I was reading The Clayblog this morning and was surprised that I had forgotten the date. It is this anniversary of the ANOMALY. It was 3 years ago today.

I remember watching the finale for AI2 and getting a feeling at one point, that it wasn't in the cards. I braced myself and heard Ryan say Ruben Studdard. I felt pretty deflated and even worse after a co-worker called to rub it in. Mature....only not. My husband, a very understanding man, didn't laugh at me for being a little emotionally invested. He wouldn't dare. I sat through several soccer events, with him dressed in full color, shouting in german at the TV screen. This could be at any hour of the night depending on where in the world the event was being held.

It looks kind of like this, but in my living room.
He understood how it felt to root for someone and not have the end result you were hoping for. As it turned out Clay, along with Ruben were both given contracts by RCA and their debut albums would be released later in the fall.

On June 10, 2003, RCA released The single "Bridge Over Troubled Water"/This Is the Night". It was RIAA certified platinum July 15, 2003. Debuting at #1 on both the "Billboard Hot 100" and the Hot 100 Single Sales Chart, it was the fastest-selling single since Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997" and the best-selling single of 2003. It was the first CD single to go platinum since 2002, when Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance" sold a million copies after being out for over a year.

When the album Measure of a Man hit shelves in October of 2003, it debuted at #1, selling 613,000 copies it's first week and was certified double platinum soon after.

He didn't need the title afterall.

This is a video of Clay performing This Is The Night on Good Morning America, the day after the finale. It is my favorite vocal performance of the song.

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken, This is the Night, American Idol, Measure of a Man

Heh. You took one of my ideas for this week! Hahahaha! It wss great to see the video again. Dang, what a voice. Isn't it amazing how he could drop that one portion and sing the harmony instead of going up. What a gift. scrambles to find new ideas for my blogs next week

Oops, sorry about that. hee.
I love the part where he drops his voice. I think that is one of the main reasons I love this version so much.

It was nice to see that reminder of Clay on GMA singing This Is The Night. That was such a fun appearance. Diane Sawyer was such a total fangirl over Clay, and her colleagues teased her unmercifully about it. Good times.

Gulp...I don't have this video...I didn't have access to any vaults back then. I need to make a trip into the vault and download all the goodies I missed.

Awwww, that was so good to see. *sniff* He was so beautiful and so professional and still so radiant and happy. You would never guess that he "lost" the night before. heheh Guess he really didn't.
Thanks!