Music Contest Quotes

'American Idol' is sometimes lumped with reality shows and it has that element - folks-next-door battling it out in a contest. But instead of fighting leeches, bugs, parasites and each other, as on CBS's 'Survivor' and other shows that imitate it, the 'American Idol' contestants, of course, sing.

We won a contest at the teen fair in Vancouver and the first prize was a recording contract and we recorded at a radio station on the stairway, and we did a record and it got put out.

I learned my first songs when I was six and seven, and when I was eight years old, I won a local talent show.

Success happened little by little for me. I tasted the flavor of fame in small doses: I started at 10 years old when I won a music contest; I was performing at birthday parties, company meetings.

Most people don't know I grew up singing country music; that's what I sang right up until I did 'Idol.'

I like 'The Voice.'

It's like going back to 'X Factor' but it's even bigger because Eurovision has so many more viewers.

I have myself been on the other side of the table being a participant of a singing talent hunt. Hence, it is weird but awesome at the same time to judge a pool of talent that our nation has.

He asked if I was a songwriter, and I said yeah, that I was in town because I'd won this contest. He said, okay, then he was gonna play me his hit, and started singing 'When it's time to relax, one beer stands clear... '