His 'Idol' days over, Stevens hits books
As the remaining four finalists square off in front of millions on tonight's ''American Idol," one former contestant will be having a much tamer Tuesday.
Season three finalist John Stevens will spend the day finishing his final exams at Berklee College of Music before packing up his parents' GMC Envoy and beginning the eight-hour ride back to his family home in East Amherst, a suburb of Buffalo. The 18-year-old redheaded crooner, who won over fans with his Sinatra-esque voice and boyish charm, has stepped away from the ''Idol" spotlight to pursue his education at Berklee, where the commencement Saturday will honor Melissa Etheridge and Aretha Franklin.
''I'm mostly into jazz and modern music and a lot of the conservatories out there are more into classical or instrumental . . ." Stevens said. ''Berklee was the right pick for me and I'm loving it. I couldn't imagine going to any other school."
At Berklee, Stevens isn't getting star treatment. This semester, his first, he lived in a dorm. And despite getting stopped on the street about once a day, faculty and students seem to shrug off his TV fame.
''I think it would have been a little different if I went on 'American Idol' and done pop, maybe," he says. ''Because I did my own thing, and because I stood true to myself, I think I fit in a little more. I think they accept me a little more."
Before trading geeky dreamboat status for Berklee's dormitories, Stevens had to finish his junior year of high school in 2004. That following summer, he joined the other Idols for a 49-show tour in 46 cities.
His senior year was split between classes and recording his first album, ''Red." During the week, he went to school. Then, on the weekends, he flew to New York City -- where he first auditioned for ''Idol" -- to record vocal tracks. The final collection of classics, such as Frank Sinatra's ''Come Fly With Me" and jazz remakes of new hits like ''This Love" by Maroon 5, was whittled from an original list of about 900 dream songs Stevens wanted to record.
His brush with stardom wasn't easy. Stevens's last few weeks on ''Idol" were met with scathing commentary from the media and some fans, irate that the then-16-year-old singer outlasted favorites such as Jennifer Hudson.
''I didn't really care what the tabloids said, it didn't really matter to me," Stevens recalls. ''I was just up there doing my best. My mom was more hurt personally, but I just tried to make the best of it."
Now, when Stevens meets fans on the street, he says they're more likely to say he should have won, rather than criticize his performance. But there's still one comment that sticks with him.
''The worst I ever got was 'Are you Clay Aiken?' "
Stevens said he agrees with some of the changes to the ''Idol" format since his season, including the live band, backup singers, and better genres to choose from. Overall, he says he finds the contest more ''singer-friendly" now.
Then again, he admits he gets most of this information second-hand from his mother; he doesn't really follow the show anymore.
''I don't get Fox in the dorms, and I didn't watch last year because I was so busy with tours and school and everything," he said. ''It's also on the same time as 'Lost,' so if I do tend to get to the TV, it's going to be 'Lost' and not 'American Idol.' "
