Season 8 Wrap Up

People are still asking me what I think of Kris Allen as the winner of AI this season, so I guess it's not too late to put my final thoughts down, although it already feels like old news!

Like many, I was surprised that Kris won, given the hype that had surrounded Adam all season. I watched the finale feeling resolved to an Adam win, even though I didn't prefer his voice or vocal stylings, but also thought Kris would make a nice Idol representative. I think they are both winners. I am just glad that Adam has been gracious, humble and supportive of the whole franchise, and of Kris, and didn't go all Susan Boyle! They are both being signed and will enjoy all that a post-Idol career beginning offers. For a thorough analysis of how Kris won, please check out a great article written by my favorite Idol data geeks at What Not To Sing!

My other two favorites, Allison and Danny, have less than predictable futures. I was so impressed by Allison, love her voice, hope great things for her. Read an interview somewhere (can't find it!) with a producer who'd worked with previous Idols who said he would sign Allison because she's talented, and knows who she is as an artist....but I haven't read or heard anything official. She is young, but I think she has a fantastic career ahead of her.

I've caught some of Danny's post-Idol interviews and performance clips, and he's all over the place...and talking more about his dancing, his foundation, and what hair products he uses than about anything related to music, which is interesting and a little worrisome. The more I read of him, the more I do feel like this poor guy auditioned for Idol way before he was really ready (still grieving), and did not expect (nor was he at all emotionally prepared) to go as far as he did. The producers heard a great voice, packaged with an even bigger back story and latched on to him like flies to honey. He was propelled into and through the machine and came out the other end bewildered, that is how it feels to me. And while some talk has been that he should just go ahead and make a contemporary Christian record, this interesting article seems to suggest that Danny would not choose to go in that direction. Hmmm....will wait to see what happens with that! I will buy whatever he does, and think his Rascal Flatts-style stuff would be just great....

The rest of this season's Top 13 just weren't all that compelling for me....in fact, I've already forgotten half their names. And names I CAN recall from last year's more exciting contest are still trying to put stuff together....Micheal Johns and they uber-hyped Carly Smithson are still working on projects....Kristy Lee Cook managed a 7th place finish and was signed immediately, but her debut album has sold a meager 25,000 or so copies and she (and her horse) were then dropped from the record label. 5th place finisher Brooke White has released an album, but just in the last month, and on an independent label, hoping for the same success season 5's Elliot Yamin enjoyed. Jason Castro who placed 4th is still working on a project, and Syesha, last year's 3rd place finisher? Haven't heard Boo from her. Don't be fooled, these finalists have to work hard for their money, and then some.

On to other matters, namely, the changes implemented this season. The powers that be decided to have a Top 13 instead of a Top 12, implemented something called The Judges Save, and added a fourth judge. First of all, I don't think the Top 13 meant anything to anyone other than Anoop, and certainly kept him on the show longer than he would have been on, but it's an insignificant change. We all agree the Judge's save was a pile of poo, leaving us the one final change to discuss: the addition of Kara DioGuardi as 4th judge.

In my most recent (unscientific) poll, I asked whether Kara should return as a judge next season, and my results were split right down the middle at 50/50. I think this shows (unscientifically) how divided we are, as Idol viewers, on Kara. Many of you think she adds substance to the panel with her vast songwriting, performing and producing background, and adds balance to the panel bringing a 2 men, 2 women presence. But there are as many of you who find her to be useless, repetitive and boring. I find that fascinating! I see no evidence that she has been cut from the judge's panel for next year, so those of you how dislike her, brace yourselves, I think she will be baaaaack.....

I didn't mind her at all, other than the simple math fact that because of her, we got LESS MUSIC. This time last year I was making up my signature idol CDs from the season's live performances, and noticed that while last year I had 21 David Cook and David Archuleta performances to enjoy, this year I only had 15 from Kris and Adam. That is SIX fewer performances. Great for the Idols but not so great for those of us who enjoy music. Why so many fewer performances? Because of four judges, there was more talking and less music. We should have been treated to 3 performances each, for example, during Top 3 week, and instead got just 2 each. All in an effort to give the judges more time to talk and keep the show to it's predetermined 1 hour format.

On the other hand, for that reason alone, it might be a bad thing for me, but an OK think overall. Last year's finale had David Cook reading the winning song lyrics off a teleprompter, because he had faced so much music to learn to that point, and this year, I didn't see Kris (or Adam)reading the Boundaries lyrics off a prompter...did you? I could stand corrected, but I didn't see it. So perhaps (on the bright side) the four-judge mode brought the Idol contestants a little less pressure than they would have faced. Just a thought...

This time last year, I had purchased tour tickets and was on the edge of my seat for both David's CD releases. This year? Meh. No tour tickets for me.....just not that into any contestants, and it's really just so expensive to take the kids. And the CDs? I'm curious about what they will both put out, sometime around Thanksgiving, but I'm not committing to buying either one.

Happy summer! Watching So You Think You Can Dance....are you?