Jason Castro

Jason:(on being asked about his plans after tour): To put out an album, naturally. And, I don't know, do some writing while I'm out here. I can't wait.

Jason : I think my most memorable moment for me was when I sang 'Over the Rainbow.' It was memorable to me for so many reasons. I learned the ukulele in a week. That was the only song I watched the playback.

Jason : My main priority is just writing good songs. Everything else will fall into place if you have good songs, I believe. That's all I'm thinking about.

Jason Being asked about his disappointing final two performances : It's just getting tough for me. I think my inexperience is coming in. This week I tried to pick two [songs] I knew and even that, I screwed it up.

Jason : I think that, especially with things like [Idol], people like to stereotype so easily. Just because a guy is really easy going... People have always said that [about me]. When I was younger I was real hyper and they'd think I was always drunk and I had never had a drink of alcohol until, like, last year. But the fact is I've never been high in my life.

Jason (On being on tour) : I can't really sleep at night. I guess that's a problem for a lot of us. I don't go on until the second half of the show, so I grab an hour or more of sleep then.

Jason: (on how he felt about being famous) It's kind of a weird thing. I don't really get it. I've never been a guy who has been starstruck, so it takes me off guard when people go so crazy but, I mean, it's cool. It means they like you, so it's flattering.

Jason: (on if he knew that he drove the Jeff Buckley version of "Hallelujah" to #1 on iTunes) I couldn't believe that. I realized the amount of power 'American Idol' has. It was such an honor and if people haven't heard that song, they should have and I'm glad now they have.

Jason: (on if he thinks winning is important on "American Idol") It very much matters who wins or at least how far you get, because every week you are on gives you that much more of a chance. You are never guaranteed anything in this business but I think we've all been given the opportunity to have some exposure. Now people know who you are and maybe take a second to listen.

Jason: (on what he felt about Simon's comments that he wasn't the same Jason during the later part of the competition as he was when he started) I was feeling the same thing. I was feeling me losing that power because I couldn't connect with the songs in the given time. I really had a hard time when we kicked it up to two songs. I just wasn't committing to either one. I couldn't connect with them, I couldn't fall in love with it -- you need time for that.

Jason: (on how he felt about being so closely analyzed during his time on "American Idol") I always remember watching the news and watching every move that [presidential candidates] make, so it really doesn't come as a surprise. When you are deciding who to vote for, it's natural to observe everything that they do.

Jason: (on what was the biggest misconception about him on "American Idol") There was an interview -- I don't even know where it was from -- but it said I wanted to go home. I think this week everyone had the idea that I was ready to go and that wasn't my mindset at all. That morning when I had that interview, I was kinda frustrated with a lot of things -- my music, selecting songs and there was just a lot going on that morning. I think that came across wrong.

Jason: (on if he was happy to be kicked out of "American Idol") I keep telling people I was as happy last night as when I found out I made the Top 24. I've had a blast but it has really been hard. Before we heard the results, I was ... starting to fear the week ahead -- like, "How am I going to do three songs, I can't even do two right." And with the hometown visits, it was going to be a lot of work even though it was going to be a lot of fun. I was just freaking out about it. I was ready to go either way, but my natural reaction was just relief. I would have liked to go farther but I don't think I could have handled it.

Jason: (on if he wanted to win "American Idol") I didn't really consider it a real possibility that I could win until these last few weeks, so I did kind of just wander in to see where it could go. But then I was like, "All right, I'm here, might as well be in it to win it," and I was giving it my best. I never had the mindset of winning first place but more of the mindset of every week giving it my best, and that leads to winning it.

Jason: (on what he thought of the conspiracy that he said "Don't vote" when Ryan was giving his numbers on "American Idol") I was saying "Vote" and I said it again because I was trying to emphasize that, but nobody heard me. And I remember ... thinking about it, that they kind of have the same syllables and it's going to look like "Don't vote." And I went, "Dang it." And consciously the second time I only said "vote" once during the numbers.

Jason: (on what he thought when Simon said that he forgot the lyrics to his song on purpose) I definitely did not do that on purpose. I couldn't believe I forgot such a popular line, you know, something that's written on your soul. Somehow, it slipped my mind. But I definitely didn't do that on purpose.

Jason: One of my most embarrassing moments fresh in my mind was during Hollywood Week, one song I did on the last day was a total train-wreck and I don't think it's anymore embarrassing than destroying a song that could be in front of millions of people.

Jason: I remember one thing that's distinct in my mind, one time from Columbia I was visiting family and we stopped on the side of the road and they have a lot of little shacks everywhere selling food and we got this little thing it was kinda' creamy, it kinda' was like a marshmallow, but thicker and gummier, and they said it was a horse's hoof, melted. I'm not really sure because I was eight, but somehow it was made of horse's foot and it was creamy, gooey, that's probably one of the weirdest things.

Jason: I haven't had many interesting jobs, my most interesting job I guess would be with my dad, actually that's my only job I've ever had. I was working with my dad since I was 15, it was a lot of fun. He owns a company in designing buildings, when I was 15 I started doing trenches.

Jason (on if his family supports his interest in music): You know I didn't grow up singing, and they didn't know I was singing until one day, I came home and I sang for them, all my family was over and they're all musical, so they were actually passing around the guitar, everybody singing songs you know, and they were like, "Jason sing, sing, sing" and I was like, "OK." And so I sang something and they were all like freaked out because I never opened my mouth in my 20 years of life and so like after that, the American Idol commercial came on and there were auditions and they were like, "You gotta do it" and since I was coming to Dallas, why not? I went over with my dad and he's been real supportive, everybody, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them.

Jason: I'm not like any at all, but the one I feel I closest relate to is like Chris Daughtry just because I kinda' grew up in the rock scene. I'm not like a rock singer, but I relate the most to him just because most every other singer I know is like… exactly. I guess that would be the closest, but I don't really know.

Jason: My favorite performer would have to be a guy names Kurt Baxley, he's been in a few bands growing up, some rock bands, he's currently in a band called Mother's Anthem and just the most amazing front man I've ever seen, just so passionate and just has amazing vocal ability and real cool guy, he's probably one of my favorites. On a more large scale, one of my favorite singer-song-writers is Ray Lamontagne.

Jason: If I don't win American Idol, I'll probably go and try and finish school, I've been unsuccessful so far, I might not even do that, I'll probably go and play some music maybe and opportunities will rise and even if I don't become the American Idol, I can still do something in music.

Jason: My other talents apart from singing are maybe drumming; I grew up playing the drums. I guess I also play the guitar, I know enough to sing along, and I grew up in art class, I like anything creative like drawing, painting, building; I'm a Construction Science Major, so I like to build stuff.

Jason (on when he first started singing): I guess it was my freshman year of college when I bought a guitar. I grew up playing drums and I was in a band, so during the weekend, I was at school, it was three hours away, that first year was crazy. So during the weekend I didn't have my drums and I was like, "Well, I'm obsessed with music, why don't I learn how to play the guitar?" And eventually I was like, "You can play the guitar, now sing." So I started trying to sing, I'd go to the park across the street from where I lived and try to sing and it was terrible, it was really bad, but a year later, it started coming along and I auditioned. I'd actually only sung in public about five times before my first audition.

Jason: When I found out I was in the top 24 it was pretty surreal, I was kinda' having a daze just from the whole day. Even heading up I was just like, I was just emotionally drained the whole day watching everybody. I was more towards the end and I was just exhausted when I went in, when I found out it was like, "Wow. Is this real?" You know, it almost felt like just another step like all these steps have been and you know, later on you start to realize.

Jason (when asked his musical influences): Nowadays, my favorite singer-songwriter is Ray Lamontagne. There are a lot of great bands in Texas that have inspired me. Kirk Baxley is my favorite singer/performer of all musicians.