David Hernandez Elimination Interview

American Idol' Exit Q&A: David H. Goes Home

Do you think your past as a stripper affected the vote?
No, I really don't think so. I actually believe that it was based on song selection. I think America is smart enough to know by now that people's personal lives should not influence their musical career. In this industry, you really have to have thick skin. If this is the worst thing that people say about me in my career, then I think that I'll be OK.

Fox

You said 'Wow' after getting eliminated. Were you shocked?
I was genuinely shocked. I really didn't think I'd be going home. Honestly, based on all the things the judges have said about my vocals, I thought that I'd definitely be in the bottom three, but I didn't feel like I deserved to go home. But like I said on the show, everything happened for a reason.

Fox

On 'The View,' Elisabeth Hasselbeck said your dismissal was a conspiracy. Thoughts?
Well, first of all, I'd like to thank Elisabeth for defending me and feeling that I was eliminated a little prematurely. But I don't like to speculate about that stuff because I like to have faith in 'Idol.' They've given me this huge platform and I totally respect everything they do on that show. I'd like to think that America voted on me and it was legitimate.

Fox

You took a class on The Beatles. Did that make it easier to sing their songs?
With The Beatles, it's really tough to cover them -- like it's hard to cover a Whitney [Houston] or a Celine [Dion] song. It's very challenging because people already have it set in their minds how it's supposed to sound. It's hard to change it and make it your own. I did the best I could and I kind of made it my own. Just because I took [the class] doesn't mean I was going to sing the song any better.

Your roommate, Chikezie, is also a soulful singer. Were you guys competitive?
No way. We really encouraged each other from the beginning. We went through the first auditions together and ended up being roommates to the end. We would listen to the other and critique each other. Even though it was a competition, we were still best friends. We both have very different voices -- he's more like a soul [singer], I'm more like an R&B [singer].

Fox

Are there songs you wanted to sing on the show?
I wanted to sing 'I Believe I Can Fly.' That's one of my favorite songs, it's kind of a staple of mine. And I was actually getting ready to sing 'Ain't Nobody' by Chaka Khan, make it my own little version. And then 'Yesterday' by The Beatles [for the second Beatles week].

Fox

What does the future hold for you?
I'm going to shop around a record deal. I'm looking at labels who are interested in me right now and would like to have an album released in the next year. And I'm definitely keeping my mind open to ... other options. I'd love to do Broadway.

Fox

What will your album sound like?
My first album's definitely going to be pop, R&B-influenced. I would like to collaborate with people like Alicia Keys, David Foster. Also, I would like to write my own songs on the album. It's definitely going to [have] an eclectic vibe, I'd like to put a little rock R&B in there too. That's kind of the image I put out there -- more of an urban R&B, grit and grime singer.

Rosie Greenway, Getty Images

What did you miss most about life before 'Idol'?
I'm looking forward to eating pork-flavored ramen noodles and having a deep, deep breath away from the paparazzi. I am definitely excited about that. I just want to go to my mom's house and lay on the couch with her cats for like 48 hours and watch nonsense TV.

Getty Images

Would you recommend this experience to aspiring singers?
Absolutely, I mean even being in the Top 24 is a huge honor. You have to realize that even in the Top 24, millions of people are watching you. I used to dream about having a fan base of a thousand people; now I have I don't know how many millions of people that would go out and support me and come to a concert.

Fox