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photo by Henry Lutz
Rayvon Owen was back in Richmond on Friday for a parade and concert. His mother, Patrice Fitzgerald, is on the right. (photo by Henry Lutz)
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photo by Henry Lutz
The "American Idol" motorcade gets ready to head from City Hall to the James Center. (photo by Henry Lutz)
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Rayvon Owen's day in Richmond was a whirlwind of interviews and greeting fans. (photo by Henry Lutz)
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photo by Henry Lutz
Rayvon Owen arrives at the James Center.
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photo by Henry Lutz
Rayvon Owen greets the crowd of several hundred outside the James Center.
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photo by Henry Lutz
Rayvon Owen treated the James Center crowd to several hits he's performed on "American Idol."
Leaving City Hall this morning, Rayvon Owen was greeted by cloudy skies and a drizzle that would persist over the next two hours of his downtown tour. But, stepping into the back seat of the silver top-down convertible on Broad Street parked just behind the American Idol limo and police escort, Owen’s smile was as bright and contagious as ever. Though the 23-year-old American Idol Top 4 finalist made his hometown visit this morning in the midst of a drenching cold front, Owen’s parade has been all but rained on.
For the past month, he has been spared an untimely homecoming each week, surviving five straight Wednesday night shows thanks to the Twitter Fan Save vote, a new mechanism added to the show this year. While it lasted, the fan save allowed viewers to vote via Twitter for one of two contestants who received the least amount of votes during the week. Finding himself in the bottom two each week, Owen performed under pressure for the save, winning the vote each and every week.
But, starting last week, the fan save option was removed and Owen found himself relying solely on votes received during the week. The development has led many to question whether he will be able to survive without the live Twitter votes. With a knack for thriving under pressure, Owen doesn’t seem fazed by the change, saying in a recent phone interview, “I feel fine about it … I never really saw it as a safety net in the first place.”
On Wednesday night in Los Angeles, Owen found himself free-falling into a spot with the Top 4, having won enough votes during the week to retain his place among the American Idol elite. Included in the win was a trip back to the East Coast.
Owen’s homecoming stint kicked off at 6 a.m. today with a round of media visits throughout the morning and culminated with a trip to City Hall, where he met with fans until 11:30. From there, the finalist’s motorcade and entourage, which included his family, made its way through the clammy streets of downtown, arriving at the James Center for a brief concert before a devoted crowd of several hundred.
Among the crowd greeting him at the James Center were about 200 students from Henrico High School, Owen’s alma mater. Homemade signs of “RVA Loves Rayvon” jutted up from the canopy of umbrellas swamping the James Center, as he made his way through the revolving doors bordering the small stage. Inside, Owen was greeted by Mayor Dwight Jones while the crowd grew, looking on from outside.
After a short reprieve indoors, Owen returned, accompanied by his family and Jones. Cheers echoed through the lobby as Owen made his way to the stage outside. Sheltered onstage by his own pair of tents, he was joined by Elliott Yamin, who took the city to the American Idol Top 3 in 2006. To Yamin and the fans who turned out to see him perform, Owen said, “From the bottom of my heart, I just want to thank you all.”
Treating the crowd for the next half hour to a helping of several hits he’s performed on the show, Owen offered his falsetto-fringed takes on Katy Perry’s “Wide Awake” and Justin Beiber’s “Believe,” among others. The latter, he sang during Wednesday night’s show, dedicating it to his mother, who also accompanied him at the James Center. Owen went on to belt out a handful more of songs, including covers of Sam Smith and Stevie Wonder, to a swell of cheers.
He would take to the stage again for a private concert at Henrico High School later in the day, while his next public performance will be on Wednesday night, as he fights again, now for a spot in the Top 3. Before departing the James Center this afternoon, Owen thanked the crowd, flashing his disarming smile once more and promising, “We’re gonna bring this home!”
