"Live with Michael" on Instagram Live Is a Must for "American Idol" Fans Past and Present

Orland an accomplished accompanist has worked on stage with the likes of Kristin Chenoweth and Patti LuPone along with tutoring private students Honing his skills in New York he tired of carrying his songbooks from piano bar to bar and became adept at playing by ear before relocating to Hollywood Little did he know when accepting a lastminute invitation to Vegas during Idol39s first season to help prerecord backing tracks just how lifechanging that experience would be It led to a permanent appointment and now the popular Instagram Live showamp8220The Instagram show started when my friend Caesar who helps with my social media suggested doing a weekly showamp8221 Orland revealed in an exclusive chat with MediaVillage amp8220A little weekly show with everybody that39s gone through those Idol doors no matter how big or small I thought it was such a great idea especially while we39re all stuck at home So I said amp8220Let39s just do it Everybody I approached said amp8216yesamp8217 including a couple that I haven39t even scheduled yet like Jennifer Hudson Paula Abdul and Randy Jacksonamp8221Since this past July Orland has hosted 22 lively conversations for his show with former Idol winners Jordin Sparks Phillip Phillips Ruben Studdard Kris Allen Maddie Poppe and David Cook along with notable performers like Katharine McPhee Lauren Alaina Justin Guarini Diana DeGarmo Ace Young Katie Stevens Kimberley Caldwell Caleb Hutchinson and most recently Constantine Maroulis to name just a few For Orland talking with them is not just a chance to reminisce itamp8217s a chance to reconnect with people he considers family and helped grow into talented and successful entertainers amp8220I saw these kids and I still call them my kids much to Rubenamp8217s chagrin at their most vulnerableamp8221 he shared amp8220Iamp8217d always tell them the rehearsal room was a safe place laugh cry do whatever you need to do I genuinely love them all and was there to help them when they needed itamp8220I mean I just had a conversation with Kimberley Locke who I couldn39t love moreamp8221 he continued amp8220At the end of season two I was a roommate to her and Clay Aiken They had a house together and Iamp8217d sold mine so I lived with them I think she39s at the age now when I started on Idol like 17 years ago I39m so proud of every one of these kids Many didn39t make it as big as Carrie Underwood Kelly Clarkson or Chris Daughtry but even Katharine McPhee has a huge career and a new TV show coming out on Netflixamp8220Iamp8217d go to watch these kids every time one went into Rent or Hairsprayamp8221 he added amp8220I saw Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young on Broadway in Hair I helped Katharine learn all her music when she went into Waitress on Broadway and when Jordin Sparks did her Lin Manuel Miranda shows I was there Lauren Alaina is now huge I reminded her on my show about meeting during Hollywood Week she was a baby I am so proud of themamp8221Thrilled with the response thus far to Live with Michael on Instagram Orland hopes his candid conversations will translate to other multimedia platforms amp8220I have some big dreamsamp8221 he shared excitedly amp8220My goal would be to have an allIdol satellite radio channel I don39t know why it hasn39t been done You have 18 seasons of Idol now and those people have put out so much music that you could just play music from those 180 people and interview them I think it39s such a good idea and I39m going to start pitching it soon but now Iamp8217ve maybe given it awayamp8221Orland is also in the process of casting a wider net when it comes to Idol alumni In addition to former scheduled judges Jackson and Abdul heamp8217s looking forward to procuring Kara DioGuardi Jennifer Lopez Simon Cowell and Keith Urban in addition to the elusive and hardworking longtime show host Ryan Seacrest Oh and Adam Lambert is also on the listamp8220The Adam Lambert fans are some of the most amazing people I39ve met in my lifeamp8221 he explained amp8220They39re supportive of me because Adam called me out on the show one week when he said 39Thank you to Michael whoamp8217s a genius39 I always say he is the most gracious unselfish performer ever That39s the sign of a true star to me Barry Manilow is like that Iamp8217ve just loved doing this and look forward to many many moreamp8220I have to tell you there are no fans like American Idol fansquot Orland added in closing quotAnd it doesn39t matter who they are intoquotNew episodes of Live with Michael stream Thursdays at 5 pm PT on Instagram Live Click the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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"Live with Michael" on Instagram Live Is a Must for "American Idol" Fans Past and Present

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Steve Gidlow

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"Live with Michael" on Instagram Live Is a Must for "American Idol" Fans Past and Present

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