Malaya Watson – American Idol

By starrymag | April 15, 2014

Q) What’s the one piece of advice that you’ll take away with you the most?

A)  Probably when Harry told me that I should focus more on my craft, rather than my stardom, because at first I thought that the music business was all about just how you looked, but it’s honestly all about how you sound, too.  So, that’s one thing I will take away from it.

Q) What’s your favorite memory from the whole experience?

A) Probably just performing on the stage, and just working with a bunch of amazing people, that not a lot of people can say they worked with.

Q) How do you feel about being the youngest finalist in Idol history?

A) It’s pretty weird.  It’s actually kind of cool, though, because I can actually be in the books, if you know what I mean.  It’s pretty awesome, I guess.  But at the same time, it was hard, because you have to like focus on school and stuff.

Q) How can you go back to high school after doing this?

A) That is a great question.  I still don’t know.  It’s going to be different, very, very different.  Hopefully not drastically, but I’m ready for whatever comes up.

Q) What was it like having David Cook come in as the mentor this week?  How did he help you?

A) He helped a lot with, like, what I needed to work on and stuff, and just all the things that I’m lacking when it comes to performance.  And it’s good, because he’s like one of the winners of American Idol.

Q) And since the save was used last week on Sam, what was that like for you and the rest of the contestants?  Were you all worried that you didn’t have anything to fall back on now, in case you went home?

A) Yes, it was really nerve-racking.  You never know when it’s time to go, so you just get nervous.

Q) Were you just surprised to be eliminated?  Because, based on your performance Wednesday night, I know many viewers weren’t expecting you to be in the bottom, let alone be the one going home.

A) Yes.  I kind of knew, but at the same time I didn’t.  I mean, we all got nervous, but we didn’t know what to expect.

Q) When reflecting on your song choice of “Through the Fire,” are you glad you sang that?  Or looking back, do you wish you had picked something different?  I mean, I’m sure you felt it was a little bit of a risk.  It was definitely a stretch vocally.

A) Yes.  I don’t know, I’m glad I picked that song.  I really wanted to do that song.

Q) So, when you were singing your farewell song last night, Jennifer Lopez was really emotional.  What was that like for you to see her be broken up about you leaving?

A) It really made me see how talented I was.  Because at first I knew I could sing, but I didn’t know I could sing that well.  So, it just really showed my musical ability and stuff.  So, it really touched my heart.

Q) Do you feel like you grew a lot in the competition?

A) Oh, yes.  I mean, I haven’t grown height-wise.  I’m still just 5’2”.  But performance and singing and stuff, I think that’s improved way more.  Because I used to be—honestly, a lot of people think that I really, like, want to just talk to everybody.  I’m really shy.

Q) How does your school promote you and show their support in your community?

A) Well, they put up a lot of like posters and stuff, and it’s all over my high school page, and they released a newsletter, put it in the newspaper, stuff like that, and put it all around my school, and just told everybody.  So, it really helped a lot.

Q) We know that your dad is a professional guitar player.  Did this influence you to get involved in music?

A) Yes.  If he didn’t music, I probably wouldn’t have done music either, because I never would have been like around it a lot.  Like, when I was growing up, I was always around music, like all the time.  So, just having him there, always playing music, it really influenced me to take up music myself.

Q) What are three things that make you unique?

A) I play the sousaphone.  I’m not afraid to be myself.  And I can sing.

Q) What are some of the struggles that you had to face during your run with American Idol?

A) Probably managing time with school and working on my music and stuff, and trying to balance my time evenly, and get everything done at the same time.

Q) All the judges stood and applauded for you last night, and I wondered if they came up and spoke to you after the show, and if there were any final words of encouragement or advice?  What they might have said at the end?

A) They had told me, like, that I’ll be going far in like a couple of years, and like they’ll see my names all over marquises.  And Harry Connick just told me to just work on my music, because I’ll be big one day, and sometime soon.

Q) What have you missed most from home during your time in Hollywood?  Is there anything you’re looking forward to, when you get back home?

A) Yes, seeing all of my friends, because I’m having like this big old get together at my house tomorrow.

Q) As you said, you’re in the books now as the youngest contestant.  So, do you have any unique advice for other teens who want to audition for American Idol and pursue a music career?

A) I would say, just focus on school, and just follow what your heart wants you to do.  Because if I didn’t do this, I probably wouldn’t be here, because I was really hesitant.  But just, if you really want to do something, like do it while you have the chance.  Because there’s going to be an important time where you’re going to want to do something, and you don’t do it, and you’ll regret it.

Q) When it comes to dating, what qualities do you look for in someone?

A) Anyone I date, they have to play football.  They have to be taller than me, with heels.  And they can’t be stupid, because you know what it’s like, the myth, all football players are dumb.  Like, they can’t be dumb.  They have to have a nice side, and they have to be loyal and honest, and stuff like that.  Oh, yes, they have to be busy, because my schedule’s always busy. But they have to understand what you’re going through, because you don’t want no whining boyfriend.  Oh my God, no.  I couldn’t do it.

Q) You had said before that you had considered doing a little acting, and I’m thinking with the acting and the singing, do you envision having some kind of a career doing stage, or going somewhere like Jennifer Hudson did?

A) Yes, like doing movies and stuff like that, yes.  I’ve always wanted to do stuff like that.  That would be pretty cool, like, I’ve always wanted to just venture off and just get big in that also, because I don’t want to just stick to just making music.

Q) Now, it seemed like Harry was always talking to you about scales, about listening to music and working on runs.  Did you understand what he was trying to tell you?

A) Yes, I did, because some of the stuff that he would talk about is the stuff my dad talked about, and it just helped that my dad talked to me about that type of stuff with me.  So—because I could understand what he was talking about, besides everybody else.

Q) I was actually talking to your band director, David Miller, a few weeks ago, and he actually said he’d be surprised to see you back at Southfield High.  Do you know for sure at this point, what’s in the cards?

A) I don’t know yet, right now.  I’m still debating.  You know, Southfield is a great school, but there are more advanced schools that will like—I don’t know, it’s just hard.  But Southfield’s been supporting me, so I don’t know, it’s still debatable.

Q) What’s debatable, then?  That you might go to a more music or arts?

A) Yes, that kind of school, or like a more private-type school, or a different school farther from where I’m from.  Something—I don’t know yet.  That’s still, like, on the table.

Q) He also mentioned to me that you already—I mean, you’re 16, and you’re already talking about colleges a lot.  Do you have a sense in terms of that part of your career?  Or even, is college even for sure?  Would you maybe just focus on an entertainment career at that point?

A) It just depends on where I am, after I graduate from high school.  I don’t know like where I would be, what offers I would get.  So, it would just depend.  But if I could go to college, I want to go to Southern University so bad.  I want to go there, or a school down south, honestly.

Q) You sang a Broadway song, “I’m Changing” from Dreamgirls last night, and is Broadway something you’re keeping on your radar for your career in the future?

A) Yes.  It’s a debatable thing.  I can’t really dance—I mean, I can dance if you tell me the routine, but I can’t like freestyle.  So, but I don’t mind doing a Broadway type thing.  That would be kind of cool, actually.

Q) You received a lot of praise from all of the judges and mentors this season about your vocal talent.  Did that surprise you at all?  And how does that make you feel, moving forward with your career?

A) I mean, it didn’t really surprise me.  And I think like everything they tell me, I’m just going to ride along with it and just work on it and stuff.

Q) Did your braces affect the way you sang, and when are you getting them off?

A) I don’t know if they have, because I started singing when I got my braces.  Like, that’s when I started taking it serious, when I had these braces on my teeth.  So, I mean, maybe it did. I was supposed to get them off almost three years ago, and apparently that didn’t work out.  So, I’ve just got them still.  I was supposed to get them off freshman year. I might get them off when I get back home, so I don’t know yet.

Q) And are you going to try to work your tuba into the tour?

A) Yes, I’m thinking about doing that, too.  Hopefully I can.

Q) Were you actually planning to play that at all on the show?

A) Yes, I was planning to play it next week.

Q) One of the things that really kind of intrigued me about your run on Idol was that you were really on an improvement arc the last few weeks you were on the show, where it just seemed at one point the advice that you were getting clicked.  And I was wondering if you could talk about that?  Was there like an “Ah-Ha” moment for you?

A) I don’t know.  I just always listened to the comments and just focused on what I had to do and what I had to work on, honestly.  There was never a moment where I doubted what they said.

Q) And if you could do anything differently, as far as song choices or arrangements, if you could go back and change something, would you?

A) Yes, I’d probably play piano more.  Probably one thing I would do.

Q) And obviously being the youngest person in the competition, did you find yourself pretty impressionable, and therefore did you have kind of trouble taking in all different opinions and figuring out what to do?

A) No, I just picked whichever opinions sounded more realistic and more of a thing that I could work on to improve myself, and just worked on it.

Q) So, being only 16, did you actually go into the competition already knowing what kind of artist you wanted to be?  Or did that develop throughout the competition?

A)  It kind of developed throughout the competition.

Q) In the top seven there’s only two girls, and someone like Caleb, for example, has definitely been a front-runner in the competition, it appears.  He doesn’t seem to have a bad week. What are your thoughts on there only being two girls left now?  Do you think Jena and Jessica are in trouble at this point?  Or could you see either of them actually winning the whole thing?

A) I don’t know.  It’s really tough to decide what would happen, now that I am gone.  But yes, the girls are like, becoming a little scarce.  It’s really weird.  But, I mean, at the same time, you never know, because America changes their mind a lot.

Q) How tough was it for you to sing your final song, Malaya?  It seemed like it was pretty hard keeping those tears back.

A) Oh, yes.  I was trying.  I guess it didn’t work.  It was really hard.  But, I mean, at the same time, it was just cool.  Like, just singing on the stage for the final time and stuff.  So, in the end it’s all good.

Q) So, if you could choose anybody, who would you love to sing with at some point?

A) Probably—oh, Fantasia.  Oh my gosh.  If I could sing with Fantasia, that would be amazing.

Q) What do you see your album looking like?

A) Probably, like, a lot of collabs with people.  Much more of an R&B-type feel to it.  Like, throwback and up-to-date R&B, and blues, and soul.

Q) Now, over the course of the season so far, did you ever feel like Harry was ever too harsh on either you or the other contestants?  Or did you think he was pretty fair?

A) No, I think he was honest, honestly.  That’s the best part about it.  He actually told you what you should work on, or what you need to do, and stuff like that.  So, I think, to me, his advice was honestly the best, if you want my opinion.

Q) What was your favorite performance that you gave over the course of your run on the show, and why?

A) Honestly, there is no favorite.  They’re all amazing, because all of them I took the time out to just, like, put myself into the song and just do my thing.  So, there’s never really a performance that I like the most

Q) People were asking you who you’d want to sing with.  Would you want to sing with Fantasia at the finale?  Is there anybody that you really have on your wish list?

A) I mean, honestly, just her and like some old throwback singers like Shaka and Aretha and all of them.

Q) I know that you like a lot of the throwback songs, but did you ever entertain the idea of trying something a little younger, or something—is there anything current that you like?

A) I do like John Legend, of course, he’s amazing.  I like Michael Buble, and I do like—what else do I like?  I like Bruno Mars, and Pharrell.  I like a lot of male singers, though, I don’t know why.  Or I like Tamar Braxton, she’s good too.  And like I said, Fantasia.

Q) So do you think that you’re going to doing some of the throwback songs on the tour?

A) Probably, hopefully, yes.

Q) I just want to get your take on CJ in this competition so far.  I think this was his third week in the bottom, but he keeps surviving.  And I don’t know whether you guys kind of considered him the underdog of the competition or something, especially since he started out as a wild card pick to begin with, and is still in it.

A) Yes.  He’s like my big brother, though, so I support him and everybody else in the competition all the way.

Q) Do you kind of have an idea of who you think could take the whole thing?

A) Honestly, no, because everybody is just so good.  Like, it’s hard to decide, like, who would win.  Like, it’s really hard, I must say.

Q) Did you happen to ever hear from Aretha by any chance?  She’s a big American Idol fan, I know now.

A) Unfortunately, no.

Q) Did you have a sense of the support in Detroit that was growing as the season went on?

A) Yes, I mean, I heard a lot about it, but I didn’t really see a lot until I go back home.

 

*CONFERENCE CALL*