American Idol Season 7 winner David Cook announced in an interview with a Canadian radio station, ChumFM, that he is coming to Manila to do a concert on January 27, 2009, his first show after American Idol. An American Idol winner and finalist is obligated by contract to tour with the rest around the United States and Canada. David Cook announced it himself on CHUMFM saying, “We just booked my first show, post-‘Idol,’ Jan. 27 in the Philippines … a one-off show and then we start the tour in the States …”.

David Cook is hugely popular in the Philippines because his songs, the Mariah Carey cover “Always Be My Baby” topped the chart for weeks in Manila and so does his other Idol finale hit, “Time Of My Life.”

Listen to the entire David Cook interview by ChumFM below:

Meanwhile, the American Idol Season 8 auditions have already commenced and is still on-going, for the show’s airing date first week of January.

Ace Young, for those who don’t know who is Ace Young, was on American Idol a couple of seasons ago. Ace Young shirtless photos caused some scandal among fans who wanted it to be removed in all of the internet (some task there, lol)..Well, Ace Young is back and strips on video for an advocacy campaign though for strip2clothe.com saying “With your help we can help keep clothes on kids backs across the country!”

American Idol Season 7 is over and the winners had been chosen. On The American Idol Finale, surprisingly it was David Cook who won and as it turned out, David Cook won by a big margin. American Idol’s Season 7 was one of the most memorable editions of the hit reality show. Who can forget that Filipina Ramiele Malubay made it on the Top 10 from the hundreds of thousands who auditioned including the hilarious Renaldo Lapuz. Also, there were the great artists who performed and mentored the Idol contestants such as Mariah Carey, Neil Diamond, Dolly Parton, Leona Lewis, among others.

Memorable highlights was that performance by David Archuleta of the John Lennon original, “Imagine” and David Cook’s take on “Always Be My Baby” by Mariah Carey. Or how Syesha Mercado played it smart by reinventing herself every step of the way. Not to mention how Kristy Lee Cook managed to stay on by singing “God Bless The USA.”

Currently the American Idol Season 7 Top 10 contestants are on tour. Here’s your chance to see your favorite idols again. Brooke White, Carly Smithson, Chikezie, David Archuleta, David Cook, Jason Castro, Kristy Lee Cook, Michael Johns, Ramiele Malubay and Syesha Mercado will not only be a fixture on TV, not anymore, you will see them all in person by watching them on tour in a concert venue near you.

If you want to avoid the long lines and get great seats, i know you want to, you should get this American Idols Live Tickets through that link. It will be a hassle free experience so you can then plan on other things other than on getting the best seats or dealing with long lines. They will take care of it for you.

Meanwhile, American Idol is gearing up for Season 8 in 2009! American Idol Season 8 auditions will begin on July 17, 2008 in San Francisco, CA at Cow Palace. Other dates are on:

July 21 - Louisville, KY @ Freedom Hall
July 25 - Phoenix, AZ @ Jobing.com Arena
July 29 - Salt Lake City, UT @ EnergySolutions Arena
Aug. 2 - San Juan, Puerto Rico @ Coliseo de Puerto Rico
Aug. 8 - Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
Aug. 13 - Jacksonville, FL @ Veterans Memorial Arena
Aug. 19 - East Rutherford, NJ @ IZOD Center Meadowlands Sports Complex

On Sunday June 1st, David Archuleta sang at a youth camp for teens. Everyone thought Archie would be taking the weekend to rest in his hometown of Murray, Utah but he agreed to appear by invitation of a friend to sing at a youth camp for troubled teens and to do a Q and A session about his Idol experience. After he sang Archuleta stayed for an hour and a half to sign autographs.

David Archuleta sang the inspirational songs, Be Still My Soul and Angels.

Here are the lyrics to Be Still My Soul:

Be still, my soul, the Lord is on thy side.
With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide,
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul, thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul, thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as he has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake.
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul, the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul, the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul, when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Renaldo Lapuz, of the We’re Brothers Forever fame who auditioned in Dallas, Texas for American Idol season 7, has done not one but two commercials already for the telecom giant AT&T. Renaldo Lapuz is a former tricycle driver in Quezon City, Philippines. The first Renaldo Lapus commercial features him singing We’re Brothers Forever while the second Renaldo Lapus commercial features him singing the US national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, which Renaldo revealed was first taught to him by his father in the Philippines when he was just 5 years old. Watch the Renaldo Lapuz AT&T commercials below:

Renaldo Lapuz is set to do a movie in the US with Jasmine Trias.