'American Idol' eliminee Sam Woolf: I was really scared toward the beginning of the competition

American Idol's thirteenth season eliminated Sam Woolf, a 17-year-old from Bradenton, FL, and determined its Top 4 finalists during last week's live results show on Fox.
 
Sam became the ninth finalist sent home from American Idol after he received the fewest home viewer votes cast following the Top 5 performance show, which featured each contestant singing two songs America had selected for them. 

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In an Idol twist, each finalist had to vote for whether he or she would like to see one contestant get eliminated this week, or instead, two contestants get eliminated the following week. The decision had to be unanimous in order to skip an elimination and keep everyone together for one more week, however, two singers ended up voting for an immediate elimination.

During a Friday conference call with reporters, Sam -- who had previously been saved by Idol judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr. -- talked about his American Idol experience. Below is a portion of the call. Click here and here to read more.

You had some great artists reaching out to you, not only on the show, but through Twitter and social media.  Who are you most excited about hearing from and do you have a dream collaboration with one of those people?

Sam Woolf: Yes, I would definitely want to do a collab with Ed Sheeran, just because he's one of my biggest influences.


So do you have a favorite moment from your Idol experience thinking back? 

Sam Woolf: Favorite moment. I think just, like, being with all the contestants, like all being together after every show or after every night. We'd all hang out in one of the contestant's rooms and just all jam and not really try to worry about much.

What was running through your mind the first time you were on the big stage in front of everybody?

Sam Woolf: I was really scared.  I was just thinking, "What are the judges going to say," or, "Am I going to make it through to the live rounds?" So it was crazy.

We've seen over the course of these last several weeks how close you all are to each other.  Is there anyone in particular that you kind of bonded with the most?


Sam Woolf: Well, [Alex Preston] and [Caleb Johnson] I bonded with a lot, and [C.J. Harris]. Pretty much every one, man, we're all like so close.  It's really, and [Jena Irene], it's hard.  I can't even pick; We're all really close.

Was there one performance that you gave that sticks out to you the most?

Sam Woolf: My favorite, well I had the most fun either singing "Sail Away" by David Gray or "It's Time" by Imagine Dragons.

What inspired you to audition for American Idol in the first place?

Sam Woolf: Well, I originally didn't think I was even going to try out.  I was at Berklee College of Music for their summer program and I heard that there were auditions, and somehow, there was a way that if you auditioned at Berklee and you sent in a video to them, you could get past the line in the regular stadium.  So, I did that and ended up making the cattle call round and just kept going from there.


What was the top pressure moment of your American Idol experience, the one that made you sweat the most?

Sam Woolf: Top pressure -- Oh, yes, I think definitely when it was "Rush Week" when they had to pick five guys and five girls to go to the live shows.  I was the last guy called for the fifth [spot], so I was definitely -- that was nerve racking. I was the last one but then there were three "Wild Card" picks.

Are you going to be able to attend your graduation?

Sam Woolf: Well, I want to go to my graduation.  Hopefully when I come back after the finale. And then I go back for tour rehearsals, but, yes, hopefully I get to walk with everyone.

Is there one judge whose guidance or coaching helped you more than any others?


Sam Woolf: I think they all really helped me, I think equally.  I don't think I had a favorite.

What was the best piece of advice you were given during your time on the show?

Sam Woolf: Just staying true to myself and loosening up onstage, and just not worrying about the audience or anything.

Would you also say that was your biggest challenge?

Sam Woolf: Yes, for me, I feel like each week it became easier and easier to perform and I was more comfortable onstage.  But, yes, I had trouble.  It was hard for me to connect and get loose onstage.  I felt like I grew from the beginning.


If you had the opportunity to collaborate with one of the judges, who would you choose and why?

Sam Woolf: Either, probably Keith, actually.  Just because, I don't know, just because I like his music and I think it would be cool to work with him.  Harry is more of like jazz and J. Lo is more like pop, I guess, so I mean Keith would be the closest one to my genre.

Did all the contestants feel backed into a corner with that elimination voting twist? Were you afraid that if you weren't voting unanimously there would be room for resentment or anger, not even just among you guys, but among fans?  Did you predict it could mean trouble? 

Sam Woolf: Yes.  I mean, I don't even know what I was thinking.  I was just like, "Let's just keep it as the original and have one person go home," so I wasn't really thinking too much about that.

How much actual discussion was there, I mean like, minute-wise? Was it just like a split-second decision, or did you guys actually hash it out for a while?

Sam Woolf: Yes, well, we kind of talked for like a minute. And at first we were like, "Yes, we should go for it and go another week and have two people be eliminated [next time]."  But then we just realized two people in one week, that would be so much.  We didn't know who was going home either.


Do you think that it was a good thing to put in a twist like that, or do you think it was too much drama?

Sam Woolf: I thought it was too much drama, that's just my opinion.  I don't think we really had to have it.

Did you have some songs picked out for next week?

Sam Woolf: I did.  I was going to sing, I was either going to sing a Lighthouse song or that new song by Rickstin. I think it's called -- or the band is called -- I don't remember the name of it.

We've seen on Twitter that you've made it pretty much a weekly thing to visit Mel's, what have you been ordering at Mel's every week?

Sam Woolf: Oh, thank you for that question.  Usually I just get like eggs or pancakes or I don't know, it kind of changes.  I always get chocolate milk though.


What are you going to do now that you don't have it right there?  You're going to have to find a new place to go every night while you're on tour?

Sam Woolf: I'm just going to have to hold it off until I come back.  Nine days without Mel's, I don't know how it's going to happen.

Any final remarks, Sam?

Sam Woolf: Okay.  I just want to thank you guys so much for all the support that you've given me and I wouldn't have made it this far without you guys voting for me and just giving me all the support, so I really appreciate that.

Above is a portion of Sam's conference call with reporters. Click here and here to read more.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski