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- Season 10 Auditions
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- Casey James: The soundtrack to my life
- Crystal Bowersox: The soundtrack to my life
- Lee DeWyze: The soundtrack to my life
- ‘American Idol’: The final two are revealed
- ‘Idol’ performance show minute-by-minute recap: For Lee, it is a victory march
- Casey James sees relief at the end of the ‘Idol’ road
- Buzzmeter: ‘Idol’ experts pick Casey as this week’s biggest loser
- More post-performance show reaction from the Top 3
- ‘Idol’ post-show chat today at 1 p.m. PDT
- Guest blogger Elliott Yamin laments the Top 3’s lack of urgency
| Posted: 20 May 2010 12:34 AM PDT As the three Idol finalists traveled to their hometowns to celebrate their Top 3 status, each finalist got a text with the song that was selected for them by the judges. Before they sang the song chosen for them, Casey James, Crystal Bowersox, and Lee DeWyze got to perform a song of their choice. Here is the list of songs from the Top 3 performance show: Casey James OK Its Alright With Me by Eric Hutchinson Click on the contestants names above to watch their performances again. |
| Posted: 20 May 2010 12:34 AM PDT As the three Idol finalists traveled to their hometowns to celebrate their Top 3 status, each finalist got a text with the song that was selected for them by the judges. Before they sang the song chosen for them, Casey James, Crystal Bowersox, and Lee DeWyze got to perform a song of their choice. Here is the list of songs from the Top 3 performance show: Casey James OK Its Alright With Me by Eric Hutchinson Click on the contestants names above to watch their performances again. |
| Posted: 20 May 2010 12:34 AM PDT Show your American Idol support as you watch the finale by wearing some great T-shirts, caps, and American Idol jewelry. You can also purchase Idol CDs, which are great soundtracks for your American Idol finale parties, summer road trips, or just hanging out. Click here to see limited-edition collectibles, autographed photos, CDs, T-shirts, and more from the show. Start shopping! |
| Posted: 20 May 2010 12:34 AM PDT Show your American Idol support as you watch the finale by wearing some great T-shirts, caps, and American Idol jewelry. You can also purchase Idol CDs, which are great soundtracks for your American Idol finale parties, summer road trips, or just hanging out. Click here to see limited-edition collectibles, autographed photos, CDs, T-shirts, and more from the show. Start shopping! |
| Posted: 20 May 2010 12:34 AM PDT As you heard on Season 9s dramatic Top 3 results show, Ryan Seacrest announced four of the cities that American Idol will be traveling to this summer for Season 10 auditions. Some of the cities include: - Nashville, Tennessee Continue to check AmericanIdol.com for the rest of the audition cities, registration information, travel guides, and the rest of the important details as we roll them out. |
| Posted: 20 May 2010 12:34 AM PDT As you heard on Season 9s dramatic Top 3 results show, Ryan Seacrest announced four of the cities that American Idol will be traveling to this summer for Season 10 auditions. Some of the cities include: - Nashville, Tennessee Continue to check AmericanIdol.com for the rest of the audition cities, registration information, travel guides, and the rest of the important details as we roll them out. |
| Casey James: The soundtrack to my life Posted: 20 May 2010 12:34 AM PDT Lynyrd Skynyrd: "Second Helping" (1974) When I was growing up, I always sang with my mom, like spiritual stuff at church and for the holidays, and when I started getting into music, I would listen to country because it's what was around. Then I remember hearing something when I was with my dad that really hit me. I really like and had never felt that way about anything. So he let me borrow Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Second Helping" on cassette, and I listened to the whole thing so many times. It really opened me up to an entire new genre of music. Me liking that album was like an invitation to try anything, so I started getting into everything, that was the beginning of my musical life, really. Pearl Jam: "Ten" (1991) "Ten" opened me up to mainstream music, but when my brother first started listening to it, Pearl Jam was still kind of underground and we made fun of him for it. Then it went huge and everybody was listening to it. From that, I got into Temple of the Dog, Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots — everything that popped up in that genre after, which was a huge influence on me as well. But that album is one of my favorites because it's one of about 20 where every single song is amazingly crazy good all the way from top to bottom. It's perfect. You can listen to any song on that and it could've been a single. And I think they had a bunch. Stevie Ray Vaughan: "In the Beginning" (1992) It was a few years later when I started playing guitar, first by learning some simple stuff like country music and old rock 'n' roll, but then I remember hearing my brother listening to Stevie Ray Vaughan. It was another moment where I was, like, "Wow, I really like what he's doing with the guitar." He was just attacking it like nothing I've ever heard. So I got an album called "In the Beginning" and I learned every note on it, which was easier to do because it was early on in his career [it was recorded in 1980]. I learned all those notes and it opened me up to the blues. When you look what he was doing, a lot of it was covers, and then you go back and start listening to those guys — the originals Albert King, Freddie King, Albert Collins — those influences changed me, too. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Photo credit: Ray Mickshaw / Fox; special thanks to Amoeba Records on Sunset |
| Crystal Bowersox: The soundtrack to my life Posted: 20 May 2010 12:34 AM PDT Melissa Etheridge: S/T (1988) I can relate to Melissa Etheridge because we have similar background stories and similar spirits. I was listening to pop stuff back in the day and my mom popped in her record. "Chrome Plated Heart" was the first Melissa song that I heard, and I thought, this has got the groove — it's real, it's raw, it doesn't have much instrumentation on it. I like to say that she saved me from crappy music. I was 9 1/2, taking piano lessons at the time and I started thinking about the guitar. I actually found one my mom had in the back of her closet and that's what inspired me to start playing. Jewel: "Pieces of You" (1995) When I found my mom's guitar, the first song I tried to learn was Jewel's "You Were Meant For Me." At first, the top two notes of that song was all I could play! But "Piece of You" was one of the first CDs that I bought with my own money. I remembered hearing "Who Will Save Your Soul" on the radio and I loved it. That was when I was going for the organic sounds. I remember buying it and I learned how to play and sing every song on the CD. And I was covering almost all Jewel songs until someone made the realization, "Oh you're Crystal, she's Jewel and they're both, like, gemstones and I kind of steered away from that. Ray LaMontagne: "Trouble" (2004) Sometimes it's hard to understand what Ray is saying, but that's kind of what I like about this album. I'm listening to it and he's got that emotional, throaty growl going on, and you're like "What did he say?" So you read the lyrics and it's an instant, "Oooh, now I know why he's so torn up over this." The lyrics are just insanely deep to me. His song "Empty" is great, "Burn," "Hannah…" And on his second record, "Lesson Learned" is an intense song, too, that's about cheating. The lyrics are just so raw. "The truth it felt so heavy / Like a hammer through the room / That I could choose another over her…" It paints a vivid picture in my mind. I was living in Chicago between 2005 and 2006 and when I discovered Ray's music, I was going through a breakup and I was at a pivotal point in my life. That music carried me… It helped me through a lot of stuff. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Photo credit: Ray Mickshaw / Fox; special thanks to Amoeba Records on Sunset |
| Lee DeWyze: The soundtrack to my life Posted: 20 May 2010 12:34 AM PDT
Before the Top 3 turn into the Final 2, we asked each of Season 9's last contestants standing for three pivotal albums that serve as the soundtrack to their lives. Here are Lee DeWyze's takes on Cat Stevens' classic "Tea for the Tillerman," Simon & Garfunkel's "Greatest Hits" and the prog-rock masterpiece that is "Dark Side of the Moon." Cat Stevens: "Tea for the Tillerman" (1970) I was really, really young when I first heard it. My dad listened to that kind of music and when he put that album on one day, I was, like, "What is that?" So I asked if I can listen to it without him around, because I really loved it, and that's what I did. And I've always listened to it on vinyl because that's what my dad had and it's just the way I knew it. When I got older, he got me the CD for my birthday, which I still have. It's one of my favorite albums of all time. The song "Father and Son," that is very true to me and my dad, and "Miles From Nowhere" is all about, like, different stages of your life. It's just incredible. Pink Floyd: "Dark Side of the Moon" (1973) My dad listened to "Dark Side" as well, but I didn't really get into it until high school, right around the same time I discovered Radiohead's "OK Computer." "Dark Side" was really just me opening my eyes to different kinds of music and different sounds. Everything about it sick. The whole album is a story and I'm really into that. I'm not a big jumper or song skipper; I like to hear it from beginning to end the whole way through. Simon & Garfunkel: "Greatest Hits" (1972) When I was really getting into the singer-songwriter thing, this is the album that got me to play the guitar. Every song on there just kills me, "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Sounds of Silence." The lyrics are so amazing. So I got my dad's guitar out and tried to learn how to play "The Boxer," which is why that song means so much to me. After I learned it and for a long time, it was one of the only songs I knew. And even now, I'll pop that on my iPod and it puts me in a really good place. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter. Photo credit: Ray Mickshaw / Fox; special thanks to Amoeba Music on Sunset Boulevard |
| ‘American Idol’: The final two are revealed Posted: 20 May 2010 12:34 AM PDT
To find out whether the long-predicted Lee and Crystal finale would finally come to pass next week — or whether the cougar and teenybopper alliance had cobbled together enough power to keep Casey in it yet again — we sat through performances by Travis Garland and Justin Beiber; a brief appearance by blogger Perez Hilton, establishing his music-spotting bona fides in a way that can only make us wonder if he really will be tapped to replace Simon next season; and lots of footage from the contestants' triumphant returns to their hometowns last week. The homecoming recaps were admittedly sweet and suspense building. All three contestants clearly had a blast. During his visit, Casey got to thank the doctors that saved him after an accident six years ago — and he signed some woman's dachshund and incited more than a few young girls to scream as if they were seeing the Beatles at Shea. "Incredible story. Incredible story," Ryan said as Casey's package wrapped. Crystal finally got her song "Holy Toledo," which has apparently become an anthem in Northwest Ohio, on the air. It ran under footage of her playfully popping out of a limo sunroof like a prairie dog, signing her name on the chest of a guy who informed her halfway through that he planned to have her signature made into a tattoo, and singing at an event dubbed "Bowerstock." Recalling the day and what it meant to her and her town, she was moved to tears. Lee, for his part, seemed to have spent his entire homecoming day in tears — as the crowds swarmed around the paint store where he once worked, as he met with children at his old elementary school, as he sang before his hometown crowd with his parents looking proudly on. But when Ryan tried to elicit some post-package waterworks, Lee, clearly feeling confident, declined to provide them. Anyhow, eventually, one contestant was sent home, and that contestant was … Casey James. No surprise there, of course. As Casey himself said earlier in the night, he never imagined he'd make it this far. And then, going just a little further, he sang a reprise of John Mayer's "Daughters," the song Kara and Randy picked for him on Tuesday night, plucking a little girl (did he know her?) out of the crowd to underscore the poignancy of the lyrics. So there it is, "Idol" fans, the Lee and Crystal showdown you've been waiting for. Who do you think is going to win? – Amy Reiter Photo: A last look at the top three before they become two. Credit: Michael Becker / Fox |
| ‘Idol’ performance show minute-by-minute recap: For Lee, it is a victory march Posted: 20 May 2010 12:34 AM PDT
We're pulling a bit of a switcheroo this week. Our usual Tuesday night blogger, illustrious music critic Ann Powers, will weigh in with her "Idol" thoughts on Wednesday, and you'll get my weekly minute-by-minute breakdown following the performance show. Read on for all the action on camera and off as the Final 3 — Crystal Bowersox, Lee DeWyze and Casey James – give it two last tries and hope to be voted through to the "Idol" finale. And check back later for the contestants' post-show reactions. 4:54 p.m. With six minutes to go and a palpable buzz in the air, Corey, the warm-up guy, jumps the gun and starts the process of introducing the judges. After 12 weeks in a row, you'd think he'd know by now that the Season 9 foursome rarely makes an entrance more than four minutes out – not even on Simon Cowell's last night in the "Idol" studio (next week's finale takes place at the Nokia Theatre). 4:57 As I was saying, Kara DioGuardi appears at the 3 1/2-minute mark, getting her groove on, as usual, and looking smashing in a black dress with rainbow-colored accents. She is, after all, going out later. 4:58 Randy Jackson appears in a Kanye West-meets-Cliff Huxtable cardigan, and takes an extra minute to high-five enthusiastic "Idol" fans nearby. As many times as he's gone through the motions, this studio will always play host to first-timers, and Randy can still appreciate that. Ellen DeGeneres is steps behind and does her usual, "Who, me?" look. Corey wants to intro Simon but notes that it's still far too early. Instead, he brings out the Top 3. 4:59 Lee, Crystal and Casey head toward the middle stage stairs where Ryan Seacrest is also positioned just as Simon slips in and makes a beeline for Ellen's cheek. But a Euro-kiss is all there's time for as Corey instructs the crowd to "blow the roof off this joint," and stage manager Debbie Williams counts down "four, three, two …" 5:00 This week's twist on the usual "Idol" opening is cute, especially the part where Ryan tells Lee to smile – that small moment instantly endears the little lamb that could to the studio audience, and undoubtedly plenty of home viewers as well. As for the Top 3's delivery of Seacrest's quintessential "This is 'American Idol'" opening line? It had Debbie in stitches. 5:01 Ryan employs a trick Corey often uses to warm up the audience and asks everybody to yell out the name of the contestant they want to win. In case you couldn't make it out at home, Lee was the winner of that round too. 5:02 "Keep it up for the judges," Ryan nudges in an attempt to keep the energy high, but all he really had to do was introduce the Top 3, who elicit the most enthusiastic applause. 5:03 In one of several awkward transitions, Ryan shoos Crystal and Lee offstage and talks to Casey about his personal song choice, Eric Hutchinson's "OK, It's Alright With Me." It's a song that's "like the stuff I write," Casey explains, then makes his way to center stage, where he's handed a guitar (the stagehand ducks out of frame just in the nick of time!) 5:04 I''s a shaky start, and I'm reminded that Rickey Minor and the band were still learning this song on Monday afternoon and kept having to refer back to the CD numerous times. No wonder. 5:05 It's sad to say, but some women of the cougar persuasion are tuning out mid-song, while others aren't quite sure where it ended. This does not bode well for Casey. 5:06 As the comment hat is passed from one judge to the next, Casey looks more and more forlorn. 5:07 Simon's comparison of Casey to a guy in the subway playing for loose change takes the cake, and not even Seacrest can offer reassurance. 5:08 The first commercial break is upon us. Casey hands his instrument off to a guitar tech, and the two exit the stage in six-string solidarity. 5:09 Rather than making the usual break for the outside, Kara and Randy walk around to greet friends and family members in the audience.
5:11 Crystal explains her love of Melissa Etheridge (the abridged version) and why she chose "Come To My Window" on this semifinal week, then moseys over to the microphone. 5:12 It's interesting that Crystal chose to use so much of her performance time for a harp solo, but the girl knows what she wants. 5:13 As Crystal struggles a bit to reach the high notes of this rock 'n' roll serenade, it's important to keep in mind that this is the sixth season in which a contestant has performed a Melissa Etheridge song and most of them came up way short. Read more on that here. 5:14 The judges aren't falling over themselves with praise after Crystal's performance. Indeed, compared with previous weeks, it didn't feel as natural and seemingly effortless, as we've become accustomed to. Still, Ellen tells her that "Melissa would be very proud." 5:15 Simon's declaration that Crystal hasn't compromised herself at all as an artist has Randy nodding in agreement and the rest of the "Idol" studio audience clapping along. 5:16 While Ryan reads off Crystal's digits, Lee takes position in the mosh pit surrounded by female fans. His focus, however, is on the camera ahead and another three-second chance to make eye (and smile) contact with the viewers at home. 5:17 The judges bolt for break No. 2, but Ellen and her partner Portia DiRossi stay behind to say hello to friends … 5:19 Among those friends: one Melissa Etheridge, seated on the right side of the studio just a few rows back from Crystal's boyfriend, Tony. 5:20 Lee sits on the stool and tries to get comfortable even with his guitar potentially getting in the way. 5:21 His first song choice is Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man," a tune previously performed by Season 5's Bucky Covington but not with the conviction of Lee's version. That's because this guy from the Chicago suburbs is about as meat-and-potatoes as they come, and he makes no apologies for it — It's what has brought him this far. And that's exactly the sentiment that the song puts forth. A smart move for Lee in these final days. 5:22 Lee's "Simple Man" inspires some serious swaying in the front, and way in the back, his vocal sounds strong and clear. 5:23 Ending the song with a smile and props for the band, Lee nods in agreement when Randy declares that he's in it to win it. 5:24 Ellen's comparison to a "little baby lamb" brightens the mood even more, as does Kara's comment that round 1 goes to Lee, but for Simon's turn, Lee stands with clenched fist. Fortunately, it's good news as the panel's most important judge describes the choice as "absolutely on the money" and a performance that "crushed" the other two. 5:26 As Ryan reads off Lee's numbers, Casey sneaks around behind Kara's chair for the next outro. She looks startled at first – did Kara not get the memo? – then just awkward as he leans up against her chair. For his part, Simon finds it incredibly amusing.
5:30 With 30 seconds to go until airtime, the judges huddle, seemingly discussing something important. Simon's goodbye party? 5:31 Finally, Ryan introduces some hometown footage, while, from a backside view, Simon is holding tight onto Kara. My, how chummy they've become these last few weeks. The occasional spats are all but gone! 5:32 Randy and Kara picked "Daughters" for Casey because, Randy says, it's the kind of sound he should have as a recording artist, not to mention the lyrical significance in assigning the cougar fave a song that speaks so lovingly of girls who turn into lovers then into mothers. Under any other circumstance, it might get compared with his choice of "Mrs. Robinson" (not the performance, the pick), but one step away from the finale, it doesn't quite live up to "American Idol" standards. 5:33 Ryan takes his time walking off set while Casey does his best to emote at this critical juncture, but he hits a couple of rough spots and seems winded through most of the song. 5:34 Simon looks detached from the whole Casey scene as the song comes to a close. 5:35 What you can read on his face, you can instantly sense from the judges' comments, even Randy's and Kara's — they didn't connect with Casey the same way he didn't connect with the song in this performance. To his credit, however, it sounded much more controlled and effervescent during rehearsal. I think fatigue got the best of him. 5:37 The next contestant to awkwardly slink around behind the judges' table? Crystal Bowersox, who's also tasked with startling Ellen, the judge who assigned her the Paul McCartney classic "Maybe I'm Amazed." 5:38 Casey gets one last lick in before being escorted off the stage, while Randy, Simon and Ellen remain at the judges' table for another huddle. Back on the stage, Crystal gets some final touch-ups then heads up the side stairs. 5:42 Crystal moves the hair from her face, grabs tight on the microphone and gets ready while her video package plays for the rest of the audience to see. Ellen's confidence in Crystal's ability to "tear this thing apart" looks to be contagious. 5:43 Crystal begins on the stairs, bathing in the moon-like glow of a white light, and in no time is strutting down stage – sans guitar — while Ellen claps along and the audience hoots and hollers in awe. Was it her strongest vocal moment? Yes, in terms of really pushing the limits of her voice and giving it some volume and extra oomph. No, if you consider several spots where her singing fell flat. 5:44 No matter, it's a standing ovation for Miss B., who has to immediately make her way back from the judges' riser to the stage. And she's got the full confidence of the panel as well, even Kara, who finally admits what millions have long known: that Crystal's got soul. 5:46 As the show goes to another commercial, Crystal motions toward her throat, as if to signal that it wasn't in great shape, while Lee makes his way to the stage and gets situated. 5:48 With little more than a minute to go and in a moment of ridiculous sweetness, Lee runs down to the front rows of audience seats to hug various family members and friends. 5:49 With 41 seconds left on the clock, the judges return for the show's final act. Ryan is the last to stroll in, chewing gum, no less (an "Idol" studio no-no – they actually make the pages come around with a cup collecting it). 5:51 Inexplicably (especially considering the vote of confidence he received by the judges), Lee's hometown segment is surprisingly short and, well, doesn't actually show his hometown. Instead, we get the Fox private plane on the tarmac. Presumably, they're saving the good stuff for Wednesday's show? 5:52 Simon's choice of "Hallelujah" is a bit peculiar considering Tim Urban just sang it little more than a month ago, but perhaps looking to show that Lee can do more with the Leonard Cohen/Jeff Buckley classic, it turns out to be a good choice vocally. 5:53 As far as presentation goes, the non-robed gospel singers felt a little much, not to mention a studio entirely flooded in white light. But was there white heat? Maybe a spark. Still, Simon bops his head along and looks contented with the pick, while Randy and the others look to him in approval. 5:54 The studio literally erupts in applause the instant Lee strums his last note, and the enthusiasm is not lost on this judging panel. Randy calls it Lee's "biggest moment," Ellen says it's "stunning" and Kara declares that Lee "is what this show is all about" and "the heart of this season." 5:56 Simon, of course, offers nothing but praise to his chosen favorite, and in the end, maybe it is a victory march for the former paint store employee. 5:57 Looking relieved and drained at the same time, Lee's attempt to explain how he was feeling may have felt a bit babbling, but who can blame him after such a whirlwind week. Of course, it's only going to get crazier. 5:59 Roll the replay while Crystal and Casey join Lee center stage for one last bow and a three-way pat on the back. 6:00 And that's all she wrote. As the Final 3 retreated to their backstage lair, the judges and Melissa Etheridge gathered outside the studio doors as scores of well-wishers surrounded Simon. A few minutes later, he and Ryan were seen walking together (with cameras trailing, natch) toward Simon's private two-story trailer. As Idol Tracker readers may recall, Ryan was handed the job of putting together Simon's tribute video, which will in all likelihood air on next week's finale along with a slew of other surprises. Many call it the sleepy season, while others get satisfaction in seeing three singer-songwriter types like Crystal, Lee and Casey make it on a show like "Idol." One week away from the end, how are you feeling about this year's competition? And who do you think won the night? – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Upper photo: Lee DeWyze performs "Hallelujah" on Tuesday's show. Credit: Ray Mickshaw / Fox / PictureGroup Middle photo: Crystal Bowersox is seen backstage at the Top 3 performance show. Credit: Ray Mickshaw / Fox / PictureGroup Lowerphoto: Casey James performs "OK, It's Alright With Me" on Tuesday's show. Credit: Michael Becker / Fox / PictureGroup |
| Casey James sees relief at the end of the ‘Idol’ road Posted: 20 May 2010 12:34 AM PDT For someone who's but one move away from the Final 2 and so close to claiming the title of "American Idol," it seemed Tuesday that Casey James also had one foot out the door. Following the Top 3 performance show, during which he received tepid responses by the judges (see video above) and even a foreboding hint (by Randy Jackson, no less) that it might be his last solo performance on Season 9 proper, Casey carried that air of resignation backstage, where he was greeted by yours truly and the rest of the ragged "Idol" media delegation. Casey's response when asked if part of him is relieved that the experience will soon be over? A resounding affirmative: "I'm ready to start playing music," he said. "Like full songs with guitar solos and no judges … not having to cut a song in a minute and a half. … So, yes!" It was hard to tell whether it was bitterness or disappointment rearing its deflated head, or simply exhaustion taking its toll, but one thing's for certain: The "Idol" and Casey James combo might not be a perfect fit. Which is why I, along with many fans of the Fort Worth guitar slinger, would be OK with a Casey elimination Wednesday night. That's not to say he doesn't deserve the title or that he's "above" the show; this is more about having accomplished what he set out to do. The rest of this ride should be his to choose. Would you agree? What's your sense of Casey's place in the bigger "Idol" picture? – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter |
| Buzzmeter: ‘Idol’ experts pick Casey as this week’s biggest loser Posted: 20 May 2010 12:34 AM PDT Why won't the 27-year-old guitar slinger make it to the Top 2? Likely for the most basic of reasons: His vocal chops don't stand up to the rest, and, as one reader recently commented, the show is not called "Guitar Hero." Check out how all our experts voted here, and tune in Wednesday night for the results show, featuring performances by Justin Bieber and Travis Garland. Also come back to this space at 1 p.m. PDT for our weekly live chat. – Shirley Halperin Follow Idol Tracker on Twitter: twitter.com/IdolTracker Photo: Casey James poses |
| More post-performance show reaction from the Top 3 Posted: 20 May 2010 12:34 AM PDT Here's some more from the contestants' post-show chat with the media (minus the part about their hometown visits — you can read all about those experiences here). Two of you are staying, one is leaving; If it's you, are you confident that you've got a great career ahead, no matter what? Casey: Absolutely. I'm 100% percent confident. I wasn't anywhere close to this, but I've been doing music my whole life, that's not gonna change. I'll play music everywhere, anywhere, it doesn't matter, so I'm pretty sure this has given me the capability to do that on a much bigger level. And I'm so grateful no matter what happens. Crystal: Along the same lines, I'm happy I made it this far. I'm really looking forward to seeing what tomorrow holds and the week after that and after the show… I've been writing and doing gigs since I was 10, nothing's gonna stop me now. Lee: We have all tried our hardest, like we've done everything we possibly can. We're not going up there to have a bad night, we're going up there doing everything we think is good for us playing someone else's songs. It's very important for me to know I've done everything I've could so that If I go home tomorrow, it doesn't matter. I'm just looking forward to a career after this, to making music as a living and being able to provide for me and my family doing what I love doing. That's a pretty hard thing to accomplish, so if I can do that I'll be happy. Lee, can you talk about the relationship you developed with Simon and some of the things that he's told you? Lee: Well, going back to Hollywood week, he ripped me apart. He said some stuff to me where I was, like, "Damn, this guy's mean!" I took everything into consideration, as the time's gone by… [and] I'm glad he sees a genuine person in me. I don't look at Simon as, "Oh my God, it's Simon Cowell." To me, it's just someone who's been around, seen a lot of things as far as dealing with the music industry, and he notices me and that's what I care about. It's just really cool to know he likes what I'm doing. I guess you could say we've developed a relationship. I got to chill with him for a minute while we picked the songs, it's just really surreal because he's different than he is on camera. He's just a really cool dude. It's his job to get up there and tell us what he thinks. On a personal level, I'm glad he sees that in me, because I try to be that guy in person. So the finale is right around the corner, is part of you a little relieved that it's almost done and you can take a breath? Casey: Yes. I'm ready to start playing music, like full songs with guitar solos and no judges, you know? Crystal: There is no break between the show and tour. It's just into a new phase, and then after tour, it's another phase of your career, the train keeps rollin'… Lee: The only breath of fresh air I think we'll get is not having to remember these songs and cram them in our brains with the time we're given, but that's part of the deal, that's the game. I think if anything, without the judges there that stress will be gone, but obviously everyone else in the world, they're judges too, they just don't do it on TV. That's how it is: These are four people that love music and they're speaking their minds. At the same time, I want there to be an "Idol" breath of fresh air, but I'd like to get outside that bubble, start doing the albums, gigging all the time, and kind of being my own person, which is what I'm really looking forward to. Casey: And not having to cut a song in a minute and a half… Crystal: Not being on TV all the time… Lee, Kara said that you're the quintessential "American Idol" story in that you started in one place and ended in another. Do you feel like you've changed through this process? Lee: Everybody that's come through has started in one place and ended up in another. Do I think I've changed? No, but has my opinion on a lot of things changed? Yes. I'm the same person, but I think everybody goes through experiences like that. If something tragic happens or something amazing, it changes the way you think. People are allowed to grow, discover new things about yourself and the world, and so "Idol's" just opened my eyes to a totally different world that I wasn't in. I was sitting in my store mixing paint or whatever, the same way Casey was at home doing construction and Crystal was just being a mom, busting her butt doing what she had to do. None of us thought, in a year from now, we're gonna be on national TV trying to be the winner of "American Idol" season 9 and playing massive shows… So I guess it has kind of changed me, not the way I am deep down, it's just really opened my eyes and made me realize that a lot of the little things I was getting upset about and used to bother me are just so small. – Shirley Halperin Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter Photo: Crystal Bowersox |
| ‘Idol’ post-show chat today at 1 p.m. PDT Posted: 20 May 2010 12:34 AM PDT It's hard to believe that this will be our second to last live chat for the season! But there's so much to talk about: last night's anti-climactic semifinal, the judges' song choices and very obvious agenda, which apparently meant dismissing Casey James from the competition entirely. Is it Lee DeWyze's race to lose or does Crystal Bowersox have it in the bag? Join us and special guest Season 2's Kimberly Caldwell to discuss it all in our weekly post-show chat. The fun starts at 1 p.m. right here! – Shirley Halperin |
| Guest blogger Elliott Yamin laments the Top 3’s lack of urgency Posted: 20 May 2010 12:34 AM PDT
First of all, I think that you can tell that the wear and tear have taken a toll on the three contestants. It's such a whirlwind experience — being whisked away on a private jet for 20 hours, you don't even get to spend a whole day at home, yet you really realize the magnitude of the show when you can see your hometown reacting to you and supporting you. The show carves out your day so you literally have zero time to do anything or see people you love. This trip is designed for that. It's go, go, go from one place to the other — radio, TV, it's a 24-hour crash-course boot camp as to what to expect in your post-"Idol" career. So to me, you see that they were a little tired because all that just happened a few days ago, and when you get back, you have very little time to run through your songs. For me, Taylor and Katharine, it was just really intense and busy. With that said, I thought Tuesday's performances were OK. Speaking from a performer's standpoint, if I had just tuned in today, not having watched the season or knowing how the show works, I never would have guessed that it was the Top 3 and that these last three contestants were really vying for that finale spot. I'm not trying to ride anybody, but it didn't seem that urgent to me. So starting with Casey, who chose a song that's not universally known, Eric Hutchinson's "OK, It's Alright With Me," which is always a risk, especially the way the judges play it up. But they're always preaching about identity and songs that listeners relate to, and when it comes to song choice, if you're considering doing something that has personal meaning for you, I think you should go with your gut and do the song you feel comfortable with. To me, it's all about not just sharing your talent, but also sharing music with the listener. I always took a lot of pride doing obscure songs or ones that the viewers might not be all that familiar with and introducing them to that music. Of course, there's always a little risk in that, but I'm all for it. As for "Daughters," I thought it was OK. It's is a sleepy kind of song and I think Randy and Kara were right in explaining that's how it is: It's soft and mellow. Casey is a really great guitar player, that's part of the package, and anytime he gets to show that off, it ups his stage presence, but it still felt a little sleepy to me. I think Casey's got a good shot at going home tonight. Crystal sang "Come to My Window." How many times have you heard that song on "American Idol"? I certainly heard it a lot during my season because my buddy Patrick Hall, who was the first person to go into the top 24, sang it during Hollywood week and got booted the next day. You hear it a lot during auditions too; it's become more of an "American Idol" song than it is a Melissa Etheridge song! I thought Crystal's version was good, but on "Maybe I'm Amazed," I'd say she looked a little nervous. I don't think she's that comfortable moving around with choreographed steps. And I was the same way — you know, people who can't walk and chew gum at the same time. I could tell that she wasn't happy with her second performance. Or maybe it was the stairs. They're steep and don't have backs on them, so if you slip, you can go through one. They're kind of treacherous. Lee's vocals don't wow me. There's no originality to what he brings to the stage, as far as how he belts these songs out. He doesn't have much of a range so it always stays in that one key. I wasn't impressed. And I'm not trying to dis him at all; I like him, have met him and think he's a great guy, it just didn't do anything for me and it sort of baffled me how the judges were so into it. It almost seemed a little contrived at how overboard it was. When it comes to Lee, after every one of his performances, I'm getting all these mixed signals from the judges. I don't get where they're coming from, whether they're trying to sway the voters or they really do believe in Lee, or I just don't know what they're listening to. A lot of people say that Lee reminds them of me, in that he's lacking confidence at times… and I don't know why, but there's nothing so unique about him that says to me, "Wow, I really want to listen to this guy's album when he comes out with it!" I liked "Hallelujah" better, especially with the girls coming out and that choir effect, but I didn't think the vocal was that amazing and I don't think he put his own spin on it. That's a beautiful song, so if you can really sing and have that voice it can come off well, and again I didn't think it was an amazing vocal. Can he be the American Idol? After last night, absolutely. He has the support of the judges and the fans. He's somewhat commercial and he's a talented artist in that he can play guitar. He's got that husky voice, that's kind of like a young Joe Cocker, which makes him soulful. I think all those things bode well for Lee. On the flip side, there's always that theory that when the judges praise somebody, a lot of people think, "Oh, they're gonna be fine, they don't need my vote. We'll vote for the one we like who kind of got dissed by the judges." That could swing it for Casey. You never know at this stage if that was a judges' ploy or not, but to me, it was weird and vague that they gave Lee so much praise. I don't think any one performer outshined another last night, which is kind of wrong. Especially the way that Simon praised Lee and I thought they were patronizing Casey a bit this week, which I didn't really understand. At this stage, it's anybody's game. Bottom line: I think Crystal is way more original of an artist than Lee is. I think she's more distinctive and has made more of a stamp on the show in this season. If it's down to the two of them: It's been a while since a chick has won "Idol"; at the beginning, everyone was saying that it's a girl's year, and at times, Crystal looks like she could pull this off and totally win it. I think she deserves it. Just in talking to her at the "Idol Gives Back" party, and we text every now and again, I think she's handled it all great and has become pretty seasoned in that regard in a short period of time. She's pretty humble, and I don't know how that's going to play into all the attention she's gonna get if she becomes the winner, and then the pressures that ensue after that with the album and competing in today's market and how past winners have undersold in the eyes of "Idol" and 19 over the past years. There are a lot of things to consider and think about once the competition is over. It's tough out there. In past seasons, being Top 3 on "Idol" would have been a big advantage, but not now. If I had to call the winner today, I'd go with Sox. That's my girl. I hope she does it. I think she's unique, as far as all the other winners and contestants that have made it as far as she has, and I think that will take her a long way. – Elliott Yamin Follow @ElliottYamin and @IdolTracker on Twitter Photo: Elliott Yamin. Credit: Nick Spanos |
It's going to be so sad to see all those little Xs next to Casey James' name on this, our second-to-last Buzzmeter. But alas, the pundits have spoken and in an Idol Tracker first, we have a unanimous vote: It's time for the blues man with the baby blue eyes to strap that six-string on his back and head on back home to Texas. 
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