“American Idol” winner and Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) alumni Candice Glover is performing with SCAD’s executive vocal ensemble for a holiday concert on Dec. 8.
SCAD’s Holiday Spectacular concert will feature Glover, who won the twelfth season of “American Idol” and graduated from SCAD in 2022. Glover will perform with the Bee Sharps, and other guest stars such as “Showtime at the Apollo” winner and SCAD alumni George Lovett. Tony Award winner Adrienne Warren and Broadway’s Michael James Scott will also make guest appearances.
The holiday concert will feature classic and contemporary Christmas songs. The show takes place at the new SCADshow Theater in Atlanta on Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. There will be a second show at the Lucas Theatre in Savannah on Dec. 14. Tickets can be purchased online.
Rough Draft Atlanta spoke with Glover ahead of the performance. This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
I know you auditioned for two “American Idol” seasons before you won your third. What kept bringing you back to “Idol?”
Candice Glover: I was just having a conversation about this recently at our last show. I’m from a really small town, I’m from Saint Helena Island in Beaufort County in South Carolina. So growing up, I always wanted to sing and be a singer. You know, with small towns, there’s not much opportunity. I know Atlanta has – I mean, it’s the world of opportunity for singers and songwriters. I just didn’t have that resource available to me when I was younger. So growing up, I watched a lot of Jordin Sparks on the show and followed along with her. We’re around the same age, and so it was so inspiring to see her go through that whole process and make it, and make her dreams come true.
After I didn’t make it the first time, and the second time, I was a bit discouraged. But I was more inspired than anything, and so I just wanted to continue going. I just knew that I had the talent and drive to do it.
Well obviously, third time’s the charm. You said you found inspiration, but I can imagine it is also a little discouraging. How do you think that experience helped you grow as a performer and person?
Glover: It’s given me a lot tougher skin. Being a kid – I was 19 when I auditioned the first time, and it was definitely heartbreaking. But I think I wanted to do it so bad, and I knew that I had it in me. So in my mind, at 19 years old, up until now, there was no stopping me.
It’s really given me that drive and that thick skin in all aspects of life. You know, being told no by Simon and then going back the following year – I think that was Steven Tyler and J-Lo, and all of them telling me no again. And that year, I was sure I was making it [laughs]. That time when I didn’t make it, that time was a bit more heartbreaking. I think the fact that in that particular season – that was season 11, so that was Phillip Phillips that won – I made friends with him, Jessica Sanchez, Joshua Ledet, all these people that had made the top 10. I think that that is what made me have the drive to go the third time. I just kept that with me all this time, and it’s something that I also can relate to the students at SCAD that I work with now, to keep them inspired in that way and to keep going as well.
You got your BFA from SCAD in dramatic writing in 2022. That’s a pretty big gap between “American Idol” and going back to school. What pushed you back toward education?
Glover: I always wanted to be in school. I am one of those people who is good at school, you know what I mean? It’s always been something that I enjoy doing. Some people hate school, but I love it. I love the idea of being in class and having deadlines and working towards something that is a dream of mine.
One of my really good friends, who’s also in the show – his name is George Lovett – he graduated from SCAD with maybe three different degrees. So he knew exactly what SCAD was about. At that point … I had won [“American Idol”] in 2013, and then I did Broadway in 2017. I did the first Christmas show on Broadway called “Home For the Holidays.” It was myself, Bianca Ryan from “America’s Got Talent” and Josh Kaufman from “The Voice.” Right after that, George hit me up, literally online, and was like, ‘Hey! What do you think about going back to school?’
I was like, ‘Oh my god – I love school! So I would love to go back.’ I started out my first year at SCADin January winter quarter of 2018. I was a performing arts major, and it was then that I realized that I didn’t really want to act. I didn’t want to tell stories that way, but I kind of wanted to be behind the scenes and write the stories. So I changed my major to dramatic writing and learned so much about storytelling, and creating narratives in that way. And four years later I graduated, last year in 2022.
I was also in school right when the pandemic hit. I can imagine that was pretty difficult.
Glover: Oh my gosh. I was performing. I left school, and was performing overseas. When the pandemic happened, I kind of got stuck over there. One thing I can say about SCAD is that they were supportive all throughout that. They allowed me to still have my career and perform and then come back and do my classes. So that was something that I really appreciated.
You mentioned “Home For the Holidays.” That was a few years ago, and obviously this SCAD show is holiday themed. What do you love about Christmas music?
Glover: We just did a Christmas show on Saturday. It’s just something about it. The music is always so bright and so bubbly and happy. It’s a magical time of the year. I’m used to doing – some of my songs from “American Idol” are these really big ballads that have more of a sad story, or maybe it’s just a big song with these big vocals. I think the thing that I love about Christmas music is that it’s not that overbearing. It’s not that serious [laughs]. It’s more so just a fun time for you, your family, your friends to get together.
Brandy put an album out this year for Christmas, and it’s just one of my favorite voices ever. To hear her singing that sort of music that’s kind of a difference between what she usually does,
I just love that. I love the idea of Christmas music being such a bright and happy sound versus what people are used to all year round.
It’s funny, in my head “American Idol” has a weird connection to Christmas music. I don’t know if you remember, but there was a Christmas album, maybe after the first season, with Kelly Clarkson and maybe Tamyra Gray. I was obsessed with it.
Glover: I don’t know that one. But Kelly Clarkson is one of my favorite singers. “American Idol” aside, I just love her voice. There are a couple songs that she did on her Christmas album that are completely new for her, and I think it’s amazing. I love her voice.
Could you give us a little preview of the show? What will you all be singing?
Glover: We definitely have the classics that people love, that everyone loves around Christmastime. Being the music coordinator at SCAD as well – once I graduated, I got hired as one of the music coordinators and directors – I’m working with the ensemble hands on with all the songs …You can expect the classics, but also a new twist, because there are a lot of new Christmas songs coming out now as well. Just like “All I Want for Christmas Is You” – Mariah Carey, she’s the Queen of Christmas. And then you have, like I said, Brandy, Kelly Clarkson, and Ariana Grande who have put out these new albums with a more contemporary and modern sound. You can expect all of it, from the old to the new. I’m really excited for people to kind of catch on to that new sound as well.
Update: This article has been updated with information about new guest performers.
