Spoilers:
- Adam Lambert – “A Change is Gonna Come” (Like Patti LaBelle), “Mad World” and “No Boundaries
- Kris Allen – “What’s Goin’ On” by Marvin Gaye , “Ain’t No Sunshine” , “No Boundaries” via joesplace
5th Update: Paula Abdul tweets that she’s on her way to full dress rehearsal at the Nokia…so maybe we’ll be getting spoilers after all…
4th Update: Kris Allen will perform “Ain’t No Sunshine” tonight as his personal pick. That’s according to our Kris spoiler, littlestd. Plus, according to joesplace, dress rehearsal has already started. They only let in about 100 people…
3rd Update: According to Reuters, the Kara DioGuardi penned winner’s song, “No Boundaries” will get it’s first airing on AOL’s Popeater, moments after the winner is announced… The song was co-written with Cathy Dennis and Mitch Allen
2nd Update: According to ET Online, Steve Martin will be breaking out his banjo to perform a tune from his album of banjo music.  No, I’m not kidding.
UPDATE: The FOX 5 song spoilers I posted may be wrong. I’m hearing that as of Sunday night, “Falling Slowly” and “Heartless” were not songs Kris Allen was rehearsing. My source is good.
Adam Lambert and Kris Allen are set to take the Nokia Theater stage tonight to sing 3 songs–Simon Fuller’s choice, Favorite song of the Season and the Coronationv Song. Plus, Carrie Underwood will take the stage to perform the Idol Boot song, “Home Sweet Home”. Kris chose to perform second tonight, after he won a coin toss after last week’s results show. Adam will perform first.
Wednesday night is the big finale, with a host of celebrities set to perform. The Top 13 will be reunited to perform once more, individually and in groups. At night’s end, the Season 8 American Idol will be crowned.
In the meantime, I got all the news and rumors in one place, just for you!
This Just In:
- The coronation song is called “No Boundaries” and was co-written by judge Kara DioGuardi. via FOX news
- The rumors are false. Britney Spears WILL NOT be appearing on the finale. via twitter
- Adam Lambert is set to sing “Mad World” as his personal choice tonight. Reports are that he’ll be performing it with “a twist”
- Kris Allen will be performing either “Heartless” or “Falling Slowly” as his personal choice–”Falling Slowly” is likely. via FOX5
- Santana’s “Smooth” and Pink’s “So What” will be performed by the kids on the finale. via twitter
- Fox TV reporter says Adam Lambert will perform with a “sweet” rock group on the finale. via twitter
What we Know:
- Finale performers confirmed: Cyndi Lauper, Queen Latifah, Black Eyed Peas, Lionel Richie, Carlos Santana, David Cook, and Keith Urban
- Finale Duets: Kris Allen will duet with Keith Urban. Allison Iraheta will duet with Cyndi Lauper. Danny Gokey will duet with Lionel Richie. Santana will perform with the Top 13
- Jason Mraz will appear on the finale. via his website
- David Cook will perform “Permanent” in honor of his late brother Adam, with proceeds of the iTunes performance going to charity. via Our Lady Peace myspace.
Rumors
- Finale performers rumored: David Bowie (I’m starting to doubt this one) and KISS. via Bravewords
Kris is so good too! Not like Adam but still really really good!
I much preferred THIS version of Mad World over Adam’s original performance. Although, both were truly amazing.
THIS!
Okay, what are Adam & Kris trying to do to me? I freakin LOVED both of their first performances tonight. GAH! I may just refrain from voting and let the chips fall where they may.
Oh and the Steve Martin/banjo reference. Can I have a big ‘ol WTF moment over here? Are we talking “All of Me”/”The Jerk”/”The Three Amigos”/”Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”/”Pink Panther” Steve Martin, or someone else I’ve never heard of?!
Yo Yo Yo RAndy, please let Adam dress you tomorrow.
Adam vs. Kris, first song? Tie for me.
Change is Gonna Come – GAHHH I had chills and am crying.
GO ADAM!!!
Adam…UH MAAAAA ZIIIING!
Still have goosebumps….
THIS. Amazing performance!
I understand that the judges want this to seem like a real competition but Adam is so much better than Kris. I love Kris too but Adam is the real deal. No one will remember Kris in a few years…sorry
Kris was waaay too light on What’s Going On. Good, but needed to step it up IMO.
Ummm…who said that song wasn’t gonna be cheesy?
Adam didn’t get to rock out at all tonight…
Late to the party…
I love Adam’s version of “Mad World” and I liked this version even better than the first time. I thought the smoke and trench coat were over the top theatrical, I agreed with Simon, but that was mad entertaining.
Kris’s “Ain’t No Sunshine” was beautiful, elegant, no artiface – just pure, essential music. I loved it.
Adam’s “Change Is Gonna Come” was absolutely beautiful. I totally agree that it’s his best performance ever on the show. Where’d that soul come from? I don’t like the screechy top note, but I never will and really mostly it was beautiful.
Kris’s version of “What’s Going On” was guh – gorgeous. Understated, heartfelt. I like it subtle and soulful. It’s right in my strike zone, but it’s definitely not as “big” a performance as Adam’s and Simon probably has a point about that.
Adam’s voice singing “No Boundaries” is very reminiscent of Meatloaf. He sounds tight… I don’t think he’s into it. I guess I wouldn’t be either. It’s probably the song. Meh.
Kris – Singing “No Boundaries” – missed a word – he looks tight and not having fun with it either. I do prefer the the tone of his voice, but this song – meh.
Well, lol, I’m not clairvoyant but I’m digging Kris more than Adam right now.
Hate to even utter it…but I’d be willing to wager a good amount, that the “Kara” song was written with Gokey in mind. And even if it wasn’t…its a sucky song. What else has she written anyway? (Just so I can be assured she has done at least something decent.)
I thought they both did great with the exception of Rnd #3…and only because they had nothing to work with.
“Change Going to Come” was awesome….but I guess Adam will be doing all his kick ass rockin’ tomorrow night. And Kris is adorkable.
All in all…I feel a bit anti-climatic. Hope tomorrow lives up to the hype.
I give the night to Kris. I liked Kris’ first two performances. I thought Adam’s first performance was boring and the fog was ridiculous. I absolutely hated his version of A Change is Gonna Come. It was just an overwrought shrieky mess. And the coronation song was just crappy for the both of them. I think if the key had been lowered for Kris it would’ve been an all right performance. I couldn’t even understand what Adam was singing when he was performing it. Tonight proved to me that of the two I can only imagine Kris being a recording artist.
You have to remember that Patti Labelle is a 65 year old woman. I’d love to hear any other 65 year old woman singing like THAT! Anyway, Adam did his own thing, not a copy. Bravo.
Round 1:
Adam Lambert’s reprise of Mad World was exquisite. Beautiful, emotional, building and falling. Shading and light.
Kris Allen’s reprise of Sunshine was fantastic! Even better than the first time. Amazing vocal, amazing musicianship, perfect phrasing. Home Run!
Round 2:
Adam Lambert was handed one of the most iconic of all R&B ballads in the history the genre. Simon Fuller was spot on with this pick. And Adam delivered. I felt beforehand that he didn’t need to copy any other singer’s arrangement, and he didn’t! While he channeled a tad bit of Ms. Labelle’s chord modulations and stratospheric vocals, he really did his own bluesy thaang. A song for all ages. A performance for the ages.
Kris Allen was handed a real stinker of a song for an AI Finale performance. I agree with Randy and Simon. That’s too bad because he had absolutely slayed the first number and was on a roll. Marvin Gaye is an icon largely because of the circumstances surrounding his early-life death (murder). His songs, song-writing and vocals, to me, pale in comparison with the great Sam Cooke’s, and so there was nevah, evah gonna be a moment with a Marvin Gaye song. Pity.
Round 3:
A hot mess for BOTH; however, I agree with Randy that the Kara-penned number suited Kris better than it did Adam. And Adam was off-pitch for the FIRST time ever this year. Actually, I hated his performance, and merely disliked Kris’. The song pretty much sucked on many levels. And it’s a real beyotch to sing for sure.
Winner?
America decides! But Kris has my heart, my ear and my vote.
Rod Stewart is performing tomorrow night! I wonder with who?
KRIS IS THE WINNER BY A LANDSLIDE..
..I KNOW SIMON A WANTS A WORLD ARTIST(could he beg :thumbdown_tb:anymore after not critiquing Adams 3rd song?)….get up off your knees Simon… :ponder_tb:
..BUT WE WANT A WORLD SINGER!!!!!THAT’S KRIS!!! :clap_tb:
Honestly Adam hands down won this night. i really think he proved that when he sang the same song Kris sang. There was no comparison. It amazes me that people did not see that. We are talking a different leaguedhere. kris is nice and will make an album, but he is no match for Adam. If Adam does not win the title then something is seriously wrong here. people vote for the talent. Don’t deny it. He deserves this. he is an American idol. Actually he is and will be one of the “Superstars’ of my lifetime. And i am so darn proud i got to watch him become a star..
Fair enough, as I have not listened to Kris’s pre-Idol songs yet. However, I have listened to hundreds of Mraz’s and seen him live in concert four times, based on which I say he’s got a very, very strong voice.
It sounds like the producers are trying to send a messageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦ These are both VERY socially conscious political songs.
On our local news channel here in California one of the reporters was at the Nokia theater and she said there is a rumor there that Michael Jackson might show up at the finale.
Anyone else hear this rumor? She said it was circulating around……not sure if her so called sources are reliable.