Q&A With Kimberly Caldwell

posted in: Exclusive Interviews • Features

It’s been more than eight years since Kimberly Caldwell was a finalist on American Idol, and in that time the songstress hasn’t had a dull moment. She worked as a correspondent with Fox Sports Network, hosted shows for the TV Guide Network and toured with the other stars of American Idol. But her goal was always to have a musical career, and now the Texas native has returned to her roots, signing with Vanguard and Capitol Records and preparing to release her debut album Without Regret in April. Caldwell spoke with OurStage about the album, life on the road and how at twenty-eight, she’s finally found her focus.

OS: What was it like being on American Idol?

KC: It’s funny, because it seems like a lifetime ago. I feel like a sister did it, or something. I don’t feel like I actually went through the process. It was over eight years ago now. Going in, I had performed since the time I was five. I started at beauty pageants”believe it or not”that was the only thing available in Katy, Texas. And then I went on to do Star Search, and I sang at the Grand Ole Opry, and performed in Branson, Missouri two shows a day, six days a week, and I homeschooled and moved to Biloxi, Mississippi to do stuff. So I’ve been performing my whole life, but I never imagined going to do this show would be something that would really help me put my foot in the door, especially in Los Angeles. I never imagined that it would be a phenomenon, that it would become the number one show in America. I had absolutely no idea. I had stopped singing for a couple years, and that was kind of my re-entry into performing and music again. I was 20-years-old when I started, and it’s so funny how unfocused I was at the age of 20. I see these 16-year-olds that go on to win on there, and I think, How did you do it? Now, being almost 29, I’ve definitely got my focus back. To be signed to Vanguard and Capitol Records and to be on the road doing this is really great.

OS: The release of Without Regret was initially scheduled for April 2010, but it’s been pushed back until April of this year. Why the delay?

KC: I feel like the album has been delayed since I was five. I’ve wanted to do an album my entire life, and the ultimate goal was to be signed to a major label but also have a family label like Vanguard behind me. We completed the album, we thought it was done, and then we got some new songs in and we just couldn’t imagine not having those songs released on the first album. So we started recreating the image and redoing songs and things like that, and getting back in the studio and writing more. It was so funny because when we went to talk about how we were going to redo the look, they just said, Do your own hair and makeup, and bring your own wardrobe. I really just showed up with all my own stuff, and they said that was going to be a test shoot. It’s now my album cover picture and all the promotional pictures as well.

OS: Who were your influences as you made the album?

KC: I’ve always been a massive fan of The Judds. I grew up on country. I’ve always been in love with Melissa Etheridge, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, women like that. When I sat down and started writing this album, I wasn’t trying to stay within the lines. I was just kind of writing whatever I felt and whatever came out. That’s the reason why the album is so eclectic today. We chose a little bit of everything.

OS: The video for Desperate Girls and Stupid Boys is a lot of fun, what was filming like?

KC: It was really exciting. It was the first club that me and Ruben Studdard ever went to when I was on American Idol. So it was really funny how life comes around full-circle. And they said, you know, We need to cast your best friends. I said, Well, how about if my best friends are my best friends in the video? And so [it’s] my real crew ”one of my little sisters Kristy is featured in the video, and then my other best friend Tunde is in the video and my buddy Brian. So it was really fun to not only shoot my music video” which is so surreal when all the chaos is going on”but to also have my best friends with me while doing it. I don’t know how many times we said, In your video one day, we’re going to do this, and we’re going to do this, and it’s going to be so cool! But we never thought it would actually happen. We had to step back out of ourselves for a second and realize what was going on.

OS: You said that you wanted to be performer since you were a little kid. Has this experience been like a dream come true?

KC: It’s been the ultimate. I started forever ago, and dedicated my entire childhood to doing this. That’s why I had to stop hosting and dedicate myself to music fully. I knew I’d never want to wake up and wonder What if? The ultimate goal was to be signed, to Vanguard and now Capitol Records as well. The next big step was making a music video, and now I’ve made two. And then the other stuff was going on tour, and now I’m on my radio tour for the second time. I guess the next big one is a national tour with a full band.

OS: Do you think that will be something that happens in the near future?

KC: I hope so. Everything is lining up. I just try to set the next goal.

OS: What are your plans for this spring and summer?

KC: At this time I’ve got a lot of big shows. I just have a lot of stuff coming up and I try to just take it day by day. It’s definitely all overwhelming, but I’m actually living the dream” going city to city and being on the radio stations and performing to anybody that will listen.

Check out Kimberly’s video “Desperate Girls and Stupid Boys” here.