'One Step Closer' to fame
A Bradenton girl was preparing for the worst when the unexpected happened: She became the fifth member of the American Juniors vocal group.
By ERIC DEGGANS, Times Television Critic
© St. Petersburg Times
published August 14, 2003
She wasn't really expecting to make it.
So when American Juniors host Ryan Seacrest announced Bradenton singer Danielle White would be the final performer added to the show's five-member vocal group, the surprise was etched all over the 11-year-old's face.
"I just didn't expect to come from never being in the top three (vote-getters) to being voted into the group," said Danielle over the telephone from Los Angeles, her voice still hoarse from a day spent celebrating with the rest of the show's 10 finalists Tuesday at Disneyland. "I really thought there was a big chance I didn't make it. I was prepared for that."
It turns out she had been prepared by her parents, Brian and Jean, who wanted their daughter ready for bad news. Instead, they were left reeling.
"I was more like, "My goodness. What do we do now?' " her dad said.
That's because producers of American Juniors haven't said much about long-term plans for the kiddie vocal group, assembled from a field of more than 2,000 youths auditioned nationwide.
The group, also called American Juniors, will perform Tuesday with the show's two permanent judges, Deborah Gibson and Gladys Knight. The first American Juniors-related single, One Step Closer, was released Tuesday by Jive Records, and an album featuring the show's 10 finalists, Kids in America, is slated for release Sept. 9.
But both father and daughter said they haven't been told when the group might work on its own record, or whether there's an American Idol-size national tour planned. (There has been loose talk about possible performances with Idol finalists.)
Before Juniors, Danielle would have started classes Monday at Braden River Middle School in Bradenton. Instead, she'll be tutored in California by a teacher provided by Juniors producers, her father said.
Producers' indecision could come from doubts over the impact of American Juniors, which saw viewership dip from a strong start in June, as it competed with seamier reality TV fare such as CBS's Big Brother and NBC's Dog Eat Dog.
Minus the insulting antics of Idol judge Simon Cowell - Juniors even eased up on lampooning stage managing parents, which sparked early episodes - its ratings and critical buzz haven't come close to Idol's blockbuster status.
Another edition is scheduled for this fall, but network executives have been only lukewarm about the show.
"If another opportunity presents itself between now and November that we believe is significantly stronger . . . then we're definitely going to consider it," said Sandy Grushow, chairman of Fox Television Entertainment Group, during a July news conference. "But at this moment, we feel good about American Juniors."
Brian and Danielle White say they're continuing to play it by ear, just as they have from the start.
And even though she has complained about some of the songs producers selected for kids during the competition, Danielle is confident the American Juniors CD will feature better material.
"(Before), they were trying to give us a challenge," she said. "But these (CD) songs, they're going to try and make it their best. Because they're selling these albums."
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