UPDATE: Glen Rock Teen Taking Down Competition On American Idol

UPDATE, Jan. 5, 6 a.m.: Well, Alex Ryan certainly is a prolific video-blogger. Two new clips went live on the 18-year-old's YouTube channel after midnight late this morning.

In one 5 minute clip, Ryan performs an original song in what appears to be Glen Rock High School. The song, "Jane," is a lilting, bare-bones, Ben Folds-inspired love song. 

The other video is a short confessional in which Ryan petitions his fans to request cover songs for him to perform on the YouTube channel, then talks about his t-shirt.

"I feel like I should explain my shirt because I'm wearing a shirt that says, 'We're all going to get naked and play twister on my mom's waterbed,'" Ryan says in the video.

Please do explain, Alex. 

Apparently, the quote is from the 1980 musical "Fame," explains Ryan, which he says his school performed 2 years ago.

"I'm wearing it backwards actually," Ryan says. "The front of it says my town name which I don't really want to broadcast to YouTube." 

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Published Jan. 4:

The winner of American Idol 2011 could be... Glen Rock's own Alex Ryan.

The talented Glen Rock High School senior could rocket into the national spotlight if Idol host Ryan Seacrest makes that pronouncement later this year on the hit Fox TV series.

Ryan, an 18-year-old with a flair for writing and producing dramatic electronic music, has advanced to the top 40 of the elimination series, which premieres on Jan. 19 on Fox.

Although Ryan could not be reached for comment, his YouTube channel reveals a little about his expectations for 2011.

"My New Year's resolution this year would be to do something kind of creative and fun and a cool way to promote my music," Ryan says in the video.

Winning American Idol would certainly be a 'cool' way to promote his talents. Season 4 champ Carrie Underwood has gone on to sell more than 12 million records.

On his MySpace profile Ryan lists diverse influences like Nine Inch Nails, Crystal Castles, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Death Cab for Cutie and Lady Gaga.

The influences are apparent on the only sample of Ryan's music to be found online: This 1:51 intro track, purportedly from an upcoming album "The Wolf Who Cried Boy," is packed with panning synths, dark electronic tones and concludes with driving percussive jags. 

In the following weeks the show's judges, who now include Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez, will whittle down the remaining contestants in advance of the show's Jan. 19 premiere.

Keep checking Glen Rock Patch for the latest on Alex Ryan.