Lackluster Comebacks

Well that was boring. Maybe it was because I didn’t have any connection to last season’s Idolists because I only watched a couple of episodes and wasn’t impressed. Or maybe because I watched them tonight and as a group they still weren’t very impressive.

While I did give letter grades, I’m not going to take the time to share them. It was more out of habit and tonight they really didn’t matter. My sole critical judge criterion tonight was this: which one – and only one – of these Idolists from last season belong in the Final Ten of this season[1].

And the Winner Is

• Louis Knight – He was saved until the end for the Glory Spot for good reason and the fact that he was given it over last year’s runner-up Arthur Gunn, Jr. said a lot. While I was imagining myself listening to him and his original song on the radio, My Daughter Cassandra (MDC) said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if I heard him on 99.5 (local pop radio station).

I’d Be OK With

• Arthur Gunn, Jr. – He has a very strongly defined style that turns each song[2] “into his own” to use an over-used Idol phrase.

I Wouldn’t Be Upset With

• Aliana Jester – She looked and sounded wonderful singing Lady Gaga I’ll Never Love Again.

That’s it. That’s the list.

Random Musings

There is something wrong with the sound coming off the Idolists’ mics or something is amiss with the mix with the band because it’s really hard to: 1) hear them when they’re singing softly while the band is playing; 2) hear any nuance which is important to conveying emotion. It’s making me crazy.

Harry Connick, Jr.’s performance not only wasn’t very good (along with the aforementioned mic issues), it was weird. Especially on a low energy Old Time Religion when he played a few seconds each on a bunch of random instruments in ways that had no connection to the song. When he told Ryan about his new album saying, “I was alone in my studio”, MDC and I said, “That’s the PROBLEM! You didn’t have anybody telling you it isn’t any good.”

It was hysterical to see Ryan claim Lauren Daigle as “Idol’s own”. Yes, she was an Idolist twice (2010 and 2012[3]) but only lasted until the 40’s on both of her seasons and got no individual TV time. She was, however, part of this horrific trio:

Another ex-Idolist was making bigger news than Idol’s own Lauren Daigle and that was Mickey Guyton who hosted the American Country Music Awards Sunday night alongside Keith Urban. In Season 7 Mickey – or her middle name Mycale that she went by on Idol – did make the judges final 50. However, she was not chosen for the top 24 in the season that was won by David Cook.

I forgot to include this in my Sunday episode blog. Here’s why Season 6’s Melinda Doolittle says we cannot listen to the judges:

I’m confused by the judges. Casey can sing all the songs & keep them guessing. Grace has to choose exactly what she wants to do. Chayce can win by singing the same song. Madison should choose songs everyone knows. Alyssa should not. Ava should be young & old simultaneously.

@mdoolittle Twitter 9:30 p.m. April 18, 2021

I’ll just add this. If the judges want Idolists to show what kind of artist they intend to be, why do they always say it’s risky when the Idolists sing their own original songs? Isn’t that the best way?

Idol is taking a break for the Oscars until Sunday, May 2. But fear ye not! I will not make you wait two weeks for fresh Musings on Idol. Stay tuned. 🙂

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[1] A group that should have included Ava August.

[2] Which includes seeing one performance of his last season.

[3] Seasons won by Lee DeWyze and Phillip Phillips, respectively.