Clay Aiken treats fans to a newly packaged collection of heartfelt songs with Steadfast, to be released March 29th on Decca. Steadfast revisits the best of 2010’s release Tried and True, featuring selected cuts from that record alongside a newly recorded, original song/radio single, “Bring Back My Love.” Rounding out the disc are thoughtful covers of Neil Sedaka’s “Breaking Up is Hard to Do,” and Connie Francis’, “Who’s Sorry Now.” Steadfast arrives on the heels of Clay’s appearance as a contestant on the upcoming season of NBC’s hit show, “The Celebrity Apprentice,” premiering February 19th.
Steadfast is an extension of the journey Clay Aiken began in 2010 when he chose to record some of his all-time favoritesongs from the ’50s and ’60s that he grew up listening to as a child. His emotional connection with the music remained so strong he felt compelled to return to the recordings again and highlight the tracks he was most proud of, including the iconic “Unchained Melody,””Moon River,” featuring Vince Gill on guitar and Perry Como’s “It’s Impossible” to name a few. “These musical gems have stood the test of time, and I am incredibly proud and privileged to have had the opportunity to make them my own,” Aiken explains. “I stand by this recording ‘steadfastly,’ which is why I chose the title and how I feel about moving forward in my career in general – being focused and steadfast” he says.
In revisiting these meaningful interpretations Clay was also inspired to record a completely original, new song that could stand up to the classics. “Bring Back My Love,” captures the spirit of the older classics while reinforcing his commitment to a more traditional sound best suited to his own personal style. Overall, Steadfast again demonstrates Aiken’s considerable talents, notably flawless vocals delivered with passion and sincerity.
Aiken launched his career journey seven years ago on “American Idol,” where he won over millions of viewers with his phenomenal voice and down-home charm. He parlayed his success into full-fledged stardom, selling more than six million copies worldwide of his previous four albums, all of which debuted in the Top 5 on the Billboard chart. In addition, Aiken has launched nine live tours, made The New York Times best-seller list by co-authoring the inspirational memoir “Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music In Your Life,” and won several American Music and Billboard Music Awards — all while donating a significant amount of his time to such charities as his own foundation, National Inclusion Project and acting as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. In January 2008, Aiken made his Broadway debut in the role of Sir Robin in the Tony Award-winning musicAl Monty Python’s “Spamalot.”
