‘American Idol’: Season 7 Power List, Week 1
1) Kristy Lee Cook
Gorgeous Oregonian’s ”Amazing Grace” was the hands-down highlight of American Idol week 1, but will an Internet backlash about her one-time deal with Arista Nashville cost her come voting season?
2) Colton Swon
Stole his hairstyle from Kajagoogoo and his name from a daytime soap, but his impressive take on Little Big Town’s ”Boondocks” makes him a possible male counterpart to Carrie Underwood
More Idol Headlines After the Jump
An interview with Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson
In this podcast with The Chronicle’s Shelah Moody, Hudson talks about what she did the night she won the Oscar. The singer, who first rose to prominence on the hit TV show “American Idol,” also says she hopes to win a Grammy and talks about her upcoming CD.
Hudson, who performed in San Francisco last week at the Help Raise Healthy Children benefit at the Herbst Theater, also chats about a modeling career and about her upcoming movies, “Sex and the City: The Movie” and “The Secret Life of Bees.”
Rich takes celebrities to country school
We’ve heard it before, the story of seven strangers picked to live in a house and have their lives taped. But this is a different house, in a different city, with very different strangers.
R&B pop singer Bobby Brown, Wilson Phillips’ Carnie Wilson, Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider, American Idol finalist Diana DeGarmo, pop singer Julio Iglesias Jr., singer/actor Maureen McCormick and R&B artist Sisqó make up the cast of Country Music Television’s new reality series Gone Country. Hosted by Big & Rich’s John Rich, the series shows what happens when people step out of their comfort zones, open their minds and learn what it takes to be a country star.
Rascal Flatts, Kellie Pickler visit MSG
Opener Kellie Pickler’s country mix is a bit more traditional, but the “American Idol” finalist behind “Smalltown Girl” still knows her way around big-city pop.
Actually, Pickler’s big ballads fared better than her up-tempo country, where the speed and her excitement, combined with the higher key, tend to make her sound a bit chirpy. The gem of her 35-minute set was the ballad “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You,” where her strong, emotional vocals stood up well against an equally muscular musical backdrop that shifted seamlessly into Prince’s “Purple Rain.”
Music Review Rascal Flatts Power Ballads for Suburbanites
Kellie Pickler, who opened the concert, was dressed in a low-cut red top and knee-high leather boots with spike heels. But she could sound like an old-fashioned country singer, with a North Carolina drawl and some twangy tension in her voice. She did a Dolly Parton impression in “9 to 5,” while alluding to her own career-building appearance on “American Idol” (she didn’t win) by calling Ms. Parton “my definition of an American idol.”
Cleveland’s former reality ’stars’ get back to real life after TV turns
This was the unforgettable year when Northeast Ohioans swarmed the reality-TV scene. Singer Scott Savol brought a burst of fame to his hometown of Shaker Heights and caused a frenzy of call-in support from local fans when he surprisingly plowed his way into the top five on “American Idol.” He didn’t have the glamorous looks of an ‘Idol’; one writer commented that Savol always looked as if he had stopped by the Fox show on his way to the mall food court. Yet his smooth voice only seemed to get more polished each week.
Tamyra Gray plugs ‘American Idol’ book at Borders
Not every contestant on “American Idol” becomes a superstar, but this week, two past finalists will get to be “Soup”-er stars.
Season 1’s Tamyra Gray and season 4’s Constantine Maroulis will be stopping at local Borders bookstores to meet fans and sign copies of “Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul” (HCI Books, $14.95), a collection of mmm, mmm, feel-good stories from past contestants, fans and “Idol” stage crew.
Related Posts
BTW, for those who want to use their imagination, here’s a beautified version of the composition from the “legendary” ( note the quotes ) Renaldo Lapuz :
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ISKnHUkfNhA&feature=related
Since the song was sang by a girl, she changed the lyrics to WE’RE SISTERS FOREVER. Many people are now trying to create their own spin on the song and the above is just one of them. The above rendition made the song sound quite nice.
Keep spoilers in the spoiler posts. Thank you!
Yay! Jennifer Hudson, keeps moving on. She’s got a natural personality and she’s amazed at all the fortune coming her way.
LOL, LBB. I posted that link first thing yesterday. She does sound good, though, so I don’t mind listening again. ;) I checked out that girl’s other videos, too, and she is pretty good. I wonder if she has ever tried, or at least thought about, joining American Idol (she was apparently born in Russia but is now US-based)…
Does a contestant have to be an American citizen or national (or whatever other designations there are) to be on American Idol?
… And if she doesn’t have her green card she can just ask Simon. :) I believe the whole green card thing is why we were deprived of Carly Hennessy until this season, right? Boy am I glad THAT was resolved for Carly. She’s so great! NOT!
EW always has some odd-ball favorite early on. Last year they thought Porcelana idol bootcamp chick was great..LOL This year is no different. Jessica Brown? Beth Stalker? Who is that Jose guy?
KLC the best? LOL
Folks,
I am not sure if MJ will allow this post — but you will find out that a lot of these finalists have been signed to labels before and a few of them in fact have written for established artists.
They’re trying to use the show to make it on their own.
I am not sure if MJ will allow us to name names but I know a few of them ( Carly is one and Katie Lee Cook is another, but these are just 2 of the many who have made it to the top tier this year ).
I believe that Carly should be disqualified and should either be sent to compete in the British version of AI or simply signed by 19E if they like her now.
It’s looking like AI is now morphing into a second chance show for artists who have failed before.
Probably better not to discuss a post I deleted? Others coming later have no clue what you are talking about.
Thank you.
I’m trying to keep the Spoilers behind a wall in case there are readers who DON’T want to be spoiled. Let’s be considerate of those readers.
So please, no links to contestants who have not been showcased on Idol yet, unless it’s in the appropriate and ON TOPIC spoiler threads.
Carly Hennessey is an exception, since she has been splashed all over the news.
I’ll be posting a spoiler thread shortly. You can discuss those contestants to your hearts content there.
Thank you…
Right. If 19 is determined to do this, why not just create yet another reality show…something like Who Gets a Second Chance?
If AI fans, especially fans on AI boards react strongly to giving Carly a Mulligan, the media will pick it up, then TPTB will listen. That’s how season 6 got its reputation.. LOL Maybe it’s too late, top 24 will be picked on Wednesday..
For those of you complaining about the treatment of your favorite Idols who were dropped by their labels, consider these — Kat, Ruben and Taylor all sold hundreds of millions of records…yet, they were dropped ( in Taylor’s case, he didn’t even have a video, yet he sold 700,000 units).
Here we have Carly Hennesy whose label spent over $2 Million promoting her ( with video to boot) and she ended up selling something like 350 units ( yes, this isn’t a typo ) — That’s probably less than Under the Radar before Taylor made it to American Idol ( just a guess ).
American Idol supposed goal was to find the best undiscovered talent in America. Now it looks like they’re looking for the best “already discovered” artist in the world with Carly.
It seems that AI is repackaging a lot of previously failed singers who have had their shots at fame. The show is no longer even remotely about undiscovered talents. It’s now a show about rediscovering already discovered talents ( I’ll stop here before MJ deletes my post again ).
With about 14% of info in, HDD reports:
17 20 DAUGHTRY RCA/RMG 2,832
DAUGHTRY
20 46 CARRIE UNDERWOOD ARISTA/RMG 1,659
CARNIVAL RIDE
No Jordin to be seen. It’s early so she may show up later. I think the album is in its 9th week. If it drops out of the Top 50, will this be the earliest this has happened to an Idol winner? Fortunately for her, single downloads are excellent.
My problem with the repackaged talent is, why did it fail the first time around?
My problem with the repackaged talent is, why did it fail the first time around?
I can think of many reasons — bad promotion, bad record, bad timing, people not ready for their music, too much competition, market saturation, etc.
In the case of Carly, I think her problem was the theme of her single —”I’m Gonna Blow Your Mind”.
It got very little radio airplay as it was considered too mature for regular Top 40 radio and youth-oriented outlets (especially as the song is about oral sex). Maybe if she could ( how to put it ), clean up her act a little, it might work to her advantage.
BUT SHE’S STILL NOT AN AMERICAN AND SHOULD RIGHTLY BE IN A UK CONTEST.
But talking about failed artists, there have been many successful artists in the past whose first (and even second) attempts failed.
Think of the glorious Eva Cassidy, whose talent was totally ignored until she was rediscovered by a not very listened to radio station in terms of pop airplay ( BBC Radio 2) in the UK long after she died.
I don’t like the “semi-pro” thing at all. I think it’s bogus, It’s just not American Idol to me anymore, it was supposed to be a show for UNDISCOVERED talent. It’s like a totally different show. Sorry it just really bugs me.
It kind of kills the Cinderella thing. Now it’s like Cinderella married the Prince but they’re divorced and she didn’t get alimony so she needs another shot. How excited are the ringers going to be when they get signed? They’re probably talking with their lawyers now to make sure they get a better deal.
Although his audition was only shown for a megasecond, I understand why EW ranked him so high (although I think it’s way too early for power rankings). He sang smooth version of “Unchain My Heart…” in Spanish. I think he’s someone to keep your eye on.
Nanny Mcphee
Jan 21st, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I don’t like the “semi-pro” thing at all. I think it’s bogus, It’s just not American Idol to me anymore, it was supposed to be a show for UNDISCOVERED talent. It’s like a totally different show. Sorry it just really bugs me.
Maybe it’s just me, Nanny; but I don’t find a problem with it at all.
A professional is someone who has made money from their talent. If they removed all the contestants who have made money from their talent, we wouldn’t have many from which to choose. I’m sure McPhee made some money in gigs before Idol, just as Taylor Hicks.
I say congrats and good luck to all and may the best man win :)
Yes, I am not having a problem with someone having had their foot in the door before. I really don’t understand the reaction because this is not the first time this has happened. I just think that the show has built up an excess of ill will with some viewers and this is just the newest bone of contention. Most idol winners and the runners up had previous experience. I don’t get the uproar.
These “ringers” may have been discovered; but they are undiscovered to most of us. Most people have never heard of them. I didn’t know about any of these kids.
Absolutely. However no one outside of the southeastern USA had ever heard of Taylor Hicks before Idol. Similarly, no one outside the Christian music market had ever heard of Jordan Sparks.
I guess the main beef is someone who already had $2 million invested in her by the record company getting a second chance.
I say, bring it on. If the public ignored her after the $2 million push, chances are, the public will ignore her now.
Wasn’t it a $2 mil recording budget, not $2 mil marketing push?
I’ve never heard of Carly Hennessy, just like I’d never heard of Bo Bice, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks, Kelly Clarkson, Chris Daughtry, etc.
Exactly, Sarah. Bring ‘em on.
I still don’t like the fact that these people have been signed to MAJOR record labels before, it’s just bothersome, it doesn’t mean I will stop watching the show or anything, but I thought there were rules about stuff like that, and then after they had a shitty season the rules just flew right out the window. It just shows Idols true colors to me, and those colors are GREEN.
No, the rules are, and have always been, that you cannot be CURRENTLY signed to any sort of recording or management contract. I auditioned for seasons 4 and 6. I read the entire release that I had to sign when I auditioned, and that’s what it said even “back then.”
All it means to me is that I wont vote. I think it’s dishonest. Maybe I’ll change my tune if tptb are honest and dont hide the fact from the viewers. I feel that they wont be up front about it though and I’m annoyed about those that have had recording contracts. If there were others in previous seasons that had recording contracts, I sure dont know about them. Enlighten me! :)
What bothers me is how they continue to pretend that viewers aren’t going to figure all this out and ignore the plethora of blogs listing spoilers, links, and other info on these people. I think TPTB underestimate the number of people who really get into this show, reading everything they can find, etc. But there’s so much out there, even legitimate publications have been covering this angle.
No, the average viewer isn’t going to be up on all this, and maybe they will accept the contestants’ at face value, but it’s insulting to those of use who do know to pretend that these people just fell off the turnip truck. Even the one guy (Drew Poppelwhatever) who appears to have done just that has some singing experience.
And I’m not planning on voting either…
I think there’s a difference between contestants that have tried to or even been locally successful at making a living with their music and contestants that have been signed to major labels and flopped. I certainly don’t expect to have someone on the show that has never sung on a stage or never been paid for singing. But, I never would have expected to have someone as “undiscovered” talent who has been signed to a major label. While they may be undiscovered to us, they certainly aren’t to the record industry. Since a major label contract remains the big prize for this contest, it seems a bit redundant to me.
I am also eager to see how they are going to handle this on the show. I’m not planning on voting but I definitely won’t if this isn’t handled honestly and in an upfront manner.
great interview with Jordin today. she headed to NY today to shoot the video for No Air with Chris Brown .
http://www.accessatlanta.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/accessatlanta/idol/
To be honest in the case of the tried and failed Carly person, why would anyone want to take a chance on her again, I mean she tried and failed so she’s useless right? Seriously if they had Taylor Dane and the other guy from Wham trying out (not George Michael)I might be outraged, but this really doesn’t do it for me.
Absolutely not - not how I feel at all…. I just think the American Idol stage is not where she should be trying again…. If Simon thinks she’s so great, just sign her already and dont parade in front of America as some aspiring talent wanting a record deal when she’s already been there done that. This isn’t about people not getting second chances. Of course everyone deserves another chance. I just feel that going for the second chance on a show where the majority of the viewers think the contestants are going for their first chance is a misrepresentation and a farce. JMO.
There are usually really complicated reasons why a new artist’s major label debut goes wrong. Just because an artist’s first go-around fails doesn’t mean they should be relegated to show business purgatory for the rest of eternity, imho.
Not many of you watched The Next Great American Band, but the bands that came in first and second both had failed major record deals in their pasts. The winning band, The Clark Brothers, were handled badly by their first record company. These boys were so obviously talented, I was delighted to see them get another shot. The runner up band, Sixwire, had been kicking around show business for years. The fact that their stint on NGAB was kind of a last chance for them made their situation seem poignant. The band was obviously talented, and I found myself rooting for their second shot by the end of the show.
For me, it will have everything to do with how these contestant’s backstories are framed. If the producers ignore their pasts, I’ll be a little irritated. Not with the contestants, but with the producers who are trying to dump a load of crap on the audience.
I’ll say this: I’ve had a BUNCH of hits from people googling “Kristy Lee Cook”. She’s got momentum right now. She’s pretty. She can sing. In the end, I don’t think the Idol audience will care very much about her failed record deal.
Carly Hennessy will have trouble. Not because of her experience, but the fact that she’s not an American. I can’t see the Idol audience voting hard for a contestant with a green card.
Donna, that’s what bothers me too. I don’t mind that these “semi-pros” are allowed to audition, I think it will make for an interesting show. But I will be pretty upset if they’re not upfront with the past experience of these contestants. It’s not like they’ve knowingly hid the performing experience of past contestants - we knew that Bo, Chris, Constantine, Taylor, etc were in bands. That was the heart and soul of Constantine’s backstory, and Bo’s and Taylor’s bandmembers were even interviewed.
But, if they fail to disclose this year and just pretend that we can’t just look up names on the internet, it won’t sit well with me. And if it does “come out” on a larger scale, I don’t think it will sit well with other viewers either… people don’t like feeling duped.
Not necessarily. Just like many other things, it’s all about timing in the music industry. You need the right person with the right look and the right voice at the right time.
I would have to chime in with the people saying that it’s not so much the fact that some of the contestants had major record deals, but the fact that you just know AI’s going to try to hide it. I mean, if Carly Hennessy makes the Top 24, do we really think that her big reveal during Share Your Secret Week is going to be “well, I once was signed to a two-million dollar recording deal by a major label, even was put up in a fancy apartment and everything, but the effort failed so miserably that the Wall Street Journal wrote an article about it and here I am?” No. Similarly, Kristy Lee Cook (who may have “buzz” now, but hell, so did Sundance at this time last year) seems to be viewed as Carrie 2.0: a sheltered blonde to had to sell her horse to get all the way to Idol, with nary a mention of her ties to Arista Nashville.
It’s not SO much the prior ties that bother me (although I’m not thrilled about them), because we’ve had semi-pros before: Taylor had a lot of connections in the music industry, and Carrie Underwood wasn’t the fresh-off-the-farm ingenue that Idol made her out to be. It’s the fact that it seems right now that Britney Spears could cut ties with her label, walk in for an audition, make the Top 24, and Idol would simply promote her as a down-on-her-luck single mother of two. It’s not like I find it unethical or immoral or anything, but to me it just saps some of the fun from the competition.
They have to be honest about people or the audience will feel like they’ve been tricked. In Taylor’s case, his struggles as a musician were the core of his back story.
I actually thought after Season 5, they’d start using talent already discovered by the label but not yet officially signed. That way, they could kickstart the careers with the show. That may be the way the show ends up eventually because if it’s all about “talent” why even bother with the painful auditions. The labels already have a storehouse of talent ready to go that just needs TV exposure.
I agree that somehow it does sap the fun out of the show even if the talent may be better.
If TPTB are upfront about the ringers, it won’t really bother me that they are competing. From past experience with TPTB, I look for them not to disclose the fact that they have been around the block already. I would prefer rank amateurs but I will still watch the show, but I will not be among the “millions” who vote. I gave that up after Season 5.
Personally, I’d like to see them add the concept of songwriting to this contest…ala the band contest show.
We all know that most “one hit wonders” have their shot because of the song, not the artist. we all also know people who can sing as well as 95% of the contestants.
If 19 and TPTB truly want to recoup their investment, then let us choose someone with staying power, not just someone who “fits the suit.”
The main reason record compnies are loosing their shirts these days is because they do not allow for an artist to build his audience on a national level….”sing us a hit or get out of the way for the next one hit wonder”. It’s become fast food….
How many records did Springsteen, Mellencamp et. el. put out before they actually sold on a national level? At least three if memory serves….
Wouldn’t it be funny if most of these people we are ringing our hands over don’t make the top twenty four, and if this show is really about finding really good talent and these people are really talented what’s the problem?
In the end, that is if you don’t believe in the winner already prechosen conspiracy theory, America will choose, won’t they, I mean the top twelve anyway right? Those who vote rabidly will know more about these contestants than their mamas do.
Wow!! The pony-for-airline-ticket backstory worked! There is actually a buzz on Google for KLC? Congratulations to TPTB for a job well-done! I am looking forward to even cuter stories as the show hits the stride..LOL. Can anybody guess what Carly’s story might be tomorrow night? Will TPTB be honest? We’ll find out soon..
I just checked Google. MJ’s is #4 on the search results for “Kristy Lee Cook”! Guess who’s #5? The news of her signing with Arista Nashville! LOL. Isn’t that ironic?
No hand wringing here… just sitting it back and watching it all unfold. The problem I have is that the viewers could be misled and deceived. If TPTB are upfront about these people’s backgrounds, that’s a different story. Then the voters can decide if they want someone who was already been signed or someone who’s never had the chance. Either way, I’m certainly not staying up nights worrying about it. I stay up nights reading this blog though! :)
That is correct - you cannot be signed from the time of the initial audition until 3 months after the finale airs. Whatever happened in the past doesn’t matter as long as you meet all eligibility requirements.
Obviously, it’s not against the rules. That’s not the debate. To me, someone who has had a deal with Sony/BMG in the past or another major label ($2M) deal doesn’t inspire me to spend my time voting for them. It smacks of TPTB wanting them to get the exposure of AI, rather than trying to develop them as artists without the push of the TV show.
In fact, they may intend to sign Kristy Lee or the Irish girl regardless and not even care if either wins or comes close to it. If they will get a contract regardless and are only putting them on the show for promo purposes (see: Vasquez, Mario), that pretty much sucks. I wonder if they had to go through the “cattle call” or got a direct route to the auditions with RP&S.
I’d rather give someone not on their radar a chance, whether or not they are “semi-pro or pro.”
Was Mario put on the show, I missed that. I thought he auditioned, made it, quit, was signed and then bombed. And believe me Kristy or Carly have to at least be top 5 to be signed, or this putting them on the show for promo purposes doesn’t work.
I don’t know if Mario was put on the show, but he did make the top 12. He quit and that’s why Nikko Smith got to be in the top 12. Mario may have bombed, but he still got signed by Clive. His single “Gallery” got lots of airplay, but it didn’t help his album sales. The fact that he bombed doesn’t erase the fact that he got signed regardless of his placement on the show.
Kellie Pickler didn’t make top 5 and she was signed. She came in 6th and is doing quite well. And yeah, she performed around town, but she wasn’t close to being signed pre-AI.
Exactly PJ.
I’m going out on a limb here and predicting that Kristy Lee Cook and Carly Hennessy are both signed at the end of the season.
BTW about the cattle call - Kristy suffered to get on the show, remember? She sold her horse…. Uh huh, okay…. right.
I’m late chiming in but I agree totally with what MJ said. And I base my feeling on NGAB. (I was one of the few that watched). Both of those top two bands deserved a second chance. But again, MJ’s right. On that show, we knew this was a second chance for them and it was a part of their back story. If AI is honest about that, I have no problem. If they’re not, I will feel like they are ignoring part of the core audience of this show, those who frequent the internet and know all about the history of all of the contestants.