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- Song Choices from Billboard #1 Hits Week
- ‘Idol’ minute-by-minute: Save a prayer for Paige
- Next week’s theme: Soul and R&B with guest mentor Usher
- Tim Urban shirtless pics show why he’s so huggable
- American ‘Idle’: Dullsville behind the scenes
- Wednesday’s ‘Idol’ elimination offers teens aplenty, no surprises
- The ‘American Idol’ Judge Power Rankings: A night of total horror, Billboard No. 1s
- Buzzmeter: ‘Idol’ experts pick Paige Miles as Tuesday night’s biggest loser
- Guest blogger Anoop Desai discusses song choice
| Song Choices from Billboard #1 Hits Week Posted: 25 Mar 2010 11:03 AM PDT The Top 11 finalists took on Billboards #1 Hits in a night of performances that determines who will spend their summer touring around the country. In a night when the judges were confused about many of the song choices, they were also impressed with a few standouts. Here is the list of songs performed on the Billboard #1 Hits show: Lee DeWyze The Letter by Box Tops
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| ‘Idol’ minute-by-minute: Save a prayer for Paige Posted: 25 Mar 2010 11:03 AM PDT
5:57 p.m. It's three minutes to showtime, and Kara DioGuardi is the first judge to make an entrance. Grinning from ear-to-ear, she makes her way to the judges' table, dancing and having a good ol' time off in Kara World. 5:58 Corey the audience warmup guy intros Randy, elongating the Y in his name for a good seven seconds. Dawg the Talent Hunter practically dives into the mosh pit, high-fiving everyone in sight. 5:59 The Top 11 Idols are marched into the studio single file to take their positions for the group number. Lee Dewyze looks somewhat lost but rolls up his sleeves and gets focused, Michael Lynche looks pumped, the judges seem confused as to why they're surrounded by a bunch of contestants. 6 As usual, the judges pay little attention to the video package designed to stir the drama, although Simon claps when Randy's mug takes over the screen. 6:01 Ryan Seacrest's theatrical opening leads to his usual banter with the judges, complete with Simon Cowell scowl. 6:03 Ryan says the words "Wake Me Up Beofre You Go-Go" and all hell breaks loose in the studio. Lee, however, hesitates for a microsecond. 6:04 Kara's mouth is agape, presumably in disbelief and '80s nostalgia and, in no time, she's getting her moves on junior high-style. 6:05 Some Idols are more rhythmically challenged than others and young Aaron Kelly looks as if he's struggling a bit to keep up. 6:06 Sure, they're lip-synching, but every one of the Top 11 is also hamming it up for the cameras just the way "Idol" likes it — with "Glee"-like enthusiasm. Yes, even Crystal Bowersox joins in. Dewyze, on the other hand, can't keep those eyes from rolling back. 6:07 Katie Stevens hand slaps Andrew Garcia as we go to break. Stage manager Debbie Williams begins to arrange the Idols in their respective blue couch spots. Lee first, then Casey James, Tim Urban and Siobhan Magnus. 6:08 Having just come off a high-energy group number, several of the Idols need quick onstage touch-ups. Casey and Aaron are given the sweat pat-down, Didi and Paige have their hair finessed. 6:10 Ryan takes his spot at the weird see-through podium that looks like it came off a spaceship and leafs through his note cards as the show comes back on the air. Fortunately, it's not yet time for the bad news. First: a Ford music video shoot. Casey, Lee, Andrew Garcia and Siobhan can't help but laugh. 6:12 The mystery of the bearded hippie is solved when he's revealed to be Siobhan's boss from the glass-blowing shop. And here I assumed he was a pal of Crystal's. What do you call that, dread-judice? 6:14 Big screams, followed by a long, adoring "awww," ring out when Big Mike is shown carrying his newborn daughter. 6:15 Says Ryan: "We've got the stools and soon they will be filled." Why does that sound gross? 6:16 Siobhan is up first, looking cautiously calm even as Ryan squeezes every drop of stress out of the situation. Fortunately, it's wicked good news for this Cape Codder, and she can relax for the rest of the night. 6:17 Lee and Casey stand and await their fate, and this is one moment when the judges are paying attention, especially Kara. 6:18 Psych! Ryan jumps to Paige and Tim instead and a collective, "Huh?" is heard from the crowd. 6:19 Paige is standing at attention looking stiff and sad. She senses it's her time. Indeed, she lands in the bottom three. Tim, however, thinks he's gotten a reprieve. Psych again! Grab a stool, friend. 6:20 At break time, the mood had changed considerably. All but Siobhan were still at risk of exit; no wonder she was the only one waving to friends in the crowd. 6:21 Those in the front pits, many of whom had stood for the entirety of Miley Cyrus' pre-tape earlier, were starting to feel it in their legs. So for this video performance, they got to sit for a bit. 6:24 With twenty seconds to go, there are no judges in sight. But it doesn't really matter as Miley's performance of "When I Look At You" was actually recorded a couple hours earlier in the same studio. When Miley mentions liking Tim's knee slide the previous night, he just shrugs from the stool. 6:29 Miley's performance was an onslaught of hair flailing and facial emoting and it took the audience a minute to recover. You could say the same of the Top 11, who simply looked drained. 6:31 Love birds Ellen DeGeneres and Porta de Rossi are spotted walking hand-in-hand. It's amazing, the two rarely spend a moment outside of immediate sight range. 6:32 A ridiculously adorable 5-year-old New Yorker named Jaspar charms the pants off of every person in the "Idol" studio, especially Casey, Lee and Crystal, who all want hugs. Big Mike, on the other hand, gives the kid an airlift with little more than the push of a finger. 6:33 With the judges and Seacrest M.I.A. (again), Debbie offers their jobs to young adorable Jaspar. Guess what? He's not interested. 6:35 Ryan finally lets Lee and Casey off the hook. Whew. They can both resume breathing. Aaron Kelly is next, garnering only a mild applause when his name is called. Still, he's safe, and he clutches his hands to his heart in thankful relief. 6:36 It's Didi's turn and Simon's crack about the irony of "You're No Good" is greeted with boos, to which he simply sticks out his tongue. Poor Didi, not only does she not "get" what the judges wanted out of her, she can't even hear what they're saying. And that really is no good. 6:37 Ryan cuts to the vote, holds Didi's hand and she is safe. 6:38 Big Mike's reveal comes off like a Band-Aid, quickly and with no pain. Of course he's safe. 6:39 Another no-brainer for Crystal Bowersox, who takes each and every opportunity to reassert her independence with a snappy retort. Indeed, not only is she through to next week and the tour, she stands alone at this point. 6:40 Katie and Andrew are next on the chopping block, fully aware that one or the other will be taking the walk of shame to the stools across the stage. Many were convinced it would be Andrew. After all, can you really recover from being accused of "sucking the soul" out of Motown? 6:42 Apparently you can, because Katie is the one who lands in the bottom three. Fortunately, it's a short stay as she is not the lowest vote-getter of the night. 6:44 The lights are dimmed for the commercial break, but you can see Katie flanked on all sides by her fellow Season 9ers. Mike looks ecstatic to have her back, and even Simon flashes his signature smile as he exits for another break. 6:46 Mike, Andrew, Casey and Aaron huddle at the top of the couches as the stage is set for the Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato duet. 6:47 The shrieks are absolutely deafening as the two take the stage for their hit "Make a Wave." No "American Idol" contestant could elicit the kind of volume that comes with absolute mania. Maybe Adam Lambert. 6:50 Joe Jonas was the guest judge when Tim Urban auditioned! Another fun fact for the night, in addition to Siobhan's boss' vow to not trim his beard until she is eliminated — which is, hopefully, never. Better on the spot in this setting than at a judges' table, Joe Jonas cracks a joke and proceeds to charm all in a single swoop. The power of a Jonas. It's a curious thing. 6:51 The last commercial break is upon us and the judges quickly jump on stage to say hello to their guest performers. 6:52 Ever the gentleman, Joe Jonas makes a beeline for the Top 11, gives Andrew a giant bro hug and proceeds to shake each and every finalist's hand. Demi is not far behind, but time is short and the stage has to be cleared for the final act so the two make a hasty exit. 6:54 With 20 seconds to spare, the judges rush back to deliberate on one person's fate, and whether to use the precious "save." 6:55 Paige's time is up, and in an unexpected move, Simon says the judges will not even consider using the save option on her, bypassing the torturous "sing for your life" segment. "It's not working," he simply stated. "I don't wanna give you any false hope here, it's the end." 6:57 The crowd oohs and awws during Paige's teary goodbye montage, but she's keeping it together, and amazingly, Paige belts her exit song, "All Right Now," with more confidence and control than she's shown in weeks. The pipes were back, but it's too little, too late for this Florida girl. 6:58 With Big Mike grooving away, Kara and Ellen offering a standing ovation and the credits rolling, Tim Urban jumps the gun and starts making his way to center stage for the traditional post-elimination group hug. Oops. A little early, but no harm done. 7 The judges make their way onto the stage to give Paige some final words of encouragement. Simon is especially attentive and respectful in moments like this; It's when you see that there really is a warm guy beneath that icy exterior. 7:02 With the judges cleared from the room, Season 9 comes together in a giant huddle — a send-off to one of their own, who'll certainly live to sing another day, just not on the "Idol" summer tour. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Photo: The Top 11 perform Wham!'s "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go." Credit: Michael Becker / PictureGroup
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| Next week’s theme: Soul and R&B with guest mentor Usher Posted: 25 Mar 2010 11:03 AM PDT On Tuesday, the same day his sixth album is released, Usher will mentor the Top 10 as they take on a soul and R&B theme. Ryan Seacrest made the announcement at the end of Wednesday's elimination episode (avoiding his Twitter, for a change), when 24-year-old Paige Miles was sent packing, though it had been rumored for some time. Why didn't the show go public with the Usher booking earlier? Because In an effort to maintain the element of surprise for the finalists themselves, the producers do their best to keep the guests' identity secret for as long as possible. Of course, that's virtually impossible with "Idol" (especially when said artist splashes it across his website), but it won't stop them from trying. Tune in on Tuesday for what's sure to be a big night for Michael Lynche but also to see how an R&B superstar steers the rockers. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter
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| Tim Urban shirtless pics show why he’s so huggable Posted: 25 Mar 2010 11:03 AM PDT
Shirtless photos of Tim Urban in a swimsuit competition, held as part of a larger tryout by an agency called AMTC (Actors, Models & Talent for Christ), have seeped onto the Web and are spreading fast. They reveal that Urban is packing a serious six-pack and an impressive set of pecs under his sweet demeanor. (Urban also can be seen acting and singing in the talent competition, in which he finished in the top five in the "singer/songwriter" category.) But don't expect to see Urban pull a "Bikini Girl" and flaunt his beach-worthy bod on the "Idol" stage. "I will not be performing shirtless at any point in the competition," Urban has told MTV News. "I'm sorry. I had to make this decision," he cheekily added. "It took a lot of time; it was tough but I've decided I can't do that." Alas, that can't come as good news to his teenybopper fan base, including, it seemed, "Idol" mentor Miley Cyrus, who defended Urban on last night's show and was shown the previous night spontaneously offering him a hug (which, come to think of it, Ellen DeGeneres did too). Lovestruck Aaron Kelly, it's worth noting, had to ask Miley for his post-mentor-session hug. What do you think? Was Paige Miles robbed by Urban? Should the judges have considered her laryngitis and used their save? And do you think Urban is genuinely talented or just another pretty … face? – Amy Reiter Photo: Tim Urban. Credit: Nino Munoz / Fox Related: 'Idol' minute-by-minute: Save a prayer for Paige American 'Idle': Dullsville behind the scenes
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| American ‘Idle’: Dullsville behind the scenes Posted: 25 Mar 2010 11:03 AM PDT
Who can blame her? Season 9 hasn't exactly been adventurous in their performances thus far, and given too broad a range of songs (like all of Billboard No. 1s), they're bound to have their share of missteps. But in this all-important elimination, determining who will join the "Idol" tour this summer and who'll be asking for tickets, most fell short. The vibe from inside the "Idol"-dome? Depressed and divided. In truth, the finalists couldn't have picked a worse night to be mediocre since "Idol" creator Simon Fuller was in the house. In fact, he sat feet away from me and in a spot far inferior to beloved and brash British chef Gordon Ramsay, who walked in at two minutes and counting until showtime. It's always those last 120 seconds that are most hectic and this night was no exception. As family members got situated, Miley Cyrus entered from stage right and took her seat in the front row while the Top 11 found their spots on the stage. Andrew Garcia, who seemed a bit loopy during his critique later that night, was already making "You da man" hand gestures at Ryan Seacrest. That is, until a hush took over the room and the contestants prepared for their opening shot close-up. Crystal Bowersox stands up straight, Casey, looking slightly confused, gets it together and they're all reminded which way to exit. It's a brisk walk to stage left, after which Ryan runs around to the back for a re-entrance down the stairs. Silliness. He makes his way toward the judges' table for another round of Simon-and-Ryan's-intentionally-awkward-bordering-on-ridiculous banter then intros tonight's mentor, Miley Cyrus. As usual, while a package plays, the judges seem distracted. Randy blows kisses into the crowd while Kara and Simon mess around — it's their new thing. With Lee Dewyze positioned on the stage, and high-fiving all the brass players, he paces until it's time to launch into the Box Tops' "The Letter." For a second, I thought maybe he'd read my Big Star post from the other day, but I'll chalk it up to coincidence. Either way, it was a smart choice, not just because of its timeliness to Alex Chilton's passing, but because it had the whole room grooving. The crowd loves Lee and don't take kindly to criticisms of his song Break 1: Three of the four judges make a run for the exit while Randy stays behind to chat with Miley and introduce her to a couple of the show's security guards. Meanwhile, stage hands furiously rip marks off the stage while Paige gets situated at the stools. She's just been handed a ring from one of the girls down below, but it turns out to be no lucky rhinestone. "Judges optional," stage manager Debbie Williams yells over the PA as Simon, Kara and Ellen dart for their seats. However bad Paige's "Against All Odds" sounded on TV, it was even more noticeable in the studio where her voice was amplified so much that it was almost as if she was singing a capella. As for the breathy, Mariah version she attempted to emulate, it fizzled real fast, putting Paige in instant jeopardy. Another of the mediocre crew, Tim Urban, was up next. Wearing a mime-like shirt while standing at the top of the stairs, he made the devil horn sign, though considering how the judges trashed his performance, maybe he should've held his hands to the heavens instead. Break 2: OMG, Gordon Ramsay was three rows in front of me and it took every ounce of restraint for me not to pounce on the poor chap. I was too fixated to notice much else. With a last swig from the water bottle, Tim turns to watch his video montage then takes his position in the center of the stage. His performance is a hot mess of desperation, from the hand slaps to the slide to the general goody demeanor — no wonder he's winded at the end. Randy surveyed the room for reaction, clearly unsure what to make of Turban, but the teeny boppers love him, as evidenced by Miley's enthusiastic applause and thumbs up. Meanwhile, on the other side of the stage, Crystal and Aaron take a seat at the mosh pit edge. Crystal leans on young Aaron, smiling and clearly ready for her moment. Break 3: Miley and Randy are still hanging out (they apparently had a lot to talk about), while the other three judges bolt. Back from commercial, it's Aaron Kelly's turn and, fortunately for him, he's hidden behind the video screen when he declares his love for Miley. It looked like she appreciated it too. After all, Aaron made it to the Top 24 in large part thanks to her song "The Climb." And to Aaron's credit, he pulled off a near flawless rendition of Aerosmith's "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing," for which he received a standing ovation — even Miley was on her feet! And speaking of standing… and then sitting… on the stage… Indian style… with Ryan Seacrest. Crystal Bowersox was all about that rug. Even when they brought it out, she personally bent down to position it just so. And it worked, because not only did she deliver a stellar performance of the song Janis Joplin made famous, but she finally loosened up a bit by popping a squat on the magic carpet with Seacrest. She proved her star power tonight, but we've known all along that she had it in her. Break 4: Out goes Crystal, in comes Big Mike and a giant white piano rolling up behind him. From first sight of his velvet dinner jacket, you got the sense something romantic was in store. Indeed, Mike didn't disappoint in that department. After giving the thumbs up, he doled out another serenade to his beloved, to which the studio swayed but Kara looked bored. That disconnect between judge and audience seems even more pronounced this year. They can dis Tim until they're blue in the face but the crowd still loves him. The opposite was true of Big Mike. The judges thought it was safe and a little boring but the audience was all about his sweet soul. Break 5: Portia De Rossi and Ellen DeGeneres practically skipped their way out of the "Idol" studio, with Ellen stopping to shake a hand here and there and Portia looking on proudly. On stage, Rickey Minor was preparing for his moment jamming some bass, while Randy toyed with Corey the warm-up clown (not in costume but in overall demeanor) who was there to keep the audience's energy up. Andrew Garcia came next and the room was appropriately tense. Sure, there were still plenty of people rooting for him, but there's no denying the skepticism that kicked in the minute his package rolled. It was as if the whole room launched into the "Saturday Night Live" "Weekend Update" bit: really? "I Heard it Through the Grapevine?" Really? And you probably didn't see this at home, but Andrew apparently felt so awkward without his security blanket, the acoustic guitar, that he actually moon-walked across the stage. Oy. Needless to say, it was not a good night for Andrew. Simon told him he "sucked the soul out of" a Motown classic, used words like "tortured" and "ruined," yet Andrew took it in stride — almost giddily so. What, were they passing around shots backstage? Break 6: Another break allows for a much-needed stretch and stroll. The audience chairs are about as comfortable as the torturous half-moon stools, so at least we're in solidarity with the "Idol" contestants in that way. And we're back with Katie Stevens, who's determined to show that she's a big girl. Like fellow 17-year-old Aaron, Katie seemed to benefit from Miley's guidance. For the most part, her voice sounded clear, full and confident. She was the only one who chose a current pop song and that had Kara grooving. Plus, her performance prompted a smile and wave from Miley down below. Clearly the two had bonded. Break 7: With Casey's gear being loaded on stage, he and Ryan Seacrest ham it up on the side stools counting down the minutes until it's go time. They weren't alone. Audience fatigue was starting to take its toll and we all needed a good rocker to liven things up.
By the way, was it the Rickey Minor show last night? They didn't pan to him too much on the TV broadcast, but inside the studio, there was some serious spotlight-stealing going on. First with Casey, where the show's band leader and musical arranger stood closer to the audience than the contestant himself, and then again with Didi Benami, who was dwarfed by his giant stand-up bass and too-cool-for-school moves. It may be time for Rickey to take a seat because distractions do not always bode well for the finalists. With that in mind (and after another uneventful break), Didi did her best sex kitten while crooning the Linda Ronstadt hit "You're No Good." In all honestly, it didn't sound that bad in the studio. A tad forced maybe, but at the end of her two minutes, Didi seemed pleased, perhaps even confident that her performance was, in a word, good. But Randy set the tone and there was no turning back. Another rough night for Didi, but she'll live to see another week. Siobhan Magnus was the closer and certainly the most anticipated performer of the night. There was an audible buzz as she made her stage entrance, hair mohawked-out Sanjaya-style, standing on the stairs at the ready. From note one of "Superstition," she gets the audience on its feet, but Kara isn't buying it, and by the end, neither are some of the crowd members. While "Idol" fans are no strangers to the art of the impactful last note, Siobhan crossed the screechy line and then some. If Simon didn't have a camera pointed at him, I'd say he was ready to plug his ears right then and there. Why do these contestants insist on choosing songs from before they were born? Is there no good music to be found after 1998's "Armageddon" soundtrack? Again, with Seth Myers in mind: really? – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Photo: Crystal Bowersox gets comfortable on the "Idol" stage; Casey James and "Idol" band leader Rickey Minor trade licks. Credit: Michael Becker / PictureGroup
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| Wednesday’s ‘Idol’ elimination offers teens aplenty, no surprises Posted: 25 Mar 2010 11:03 AM PDT After crowd-pleasing sets by teen stars Miley Cyrus, Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato came what was probably the least surprising elimination so far in Season 9, though an unfortunate one for tonight’s castoff who’ll be missing the “Idol” summer tour. It also goes to show that one bad week — or in this case, two, but not right next to each other — can mean the end of the “Idol” road for even the most promising of hopefuls. Wednesday’s eliminated contestant was far from that. It was the obvious choice. Still, the producers tried to squeeze every last drop of drama out of their bottom three, composed of Paige Miles, Tim Urban and Katie Stevens. Who went home? Find out after the jump…
Denied a judges’ save, she was unceremoniously dismissed by Simon Cowell in a unanimous decision. More from behind the scenes later tonight. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Photo: Paige Miles. Credit: Frank Micelotta / Fox
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| The ‘American Idol’ Judge Power Rankings: A night of total horror, Billboard No. 1s Posted: 25 Mar 2010 11:03 AM PDT It finally happened: This year's contestants have pushed our four judges over the edge. They're just not the smartest bunch of hopefuls, you know? Asked to pick from among all the songs that have topped the Billboard charts, the contestants dusted off such relics as "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," Huey Lewis & The News' "The Power of Love" and Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss A Thing." And then there was Paige… hoooo boy. Quite rightly, the judges got frustrated fast. And that means Simon's back on top of this week's rankings. (Note that all the judges are in the positive numbers this time. Being angry makes them — mostly — more discriminating!):
Words for Tim. "It was completely and utterly pointless and silly. … You've got zero chance of winning." +20
Words for Tim. "Yo Tim, dawg, did you have a good time? You had a good time, right? Wow. What's hard for me is that this is a singing competition. We're supposed to be finding the best that we can find, and every time you guys hit the stage, you should be showing up and wowing us, and we should just be like, 'Oh my God, he's so dope!' Man … the dopest thing you did was the slide. The vocals were so boring. I was like, 'What show is this?' It was like bad karaoke. I don't know …" +20
Words for Tim. "You were like Zac Efron in 'Hairspray.'" No Kara, Zac was way better. -5
Words for Tim. "It felt to me like it was an awesome audition for 'High School Musical.' It was corny. There is a large group of people that will love that performance — and then there's me. I didn't get it. Sorry."+15 – Denise Martin Photos: Simon Cowell (Charles Pulliam / Associated Press), Randy Jackson (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times, Kara DioGuardi (Peter Kramer / Associated Press), Ellen DeGeneres (Michael Rozman / Associated Press) RELATED: The COMPLETE 'American Idol' Judge Power Rankings Ann Powers: Underconfident, the Idols overreach Steve Lillywhite 'Idol' campaign continues with 'get to know me' clip
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| Buzzmeter: ‘Idol’ experts pick Paige Miles as Tuesday night’s biggest loser Posted: 25 Mar 2010 11:03 AM PDT The "American Idol" expert pool has spoken, and the vast majority of our panelists expect Paige Miles to be sent home Wednesday night, while the rest are placing their bets on Andrew Garcia. What's the bigger "Idol" crime — butchering Phil Collins or "sucking the soul" out of a Marvin Gaye classic? [Updated at 2:20 p.m.: An earlier version of this post mistakenly cited the Temptations rather than Marvin Gaye.] We'll find out at the results show Wednesday at 9 p.m., but see how America's leading 'Idol' pundits voted here. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Photo: Paige Miles performs. Credit: Ray Mickshaw / Fox
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| Guest blogger Anoop Desai discusses song choice Posted: 25 Mar 2010 11:03 AM PDT
Last season on "Idol," they had a "Hot Digital Downloads" theme week… Huh? What qualifies as a hot download I still couldn't tell you. I sang Usher's "Caught Up." "Billboard No. 1s" is a more concrete theme, but just as vexing for contestants. As Simon brought up several times, there are thousands of songs that the contestants could have picked. What the outside observer might not understand is that a wider selection doesn't necessarily equal an easier selection. Saying to a contestant, "Alright, you need to pick one of the most popular songs ever, completely redo it, and have it be good," is a head trip. Add to that the copyright limitations all "Idol" contestants must go through to select a song, and this might be the hardest theme week. Having said that, there is no excuse for the choices of songs this week. While I was on the show, I always told myself not to listen to the blogs. After all, a lot of the people that make comments about performances could do no better. I still offer that as my advice to "Idol" contestants. But guys, make an exception for me. Please. I had to learn the hard way that in order to succeed on the show and in the music industry after the show, one needed to define their niche. The only contestants that I see doing that consistently right now are Crystal, Aaron, and Casey. Contestants, the song choices you make must matter. I, too often, made the mistake of singing a song that I could just sing, not one that I could communicate with. It's a learning process— that's what "Idol" is about — so I would be remiss if I criticized anyone for not pigeonholing themselves this early in the game. After all, this is still only the Top 11! Next week, however, the process has to go into high gear. After this week, these contestants are officially touring artists. They'll go on the "Idol" summer tour which runs for over 50 shows this summer. And the songs they sing on that tour will help define what they do after the tour. In other words, starting this week, every contestant has a career if they want it. So please guys, start your career off on the right foot. Don't over-think it, Paige and Didi. Don't try too hard, Tim, Lee, and Andrew. You can't win the race if you're in someone else's lane. Know which lane you belong in and stay in it. I can't write a generic list of standouts and disappointments this week. I don't feel right doing it. First of all, I honestly didn't care for anyone's performance this week, personally. Second, I know that these blogs can sometimes be hurtful. Third, and most importantly, a lot of people wrote me off when I was on the show. That didn't stop me from pursuing my career, and right now I'm having a mighty fine time of it (insert shameless plug for "My Name" just released on iTunes and anoopdesai.com here). So although I'm more than happy to share my advice and my experiences, I'll leave the judging up to the four people at that desk and to the voters watching on television. By this time, you've already made your decisions. So I'll leave you with two sets of parting words. To the contestants: stop, call your friends, remember who you are, breathe, and go grab it. My friend Joe (only "Idol" contestants will know who I'm talking about) once told me that there are a circle of people walking around this prize. The person who takes it is the one that will get it. No one is stopping you. To the voters: This show will get better. I've heard a lot of murmurings that people are uninterested this season. And that's valid, of course. But realize that it's still very early. Keep watching, because I have faith that the breakout performance is around the corner. – Anoop Desai Photo: Season 8 finalist Anoop Desai in 2009. Credit: Michael Becker / Fox
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Season 8's Anoop Desai, the only contestant to snag a 13th spot in "American Idol's" nine-year-history, is Idol Tracker's guest blogger this week. The Chapel Hill, N.C., native, whose debut single, "My Name," was released on Tuesday, breaks down some potentially fatal errors made with this week's song choices and offers the Top 11 his advice for going forward. | You are subscribed to email updates from The Unofficial Danny Gokey Fan Site To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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