Armed with a powerful and bluesy voice, YouTube sensation Noah Guthrie is stopping in Moscow and Lewiston as part of an 80-city college tour.
Guthrie, 19, has more than 1 million views for each year of his life on his YouTube cover of LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It.”
“It’s been kind of a whirlwind just because, ever since that video came out, my new album is out, I’m on this whole college tour, and it’s all, frankly, kind of fueled from that video,” Guthrie said. “It’s been a very fast-paced process.”
Guthrie has done covers of Adele, fun., Bruno Mars, Eric Clapton and Elton John. But in May 2012, when his LMFAO cover went viral, he received 8 million views in just one week — a number that has now surpassed 19 million. His YouTube channel has more than 47 million views.
Guthrie has since been featured on NBC’s “Today Show” and Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show.” Musicians have even covered Guthrie’s covers on “The Voice” and UK’s “The X Factor.”
But Guthrie has original works, too. His album “Among the Wildest Things” features 13 of his own songs.
“I’ve been getting a lot of really good response,” Guthrie said of his album. “I’m enjoying it. I’m learning what my fans like, and it’s really cool just to see how they respond to the original stuff after hearing covers for so long.”
Guthrie writes a lot about love and relationships, but said he has to stray from personalizing the lyrics too much, or it will lose its effect on listeners. He also wrote a song about the Boston Marathon bombing the day after it happened. Some songs just happen based on where he is.
Guthrie said his current tour was planned for 60 stops but has since grown to 80-plus shows. He and his dad tour the nation in a rental car, visiting colleges to play approximately hour-long sets.
“It’s what I’ve dreamed of doing, which is being on a tour,” Guthrie said. “I’m in a new city every night, just playing music. You learn things about yourself, you learn what you can handle night to night to get through everything.”
Guthrie is learning how to still be a teen as well.
“It is one of those things where ... I’m on this tour and while I’m on it, you kind of feel grown up in a way,” he said. “There’s just so many things that keep reminding me that I’m 19 years old. It’s an awesome feeling, but at the same time, you’re almost like, ‘It’s too soon.’ ”
Guthrie will play Tuesday at the University of Idaho and Wednesday at Lewis-Clark State College. His CDs will be available for $10.
“I’ve always wanted to do music,” Guthrie said. “I’d always figured it’d take so long to get up and running, but thank God it hasn’t.”
Treffry can be contacted at (208) 883-4640 or ltreffry@inland360.com. Follow her on Twitter @LindseyTreffry.
->if you go WHAT: Noah Guthrie performs WHEN: 8 p.m. Tuesday; 8 p.m. Wednesday WHERE: Student Union Building ballroom, University of Idaho, Moscow on Tuesday; Administration Building Theater, Lewis-Clark State College, Lewiston, on Wednesday. COST: Free LISTEN: Visit bit.ly/1gYsiG2 to hear Guthrie’s cover of LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It," or watch below.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsvlsuLau5c[/youtube]
