Peeps. This one is too close to call. Adam and Kris are in a dead heat on Dial Idol right now. Both performed at the top of their games tonight, despite being forced to perform the sh*teous dreck that is “No Boundaries” this season’s winner’s song. Kara should be ashamed…
Well, at least the producers pick didn’t suck as usual. Congrats to Simon Fuller for picking good songs for both the contestants tonight.
- Adam Lambert – “Mad World” by Tears for Fears – VIDEO
- Kris Allen – “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers – VIDEO
- Adam Lambert – “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke – VIDEO
- Kris Allen – “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye – VIDEO
- Adam Lambert - “No Boundaries” – VIDEO
- Kris Allen – “No Boundaries” – VIDEO
- Carrie Underwood – “Home Sweet Home” – VIDEO
Video clips of Adam and Kris’s journey begin the show…
The Nokia theater is packed!  Says Ryan, “The acoustic rocker vs the glam rocker, Conway vs California, The guy next door vs the guy liner…it comes down to Kris and Adam… ”
Ryan says to set our DVRs appropriately for tomorrows big BIG finale!
Video package features interviews with the parents.
Adam Lambert – Personal Choice – “Mad World” by Tears for Fears - Adam’s in shadow as he slowly walks down from the top of the stairs. He’s very dramatic in his long black trench coat, with a silvery shirt underneath. Just as beautiful as the first time he sang it, but it’s not the same “moment.” Randy says, “This is it…I love that you’re showing your sensitive side…I’m going to give you an A plus.” Kara says, “I am so happy you chose that…but you are an incredible artist, you rocked it again tonight.” “I’m unbelievably proud…long journey…bask in it…more subdued this time…haunting.” Simon says, “For some reason…it was a little bit over-theatrical, it reminded me a little of Phantom of the Opera, maybe it’s the coat.” 1-866-436-5701 – 1-866-436-5703 -1-866-436-5705
Kris Allen – Personal Choice – “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers – Kris’s parents are so cute! Sitting at the piano tonight, Kris is kicking it. He’s in the zone, literally–in hyperspace–totally connected to the emotion of the song. The arrangement, phrasing, interpretation…just AWESOME. Randy says, “What I love, I can tell what kind of artist you are…dude you saved some of the best last…one of your best ever.” Kara says, “If you can’t feel a Kris Allen performance, there’s something wrong with you…create an intimate bond with everyone in the audience.” Paula says, “You awaken the spirit in all of us.” She uses the term “Allenize” Simon says, “I wasn’t sure if America had made the right choice last week, I absolutely take that all back after that performance.” 1-866-436-5702 – 1-866-436-5704 – 1-866-436-5706
Simon calls the round for Kris Allen. I have to agree with him.
Adam Lambert – Simon Fuller’s Choice – “A Change is Gonna Come” by Patti LaBelle, Sam Cooke – Dressed in a sharp gray suit, forget the You Tube version, Adam’s interpretation is soulful and bluesy rather than over the top. Good stuff. He’s building, hitting the money note now! I’m feeling this, peeps. Understated without sacrificing the big notes. Pitch perfect. Randy says, “You can sing your face off that was unbelievable.” Kara says,  “That may have been best performance and interpretation since the beginning of the competition…a great combination of high notes and emotion…using both sided of yourself.”  Paula says, “That was the best I ever heard you sing….ever ever ever…you look like a superstar….you are going to be iconic.” Simon says, “You are 100% back in the game. Congratulations.”
Kris Allen – Simon Fuller’s Choice – “What’s Goin’ On” by Marvin Gaye – Kris plays guitar this round, with percussion guys accompanying him on stage. Wow. The guitars and instruments drop out for part of the song, allowing Kris to show off his beautiful phrasing–another great arrangement from Kris. Simple, soulful and heartfelt. He’s in this to win. Randy says, “We got a real live competition going here, but it’s a little bit light for this big ole room.” Kara says, “You’ve been true to yourself…you haven’t wavered….you can deliver that message…make them think, feel, change.” Paula says,, “You tore that song up and made Marvin Gaye proud.” Simon says, “I love the song, but it was like 3 friends in a bedroom strumming along to Marvin Gaye…you didn’t grab the song and make it your own. Too laid back for this competition.”
Simon calls the second round a “1 million percent for Adam. I’d give Adam the edge, but not by that much.
Back from break…the Top 13 surround Ryan…
Adam Lambert – Winner’s Song – “No Boundaries” - Sample Lyric: “Every moment lasts forever.” No rainbows or pots of gold yet… “Here I am still holding on.” But there are mountains to climb! DING! This song is a piece o crap. “You can go higher, you can go deeper.” “Make it through the pain.” “There are no boundaries.” Kara should be mortified. This was the best she could do? Adam hit a few bum notes there, but otherwise, he did a decent job, with little to work with. Randy says, “You can sing anything, you can sing the phone book…but that wasn’t my favorite Adam performance….a little pitchy in spots.” Kara says, “It is amazing…I’m moved and proud…thank you.” Adam thanks her for the song. Paula says, “Adjectives can’t express what you’ve brought to Season 8…I will be a fan forever.” Simon makes fun of the lyrics before he says, “Over the entire season you’ve been the best most original contestant….you hope you can find a worldwide star….I genuinely believe we’ve found this with you.” Hm. Simon avoids critiquing the song.
Kris Allen – Winner’s Song – “No Boundaries” – Poor Kris is totally out of his element here. Kris’s strength is the way he connects to a song, and he ain’t connecting here. He’s struggling on the high notes–the song is out of his range both lyrically and musically. He’s really trying though. Really he is. Randy says, “You should be very proud…that key was a little high…you are an amazing competitor…” Randy thought it fit Kris better than Adam. Kara says, “I don’t want you to be judged on that song…you’ve been incredible to watch week after week…I hope people vote on the season.” Paula says, “You should take it in…amazing job…I wish you the best of luck.” Simon says, “I think the first song was your highlight…watching you tonight has been incredible…you’ve come a long way…you have thoroughly deserved to be standing on the stage tonight. Kris gets the “goodbye” critiques from the judges.
I’d give that round to Adam, but neither looked happy or comfortable with the song. Those last critiques had nothing to do with the performance. Adam’s critique had the judges basically crowning him winner, where Kris got a virtual pat on the back and a “thanks for playing…”
Carrie Underwood closes the show with “Home Sweet Home”
Kris is a talented, sweet guy with good looks and charm, who has turned in consistently good and occasionally great and surprising performances. If he wasn’t all of those things, he wouldn’t be in contention, and if he wins, that’s going to be why. People loved him for him and his talent, and that’s why they powervoted for him. I think it’s unfair to him and to his fans to deny that.
That said, Adam is also a talented, sweet guy, also with good looks and charm, with ludicrous vocals and amazing stage presence, who had one of the best runs ever on the show. If he loses, it’s going to be because despite his having everything else that normally brings the Idol audience to the yard, there were nevertheless fewer people who loved him for him and his talent.
And *that* is clearly influenced by homophobia. I don’t mean some movement of rabid bigots who powervoted against him (I don’t buy this), but the steady low-grade kind that expresses itself in things like the stupid banter between Ryan and Simon on the show, in the “too theatrical” and “Broadway” code words, in the jokes about Adam’s (coded-feminine) “shrieking”.
There are always going to be people who don’t like a given performer for all sorts of subjective reasons beyond the technical — tone of voice doesn’t appeal, genre of music, etc. But it is ridiculous to ignore that one big reason people wouldn’t have liked Adam is because the majority of people in this country are still to some extent uncomfortable with gay people and queer behavior and *especially* with femme queer behavior in a guy.
That said — I personally take it as a huge step forward anyway that he got *HERE*. That a flamboyant, sexually charged, openly queer performer wearing eyeliner and nailpolish with endless photos online of him dressed up and kissing boys and Bill O’Reilly culture-warrioring on his back might win this whole thing and at least made it seriously freaking close while competing against a picture-perfect candidate from the South. And judging by the incredible busy signal rate last night and the texting overload, he will have gotten more votes than most previous winners. So you know, that is a whole lot of yay from a social viewpoint even if he loses.
And if it is close enough, we can just blame Vote For The Worst. *g*
If there weren’t that consensus it would not have been such an issue. The sentiment is out there and ITA with your comment…..and it’s sad, very sad, especially in a country that prides itself so.
In your opinion perhaps. I found it very exciting. Adam drew me back to AI after 6 years. I hadn’t watched since AI2. Different strokes I guess.
Re: astolat post at May 20th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Really terrific post. Standing “O”, here!
“”"donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t tell me no kids adore adam and voted for him like crazy..if youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢re reading the on-scene reports of EW, youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll know there are 8 yr olds too who likes adam, and puhleease donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t tell me that they like him because of his
talent only and not because of his looksà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦..this is completely outrageous!”"”"
This exactly, my 11 year old girl thinks Adam is so cute and sings so good, my 12 year old boy says he has the best voice, he was disapointed when Adam sang mad world because there were no “glory” notes but then he sang his second song and Dallas said, ok, THERE is Adam, he wondered if some girl in the audience was Adams girlfriend, they dont know of gay or straight, black or white, Christian or jewish, they just know what they like to hear and see on there and if they could get the phone from me they would be voting for him. NOW this tween thing peeps are talking about, seriously do you think that my 15 or 18 year old takes the time or wastes their precious texts on dorky American Idol, NO WAY jose. (
Astolat – well said
“”that and his screaming ainà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t gonnaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ sell shità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦”"
Well, you are right there, IF what he was doing was actually “screaming”- there is a term for it – a rock wail is closer to the correct term (does anyone know the correct term?) but this is the tecnique he uses – passaggio –
http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Rec/rec.music.opera/2008-05/msg03492.html
Adam is able to use this technique to reach the notes he does so his voice is not damaged and the notes come out flawlessly
Sorry, whiling away the time till tonight, not getting much done, here is a cool explanation, explains Adams “tongue” thing:
http://www.voiceteacher.com/passaggio.html
If a singer can achieve a free jaw and “NG” against the hard palate (tongue root wide) with the back wall of the pharynx open, they can sustain this most difficult range. It is important to remember that Garcia’s concept of “one vowel” is actually the open pharynx; or the deep and open vowel sounds which are created beyond the back of the tongue. This is not to be confused with depressing the larynx with the root of the tongue. That is injurious to good singing. Without the open pyarynx, a singer will become vocally fatigued over a short period of time. The open pharyngeal throat space is the absolute “shock absorber” for the vocal cords.
This is why is tongue is out like that?
Sadly, I believe this is true. Between Danny’s pastor’s Twitter and Bill O’Reilly, the Kris push was set up. Kris is not responsible for this and neither is Adam.
I reviewed the performances again today, and the main weakness for both Adam and Kris is the third song. Kara must have been embarrassed that neither one pulled it off. That is really sad when thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s so much at stake.
Looking back at the previous seasons’ Finals, Kris would not have made it to the Top 2 for any other season. He is talented and such an adorable guy, but looking at the winners and runner-ups of the past, he just wouldn’t have been in their finals.
I do believe Kris does have an excellent chance of winning; however, feel Adam was more deserving when considering the entire season.