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Eight years after winning Season 13 of American Idol, Caleb Johnson says he was ‘really bummed’ that he won.
The 31-year-old singer beat out Jena Irena and Alex Preston to take home the top prize in May 2014, though he revealed in an interview with Insider, because he ‘hated’ his winner’s single, As Long As You Love Me, written by Justin Hawkins.
Johnson called the song a ‘cheesy piece of crap,’ and it was even pulled from his post-Idol winner’s tour because it just ‘wasn’t working.’
Bummed: Eight years after winning Season 13 of American Idol, Caleb Johnson says he was ‘really bummed’ that he won
Caleb wins: The 31-year-old singer beat out Jena Irena and Alex Preston to take home the top prize in May 2014, though he revealed in an interview with Insider , because he ‘hated’ his winner’s single, As Long As You Love Me, written by Justin Hawkins
‘I knew that, by de facto, if you won you had to sing the song, and the song was just utter crap. Like it was just the worst song ever,’ Johnson said.
He even tried to argue with the producers to try and sing something else, but it was to no avail.
‘I pitched a fit about it to the management company and all this stuff. And they were like, look at this as kind of a graduation present or something,’ he said.
Utter crap: ‘I knew that, by de facto, if you won you had to sing the song, and the song was just utter crap. Like it was just the worst song ever,’ Johnson said
Argue: He even tried to argue with the producers to try and sing something else, but it was to no avail
Johnson’s frustration over the song grew when he learned that Hawkins’ song was given to Idols South Africa runner-up Mark Haze in 2012, which he released on his debut album.
‘How is that even possible that somebody else releases the same song in another country?’ Johnson asked of the song, which did have slightly different lyrics than Haze’s version.
As part of another tradition, Johnson embarked on a summer tour with the other finalists, and As Long As You Love Me was originally part of the set list, but it didn’t last for long.
Tour: As part of another tradition, Johnson embarked on a summer tour with the other finalists, and As Long As You Love Me was originally part of the set list, but it didn’t last for long
‘We did at the beginning, but they switched it. They switched it about halfway because it just wasn’t working. It was not working, and it was a nightmare,’ Johnson admitted.
He was also trying to record his debut album in the midst of the tour, though that was also frustrating because the show’s label, 19 Recordings, ‘put absolutely no support behind the album.’
‘The label wouldn’t release the single, there was no single that came out after the record was done. There was no music video. There was nothing,” he said.
Switched: ‘We did at the beginning, but they switched it. They switched it about halfway because it just wasn’t working. It was not working, and it was a nightmare,’ Johnson admitted
19 Recordings wouldn’t respond for comment, nor would Hawkins, though Johnson defended his stance to a fan on Twitter.
A fan named Jeff Holmes tweeted Johnson, ‘I agree totally that you didn’t get the support for your first album BUT it is an amazing album and “As Long As You Love Me” gives me chills every time I hear it. Crap? I think not. You’re countryish album? Yes.’
Johnson responded, ‘There are some great songs on the first album! Unfortunately in my opinion As Long As You Love Me isn’t one of them and is not a representation of the artist that I am.’
‘I did not write that song so I have no emotional attachment to it whatsoever and it was previously released by an artist in another country!’ Johnson continued.
‘That being said the Countryish albums that your referring to or as I like to call them southern rock are the truest and purest representation of my voice and artistry . But to each their own ! Cheers’ he concluded.
No comment: 19 Recordings wouldn’t respond for comment, nor would Hawkins, though Johnson defended his stance to a fan on Twitter
Jeff: A fan named Jeff Holmes tweeted Johnson, ‘I agree totally that you didn’t get the support for your first album BUT it is an amazing album and “As Long As You Love Me” gives me chills every time I hear it. Crap? I think not. You’re countryish album? Yes’
Great songs: Johnson responded, ‘There are some great songs on the first album! Unfortunately in my opinion As Long As You Love Me isn’t one of them and is not a representation of the artist that I am’
Artist: ‘That being said the Countryish albums that your referring to or as I like to call them southern rock are the truest and purest representation of my voice and artistry . But to each their own ! Cheers’ he concluded
