Americanidol.com caught up with Ace Young in New York City in a stretch limo as he set off for Connecticut to do the CD release party at the Mohegan Sun Casino. Ace?s self-titled debut album Ace Young which hit stores today has already received rave reviews from Billboard.com which praised its ?sleekly funky soundscapes.?

Understandably, Ace was enthusiastic about the release of Ace Young. ?It?s a dream come true to be able to say my album is in stores and available when I created it the way I wanted to and partnered with a guy as amazing as Desmond Child.? With a career spanning three decades and amazing diversity from KISS to Kelly Clarkson, Desmond Child is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. We asked Ace what it was like to work with such a legend. ?In the beginning, it was like going to songwriting camp because he?s written for his whole life. As far as myself, I?ve been writing since I was nine years old but I haven?t written ?Dude Looks Like A Lady? or ?Living On A Prayer?, ?Crazy,? for Aerosmith. So I was quiet in the beginning and just took it all in." But quickly Ace felt comfortable with the collaboration. "It was nice to know that I was a big part of it because Desmond couldn?t steer the song the right way without me, and at the same point, both of us coming together made it really what the album is, which is a cross between the rock and the indie influences which have created me musically.?

The debut album stands out partly for the number of original songs written specifically for it. We asked Ace about the collaborative process. ?I wrote with Desmond Child, Andreas Carlson, Kellie Ingstrum and Diane Warren even wrote a ballad on the album called, ?You Redeem Me.? She wrote it specifically for  the album. She had it on hold on for Lenny Kravitz and when I heard it I said, ?Can I cut it to see how it sounds?? She was totally open to the idea and once we recorded it, it brought the whole song to life.? Which of course means that should Lenny Kravitz now choose to perform the song, he will be doing an ?Ace cover.?

Another fascinating element of the album is the amount of travel both here in the States and abroad in Sweden that went into its recording. As Ace explained, ?I covered the whole country and it?s something you hear on the album. It goes through R&B, Indie and Rock. The only thing that keeps the album consistent is me.? Also interesting are the personal elements in the album. Ace explained that ?Addicted? was written about his oldest brother?s drug addiction. ?Every song has a deeper meaning.?

Ace also told us how his acting performance on the TV show ?Bones? evolved from what was intended to be just a background figure in the crowd to being a full guest star. ?I hung out with the producers and they asked if I could sing a song like this... and I said, 'sure.' And then they asked if I could say a certain line angry, and I said 'sure.' And then they said, ?How?d you like to be a guest star on the show?? And I said, ?Well, it?s Bones, so long as you show me dead.? The producers clearly agreed because in the end, Ace was portrayed decapitated with one eye hanging out. ?My nephews were so scared, they called me to see if I was okay.? In addition to his musical career, Ace plans to continue pursuing acting opportunities in the future.

Finally, recalling the roots of his fame, Ace offered advice to American Idol auditioners who begin this week in San Francisco, ?Pick a song you?re very comfortable with, do your best, and be aware that your whole life can change within a year?s time.? Hopefully Ace?s success on Idol and now with his debut CD will inspire those who are setting out on their journeys.

Take a look at the amazing transformation Ace experienced back in Season 5!