For the seventh season of American Idol, the song played after each idol was voted off was Ferras' "Hollywood's Not America" from his debut album, Aliens and Rainbows. Ever since the show began, the song has been steadily working its way up the charts and earning Ferras a fan following.

Unlike many artists who struggle their way through creating a debut album, Ferras (last name: Alquasi) found the recording process to be "passionate, introspective, and a good time." This is because Ferras sees a deeper purpose behind his music than just singing about his life.

"I hope I inspire people to kind of question things around them and not to always take things at face value. I like to use a lot of metaphors ... and I hope that people can turn the music on and forget their lives for that minute or just remember things that were important to them," he said. "There's love songs, turn-up-jam-out songs, quieter and introspective songs and I just hope to entertain people and inspire them."

With different themes comes different sounds as well because Ferras has worked to actively avoid creating a one-note album.

"I think there's so many different genres and it's very diverse. It's not the kind of record you put on and the whole thing sounds the same," he said. "I think each song is very different from the next song and I think that's an interesting aspect because it has a song for every mood and any person and therefore I don't think it gets boring."

Despite all of his musical diversity, Ferras grew up being influenced by the pop classics. "I'm a huge fan of pop music in general. I grew up listening to Elton, Queen, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, Prince, and Madonna," he said.

"I think I'm a big fan of songwriters and people who have something to say, and I think, of course, when you're a songwriter," he said of his influences, "and you grow up listening to all these people, your influences are naturally going to creep their way into your own music, but I think what's cool, the thing about me that I think is interesting, is that I think my voice is the one thing that binds it all together. So, it's not like 'Oh, that song sounds like [insert name] or [another name]. Sounds like this or that...' I think it always sounds like me, but you can definitely hear the influences because that's what I grew up with."

The original sounds that make up Aliens and Rainbows earned Ferras a spot at Z100's Zootopia concert as well as a recently finished tour with songstress, A Fine Frenzy.

Ferras, a self-described "outsider" in his youth, did not find his way into music as easily as one might think. Becoming a musician was not something he actively sought after. It just came to him.

"I kind of always use music as an escape, and after writing and writing for years, I felt like this is something I really wanted to do," he said. "It's been about eight years for record labels and shows and whatever I could possibly do to get here."

Once interested in music, he had his fair share of struggles before getting a deal. "It wasn't an easy road but persistence and an inability to settle for anything less than what I wanted, and a bit of luck ... I think they all kind of play a part," he said. "I couldn't live my life without music because it is definitely the very essence or core of who I am, and I'm lucky to be able to do it."

While some of us took time off from work or school, Ferras kept busy this summer "touring, doing radio shows, TV shows, magazine interviews, and doing a lot of press and continuing to promote this record -- and always writing music."

When he is not too preoccupied with touring, writing, and recording, Ferras has plenty of hobbies to fall back on. "I love to do yoga, and love to hang out with my friends, party, go to clubs. I love going shopping, checking out new restaurants and bookstores, working out, going to the beach ... normal things that people do." None of which should be too difficult to do when he has got the entire United States to explore.

As a fairly new addition to the music industry, he knows that creating music in a competitive market can be a killer. However, he has learned a lesson that would be helpful advice for anyone who is trying to make their way into the business.

"I think to always listen to your inner voice and trust your judgment. There's a lot of people who say yes to you because, it's their job or they don't care, or they have to say yes," he explained. "I think we are always our own best advisers, and I think if you listen to your inner voice you can't go wrong, because that's your truth and your truth for you is better than anyone else's truth for you."

Subsequently, knowing your own truth will also make you appropriately weary of the "truth" coming from others. "I always, definitely question everybody's intentions," Ferras admitted.

Despite it all, Ferras maintains a deep passion for music, which has served as a best friend and source of joy throughout the years.

"It's almost like a drug that you don't have to screw yourself up with taking," he said. "You can play music or you can listen to music, and it's one of those things where you can get completely lost and have whatever kind of experience based on the kind of music you're listening to that you want to have. For me it's been a therapy and it's probably the best way that I've been able to connect in this world."

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