Beating out Jena Irene in the finale, Caleb Johnson says his previous two failed auditions helped him with 'learning all the ins and outs of the industry.'
- May 22, 2014
AceShowbiz - A new star was born in "American Idol" season 13 finale. Following his victorious moment on Wednesday night, May 21, Caleb Johnson has spoken up about winning the singing competition series.
"I was just so overwhelmed," he says in his first interview after the star-studded finale. "My gosh, I don't even know. It completely overwhelmed me. Oooh." After host Ryan Seacrest announced him as the winner, his fellow finalists "were like, 'Sing, sing, sing!' And I was like, 'Oh my gosh!' I tried to sing some more and then I was like, 'Oh, man,' " Caleb recalls.
On what the victory means to him, the 23-year-old shares, "I worked so hard just honing my performance abilities, my craft, my singing and I can't believe I won this show. This is true perseverance. If you never give up, you can make your dreams come true." He goes on saying that his previously two failed auditions on "Idol" helped him with learning all the ins and outs of the industry."
Speaking about his goal next, Caleb says he wants to make "a really heavy, soulful rock record with a lot of conviction and a lot of depth." He explains, "I love blues and soul but my basis is rock and roll, so that's the kind of record I want to make." The Asheville singer adds, "I've got to move on and just get right to work on writing my record and releasing it and and touring it. It's going to be so much fun."
Runner-up Jena Irene says she had predicted that Caleb was going to win. "I'm so excited for Caleb. I'm so happy," she says after the show. She's lucky enough to have got a chance to sing with her idol Paramore, calling it "a dream come true."
Caleb also had a duet with KISS in the season 13 finale. "They're icons. That's music I grew up listening to my whole life," he says of the legendary band.
The final results show after featured performances from Lady Antebellum, Demi Lovato, John Legend, Jason Mraz and Jennifer Lopez among others. J.Lo and fellows judges Keith Urban, Harry Connick Jr. and mentor Randy Jackson teamed up to perform a medley of "True Colors" and "Go Your On Way", while Ryan Seacrest and Richard Marx sang "Right Here Waiting for You".
