Interview: American Idol Finalist David Hernandez Kicks Off The Copa Palm Springs Starry Cabaret Season

AMERICAN IDOL Breakout Sensation David Hernandez brings his affable personality and dynamic vocal abilities to The Copa Palm Springs for one very special performance, September 12 at 8:00 pm. David began acting and singing at age six, starring in musicals and performing with various theatre companies throughout Arizona. As a teenager David began writing original music and recording his material. ??A Phoenix native, Hernandez recently moved to Hollywood where he is writing new songs, working in the recording studio producing his newest music, and pursuing his passion for acting. He has already completed his first feature film as the lead in the movie Synthetic Truth. In addition to American Idol, David has showcased his talents on The Ellen Show, The Today Show, MTV's TRL, EXTRA, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, Teen Choice Awards, TV Guides' Sexiest Stars 2008, Idol Tonight, Idol Gives Back and FOX-TV. A once-in-a-lifetime invitation came to David when he was asked to sing at the Inaugural Kick-Off Celebration ball for President Barack Obama. I had the chance to catch up with David as he is preparing for his Palm Springs concert. Here are a few excerpts from the interview.

DG: YOU HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED AND DEFINED IN SO MANY WAYS BY THE MEDIA AND FANS -- HOW DO YOU DEFINE OR DESCRIBE YOURSELF?

DH: THAT'S AN INTERESTING AND TOUGH QUESTION. i THINK LIFE IS A CONSTANT JOURNEY TO "FIND" OR "DEFINE" YOURSELF. I KNOW FOR CERTAIN I AM A FUN, LOVING, SARCASTIC PERSON WITH AN INSATIABLE NEED FOR MUSIC IN MY LIFE, BUT I AM NOT SURE I CAN REALLY DEFINE MYSELF QUITE YET. I HAVE SO MUCH TO LEARN IN THIS LIFE AND I HAVE STRUGGLED TO GET OUT OF THE BOXES THAT THE WORLD TENDS TO PLACE ME IN SO I AM NOT SURE I AM QUITE READY TO PLACE MYSELF IN ANY. I HAVE MY MORALS AND STANDARDS BY WHICH I LIVE, BUT WHO I AM IS EVOLVING EVERY DAY.

DG: FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR BACKGROUND IN BRIEF. WHERE ARE YOU FROM? HOW DID MUSIC BECOME SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR LIFE AND WHAT LED YOU INTO A CAREER IN MUSIC?

DH: I AM A LITTLE MEXICAN BOY FROM PHOENIX, AZ THAT COMES FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS. MY DAD IS A TRUCK DRIVER AND MY MOM IS A NURSE. THEY DIVORCED WHEN I WAS 2 AND UNTIL I WAS 17, THEY SHARED JOINT CUSTODY. MUSIC WAS INTRODUCED TO ME AT A VERY YOUNG AGE. MY MOM LOVES R&B/SOUL MUSIC SO I GREW UP LISTENING TO THE GREATS LIKE ARETHA, STEVIE, WHITNEY,& MARIAH TO NAME A FEW. I HAD MY FIRST PROFESSIONAL PAYING GIG WHEN I WAS ABOUT 7 IN A MUSICAL CALLED "THE CANTERVILLE GHOST". GAGING FROM CASTING DIRECTORS & PRODUCER'S REACTIONS, I REALIZED I COULD ACTUALLY CARRY A TUNE. FROM THAT MOMENT ON, MUSIC AND SINGING WERE INFECTIOUS. IT WAS LIKE A LIGHT WENT OFF IN MY HEAD AND EVERYTHING BECAME SO CLEAR TO ME.....I WAS GONNA BE A STAR! HAHA! OF COURSE SCHOOL AND EVERY DAY LIFE INTERRUPTED THIS PURSUIT BUT WHEN I GRADUATED AT 17 I DECIDED TO PICK BACK UP MY LOVE FOR MUSIC & BY 21 I WAS SIGNED TO UNIVERSAL & RECORDING MY FIRST ALBUM. POLITICS AND LABEL ISSUES ULTIMATELY ENDED THAT DEAL AND I WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CONTRACT IN TIME TO AUDITION FOR AMERICAN IDOL. THE REST IS HISTORY I THINK. I'VE BEEN ON MULTIPLE TOURS SINCE, SANG AT OBAMAS INAUGURATION, STARRED IN AN INDIE FILM, RECORDED 2 ALBUMS, & WORKING ON MY 3RD.

DG: DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME YOU APPEARED ON STAGE?

DH: YES. IT WAS FOR THE VALLEY YOUTH THEATER IN A PRODUCTION CALLED "THE CANTERVILLE GHOST". I PLAYED A YOUNG BOY NAMED MILES WHOS FAMILY WAS BEING HAUNTED BY A GHOST. I REMEMBER BEING IN AWE OF THE STAGE AND FOG MACHINE. LOL. I WON'T EVER FORGET THAT EXPERIENCE. I THINK IT IS WHAT MADE ME FALL IN LOVE WITH SINGING AND ACTING.

DG: WHAT IS THE BEST THING THAT CAME ABOUT FROM YOUR SUCCESS ON AMERICAN IDOL? ANY REGRETS OR NEGATIVES FROM THE EXPERIENCE?

DH: MY CAREER IS THE BEST THING THAT CAME ABOUT! I WOULDN'T HAVE DONE THE THINGS THAT I HAVE DONE TODAY IF IT WASN'T FOR IDOL. I WOULD HAVE STILL HAD A CAREER IN MUSIC BUT IDOL GAVE ME A PLATFORM UNLIKE ANY OTHER HONESTLY. I LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT DISCIPLINE AND DEDICATION BECAUSE BEFORE IDOL, I WAS NAIVE TO THE INDUSTRY. IT WAS LIKE BOOT CAMP FOR SINGERS AND I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THE EXPERIENCE. EVERYTHING HAPPENS THE WAY IT IS SUPPOSED TO SO I HAVE NO REGRETS.

DG: WHAT WOULD CONSIDER YOUR PROUDEST CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENT SO FAR?

DH: BEING TRUE TO WHO I AM AS AN ARTIST AND ALWAYS TRUSTING MY GUT. THERE WAS A PARTICULAR WEEK ON IDOL WHERE I WAS SUPPOSED TO SING A CERTAIN SONG BUT WHEN I GOT TO REHEARSAL THE NOTES AND THE VIBE WERE JUST NOT COMING OUT RIGHT. I SAT WITH DEBRA BYRD FOR AN HOUR TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK AND FINALLY I JUST BURST OUT CRYING. THE LIVE SHOW WAS THE NEXT DAY AND I WASN'T SOLD ON THIS SONG BEING MY SHINING MOMENT BUT I HAD NO OTHER OPTIONS. SHE OFFERED A FEW WORDS OF ADVICE WHICH INCLUDED "SING SOMETHING YOU LOVE OR SOMETHING YOU GREW LISTENING TO AND PUT YOUR OWN TWIST ON IT." THAT WAS THE WEEK I ENDED UP SINGING "PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE". IN THE STRESS AND CRAZINESS OF THAT MOMENT, I WAS ABLE TO REMEMBER WHAT INSPIRED ME AS AN ARTIST AND PERSON. THAT PERFORMANCE SOLIDIFIED MY PLACE IN THE COMPETITION AND ULTIMATELY GOT ME INTO THE TOP 12.

DG: WHAT HAVE YOU NOT YET ACCOMPLISHED THAT IS ON YOUR LIST OF ASPIRATIONS?

DH: WORKING WITH ALICIA KEYS. I LOVE THAT WOMAN AND WOULD DIE A HAPPEN MAN IF I COULD WORK WITH HER. I THINK SUBCONCIOUSLY I MENTION HER IN EVERY INTERVIEW IN HOPES THAT SHE WILL EVENTUALLY SEE IT AND WANT TO MEET ME. LOL. WISHFUL THINKING.

DG: YOU ARE AN ACTOR AND A SINGER -- HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED A BROADWAY CAREER?

DH: I HAVE ACTUALLY AND I WOULD LOVE TO! I HAVE SO MANY BROADWAY FRIENDS SO I WOULD REALLY HAVE TO UP MY GAME BECAUSE I HAVE SEE HOW AMAZING THEY ARE AND HOW HARD THEY WORK. IT IS A WHOLE OTHER BALL GAME IN THAT WORLD AND I HAVE SO MUCH RESPECT FOR IT. I HOPE THAT IT IS IN MY FUTURE.

DG: WHAT CAN AUDIENCES EXPECT FROM YOUR PERFORMANCE AT THE COPA IN PALMS SPRINGS?

DH: SOME SONGWRITING REALNESS! HAHA! I AM SHOWCASING MY ORIGINAL MUSIC FOR THE FIRST TIME SO I HOPE THEY GET AN INSIGHT AS TO WHO I AM AND WHERE I COME FROM. I AM SHARING MY MOST PERSONAL ART SO I PRAY IT IS WELL RECEIVED AND THAT THE AUDIENCE CAN RELATE TO IT ON SOME LEVEL. THE BAND, PUT TOGETHER BY MY MUSICAL DIRECTOR, NICK PETRILLO, IS INCREDIBLE AND THE LADIES ON BACKGROUND VOCALS ARE GOING REALLY BRING THIS MUSIC TO LIFE. AND OF COURSE, I WILL BE SINGING SOME WELL KNOWN SONGS BY SOME OF MY FAVORITE ARTISTS.

DG: HOW DO YOU SELECT THE MUSIC YOU SING? WHAT IS IT ABOUT A SONG THAT DRAWS YOU TO IT?

DH: USUALLY WHEN I HEAR THE FIRST 30 SECONDS OF A SONG I KNOW WHETHER I WANT TO SING IT OR NOT. OBVIOUSLY I LIKE TO SING MUSIC I WRITE BUT WHEN I AM INSPIRED BY ANOTHER ARTIST, I LIKE TO TRY THEIR SONG OUT. ALL OF THE COMPONENTS HAVE TO BE THERE...MUSIC, LYRICS, & THE OVERALL FEEL OF THE SONG.

DG: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE ASPIRING MUSICIANS, ACTORS AND PERFORMERS WHO ASPiRE TO A CAREER SUCH AS YOURS?

DH: BE FEARLESS. STAND UP FOR YOURSELF. BREAK THE RULES.

AMERICAN IDOL finalist David Hernandez appears at The Copa Palm Springs on September 12 at 8:00 pm. For tickets or further information on this event or the tremendous Copa 2015-16 Season, visit www.copapalmsprings.com. For information about David Hernandez visit his official page at www.DavidHernandezOfficial.com.