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| Nikki Reed |
“Nikki is super cool and smart. I’ve never seen her movies – I don’t watch “Twilight,’” McDonald said. “I just thought she was a normal girl.”
Maybe being one of the two oldest contestants to make it into the finals (Paul and Naima Adedapo are both 26) helps him put it all in perspective. “I’m just the same idiot musician who writes music. Just like I was five years ago,” he said during an interview with Speakeasy.
“I’m trying to stay grounded and as real as I can. All this stuff can come and go. Right now it’s a burst of excitement, but I’m not taking it too seriously. If I don’t put out a great record, people will forget me. So its humbling and amazing…I’m trying to stay real.”
So what about those crazy floral suits he wore? Paul took a bit a chiding from judge Steven Tyler and host Ryan Seacrest when he wore them, but you have to admit, he pulled it off in a way others may not have. He planned that style decision well in advance too.
“Oh man, I always kind of wanted a rhinestone suit so before I came on Idol I got my friend to make them.”
Paul said they were inspired by Elton John and Gram Parsons, and while he’s not sure if “America was digging them” he wanted to create his own piece of rock and roll history by rolling them out.
Asked if he would have done anything differently Paul said in general, he wouldn’t have except maybe one song choice. He sang “Rocket Man” during the Elton John theme week. He said he wishes he hadn’t attempted it because he “botched it” the first time he sang it years ago.
He conceded he found it difficult to choose songs to sing. He said he’s used to singing his own work, and that it was very tough to perfect an established artist’s music. He’s not a cover band guy, he said.
Paul is psyched to perform with the Idol team this summer, especially because they’ll be in arenas, which he’s always dreamed of performing in. But he’s really looking forward to getting back to what he’s great at.
“Writing and making songs. That fits me the best…to make real songs.”
Paul will rejoin his already established band The Grand Magnolias once the summer Idol tour finishes, but he thinks he will cut some original solo music as well.
