19 Entertainment Responds to Call From Viewers of 'American Idol' to Bring Back Alex Lambert

LOS ANGELES, March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- American Idol contestant and fan favorite, Alex Lambert charmed millions of viewers with his electrifying soulful voice and humble demeanor on season 9 of American Idol.  A viewer named Jessica Bongiorno created an online petition that attracted 20,000 signatures to date calling for Lambert's reinstatement which impressed producers at 19 Entertainment who decided to give the 19-year-old Texan a second chance to fulfill his dream of becoming a music artist by inviting him to participate in If I Can Dream, a new talent discovery platform created by Simon Fuller.  To follow in the footsteps of Alex Lambert, aspiring artists and hopefuls from around the world are urged to submit their audition videos exclusively on MySpace by April 16th for the opportunity to be chosen to visit the "Dream" house and to prove that they have what it takes to "make it" in Hollywood and potentially to become the next artist to move in.

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America can watch on a live stream www.hulu.com / www.ificandream.com as Alex takes his first step into his new home on Thursday, April 1st at 5PM PST/8PM EST for his move-in day. Moving to Hollywood and into the If I Can Dream house will give Alex the ultimate second shot at fulfilling his dreams. He will meet with top music managers and record labels and have the opportunity to perform in front of live audiences at clubs and venues in LA. His fans will be able to follow his every move and will be able to give Alex real-time feedback as he writes and tests out new songs on If I Can Dream.

Tune into Hulu every Tuesday morning (shortly after midnight PST) for new episodes of If I Can Dream and go to ificandream.com (http://www.ificandream.com/) watch the 24/7 live stream.

Living proof of the democratization of Hollywood represented by If I Can Dream, Alex is no stranger to the challenges inherent with trying to "make it." Born into a large family of 6 brothers who struggled to make ends meet growing up in a one-bedroom apartment, Alex prepares to experience a stark contrast as he moves into a palatial house in the Hollywood Hills where everything he has dreamed of is all within his reach. Born into a musical family (both of Lambert's grandfathers, as well as his father, are guitarists), Lambert taught himself to play guitar at age eight and recently began singing and writing songs. He cites blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan as one of his main inspirations, though he describes his own music as more eclectic. "As long as a song has a good melody, meaningful lyrics, and a dynamic performance, it doesn't matter what genre it is," Lambert says. "I listen to everything, and I want people who like all different styles of music to enjoy what I do."

The MySpace audition process for If I Can Dream is designed to help find the "best of the best" new and undiscovered talent. Auditions submitted at www.myspace.com/ificandream are being voted on by the MySpace community and reviewed by 19 Entertainment, which will soon select the next aspiring "Dream" artist and groom them for success in Hollywood. One lucky aspiring artist will win the opportunity of a lifetime to visit the "Dream" house during the weekend of May 1st as part of the "Weekend Dream Experience." They will have the chance to prove that they have what it takes to be considered to become a future resident -- with the opportunity to join current artists Amanda Phillips, Ben Elliott, Kara Killmer, Giglianne Braga, Justin Gaston and new roommate Alex Lambert. The winner will receive insider access to Hollywood and will have the opportunity to meet with celebrity mentors, acting and vocal coaches, shoot with renowned photographers and attend red carpet events. The "Weekend Dream Experience" will kick off on May 1st and will continue periodically over the coming months giving a number of hopefuls the opportunity to come to Hollywood and follow their dreams.

About 19 Entertainment (A CKX Company)

19 Entertainment Ltd. is recognized as a lead creator, provider and promoter of globally successful entertainment and music brands of today. The company has attracted a unique team of exceptionally creative executives, who work together to integrate and leverage activity across television, sports, film, touring, merchandising, music publishing, recording and artist management. 19 Founder Simon Fuller has developed and managed some of the biggest entertainment properties of our time, with credits that include the creation of TV phenomenon AMERICAN IDOL, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE and the HBO series "Little Britain USA." 19's unique talent includes legendary musical icon Annie Lennox, country music sensation Carrie Underwood, the pop group sensation Spice Girls, IDOL alumni Chris Daughtry, David Cook, Kris Allen, Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta, soccer icon David Beckham and world tennis No.2 Andy Murray.

SOURCE 19 Entertainment