Though Caldwell's life as a correspondent has seemingly taken her away from making music, this is not necessarily the case. In 2004, she began recording her debut album, one produced by Randy Jackson and containing songs written by Diane Warren. It has, however, yet to see the light of day.
Carmen Rasmussen: After making it back into American Idol’s good graces during the Wild Card round, Carmen Rasmussen was eventually eliminated with sixth place under her belt. The youngest Idol finalist of the season, Rasmussen went from singing to acting, procuring a role in Pride and Prejudice: A Latter-day Comedy. But, she didn’t cut her chords, vocal or otherwise, and released an EP entitled Carmen in 2004.
The year 2005 saw her marry the son of Utah’s lieutenant governor, while 2006 saw her make three appearances on NBC’s Fear Factor; she finished in second place. Rasmussen then went back to her musical roots and signed with Lofton Creek Records in February, 2007. Her first album is scheduled to be released in spring of 2007.
Vanessa Olivarez: Amid controversy, Vanessa Olivarez became the first finalist eliminated from season two. Some speculate that her elimination came as a result of her making a rude comment, one that was scripted by network writers. Nonetheless, once eliminated, Olivarez did away with American Idol, and for a time, America — she moved to Canada.
While in Canada, Olivarez continued to pursue music and released a single that reached number 9 on the Canadian charts. She was also cast as lead in Hairspray, a Toronto production in which she received rave reviews. After returning to the United States, Olivarez reunited with the host of American Idol by appearing on On Air With Ryan Seacrest. She also joined two musical groups, Butterfly Stitch and South 70.
Like the contestants from the first season, many of those from American Idol season two were able to use their exposure and experience as a way to get their foot into the music and entertainment industries. This is a trend not likely to stop anytime soon; once people discover talent, they tend to find a place to put it.
Article comments
1 - TV and Film Guy
Congratulations! This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States.
2 - lauren
Season Two was my favorite season by far. There was a lot of talent, but I will never forget Clay Aiken. He was superior every single night, and such a joy to watch him get better and better looking too. That was fun.
No one before or since has captured my attention, but I thought Carrie Underwood and Chris Daughtry were very good.
Nice to see a lot of them did well. I think many are far better than those out there with platinum cds. They must have good PR people!!!