R. J. Helton

Richard Jason "R.J." Helton (born May 17, 1981; as Rolando Alberto de Jesus Rivas, Jr.) is an American Christian musician, who sings Christian pop music. He has released a studio album, Real Life, with GospoCentric Records. This album was his breakthrough release upon the Billboard magazine charts.

R.J. Helton
Birth nameRolando Alberto de Jesus Rivas, Jr.
Also known asRichard Jason Helton
Born (1981-05-17) May 17, 1981
Pasadena, Texas
OriginCumming, Georgia
GenresChristian pop
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Instrumentsvocals, singer-songwriter
Years active2002–present
LabelsGospoCentric

Early life and background

Helton was born in Pasadena, Texas, on May 17, 1981, as Rolando Alberto de Jesus Rivas, Jr., to a Nicaraguan father.[1][2][3] Shortly after his birth, he was adopted and renamed Richard Jason Helton.[1] At the time of Helton's American Idol appearance, his adoptive parents, Glen and Sue Helton, worked respectively as a vice president of Popeyes Chicken and as an administrative assistant for an architecture firm.[4][5][6] From the age of three, Helton impressed his parents with vocal imitations of various music artists.[1][6] Helton sang in church growing up and started performing in talent shows at age five.[1][6][7] At the time, he still lived in Pasadena,[7] but his father's job caused the family to move frequently.[6] Helton lived in Winston-Salem, North Carolina when he was in middle school.[8] He transferred schools about a dozen times before ninth grade, when midway through the school year, his family established long-term residency in the Atlanta area.[6] Helton attended Tuscola High School, where he participated in the choir.

Before auditioning for the first season of American Idol, he briefly performed Christian music in a Nashville-based group and worked as a dance teacher at the YMCA in Alpharetta.[9]

American Idol

Helton auditioned for season one of American Idol in Atlanta. He was the first person to audition in the city.[10] Although he was not voted through to the Top 10 during the Top 30 semi-finals, he was chosen by the judges as the season's only Wild Card finalist.[11][12][13] While participating in a photo shoot during the first week of the finals, he fell off a stage and required medical treatment.[14] Helton's performances throughout the Top 10 finals received mixed reactions from the judges,[14][15][16] and Helton was voted out of the competition in fifth place.[16][17][18][19] A week after he left the competition, Q100 radio hosted a homecoming party for Helton at the Mall of Georgia.[4][20]

During the competition, Rodney Ho of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote that Helton "exudes an enduring innocence".[9] He further called Helton a "sweet teenybopper favorite" who had "shown surprising strength in the competition" and praised Helton's performance of the Stevie Wonder song "Superstition",[21] but Ho also considered Helton less attention-grabbing than some of the other American Idol season one finalists.[9] While Kevin D. Thompson of The Palm Beach Post expressed admiration for Helton's ability to rise above Simon Cowell's criticism, a few weeks into the finals, he concurred with Ho that Helton was likely to be overshadowed by more skillful competitors.[22] By the Top 6 round, Zap2It called Helton one of the "longshots" to win the competition.[23] Richard L. Eldredge of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution considered Helton's elimination from the series a "surprise", noting that Helton's performance during Top 5 week had been well-received.[16] Ho disagreed, expressing the view that Helton was an underdog who had "lasted longer than many expected".[19] Upon Helton's elimination, Jessica Shaw of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "I'm sure there are a few prayer-loving teens who are weeping their eyes out, but the rest of us know what Simon knew all along: This guy was barely good enough to be a boy-band understudy."[24]

Performances
Week Theme Song Original artist Result
Semi-Final Group 3 Free Choice "I'll Be There" The Jackson 5 Wild Card
Wild Card Free Choice "Lately" Stevie Wonder Advanced
Top 10 Motown "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" Four Tops Safe
Top 8 1960s "Under the Boardwalk" The Drifters Safe
Top 7 1970s "Superstition" Stevie Wonder Safe
Top 6 Big Band "I Won't Dance" Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers Bottom 2
Top 5 Burt Bacharach Love Songs "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" Christopher Cross Eliminated

Music career

Helton returned to American Idol shortly after his fifth place finish on the series to perform a group medley during the season one finale.[25][26] Through October and November of 2002, he joined his fellow finalists from that season of the series as a performer on the American Idols Live! Tour.[27][28][29][30][31] During the tour, he reprised his performance of the Stevie Wonder song "Lately",[32] which he had performed on American Idol during the Wild Card round.[9][12] Helton also recorded "Lately" for the compilation album, American Idol: Greatest Moments,[33][34] which charted at #4 on the Billboard 200.[35][36] Shortly before the 2002 American Idol tour, The St. Petersburg Times reported that Helton was "talking to record labels" and pursuing a career in Christian music.[37]

On November 28, 2002, Helton performed during the lighting of Macy's Great Tree at the Rich's department store in Atlanta's Lenox Square. Also performing at the event were Charlotte Church, Usher, Jaci Velasquez, Francine Reed, the Georgia Mass Choir, and B5.[38][39] By the end of 2002, Helton had established a deal to appear alongside other American Idol finalists in commercials for Old Navy.[40][41][42]

Helton released the studio album Real Life on March 23, 2004 through the GospoCentric Records imprint B-Rite Music.[43][44][45][46] The album had initially been scheduled for release on March 9 of that year.[47] This album was his breakthrough release upon the Billboard magazine charts, while it placed on the Christian Albums and Heatseekers Albums charts, where it peaked at Nos. 14 and 19, correspondingly.[48]

In 2009, Helton performed in "Idolized", a Las Vegas-based group concert, featuring, in addition to Helton, American Idol finalists Nikki McKibbin, Mikalah Gordon, and Jasmine Trias.[49]

Personal life

He said on a radio show that he was gay, in 2006.[50][51]

Discography

Albums
Title Album details Peak chart positions[48]
US
Chr		 US
Heat
Real Life
  • Released: March 23, 2004
  • Label: GospoCentric
  • CD, digital download
 14 19

Compilation appearances
Title Details Peak chart positions
US
American Idol: Greatest Moments
  • Released October 1, 2002
  • Label: RCA

Credited on the following tracks:

 4

References
  1. Carpenter, Bil (2005). "Uncloudy Days: The Gospel Music Encyclopedia". Hal Leonard Corporation: 188. Retrieved February 9, 2015. RJ Helton Uncloudy Days. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. Joey Guerra (April 5, 2016). "Houston singers who competed on 'American Idol'". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  3. "CBS 6 to 5". American Idol Rewind. Season 1. Episode 17. March 24, 2007. Fox.
  4. Richard L. Eldredge (August 21, 2002). "'Lunchtime' Previews 'Noise/Funk'". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  5. Sharon Waxman (July 28, 2002). "Song and Dance and Derision". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  6. "RJ Helton Bio". RJHelton.com. Archived from the original on August 5, 2004.
  7. Mineo, Robert (March 1, 2004). "American Dreams". CCM Magazine. 26 (9): 42–3. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  8. Tim Clodfelter (December 3, 2002). "Woman a Semifinalist for Show Tobaccoville Resident Aims for Spot on American Idol". Winston-Salem Journal.
  9. Rodney Ho (July 16, 2002). "Trio of Locals Going for Big Break as 'Idol' Finalists". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  10. Rodney Ho (October 28, 2002). "Atlanta's 'Idol 2' Auditions Draw Mile-Long Line".
  11. "Miller ending series". The St. Petersburg Times. July 11, 2002.
  12. Richard L. Eldredge (July 12, 2002). "Her 'Home Cooking' Travels Well". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  13. Rodney Ho (August 23, 2002). "For Tamyra, Tomorrow's Another Day". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  14. "Montreux to Live On at Chastain". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. July 18, 2002.
  15. Rodney Ho (August 13, 2002). "'Idol' Watch". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  16. Richard L. Eldredge (August 15, 2002). "Cinderella and Her Prince Get Hitched". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  17. Naomi Kim (August 15, 2002). "Doylestown contestant still in the running; Justin Guarini is one of five finalists on Fox's "American Idol.'". The Morning Call.
  18. "Cumming's Ditched 'Idol' Lived a Dream". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. August 17, 2002.
  19. Rodney Ho (August 20, 2002). "'Idol' Watch: Guarini, Gray Hold Own, Head Into Final Four". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  20. Richard L. Eldredge (August 22, 2002). "Houston Sings for Her Supper in Buckhead". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  21. Rodney Ho (August 6, 2002). "'Idol Watch': Local Trio Survives with Two Hits, One Near-Miss". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  22. Kevin D. Thompson (July 30, 2002). "Singing Songs & Slinging Insults". The Palm Beach Post.
  23. "Television News Brief". Zap2It. August 12, 2002.
  24. Jessica Shaw. "No big surprise: R.J. gets voted off American Idol". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  25. Rodney Ho (September 3, 2002). "'Idol' Watch". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  26. Jessica Shaw (July 4, 2003). "She is the champion! Kelly wins American Idol". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  27. Walt Belcher (August 19, 2002). "Tour to Keep Series Contestants from Being Idle". The Tampa Tribune.
  28. Gil Kaufman (August 30, 2002). "'American Idol' Finalists Plan Arena Tour, Compilation Album". MTV. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  29. Mark Guarino (October 15, 2002). "Like it or not, 'Idol' stars aren't going away". Daily Herald.
  30. Rodney Ho (October 22, 2002). "Pop Review: 'Idol' Ensemble Offers Passable Entertainment". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  31. Chris Riemenschneider (November 11, 2002). "Concert of 'American Idols' Lets Fans Appraise the Talent". Star Tribune.
  32. Kevin C. Johnson (November 2, 2002). "Corny "American Idols" Showcases Almost-Knowns". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  33. Gary Susman (September 1, 2002). "Here's what you'll hear on the American Idol CD". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  34. "RCA Records to Release American Idol: Greatest Moments on October 1" (PDF) (Press release). RCA Records. September 19, 2002. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  35. Richard Harrington (November 1, 2002). "Future Looks Bright for Gray". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  36. "50 Cent Holds Off 'Idol' To Return To No. 1". Billboard. May 7, 2003. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  37. Sharon Fink (September 13, 2002). "Side Show". The St. Petersburg Times.
  38. Richard L. Eldredge (November 22, 2002). "Quick Turnaround for Carter Book". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  39. "Holiday Events". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. November 28, 2002.
  40. "Step Inside For a Warmer Ride ... Old Navy has a Holiday Surprise for New York". PR Newswire. December 3, 2002.
  41. Catherine Donaldson-Evans (January 9, 2003). "Reality Show Contestants: Rising Stars or Flameouts?". Fox News. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  42. "'Idol' finalist gets a recording deal". Deseret News. May 31, 2003. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  43. Ely, Gordon (April 3, 2004). Paoletta, Michael (ed.). "Album Reviews: Gospel; R.J. Helton – Real Life" (Print). Billboard. 116 (14): 47. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  44. Jenison, David (June 1, 2002). "R.J. Helton: Real Life" (PDF). CCM Magazine. 26 (10): 50. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  45. Breimeier, Russ (March 23, 2004). "Real Life". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on September 7, 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  46. Hames, Daniel (September 1, 2004). "Review: Real Life – RJ Helton". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  47. CP Staff (January 8, 2004). "American Idol's RJ Helton to Release Gospel Album". The Christian Post. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  48. "Real Life – RJ Helton : Awards". Billboard. AllMusic. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  49. Jackie Brett (May 3, 2009). "Brett's Laughlin View: Riverside Gets 'Idolized' with 'American Idol' Talent". Las Vegas Leisure Guide. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  50. Silverman, Stephen M. (October 20, 2006). "Former Idol Finalist Helton Says He's Gay". People. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  51. Staff (April 14, 2010). "Former R.J. Helton's Emotional "Coming-Out" Performance". The Advocate. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
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