I got this off Idol forums..

By JO CIAVAGLIA
Bucks County Courier Times

Some people sing for their supper. Anthony Fedorov sang for his survival.

For 15 weeks this spring, the amateur Bucks County nightclub singer outperformed more than 100,000 competitors, then eight fellow finalists on the wildly popular reality show "American Idol."

With his blond, boy-band good looks and signature eyeglasses that played hide-and-seek during the season, Fedorov captured hearts with a passion for love songs and a moving life story, including a doctor's prediction a childhood tracheotomy would prevent him from speaking.

During the audition process, his style drew immediate comparisons with second-season runner-up, Clay Aiken, winning him more popularity points. Fedorov, 20, climbed into the Top 4 before his record skipped.

Still, this year was an Idol one for the Ukrainian-born Lower Southampton resident, who for weeks appeared poised to become the first foreign-born winner of the TV talent contest.

His name generates close to 74,000 hits on the popular Google search engine with Internet photo galleries, computer wallpaper, fan clubs, chat rooms and blogs devoted to him.

His love life was front-page fodder for supermarket tabloids that linked him romantically with this season's Idol winner Carrie Underwood - rumors Fedorov brushed off, describing their relationship as "good friends."

His career appears on track for a fairytale ending. He has been hitting the awards show circuit appearing most recently in VH1's "Big in 05," and he'll appear in a celebrity episode of "Fear Factor" airing in February. He has been busy meeting with songwriters and producers in Los Angeles and New York City, he said in a phone interview last week.

"I've met every A-list producer and A-list songwriter in the business and everyone is excited," he said.


A half dozen record labels are courting him, and he expects to make a decision in late January, he said. His debut album, which may include three songs he penned, could be released in late summer.

"I'm really, really counting on 2006 being a big year," Fedorov said. "I'm glad that the fans haven't forgotten my face and my name."

Along his Idol ascension, a core group of longtime Fedorov friends organized often twice-weekly viewing parties at local bars and restaurants throughout the season. The gatherings, featuring banners and fliers urging people to vote for Anthony, attracted dozens, occasionally more than 100 fans.

The same friends also started a Web site providing the latest news about their Idol. They called in votes -200, 300, 500 every week - to keep their star in the competition.

Fedorov is the second Bucks County resident to crack the "Idol" finals. Doylestown's Justin Guarini was first runner-up in the first season.

Fedorov is a 2003 graduate of Neshaminy High School. Several administrators remembered him as an ambitious, confident and charming kid who treated them to impromptu a cappella performances and presented copies of a self-produced CD of love song covers he recorded.

"He gave me his CD and told me he will be a star one day," recalled Rick Rosenblatt, now vice-principal at Maple Point Middle School earlier this year. "He is one of those kids I'll never forget."

Wow, great article! :grin: Finally something about an album and it looks really good.

I know I am so excited! Its going to be great! :rolleyes:

This sounds great! :grin: I love that he's written some of his own songs!