When Matt Brown headed to Denver this summer to audition for American Idol, he didn’t know what to expect. He said he spent three days in Denver, stretched out on the pavement with 10,000 other hopefuls, waiting for his big chance.When his first opportunity came to sing for the first round of screeners, Brown said he was prepared for the “worst.” But he passed the first round, with compliments about his singing.Brown said he received similar compliments in the second round and thought he was headed for Simon Cowell and the other Idol judges.Instead, the producer told Brown he had star quality and personality, but he needed more time to develop as a singer and performer. “He said, ‘Play gigs. Go to the clubs, go to the bars, just play anywhere you can and build your fan base up first,'” Brown said.He took the advice to heart. “It gave me faith in what I can do,” he said.Since the American Idol audition, Brown said he has been working hard on his music career. Together with his friend and fellow musician Vegas Ann Wielgorecki he has been writing and recording songs for an album that he plans to release in conjunction with his first major show – a National Kidney Foundation benefit concert Nov. 12 on the campus of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.Wielgorecki said she and Brown are working hard to make it in the music world with or without American Idol. “We’d rather start in the little town of Falcon, Colorado and get known by other people. From there, your career expands and leads up to that stairway of fame,” she said.Brown said he started singing in church at a young age with his father. Since then, he said he has drawn his inspiration from a wide range of artists – from old Motown to today’s pop music and even the European scene.As he described his sound, Brown painted a picture of an eclectic mix. “R&B, pop. I love rock music so I try to throw a rock-edge in there. Techno, club too. It’s a sound you wouldn’t expect to hear out of somebody that is 18,” he said.”It’s going to be a lot of stuff people haven’t heard, but that they will love. I’m determined that they will like it and spread it around.”Brown hasn’t completely discounted the American Idol opportunity and said he hopes to get in front of the judges next year. “I’m completely set on re-auditioning. Hopefully this CD will bring in the fan base that will support me,” he said.Despite his focus on music, Brown isn’t putting all his eggs into one basket. He is studying business at Pike’s Peak Community College and plans to attend the University of Northern Colorado.But school is just his back-up plan – Brown’s sites are set on a career in music. “I’m going to be famous one day.”Look for Brown performing at the Falcon Wild Wings and Antler Creek Golf Course or view his scheduled events on his MySpace page www.myspace.com/matteeb1.
