He took over the American Idol crown from Jordin Sparks and bagged the Teen Choice Award for Male Reality TV star. Hey YOU! brings you more on David Cook.
* David can play the violin. ‘I tried the violin first because there was a girl in the school orchestra I thought was pretty!’
* His dad bought him his first guitar on his 12th birthday.
* He formed a rock band called Axium in high school, which he left in 2006 to focus on his solo career.
* He didn’t plan to audition for Idols. He accompanied his brother. ‘Andrew and I were in the same group of four for the first audition and he didn’t make it but I did. It was very awkward. I turned to him and said, “Is this something you want me to do? Because if you don’t I won’t.” And his response was, “If you don’t I’ll beat your ass”. ’
* Before becoming an Idol David had released an alternative rock album called Analog Heart in 2006.
* After his studies he had to choose between working as a graphic designer or moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to play rhythm guitar and sing backing vocals for a band called the Midwest Kings. ‘Of course I moved to Tulsa,’ he says. He still lives there.
* He has learnt a lot from being on Idol. ‘I’m more sure of who I am now than I ever was before. When you’re trying to be a career musician and you have 200 dollars in the bank and your car’s breaking down and you’re lonely you tend to think about whether or not you have what it takes to do this, you know? So to be here now is awe-inspiring.’
* He received his best advice at the Idol competition: ‘Whether you’re pleasing someone or pissing everybody off you’re doing something wrong. I have no idea who said that to me but I’ve had it for a while. It means you got to take the good and the bad. Everybody’s going to have an opinion and not everyone’s going to like you, but as long as somebody likes you.’
