My chat with ‘America’s Got Talent’ finalist Brian Justin Crum: ‘It was so intense and amazing’

It’s been nearly three weeks since Brian Justin Crum finished in fourth place on NBC’s America’s Got Talent.

Since then, the openly gay singer tells me that the connection he built with fans has remained strong.

But it sometimes a bit overwhelming.

The big-voiced Crum shared with viewers his story of coming out as gay and overcoming bullying, depression and a weight struggle.

‘It’s been hard emotionally to keep hearing from people around the world who are going through what I went through,’ Crum says.

‘They are going through it right now so it’s hard – I want to be there for everybody, I want to hold everyone’s hand. So it’s a little overwhelming but I love it and I just want to be there to support my community as much as I can.’

Crum’s first post-Talent performance was at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Vanguard Awards gala on September 24 where I caught up with him.

‘It was so intense and amazing,’ he says of his television experience.

‘It’s so fitting that I’m here with the LGBT community showing love and feeling love. It’s been really fun.’

At the gala, Crum performed his version of the Michael Jackson hit Man in the Mirror which he dramatically reworked.

That is the version that her performed in the finals and which got praise from the notoriously tough judge Simon Cowell.

‘Simon was such a huge supporter of mine and I’m very appreciative,’ Crum says. ‘He is tough, he’s a tough cookie but he was wonderful to work with.’

The television talent competitions can sometimes be a huge career boost for unknown artists even if they don’t actually win.

One example would be one-time American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert.

‘Adam and I grew up together in San Diego, we had the same voice teacher,’ Crum says. ‘ He’s always been a big influence to me. he’s an incredible artist, he’s a fantastic singer and I’m just proud to know him.’

As for the future, Crum promises there is plenty in the works.

‘We’re vetting a lot of different things right now,’ he says. ‘I’m recording and writing. We’re working on a new EP right now and hopefully that will be out in the next five months. And I’m touring, I’m bouncing around and performing at a lot of festivals.’