“I’ve Got a Lot to Look Forward to”: An Interview with American Idol 5’s Patrick Hall

Patrick Hall was one of the first four people voted off of this season’s American Idol, but he isn’t going to let that slow him down. While some may question his choice of performing Melissa Etheridge’s “Come To My Window” on the show, Hall refuses to say that song choice was the only reason he was booted from the show. “I think that this competition really requires some versatility, and that’s one of the reasons that I chose the song, to show a different side of me. It just wasn’t the right time to pick that song.”

Hall, who considers the piano to be his “crutch” and his “main instrument,” says it would have been a whole different ballgame if he would have been allowed to sing while also playing the piano. “I shine when I have my tool, my tool being the piano, my instrument.” He continues, “There’s some kind of dynamic that comes with that. Ask Elton John. Ask Billy Joel. Ask any of those guys that really depend on that. It’s an amazing thing that happens to guys like us that sit down at a piano and have a microphone in front of us. Magic happens, and I’m going to prove that to you very soon.”

Past contestants have indicated that they had an idea that it was their time to go, and Hall is no different. He says, however, “You can imagine anything in those types of situations.” He adds that on Results Day, “Everybody was sweating, both literally and figuratively. You know what? I think maybe a weird glance here; kind of actually more of a look away here and there could have given me a little bit of an indication earlier on.”

People may be surprised to learn that Hall wasn’t looking to American Idol to kick start his career. In fact, he says, “I’ve been working on an album for a little over six months, actually prior to my opportunity to go audition. I’ve got some good material I’ve been writing. I’ve been working with some very accomplished writers and working with some producers that are legitimate in the industry and have given me some good advice and steered me in a good direction. So absolutely, I am going to continue on with much, and I know that I can do this; I absolutely know I can do this. It’s going to be a challenge, but I’ve got some great people behind me and a lot to look forward to.”

When asked to talk more about the album he’s been working on, Hall is reluctant to talk about who he’s been working with, but he doesn’t hesitate to talk about his style and “sound.” He says, “There’s a little bit of a niche market that they call ‘Hot AC,’ which is somewhere between AC and pop. I would say that is where I fall. I’ve definitely got some pop tracks with some hot AC-type tracks. Definitely something you can hear in a current market and definitely something that could compete with some of the big names.”

Patrick Hall doesn’t plan to rest on his American Idol laurels for long at all. He’s looking forward to taking some time off and spending it with his new wife of eight months (who, he says, is “a great person and supports me tremendously”), but, he says, “I’m not going to be off for long. I’m going to be out beating the bushes, if you will, to move on with this career.”

He adds, “This is a part of my life; this is a chapter in my life. This is one of the most exciting chapters, no doubt, but it’s just the part of the fabric of what is going to make up my story. Yes, it’s going to be great to take a little time off and definitely regroup and move forward. I’ve got so many different things that are going to happen with that. Like I said, I’ve got calls to return already, and things that are happening that are going to be great.”

Logan Martin is an avid fan of reality television and American Idol, in particular. He can be reached at loganai@yahoo.com.

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