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]
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
Comments (1-30) of 265 Add your comment
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
Starr, I think what it boils down to is that Kris’ fan base was underestimated in the same manner that he was all season long. Most viewers thought that Adam would just walk over him in the finale, but unfortunately for them, America still had to vote. I’m proud that Kris’ fans were more vocal on the voting lines than they were on message boards or in the media. It says a lot about the kind of people that voted for him, and about him as an artist. Ultimately, America spoke and in my opinion got it right. Kris is so talented, and eventhough he doesn’t have the power vocals of Adam, Allison, or Danny, he has the stylistic and emotional appeal that most of America looks for and rarely finds in mainstream music.
Brad, I think you just may be the only other sane person (other than myself, of course) on this board right now (at this ungodly hour, I might add). I had been saying all season long that Kris had a very underestimated fan base. Most of his fans aren’t vocal online, they don’t do polls, etc. So it was easy for Google, Yahoo, Rolling Stone and other news outlets to come to the conclusion that Adam would steamroll all over Kris. Unfortunately, Kris put up a tremendous fight in the finale, and I do agree that America got it right. I listen to a wide range of artists, and Kris fit right into my iPod. As a person who frequents concerts and blogs about new music, I was excited about Kris because he has a voice that, as Jamie Foxx put it, has a lot of nuance. He isn’t bombast, but he wows you with his phrasing, his emotional conviction to a song, and his subtlety. These days, when artists like Jack Johnson, Ryan Adams and Jason Mraz succeed, I think it made sense that America chose Kris.
In my opinion the best singer lost, and in time we will find out who the real winner is. Adam has such a stage presence that he is very likely to do well but Kris may well have the worst singing career of any AI winner, simply because he pales in comparison with Adam.
The one thing on Kris’ side is his obvious popularity with AI voters, but in this economic climate and with download availability he will need more than ever to be a good live performer.
The jury is out.
I count three “for me”’s in this interview… Kris has been spending too much time with Randy “For Me, For You” Jackson.
I’m openly anti-gay.
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I absolutely refuse to have sex with men. Other than that, I don’t care one way or the other what you choose to do with your time. That said, I commend BRAD for his perspectives. What’s more, the two dudes in question obviously have the greatest respect for each other (their comments & body language speak volumes). If anyone’s become such a rabid fan of either, I suggest they follow the example of these two young men. Honestly, after that Queen number I decided the show should have ended there, as a tie. The lyrics were very apropos: “We are the champions, my friend.”
AI is indeed losing credibility with its voting system. Kris should be name HOME COMING IDOL as that is where 40% of votes come from. Good luck to him. It would be pressure to be tagged with “THE GUY THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE WON”. ADAM, for me you have won. You are in best situation. You need not be tied to a 5 year contract with that company that wants to control you. Look at how Kelly and Aiken tried so hard to break out of 19E. When this competition is over, you will have won. There is no question; you are in a total league of your own.
As a fan, PLEASE do us all a favor! Get your first album out RIGHT on the heels of this show! Make sure you capitalize on the high that comes from competing. Last year David Cook buried himself in playing live tours and just doing what everyone told him. GEt an awesome producer. WE are high now. And you can still get on with your life. Is that not great?
AI is indeed losing credibility with its voting system. Kris should be name HOME COMING IDOL as that is where 40% of votes come from. Good luck to him. It would be pressure to be tagged with “THE GUY THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE WON”. ADAM, for me you have won. You are in best situation. You need not be tied to a 5 year contract with that company that wants to control you. Look at how Kelly and Aiken tried so hard to break out of 19E. When this competition is over, you will have won. There is no question; you are in a total league of your own.
As a fan, PLEASE do us all a favor! Get your first album out RIGHT on the heels of this show! Make sure you capitalize on the high that comes from competing. Last year David Cook buried himself in playing live tours and just doing what everyone told him. GEt an awesome producer. WE are high now. And you can still get on with your life. Is that not great?
Jesus, I think you will be in for a surprise. So many artists have expressed interest in working with Kris prior to him winning. Don’t forget that he was also right behind Adam in iTunes downloads BEFORE “Heartless”, and has now SURPASSED Adam in iTunes downloads and Youtube views after that performance. I think you will be in for a surprise when Kris puts out a record. Also, even though they are not as vocal as the Glamberts, Kris has fans around the world who expressed their desire to vote for him but could only offer words of support and encouragement. In Asia in particular, Kris has a lot of fans. So he is going to be successful, just you wait.
Starr and others you’re really ignorant about how the voting is done, when it’s done, by who it’s done (tweens) who vote in southern states and literally text 2000 votes per night..
this is a travesty. Kris will never make it beyond his first pathetic album HE CAN’T SING.
tis ok though because AI has always been a farce controlled by southern voters (and) Lambert is such a huge talent and has been for years (do a search for Adam on youtube and you’ll seee many yrs of his talented work), that Lambert will be a big international star now..
the guys range is amazing..
and kris on the other hand.. can’t sing in key.. how sad really
geez! some of you guys can follow the friendship that kris and adam had. you people can try to be more mature. do you think that both idols would approve of the things some of you guys are saying?
anyway, time will only tell which one will become successful. it’s too early to predict.
as for me, i really dont know yet if they can become successful but i do wish them the best. we need good people in the music industry.
AdamLambertwasrobbed: No, I know exactly how voting goes. I should know, I’ve been to watch parties and I’ve voted myself. I went to a Kris Allen watch party in San Diego, CA and there wasn’t anyone under the age of 20 there. So there goes your whole “tween vote for Kris” idea. Kris has many fans who were underestimated. They weren’t accounted for because they aren’t as vocal as you and me, but they are there and when it came time for the vote, they stepped it up for Kris. Last night my family and I voted for Kris about 2,000 times, so I can tell you, it has nothing to do with rigged voting.
I think Kris has talent, but I think he won because of two things: First, people got tired of the judges crowning Adam the Idol since the beginning. Second, I think Kris picked up a lot of votes from Gokey supporters. I don’t think he will be another Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood, but I also don’t think Adam will be either.
This was probably the most closest season. ALL the top 5 well most of ten are awesome and I don’t think any of them will have a problem getting contracts. Chris improved every single week. Adam was good from the word go. They will all go far and have long careers ahead of them( not too sure about the blonde girl..lol)
Kris may have picked up a lot of Danny Gokey’s votes, but a lot of Danny Gokey’s fans voted for Adam too because they felt that Danny should have been in the top 2 with Adam instead of Kris. So really, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what put Kris over the top. Honestly, I just think America voted for whoever they wanted to hear on the radio or whose record they wanted to buy. Adam is awesome, but he doesn’t appeal to as broader a fanbase compared to Kris’s style of music, which is very contemporary and easy to listen to.
I can not believe that Kris won, He can not sing, he strains to get the words out and he sings ugly with that twisted mouth of his. He won because he had no chance, Surely Adam already has deals going on, so Kris was a pity winner a chance to give the underdog some pats on the back. He will not sell as much Cd’s as Adam will, and Adam does not need American Idol to succeed. The people that voted for Kris where little girls and mothers of little girls going gaga for Kris. Adam is loved by all ages because he leaves and impression on people when he sings.