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Idol Thoughts
American Idol finalist Casey Abrams embraces the simple life
“Dude, that actually never came up once,” says American Idol finalist Casey Abrams when asked about a drug-referencing song choice on the show. The 21-year-old singer performed “With a Little Help from My Friends,” a Beatles-penned tune that lists getting high as BFF help.
“They think about the stage setup before they even start to think about any of the lyrics,” he
American Idol finalist Casey Abrams embraces the simple life
“Dude, that actually never came up once,” says American Idol finalist Casey Abrams when asked about a drug-referencing song choice on the show. The 21-year-old singer performed “With a Little Help from My Friends,” a Beatles-penned tune that lists getting high as BFF help.
“They think about the stage setup before they even start to think about any of the lyrics,” he continues. “I obviously had to change the ‘F-word’ once in a song, but that was small. Maybe they let it slip, but I thought it was cool that I got to sing ‘I get high’ on American Idol.”
Abrams, who appeared on the transformational tenth season (hola J.Lo and Steve Tyler, adios Mr. Cowell), auditioned in his Texas hometown of Austin, but he has long been a West Coast resident. With roots in two political polar opposites, the affable star seems a bit uncomfortable talking about medical marijuana, though he eventually opens up.
“I don’t want to get in trouble, but I think it can help people,” he remarks. “It seems like it helps a lot with cancer patients. I think people can abuse that power and take advantage of it, but why not have it around? That is my stance on things. There are more things to worry about than that, especially in L.A.. It should be the least of our worries.”
For Abrams, life is certainly more excitement than worries after finishing in the Top 6 in the 2011 season. He notably survived an earlier round with a rare judges’ save, which should attest to his pure talent. He then hit the road with his unabashed passion for jazz, blues and old-time R&B on that summer’s 2011 American Idols Live Tour.
As far as joining the competition, Abrams admits, “There was some cattiness and I did not trust a lot of people during the show, but all of that cleared up as soon as we all went on tour. I still hang out with all the contestants all the time—Haley [Reinhart], Jacob [Lusk], all of them. Stefano [Langone] and I are two completely different personalities, but it is actually really fun to hang out with him.”
Though he didn’t claim the gold, Abrams recently released his self-titled debut on Concord Music Group, the record company Paul McCartney calls home. The album features dual singles, “Simple Life” and “Get Out,” that highlight the singer’s range. He also recorded a “Hit the Road Jack” cover that would make for excellent American Idol exit music.
Though the show exposed him to a wide audience, Abrams wanted to stay true to his ’50s- and ‘60s-era influences on the album. Abrams headed to London to record with a trio of top producers, and he co-wrote and played several different instruments, including the bass, acoustic guitar, drums and Wurlitzer.
“You have to go with what your gut tells you,” he says of the album. “We tried to put catchy melodies over music that a jazz musician would play. I think that is interesting for a person who does not necessary like pop but who does like cool changes and catchy melodies. It is basically a vibe thing.”
Idol fan or not, most everyone can vote for that.
Home is Where the Music Is
Overall, debut album Casey Abrams’ diversity and influences reflect the musician/multi-instrumentalist’s upbringing in a home that featured a vintage playlist and extremely creative parents. Abrams’ screenwriting mother plays piano and sings, and his father teaches film production at an arts academy in the San Bernardino National Forest in California. The son would attend the arts school himself and learn enough instruments to make George Harrison jealous.
