Idol’s ‘Big Mike’ Lynche: Favorite Idol moment was when my daughter was born

Idol fans!

Only two more weeks before this year’s Idol is announced.  Can you believe we’ve come this far?

So we had to say goodbye to Big Mike this week.  The judges used their only save to keep him around a few more weeks, but it was not meant to be.  Don’t feel sorry for him though – he’s got talent, heart, spirit and ambition as big as his frame.

Mike spoke to LKL Blog about this season, the birth of his daughter and what his plans are now that he’s off Idol…

LKL Blog:  So you made it to the top four, how do you feel?

Michael Lynche: I feel good. I feel good.  I mean the last couple days you know there’s up and down moments in your mood and thinking of what could be and what is and what’s going to be now in your future.

I think if your heart’s not a little hurt, you didn’t put enough of your heart into it.

So definitely disappointment because I think a winner wants to win.  I’m happy where I’m at. I think you’ve got to accept where you’re at because that’s where you’re supposed to be.

LKL Blog: You said you go through up and down moments…I think I know what the ups are, but what are the down moments when you’re a contestant?

Michael Lynche:  I just mean these last few days. Just taking it all in of now I’m kind of on the elimination press tour and you never picture this part of doing it.  I think I’ve always pictured being there in the end.  

LKL Blog:  Every night that there was an elimination and the nights when you were in t bottom two – did you prepare yourself or did you try to remain positive and say you’re going to make it?

Michael Lynche: I remained positive. I think America can be a fickle creature (laughs) – that’s kind of my only explanation for it.  And there’s always the chance that you can go home.  There’s always that chance because it’s not necessarily based on who’s the best singer or who the does the best for the night and whatnot and there’s a lot of things that play into it and it’s a big deal.

It’s a big factor of who’s voting, the voting demographic of the show.  But I think that you just go out and just try to be your best. And for me, I thought I always did well.  I thought I had a chance to stay.  So if you give me a chance, I feel like I can take that chance and do well.  I never thought I was going home on any night just because if you do well and put your work in you should be able to succeed.

LKL Blog: The judges used their season save on you.  Talk a little bit about that.  Were you surprised?  Were you happy with the second chance?

Michael Lynche: (laughs) Oh, of course!  Who wouldn’t be happy with a second chance?  

I think that it was interesting the night before because I did well that night.  And to be at that point and just looking at it right now, I guess I would have been at the number nine spot.  I never really saw myself going home at all.  

But I thought going into the competition, that month before we even got to Hollywood week, I felt that I really liked that concept of sing for you life.  And really every week is sing for your life.  You have that opportunity every week to sing for your life just to stay in the competition to stay alive. It’s kind of a ‘do or die’ sudden death situation where you need to hit the game winning shot and really score and sing for your life.  I felt like I could rise up to that point.  And given that opportunity, I just felt prepared mentally prepared for that moment.

LKL Blog: Your wife gave birth to your daughter during Hollywood week. How is she doing?

Michael Lynche:  Great!  Great!  My wife, she’s just very passionate about me no matter what it is what I’m doing. I could be working at Home Depot and she would be rooting for me to get a promotion or whatever. She just loves me. It’s kind of a simple equation for us.

LKL Blog: Did they come to LA to be with you for this?

Michael Lynche: Oh yeah, they’ve been since like the second week I was here.

LKL Blog: So what’s that been like? You’ve got this crazy pressure of rehearsals and trying to perform in front of 24 million people each week.  Can you talk about balancing all that work there and then getting to go home to your new daughter?

Michael Lynche:  I really just focused on whatever task at hand is. It’s whatever I’ve got in front of me on my plate.   I want to be the best and just do it to the complete degree it should be done.  I stay very focused.  Those things can save your mind and save your heart when you’re doing something so crazy like this and being away from your family.

And although they got to live with me, I was away a lot of the day. The only way I found to keep my sanity was to focus on whatever it was that I was doing.  When I got to be home and spend time, I wanted to really be home and spending time and not thinking about anything else outside of that.  I think my wife really did a great job knowing that I was trying to focus on my music and making the songs great each week and giving that time to focus. She did a really great job with that.

LKL Blog: When your daughter is older and able to understand all this—I’m curious to know what you’ll tell her about your American Idol experience.

Michael Lynche:  Well, you know it’s interesting because really, I get to just show her more than anything I could tell her.  It’s all documented and so it’s just going to be just stories, it’s going to be real.   And she could see how little she was then and how young and handsome dad was!  So it’s going to be cool.

LKL Blog:  Did you have a favorite moment from this season?

Michael Lynche: Yeah when my daughter was born – that was my favorite moment.  It really put a lot of things into perspective for me.  And it changed my mindset on the competition.  I was always going to come in with this game plan and I wanted to be prepared but it took my attention level just through the roof when I heard her cry tat very first time on the phone.  It no longer was the situation of ‘I hope I do well’ or ‘I want to do well in the competition, hope people like me.’   It became a point that I really needed to succeed.  It was no longer an option.  It was no longer a choice.  I had to do well.  And I think I did pretty well.

LKL Blog: You did very well.  I know you guys are going into rehearsals for the finale and the tour.  What’s next for you after that?

Michael Lynche:  Plan is to start music.  I want to put out a great album next year that really touches your soul and comes from my soul.  You know it’s just something that I do and always worked for.  If you’re in the mood where you need a pick me up, I want you to be able to listen to my music.  If you’re in the mood to love on your wife, I want you to put on my music.  And after that I want it all: Broadway, TV, movies.  I want it all.  I think I’m at the point where I can work heard enough to get there.

Posted by: LKL Producer Jason Rovou
Filed under: American Idol