Chat transcript

this is Courtesy of Kate at TMS www.taylormadesoul.com !! Thanks Kate!!



"xoxo_Amanda_xoxo-gue says: how can u sing in front of millons of fans????
Elliott: well I think for me the easiest way for me to get over that hump was I had to, being on the show, I had to realize that OK, I'm going to be nervous. I have to find a way to rechannel that nervous energy and understand that if I'm afraid, I just didn't want to screw up or mess up. But I had to realize that if I mess up in front of 20 people or 20 million people, there's really no difference. So when you think of it in terms of numbers... it seems like a lot of people, but there's really no difference. It's almot the opposite - the more people there are, the easier it is for me.

guest-megan says: Do you ever look back on your performances?
Elliott: Occasionally yeah, I'll think about certain ways I sang songs and occasionally I'll YouTube myself, especially just before I went out for my first solo tour a few months back because I'm always looking to grow and evolve and get more comfortable on stage... so yeah, I look back. Not to dwell on things, but just to learn from my past.

guest-carly says: would you suggest lessons for somone who really wants to sing?
Elliott: Certainly. I mean, for anyone who wants to sing, I'd suggest they do anything they can to improve their craft. I'd suggest taking lessons on breathing technique, phrasing, stage presence... whateever related to singing. Personally, there are things you can do to help improve your vocals, but I don't know first hand if there are ways to teach somebody to sing well. I think it's a gift people are born with. It's hard for me to speak from experience, because I didn't have lessons when I was younger. But of course I'd highly suggest that anyone take lessons on whatever to improve their singing.

Angie-guest says: I'm one of the site owners of the new Fan site http://www.yamin-it.com. Have you visited and what do you think about it?
Elliott: I have not heard of that. I will definitely be checking it out very soon.

Brandandy11-guest says: Elliot I'm so excited you're coming to New Orleans in October.. is there anyway to get a meet and greet with you?
Elliott: my fan site is currently under construction, but we hope to have it up and running before the show. We'll have giveaways for the bands to meet me and receive autographed things. But I will say this - at most of my shows, 95%, I like to take the time to sign autographs, take pictures, and meet the fans. That's one of my favorite parts of touring, giving back to the fans. I'm all about meet and greet with the fans and I try to do it after every show. So chances are I'll be seeing you soon!

tootrue-guest says: Elliott..congrats on all your success..What is your favorite memoty of the past 6 months?
Elliott: Well first, thank you... and hmm, that's tough to narrow it down to just one memory. I've got a chock full of memories, it's hard to put in one jar, you know? The journey has been amazing so far. Six months...let's see.... I'd say probably March 20 -that was the release date of my record and it was a very proud moment for m. me. I always dreamed about that day, becoming a professional singer and actually having music of my own and being able to share it w/whoever in the world wants to listen. So I'd say March 20 is probably one of the proudest days I've ever had.

lauraloveselliott-gu says: Hey Elliott! Are you going to do another tour after this one maybe in spring of 2008?
Elliott: I hope so!!! Right now my management team is submitting me for different bigger tours... I love seeing clubs and theaters and having that small intimate setting. At the same time, I'm always looking to grow and evolve I'd like to do some arena shows someday, maybe open for a bigger act and get that under my belt. So as of right now, yeah, we're talking about getting on a bigger tour. But at the same time, we really want to start breaking ground on the next record as well. So we'll kind of have to play it by ear and see!

TeamElliott22-guest says: Hey E, it's Mike [Team Elliott] that went to all of the IDOL shows, remember me? Haha. My question is..what's your favorite thing about being on tour?
Elliott: Hey Mike! Good to hear from you. My favorite thing about being on the road is just traveling. I've always wanted to travel, always... take road trips across the country. That's one of my favorite pastimes. I have a group of 3 of my best friends back homw home and we take road trips with each other to see ball games. So to be able to travel by way of music is just icing on the cake. It's great to experience the subcultures of different corners of the country. So I love it!

paigeNAcage-guest says: hey...my names paige and im from springfield, ohio and i wanted to know if you could be anything other than a singer, what would you be?
Elliott: I think I'd probably be... I'd probably be either a professional baseball or basketball player, or a teacher.

guest-xoJessicaxo says: I love your song Wait For You, did you write that song?
Elliott: I did not write that. In fact, that's one of the few tracks on my record that I did not. t was written by Taj Jackson, a very talented guy.

guest-CindyLooHoo says: Elliott- I am also diabetic and I wanted to know more about the insulin pump... what do you think of it? Pros and cons?
Elliott: Pros...you know, I'd have to say it really depends on your lifestyle. For me the pro is it's conducive to my lifestyle because I'm always on the go and the pump allows me to kind of eat my meals a little more freely. My real regimen can fluctuate with the pump. Another pro is it really for me helps control my blood sugar better because I know when and how much insulin is going into my body. Cons...if you don't learn the specific algorhythms, you have to really heck your blood sugar 4-5 times a day, standard,. You really have to learn how to count carbohydrates and translate that into how much insulin you need. So it takes a bit of math, and math wasn't my strongest subject! Diabetes is such a meticulous disease that anything you do can affect your blood sugar and you just have to constantly check your blood sugar and stay on top of it. Another con is you can't really enjoy hot tubs too much!!! You've got this thing stuck in your stomach with adhesive, and being underwater for long periods of time it tends to come loose and come off. Another con is you still have to stick a needle in your body, and that's why we need to find a cure.

RachelATL-guest728 says: Elliott, THANK YOU for bringing back R&B!! I thought it died in the 90's. It does my heart good to see you climbing up the charts. How does that feel? You really seem to appreciate every minute of your success and I think that's what makes us fans love you even more!!
Elliott: Well thank you, it feels amazing. Are you kidding me??? It's a very gratifying sense of pride... just a wonderful sense of accomplishement. Not only have I accomplished my goals of finishing and putting out a record, but it just shows how much of a long way I can go. I do enjoy every second of my job, what I do now and I realize it's a privilege and I treat it as such. There are a lot of people who would die to be in my shoes, and I try to realize that and not take it for granted. I try to soak in every minute, because there's so many great moments and it's amazing... sometimes I really have to pinch myself!! and ask if it's real. Is a person allowed to have this much fun? It's not right!!! So yes, I enjoy every second of it and I wouldn't trade places with anyone. I like to convey that to the fans so they can have as much fun as I do. You'll see that when I perform. I come from a real place...I'm a real person... I was working a regular 9 to 5 just like you a year ago so I think people can identify w/that. Real people, real stories. So I think that's kind of the connction I have w/the fans. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the show.

guest-megan says: Whats been the best thing that ever happened to you, after AI?
Elliott: Let's see... that's a tough one! Probably I'd have to say signing a publishing deal and signing the partnership record deal w/my publisher to create our own virtual label and put out an album independent of a big money label. Again, that's just a great sense of accomplishment for me personally. Learning some of the business aspects, and applying that to my own deals really kind of creating innovative deals for myself. And that wouldn't have been possible without Three Ring Projects, and Danny Strick, at Sony ATV Publishing. And I think that's number 1. Number 2, which may become Number 1, is going gold. To me I'm not personally speaking into the accolades, but that's a special one for me.

Elliott4ever-guest says: Elliott, what's your favorite snack to munch on while you're on tour???
Elliott: (laughing) that's one of the cons of being on tour...snacking too much!! I'd probably have to say... although I only try to eat these when my blood sugar gets low, but I love to munch on Lil Debbie Strawberry Shortcake Rolls.

jackieb-guest says: Elliott, your voice is perfection, your CD wonderful, but you are one of the few artists who actually sound even better live - so do you think you'll do a live album at some point??
Elliott: Absolutely. In fact, we have plans of actually taping one of my shows this coming fall, on my fall tour. I'm not sure which venue that will be, but once we find out, maybe we'll let everyone know. But absolutely, that's my favorite place to sing is live, in front of an audience, with live instruments behind me.
I tend to thrive on that. There's nothing like being on that stage, it really just fuels my fire. I could be sick, have strep throat, be under the weather, but something about that just lifts my voice.

guest-vanessaa says: how was it touring with josh hoge?
Elliott: It was awesome. I think he's an amazing artist. An amazing under the radar artist. Great writer...talented singer....fun to be around. We've become really good friends, and I'm looking forward to going out on the road w/him again in October.

Brandt-guest says: How long were you singing and trying to get in the industry before you really "made it"?
Elliott: I've been singing since I was 5 yrs old. I never really tried to pursue a career in the business. So the answer is I wasn't trying to pursue a career, I was just singing for fun.

Linda-guest says: What is the signifigance of the blue and green wrist bands you wear? What do the colors mean?
Elliott: The green wrist band was given to me by a fan in New York after my first appearance on Regis and Kelly. The green one says Care Yamin it. I believe it's in connection with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. It's going to be the name of my own foundation once it's established. And the blue wrist band says Miracles for Whitney. Whitney Sterrell was a young girl, I believe she was 18 yrs old I met her at a college at Virginia Hospital in downtown Richmond. Probably about 6 months ago... and she was suffering from leukemia. Since we met, she has passed, unfortunately. But when I met her, she gave me this bracelet, and I promised her I'd wear it. So I wear it in memory of her.

guest-yamingirl5890 says: What is your favorite song to perform?

Elliott: Hmmm...my favorite song to perform... I like to perform "One Word" a lot. I can really get the crown involved w/that song and kind of lead them in chanting along. It's just a beautiful song. I love the lyrics, and how we do it with my band.

aj-guest says: Hey, just wondering how you developed your voice to do all the intricate riffs and runs you do. You have a similar tonality to 60s/70s Stevie Wonder which is awesome. What kind of advice did he give when you met him, and do you plan to see him on his tour this year?
Elliott: Ahh, thank you! I would love to see Stevie Wonder on this tour... it's the first time he's toured in 12 yeas. The advice he gave me was to really sing w/conviction, to really convey the lyrics that I'm singing, make the listener believe what you're saying. And that's where singers are story tellers, if you want to look at it that way. It's just like being in a library and the teacher reading you a story. So I kind of equate it to that scenario and that's the point he got across to me. Once he heard me sing, he said I should definitely choose it as a career.r And when a guy like Stevie Wonder tells you that, you're heading in the right direction! As far as the tonality goes, I love hearing artists and hearing who their influences are. People say that about my voie, my voice, that they can hear some Stevie in my voice. He was my first real male vocal influence that I wanted to emulate my voice after when I was a kid. He blew me away, and then when I got older and understood his lyrics better I really fell in love with him all over again. So he was sort of the first male vocalist that influenced me.

JDub88-guest says: How did you get the nickname E-Dub? I remembered you mentioned that in one of the AI episodes.
Elliott: LOL I got the name E-Dub. Elliott is actually my middle nam,e and my first name is Efraym. So Efraym Elliott Yamin is my full name, and that turned into E Dub. It's a nickname that stuck with friendsm, and some of those friends worked at a radio station, WCVX in Richmond. I later joined the crew there and worked weekend overnights. I was an on air personality for a couple of years,
and that was my online name - I went by E-Dub. I didn't really coin that nickname - my friends did.

Caitlin-guest says: What's your favorite instrument of all time?
Elliott: Caitlin, it would probably have to be the piano. The ole' ivories. And I would love to learn to play that some day.

ecirtap-guest says: Hello Ell. Are you the one that changed your look or did a stylist ? It's HOT!!!!!!!
Elliott: LOL I am the one who changed my look, I was the one who made the decision to get veneers and let my hair grow out. And I'm also the one who's going to be taking advice from the people around me so I can style my hair a little better!! I say that somewhat regrettably, because I like growing out my hair.

guest-Charlie says: Elliott, hey ive been tryin to get tickets to ur chicago show cuz i really want to go.. but for some reason the park west's site and ticket master arent selling em? what gives?
Elliott: What gives is that they might just not be on sale yet. I think just certain venues are on sale now.
guest-trouble says: have you started shooting video for One Word
Elliott: No, not yet.

EY_fanatic-guest says: How do you stay real & down to earth AND do you think you will always remain humble?
Elliott: It's very easy to stay real and down to earth... that's all I know how to be!!! I've never been one for all the attention, so that's still a little weird for me. I will always be humble, are you kidding me??? I was raised to be no other way than that. You have to count your blessings, you have to understand that all we really have is right now, this moment, right now. Things can be taken away in a matter of seconds, and things can be gone forever. You never know when you'll get another shot, another chance So that in essence is humbling to me. I come from humble beginnings, and I like to keep it that way.

HarleyWoman-guest says: How does it feel to be able to sing the National Anthem at so many sporting events?
Elliott: Hey HarleyWoman! It feels great. That's one of my favorite things to do, anything sports related. I grew up playing sports, and I will play sports as long as my body allows me. So it's one of the many perks of being in this business - being able to get premier tickets to games. Going to ball games is what I've always done with my friends over the years so now not only can I do what I love to do, but to be able to sing AND stay for the game, and go out on the field and meet the players, some of these fields that I've been able to walk on are so rich with history. I'm a fanatic when it comes to sports, and always will be. It's one of my little kid moments when I get out on that field - I get all giggly and it's such a rush. I look forward to seeing many more games!!

RadiGal-guest says: You have been such an inspiration for so many people, myself included, that I wonder besides your Mother of course -- what or whom has been the most insipiring thing/person in your life after the AI experience?
Elliott: Well you know, obviously my Ma was my first earliest inspiration. But I don't care if you're motherless or fatherless or what your background is,
you can't make it without the help of others.I had many people like that to look up to along the way. I have some great friends and family, and I've got the best support network you could possibly act for. ask for. I draw inspiration from my friends and family. They'll always have my back. And then of course, life in totality is inspiring to me... it's great to write about life experiences, it's great to have all those things to draw from.

MelissaGrace-guest says: Hey Elliott! Just want to start by saying you seem like such a sweetheart! So glad to see you having such great success with your music. I loved when you sang "Somebody to Love" on Idol. Any chance you might do a recording of that song?
Elliott: Well first, thank you very much... "Somebody to Love" is a great song. I appreciate the music of Queen and Freddy Mercury. I've always been intrigued with his voice, but to learn about his life and the band and how talented they are was an amazing experience for me. That was one of the great things about the show it exposed me to all kinds of music. "Somebody to Love" is a great song, but I don't know if I'm meant to cover it. I love to sing it live, and maybe I'll cover it in a show or something but I don't really see myself recording it.
Sharon-guest says: Have you started thinking about material for your next Cd or are you going to work the 1st one for awhile?
Elliott: Absolutely, I'm constantly thinking ahead. You have to be prepared, to seize every opportunity imaginable. There's going to be a second record... nobody's looking forward to it more than me. I've already started writing a song, and have a well-devised plan to how to record it and what it will sound like, as opposed to the first record where it all happened organically. We just started from the ground up.

guest-Charlie says: what is your next single going to be and when can we expect a video/radio play?
Elliott: The next single is probably going to be "One Word." We don't have an impact date yet, but it should be within a month or so. My first single, Wait for You keeps gaining spins, so it still has some room to get to the top. So we're just trying to be as strategic as possible for the next one.

Elliott4ever-guest says: Hi Elliott! I am a REALLY big fan of yours! I was wondering what your favorite color is???
Elliott: My favorite color is blue.

Kathy-guest says: Will you be singing some different songs during the second leg of your tour?
Elliott: I have to say I think so... We're going to try to do different covers, and implement a few more songs from the record that we didn't have in our set last go-round. And also we're going to try to maybe perform a couple of original new songs as well.

Brittany-guest says: Do you wish you were an Oscar Mayer Weiner?
Elliott: Ha Ha Ha ha! I'd have to say no, although I love the jingle. I wouldn't want to be anything other than a singer right now!!!



Tink-guest says: What is one of the coolest gifts that you have recieved from a fan?
Elliott: Hmm, let's see... well, I've gotten a few pictures from fans/artists that are sexual art, a few of which I actually have hanging up in my apartment. I keep everything fans give me. I have a closet half full of t-shirts, pictures, all kinds of neat things the fans give me. I could never bring myself to trash those items, although I'm not a packrat, I like to keep everything that people put their heart and soul into. Probably the coolest things were a couple of different drawings of myself performing that fans have given me.


wee_moggie-guest says: Elliott, you are so busy. What do you do to relax?
Elliott: LOL I like to sleep!!!! I'm a very boring guy...a homebody. so if I'm not at home, I'm on the road and if I'm on the road, I'm in a big tour bus, my home on wheels. I sleep well in it. It's fun just looking out the window and seeing the country. I'd say sleep. Sleep is a lost commodity, and it's very important in this business You have to take the time to sleep when you can. I first learned that on the show - that's one of the things they reiterate – "Sleep now, becuase we're going to work you to death!!!" So in all honesty, to relax I like to watch movies, play Scrabble, keep up with fans on my MySpace page. I like going to the batting cage, hitting a baseball, going to the gym, playing basketball. That's what I call relaxing.

doggone-guest says: Hey Elliott! So, have you had a chance to ride in the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile? That would be so cool!
Elliott: doggone, I have! I did have a chance to ride in the Weinermobile in LA. It was quite the experience! I got to ride with my buddy Ace, and we rode in it together. It's funny - I'll give you the inside scoop on what it's like. The horn on the steering wheel plays the Oscar Mayer jing.e And as we climbed in to get into the Weinermobile, I was playing around and I called shotgun.

Singthejingle1: Elliott, thank you for taking time to be here with us. When will we be able to chat with you again? Thanks.
Elliott: On October 17th. By that time, we'll be on tour on the road again. I'm looking forward to answering more of your questions!!!

Singthejingle1: Thank you for all your questions today! You can learn more about Elliott and get great performance tips from the star at http://www.singthejingle.com. Thanks Elliott!
Copyright of OscarMayer.com"

I You Kate!!!

And you too Tink for finding it

Thank you for finding that! I missed the chat unfortunately, our weather was getting bad again ugh. Loved the transcript!

Don't miss the next chat October 17! It was an awesome chat.

Are you getting flooded down there? All of Southern Minnesota is pretty flooded, deaths too because of the flooding.