What to say about this week's "American Idol" results?
Hmmm...
Well, I guess the first think that must be said is "Gee, I hope the 'American Idol' Songwriting Contest yielded at least one entry that includes beatboxing."
And the second thing that everybody'll be saying is "Oh, it's totally better that she didn't win, because now she can make the album she wants to... blah... blah... blah."
It's what we always say when somebody we think is particularly talented goes home on "American Idol." It was the case for Chris Daughtry, so it's got to be true of everybody, eh?
I don't think it's going to be true for Melinda. This year's Top 24 and Top 12 was so middling that it became clear early on that there was no obvious slam-dunk wire-to-wire winner, no Carrie Underwood or Fantasia Barrino. That standard line about how all of the people in the Top 12 will get contracts and sell albums because they all have big fan bases ("Just look at Bucky Covington!") may not be true with this group. Stephanie Edwards had the third best voice in the Top 12, but does anybody really remember her and is anybody clamoring for her album? Does anybody truly believe that LaKisha has a commercial breakthrough in her? Haley Scarnato?
This year's winner may truly need the imprimatur of being an "American Idol Winner" to sell albums. Sure, Melinda could somehow find the right songwriters, the right producers and she could record a good CD. She's got the voice for it. But she had the best voice in the competition and it wasn't enough for her to top Blake Lewis, with his half-octave range and decades-old vocal turntablism, or Jordin, who I don't have any major problems with except that she's not as good as Melinda.
Why did America finally tune out Melinda? Because she seemed too old? Because she seemed too falsely humble? Because America has decided that beatboxing is the new black? Because, as several utter morons (vaguely racist morons at that) claimed on the Zap2it blog, she resembles Shrek? America freakin' loves Shrek!
Anyway, though, that's about all I've got to say on this subject. It was the wrong result, but what can you do? Nothing. Melinda was the most talented person the stage tonight and the second most talented wasn't Jordin or Blake or that guy from Maroon 5. It was Elliott Yamin, whose new teeth and new haircut might have turned things around if he'd had them last year.
Oh well. Back to Upfronts.
Yes us Bucky Covington fans stuck together! He has a great Album by the way(couldn't resist a plug) lol I was disappointed for Melinda. That was a shame. The highlight for me tonight was indeed Elliott.
ReplyDelete...Jordin all the way. She's the total package.
ReplyDeleteYes, Melinda was the strongest "vocally" this year, but I think Jordin is the "Pop Idol" in the making, we're watching it happen right now.
It was the weakest American Idol season of all time, but I think America pulled it out at the end with the final "six". There's the "Pre-Sanjaya" class and the "Post-Sanjaya" class of American Idol 2007. Simon was right that night he said that the competition was properly starting the week after Sanjaya was eliminated.
Blake has actually been really entertaining for me over the past three weeks, ever since "Bon Jovi" week. Before that, he was flying under the radar. Love it or hate it, I think his "Beatboxing" and vocal sound effects pushed him ahead of the other guys who really didn't offer anything "spectacular". Blake got my attention after that.
I'm looking forward to the final, it's going to be entertaining for me.
Yep just look at Bucky Covington, over 100,000 albums sold in just 3 weeks. The number one selling album for male debut in country in 15 years. Love the album and if you havent taken time for a listen, you should. It is a awesome.
ReplyDeleteMelinda has a great voice, but I don't think she would have sold well even if she had won. And I think that's why she ultimately went home: people aren't buying what she's selling.
ReplyDeleteBlake doesn't have the greatest voice, but at least he has commercial appeal and I can see him actually selling albums. And after Taylor Hicks, I think that's the best anyone can hope for from the winner.
Melinda went home because she was pulling from the same fanbase as Jordin, and Jordin just pulled stronger. Jordin will blow Blake out of the water because folks who voted for Melinda last week will naturally gravitate to Jordin.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'm still rooting for Yao-Man.
Eliot Yamin was on? Damn, I would have watched had I known. However, I was too busy watching One Tree Hill. I hope you are still going to cover this week's episode for zap2it, Daniel, because that was the most hilariously awesome episode of the season. Maybe even the series. I'm not kidding -- It was amazing.
ReplyDeleteNo OTH recap this week, Carrie. I was just too flippin' tired by the time it came around. It was, indeed, a fine episode and I'd have loved to make fun of Sean Young's mere presence, but it was not to be. Once sweeps is over and everything else I recap is done, I'll probably recap the last couple OTHs of the season, just for the hate mail...
ReplyDeleteAre you looking forward to the flash-forward?
Dan
I just realized that I forgot to mention Sean Young in my blog post about last night's episode. I'm an idiot!
ReplyDeleteI think knowing about the flash forward is problematic, because nothing that happens for the rest of the season really means anything now. Who cares if Nathan loses his scholarship? We won't see him at Duke anyway, etc. But otherwise I am indifferent. They are so far removed from high school students that I don't think it will be that much different than what we see now. I am totally curious to see how they pull of having all of these characters still in each other's lives. I hope they go totally over the top, and embrace the stupidity of the idea. The funny thing is, are they really going to give Nathan and Haley a four year old kid? A baby you can explain away by having them take naps and the like, but a four year old is more problematic.
I don't know why I am trying to analyze this show with Earth logic, because I'm sure it won't make sense no matter what they do.
Bucky Covington rocks!! Not sure if you were dissin' him there or holding him up as a good example. Anyway, he's doing great, and he's the first to say that being on American Idol is what got him noticed.
ReplyDeleteSo, I think Melinda will probably find some employment somewhere. Personally, I don't go for Blake, but he's got spirit! Between Jordin and Melindaa - definitely Jordin!!! It's not just about singing - gotta have the personality and looks, too.