It was hard to tell during a recent interview with Elliott Yamin whether he was being sincere or whether he was pumping up his enthusiasm with hopes it would be contagious.
As a graduate of the slickly produced TV talent show, American Idol, Yamin has undoubtedly had plenty of coaching in the public relations department. Having learned from the likes of one of TV's shiniest hosts, Ryan Seacrest, and the show's bubbly judge and former cheerleader, Paula Abdul, Yamin talks over the phone as if he's reading from a series of sentences punctuated with exclamation points.
"It's going great!" he crows about his North American tour.
"The crowds are getting louder and bigger and the shows are getting better and tighter and the music is great!
"The audience knows every word to every song!"
The 28-year-old is touring to support his debut self-titled album, recorded on an independent label. It's a sometimes sultry, sometimes soulful -- and often cliched -- R&B affair that shows off Yamin's strong vocals and is jam-packed with the kind of inspirational lyrics that have become predictable from the alumni of American Idol.
On Free, he sings: "I'm starting to see myself so clear, like a light shining into the night . . . I believe that miracles happen."
Going from pharmacy clerk to a solo musician who is selling out shows and sitting at No. 1 on the Billboard Independent chart isn't quite a miracle, but there was definitely a bit of TV and entertainment biz magic involved Yamin's rise to success.
American Idol attracts about 30 million viewers and claims to be the most-watched show on television. Yamin placed third after Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee, but still managed to earn about 17 million votes for what would be his final performance.
It was a crash course in performing for a guy who was once too shy to sing in front of an audience.
"I was terrified every week," he says.
But his performing anxieties are old news now, and he says he's having a great time touring his new material.
"I feel like I can go out there and really command the stage," he says.
"It's just like a big party up on stage."
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