Entertainment
‘Idol’ Winner Candice Glover Talks About Her New Album, ‘Music Speaks’
[Los Angeles Times]
A year ago, Candice Glover would have dreaded having to perform during “American Idol’s” results show, a night where dreams of victory are shattered for the contestant with the fewest votes.
But the days of singing for anyone’s vote are behind Glover now. She’s on the “Idol” stage rehearsing a medley of “Cried” and “Same Kinda Man,” taken from her debut album, “Music Speaks.” A group of decoys, filling in for this year’s finalists, clap after each take as a substitute for host Ryan Seacrest assists her off a raised platform.
“When I turned into [the studio], I felt like I was a competitor,” said Glover, 24, seated in her dressing room. “It was like graduating from high school and going back. All of those emotions come back.”
Even returning to the “Idol” competition as a champion, the stakes are just as high for Glover. “Music Speaks” was released last month to mixed reviews, and the album debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 with the lowest first week sales of any previous winner. But Glover had a lot of chips stacked against her.
Most of the focus during her run last year was on the show’s sagging ratings, bitter judge rivalries and a pending reboot of the competition.