Wherever there’s a mic you’ll discover Blake Lewis.
The runner-up on season six of “American Idol,” who now lives and performs in Las Vegas — “anyplace they’ll give me a mic,” he says — will headline this yr’s Pikes Peak Satisfaction competition. He’ll carry out Saturday at Alamo Sq. Park. The competition is free.
“I’ve had mic envy since I used to be a child,” Lewis mentioned from house in Vegas.
The weekend’s festivities, which come throughout Satisfaction Month, embrace a sober backyard, the place psychological well being organizations shall be available to supply assets and knowledge, actions for youths, greater than 130 distributors, meals and stay music and leisure, together with Kylie Sonique Love, the winner of season six of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” in 2021.
12 weekend issues to do in Colorado Springs and past: Cleaning soap Field Derby, Wild Animal Sanctuary and extra
Sunday will function the annual parade at 11 a.m. alongside Tejon Road between Platte and Vermijo avenues. Final yr’s parade attracted 15,000 watchers, and about 25,000 individuals attended the competition as an entire.
“We’re making an attempt to deliver everybody collectively,” mentioned Pikes Peak Satisfaction Govt Director Jessica Laney.
“Satisfaction’s not only for LGBTQ individuals. Everybody can have delight in themselves and being an genuine particular person.”
Blake Lewis, the runner-up on season six of “American Idol,” found beatboxing as a child and nonetheless incorporates it in his exhibits. He’ll carry out Saturday at Pikes Peak Satisfaction. Courtesy Blake Lewis
Rising up with an expert bluegrass-rock singer mom in a home stuffed with music, it’s no marvel Lewis lives the life he does. And being an solely youngster and the one child on the block meant he needed to discover methods to entertain himself. Rising up within the ’80s, he was entranced by Robin Williams on “Mork & Mindy,” Michael Jackson and Saturday morning cartoons. From that effervescent stew of popular culture, he developed his signature sounds.
“I’d have all my toys, watching cartoons and making loopy noises,” he mentioned. “You must make your personal enjoyable as a child earlier than cellphones and the web.”
However all these loopy noises changed into one thing that’s fueled his profession: beat boxing. He noticed m-pact, an cappella group that beatboxed, and thought, “Hey, I used to be doing that. Making beatboxes and little patterns, however I didn’t understand it was referred to as beatboxing.”
He was fairly good straight away, he says, as a result of he’d been doing it unknowingly all his life. Then he fell in love with R&B: Boyz II Males, 112, Blackstreet. And hip-hop: Doug E. Recent, Biz Markie and The Fats Boys. After highschool, he began a hip-hop group and a cappella group, started internet hosting raves and doing open mics. He was a full-time skilled musician doing dozens of exhibits each month for years earlier than practically profitable “American Idol,” a actuality TV competitors he’d by no means watched.
His post-show debut album, “A.D.D. (Audio Day Dream) was launched in 2007, and his first single, “Break Anotha,” hit at No. 10 on the charts. However doing the present and dwelling by the aftermath modified him and his perspective. He bought a blistering wake-up name in regards to the music trade, he says.
“You turn out to be a cog within the machine,” he mentioned. “You might have all these sure individuals. As a substitute of you dealing with it, it handles you. I discovered it quite a bit to be in Los Angeles. Should you’re not true to your self, you get swallowed up and spit out.”
Informal Mexican eatery serves up tasty tacos in Colorado Springs — however extra filling wanted | Eating Evaluation
Now he performs weekly in golf equipment and lodges round Las Vegas, produces music for movie and TV, and continues to put in writing his personal music.
Lewis has lengthy carried out at homosexual delight festivals — they’re one in every of his favourite audiences, he says.
“You get some wild characters at delight,” Lewis mentioned. “They’ll let you know straight up in the event that they like one thing or not. I really like my LGBTQ audiences. And being an ally, I’m honored I get to play for everybody.”
Satisfaction festivals are significantly poignant and essential to Laney, a transgender one that was first in a position to be herself at a delight occasion, she says.
“Satisfaction has a particular place in my coronary heart to be a protected area to be your self,” she mentioned.
“Having the ability to present that very same expertise for others means quite a bit.”
Contact the author: 636-0270