Constantine Maroulis

He didn’t win American Idol, but Constantine Maroulis’s career is going strong. The 29-year-old rocker from Brooklyn, N.Y., is heading out on the road with Carrie Underwood, Bo Bice and the rest of the top 10 Idol finalists on the American Idols Live! Tour 2005, which kicks off July 12 in Sunrise, Fla. And the 2002 Boston Conservatory grad – who’s still based in New York City – also has plans for a solo album and, hopefully, his own TV show. Maroulis talked to PEOPLE about kicking out the jams, ignoring the “haters” and wanting to be a dad.

How are tour rehearsals going?
They’re going really well. We have a great show in store for everyone. We’re really stoked.

What can people expect?
Big group numbers, lots of solo time, a great band and a big light show. It’s gonna be hot. I’m going to be doing three songs I did from the show and one of them is “Bohemian Rhapsody,” so I’m really excited about that.

Are you planning any duets?
You never know. I got another rock-and-roller in my crew here that might have to come out and jam with me a little bit on one song in particular. If Bo and I had it our way we’d be out there doing different tunes every single night. You know, just rippin’ it up with the guitars and everything.

What it was like for you when you got voted off Idol?
I felt like I was going along pretty well on the show. That just goes to show you that’s the name of the game. You can go from first to last in an instant. I felt that I was in a comfortable situation, but I always prepared myself, week after week, to go home. The fact that I even got that far – some long-haired kid from New York no one even knew at all before. All of a sudden we’re the chatter around the water cooler in the morning. It’s pretty cool. I got no complaints.

How’s life post-Idol?
I’ve been very busy and very grateful. I got really lucky. I sort of hit the jackpot here with the opportunities. Everyone’s talking to me about doing my own album. We’re trying to figure out the right place to make that happen – it would go down after the tour sometime. Look for that in the late fall. And I’m on the Killer Queen record, which is a tribute to Queen with a bunch of rock stars on it – Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age, Sum 41, Joss Stone, Gavin DeGraw. I did “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It’s going to be out in August.

What else is happening?

I’m also an actor. So we’ve been talking to people about a lot of different film and television opportunities. We’re psyched about this one television show in particular that hopefully will work out. It would revolve around me as the central character. It would be like a Party of Five kind of School of Rock thing. It’s sort of a family show, drama, something you can sit down with the family and watch.

And are you still with your band, Pray for the Soul of Betty?
The great thing about Pray for the Soul of Betty is it’s something that’ll always be with me. It’s something that I can just get up there, grab the mic and rock out. We’re looking forward to doing some shows together in the fall. You have to capitalize on this moment.

You experienced some backlash from your band members about going on Idol.
They weren’t entirely psyched, but I think they slowly realized what a great opportunity it was for me and for them. It put us out there.

And others questioned your credibility as a rocker.
I think any time you’re a part of a huge phenomenon like American Idol, there’s going to be haters. There’s going to be people in the rock community like, “Oh, he’s not real rock because he’s on the show.” I can’t spend my time dwelling on that. It’s not like I haven’t been busting my ass for over a decade trying to get by in this business. And I auditioned on a whim – an ex-girlfriend literally dragged me there, and I can’t thank her enough now.

Are you single now?
I am single. I’m meeting a lot of great girls, but it’s tough. I’m very focused on the tour and the work at hand and definitely the future. There will be plenty of time for that when the time is right. I look forward to meeting someone and settling down and stuff – I’m not getting any younger, certainly.

Do you see marriage in your future?
Oh, absolutely. Children, I love that.