Clark Beckham and Michael McDonald at the end of their performance Wednesday night. (FOX Photo)
“I think the best outcome happened,” the 22-year-old from White House, Tenn. said during a conference call the day after he finished runner-up to Nick Fradiani. “I believe I’m where I need to be. I chose to believe that. And I can’t wait to see where I go from here.”
About a month ago, Idol aired a spat between mentor Scott Borchetta and Clark over song choice, an indication that he might be falling out of favor with the show’s producers.
And Clark admitted Thursday afternoon that “I don’t think I would fit as well with Scott as Nick will fit with Scott.”
But he said he had no idea who would be declared the winner at the end of Wednesday’s two-hour season finale.
Earlier in the day, Clark said Nick kept telling him “I think you won. I think you won. I’m like, ‘Man, I have no idea. I think, deep down, neither of us knew which name would come out of Ryan’s mouth (when he announced the winner).”
What’s next for Clark?
The summer tour, of course. Then recording his own music.
As for his sound …
“It’s hard to articulate in words,” Clark said. “I think I’ll be going along the trail Bruno Mars has paved — uptown funk, this music that’s wildly successful. I think I’ll make music that’s not exactly like Bruno Mars, but that’s along the path that he’s paved … Current pop music with heavy R&B influences.”
And, yes, despite complaints that he performed too many classics on Idol, Clark considers himself a modern musician.
“I think the best modern is when an artist can understand and play music that is becoming popular right now,” he said. “I really believe the music that I put out, I really think that’s what’s going to come around the bend.”
Other topics Clark touched on during his conference call:
* His favorite moment from the finale was getting to perform “Takin’ It to the Streets” with Michael McDonald. “That’s something I’ll never forget,” he said.
* While faith is incredibly important to him, he wants to record secular music. “I’m not a Christian artist,” he said. “I’m an artist and I’m a Christian.”
* “Champion,” the potential coronation song he was given, is not his musical style, Clark admitted. “But I love the lyrics and it’s a perfect song for what they were looking for and the way it was going to be used.”
That song, of course, is now available on iTunes.
