I found this on the Entertainment Weekly website:

Add a former American Idol top three finalist to the fast-growing list of Archie devotees. Season 5's Elliott Yamin told EW.com at last night's ASCAP Pop Music Awards that he's rooting for young David Archuleta to take the crown this year. "It would be really cool to see a young kid like him win," he said. "I really love his songs, and musically, he's very talented. He plays the guitar, piano... it's nice to see [Idol] bringing out the creative sides of those kids." As for the other male contenders? "No one's really impressed me this season," Yamin maintains. "David Cook is okay, Michael John is alright, but it's anybody's game at this point."

As for himself, though still mourning the recent loss of his mother, Yamin was in good spirits walking the red carpet at Hollywood's Kodak theater, relishing his time out of the recording studio. The velvety-voiced singer is hard at work on his second album, which he hopes to have out by the fall, and has recruited Janet Jackson's man Jermaine Dupri to lend a hand with production. "I'm looking forward to seeing what he adds," Yamin says. Also on his wish list: D'Angelo. "I've always wanted to work with him, and I've said it in interviews lots of times. Still, we've never heard from him."

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/04/idol-alum-ellio.html

Thanks! I am so looking forward to this new album. Elliott knows what he is doing!! Jermaine Dupri......yes! I remember Elliott saying he would love to work with him WAYYYYY back after American Idol. So cool!!!!!!

Thanks for the article. Well at least he mentioned David Cook, that's my favorite. I'm so looking foward to the new CD. I also remember him saying he would love to work with Dupri. They also share managers.

Lots of good stuff today.

Thanks for this post, vanbrew. It's always great to read about Elliott news. :)

However...

What, Elliott, no love for Jason Castro? Pfft. LOL ;)

what?

"david Cook is OKAY?"

Elliott, I thought you had better taste than that. ;)

Oh well. New CD = greatttt

looks like they are taking more time getting the next album out; Dupri is a great producer, so his involvement is good news. We need to see a good R&B duet on the CD.

Sounds like David A and Elliott have a mutual admiration for eachother. remember David mentioning Elliott in his AI interview? Add David A and Elliott dueting at the finale to my wish list. I can't wait to tell my daughter. David A is her fave. I go back and forth between the Davids as to who my fave is.

woo for album news

Yes, some of us need to plan our summer vacations. If the album isn't scheduled to drop until fall, then chances are, no summer tour.

I'm calling The Hotel Del Coronado today! I've been holding off waiting for tour news . . .

Once upon an interview I believe he said he hoped for a summer release. Didn't he?

Actually, I'm glad. The more time they take recording and writing songs, the better selection they'll have to choose from.

OMG, that would be awesome! My two all-time favorite Idols singing together! Really, although I have always had favorites on the show, I have never been really emotionally connected to any contestant except Elliott and David A. After Elliott was on the show, I never thought I would be that crazy about another contestant again - but then I heard David's voice!

I'm so happy to know that Elliott is a fan of David, just like I was happy when David expressed his admiration for Elliott.

And it's great to hear that Elliott's next album might come out in the fall! Wow, and he got Jermaine Dupri - I'm impressed. I hope we get a new single this summer.

I love David Cook. He's the best this year IMO! Any way, that being said, nobody compares to Elliott!

Ack, David Cook is my favorite (Jason and Carly are tie for second though). I think Archuleta is kin of boring, but that's just my opinion.

Yay for the album news though.

Ack. My "D" key isn't working today.

Thanks for the interview! Although I wish he liked more of the guys than just David A :P haha

I agree. :)

Davids aamzingggg, but Elliott is more amazing. :P

I hate to say it but none of this year's idols do much for me. I watch to see who wins out of curiosity. and maybe because in a random pool I got assigned David Cook and if he wins then I win lots of great YARN, which I also love. :drool: So I am rooting for David Cook!!

I think we should not judge Elliott so harsh...IMO he's basing his critique mostly on the "type" of artist rather than the actual vocal ability...and again IMO, while I don't really like David A right now, I aknowledge he has a great voice and a something special in his timbre that could become something in later years...as for Davd C, I can honestly that I wouldn't recognize his voice if he was not in front of me singing...I think his appeal is mostly due to his intelligent song choices

All I can say is that we all have our favorites, and Elliott has his. But nonetheless, everyone here has Elliott as their favorite artist.

Sounds like the CD release has been pushed back some which is really to be expected. I'm thrilled that Elliott is bringing in such a hot producer as Dupri. I'd much rather see him take the time and come out with a masterful follow-up CD no matter how long it takes.

Ultimately the most important thing is that he takes care of himself and doesn't push himself beyond his capacity to deal.

Not a fan of David A. but wouldn't really take it on E. He has his opinion.

Well, I'm not watching AI this year, partly out of protest, but the news about his album is exciting!

Sugarfree, you still possess my favorite siggy. Awesome, fun and cool!

What no mention of Jason? lol I believe Elliott has just been too busy anyway. How many times do you think he's watched AI? I could see a connection w/ Elliott and David A in song choice. Personally I hope he's spending lots of time getting together a killer album for the fall, and could care less if he watches AI.

Well, besides that, he's pretty much said that his opinion is based on not seeing much of the show at all. There are a lot of good voices on the show this season, I think, but if you've only viewed a bit of it and watched the news some, David A's was the voice that stood out the most in the beginning and got by far the most visibility. Plus, his favorite style has a bit in common with Elliott's, they have some of the same fave musicians and so on. ....

I don't know that Elliott would necessarily have him as a sole favorite if he were watching the show religiously, the way a lot of us are doing. I'll bet that the musicianship and ability to connect with lyrics and so on that are displayed by some of the others, like David C and Jason, would attract him as well -- Heck, chances are he never even *heard* of any of Chikezie's fine moments. Luckily for Elliott, though, he now has much better things to do than be an Idol handicapper!

Good post!

Very true ^

I would suspect that if Elliott were watching or listening to the show (but he said he didn't have time to watch it much) he would like Archuleta as a singer's singer. He does have excellent vocal abilities and stands out for that reason.

I would judge several of the older singers highly based on levels of artistic skills and connection to song and lyrics, not voice alone. This is even apart from performance skills. Little David, however, is dazzling for his level of vocal control and power at his age and has a pleasing sounding voice. They should be able to market him similar to Jordan and as a big tween heartthrob. His style isn't particularly "hip" on the show but who knows what could be done in the studio? He has potential to grow as an artist too. He may or may not be as good at 25 as he is at 16 but he is a sure thing for now.

he might as well root for Archuleta...always go for the winner, if you can. :-)

David A picked him as his favorite past Idol so he's returning the favor.

I don't vote but I do appreciate David A's vocal talents. I kind of doubt Elliott is spending alot of time watching AI. They're a little short on the R&B this season.

that's true, and he needs to be working on his new album. I'm intrigued...Dupri...Warren....

Are you kiddin' me OG?? Elliott is a poster child for the underdog! Two words: Buffalo Bills

I'm so glad that Elliott's rooting for Archuleta! I am, too! :)

I'm intrigued too, but I am so not a fan of Diane Warren.

Yeah, in those jillions of songs she's written (I read somewhere that she was writing three songs a day by the time she was 14), there are a bunch of hits. But even those seem kind of awkward and just overmanufactured to me. She's just a total overachiever, to me, grinding out stuff to formula, day after day. I can't remember ever seeing any of that inevitability that you get with really great songs in her writing. They just all seem so labored and often overwritten and kind of awkward.

The only upside for me is that her songs tend to be darned hard to sing, and since Elliott can sing anything, he'll pull off one of her complicated song machines and thus show off his amazing chops as a singer. He'll bring emotion and life to something that it will probably be darned hard to bring life to....

Of course, it'd be gravy if he'd get one of her few songs that actually have some ease and inherent beauty to them. Then he probably would hvae a potential chart-topper. But I'm really not expecting the Warren song to be anything more than another opportunity for Elliott to show what a masterful musician he is, even given not the greatest material, frankly.

I'm not that invested one way or another - haven't been since Elliott (or before him, either, really) But I have to admit that DA has had me silently cheering him on since "Imagine"

Awww why can't my all time favorite be a fan of my second fave ever, Jason?? LOL!! I hadn't been as excited about an Idol since our E was on the show. Oh well, I'm sure Elliott would like him as a person, if not as a singer :chloe:

I was watching IGB the other night when the S7 contestants sang their group song. They each sang some and David A sang the last phrase before they all came in and my husband, whom I thought wasn't even listening, said " not hard to tell who's best from THAT" rather sarcastically from the other room. I know I've said it before but he's got a PRETTY discerning ear....professional musician....very picky about pitch, etc. I have to agree. David A. has great pitch and a nice tone. Try listening to them without watching them. It's very "eye opening"! Or maybe that's ear opening.]
; )

Me, too! Out of all the current finalists, I'd buy David A.'s album before buying any other one.

I love both Davids. Can't decide which of them I like better but you are right of course - there is nobody like Elliott.

omg JD is awesome! I loved his '90s work with R&B groups like Xscape!! I'm still waiting on that Yamin/D'Angelo collab.....my goodness that would be fire!!!!!!

lol Chikezie was my absolute fave from this season. I liked David H. too but he left way too early and it seems as though my next fave, Syesha will be next to leave too. After syesha leaves, that's it for this season. I wish the best of luck to David C and/or Carly though.

I'm thinking Elliott hadn't watched a lot of the performances when he made the statements he did about the contestants. I'd think he would appreciate David Cook's talent if he heard him more. I'm a David A. fan, but David C. is pretty darn talented too. Carly too. Those are my top 3.

Actually, no one, as far as I'm concerned, has held my interest since Elliott's season!