Michael Johns doesn't want to name-drop, but after rubbing shoulders with actress Demi Moore, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and media mogul Rupert Murdoch over the past month, it's hard not to.
Since the Australian's shock eviction from American Idol last month, the Perth-born 29-year-old's life has been a whirlwind of publicity and A-list parties.
Johns has performed and partied with Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore and Cameron Diaz at a Saturday Night Live after-party.
He got the thumbs up from Rupert Murdoch at a party the Fox boss held for the Idols, while Murdoch's wife Wendi passed on Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's best wishes to the fellow Aussie.
But none of those experiences compare to his evening at the White House Correspondents dinner last weekend, where he upstaged former secretary of state Colin Powell and lifestyle expert Martha Stewart on the red carpet and found a fan in Rice.
"The most surreal moment has to be when my friend comes up to me and says: 'Condoleezza Rice wants to meet you, she's a huge fan'," Johns told AAP.
"So she was like: 'Oh my gosh Michael, I just have to tell you that I just love you, and I think you're such a great singer and have such a bright future ahead of you. Can I get a photo?'.
"I'm like: 'Sure thing Condoleezza Rice'."
Johns even suggested a duet with Rice, who is an accomplished pianist.
"I said: 'Maybe we can do a song together,' and I started singing Great Balls of Fire," he said.
"She goes: 'Oh no, I do more like Mozart or Chopin'."
Now in Australia on a promotional tour, Johns said he feels a bit embarrassed talking about his adventures.
"I feel bad - it's the whole Aussie mentality that you just feel like you're name-dropping. But all this has gone down in the last four weeks," he said.
"I don't want to come off as a bit of a dick. Over there it's a different world."
Johns said he had no regrets about his time on American Idol, and was trying to make the most of the exposure the top rated show had given him.
"Being 29, I know exactly what I sound like and what I want to do afterwards, so I kind of used it as a platform to showcase what (album) I was going to make afterwards," he said.
Johns has some busy months ahead with the American Idol final, which screens on May 22 on Fox 8 in Australia, ahead of the show's tour which kicks off in July.
Then, he will sit down with a bunch of record labels and get himself signed for the fourth time in his career.
"I know there's definitely interest (from labels). So, when the time's right, I'll set up meetings," he said.
"But everything looks really positive right now."
Johns said his debut solo record, which he hopes to have out by this time next year, will have a "bluesy rock vibe", with influences from Otis Reading, The Rolling Stones and INXS.
And he's got his eye on working with a few "dream" songwriters for it.
"I'm working with Diane Warren right now ... and I want to work with Mark Ronson, who did Amy's (Winehouse) last record," he said.
"I also ran into Cee-Lo from Gnarls Barkley when I was in New York, so I definitely want to write with him."
