related items
If you happen to catch the YouTube video of Alyssa Coco's appearance on American Idol, don't blink, because you might just miss it. In 2007, a then-16-year-old Coco auditioned for the seventh season of America's most popular television show and made it to the second round known as "Hollywood Week." But the ride pretty much stalled out there.
Coco was just a few lyrics into The Pussycat Dolls' "Sway," when Simon Cowell threw his hand up and said, "I can't hear any more of that." And that was it.
"I was bummed, but I just laughed it off," says Coco, now 18, of Penfield. "I remember being nervous. I was the first one to use the keyboard and it didn't work, and though I auditioned much longer, they only showed me for 10 seconds."
To be exact, it was 15 seconds — enough time for Coco to earn the "from American Idol" tag on her name that's stuck with her ever since. "I don't think I've gone one day without talking about it," she says. "There's always a question or a mention. I hope that maybe someday it will stop coming up so much."
Thanks to her new band Tinted Image — performing at its CD release show at Water Street Music Hall on June 13 — Coco's wish may come sooner than later. For starters, the band (the first collaborative project Coco's ever been in) already had a distinct sound before Coco ever thought about joining.
Guitarist Matt Merritt, 22, of Spencerport and saxophonist Joel Vickers, 22, of Gates have been playing together since their days at Spencerport High School. After graduating, the two began playing around town as an instrumental project with jazz drummer Karl Thomas, of Rochester. After seeing the success friends were having in vocal-driven projects, the guys decided to take the next step.
"You can do more with a singer," says Vickers. "It gives the audience something to sing along to and brings a whole new element."
In May 2008, Tinted Image added bassist Sean Conlon, 24, of Spencerport and landed a gig opening for Scottish funk/R&B act the Average White Band. Only Tinted Image didn't have a lead singer yet. After numerous failed auditions, the guys found Coco, whom they had read about after her Idol audition.
On paper, it doesn't seem like it would fit. Coco's girl-next-door looks and pop vocals seem more tailor-made for Disney-style pop than a jazz fusion band. However, one listen to Tinted Images' diverse array of songs, and it's clear Coco's voice is far more versatile — more Joss Stone than Demi Lovato. On songs such as "Go With The Flow" and "Broken," Coco's sultry voice serves as the perfect accompaniment to Vickers' sax and Merritt's guitar playing.
"Yeah, Alyssa's stuff was very poppy," says Merritt. "But she can do blues really well, she can do rock, she can do anything."
As Tinted Image prepares for its CD release, Coco hopes her voice can help propel the band to bigger and better things. Or at least a point where she can simply be known as just a band member and not a former contestant on that TV show we'll stop mentioning right about now.
"It's hard because I want to separate myself from it, but it's done so much for me," says Coco. "Eventually I want to be known as just Alyssa Coco, Tinted Image lead singer. That would be nice."
