‘American Idol’s Fritz Hager Reveals ‘New Music Is Positively Coming’ – Hollywood Life

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Fritz Hager was one of many standout artists of American Idol season 20, and he made all of it the best way to the highest 5. After witnessing Fritz’s expertise on Idol, it’s clear that is only the start for the Texas singer. Now that the present has come to an finish, Fritz needs to maintain the “momentum” going and kickstart the following chapter of his music profession.

HollywoodLife spoke EXCLUSIVELY with Fritz about new music sooner or later, and he promised that there’s some “positively coming” quickly. He additionally talked about his unimaginable followers, his future and inevitable collaboration with Leah Marlene, and people “humorous” relationship rumors. Learn our Q&A under:

Now that the season is over, how are you feeling about every part that’s occurred over the previous couple of months? 
Fritz Hager: It’s loopy. Proper now, it’s actually nearly conserving this momentum going. I really feel like these subsequent couple of months may be actually essential for my profession transferring ahead. So whereas I’m dwelling and resting, I’m additionally doing reveals whereas I’m right here and attempting to type of keep within the enterprise that Idol had and keep locked into rising my profession.

You launched a brand new single referred to as “Hearts Align.” Do you might have new music popping out? An album? What are your plans? 
Fritz Hager: I’m going to be enjoying reside extra. I’m going to be within the studio much more. All that is occurring. Individuals can positively count on new music. I hope I can put out an album. I’ve at all times wished to do this and put out a complete physique of labor. It’s arduous to inform precisely what’s going to occur, however 100 % new music is certainly coming.

Are you at all times somebody who’s writing down new materials?
Fritz Hager: I was writing all through all of my Idol expertise. I’ve written a number of songs in that lodge room. I actually can’t cease as a result of writing is my outlet. Idol may be very excessive stress, in order that was type of my coping mechanism for lots of the stress that got here my manner. I’m at all times writing. I had the possibility to fulfill up with some cool folks whereas I used to be in LA. There’s cool stuff on the road for certain.

Do you assume you’ll transfer to Los Angeles or Nashville? Are you simply enjoying it by ear? 
Fritz Hager: I’m type of enjoying it by ear. I do know I’m going to go away Texas. I do know that. LA and Nashville, it’s like a coin flip nearly. It actually simply comes all the way down to what alternatives come my manner. That selection has been looming over my head for the complete time I used to be in LA. LA or Nashville, that’s a giant one. I feel that, regardless, I’ll be transferring backwards and forwards between the 2 cities. I’m simply excited to see what occurs.

All through Idol, you developed a very unimaginable fan base. How do you’re feeling about having that help from individuals who simply genuinely love your music and have rallied behind you?
Fritz Hager: It blows my thoughts each time. Clearly, votes saved me within the competitors for a very, actually very long time. It blew my thoughts each single week. After which profitable the encore efficiency on Kelly and Ryan was one other second the place I’m similar to, oh my gosh. I used to be writing and enjoying music for a very long time and never lots of people cared, so it actually touches me that so many individuals are rallying behind me and supporting me, and searching ahead to what comes subsequent.

Through the finale, you bought the possibility to carry out with James Arthur. What was that like attending to carry out with somebody you look as much as a lot? 
Fritz Hager: That was superb. James Arthur is such a cool man. We had a possibility to talk as effectively. What I appreciated probably the most… clearly, enjoying with him was superb, however with the ability to discuss with him about his expertise on X Issue and the way he type of saved that momentum and constructed on it. He’s one of many biggest successes of that present, so getting ready to have the ability to decide his mind about what occurred to him after the present and the way he was capable of preserve that momentum and type of snowball it into the profession he has now was superb. I’m actually grateful for that. Idol’s simply superb that you simply meet a bunch of individuals that you’d by no means meet in any other case, so I used to be simply actually grateful to have the ability to share the stage with him and get to talk with him.

The season 20 group was actually probably the most tight-knit teams I’ve seen on Idol in a very long time. How did it really feel to have that help system all through the competitors? 
Fritz Hager: Idol is extremely demanding on a regular basis. We’re all away from our households. Loads of us have by no means been to LA earlier than. It was a really new, international expertise for all of us. However you’re proper, we grew tremendous shut, like all the highest 24. We have been all shut from that time on as a result of we had simply been in it collectively for a very very long time. It’s nearly like trauma bonding. We’re all going by way of the very same expertise, and there’s not lots of people on the market that may actually relate to that and actually perceive what it’s like. I’m tremendous, tremendous grateful for that help. We actually held one another up all through the entire course of.

I simply spoke to Leah, and she or he confused that there’s going to be extra Leah and Fritz’s content material very quickly. I wished you to weigh in on that.
Fritz Hager: She’s 100 % proper. If we didn’t do one thing collectively, it might be in all probability the largest misstep of our profession. Clearly, Leah’s nice. She’s an incredible musician, an incredible songwriter. There’s positively going to be loads of Leah and Fritz’s content material for the world to see.

I’m a giant sucker for duets, so I beloved you and Leah’s “Locked Out of Heaven” duet. I would like you guys within the studio writing a music and releasing it to the world.
Fritz Hager: We’ve been speaking about that ever since Hollywood Week. With the present occurring, we have been fairly restricted in what we may do. However now that the present’s over, I’m actually excited to see what comes from that collaboration. There’s going to be loads of it.

I feel some followers wished you and Leah to observe {couples} like Gabby and Cade. What was your response once you noticed these dating rumors going round? 
Fritz Hager: Truthfully, for me and Leah, they’re simply so humorous. It’s bizarre a bit bit simply because it was our first time being within the highlight. It sort of cracks us up as a result of it’s simply so not that. However she’s nice. She’s like my greatest buddy. I feel that I feel folks do need that. Each time both of us goes reside or we put up one thing on Instagram, there are at all times individuals who ask the relationship query. However we’re simply actually good associates.

Wanting again on Idol, is there one thing you realized about your self or one thing that’s impacted you?
Fritz Hager: It’s arduous to essentially quantify that simply because I’ve modified a lot since my first audition, simply as an individual. I feel in all probability the largest factor is simply the arrogance and realizing that that is what I’m speculated to do. There are folks on the market which might be supporting me and wish me to make music. I actually view the music business as a service to folks. That’s in all probability the largest factor, and there’s a confidence that comes with that, realizing that there are folks on the market which might be supporting you. That’s in all probability the largest change to me, personally, however there’s been a lot good recommendation all through the season. One which at all times caught with me was the very first piece of recommendation Katy [Perry] gave me throughout my first audition. Individuals have to know who I’m as an artist from the primary observe that comes out of my mouth. That’s relevant exterior of the present. I’m actually, actually excited to take all I’ve realized from Idol and now apply it to the true world and the music business, and see what comes of it.