Clay Aiken: Son Is Not Impressed By His Singing

Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage

As the season two runner-up on American Idol, Clay Aiken has no qualms about singing in front of thousands of screaming fans. However, serenading 22-month-old Parker, his son with Jaymes Foster, is a different story.

“For some reason, I’m nervous to sing for him,” the singer, 31, tells Pop Eater.

“My son doesn’t like to listen to me sing, but he enjoys listening to other people sing.”

No hard feelings, jokes Aiken, who admits the lack of enthusiasm from Parker is a sentiment shared by most children.

“Maybe kids just don’t like to hear their parents, ever,” he says. “When they’re teenagers they don’t want to hear them. When they’re babies they don’t want to hear ‘em sing. Maybe it’s just a genetic thing.”

Embracing Parker’s minimal interest in music, Aiken is hopeful his son will always steer clear of the industry.

“I obviously will encourage him in whatever he wants to, whatever he’s passionate about, but I’m just gonna hope it’s not this,” Aiken explains.

– Anya Leon

Comments

Haley on June 29th, 2010

Clay’s friend, a singer, has a toddler son who loves to hear Clay sing but doesn’t enjoy listening to his mother sing, Clay’s son enjoys her singing but not his dad’s. It’s a strange but common phenomenon.

Jess from Ohio on June 29th, 2010

Clay seems like a wonderful and devoted father to his son. I wish him the best

Dixi on June 29th, 2010

Ah, he will!! When my son was a baby he didn’t like me singing to him either, not even in the least bit, but my daughter loved me to sing to her (and she would sing to me too). Now, my son is quite the singer, and very good too. All children are different – which is one of the joys of parenting. Just when you think you have it figured out, it changes.

Michelle on June 29th, 2010

Sorry, Clay. I’m no professional singer, but my boys (5 years, 3 years, and 1 year) usually like to hear me sing!

Marnie on June 30th, 2010

Maybe it’s just parents that can sing well. I couldn’t sing to save my life, but my son enjoys it. Or maybe he’s smiling because he thinks my attempt at singing is funny?

terry on June 30th, 2010

I believe, from previous interviews, that Clay does, or did sing lullabies to his son. Maybe he associates his dad singing with bedtime. Or maybe even with his dad going away, because singing is his dad’s work and often means going away.

Amanda on June 30th, 2010

I barely want to hear myself sing but my kids seem to love it LOL So it doesn’t hold true for us.

mrscabrera on June 30th, 2010

When I have children, I will sing to them. I worked at a daycare where we did Music Together and I love the songs and singing them. I hope my kids will enjoy the singing and be soothed. I read somewhere that hearing a person’s mother’s voice will help them calm down, maybe a singing voice does the same?

Suze on June 30th, 2010

Michelle you should try out for American Idol.

Joy on June 30th, 2010

When my son was little and would get colicky, I would sing to him and he seemed to love it! I’d sing “Up, Up and Away” by the 5th Dimension. Clay has such a wonderful voice; maybe when his son is older, he will warm up to it.. That would be wonderful to see some pics of the little boy!

JMO on June 30th, 2010

hmm can’t say I blame the lil dude!

corinne on June 30th, 2010

Lauren Kennedy a Raleigh native but New York resident and Broadway veteran recently shared a theater benefit stage with Clay. She said she has the same problem. When her child hears her sing, they assume she’s going away to work and cry as a result. It’s a crazy business but through the eyes of a child there are different responses involved.

Michelle on June 30th, 2010

Suze, thanks, but, no!

Luna on July 1st, 2010

My kids don’t dislike my singing voice, but I sing ALL THE TIME. I sing stupid stuff like ‘going to do the laundry, the laundry, the laundry…” I sing songs I hear on the radio, just everything. My older kids are always like, “Ugh Mom, STOP SINGING!” When they were little, they would just kind of stared.