Candice Glover, Music Speaks
By Cindy Reid | All of St. Helena Island, all of Beaufort, all of South Carolina, in fact darn near off all America has been rooting for Candice Glover to complete her journey from three times American Idol contestant to being crowned this year’s American Idol.
So much has been said and written about this incredibly talented and determined young woman that it is hard to find a fresh angle to bring to her amazing story but yet we are all interested in what she is doing and what she has to say now that she is poised to begin her solo career as a recording artist. Her fans are eagerly awaiting the release of her first CD, “Music Speaks”, which will be available soon.
Beaufort Lifestyle was lucky enough to catch up with Candice while she was home for a few days.
BL: First off, welcome home Candice.
CG: Thank you, it is great to be here.
BL: What is the best part of being home for you?
CG: The best part is I don’t have to sleep in hotel rooms! I am
enjoying resting and relaxing with my family.
BL: We are Beaufort Lifestyle magazine so I have to ask, growing up,
what were your favorite things to do in Beaufort?
CG: I loved going down to the waterfront, going to the movies and
going to the beach at Hunting Island. I loved being outside, playing
kickball and games with my brothers and sisters. I was just an average
little girl playing outside all the time.
BL: At what age did you know you could sing?
CG: I was around four or five years old and I was singing in the
bathroom and my mom told me to turn the radio off, but it was just me
singing, no radio. I was academically minded and loved to write and to
read, so when I said I wanted to sing at church, everyone was
surprised I didn’t want to recite a poem or something like that. But I
wanted to sing, so I did, and after that I was known as a singer and I
kept on singing.
BL: You blew away the judges, and the country, with your renditions
of “I (Who Have Nothing)” and “Lovesong,” among others. What do you
channel, or reach for, in order to make a song your own?
CG: Every song I do I try to focus on the lyrics first, to see what
the person who wrote the song was trying to say. It has to come from
your soul.
BL: You have met a lot of famous and successful musicians and
recording artists on your journey. What have you learned from people
who have gone before you?
CG: On the American Idol show I met so many great people, like Drake,
Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia- it was surreal! All the
people I have met have been actually very nice to me, and have given
me a lot of good advice.
BL: What advice has stayed with you the most?
CG: Smokey Robinson said “No matter how high your head gets in the
clouds, don’t ever let your feet come off the ground.” It means stay
grounded and humble.
BL: Do you find yourself having any “diva” moments?
CG: Oh no, I try not to be that person. I wasn’t raised that way.
BL: You are also extremely determined. What drove you to try three
times on American Idol, and what would you tell someone who wants to
pursue their dream?
CG: I would tell them, anyone can do it! Don’t let anyone tell you
that you can’t do it. American Idol didn’t want me, obviously, the
first two times, but I knew I had a gift and I could not stay away. I
am not the ideal size a star should be, and I hope my story, and my
song “I am Beautiful,” inspires them. You can be a star if you want to
be! But everybody needs a support system and I wouldn’t have made it
without my family. They are my backbone, as well as my church family.
They stood by me every step of the way. And they still are my
backbone.
BL: How has your family reacted to your success?
CG: They are more famous than I am! People ask me on tour about them,
they say “Hi Candice, nice to meet you, but how are your folks?” My
family is busy and they are enjoying it all.
BL: What has been the biggest surprise about being a celebrity?
CG: I knew it would be a lot of work, and it is a lot of hard work.
You may think that you have achieved something and you are done but
that it just the start. But I would tell anyone, be persistent and
determined and you will achieve your dreams.
BL: You worked with stylists throughout the American Idol show, what
that was like?
CG: It was definitely great. Before the show I was a plain Jane was
wearing blue jeans and had my hair up in a ponytail! I had a good
experience with them because they worked with me for my betterment,
and while I was on tour I even learned how to do my own makeup and
hair. They were all great.
BL: Do you find yourself dressing differently all the time now?
CG: Oh yes, I dress up when I go out now, even to the store, because I
get noticed a lot and people like to take their picture with me and so
I try to look my best.
BL: So no more sweatpants?
CG: I love them but I don’t wear them in public anymore!
BL: Did you have any favorite cities on the American Idol Tour this summer?
CG: Charleston was my absolute favorite because it was so close to
home, and Charlotte was special to me because that was where I had
auditioned. I have never been out of the country before so going to
Canada was great.
BL: If you had the time to travel, where else would you like to go?
CG: I would love to go to Jamaica and the Bahamas and explore the
connections between those countries and the Gullah- Geeche culture.
BL: You have performed at major national events this summer, can you
tell us about that?
CG: I sang at the capital twice, at the PBS Memorial Day Concert and
at the PBS “A Capital Fourth.” I also sang at the Major League
Baseball All- Star Game in New York. At the All- Star game I sang the
national anthem in front of 42,000 people, I was shaking, I was so
nervous!
BL: The Star Spangled Banner is a notoriously hard song to sing.
CG: Most people don’t realize how hard it is to sing that song
especially with no music behind you. I knew the words, but luckily
they were on the big screens for the stadium, just in case I forgot
any I knew I could look up and see them on the screen.
BL: Your first CD, “Music Speaks” was originally scheduled for release
this summer but was pushed back and will now be released very soon we
hope!
CG: We did change the date because I was on tour this summer, but now
that the tour is over I will be able to give the CD one hundred
percent.
BL: What is your favorite song on “Music Speaks”?
CG:: I love the song “In the Middle” which has reggae beat and I
really like “Without You.”
BL: You said you enjoyed writing, have you had the opportunity to
write any songs?
CG: I tried to write while I was on tour and now that I am home I
have been trying to write again, and I have been doing some
songwriting. You have to just let it come out of you, I can’t just say
‘ok time to write a song!’
BL: You lead a busy life, so what do you do to relax and unwind?
CG: I like to stay connected with my family, friends and fans so I am
usually on my phone or on the computer. If I am home I will be in my
favorite chair!
BL:If you could tell the people here in Beaufort one thing, what would that be?
CG: I want to tell everyone thank you! They have been so supportive
and I am very very grateful. Thank you and I love them!
Beaufort really came together this year in support of Candice’s American Idol journey and we are a better community for doing so. It was exciting to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We showed the whole nation how well we can work collectively and help one wondrously talented young lady achieve her dream. Candice’s amazing talent, as well as her hard work and her humility, represent Beaufort at its finest. So thank you Candice for being our Hometown Hero!
To keep up with Candice, you can friend her on Facebook and visit her website: http://www.candiceglover-
Story by Cindy Reid. Photos by Susan DeLoach.
Published bi-monthly, Beaufort Lifestyle is a sophisticated publication about the wonderful people, places and events of Beaufort, Port Royal and the Sea Islands. Grab your free copy at any one of 200 area locations or check it out online at http://www.beaufortlifestyle.com.
