From "American Idol" to Velour, the fame of being an "American Idol" contestant has led Jon Peter Lewis down a different path to stardom than most contestants.
Some might say Lewis missed out on the opportunity to make it big by not jumping on the "American Idol" bandwagon two years ago, but that's just a matter of perspective. Following his performances on "American Idol," Lewis turned down offers from various record labels.
"He really likes to write his own music - be his own boss," said Curtis Lewis, Jon Lewis's 22-year-old brother, a senior at BYU from Bakersfield, Calif., majoring in psychology.
"Jon doesn't like to conform to something just because everyone else is doing it," Curtis Lewis said. "You see a lot of him -- his individuality -- in his music."
After the "American Idol" concert, people approached Jon Lewis with music to record, but it all fell in the "American Idol" category -- ballads and pop sounding, said Judy Lieber, Jon Peter Lewis's manager. "It really didn't suit him."
Creating the image Lewis wanted for himself came down to the type of music he's chosen. Lieber described the singer's image as rock and soufflé pop. "That's what he loves. That's where his heart is, and that's what he wanted to do," Lieber said.
As Lewis's manager, Lieber helps him to find songs that suit him and producers that will promote his style. "I also give him a lot of encouragement," Lieber said. "I encourage him to develop his own style."
After "American Idol," a lot of contestants are eager to get a record out right away, but Lewis wanted to get his own band together before going into the recording studio. He wanted his own band that he could go on tour with, his manager said.
"He wanted a consistent sound on the record and the road," Lieber said. It took the last year and half to get the band together, but now the singer and his band are touring.
Saturday, Oct. 14, 2006, they will make a stop in Provo to perform at Club Velour on University Avenue. Opening for Lewis and his band will be BYU student and musician Benton Paul and the recent BYU Battle of Bands champions Truman. The concert begins at 8 p.m. and the cover charge is $6. Lewis said he is excited for Saturday's concert. "I'm looking forward to hearing some of the local music that Provo has to offer," he said.
Growing up in a military family, the Lewis brothers moved a lot. Curtis Lewis said wherever they moved, his brother was always involved in music and theater. "He's pretty much always been in the lime light," Curtis Lewis said.
The Lewis brothers' father was a musician as well. Jon Lewis remembers growing up with a piano in the house in a musical family and always wanting to be a musician.
"I'd always dreamed of it; thought of it," Jon Lewis said. "Idol was the way to say I'd given it a shot." The singer said he was never really contest oriented. He'd never even seen "American Idol" before he auditioned for the show but saw it as an opportunity to pursue his dream.
Though Lewis was a top 10 finalist in the third "American Idol" competition, people wouldn't associate his style of music with the other Idol performers.
"It's not traditional "American Idol" music," Curtis Lewis said.
Despite the different direction Jon Peter Lewis has taken since his "American Idol" performance, he attributes much of his success in the music industry to being an "American Idol" contestant.
"It's never a bad thing to be in front of 60 million people," Jon Lewis said. "It opens a lot of doors for me."
Being on national television not only helped Lewis draw an unusually large fan base for a new artist; it also has opened the door to the television industry. The details are still in the works, but Lewis said MTV will have a weekly review show of "American Idol". He will be one of the panelists on the show, reviewing the new season's contestants.
Lewis' double-sided single "If I Go Away" and "Man Like Me" is available online, and his debut album "Stories from Hollywood" with all original songs will be released Nov. 7, 2006.
Copyright Brigham Young University 12 Oct 2006
