Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Idol Thoughts: The Final

That was a very disappointing show. There was no real breakout performance by either contestant. Blake showed what a true gentleman he is by winning the toss and STILL giving Jordin the choice of first or second. He is a good guy; you got to love him.

Blake started out with “You Give Love a Bad Name,” a song he did recently; and even more than last time, he really spiced it up with his trademark beatboxing. I loved it. For me, it was THE performance of the night. Randy has always found fault with his special talent, I suppose thinking that American Idol should only be a singing showcase. Surprisingly, Simon voiced approval, saying it was his best performance ever.

Jordin did Christina Aguilera’s “Fighter,” a very contemporary song. I think it was a mistake. Christina has a powerful voice, much more so than Jordin’s, and her comparatively weak rendition of the song drove home that point. She looked nervous, and uncomfortable. She forced the high riffs, something that was pointed out by Simon who said she shrieked at times. At the end of round one Simon in fact said that Blake won it.

Blake’s second song was Maroon 5’s “She Will be Loved.” At first, I liked his version of it more than the original. But then, I noticed that his voice is starting to show the strain. He is NOT a natural singer. The competition is taking its toll. As the song progressed he got flat at times and even hoarse. Simon said the song was too “safe” and a poor choice for a final show as it lacked impact. I think he needed to stay safe, exactly because his voice is at the end. This competition is ending just in time for Blake. Even so, I love how loosey-goosey the boy is. I can tell he is NOT desperate to win and for me, THAT is endearing.

Jordin’s number 2 was Martina McBride’s “A Broken Wing,” a country tune. Randy had the audacity to say she sounded better than Martina. No way! I will say though, that Jordin did a good job of not pushing the high notes and staying within herself. The song came out quite nicely, although not as great as the three judges gushed that it did. Once again, their obvious choice is Jordin, just as it once was Melinda.

Blake’s final song, “This is My Now” is a sappy forgettable ballad written by the winners of the song writing competition. He struggled valiantly through it. Plain and simple, the song sucks. I can’t believe that was the best song written. Talk about “ho-hum.” As I said, his voice is all done. All three judges acknowledged that the song did not suit him.

Jordin of course also sang, “This is My Now.” Not even she could make it sound good. Obviously, she did not enjoy singing it. Her emotions got the better of her at the end of it, I believe due to her disappointment in her performance of it. It’s funny that none of the judges acknowledged her emotional stumble. Well, Randy did a little, but incorrectly attributed it to the emotion of seeing her parents—Wrong! She lost it once she believed she sounded less than perfect. The judges gushed all over themselves in praise of her efforts. I think she was shocked at their disingenuous response, but I wasn’t.

Randy and Simon, the singing “purists,” are obviously pushing for their new favorite. Paula loves everyone. She’s almost irrelevant. Simon went so far as to say that Jordin wiped the floor with Blake. What a jerk! Blake is a nice fellow and Simon didn’t need to get that personal, and it was personal.

As for me, I’m a Blake fan. I liked him before tonight and he gets my support. Based on the judge’s reviews it would seem that Jordin wins American Idol 2007. Personally, I HOPE Blake wins. After all, lets admit it—the show IS in actuality a popularity contest. It’s not just about the singing.

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