Radio MYX -- Manila, PH -- 5/13/09

[Note: This "interview" consists of David's answers to off-camera questions]

David: Just from what I, what I know of The Phillipines I know from, from two people
in my life. I have a, I have a good friend who, who was out here for awhile...uh,
working. A guy named Ryan Hayes. And he told me how beautiful...um...just kinda
the indigenous areas of the country were. And so...um...and then uh, Ramiele
Malubay...was the other one. And she um...she uh, tried to turn me on to um...I, I
called 'em "Filipino Twinkies." I don't know what they're actually called. They're,
they're like rice cakes. But she would eat them like they were goin' out of style.
And I could never get her to give me one. So...but what I've, what I've taken from
the last twenty-four hours of bein' here is just...um...uh, there's a mutual
appreciation. Ya' know, it seems like people are really...into the idea and really
appreciative of the fact that, that Archuleta and myself are out here for the
show...um, on the sixteenth at the Mall of Asia. Um...but I think on our end, just to
see the reception, ya' know, that we've gotten from bein' here. Um...it, it makes me
not wanna leave, ya' know? And so...um...I was jokin' with my manager yesterday,
when we got in to the airport, just that...that first rush of people, ya' know, just
kinda losin' it when we walked off the plane. Um...it was a cool experience. Like, I
kinda want that at every airport we go to. [laughs] But...um...yeah, I think it's...I, I
think uh...if, if...if Saturday's anything like the last twenty-four hours, I think we're
gonna have a great time.

David: Being on American Idol was...probably the most intense five months of my
life. Um...it was just so constant, ya' know? And, and I remember...I
remember...kinda summing it up like this: When I got done, uh, singing my last song
on the show, "The World I Know," and...I cried afterwards. And I think it was just
because I felt like I'd held my breath for five months. And I finally had a chance to,
like, [exhales] OK. Ya' know? Like, I've made it to the end...and...win, lose, or
draw...I got that far. And um... [pauses] and then they said my name, and...ya'
know, "and the winner is...David Cook," and it was like this conscious blackout.
Like, I don't remember...my mom or my brother comin' on stage. I don't remember
huggin' Archuleta. But...watching it, I knew those things happened.

[clip of David speaking after being announced the winner]

David: Since then, it's just been...it's been nuts. Ya' know, I don't feel like I've
stopped. Um, I feel like the last year and a half has really flown by, and...um...but
I've gotten to do some really amazing things this year. Ya' know, to be able to
come out...um, to Manila and play the show, and ya' know, to, to share the stage
with Archie again. I mean, these are all things that, that, that uh, make this trip
immediately memorable.

[long clip of David singing "The Time of My Life" on the Idol finale]
David: I remember seein' the first numbers, so I remember seein' um...that uh, that
"Avalanche" had been received so well. And...and um...immediately just like:
Alright, when are we goin' out there? Like, I wanna go out there. Ya' know? I
mean, they're...they're supportin' the music, so let's go. And...and um...uh, you
know, the prep for this, for this trip has been...um...probably more fun than
anything, ya' know? Cuz um...it's, it's really given us a chance to...um...step into a
different market, step into a different country, and really see how our music...works.
And, and um...uh, to try to put together a setlist to-- to ya' know, get the...hope--
hopefully have the fans get the maximum amount of entertainment out of it that
they can. And...um...ya' know I, I think just...just uh, just the support that the songs
have gotten make this trip...uh...unreal. You know? I, I, I look forward to hoppin' on
stage Saturday night and...seein' a bunch of people hopefully that's...havin' a lotta
fun.

David: The concept for, for the video for "Come Back to Me" was uh, was somethin'
that...that um... [pauses] uh, we all kinda came up with in concert. I had this idea of
like, I wanna do a song backwards like Coldplay's "The Scientist." And, and
incorporate this love story into it. Um...uh, I was really proud of the idea. Um...and
then...it came to fruition, and they're like: Ok, well you have to learn the song
backwards. And it's like: Wait a minute. What? Um...I spent two weeks...listening
to the song backwards and typing the lyrics out phonetically. Um...uh, so the
chorus is uh, is uh...[says the chorus backwards]. I think, somethin' like that. And
um... [pauses] the fact that I had to commit that to memory, uh, I, I total-- I'd joke
around all the time, like, the next video has to be animated. Cuz I don't wanna do
that again. Um...but it was all...it was all made-up for in the fact that I got to kiss a
pretty girl. So...um...my recommendation to anybody wanting to get in to music,
uh, make sure you shoot music videos with pretty girls. Um...[laughs] unless you're
a girl and that's not your thing, then a pretty guy. Um..but it's um... [laughs] so it
makes it more bearable.

[long clip of "Come Back to Me"]

David: A-- as, as involved as I wanna be. And that's, and that's really cool. You
know, the fact that, that RCA and 19 and Sony...really um...allow me to be involved.
Uh that...um...that gives me so much more of a personal investment in what's goin'
on. And, and...and the more personal investment I can put in to all this stuff...I
carry that on stage. And if, and if I can personally connect with the songs that I'm
singing, makes it that much easier for the audience to connect with the song that
they're hearing. And um...so it's, it's dominoes. And, ya' know, if I...if I believe in
the video, and I believe in the song...then hopefully that...you know, cuz if I can't
believe in it, nobody else can. So...

David: I, I can say w--...um, th-- this trip was never in jeopardy. And um... [long
pause] and I say that in the sense not to, not to be callous. Um...but my brother
fought h-- brother fought his disease for a long time. And um...while his, his passing
was, was certainly sad...um...it didn't surprise us. And um...ya' know and, and, and
there was a lotta relief there, too. I mean...uh, you know, to watch my brother
suffer with somethin' like that for so long, it was nice to finally just...have him be at
peace, and to have him finally rest. And so...um...the idea of stopping never really,
uh... [pauses] never really seemed pertinent. Uh, I don't, I don't think that's...what I
want, and I don't think that's what he would've wanted. And so...uh, we'll just stay
the course, and keep playin' shows, and keep havin' fun, and...my brother woulda...
[pauses] my brother would, would, would love nothin' more than to... [pauses] see
me doin' what I love to do and have a bunch of people with a smile on their face.
So it's, that's how we're gonna, that's how we're gonna operate.

David: Well, we actually released two singles. Uh, we released, uh, "Come Back to
Me" and "Bar-Ba-Sol" at the same time. And...and uh...I know uh, "Come Back To
Me" still...seems to be making forward progress back home, which is good. And
um...so we're gonna try to, um... [long pause] we're gonna try to let that ride out for
a minute. Uh, I know...um...I, I know we've got a few songs uh, kinda in the mix for
the next single, but nothin'...nothin' definitive. Um...but uh, but yeah. I think right
now...uh, "Come Back to Me" is doin'...everything that we want it to do.

David: "Always Be My Baby" was funny. And, and um...I say it in this context: Like,
um... [long pause] I'm on the show... [pauses] and uh, they usually gave us a couple
weeks' advance notice for a theme. So...um...they say a couple weeks out: Hey
guys, Mariah Carey week's comin' up. And my first thought is just... [laughs] like,
OK well...it was nice meetin' everybody. I'll go home and...we'll see you guys later.
And um... [pauses] and then the more I thought about it...I got really excited.
Because it was...ya' know, there's no expectations for somebody like me...to sing a
Mariah Carey song. So I knew I could just have fun. And um... [long pause] so...I
actually, I actually at one point in my life, owned a Mariah Carey record. And uh,
the first track on that song-- or on that record was "Always Be My Baby." It was
kind of this upbeat pop tune, and...

[clip of Mariah Carey singing "Always Be My Baby"]

David: ..and then I...I read the lyrics, and I was like: this-- these lyrics are kinda
dark. Ya' know? And...um... [pauses] so I just sat down with an acoustic guitar and
started kinda...thumbin' around with the chords and...found this really cool kinda
minor scale way of goin' about it, and...um...I remember goin' to, to Rickey
Minor...with the idea. And he kinda looked at me like...like I had another face
growin' on the side of my skull or somethin'. And...um... [pauses] it was just cool to,
to kinda see that song...build upon itself, ya' know? And...and I got so...excited
about it, that it was...I think everybody else kind of in turn got excited about it.
Um... [pauses] but it was just one of those moments, you know? And, and I
remember gettin' to sing it the week my, my older brother came out to watch the
show. And...uh, that was just kind of an added bonus. Ya' know? Cuz...I really
didn't want Simon to say anything bad with my brother in the audience, so...um...so
yeah, everything kinda came together that week. And uh, that song, uh...I have to
say, was probably the most fun I had...puttin' a song together.

[long clip of David singing "Always Be My Baby" on American Idol]

David: My, my life, my job...um, my passion is predicated on people like

yourself...um, embracing, ya' know, what we do. And...and um...the, the response
that, that we've gotten for "Always Be My Baby"...and for "Come Back to Me," and
for "Avalanche"...um...ya' know, I can't thank you guys enough for, for
allowin'...somebody like me, a dork from...the Midwest United States who...hit the
jackpot, ya' know? To, to, to give me a livelihood. That uh...that alone means that I
will come back at any and every opportunity that I possibly can. So thank you guys
very much.

[clip of David singing "The World I Know" on American Idol]

END OF INTERVIEW