Clay Aiken once expressed, "It's not necessarily how I make a difference, but
I want to make sure that I do."
One look at his audition clip, a tall slender
fella with messy red hair and glasses was like having a Norman Rockwell character
come to life. Dreamy green eyes and a Southern drawl spoken with confidence.
An influential voice that connects with any member of the audience makes Clay
Aiken the "Elvis" of my era. Honestly, my heart starts to flutter. Seriously,
I could listen to this admirable man twenty-four hours, eight days a week. Not
only is it a thrill to watch him sing, but I would pay money to just hear him
speak. Aiken would be excellent at being a host for an awards show because he
has a sense of humor, talent, and is a great communicator.
Since the people of America choose this idol, the music industry has captured and changed certain outer aspects of this new star, but he still sticks to his ideals. For his featured album, Measure Of A Man, his songs made sure to create a family friendly atmosphere with no sexual content. More artists should produce clean-cut lyrics and music videos. Even though he has a "near Elvis level of love he inspires in his fans" (Maguire), a problem that has arisen is the fact that he receives high sales in record stores but hardly any radio play. Certain radio programmers have claimed that his style does not fit the format. Suggestion, he should have a music category all his own.
Clay Aiken's media journey has enriched American lives and not just through his voice from the 2003 American Idol2"Reality TV" show. Before the crazy life of stardom with RCA, he was studying to be a Special Ed teacher. Soon after receiving second place in the music competition, he established The Bubel-Aiken Foundation (http://www.thebubelaikenfoundation.org/). This organization embraces the importance of creating awareness of children's disabilities and encourages a well-balanced educational growth. Everyone can share the wonders of life, sometimes there just needs to be a little guidance along the way.
Aiken is a positive role model for the average young person. He does not drink, smoke, or act as a womanizer. At first I thought, "Finally, someone famous who is down to earth like me." The message produced is that people should be who they are naturally and there is no need to be like anybody else. Clay Aiken portrays coolness, freshness, and inner strength. He makes me want to be a better person. As for matters of love, he gives me hope. Even though the type of man I could be interested in is rare, he still does exist.
Always and forever, I will be a fan of these men of mass media, Robert Louis Stevenson, Norman Rockwell, and Clay Aiken, as well as their artistry.
~Jenna Willis