Constantine Maroulis says he's been staying clean for more than a year.
'I've been actually clean and sober now over 20 months, no drinks, no flower, nothing and just kinda working on myself a lot,' the 45-year-old singer told OK! on Thursday.
The American Idol alum said that he made a conscious decision to change his habits more than two years ago, adding that the lockdown during COVID-19 'could have been ugly' for him if he hadn't previously changed his ways.
The latest: Constantine Maroulis, 45, says he's been staying clean for more than a year as he made a conscious decision to change his habits more than two years ago. He was snapped in NYC in 2019
'It started off like, "I'm just gonna put this pen down, the vape, the drinks and just chill,"' the told the publication. 'And then it was a few months, and then it was six months, then it was a year, then it was now almost two years.'
The New Jersey native said he also cut down on his nightlife prior to, which elicited responses from his friends.
'People around me like, "You’re not a big drinker," and I said … "I'm concerned because I'm not someone that normally does that,"' the Rock of Ages star said. 'And now at my age, I' like, "Why am I doing that?"'
The Tony Award-nominated artist said he was glad he didn't have substance abuse issues amid the worst time of the pandemic, noting when his 'dear friend' Nick Cordero 'was dying in a coma during the shutdown' prior to his passing at 41 last July.
The American Idol alum, snapped in New Jersey last month, said the lockdown during COVID-19 'could have been ugly' for him if he hadn't previously changed his ways
Details: Maroulis said his sobriety came amid a time when a lull in his career was 'having a really negative effect' on his psyche
'When the sky was falling, it could have been' bad, Maroulis said, adding, 'Sitting around in my robe all day, hitting the vape or something like that - that’s not sexy in your 40s.'
Maroulis said his sobriety came amid a time when a lull in his career was 'having a really negative effect' on his psyche.
The performer spoke with the publication in promotion of his new WABC radio show Constantine Maroulis Cuz Saturday Night Rocks.
He said that amid 'a crazy couple of years,' it's 'certainly it's nice to start to get back to work.'