Jon Peter Lewis is loving life right now, writing most of his own songs, touring the U.S., and serving as a panelist for MTV.com’s new program, “Idolized.” His album, aptly named “Stories from Hollywood”, is available on itunes and most other online distribution companies. He’s extremely proud of the album and, in particular, loves that he was able to incorporate a number of different musical styles into one CD. According to JPL, it’s part “pop rock”, part “folky”, and even a bit “John Mayer’ish.” The album consists of all the songs he has worked on since he was on the third season of American Idol. In fact, he wrote one of the songs, “Turn to Grey”, while on the American Idol tour just after the season ended.
JPL doesn’t try to distance himself from the show that has allowed him to live his life as a full-time musician. While he definitely tries to differentiate himself with his unique musical style, he recognizes that being known for being on the number one show in America is a good thing. The exposure has given him the opportunities that he has now, and he’s not about to bite the hand that feeds him. One thing he did have to fight, however, while on the show was comparing himself to his fellow Idols. Having been a contestant during a season with the likes of Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia, JPL found that measuring himself next to others was mostly detrimental. On the other hand, he also thinks that this very thing might have helped him in the long run. It forced him to become more introspective, which helped him to enhance his music.
JPL has also noticed a distinct difference in the way his music is viewed outside of American Idol. When on the show, he felt that the entire world took on the role of music critic. He finds that when he performs now, people are there for pure enjoyment. They don’t care about the pitch of his singing voice, but rather the vibe that they are left with after hearing his music. He certainly embraces that change. He doesn’t really have much preference when it comes to venues, however. While he loves to perform in smaller venues to connect with the audience, he also enjoys and finds himself more relaxed in front of a larger audience, calling it a more “faceless” experience.
As far as music inspirations go, JPL is an old soul. He loves the more classic rock ‘n roll, including everything from The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix to Al Green and Marvin Gaye. However, he doesn’t discount some of the more modern influences, including John Mayer, Elliott Smith, and Ben Folds.
It’s hard for someone as busy as JPL to find time for outside interests, but he is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys mountain biking and skiing when the opportunity arises. He also calls himself a “video game freak” and takes advantage of that whenever possible as well.
Surprisingly, American Idol still plays a fairly large part in JPL’s life. Being able to offer the insider perspective on the show, he’s been booked to be part of a panel on MTV.com’s “Idolized.” While he enjoys talking 'Idol', JPL is really looking forward to pursuing his own passion for music further. You should look for him to be touring some time this summer.