First, shoutout to My Daughter Cassandra (MDC) for her college graduation that I was busy attending, which was why I was not busy attending the Idol Finale. It’s a rather ironic circumstance that I neglected the first rule of test-taking taught by professors everywhere: when in doubt, stick with your first guess.
Which is why I regret my last-minute switch from Iam to Colin as to who I thought would win American Idol. Katy’s awkward proclamation last week that Iam could/would/might be the next American Idol turned out right[1].
But as I explained in my prior blog, my “predictions” are based on who I think America likes, which, I admit, I am often dismissive of. My votes are based on who I think is the most talented, and in that regard, I am actually not all that disappointed in the voters. The three Idolists I thought were the most talented and voted for throughout the season were We´Ani, Iam, and Megan. All three made the Final Five and, of course, Iam and Megan were the last two standing. So, America, you are kind of forgiven for the We´Ani oversight. As Meatloaf famously sang, “Two out of three ain’t bad.”
As to the Finale itself, I have some thoughts, of course. As always, the Finale is an exercise in . . . well, it’s simply an exercise. It is an interminable cacophony of artists new, old, and ancient. That said, their generosity in performing duets with the Idolists is admirable, even if it’s self-serving – everybody is promoting something.
I really liked Megan’s rendition of the Journey classic Faithfully and I say that as a huge Journey/Steve Perry fan. It was a great example of not trying to copy the original (which would be impossible and foolhardy) but rather “making it your own”.
The judges were quite “meh” with their “praise” of Colin’s performance. I’m sure they knew something about prior or current voting results indicating he was most likely to be cut.
One of the pleasant surprises that can arise from the duets is when the Idolist out-sings the star. The first example of this was Megan with Lauren Daigle. I just love the unique tone of Megan’s voice and how she uses it to add color to what she is singing. Her strong faith may direct her to sing Contemporary Christian Music (aka CCM) in which case Lauren might be looking at a future competitor. However, I think Megan could go the Amy Grant route as someone who can sing country and pop, in addition to faith-based music.
And OMGOMGOMGOMG that Bust Your Windows duet with We´Ani and Jazmine Sullivan! OMGOMGOMGOMG! No disrespect to Iam, but seriously, people. We´Ani. Seriously.
If things don’t work out for Marybeth Byrd in music, she should be cast as the lead in a Hallmark movie. Don’t ask me why I would believe that.
I LOVED Haven Madison singing her original song. I have not liked her singing anything other than her songs. She does have a lovely voice and she uses it best on her material.
The duet with Ruben and Clay was an inspirational example for all the Idolists. One won. One lost. They both have had long and fruitful careers as a result of their Idol experience. Although they sang The Impossible Dream, they represented what is possible, maybe not for all of the Idolists but maybe for some.
For me, the real fun begins now at the end of the season. Will Iam succeed, unlike so many other Idol winners? Who will become an immediate star like Gabby Barrett (3rd place, Season 16)? Who will be a late bloomer like Jax (3rd place, Season 14)? Who developed a solid and supportive fanbase like Alejandro (aka Scarypoolparty, 2nd place Season 17)? Who will become part of a successful boy band (Daniel Seavey, 9th place Season 14) or a band that Elton John raves about (Jacob Lusk, 5th place Season 10)?
The business they are entering into is extraordinarily difficult. I look forward to seeing how this class of Idolists fares.
And what will happen with We´Ani?
[1] As if she has more information than me LOL.
Ray's Musings 
Leave a Reply