A happy homecoming

In what ways has this trip to Kansas City been different than your May visit?

I was amidst a competition and really, weird as it is to say this, the whole day was revolving around me being a competitor on the show. I think what’s different about being here now is that it’s about us, the 10 of us and really getting out and saying thank you. The fact that it’s my hometown is extra. I’m anxious not for everybody to see my set; I’m anxious for everybody to see everyone else’s set.

What have been some highlights from your time in Kansas City this go-round?

Well, let’s see. We got into town about 6 this morning, and I woke up for my 9:30 a.m. call. So, it was a little rushed this morning, but I got a chance to go to the Ford plant and see my new car, which was nice. Then I went out to Blue Springs and saw the unveiling of the mural. And it was beautiful. I thought the students and the faculty and everyone involved with it did an amazing job. It was an extremely humbling experience to head home and have something of that magnitude. You know, there’s a lot of hours put into that I’m sure. To see that on the side of a building in your hometown was a pretty intense moment. I had to turn my back to the audience for a minute to keep from weeping.

How will your new album, set for release in November, be different from anything you’ve done before?

June was crazy. We were doing a lot of tour rehearsals and on top of that I co-wrote like 20 songs in three weeks or something ridiculous. It’s just a matter of utilizing time effectively. I’ve had one day off the entire tour and that was just because it was an absolute necessity. I’m a different person I think then when I did the Axium recordings. I think when you get older you get a different perspective; you’ve obviously experienced more in your life, which you can tap into when it comes to writing. Nevermind the resources available – I’ve got like a million dollar budget for this record as opposed to the Axium stuff when it was like, alright guys, we can all pool $200 together so we can have $800 to do a record. It’s a different set of circumstances altogether. It’ll be a rock album, but it’ll have a little extra quirk to it. I want it to be interesting; I want it to be important.