American Idol Season 8 finalist Scott MacIntyre talked with AINow about his newest album, "Heartstrings," which was released today!

PART 1 - Click here to listen to the interview

Scott shares that his new single is a bit more contemporary compared to what he showcased while on Idol. He also says his album is very piano-driven, ranging from upbeat pop-rock/power-pop to a more drawn back, stripped sound.  He wants his music to connect to the listeners and relate to their everyday lives.

Scott's reasoning for naming his album "Heartstrings" is that it captures what the whole CD is about. He says it ranges in themes from love to loss, to watching someone else dealing with things that break your heart, to overcoming challenges. "All of those situations have had an effect on my heart, so 'Heartstrings' - tugging on the heart - is kind of the theme of the album," Scott said.

Scott says releasing this album is a big milestone in his life. He says because of what he's been through in his life, aside from just his blindness, he really appreciates every day of his life. He says there are odes to those struggles in the album, and he'll touch on those struggles more in the book he will write about his life. "There's so much of my heart and soul poured into this album. My biggest hope is that people pick up the album and hear something very deep and not just a guy singing songs," Scott said.

Scott also talked about his upcoming appearance on American Idol with fellow Season 8 alum, Matt Giraud, on Thursday, March 11. He and Matt will be performing the Billy Joel classic, "Tell Her About It". Scott shares that the performance was originally scheduled for the Season 8 finale but was cut for time. Ken Warwick, the executive producer of American Idol, promised Scott and Matt that he would bring them back to perform the song on the show. Scott said, "I'm very excited to be going back. It's amazing to go back to the show, especially when the judges won't be able to say anything. I can talk to Simon and he can't talk to me."

PART 2 - Click here to listen to the interview

When asked if he's been watching the current season of the show, Scott said he caught the "Pants On The Ground" audition and contemplated making a remake as a bonus track for his album. He says that no one has captivated his attention yet this season and he's still waiting for that person. He said,  "It's been interesting because it's been a little inconsistent from week to week and it's kind of exciting, but I'm kind of waiting to see what happens."

PART 3 - Click here to listen to the interview

"I auditioned for the show hoping to do much more than just stand up there and sing songs. I felt like I really had something to pass onto people," Scott said about being influential to others. He didn't expect to have such a large impact on so many peoples' lives, but feels very honored. "It's really touching," he said.

Scott talked about the book that he's currently writing and hopes to have released within the next four or five months. The influence he's made on peoples' lives is a big reason behind his new album and book. "It's humbling and an honor to know that people have regarded my life in that way," he said.

He shared about his passion for music as a child and how his parents would put him to bed while listening to music on tapes. He said, "Instead of falling asleep, I would sneak out to our old up-right piano and I would start playing the melodies I would hear on tape."

Scott said that he would be very interested in starting a foundation sometime down the line. He said right now he's focusing on the book and a possible movie about the book, but hopes to start a foundation for the visually impaired sometime in the future. He went on to talk about some of the other charities he's helped with.

Finally, Scott revealed that he hopes to tour in the future. He said that there are a few single dates that are coming up and he can't wait to get out and meet more of his fans while on this musical journey.