With the final season of American Idol currently airing, CelebMix got in touch with former contestant Trevor Douglas to hear his thoughts and feelings.
We got the chance to talk to Trevor about his American Idol experience, about his tips and tricks for aspiring musicians, and even about having a science career!
Here is what he revealed to us:
CM: American Idol is on its final season, how do you feel about seeing the show at its ending point?
Trevor: “Well, to be honest…I never really watched the show before I auditioned so… Hahaha!”
CM: Do you have any advice for anyone that had planned to be on the show, but didn’t get the chance?
Trevor: “I’d tell them that the show is not the only or even always the best path to success. Not making the show isn’t the end of the world. It’s a TV show as much as it is a talent show, so they aren’t just picking talented artists, they’re casting personalities.”
CM: We see that you love science! Would science be a career choice you would be interested in if it weren’t for music?
Trevor: “Oh most likely yes! Haha! The problem is that when someone asks, “What branch of science would you like to study?” – I’m just like, ‘Well, they’re all awesome…I don’t know…'”
CM: Since American Idol, have you created any friendships off the show and remained in contact?
Trevor: “Oh definitely, mainly with the guys that got cut when I did. Riley actually came to Dallas and we did a show together at Six Flags Over Texas. It would be really fun to get together with Riley and Michael and do another YouNow like we did the night we were cut. That night with them is actually one of my best memories from American Idol.”
CM: How was your experience on the show? How is performing on stage now without the pressure of voting or cameras different to when you were performing on American Idol?
Trevor: “My experience on the show was overall very positive. They didn’t feed us well and once we reached Top 24 there wasn’t the opportunity or space to rehearse like there was earlier, but other than that I had a lot of fun! Haha! And I wouldn’t say that performing onstage has changed much since Idol. On the show I would just get up on stage and do my thing, and now it’s pretty much the same except that it is easier to book gigs. I was never able to use my loop pedal on Idol and that was a little bit of a disappointment to me, but there’s a funny story about that. I asked if I could use my loop pedal for just about every song I performed on American Idol and was always told no. I was waiting to hear from the producers if I could use my loop pedal on the next song coming up after Motown. After I was cut and in the hotel lobby with the other guys waiting on a car to take us to another hotel, Patrick, one of the guys in charge of us, came up to me and said, ‘Well on the bright side, you can use your loop pedal on the next song.’ Hahaha!”
CM: You have always shown so much confidence in your performances, do you have tips for some aspiring artists who are shy or nervous?
Trevor: “-Biggest tip for anyone that gets nervous on stage – whether it be singing, acting, dancing or whatever – is if being on stage is something you really want to do, there’s no reason to psych yourself out.
-Also, the more you practice and the better prepared you are, the less nervous you’ll be.
-Lastly, everyone makes mistakes, even professionals. One big difference between amateurs and professionals is that the professionals are much better at covering up their mistakes.”
CM: Ed Sheeran is someone you seem to look up to and love. Are there any other artists you look up to?
Trevor: “Yes. John Mayer, Jon Gomm, Damien Rice, Daft Punk, Allen Stone, Eminem, Bernhoft, and then Andrew McMahon is a big one.”
CM: Can we expect an album or new music in the future? The Sugarcoated Puberty EP went above and beyond our expectations!
Trevor: “YES!!! Yes you can! But I really want it to be as great as possible so it might take a while. Ideally I’d like to have at least a single out soon.”
CM: Do you have any favorite songs to perform live?
Trevor: “Any of my originals or any song, cover or original, that I get to perform with my loop pedal.”
CM: And finally, do you have any words of advice for anyone trying to make their music dream come true?
Trevor: “Mainly that you need to work hard. A lot of people think that if you’re really good, the opportunities will come to you. While that is partially true, it isn’t always the case. You have to make your own opportunities, whether it be through booking shows, social media, collaboration, or auditioning for a show like American Idol.”
Thank you, Trevor, for all the great advice! Stay on the lookout for new music from Trevor and make sure to download his current EP here.
Let us know how you feel about American Idol ending by commenting below or tweeting us @CelebMix