If the name Jason Castro doesn’t ring a bell (did I mention the dreadlocks?), he made his stamp on "Idol" with his version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” Well, it was Castro’s version of Jeff Buckley’s version of the tune.
Rolling Stone noted that Castro was the first “Idol” contestant to play an instrument on the show as Season 7 was the first year the series allowed singers to show off their finger pickin/ strummin skills. Castro played the ukulele during his rendition of Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s “Over the Rainbow” and he also played the guitar on the top 24 performance of The Lovin' Spoonful's “(What A Day For A) Daydream.”
He also showed off a bit of Spanish on Sting’s “Fragile” and French on The Beatles’ “Michelle.”
Hopefully Castro’s record deal doesn’t go the way of Blake Lewis, Ruben Studdard,Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee, who have been dropped from their labels, and instead follows in the footsteps of “Idol” runner-ups who were able to say “told you so” by becoming more successful than the actual winners. It certainly worked for fellow fourth-place finalist Chris Daughtry, as well as Clay Aiken and Jennifer Hudson.
I could see Castro making it as a sort of Jack Johnson/ hippie/reggae folk singer-songwriter.
He’s in good hands on his debut album as he’ll have the help of current Idol judge Kara DioGuardi and producer Jon Fields, according to Rolling Stone. Although DioGuardi may have trouble counting, she has helped artists including Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera and Ashlee Simpson churn out hits.
Castro’s version of “Hallelujah” will be featured on the soundtrack of the upcoming Mexican drama “Amar A Morir.”
Read the Rolling Stone article here.