Melinda Doolittle credits “American Idol” for launching her R&B singing career.
Doolittle, who finished third on season six of the Fox show in 2007, performs at 7:30 p.m. March 25 at the Kentwood High School Performing Arts Center in Covington. The concert concludes the 2010-2011 city of Kent Spotlight Series.
“It changed my career 100 percent,” Doolittle said of “American Idol” during a recent phone interview prior a show at the Feinstein’s at Loews Regency nightclub in New York. “I was singing background for a lot of artists and enjoyed that. I never thought about what it would be like to be the artist. Idol gave me the opportunity to be the artist. It opened so many doors.”
Doolittle still watches “American Idol” as well. She uses Slingbox on the road to watch the show after her performances.
“I love it, I’m so addicted,” she said.
She’s well aware of Kent’s Stefano Langone, one of the top 13 finalists on this year’s show and a Kentwood High School graduate.
“He’s great,” Doolittle said. “He can sing like no other. His high voice is so gorgeous.”
Doolittle, 33, now tours professionally. She has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York, on a Christmas tour with the Boston Pops and traveled to Africa, where she helped raise awareness through Malaria No More, which hopes to end malaria deaths in Africa by 2015.
“I feel I owe so much to ‘American Idol,'” she said.
The concert will mark Doolittle’s first return to the Seattle area since her “American Idol” tour in 2007.
“It was great,” she said of her first trip to Seattle. “It was rainy but beautiful. And they have the best coffee in the world. I’m excited about coming back.”
Doolittle has titled her show “Love 101.” She is backed up by a bass-drums-piano trio as well as three singers.
“It’s been amazing,” she said of the show’s debut in New York. “New York is one of the best places to try things out and the show has been so much fun. It invites the audience on a journey and we talk about the good and bad stuff about love. It’s sassy and fun.”
Fans will hear a variety of songs.
“It’s got a little bit of everything,” Doolittle said. “We’ve got Broadway and jazz and a lot of soul music. There’s a few top 40 hits in there and even songs from when I was on ‘American Idol.’ There’s a little bit of something for everybody.”
Doolittle started singing as a young girl but initially had trouble hitting the right notes.
“I was not good at all,” she said. “From elementary school to the seventh grade I was in an audition choir because they liked my charisma and would put me right in the middle. But then they would tell me ‘don’t let any sound come out.'”
That didn’t discourage Doolittle. She loved music so much and kept on practicing. She later earned a music degree from Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn.
“I practiced with everything I had and now I do it for a living,” Doolittle said.
The singer grew up a fan of Gladys Knight and modeled her tour after Knight.
“I love how she tells a story with a song,” Doolittle said. “She takes you on a journey. That’s why with ‘Love 101’ people get to know me better and I get to know the audience. I like to get the audience involved. I might even step off the stage and find someone to dance with.”
For more information, go to www.melindadoolittle.com.
If you go
What: Melinda Doolittle concert
When: 7:30 p.m. March 25
Where: Kentwood High PAC, Covington
Cost: $28 general, $26 senior, $20 youth
Tickets: Call 253-856-5051 or go to www.kentarts.com.
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