American Idol Finale 5/22

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) -- A Mainer who went to Los Angeles for an American Idol taping says Wednesday's finale will feature a "shocker." Brenda Broder says ousted Idol hopeful Sanjaya Malakar will return with short, platinum hair to sing a duet with Journey's Steve Perry.

 

Here's the deal.

Clarkson has sold more records overall, but by fewer than half a million. And that's because Clarkson has put out more records.

Underwood's freshman album was platinum 6 times. Clarkson's sophomore album was platinum 5 times.

Considering the time they've been out there, the edge certainly goes to Underwood.

Also, word is Clive Davis hates Clarkson's new album.

My feeling is, Jordin Sparks will sell better than Clarkson and Underwood.

 

I hope that's true, for BYH's and Junkie's sake.

 

No way. Sparks doesn't have the chops of Melinda Doolittle, much less Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood (and since when did Clarkson become chopped liver, anyway?) And do take into account, Idol was not the phenomenon it is now when Clarkson won, so she didn't have three years of build behind her win the way Underwood did.

And Chris Sligh was seen a lot in the audience. Shocking to say, but he may just yet have a career. And some predictions for tonight.

--Big buildup to an anticlimax.
--Sanjaya doing something outrageous.
--Haley performing in something skimpy.


(OK, I may merely be projecting on the last one).

 

I like Kelly Clarkson. I'm just stating the facts.

Melinda and Jordin are different kinds of singers. Melinda is more polished, but Jordin is actually better with the "big note."

I post this same thing every year, but here goes.

There's a reason the final showdown of the season isn't great. The contestants are put in a new arena-- The Kodak. They're not used to it, and the acoustics are very different.

Having been in the Kodak a couple of times (and having had the pleasure of watching Carlos Santana rehearse there), I can tell you, the place is like a giant cylinder. It goes UP forever, while the front-to-back of the theater isn't that far. It makes a difference.

Now to my point. Jordin's big voice was still able to fill it up. There was a note on the 'Broken Wing' song... I Tivo'd back several times... there was a note that absolutely filled the entire theater. I didn't hear Fantasia, Carrie Underwood or McPhee do that.

So, to say Jordin doesn't have the chops? Nah, she's got the chops.

Also, to be quite blunt, Jordin is of mixed race. I think she'll appeal to people of all colors, kind of like Mariah Carey does. Plus I think she's got better looks and more charisma than Clarkson and Underwood.

Of course it'll take the right producers and songwriters... so in that regard, it will take some luck, too.

 

Are they going to sing Open Arms while gazing lovingly into eaach other's eyes?

 

Open Arms? Nah. Gotta go with "Oh Sherry."

 

Jordin Sparks is to singing what Rob Deer and Dave Kingman are to hitting. Hint: Consistency is not part of the answer. How soon we forget a certain performance of Living on a Prayer.

 

Dialidol.com has Jordin absolutely walloping Blake, and they claim they've never been wrong in predicting the final winner.

Yawn, I don't think the fact that Jordin is an NFL player's daughter matters one iota in terms of marketability. I'm 30 years old, significantly older than the demo they would market her to, and I had no clue who her dad was and still don't. You think the kids out there who are half my age give a crap?

 

Dialidol.com doesn't take into account text messages, though.

 

I know this is your first year watching the show, right? Clarkson and Underwood had down weeks, too. Particularly Clarkson.

It's amazing how a recording studio and a couple hundred takes can clean up a voice.

 

That theater is a challenge, and Jordin clearly was affected by the setting for the first song. After that, she did rout Blake, who was hurt by that crappy cliche-a-thon of a closing song. Mrs. Editude voted several times for Jordin, who will do fine. Blake will be better off not winning, so he can try to put a group together that lets him be contemporary without the weight of an Idol title.