With American Idol behind him, James Durbin has once again proved his tenacity and talent as heard in his new album, Memories Of A Beautiful Disaster. He has said the album is a reflection of the struggles in his life and a celebration of his recent success. Perhaps one of the most moving songs on the album, is Screaming, which many people can relate to, as it was written about Jame's own experience with bullying and how he handled it. There are so many powerful songs on the album, and another one of my favorites is Stand Up, which is an upbeat, rocking, "get up on your feet" song.  In fact, the NFL added Stand Up to its game day music line up which is sure to make fans stand and cheer.

Recently, I had the opportunity to interview James about his new album, music, his struggles with bullying and his take on autism. He was incredibly gracious, well spoken and reminded me again of the incredible possibilities that are out there for our kids. While I could have written around the interview and provided bits and pieces, I thought it would be best to post the interview in its entirety.

There is a reason he is a role model. He experienced adversity yet he prevails with exceptional music and riveting, live performances. During the interview, James was open and honest about his experiences growing up with Autism and Tourettes, bullying, and how these experiences are reflected in his music. As a parent who loves stories of hope and success, I am so appreciative that James is significantly contributing to American music as well as sharing his perspectives about autism.

A Conversation with James Durbin:

KYM GROSSO: I wanted to start off talking about your album, of course, because it was recently released. How you would describe the music on your new album, Memories Of A Beautiful Disaster?

JAMES DURBIN: Well, I wanted it accessible to a lot of different people because American Idol has such a wide variety of different listeners, so I wanted to make sure that it was accessible and available to everyone of them so that hopefully all of them would find something in it that they liked and that they could attach to. I tried to make it a very versatile album.

GROSSO: You collaborated on this album with many artists. Can you describe the experience of getting to work with some of these great artists?

DURBIN: I think if I could describe it with three words it would have to be "dream come true". I mean I got to work with James Michael and DJ Ashba, from the band Sixx A.M, and Marti Frederiksen, who has written for Aerosmith. You know he writes one on one with Steven Tyler, possibly they're best buds. But sharing that experience was absolutely amazing, the best. First of all your experience and then to work with Mick Mars from Mötley Crüe. Mötley Crüe is one of my favorite bands, and I got to work with Mick. It's going to be right there like...Wow. Mick is history. It was really, really an amazing, positive experience working with everyone respectively.

GROSSO: What kind of music do you listen to personally? Is it the same kind of music that you sing or do you listen to lots of different music?

DURBIN: I listen to lots of different kinds of music. Everything from Al Green to Led Zeppelin to John Meyer to Mötley Crüe.

GROSSO: When did you first know that you could sing? When did you first start getting into singing and music?

DURBIN: Well my oldest sister Diana did a lot of musicals and that's where I discovered my love for being on a stage. My sister was in high school. I was in elementary, and she had the lead role in Damn Yankees. And I would go to the show every single night. I would dress up as a little baseball player. I kind of became the unofficial mascot for the show. The very last night they let me come up on stage and sing the songs with them, and I already had my costume.

GROSSO: Who encouraged you to keep singing? Was there someone like your mom or your sister who encouraged you to keep performing and to tryout for American Idol?

DURBIN: Well, growing up it was always my mom that encouraged me to keep singing and was able to get me scholarships to be in a play and then to sing and do what I love. And then it wasn't until I met my, soon to be wife, Heidi...She encouraged me to audition for Idol, and she coached me through it.

GROSSO: Listening to the album I loved the song Stand Up. I understand this has become an NFL song. Were you very excited to hear that it was selected for the NFL?

DURBIN: Oh absolutely. Well the point is that the NFL just basically loved the song. They presented the song to me and wondered if I would be interested in singing it for them. I heard it and instantly I was like, yeah, this song's awesome.

​GROSSO: What's your favorite song on the album?

DURBIN: Oh man, that's a tough one. I mean I could pick two. Two of my top favorites would have to be Right Behind You and Screaming.

GROSSO: I wanted bring up Screaming, because I had read the lyrics and that the song was about bullying and as you probably know a lot of the kids with Autism or Asperger's have this issue. Can you tell me a little bit more about the song?

DURBIN: Yeah. The song is...it talks about my personal life and things that have happened to me personally and having to deal with being bullied. There was always one thing that made me feel, I guess, a little bit better growing up. Actually getting home from school and screaming. I just wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, so I buried my face in a pillow and screamed as loud as I could and just kind of muffled the sound and got it all out. You know, that was kind of like my way around things before I discovered music.

GROSSO: It was a way to release that frustration from the bullying?

DURBIN: Yeah.

GROSSO: When you were on American Idol, your performances were really just raw and heart wrenching and it was just amazing to see it. You were such a great performer. It seemed so natural to you when you were up there. Does performing in front of large audiences seem to come naturally to you or is it something you've had to work at?

DURBIN: No. It just came naturally. I mean I never really practiced performing on stage. I never had any stage fright issues. I guess that's why I love that. You know it's a freedom of being able to go on stage and - really be whoever you want to be and not be judged, I mean, that's how it works for me. You know, this is where I'm comfortable. This is where I feel most at home is being on stage. And I'm not laughed at and I'm not made fun of...I'm the center of attention.

GROSSO: When you say get laughed at or made fun of, was there something about your Autism or was it more your Tourette's that people would bully you about when you were in school?

DURBIN: I think it was definitely the Tourette's because I would be making faces that I couldn't control and they'd get mad at me and yell at me to stop doing that or why are you looking at me like that? On two occasions, I was at a skate park and I got beat up. I got assaulted because people thought that I was looking at them funny and making fun of them and sure enough they came up behind me, and punched me in the temple...both sides and tried to knock me out. So there will definitely always be, always the stress.