A Notable New Year with David Hernandez

Former American Idol runner-up David Hernandez is a beautiful man. Beyond his stunning good looks, Hernandez has an amazing pair of pipes. Though he didn't win "Idol," he made it into the top 12 and impressed many with his powerful vocals. It was enough to launch him onto a successful singing career.

On the night before New Year's Eve, Hernandez will be belting out original compositions and familiar standards when he brings his show, Holiday Hangover, to Feinstein's at the Nikko.

"It'll be a mixture of songs," the Phoenix, Arizona native said in an interview. "The original stuff is from my first two albums and my upcoming CD. It's all soul-based, and will be just me and my piano man."

Hernandez cites artists such as Peabo Bryson, Alicia Keys and Stevie Wonder as among his greatest musical influences. He also includes John Legend and Adam Levine on that list, and was thrilled to share the stage with them at an inaugural ball for President Barack Obama. Hernadez was invited to perform at the ball by TV legend Norman Lear (All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude).

"It was really cool to be part of that turn in history and to be able to celebrate and be on the right side of it," Hernandez said. "It was also incredible to sing next to two of my favorite artists, John Legend and Adam Levine."

Hernandez expressed a great deal of fondness for TV talk show host Ellen Degeneres, whose historic coming out in 1997 is credited with shifting society's views on LGBT people and equality.

"Ellen is super-nice and genuine," he said. "Meeting her and her wife Portia and their dogs was really great!"

It was on The Ellen Show that Hernandez came clean about his R-rated past. After he passed the Idol auditions, he was outed as a former stripper.

"I was 21-23," Hernandez recalled of his dancing days. "It was a means to an end. I needed work. The manager of the club where I danced was paid $200 by Entertainment Tonight . The way it was presented, it seemed like I was trying to be sketchy. I wasn't. It was never a shock to Idol ; it had all been disclosed."

But Hernandez has no regrets. "People always try to tear you down," he said. "But I'm having the last laugh because things are going really great."

Hernandez has since used his celebrity to advocate for equality and LGBT youth and has performed at a number or Pride events. "I work closely with the Human Rights Campaign," he said. "I've performed at around 15-20 dinners for them. They're a great organization that fights for equal rights." His LGBT support comes, in part, from his own experiences during his youth.

"I came from a broken family," he said. "School can be so cruel. I relate to differences on so many levels; at Pride I never felt so much love. People of different races, men, women, just there celebrating love."

The singer planted his tongue firmly in his cheek as he spoke of his Feinstein's show. "It'll be a night to strip down, no pun intended," he said. "There will be songs that the audience heard, and songs that they haven't. During the holidays, everyone can relate to hangovers, hence the show's title. Just relax, breath, and enjoy."

David Hernandez: Holiday Hangover at Feinstein's at the Nikko, 222 Mason St., Wednesday Dec 30 at 7pm. $30-45. www.ticketweb.com