This week’s TV Week interview with Nigel Lythgoe. Download here.
- Nigel says he thinks it was the best Top 3 that they’ve ever had, and, “The most talent they’ve had on that stage in a long time.”
- While Nigel was careful to spread the praise around evenly he said that the two females could split the vote to leave a male in the race.
- He thinks Jordin Sparks should be the next American Idol and was a little disturbed at Simon’s critical attitude toward her last night.
- Initially, the Maroon 5 song did not get cleared. Nigel claims they relented when Blake called them up personally to ask permission to sing the song.
Read a transcript of the interview after the jump.
About Round One–Judges Pick, “”Maroon 5,” we didn’t think we’d get it cleared, to be honest with you, and we suggested it, but then, we couldn’t get it cleared, and Blake actually called them up and said, ‘hey, can I sing your song?’ And they very kindly said, ‘Absolutely, Blake.’ We were delighted. I thought he acquitted himself very well, I wasn’t a fan of Roxanne as a song, I think he did it OK. For me it’s like 3 words at most–’Roxanne’ then ‘You don’t have to turn the light on’ insert Chuck’s sycophantic laugh here That’s it. He did that OK. I agree in the first round, I think that Jordin did her song pretty well, I thought Melinda as Simon rightly said, won the first round. I thought she was tremendous in that first round of judging.”
About the second round, “I think the second round was a tie. I wasn’t knocked out with Jordin. We chose the song…and it was OK. I think “Nutbush City Limits” by Melinda was fabulous, and I think Blake’s Maroon 5 was probably the best of that round for me. me: yes, it’s not a typo–Nigel contradicts himself in the same sentence.”
About the Third Round, “I totally disagreed with Simon. For me, I thought Jordin was absolutely superb in that round. I’m not interested if the song is 60 years old or not, It’s about her singing, and I thought she was just the best she’s been in a long time. I think it’s the second time she’s sung the song, it’s the best she’s ever sung it. Blake, I thought, acquitted himself brilliantly. Beethoven would probably be turning in his grave, but using that sort of Robin Thicke arrangement of Beethoven’s 5th was tremendous. And I didn’t really like Melinda’s song, “I’m a Woman.” To me, that’s an old-fashioned song. me: wait, I thought that didn’t matter? I just think she’s better than that. It’s a bit sort of, cabaret for me. All in all, I think Blake was probably the best across the board for his level of talent. But, for me, Melinda and Jordin are both vocally more talented than Blake. However, I think that it’s possible because there are two girls, it may split the female vote, and you’re always going to have a vote for the male. me: Maybe? You know the results by now, Nigel, you tell us. It’s going to be an interesting result.”
Chuck asks if age makes a difference, “I don’t know, you know at the end of the day, you say you are searching for an American Idol and then I think you’ve got to put your own point of view forward as to what an American Idol is, or could be.”
Has there ever been a 17 year old on the show who is as talented as Jordin? me: What? Jordin is only 17?!? OMG !!1!11! “I look at Paris and Lisa Tucker, and then I look at Jordin, and I say Jordin takes the biscuit for me. She’s the one who’s got everything. It’s a sad thing that we keep talking about age in this. me: No, it’s an annoying thing. It’s vocal ability and she’s got everything, still young and learning. For me, Jordin is the ideal person to become the next American Idol, if I were voting.” Nigel adds, “I was a little sad in the first round when Simon said ‘You sang that brilliantly, I didn’t like the arrangement, so it wasn’t one of your best performances.’ me: wow, could there be a little dissension amongst the ranks here? We shouldn’t be judging her on the arrangement of the song, we should be judging on how she sings. So, he seemed to have a little downer on Jordin tonight. I don’t know why, I thought she was great.”
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The best part of this were your asides, MJ.
NigelNigelNigel. Trying to make the best of a not-so-great year.
I’ll agree, excellent talent onstage last night.
But best Top 3 ever? Not by a long shot!
MJ…once again you have nicely pointed out how they “all” talk out both sides of their mouth.
Best top 3 ever Nigel? I don’t think so. I think all 3 of them are very talented. I also loved Season 2’s top 3 Ruben, Clay and Kim. Season 3 I would have switched out Jasmine and left Latoya. Season 4..I loved Carrie Bo and Vonzell. Season 5..I loved Taylor and Elliott I would have switched out Katharine and had Ace, Bucky or Chris in there. I just adored the guys.
Your witty comments made this article readable, MJ.
Best top three ever…I don’t think so.
I don’t like how he blatantly says that he thinks that Melinda and Jordin are vocally superior to Blake. You can’t even compare them, because they a) have completely different ranges, and b) sing completely different styles of music.
I’m sick of Jordin and her age, wait, how old is she again? 17
I hope Blake hangs in there tonight…because he and Melinda both deserve it.
Honestly, the reason I’m watching tonight is to see my all-time favorite contestant, Elliott Yamin, performing!
Yes, Nigel, “Roxanne you don’t have to turn the light on” is 3 words all right.
Tell that to Blake and Chris Sligh. Contradictory, contradictory.
Did Nigel bitch about the arrangements in that post-show interview? I can’t remember.
ETA: This is the best top 3 ever insomuch as you have NO idea who could be going home tonight. It’s a wide open race with no one really having a clear shot at the title. Arguments for winning could be made for all of them. We’ve never really had that before - except maybe season 2, I guess.
So let me get this straight.
TPTB chose the Maroon 5 song but Blake had to get it cleared himself????????
They’re losing the plot and fast.
Sounds like Nigel dropped some pretty big clues that Jordin is going with the “vote splitting” “IF i chose JOrdin would win”, “interesting result”
I agree, XO. “IF” he chose, Jordin would be the next AI.”
He doesn’t choose and is sad ’cause the votes split and
Jordin is a goner. He is blaming it on Simon for the critique
he gave to Jordin last night.
The producers are just as much at fault if Jordin goes home and they wanted her to win.
You don’t have the person you want to win go first on top 3 night, you don’t saddle them with crappy ass Donna Summer songs either.
The producers did not want Jordin to win- I think they are just covering thier ass.
I still say the person who said the top 3 will perform in the order of their total votes for the season was correct:
1- Jordin
2- Blake
3- Melinda
And that explains why for the past 5 seasons, the #1 performer
has always gone home. They simply don’t have enough votes.
Um hello wasn’t Diana DeGarmo only 16 years old when she made it to second place? And Fantasia was only what 19? So please.
xoxoyc - you are so right. They definitely threw Jordin under a bus. Was that old Donna Summer song the best that they could come up with for Jordan. And, since when did this become an song arrangement contest. I thought it was a popularity (oops singing) contest!
And they could sing circles around Jordin.
xo, I hope you’re right and Jordin goes. It will be such a boring final with 2 belters. And Melinda deserves to be in the finals over Jordin.
But as long as Blake’s there, I really don’t care.
Donna Summer performs a spectacular live version of that song. Maybe they thought Jordin could do the same? They just forgot two things: 1. Jordin fails miserably every time she has to sing a fast, uptempo song and 2. Donna Summer is a whole lot more talented than Jordin Sparks.
On another subject, how is it that a man can run one of the most popular shows in America and still sound like such a f*cking moron?
Does this phrase have a different meaning in the UK? Because, where I’m from, “takes the biscuit” is not used as a positive.
Example:
“Oh, great, as if my day isn’t bad enough, now my car has flat tire. That really takes the biscuit”.
Uh oh — who wants to start the online petition to have Nigel tested for Alzheimers ?
I was actually thinking the opposite. Would Nigel say he thinks Jordin should be the next American Idol if she was going home tonight? After all, he knows the results. Zabasearch is saying that Melinda is leaving.
http://www.zabasearch.com/ai_stats.php
ahem…and XO….blake is the chosen one how? thats right, the judges all want Melinda and the main producer wants Jordin. I totally see your evidence for the blake as chosen one theory.
never put faith in zabasearch. any site that refuses to indicate a methodology is unreliable.
I think Blake is the chosen one because he is the only one the record company is interested in. He has the best chance of selling records so they will push him to win. Blake will pick up the majority of Jordin’s votes and he should win easily next week.
I do not believe that Jordin was ever the chosen winner- Nigel can say that all he wants- but the producers would not have done what they did to her last night if they really wanted her in the finals. Neither would have the judges.
Why would Nigel come out and say Jordin was his favorite to win IF he were voting if she were staying?
So Nigel implies a Jordin exit, Zaba says Melinda, Aunt Edna says Blake, and Dial Idol says Blake. OY
Yes, to create controversy. We all know AI thrives on controversy.
Plus, as MJ said, it has really seemed that there has been dissension among the ranks this year. Doesn’t sound like the judges and producers have agreed on the contestants.
And dialidol is much too close to call when you take into account text votes - which it doesn’t measure.
Well, it could be that there’s no TCO. ;-)
Or is that too radical of a theory?
Spenser - I didn’t mean to malign Donna Summer. I’ve always liked her and SWHFTM was one of my favorite songs/videos back in the day.
What I meant is that it was an old song for Jordin. True, the judges also chose an old song for Melinda but we know why they picked Tina Turner, as they’ve been comparing her all season.
They came up with a great contemporary song for Blake, why couldn’t they do the same with Jordin. At least then if she butchered it, we couldn’t say that it was done purposely to knock her out.
You’re right Kirsten, re the phrase.
As I said they’re losing the plot.
Only Gabbers and IM in chat right now.
I wouldn’t completely disagree with Nigel about this season’s top 3 although I think season 2 was as good. The rest had only 1 or 2 really good ones.
I absolutely think Jordin was TCO but maybe her votes just weren’t keeping up or she was too inconsistant so they decided to switch back to Melinda who really always was one of their favorites. There’s no way that Blake’s ever been TCO because if he was, they had a strange way of going about it (1 pimp spot ever compared to 3 & 4 for Jordin/Melinda).
I’m feeling a little better about Blake but will just have to wait and see. I’m happy he’s made it this far but would love for him to make the finals more fun.
What is the world going to come to when Jordin turns 18?