Former 'Idol,' 'The Voice' contestants Midas Whale release music video

Former 'Idol,' 'The Voice' contestants Midas Whale release music video


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SALT LAKE CITY — From rock operas to American Idol, national tours to performing before millions on NBC's "The Voice," the men behind Midas Whale are no strangers to big projects and big success.

Jon Peter Lewis and Ryan Hayes comprise Midas Whale, a duo best known for their time on "The Voice" and a stirring rendition of "Folsom Prison Blues" that got them on the show. Though they were eliminated from the show in the knockout rounds, they have released a new video and are preparing to record a full-length album.

Lewis, known frequently as "JPL" during his time on the third season of American Idol, and Hayes are now putting all their energy into Midas Whale, using a Kickstarter campaign to fund the album and hopefully launch a nationwide tour.

"We were getting a lot of fans saying we want you to continue and we want you to do more," Lewis said.

They initially formed the band specifically to try out for "The Voice." In fact, their name comes from Hayes response, "might as well," when Lewis asked whether they should attempt to get on the show. "Might as well" turned into Midas Whale.

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Hayes and Lewis collaborated on a rock opera called "Deep Love: A Ghostly Folk Opera," which has been performed in Rexburg and Salt Lake. That project was previously their main work together. Now, however, the band has become a full-time gig.

"It's actually all I can focus on," he said.

They've just released a video for the song "Howling at the Moon," produced by VitaBrevisFilms and recorded live at Randall Lake's Guthrie Artist Coop in Salt Lake City.

"The music video is kind of like a way to say to people we are here to stay," Lewis said.

They'll release their upcoming album independently. Lewis said that he thinks things like Kickstarter have changed the way the music business works, allowing for more community and more direct connection to the fans. He said it brings them closer together and provides all sorts of opportunities for artists that weren't there before.

"I think you just constantly have to throw paint on the canvas and see what happens," he said.

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David Self Newlin

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