American Idol eliminated Dexter Roberts, a 22-year-old from Fayette, AL, and determined its Top 6 thirteenth-season finalists during Thursday night's live results show on Fox.
 
Dexter became the seventh finalist sent home from American Idol's thirteenth season after he received the fewest home viewer votes cast following last week's performance show, which featured the Top 7 finalists performing songs they had selected for one another in a brand new theme dubbed "Competitors' Pick." The country artist sang "Muckalee Creek Water" by Luke Bryan. 

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Dexter tried his best to get through his final performance of "Lucky Man" by Montgomery Gentry after his elimination. Jessica Meuse had landed in the bottom two alongside him.

During a Friday conference call with reporters, Dexter talked about his American Idol experience. Below is a portion of his interview. To read another portion, click here. For more, click here. 

What kind of album would you like to make?

Dexter Roberts: Sort of like Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Craig Morgan, Slash, Eric Church, kind of album.

Could you talk a little bit about the advice that David Cook gave you?

Dexter Roberts: Oh yes, that's one of the best mentors that we had on the show, I think, because he really stepped out and helped.  It was like getting a cheat-sheet, really, because he had been in the situation and he knew what I was going through and he was like, "Man, you're just going to have to get out there and speak to America, really."  And I was like, "Okay, sir. I'm ready to do it."

This was the "Competitors' Pick" theme week.  How did you feel when C.J. Harris picked Luke Bryan's "Muckalee Creek Water" for you? 

Dexter Roberts: Oh, I was so pumped up about it, because I sing that song all the time in the shower and I think C.J. was just really getting tired of me singing it all the time, and he just wanted me to sing it on national television to get it out of my system. 

But I'm still going to sing it. I don't know, I was really excited when I saw that on the list. I didn't look at anything else, so that's what I was singing.  I knew it right then.

Was it fun for all of you to pick songs for each other this week, or was it kind of stressful?

Dexter Roberts: No, it was really easy because we all know which kind of artist we want to be and we're so close with each other.  So, it was really easy.  And we didn't want to jeopardize each other and make them sing something way out of the box, so we helped each other out.

What thoughts were running through your mind when you first went out onto the Idol stage with the big audience? 

Dexter Roberts: Oh, the first time I went out onstage, oh, I remember that I was singing "This Ole Boy" by Craig Morgan, and it was just so surreal.  It was so crazy because thousands and thousands and thousands of thoughts were going through my head at that time.  And when I got out onstage I heard the crowd just screaming, and I was like, "Oh my goodness, this is it. I made it. I made it here."

And I thank God about it, because, you know, He helped me get here, and all my fans, you know, that was just amazing and a great opportunity the judges gave me -- that opportunity to be onstage and be able to make it where I've made it here. 

You and C.J. were friends long before Idol, so how did it feel when you found out that both of you had not only auditioned for the show but had made it?

Dexter Roberts: Well, see, what happened was we made it in Tuscaloosa at the bus tour, and I've known C.J. for a long time, and he walked up, and he was actually late to the auditions.  And he had his old Johnson guitar and we stopped and talked for a while, and I told him, I said, "I had a feeling that you were going to be here."

And we just sat and started talking and everything, and he ended up breaking his strings on his guitar. And he walked up to me and he was like, "Man, my string just broke," and he asked if I had some more.  And I was like, "No," I said, "But once I get through, you can borrow mine," because I was in front of him in the line. 

But anyway, so I made it through and I went over there and gave him the guitar, and I told him, I was like, "I told the guys in the American Idol, in the back, back there," I told them, I was like, "There's going to be a guy coming here in a minute and he's going to be carrying my guitar," and sure enough he made it.  And it was just a great experience for us, being so close, we made it this far.

Do you think that having a friend on the show changed your experience?  Did you guys try to out-sing each other each week, or how did that work out?

Dexter Roberts: No, we've always just had a real great chemistry with each other.  He's been like a brother to me.  I don't know, we try to help each other out.  If we hit a flat note, we'll be like, "Hey, bud, try to do it this way," or, "Try to make your song do this."  And I don't know, it was a great opportunity.  It was awesome; It was fun.

We want to know, being a country singer yourself, how did it feel performing each week in front of Keith Urban?

Dexter Roberts: Man, you know, it was sort of intimidating, you know, because he's such a great artist.  But, I don't know, I looked at him as -- when I went out onstage, I didn't think that I was in a competition. 

When I get onstage, I'd think it was my concert.  I tried to go out there and just have fun.  And then when I got up there singing, I was like, it brought me back into reality, like, "Oh, man, there's the judges. Here it comes."

Do the judges give more advice off-air than they do during the live shows?

Dexter Roberts: Man, what's crazy about it, we hardly ever get to talk to them because they're having to go and do their stuff and do their interviews and stuff, and I bet they got more interviews than we get.  But we hardly ever get to talk to them that much.  But they do give great advice.

I know that you like to do the anthem songs, but Harry suggested you should do more ballads. What are you more comfortable with, and how are you planning on differentiating yourself from the country pack with your first album?  Do you write your own stuff?

Dexter Roberts: I do write my own stuff, and I write slow songs and I write upbeat... songs, so I really don't know.  I love singing ballads and I love singing upbeat songs, so I'm just going to have to figure out what best fits me.  But I love singing every bit of what stuff that I've sung.

Dexter, any final remarks?

Dexter Roberts: Yes, guys, thanks so much.  Thanks for all your calls and I look forward to seeing you on tour.

Above is a portion of Dexter's recent conference call with reporters. To read another portion, click here. For more, click here. 


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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