QUOTE
Aussie leads the way in American Idol (By Katherine Field)
AUSTRALIAN singer Michael Johns entered American Idol as a joke but has now turned into a serious contender after making it through to the top 16.
The 29-year-old from Perth is one of the favourites to be crowned the next American Idol.
On the reality TV program's elimination episode aired in the US today, he was the first to be declared through to the next round after almost 31 million Americans cast their votes.
Four others were cut from the show.
Johns had earlier impressed with his rendition of Fleetwood Mac's Go Your Own Way.
His good friend, Luke Paquin, the guitarist from Canadian indie group Hot Hot Heat, says Johns went into the competition "for a bit of a laugh".
"But the judges seem to have really taken to him so he's decided to see it through," Paquin said.
"It's a bit of a joke around Los Angeles but he's such a good soul singer.
"You don't hear a lot of white boys from Australia sing an Otis Redding song so I think it's quite remarkable for that sort of thing."
Paquin was introduced to Johns by two of his childhood friends who played in a band with Johns, previously known as Michael Lee.
Johns has previously fronted two bands, Film and The Rising.
Paquin, whose band Hot Hot Heat will start their Australian tour next month, said he would never consider going on Idol himself but was happy for his friend.
"I don't think I would ever do it, and I don't think I'd make it past the first round anyway," Paquin said.
"It's not the way that I would want to go about making a living, but who knows, Michael will probably be rich if he wins.
"I mean, he seems to be the best guy on there, the frontrunner, so I can't really fault him on that."
Johns auditioned in San Diego earlier in the year along with 12,000 other people, and was one of only 30 to get through.
He breezed through the initial auditions singing Otis Redding's I've Been Loving You Too Long and was dubbed a "white soul singer" by judge Simon Cowell.
Johns does not have any formal training, but has been singing since the age of five.
Born in Perth, Johns moved to the United States in 1998 to attend college.
He married a Texan woman and now calls Los Angeles home.
American Idol, now in its seventh series, is being aired on pay TV channel Fox8 in Australia.
(February 29, 2008 06:15pm - news.com.au)
AUSTRALIAN singer Michael Johns entered American Idol as a joke but has now turned into a serious contender after making it through to the top 16.
The 29-year-old from Perth is one of the favourites to be crowned the next American Idol.
On the reality TV program's elimination episode aired in the US today, he was the first to be declared through to the next round after almost 31 million Americans cast their votes.
Four others were cut from the show.
Johns had earlier impressed with his rendition of Fleetwood Mac's Go Your Own Way.
His good friend, Luke Paquin, the guitarist from Canadian indie group Hot Hot Heat, says Johns went into the competition "for a bit of a laugh".
"But the judges seem to have really taken to him so he's decided to see it through," Paquin said.
"It's a bit of a joke around Los Angeles but he's such a good soul singer.
"You don't hear a lot of white boys from Australia sing an Otis Redding song so I think it's quite remarkable for that sort of thing."
Paquin was introduced to Johns by two of his childhood friends who played in a band with Johns, previously known as Michael Lee.
Johns has previously fronted two bands, Film and The Rising.
Paquin, whose band Hot Hot Heat will start their Australian tour next month, said he would never consider going on Idol himself but was happy for his friend.
"I don't think I would ever do it, and I don't think I'd make it past the first round anyway," Paquin said.
"It's not the way that I would want to go about making a living, but who knows, Michael will probably be rich if he wins.
"I mean, he seems to be the best guy on there, the frontrunner, so I can't really fault him on that."
Johns auditioned in San Diego earlier in the year along with 12,000 other people, and was one of only 30 to get through.
He breezed through the initial auditions singing Otis Redding's I've Been Loving You Too Long and was dubbed a "white soul singer" by judge Simon Cowell.
Johns does not have any formal training, but has been singing since the age of five.
Born in Perth, Johns moved to the United States in 1998 to attend college.
He married a Texan woman and now calls Los Angeles home.
American Idol, now in its seventh series, is being aired on pay TV channel Fox8 in Australia.
(February 29, 2008 06:15pm - news.com.au)
Did you read the news about Anti-Michael? Oh gosh, it's just a bunch of garbage and they are just jealous! 
Anti-Michael? 
With fame comes both postive and negative I enjoy the positive as much as everyone else does I'm sure. I just try NOT to let the negative get to me ya know? 
