Richmond native Elliott Yamin is right about a few things: nothing is guaranteed so living every day like it could be your last is key, the love of a parent is unconditional and housebreaking a puppy is completely annoying. He was wrong, however, about one thing: his 2009 Idol-winner prediction:

I spoke to Elliott at his new home in L.A. last week.

"Adam Lambert is going to win. That's my pick. Absolutely. He's great, he's gonna take it."

I think it's safe to say Mr. Lambert - like Elliott, another Idol 'non-winner' - won't have a problem finding the success he deserves.

Elliott was in Richmond a few weeks ago and spoke on Q94's morning show about this new home and all of its perks: an old home was torn down on this lot to make way for a brand-new house with a state-of-the-art kitchen that never gets used.

"It's just really ironic 'cuz I don't cook and neither does my girlfriend," Elliott says with a laugh. "We have this great big old kitchen - it's like a chef's dream - and we don't even use it properly. It's really pretty-looking!"

If Elliott did have time to cook he says he'd try one of his mom's favorite recipes: honey lime chicken, her famous meatloaf, honey-baked salmon or salmon croquettes.

"She could cook her butt off. Her connection with food was a very intimate one."

Elliott's mother passed away shortly after his successes on Idol. He has never been shy about how big a role his mother played in his life and how difficult life has been since her passing.

"She was my best friend and it's probably been the toughest year of my life," shares Elliott. "Getting to share that experience [Idol] with her, for her to be able to see the person I've grown to be ... the man that she raised finally realizing his dreams ... was a blessing and I was very fortunate to have at least have had that time to share with her."

While acknowledging how thankful he is to have shared his commercial successes with her, he admits she is still sorely missed.

"I wish she was still here. She just pushed me to become the best that I could be. As long as I was happy and staying out of trouble and being productive, she'd have been happy had I turned out to be an award-winning trash collector," jokes Elliott.

It's no surprise that family and friends are the most important things in his life. Elliott makes his way back to Richmond as often as possible and when he does, he tries to make time for all of the special people in his life. He doesn't have a favorite Richmond 'spot', per se.

"My time has become really scarce so learning how to manage time with people and the ones I love has become a task. It's a matter of dividing my time up between different family members." His family lives all over the area. "So, it's really just a matter of catching up with the people I want to catch up with. How when and where, you know?"

Elliott will perform this Saturday, May 23 at Innsbrook Pavilion. This is one of few North American tour dates Elliott will hit before heading off to Japan for a 3-week tour to support his latest musical endeavor, Fight for Love (out May 5).

Apparently, Elliott has a huge following in Japan, and it seems to be a two-way love affair. "I've fallen in love with Japan, the culture and the people," says an enthusiastic Elliott. "I'm looking forward to getting back over there again."

When asked why he thinks his fan-base is so huge over there, Elliott suggested it's because of their love for soulful, R&B style music.

"They seem to really love people that sing from the heart. They love ballads - heartfelt songs -and really connect with those the easiest. I guess that's part of the reason why I do so well over there. Music can always be the soundtrack to our lives."

Elliott is no stranger to a love song. "Wait for You" and "One Word" – two hits from his previous release – cut to the quick of any love-struck soul. Songs like "Fight for Love" and "Let Love Be" speak to the romantic in all of us, while "Know Better" and "Apart From Me" are perfect for anyone who's been wronged by love.

I told Elliott "Know Better" - from the new album - was a favorite of mine (you can hear it on his MySpace page here) and that my co-workers must be a getting a kick (ha) out of hearing me sing in the office.

"I kinda hope you get in trouble for singing that song out loud, that's a good sign."

This will be Yamin's fifth time in Japan in that last year and a half.

"It's the strangest thing," says Elliott. "It's a great market for us. We're certified Gold over there with my first album. Our first tour was really successful; we sold out everywhere we played."

"It's just an amazing place. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be selling records and playing shows in Japan halfway around the world. It's my favorite place in the world."

"Fight for Love" is the first American single from the album of the same name. "You Say" is the first single in Japan.

"On Saturday, we shot the video for 'Fight for Love' and then on Sunday we shot the video for 'You Say' so it was two days straight of shooting."

The L.A. Theater was the setting for "Fight for Love" – which was directed by Nick Spanos.

"This time around we had a little more budget to play with," said Elliott. "Just like my [latest] album and my music, I think the video was a little better than the last two that I shot [laughing]. I like it [the video], I love the storyline and I think the L.A. Theater is really beautiful."

Collaborations are one of the most exciting parts about the music business for Elliott. When I asked who'd been the most influential thus far in his budding career, Elliott replied without hesitation.

"For me it's been Steve Russell."

Russell is the lead singer of the old R&B group, Troop, and lately has written some of the hottest songs on the radio: he wrote "No Air" for Jordan Sparks and "Forever" for Chris Brown.

"He and I wrote a couple songs together that I preformed on the record [Fight for Love]," says Elliott. "One of my favorite new songs on the album is called "Know Better" – he wrote that."

Russell's experience in the music business and the recording studio have helped Elliott grow as an artist.

"When we get together and write he just really brings out a side of me that I never knew I had as far as songwriting goes," relates and enthusiastic Elliott. "He's really kinda taught me how to use my voice in the studio a lot better than I really knew was possible. It's people like those that you need around you in this biz to constantly help you evolve."

As far as his future in music goes, Elliott would love to eventually have a recording studio in his home. As a recording artist, I suppose having one of those is similar to an artist with his sketchpad.

"It would be nice to have a simple studio or music room where I can lay down ideas whenever I have them, when I'm home."

Elliott gets excited about doing more collaborations in the future.

"I'd like to write with other artists and write songs for other artists," says Elliott. "I can see myself maybe doing some pieces on a hip-hop song or a duet with somebody like Colbie Callait."

If you can make it to the show, be sure to take note of Elliott's new 'do. He recently went off all by his lonesome and got a pretty nifty haircut.

"I've been getting such funny responses to my hair," says Elliott, mid-laugh. "I wanted to do something diff than just have the curly Jew-fro going ... There was a whole really entertaining story on EW.com dedicated just to my mullet."

The term 'mullet' might be a little harsh (Personally, I think the cut rocks).

"It's a total modified mullet, kind of new-age. You see a lot of people rockin' them here and there. I'm not mad at it at all. I just think it's funny."

As someone who's opened his life up to the spotlight, the attention is just something that comes with the territory.

"I don't get caught up in it, it doesn't consume me. Those will never be the things that worry me with this business. If you can take the good you have to be able to take the bad." (Cue the 'Facts of Life' theme song ... anyone?)

Wise words from an up-and-coming star who believes in being kind and coined the term 'good person-ness.' It may sound a little funny but it makes sense.

"It's not rocket science. I believe in just being a good person and treating people with respect. It's really that simple, it's that easy."

Click here for details on his Innsbrook show. Visit Elliott's MySpace page and Official Website.