"You never know, when you're gonna meet someone, and your whole wide world in a moment comes undone." -Start of Something Good by Daughtry
That someone for me is Chris Daughtry. For those of you who may not know exactly who that is, Chris was a contestant on Season 5 of American Idol and for whatever un-explainable reason, ever since his first audition, something in his voice just clicked with me.
I watched and voted for Chris every week and there was no doubt in my mind, as well as probably most of America, that he would win it all. But when the inevitable happened and Chris was eliminated in the top 4... not to be overdramatic, but it was one of the worst days of my life.
Looking back, I feel so bad for my parents because how do you calm down an 8/9-year-old who is full on balling her eyes out and completely losing her s*** over some random bald guy on TV who would never have any real significance in their daughter's life moving forward. Needless to say, they were wrong about that.
After Chris was eliminated I continued to follow him and his music. My mom had gotten me tickets to go see him live in the American Idol season 5 tour and it was one of the best memories I ever could have made. I got so lucky when my mom spotted some people over screaming by the outside of a fence. When we walked over we saw some of the contestants from the show out signing autographs and as soon as I wiggled my little kid self to the front of the mob, Chris came out.
It was amazing he took my ticket, which I had out in hopes I could get some autographs on it and low and behold he did. It was like I met Superman or something, but better because he's more of an idol to me than that.
What kept me was drawn to Chris and his music that he made with his band, Daughtry, was just the humble beginnings and genuine reality and passion they protruded. Again, it's kind of just that un-explainable moment where just every time I listen to one of their songs I feel understood. I can listen to "Daughtry" when I'm in any kind of mood and the reason why they mean so much to me is for that exact reason.
I've been through my fair share of hardships and bad days and when I was down, sad, hurt, or scared I would lock myself in my room and just put them on and would sing with them until my tears and pain subsided and I felt okay. It's an effect and connection that I truly feel that I have with them where they just help more than they would ever know. No matter how I was feeling or what I was going through... Daughtry was just always there.
Now I don't know Chris and he doesn't know me (as awesome as that would be) but I do have to give a big part of who I am and what I became to him. I've met the band once, have seen them perform 9 times and counting (10 is going to be this April and I cannot wait), have a few autographs, one sweaty towel that Chris literally handed to me at one of his shows when I was younger (don't even say it's gross people because if it were Justin Beiber or someone who handed you his/ her towel you wouldn't say a damn word, so I don't want to hear it), and sadly only allude from having a face to face smiling picture with Chris. It's always so impossible to get backstage passes! The closest pictures that I have are the ones above in my cover photo with the dang back of my head! Ugh! One day I'll get it, it's only like my biggest life's fantasy goal.
Like I said. It's just the humble beginnings that this band comes from that really gets it with me. Now I don't want to marry Chris or have any sort of romantic crush on him which is a wrong assumption I always get accused of... He's just literally an idol and huge role model for me. He is some one that I really look up and has done something with music that no other artist out there has done.
He's not the biggest star and doesn't need or want to be. He's content with the loyal fans that he does have and the ones that know who he truly is and what Daughtry stands for. It's not about winning to him, it's about taking your losses and kicking ass and moving on and doing it better anyways.
When it's all said and done... Chris is way better off than he would have been if he had won on American Idol because I'm sorry... Taylor Hicks, who? Chris has come to be ranked the third most successful person to have come out of American Idol after winners, Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. But besides them, what other winners are still consistent as they are today?
I'm going on being one of Daughtry's biggest fans for about 12 years now and I can't wait to keep seeing them produce and put out music and seeing them perform again and again. They will always be my all time favorite band and one of my biggest interests/ obsessions because Daughtry has taught me that it's not over and that I'm still undefeated. I'm at a point in my life where I've been careful what I've wished for and I'm just waiting to get it all. The years are going by and time just seems to fly, the memories remain and I just want more and more memories and for Daughtry to be a part of them.
One day, hopefully I will be lucky enough to meet Chris and get that for longing face to face smiling picture. I just want to be able to thank him in person and tell him that everything he has done for his fans and has wanted for his fans has been more than accomplished within me. That's just what he and his band really mean to me.
Hopefully this sheds some light and gives some clarity for those who really didn't get my fascination and obsession for Daughtry... it's always just been more than that and it's not going anywhere anytime soon.
