Despite all the negative feedback I've read from several of my soul sistahs and brothas, I still tuned in to see this year's edition of American Idol.
But I'm not gonna talk about this year's auditions or anything about the season for that matter. Instead, I'm gonna look back and remember instead the biggest season of the show, Season 5 and it's Final Four contestants, where they are now, how have they fared so far in the biz and some personal commentary along the way.
Let's start with the one who got 4th place: Chris Daughtry. He ended 2007 with a bestselling debut album, several American Music Awards, and as of the moment has 4 Grammy nods including Rock Album of the Year. I have nothing against Chris really, but I'm not happy nor mad at the success that he's reaping as of the moment. It's how his fame has been portrayed that I'm not happy about. It just rubbed me off the wrong way. But don't get me wrong, guys, I have total and utter respect for him and the music that he does. Whatever he's getting right now, I am positive that it is the result of his hard work and dedication to getting good music out.
Then there's Elliott Yamin, the silent, underdog type with the amazing voice and quiet personality. Many did not foresee him going as far as he did on the show, with his pristine voice carrying him through most of the season. I was actually pleasantly surprised when he went as far as he did, proving to me then that American viewers do recognize a great voice when they hear one. Currently, Elliott's eponymous debut has been certified gold and debut single "Wait For You" has peaked at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. Not bad for someone who opted to go the Indie route.
Now on to runner-up Katharine McPhee. She opened 2007 with a bit of a splash, with her own debut album peaking at #2 on the album charts. Lead single "Over It" also made the Billboard top 30 and the video has also topped the VH1 and TRL charts for several weeks. Currently, she is slated to star alongside Rumer Willis and Colin Hanks in the movie "I Know What Boys Like" scheduled to be released this year. Last February 2, she wed her 42 year old boyfriend of 3 years, actor-producer Nick Cokas in a low key Presbyterian ceremony in Beverly Hills. I've steadily followed her career ever since she got off Idol and I must say that a lot is in store for this multi-talented girl. I just can't get over the fact that she got married in a time when she could have focused all her efforts into re-energizing her music career. I just heard that David Foster is taking her under his wings and will be manning her next musical effort. I really hope that she can re-focus back to the music and put out a great album that showcases her singing chops to the max. Granted, I liked the first album, but anyone can tell that it was stuck awkwardly in between meeting the pop-r'n'b audience and what the label wanted from her. Anyway, no matter what happens, I'll still be a fan.
Taylor, Taylor, Taylor! Arguably the most endearing Idol winner to date. Together with Katharine McPhee, they have scored the most votes in AI history, with over 64 million cast for them by adoring fans nationwide. However, this did not translate into industry accepted well-enough sales for the two. By industry standards, his eponymous effort, "Taylor Hicks", did not sell as would have been expected, but that did not stop this Birmingham, Alabama native in pursuing his dream further, of performing in front of live crowds in an intimate setting. He succeeded in doing a national tour, wowing crowds everywhere he went and making everyone convinced why he is the winner of AI 5. I believe he's the only one who embarked on a nationwide tour to really just perform in intimate crowd settings with just him and the music. As of now, his "Whomp on the Warfield" DVD is highly anticipated by fans along with the second album to be done on an indie label. As of this writing, I still do not know which label he'll be signing to.
There ya go. Some of these Idol's performances might have been considered a failure, but I'd like to say that the definition of the word is relative. Does it have to be measured by albums sold or awards received? Time and again, each fanbase has determined that their Idols have been successful one way or another. And I'd like to believe that they did were able to succeed in what they set out to do. Let's just all hope that they stay long enough in the biz for each of them to really prove their worth and imprint their name in the music industry.
Tags: Taylor Hicks, American Idol, Birmingham, Alabama
# posted by Sheena @ 8:44 PM
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