Most people remember Kimberly Caldwell as one of the fan favorites from season two of American Idol. Though she didn't end up taking home the top prize in America's most obsessively-watched talent competition, Caldwell managed to move one step closer to her dream. Now, a couple of years later, her dream is finally realized with the upcoming release of Without Regret, Caldwell's first full-length solo album. Fans of Idol might not realize that Caldwell is something of a veteran performer at this point, having worked throughout her childhood as a beauty queen, Star Search winner, and Branson family entertainer. Now she has finally come into her own, doing so with an album that owes more to classic rock (think Heart and Melissa Etheridge) and traditional country (Reba!) than the typical disposable pop music so prevalent today. We called her up to talk about it and, not surprisingly, she was awesome.
Hey Kimberly. You know, I thought I knew a fair amount about you, but I didn't realize that you had done all kinds of pageants when you were a kid. I only bring this up because I just watched an episode of "Little Miss Perfect" and it totally blew my mind.
Ha! Well, those kinds of shows really give pageants a bad name. The industry I grew up was a lot different. It was really fun and I just wanted to perform in front of people. It was like our sport of choice. Me and my little sister both did pageants and we really loved it. Now it's much different….now the kids just look like little trannies or something. It's so weird! It did prepare me for what it would be like to be judged my whole life. You learn early on that it's just about the opinion of three people--or whoever is the judge--and then you move on. It trained me to be in the entertainment industry.
I also didn't realize that you had spent so much time performing live when you were a kid. You did a live country music show in Branson, right?
Yeah, but even before that I was performing. I lived in Orlando for a while and I was on Star Search for a long time. I won five times, which was the most wins ever for a junior vocalist on that show. After that I sang for George and Barbara Bush's 50th Wedding Anniversary at the Grand Ole Opry, then I went to Vegas and started in a show that I later ended up doing in Branson for about four years--from the time I was 11 until I turned 15. I was homeschooled during that time and eventually--when I turned 16--I decided that I wanted a break from it all. I wanted to go to school and have a boyfriend and all that stuff--which I actually ended up not really enjoying. (laughs) I became a typical troubled teen. I'm just glad that American Idol came along when it did. That totally snapped me out of it.
All that performing must have helped prepare you for Idol.
Oh yeah. You know, when I was doing the show in Branson we did two shows a day, six days a week. It was a pretty grueling schedule.
Do you live in LA?
Yeah, I bought a house in LA and one of my little sister's moved out there to live with me. She's a veterinary technician, so we have our own little farm happening in LA. Lots of animals. One of our best friends from Texas--which is where we grew up and where the rest of my family lives--just moved out to live with us too. We live about 20 minutes away from Hollywood, but it's like we have our own little community. It's good and, I think, very healthy. Los Angeles is such a weird place to move when you come from Texas, so having family and friends there with me really makes it so much better. I miss the food in Texas though. Everything in LA is organic and green. I miss barbecue and beans.
You've been working on this record for a long time. How does it feel now that it's finally coming out?
Well, you know, I've been trying to land a record deal since I was a little girl, so this has really been my main goal in life. I just wanted it to be right. There were so many opportunities that came my way after American Idol--chances to work with really big name producers, stuff like that--but it always fell through for some reason or it just didn't feel right. The experience of putting together this record--which started over a year ago with the record label and the producers--has really fallen into place the right way. I never wanted to feel rushed in any way or pressured into putting something out that didn't feel like me. I really feel like now is the right time. My time on American Idol was so long ago now that I really feel like I can present myself as a new artist. Plus, I have this loyal following of people who have stuck with me since the Idol days. I was really able to take the time to find my voice. I know that if I had put out a record sooner, I just wouldn't have been ready. I believe in this album 100%. This album is me, through and through.
Do you think that working in the entertainment industry for so much of your life made it easier for you to be yourself? So many people have a tough time keeping true to their own identity in this business.
Sort of, but even when I was doing American Idol I still found it hard to really be myself. I was only 20 years old at the time and still naive and unsure about what I really wanted and who I really wanted to be. I couldn't really give 100% of myself because I didn't understand what I was capable of. I named my album Without Regret because I truly like to live my life that way. It's all about growing from your mistakes and learning how to be a better person. I'm very proud of this record and I'm also really proud of the person I've become and the people I've been able to surround myself with. When you are 20 years old it's really hard to focus on anything other than yourself….and boys. (laughs)
Who were the artists that you loved most when you were growing up? Were there certain female artists that you idolized?
Well, I grew up in Texas so the first female artists that really had an impact on me were country stars. I loved The Judds. I know every song. Reba, of course. Patsy Cline. Then when I got a little older I really got into Melissa Etheridge, Bonnie Raitt, Nancy Wilson from Heart. I really love Pink and Kelly Clarkson. I guess I love women who sing with power and aren't afraid to go out and really be themselves.
What happens next? Will you go out on tour when the record comes out?
I hope so. I can't wait to start performing these songs. It's so overwhelmingly exciting for me. I cry after every show. I'm such a big baby. I just feel so grateful and so overwhelmed to be doing this. Sometimes when I'm onstage singing one of my own songs I'll start to have flashbacks and think about myself when I was a kid. It just reminds me that the 22 years I've put into doing this--into being a part of this industry--have all been worth it.
-T. Cole Rachel
Kimberly Caldwell's Official Site
Kimberly Caldwell on Facebook
Kimberly Caldwell on Myspace
Kimberly Caldwell on Twitter
Hey Kimberly. You know, I thought I knew a fair amount about you, but I didn't realize that you had done all kinds of pageants when you were a kid. I only bring this up because I just watched an episode of "Little Miss Perfect" and it totally blew my mind.
Ha! Well, those kinds of shows really give pageants a bad name. The industry I grew up was a lot different. It was really fun and I just wanted to perform in front of people. It was like our sport of choice. Me and my little sister both did pageants and we really loved it. Now it's much different….now the kids just look like little trannies or something. It's so weird! It did prepare me for what it would be like to be judged my whole life. You learn early on that it's just about the opinion of three people--or whoever is the judge--and then you move on. It trained me to be in the entertainment industry.
I also didn't realize that you had spent so much time performing live when you were a kid. You did a live country music show in Branson, right?
Yeah, but even before that I was performing. I lived in Orlando for a while and I was on Star Search for a long time. I won five times, which was the most wins ever for a junior vocalist on that show. After that I sang for George and Barbara Bush's 50th Wedding Anniversary at the Grand Ole Opry, then I went to Vegas and started in a show that I later ended up doing in Branson for about four years--from the time I was 11 until I turned 15. I was homeschooled during that time and eventually--when I turned 16--I decided that I wanted a break from it all. I wanted to go to school and have a boyfriend and all that stuff--which I actually ended up not really enjoying. (laughs) I became a typical troubled teen. I'm just glad that American Idol came along when it did. That totally snapped me out of it.
All that performing must have helped prepare you for Idol.
Oh yeah. You know, when I was doing the show in Branson we did two shows a day, six days a week. It was a pretty grueling schedule.
Do you live in LA?
Yeah, I bought a house in LA and one of my little sister's moved out there to live with me. She's a veterinary technician, so we have our own little farm happening in LA. Lots of animals. One of our best friends from Texas--which is where we grew up and where the rest of my family lives--just moved out to live with us too. We live about 20 minutes away from Hollywood, but it's like we have our own little community. It's good and, I think, very healthy. Los Angeles is such a weird place to move when you come from Texas, so having family and friends there with me really makes it so much better. I miss the food in Texas though. Everything in LA is organic and green. I miss barbecue and beans.
You've been working on this record for a long time. How does it feel now that it's finally coming out?
Well, you know, I've been trying to land a record deal since I was a little girl, so this has really been my main goal in life. I just wanted it to be right. There were so many opportunities that came my way after American Idol--chances to work with really big name producers, stuff like that--but it always fell through for some reason or it just didn't feel right. The experience of putting together this record--which started over a year ago with the record label and the producers--has really fallen into place the right way. I never wanted to feel rushed in any way or pressured into putting something out that didn't feel like me. I really feel like now is the right time. My time on American Idol was so long ago now that I really feel like I can present myself as a new artist. Plus, I have this loyal following of people who have stuck with me since the Idol days. I was really able to take the time to find my voice. I know that if I had put out a record sooner, I just wouldn't have been ready. I believe in this album 100%. This album is me, through and through.
Do you think that working in the entertainment industry for so much of your life made it easier for you to be yourself? So many people have a tough time keeping true to their own identity in this business.
Sort of, but even when I was doing American Idol I still found it hard to really be myself. I was only 20 years old at the time and still naive and unsure about what I really wanted and who I really wanted to be. I couldn't really give 100% of myself because I didn't understand what I was capable of. I named my album Without Regret because I truly like to live my life that way. It's all about growing from your mistakes and learning how to be a better person. I'm very proud of this record and I'm also really proud of the person I've become and the people I've been able to surround myself with. When you are 20 years old it's really hard to focus on anything other than yourself….and boys. (laughs)
Who were the artists that you loved most when you were growing up? Were there certain female artists that you idolized?
Well, I grew up in Texas so the first female artists that really had an impact on me were country stars. I loved The Judds. I know every song. Reba, of course. Patsy Cline. Then when I got a little older I really got into Melissa Etheridge, Bonnie Raitt, Nancy Wilson from Heart. I really love Pink and Kelly Clarkson. I guess I love women who sing with power and aren't afraid to go out and really be themselves.
What happens next? Will you go out on tour when the record comes out?
I hope so. I can't wait to start performing these songs. It's so overwhelmingly exciting for me. I cry after every show. I'm such a big baby. I just feel so grateful and so overwhelmed to be doing this. Sometimes when I'm onstage singing one of my own songs I'll start to have flashbacks and think about myself when I was a kid. It just reminds me that the 22 years I've put into doing this--into being a part of this industry--have all been worth it.
-T. Cole Rachel
Kimberly Caldwell's Official Site
Kimberly Caldwell on Facebook
Kimberly Caldwell on Myspace
Kimberly Caldwell on Twitter
