.S. two or three times” in search of the one who would be OK representing an openly gay artist. When no doors opened, he moved on to the UK, pounded down doors of management for Melissa Etheridge, George Michael and other people who might get working with a gay artist.
“I worked and I worked and I worked, and, for a while, I thought it was my fault, that I was bad,” Verraros remembers. “So I’d go in and work harder and record more songs.”
Koch came into the picture when Jim heard the label was looking to record a compilation disc of songs from past Idols. Koch asked Jim if he had any material he could send them, so, jumping on the opportunity, he sent off a demo. A week later, he had a record deal.
“You know, I could be selling more records, but I can walk into a gay bar just about anywhere and not watch my back,” he says, a smile to his voice. “Just to hold a guy’s hand when I’m walking down the street and not worry is amazing. I wanted to prove to gay youth that you can be whatever you want to be. I just hope people will look back and say, ‘You know, Jim Verraros kinda helped that happen. He was cool.’”
Kinda like one of his idols, George Michael — “minus the bathroom incident,” he’s careful to add. Beyond the obvious comparison, Michael’s musical infuence is evident throughout Rollercoaster — the album recalls the singer at his peak. Michael tops the list of Jim’s dream collaborators, which also includes Clarkson (“I think she’d be a blast”), Aretha, KD Lang and Tina Turner.
But until then, Jim’s focus is squarely on taking his career to the next level. His new single "You’re Getting Crazy (Estas Enloqueciendo)" was just delivered to radio, complete with a score of remixes from some of the hottest DJs in dance music today. Jim’s crossing his fingers that it charts a bit higher than the first single, calling it “make or break time to see if this album can do what I think it can.” Later this month, he’ll perform at the New York City Gay Life Expo with fellow Idol alum Kimberly Locke.
And until the next gig shows up on his plate, Jim seems ready, willing and eager to try just about anything that will help catapult his career to that next level.
Anything, that is, except bash the competition.
“I guess the only thing I get sick of is the Clay Aiken questions,” he laughs. “I feel like we’re so much energy on people who are not out, but we should be focusing on people who are and the progress and changes they’ve made. But hey, at the end of the day, he’s sold more albums than me, so …”
Bitter? No! More like realistic!
Written By Ross von Metzke
Related: Jim Verraros serves as a celebrity judge for AFC's World of Chocolate, Thursday, December 1st.
Article provided in partnership with GayWebMonkey.com.
