'Idol' Finalist Alejandro Aranda Talks Instant Fame, New Album

LOS ANGELES, CA — The first time we saw Alejandro Aranda, he was a dude from Pomona auditioning for American Idol. He was soft-spoken and quiet, yet warm, calling the judges "homies" as he headed into the audition room in a flannel and beanie. He wowed the judges with his original, "Out Loud," and Lionel Richie jumped out of his seat to give him a hug.

Unsurprisingly, he was the runner-up (which historically on Idol, has led to equal or even more success than those who won the show), and has since catapulted into musical stardom, playing festivals and sold-out shows. Now, Aranda is set to release his first album, Exit Form, Friday under his stage name Scary Pool Party.

Aranda’s success since coming out of Idol has transformed his once average life into that of a full-time musician — hoards of fans included. The singer and multi-instrumentalist has amassed more than 700,000 social media followers since his time on the show, throwing him under the microscope of the fans, a uniquely obsessive following.

"It’s weird, it’s really weird. You know, it’s kinda scary," he said, about his overnight fame.

"Having 700,000 more people trying to see what you’re doing all of a sudden is overwhelming. I’ll never come to terms with that," he laughed.

But Aranda, who came across as an introverted, almost mysterious artist on Idol (at one point, viewers even theorized he was an orphan after he declined to bring his parents on television), wants to clear the air on two things: yes, he loves his parents (they’re "dope!"), and, no, he’s not the shy guy America met on T.V.

"On the show, I was held back, and I came across a certain way. There were long hours of filming, getting into makeup and all of this stuff I didn’t like," he said. "People thought I was quiet, but I’m a dork. That’s the main thing — I just want people to know I’m a huge dork."

Aranda still can't comprehend his newfound fame. The singer insists he’s not famous and says he’s in awe strangers ever ask for his photo. The best part of his growing audience is "getting the opportunity to now put on shows in nicer venues," he said.

Since his time on the show, fans have seen more of his sense of humor, including some incredible dance moves on Instagram, as well as some serious experimentation with his music. While staying true to the style listeners came to know and love — intricate acoustic plucking and piano playing met with soft vocals and lovey lyrics — Aranda experimented with unfamiliar genres on his new album Exit Form.

Influenced by musicians such as electronic artist Aphex Twin, post-hardcore band La Dispute and art rock band Black Midi, the album as a whole takes listeners on a "journey, because there are so many different styles mixed in," Aranda said. It starts with the new — darker, industrial-sounding music with more intimate lyrics — and ends with longtime fan favorites such as "Tonight," "Cholo Love" and "Out Loud."

"I wanted to make an album that showcased everything I loved hearing into one story, and it ends at the beginning of what people first heard from me," he said. "That’s why it’s called Exit Form. You’re exiting from what you already know [with the new unfamiliar songs], but by the end you’re back at the beginning."

Aranda has a favorite song on the new album as well as a surprising least favorite. "True Religion," one of the songs with the newer sound, is his favorite, especially to play live. And yes, he has a least favorite song, he laughed. It's "Dance the Night Away," a new song on Exit Form. "I don’t know what it is, I played it live and there’s just this one part where I can’t sing it as aggressive as I’d like," he said.

Aranda, who had a hand in nearly every stage of his album’s production, is enjoying the creative freedom that comes with being a working musician, he said. From here, he hopes to broaden his horizons to enhance his live performances and experiment with different mediums.

"I want to get into film, commercials, cinematography projects that I can bring to live shows," he said. "I’d love to be like [singer/songwriter, producer and composer] Trent Reznor. He makes exactly the kind of music he wants to make, and fully dedicates himself to projects."

Alejandro Aranda is performing as Scary Pool Party later this week in Los Angeles. Both shows are already sold out — but his new album Exit Form comes out Friday.