[ AMERICAN IDOL ]
Ousted isle ‘Idol’
finalists grab a share
of stardomJonah Moananu and
Jordan Segundo both parlay
appearances into musical careers
As Hawaii's "American Idol" darlings Jasmine Trias and Camile Velasco prepare for a massive summer tour with this year's top 10 finishers, the male idols they left behind are taking advantage of their newfound celebrity here at home.
Jonah Moananu, who made this year's top 32, and Jordan Segundo, who achieved the same feat last year and whose new CD single, "Be the One," debuts today, have parlayed their brief stints on the national talent competition into burgeoning musical careers. The calls started almost immediately for Moananu, who fielded numerous offers upon his return from the Los Angeles finals in February.
"Each month started filling up with dates right after I got back," he said.
In addition to a slew of interviews, Moananu opened for R&B giant Ginuwine in March alongside local "AI" contestants Sonny Kapu and Paula Fuga, who did not make the final 32, but received considerable air time during the show's Hawaii episode. Moananu has also participated in a West Coast concert tour with local entertainers Pati and Aloha in Los Angeles and San Diego.
"There's a huge-mongous difference between the amount of shows before and after 'American Idol,'" he said with a laugh. "The gigs and appearances have stepped up a lot, so that's cool, but I'm not quitting my day job yet."
The burly crooner says that while he hasn't aligned himself with a label, he has received offers from several Hawaii-based companies and will scrutinize each offer carefully. One organization is looking to get Moananu airplay in Australia, a country that not only has its own version of the contest, called "Australian Idol," but is also friendly to singers of Polynesian ancestry.
The interest is intriguing for Moananu, who envisions his upcoming album as an amalgamation of hip-hop, R&B and island-style sounds. For now he plays the waiting game, explaining that his contract with "American Idol" states that he will be free to fully pursue his options only after 2004 Idol Fantasia Barrino releases her debut album.
"That's the last thing I'm waiting for," he says. "It's kind of to protect their investment. They don't want anybody to blow up before their winner comes out."
As for coming up short on "Idol," Moananu takes his dismissal with a shrug and a smile. "When you look back on my group, which people said was one of the best ever, two made it to the top 12," he said. "Out of the six left, they took four people from our group to be in the wild-card show. I missed my chance but I wasn't upset. I guess I didn't show off enough for them to call me back, but it was fun while it lasted. Even if it all ends tomorrow, it was fun."
MOANANU, Velasco and Trias gained tremendous media coverage in the isles this year for their participation on "American Idol," although it was Segundo, the first homegrown contestant to be selected to the show's elite 32, who first showed the world Hawaii was capable of producing world-class talent. What is not known to most is that Segundo was awarded a trip to "American Idol's" 2002 auditions in Los Angeles by taking top honors in a local singing competition sponsored by KIKI-FM in which Trias, who came in third overall in this year's "Idol," did not place.
He further defied the odds by besting nearly 9,000 rivals in the L.A. regionals to earn a spot on last year's show. Despite much fanfare in his home state over his appointment, Segundo's turn in the spotlight was ultimately spoiled by acerbic judge Simon Cowell, who panned the teenager on national TV.
"These were his exact words, I remember," recalls Segundo. "'Technically, it was a good audition, but there's no spark in your eye. You're like a fish on a slab.' I was shocked."
Segundo was devastated by his ouster, but the warm greeting he received upon his homecoming gave him a needed confidence boost.
"At first there was sadness because I felt like I let the people of Hawaii down," he says. "But I got over that quickly after seeing how I affected people and touched their lives, and it made me appreciate what I do even more.
"When I got home, there were a hundred people waiting for me, a camera crew, a limousine. Ever since then I knew, 'OK, even though I lost, the people of Hawaii are going to be so supportive.'"
Over the past year, Segundo has taken on a whirlwind of engagements. In addition to serving as "American Idol" analyst for KHON, he has performed with the Honolulu Symphony, toured three islands as part of a program to reach thousands of students across the state, and even serenaded President Bush during a recent visit.
In addition to his Segundo's new single, a debut album is expected to hit record-store shelves in September. These are events Segundo says would not have materialized without his "American Idol" involvement.
"Even not advancing, it really launches your career, and if you keep it up, it can definitely be a big help," he says. "I'm blessed and honored that I've had the opportunities I've had, and I don't take anything for granted. This journey's been amazing and I'm just having fun.
"Me, Jonah, Jasmine and Camile, we beat out a lot of people and made it pretty far, and that's an accomplishment in itself. We did our best."
BACK TO TOP |
Segundo shows strength
in pair of new songs
Coming from a guy whose performing style was once infamously compared to that of "a fish on a slab," and who spent much of his youth competing in karaoke-style talent contests, Jordan Segundo's CD single is strong stuff -- strong enough to give "American Idol's" dreaded Simon Cowell good reason to rethink that "fish on a slab" comment or at least grudgingly applaud Segundo's growth as an entertainer. Anyone who's seen Segundo perform recently knows what he's currently capable of.
The lead song, "Be the One," which Segundo co-wrote with Island Groove honcho Aaron Kimura, is a light up-tempo tune with a distinct retro sound that comes from the late '80s to mid-'90s era. There's a slight hint of Stevie B to be detected in Segundo's delivery as he asks a girl to drop the "boy" who isn't treating her right and choose him, a man who can satisfy her needs. Segundo sings it with sincerity and feeling, and the message should connect instantly with his female fans.
"So Many Reasons" is closer to his karaoke contest roots and will likely become a popular choice for local karaoke-bar singers. It's an expansive and somewhat ponderous lyric portrait of a crumbling relationship as seen from the perspective of someone who can't decide whether to leave or stay. It, too, has a retro ambience and is reminiscent of Glenn Medeiros' early hits. Segundo extracts the emotion without sounding overwrought.
Neither song sounds like one that will take Segundo to the top of the national pop charts, but both are perfect for Hawaii music fans.
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