David Foster: Fostering Idol Superstars |
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Both Diana DeGarmo and John Stevens have signed on with industry giant David Foster who will be directing their career development. But who is Foster and why is his involvement with these two young Idols so significant? Roseanne gets us up to speed with some background information and her own impressions on all of this. It was only a matter of time before the musical genius known as David Foster would slowly and successfully infiltrate the American Idol conglomerate. The Foster Man, as he is affectionately known by his legion of fans, has become legendary in his ability to "foster" and successfully market new and exciting niche artists. Singers Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Rene Olstead, and piano virtuoso William Joseph are noteworthy examples of his recent successes. In the past, Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, and Whitney Houston have benefited from his outstanding expertise in the recording studio. The demand for David Foster's unique talent is unprecedented in the music industry and remains a powerful force in the success of CD sales. His musical signature is legendary, and he has been acknowledged for his unique and sophisticated technique as a recording artist, musical arranger, and production engineer. To say that the man is meticulous in formulating his final product is an understatement. He is more than that; he is wonderfully creative and demands absolute perfection and a high standard of musical excellence from himself and from his artists. Subsequently, over the past year, the American Idol franchise has collaborated with David Foster, undoubtedly because of his ability to recognize and market rising young stars and stamp his approval of excellence on their final recorded product. As a result, The Foster Man himself will supervise American Idol 3 runner-up Diana DeGarmo's new CD, slated for release on December 7th, and John Steven's highly anticipated CD, slated for release on Valentine's Day 2005. This augurs well for the continued success of these talented young artists. Also, it is interesting to note that these two singers were the youngest competitors in the American Idol 3 series, yet, even at their young ages, their specific talents peaked David Foster's intuitive musical genes. One can theorize forever why David Foster warmed to these extremely talented young singers; however it is this writer's opinion that their distinctive musical style, exceptional musicianship, and enormous fan base shaped David Foster's motivation and rationale in this partnership. First of all, let us begin with Diana DeGarmo. From the very beginning of the American Idol 3 series, this young lady exhibited a vocal talent that was exceptional and professional. Her performances, regardless of genre, were always consistent, technically proficient, and artistically superb. At the age of 16, on live television, oftentimes under the harsh scrutiny of the judges, this young lady handled herself with grace and dignity. I found myself constantly amazed at the raw star power of our "Lady Di," and the exuberance and the vitality that she was able to bring to each and every performance. I believe that it was the "Big Band" themed show that made me realize that we had a new Judy Garland in our musical lives. Diana's voice absolutely glowed in this genre, and, perhaps, this is what David Foster could visualize in this talented young lady. And it makes absolute sense. He seems to be unobtrusively and successfully filling genre vacancies with rising young stars, such as 14-year-old jazz chanteuse Rene Olstead. Their age is a bonus, as their vocal presence on the music scene will not only attract the younger audiences, but also the older "baby boomer" audience, and, subsequently, the record sales will go through the roof. Additionally, their youth will ensure their longevity and marketability in the music industry. Read the full article: http://www.foxesonidol.com/cgi-bin/ae.pl?mode=4&article=article0023.art&page=1 |
by Rosanne Simunovic -- 10/08/2004