Ain’t nothing — not even being booted from American Idol less than three weeks before its grand finale — gonna hold Jacob Lusk down. At least that’s the message the glowing 23-year-old Compton, Calif., native was sending out about an hour after Idol host Ryan Seacrest broke the news to him that he was the music juggernaut’s latest cast-off. “I feel good,” Lusk told EW in a backstage interview shortly after the Top 5 results show was over. “I feel so good. I can’t complain. I was in a group of amazingly talented people, and I made the Top 5 in all of America — 120,000 people auditioned, 327 in Hollywood Week, and I’m thankful.” But the upbeat Lusk did admit that, at first, his elimination was a blow: “It kind of hit me differently than I thought it would. I didn’t think I’d be so emotional.”
The question that’s burning in any Idol fan’s mind for Jacob is probably: Would you have changed anything? Especially the seemingly dubious choice to sing Jordin Sparks’ and Chris Brown’s duet “No Air” on this week’s performance episode? “Um, I probably would have changed songs maybe,” Lusk reveals. “Can I say that? I might have sang different songs. I might not have sang ‘Love Hurts.’ There were a lot of things I may have done differently, but there’s a lot of shoulda-coulda-wouldas in life. Shoulda coulda woulda! But, um, everything happens in life for a reason. And I believe in a greater power, and I believe he has a plan.”
Check out the full interview below, which finds Lusk discussing his post-Idol plans and his favorite moment of his Idol experience:
For more contestant videos, photos, and Idol news, check out the series' website.
Tanner on Twitter: @EWTanStransky
Read more:
'American Idol' official website
EW.com's ‘American Idol’ Central
'American Idol' recap: God Bless the Wild
'American Idol' on the scene for Top 5 results night: TK TK TK
Didn’t think he’d be so emotional? Isn’t this the guy that would cry at the drop of a hat? lol…
That is the exact same thought that came to my mind when I read the title of the post. I don’t think that there was a song that Jacob sang where there weren’t tears in his overly dramatic eyes. He is a little delusional.
Sure he’s the guy that is very emotional. That doesn’t mean is is self aware.
self-aware is NOT a phrase i’d say about jacob. when he said he wouldn’t sing a song about ‘doing the nasty’ … my 3 year old nephew isn’t that childish or backward.
No, in fact the person that cries at the drop of a hat is James Durbin – talk about a total WHAH baby.
I was about to say the same thing! They are confusing Jaaob with James, lol!
I just thought the guy should have stopped going on and on and on at the end. Why not put down the mike and acknowledge the other constants good-byes
They were egging him on. One of them clearly said, “take ‘em to church.” He obliged.
And what about Casey Abrams rolling on the floor during his swan song ? Eeew
Bye bye. Long overdue. I can’t imagine that he is going to get any kind of a record deal. I know I certainly won’t be buying it if he does.
who sing that song and who is the artist that sing it in 19:18 peasle help me cause i am in love with that song ands also the voice.If you found it peasle me a message on my youtube account thank you.
Hey girl hey- next time you want to accentuate your go on tour make sure you know how to say the word tour. and He is such an arrogant Oprah wanna be. He needs to find his place working at Target.
Good riddance. The sour notes, the overblown screeching and bizarre flailing “dance” moves ran their course weeks ago. The judges falsehoods in the form of praise kept this mess on tv week after week while sending Luthor Vandross spinning in his grave with near insulting comparisons. Jacob is almost painful to watch in how non-commercial he is and sadly he’s been deluded by the judges to think there’s some sort of a career waiting for him. Enjoy the tour J, because when it’s over your ‘career’ is too.
Agree totally AJ. Good riddance! He, like many of the other contestants, have been deluded into thinking they are actually good.
Jacob’s like that annoying guy you sit next to in church that thinks he’s the greatest singer ever, singing everything loudly with emotion, but who misses every single note.
Jacob, if you want to be a singer why don’t you try to hit the correct notes first, then learn some subtlety. Every song doesn’t require you to scream into the microphone at the top of your lungs.
that all Jame do is scream in the microphone
You people are SO NASTY, and especially you! I won’t even SAY what I’m thinking about what you posted because I don’t want to stoop to your level. WHY TEAR A YOUNG PERSON DOWN, IF HE MEANS NOTHING TO YOU! JUST DON’T BUY HIS RECORD THAT YOU DON’T THINK HE’LL PUT OUT! I WILL!
@Jacob Fan
But that is what the judges should have been saying to him all along. It’s not being nasty if it’s true. If he would have got that advice, like I’m sure he would have if Simon were still judging, it may have helped him as a singer. Jacob is not as good as he thinks he is. He is NOT the second coming of Luther Vandross.
Stop yelling you bird-of-the-same-screaming-Jacob-feather.
Bunch of haters. why can they be so mean to jacob. get a life morons.
Much love, light, music and joy to you, Jacob, along your path…
What path is that? The bad singer path?
it seems to me…all of you are just a bunch of red neck racist. to bad for you all. Jacob well go on to be rich and the rest of you well go on to flip burgers.
I’d LOVE to see YOUR wonderful path in life, MISTA NASTINESS!
I bet Jacob will be flippin’ burgers before I will.
@chill
I don’t see any racist comments here. Maybe you are a little too sensetive?
simon said thing about jennifer hudson, she have grammy award in movie same thing can happen to jacob
@cc
No it can’t because Jacob can’t sing.
Jacob, hope you will have a great career !! Love you !! And I love the other cry- baby (James Durbin) too !!
Although I don’t think Jacob should have won, his voice is certainly superior to Scotty. I am not sure why he doesn’t get voted off – if he wins, I will never watch AI again. This is a voice competition, not a popularity contest.
No, it IS a popularity contest. American Idol is looking for the next music star. Emphasis on STAR. They want another Carrie or Kelly. Those two happened to have fantastic voices, sure…but so did Ruben, Fantasia, Taylor, etc. Many music stars these days have much smaller voices, but they still create great music. It just depends on how these kids present themselves. Scotty could have an amazing career in country music and he does have a good voice. Jacob…what kind of music would Jacob make? And if people hate his dancing, his histrionics, his perceived ego, then he likely won’t become a music star. It’s not enough to be a great singer; if you want a career, people have to like you. And Jacob has turned a lot of people off in the last few weeks. Popularity is extremely important in this competition. Would you buy music from someone you personally disliked, just because they have a good voice? If you would, you’re rather unusual.
As good as he was the past 9 to 10 weeks, I think he was really running out of steam in the competition with those various theme weeks darting in the competition. Some songs just didn’t match with his voice.
In a sense, you’re right! And that’s why I won’t buy snotty David Cook’s album!
@ Belle03
Scotty at least hets the correct notes. I think Jacob is flat or sharp on every note he sings. Plus Scoty doesn’t scream into the microphone every chance he gets.
No, Scotty just winks and nods and sounds EXACTLY the same in everything he sings. ONE TRICK PONY, which is fine because there are a lot of ignorant people out there with no taste in music that will buy into his hype and will buy his CD’s. In a world where Justin Beiber is a powerhouse on the charts I am sure Scotty will do just fine.
@Joe, I’ve been following EW posts for a long time. You’re either a troll or one of the biggest losers I’ve come across, ever. You probably go on every week under a different name & rip on whoever got voted off, just for kicks.
Stating Jacob flat or sharp on every note he sings? I wasn’t a huge Jacob fan. But where the guy has a killer voice, you just have a dead attitude.
He seems like a sweetheart, but it was his time.
Agree. Nice kid, but he went farther than he should have in the competition. Maybe with some vocal training he can have a great career.
Sweetheart? More like a “sourheart” to me after that off-putting comment he made about America needing to look themselves in the mirror. That shows real ugliness in his personality.
Thank you so much Amanda for the amazing shoot and on such short nocite. I could BARELY keep it a secret for the five days from shoot to reveal but it was worth it. Perfect, perfect surprise for our anniversary. We’re looking forward to our REAL maternity shoot when the little one is a bit bigger!Thanks again!Allison
Aww. That was a great video. I wished he showed much more of this personality on stage. But oh well. It’s over with.
Good luck Jacob in your future of singing. I wish you all the best.
Good riddance! The guy infers in one AI video that he couldn’t sing “Let’s Get It On” due to his morals, but then goes on stage and hip grinds with one of the backup singers, followed by grabbing his crotch this week while singing. What separates him from James and Scotty is not vocal talent, but authenticity.
You actually think Scotty is “authentic”? Ha! That’s the best one I’ve heard all year. He is TOTAL pageant – completely fabricated with no substance to back it up. All that posing – his mannerisms – the wink wink nod nod BS is something that isn’t “authentic” in a 16 year old – it’s manufactured by sitting in a mirror and pretending. If he was a girl he would have been called out about it a LONG LONG LONG time ago.
My, aren’t you sassy! I think that Scotty is a good, wholesome kid. We don’t see a lot of that on TV in the modern world, so maybe you perceive that as fabricated since it isn’t the norm. But I find it refreshing.
i can sing better then Jame and Scotty
Can’t. Press. Play.
I agree it was time to go but the guy is talented. I don’t see him making a career in pop but maybe gospel. His performances reminded me of a drag queen.
You sound like a GLAMBERT fan!
Watch Adam Lambert, if you want to see a REAL drag queen! I’m not Jacob’s #1 fan, nor am I really a fan of this season particularly, but you people who like to TRASH these kids are DISGUSTING!
and yet your name is Jacob Fan… hypocrite
Gospel Drag Queen? That’s a very specific niche market
I never thought about the whole eurdpial thing and fires and not feeling my legs. No more kids for me because the ol’ vagayge isn’t up for non-epidural procedures. tmi? probably. i just thought you should know.
Agreed. There were times I envisioned a long sparkly diva gown with a train as he moved somewhat androgynous as if on heels and darted pretty glances side to side… He is a bit of a gender bender. There IS A NICHE for him, though…down the road.
Underlying the “nice guy” was an arrogant diva. I partially blame the judges for inflating his ego. He really annoyed me when he said, “America fell in love with me.” Well, Jacob, not so much…
Agreed, we will see how many people “love” him when he puts his CD out. Heck, we will see if he even gets signed. The market is small enough for gospel artists, but miniscule for gospel artists that can’t carry a tune.
All you people that be hating on these booted off singers need to shut up as y’all cant sing yourselves.
we ain’t on AI either! or trying to be…
we’re not on AI either or trying to be.