‘American Idol’ singer will appear at Eastwood

By Guy D’Astolfo

After the free performance Saturday, Johns will sign autographs and talk to fans.

Former “American Idol” contestant Michael Johns has been going nonstop since he was a top-eight finalist on the show last year.

The Australian-born singer with the soulful voice finished a concert tour in October, and has just completed a record, “Hold Back My Heart,” which will be released June 23. His first single, “Heart on My Sleeve,” was released in April and has been among the most-added songs on pop radio stations in recent weeks.

Johns just started a national mall tour that includes free performances and fan meet-and-greets. The tour, sponsored by AT&T, will bring him to Eastwood Mall in Niles on Saturday, where Johns will sing and play guitar at 1 p.m. on the mall’s center court stage.

Afterward, he will sign autographs and pose for fan photos inside the AT&T phone store until 3 p.m.

Johns spoke to The Vindicator by phone this week from a tour stop in Morgantown, W.Va. He said the tour is an opportunity to meet fans in smaller cities across the country.

“I sing a few songs and then go back to the store and meet real fans, give hugs ... answer questions about Simon Cowell,” he said. The local stop will also bring him close to Akron, the original hometown of his wife, the former Stacey Vurduris, who still has relatives in the area.

The 30-year-old Johns made a splash on Season 7 of “Idol” with his powerful blue-eyed soul vocals and Down-Under charm. He was born in Perth, Australia, and moved to the United States about a decade ago. He now lives in California.

Johns was eliminated in his eighth week of “Idol,” after singing Aerosmith’s “Dream On.”

So, who is his pick to win “Idol” this year?

“If I knew that, I’d be in Vegas,” said Johns, who said he hasn’t watched the show that much this season because he’s just been too busy.

“Allison [Iraheta] is my favorite,” he admitted. “She is fantastic. And Adam Lambert is the frontrunner. It’s a hard one to pick. ... Remember, last year when everyone thought David Archuleta would win, but then David Cook stole it.”