American Idol -- Final 4

Taylor won because he was fun. Sure it may have been fake, but I smiled when he performed. Elliot, however talented he was (and he was better than Taylor and McPhee, but not by that much), did not have that same charm.

IMO, this year, none of the final 3 had that "wow" factor in their personality. However, Melinda was just head and shoulders (but no neck) above the rest.

 

This is bullshit. American had no problems voting off Phil, Chris Sligh, Haley, etc.

If Blake had not been in this competition, you mean to tell me that one of the above would have made it to the finals over Melinda or LaKisha? Bull shit.

 

I believe Simon himself a few years back said it's not American Singer, it's American Idol. So singing isn't enough -- you have to get a passionate fan base among the teens most likely to text and vote.

Melinda is a great singer, but she's going to be playing to crowds old enough to drink. Then again, Jordan won't sing anything recorded since she was born, so maybe she will, too. But Jordin is a peer to voters, and Melinda (at 29) is not. I read somewhere the OLDEST woman to make the final was Katherine McPhee, at the over-the-hill mark of 22.

Blake, I figured, was a shoo-in for the final because he's got sex appeal, he has a good, pop voice, and love or hate his beatboxing, he's always memorable. Once Jordin was told she was in, I was less shocked Melinda was out.

 

I'm not surprised at all... I also won't be surprised at all when Melinda's debut tanks and she winds up on Broadway a la Diana DeGarmo and Fantasia. She's immensely talented and she'll do very well, but she's not a pop star.

 

Mrs. Editude is a huge Idol fan, and while Melinda clearly was the best singer this year (and one of the purest singers the show has ever had), she couldn't say she would buy anything Melinda would put out. Daughtry has the ham-rock niche, Underwood has country-pop, Clarkson has muscular teen-pop, even Aiken has crooner-training chops. That's what sells in the current market, not just being "a good singer." And the first albums often are a reflection of the speed in getting them out than the artist's voice. Hicks and (especially) Yamin will have much more personal approaches next time.

 

I would buy a Melinda CD, can't say the same about the other two. But that's just me.

 

Agree. I just don't buy the America's-not-ready thing. And there's nothing in the facts that suggests there's anything to it. I think sometimes people stretch to explain things they don't like.

 

Couple things. I was really impressed with Elliott; last year I didn't like looking at him while he performed because he looked goofy. Now he is lookin' good! I love that song. Paula was a babbling mess.

Here's the DC Sports Bog's comparison of Idols to NBA teams:

"Blake is the Warriors; you never know exactly what he's going to do or why, often it'll make you cringe, but you're still curious. Jordin is the Cavs, or LeBron anyhow: so good, so young, such a lack of self-awareness, but so much potential. I'm not a huge fan of either Jordin or LeBron, but you can't help but wonder just how far their crazy talent will take them. And Melinda was the Spurs: perfect yet again, what's going on on VH1?"

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2007/05/melinda_doolittle_is_the_spurs.html

 

I hated the Yamin song. Oh, he can sing. But that was an endless, hookless song that had just about every relationship cliche I could think of.

 

What is an Idol? After this year's competition, I don't know what one is.

 

Stop hating on Jordin! She's hot!