Kris Allen may have looked bone tired at the end of his nearly year-long marathon to take the American Idol crown, but he was nothing but chatty when EW spoke with the champeen one-on-one in the post-finale "Winner’s Walk." With his mother and wife patiently waiting on a nearby bench, Allen gamely talked about why he’s still surprised he’s done as well as he has on the show, when he and Adam Lambert learned they would be rocking out with Queen, how he formed his lasting bond with the glam rocker, and which Oscar winners nearly brought him to tears.
You seemed really surprised up there when Ryan announced you won.
Always. [Smiles] I’m always surprised, man. For me, making it through each week — everyone is so talented, and, I don’t know, to make it through each week is crazy.
People kept referring to you as the dark horse. When you got to the Top 36, we’d barely seen you. Did it add any pressure, or make it easier, being the perpetual underdog?
For me, it was kinda nice. That’s kinda who I am, and having the spotlight on me would’ve been weird. That’s me. I’m that laid back guy. I stick my head behind everyone else and every once and a while peek out and say, "Hello!" [Chuckles]
So you’ve just won American Idol. You’ve obviously got tremendous musical talent. You know what kind of artist you want to be. You’ve got a beautiful wife. You’re very good looking. You’ve got an amazingly supportive family. From all I can tell, you’re a really nice guy. I just gotta know, what is wrong with you?
[Laughs] Um, I am the biggest procrastinator in the world. Yeah. That, and I’m not the cleanest person in the world.
That’s just terrible.
I know, right?
It’s unforgivable.
Maybe there’s other stuff, but I won’t say anything. [Grins]
addCredit(“Ray Mickshaw/American Idol/Getty Images”)
What was it like singing with Keith Urban tonight?
I got to meet him yesterday for the first time. Great, great guy. It’s really nice to meet someone like that who’s a huge, huge star, but really down to Earth. He just embraced me and was just like, "Let’s just have fun." And that’s what we did. We went out there and had fun.
And Queen?
Oh my gosh. We found out last night that we were going to be singing with Queen. Brian May walks in and my jaw just dropped. I felt like such a frickin’ fan. I was just like [in a nasally voice] "Hey, Brian May, can I get your autograph?" So he was like, "Yeah, man, sure." He was such a really, really nice guy. To do that duet with Adam, it just felt like such a celebration. To do it with Queen as well? Whoa. Oh my gosh.
Your friendship with Adam has been really great to watch over the course of the season. On paper, you don’t necessarily have a lot in common. How did you guys find that common ground?
For me, I feel like I relate to a lot of people. And we got to be roommates. It was just like this closeness, you know? I don’t know what happened. I think we just felt each other’s energy, and it was nice. It just became this really good friendship. Yeah, I adore the guy. I think he’s a really great guy. I’m proud of him.
Finally, what was one of the best behind-the-scenes highlights for you during the season?
You know, the coolest thing was talking to some of the mentors, like, off camera. They would whisper in your ear nice things, like, "Dude, you’re awesome, man." Hearing that stuff from, like, Smokey Robinson or Jamie Foxx or Quentin Tarantino or Randy Travis, any one of them — it’s just, like, mind-boggling, you know? I got a gift from [Once stars and songwriters] Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova after I sang "Falling Slowly" [from the film]. They were just like, "Thank you so much. You were great." Like, it almost brought me to tears. They gave me this vinyl of the [Once] album, and they signed it, and wrote this letter to me. That meant so much.
More on the American Idol finale:
Adam Lambert after the ‘American Idol’ finale: ‘I’m really happy for Kris’
Kris Allen wins ‘American Idol’: We live-blogged it!
Michael Slezak recaps the ‘American Idol’ finale
Whitney Pastorek on the scene at the ‘American Idol’ finale
Kris won because there are a lot of anti-gay bigots voting. Kris is an inadequate singer, musician and performer.
He’s so awesome!!! He touches people with his singing and that is an awesome talent. I couldn’t care less about technical superiority.
Keegan. You sound like a heterophobe. All the other contestants told EW that Kris helped them with their songs and arrangements, even Adam. That proves his musical abilities.
They both did a great job. Kris just did a better job. I personally find his voice and style more pleasing and I could listen to his music. I probably could not make it through more than 2 minutes of an Adam performance. He is too screechy and over the top for my taste. Has nothing to do with him being gay. I like Elton John, but do not like Boy George. Go figure, eh?
Adam would be proud to have you in his corner.
I only watched one episode of this show this season, and it happened to be when Kris sang “Falling Slowly”. I’ve been rooting for him ever since. It was hard for me to think he still had a chance when I received my Entertainment Weekly a couple weeks ago, and Adam Lambert was smiling from the cover with what was basically EW’s endorsement behind him. It’s not that I don’t think Adam Lambert is talented, or that I have a problem with his personal life. Frankly, I don’t know anything about either of their personal lives, and I’d like to keep it that way. I just happen to believe that Kris Allen has, for me, an amazing talent and a sound that I would want to hear, whether he were in a national competition or not. I was absolutely ecstatic when I found out he won, and shocked. Here’s hoping he can rise above whatever terrible, schmaltzy ballad they’re going to stuff down his throat. I can’t wait to hear an album that he wrote. Congratulations, Kris!
Commenters on all these sites (keegan) keep suggesting that all Kris’s votes came from “anti-gay bigots.”
Although I agree that some, or even many, people who voted for Kris probably didn’t vote for Adam because he is gay, we’ve got to consider a few other options:
1) a lot of voters are crazy obsessive teenage girls. They don’t necessarily pledge their allegiance based on talent (Britney Spears, Twilight, etc.). This doesn’t mean they are bigots.
2) Kris is a really nice guy. It is not a new thing that people move ahead in AI for being likeable rather than the best singer.
3) Kris is actually musically talented compared to the average American. Adam and Kris have completely different singing styles, and it is possible that people actually like Kris’s style better.
Wow! An autographed copy of Once in vinyl from the original singers of “Falling Slowly”! What a true compliment! Congratulations, Kris! You had me at “Man in the Mirror” and even though you don’t think you deserve it, I absolutely think you do. You worked hard, you didn’t feel entitled about anything, and you stayed true to yourself during the entire competition. You are my American Idol!
I have to agree with Keegan Kris does have an average voice that can’t compare with Adam’s. I am disillusioned with the whole process.
First Shawn Johnson wins DWTS (lovely girl but she moves like a Mack Truck), and now Kris (lovely young man but average talent at best). Time will show who the true winner was tonight.
Jean, even though Kris has the AI title, Adam will continue on to do big things as well. Focus on the positive – that is Adam’s motto, actually, and if you were a true Adam fan you would echo the same classy attitude he has been portraying during this entire post-finale. Adam and Kris are both talented and will become huge successes. Kris won for two reasons: (1) America is a sucker for the underdog story, and (2) although America would gladly go on rollercoaster rides with Adam’s music every other weekend because of the excitement and thrill of his performances, they would rather come home to Kris Allen and his feelgood music that you could listen to all day with no need for occasion. It’s a matter of musical taste, not bigotry.
I’M SITTING ON THE COUCH WAITING TO HEAR ADAM LAMBERT’S NAME CALLED. The glam rocker with the powerful stage presence has always been judges’ favorite, yet he never did anything for me as a singer. He could yowl with the best rock stars, but his voice lacked range and emotional depth
Sure he was the ultimate showman; eyeshadow and liner, leather gloves and boots one week, slicked back and tailored suit the next. And he oozed boy energy, even if all those screaming girls would be forever wanting. He frequently stole the show with stage dramatics that sometimes spilled over into camp. But he seemed to be Simon’s pet Idol wannabe, and as usual, where the powerful goes so goes the press. But there lurking in the pack was Kris Allen, the underdog, the dark horse. He was more boyish, more innocent, less threatening. He showed up every week wearing a crooked smile, sneakers, just barely-there face fuzz and his aw-shucks charm. CrabbyGolightly.com
Keegan,
As a gay man and an avid supporter of Kris Allen since his semifinal performance of “Man in the Mirror”, I am personally offended by your remarks. I wish that you could be a little more open-minded. The fact that some people have differing musical tastes than you do does not make them bigots. You shouldn’t assume that because Adam is gay, the people that didn’t vote for him hate gays. I also think that you should give Kris a lot more credit as a vocalist and an artist. He has an unmatched ability to create an emotional connection to his audience through his singing and instrumental talent.
I’m truly disturbed by some of the reaction from Adam fans to Kris’ win. I’m embarrassed for Adam that some of his fans would try to diminish the accomplishments and success of another contestant. I doubt he would approve of such behavior. He is far too nice. Rather than crying foul, perhaps you all should have just voted more. But that’s just a humble Kris fan’s opinion.
Brad, I couldn’t have said it any better. To the people who are bashing Kris and crying foul about unfairness and bigotry, I live in San Diego, CA which should be Adam Lambert territory, but it’s not because people have such varied musical tastes here. We are home to Jason Mraz, Switchfoot, Augustana, Carly Smithson – a pretty diverse group of artists. If California – one of the most liberal states in the US – can’t get behind Adam Lambert enough to make him their American Idol, don’t you think it boiled down to musical taste and preferences over bigotry? I truly believe America voted for Kris because they liked his quiet confidence and his musical style. Like I said below, Adam is a great artist because he’s exciting, over-the-top, unique, etc. But at the end of the day, America wants to come home to music that makes them feel good and music that moves them – and Kris was the best artist on the Idol stage who made people feel emotion and intensity.
@Crabby: “He could yowl with the best rock stars, but his voice lacked range and emotional depth”
Are you kidding? Lacked range?
To Keegan,
from [Adam's friend] Brad’s twitter:
“He’s not upset. Why should u be?”
Congratulations, Kris! I voted hard for you last night and I am so happy you won! You completely deserve it, as would Adam, had he won. Both of you guys have been class acts and I am glad American Idol finally had a showdown worth watching. I think that people underestimated Kris when he was starting off, and they had reason to. Some people are more impressed by showmanship rather than musicality, and Kris is not the best showman, he will be the first to admit that. However, what he does have is musicality, he is able to turn an old classic into a contemporary new song. He also has a voice that is very nuanced. If you guys have not heard his EP Brand New Shoes yet, you will love his voice on there. Kris is not cookie-cutter Idol, because he doesn’t come off as a superstar, he doesn’t come from the Diana DeGarmo school of singing, and he doesn’t mug the cameras for attention. He just wants to sing. And I think America picked that up late in the show but they came through for him finally