The latest season of American Idol may be over, but the drama isn't! This time, it's between executive producer Nigel Lythgoe and Season 9 winner Lee Dewyze.
Those who have watched the (pretty spectacular) finale results show may have noticed the producers' snub of Lee Dewyze. Unlike past Idol winners like Carrie Underwood and David Cook, our most recent champion before Scotty McCreery didn't make an appearance on stage. (He did, however, make an appearance behind Ryan Seacrest's head when our host was by the audience area doing his spill. Anyone else caught that?)
So maybe the producers just didn't want to relive the disaster that was season 9? Apparently not. Just after all that confetti in the Nokia Theater settled down, Nigel sent all his followers an interesting tweet:
Allegedly, Nigel and Co. did want Lee to be on the show to present the award to Scotty. But then Lee instantly refuted this with his (longer) tweet:
And when everyone thought that this was just some misunderstanding on both parties, Nigel (basically) called Lee a liar:
So who's telling the truth? Which side are you on? Or are you just glad American Idol went out with a bang (Damn Beyonce! Gaga! Haley! Steven Tyler!) even without the season 9 champ? Personally, I think it was simply a case of miscommunication.
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Tell me honestly, are you tired of singing competition shows filling up your daily TV routine? American Idol just finished its 10th season a few hours ago. The Voice is giving us a pretty satisfying first season run. And the American version of The X Factor is coming to our TV screens this fall.
If, like me, you still can't resist undiscovered talent wowing us with spectacular performances or struggling artists making fools of themselves in front of millions of viewers, then here's another series for you: Platinum Hit.
Platinum Hit is a singing reality competition show... but with a twist. The contestants in this new Bravo series are all singer-songwriter types and they will be judged on both their singing and writing abilities. Sounds interesting, right? I think true artists should definitely know how to make their own stuff and I'm glad Platinum Hit is giving us the platform to discover the real deal. I'm just excited to hear what these superstar wannabes come up with.
Plus, we get to see all the contestants live under one roof, and we all know what happens when you put a group of artists together: a whole bunch of drama. And unlike Idol, we actually get to know the singers better with this format.
And did you miss Kara Dioguardi? I have to admit, she annoyed the hell out of me during Kris Allen's season. But she also had some good critiquing points in her second season in Idol (which, unfortunately, none of the current judges have). Kara has also penned quite a lot of nice songs like Terrified (I just love Katharine McPhee and Zachary Levi's cover. Check it out on YouTube!) that she may actually be a good judge for this show. (Let's just forget about that Kris-Adam finale song, shall we?)
Am I the only one looking forward to this show? Do you think Kara's a good fit for this? How about Jewel?Will we discover the next singing (and songwriting!) sensation here? And will this be our new obsession every week? Platinum Hits premieres next week, May 30/31!
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No, it's not Haley. (But she'll always be a winner in my heart.) It's Scotty McCreery people! Scotty's the new American Idol! I'm pretty OK with the results. Between the 2 finalists, I prefer our resident country boy to win it all.
But wait, is I Love You This Big really his winning song?!? (Again. Worst. Song. Title. Ever.)
So what do you guys think? Did Scotty deserve to win? Or were you rooting for Lauren? and Haley needs to release an album soon, no?
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You could've fooled me if you told me this was the performance finale of American Idol 10 because nothing spectacular came out of that episode. This is what you get for voting out Haley Reinhart, America! But we can't change what had already happened. All we can do now is await the results due in less than 24 hours. Who do you think will win season 10? Let's look at the final 2's (lackluster) performances, shall we?
Round 1:
Scotty's Gone vs. Lauren's Flat on the Floor
Winner: Scotty. Gone was definitely the most enjoyable performance of the night. Was it just me (or the camera angles), or did we have less of Scotty's cheesy facial expressions? He definitely did not miss a single note in this song (and he has been pretty consistent about this the entire season), which is so much more than I can say about Lauren's Flat on the Floor, or her previous performances for that matter.
Round 2:
Scotty's Check Yes or No vs. Lauren's Maybe It Was Memphis
Winner: Lauren. Scotty was pretty decent in Check Yes or No, but it was a bit sleepy for me. My problem with Scotty is that he's the most predictable contestant this season. Predictable in Idol, of course, means boring. Lauren, on the other hand, is not the best technical singer. You'll almost always find vocal flaws in her performances. But no doubt, the 16 year old has a good tone, and this showed in Maybe It Was Memphis. To be the next Carrie Underwood (as what the judges and the producers seem to be pushing for her), she will need a lot more vocal training.
Round 3:
Scotty's I Love You This Big vs. Lauren's Like My Mother Does
Winner: Lauren (only by the skin of her teeth). I cannot believe Scotty would agree to sing a song entitled I Love You This Big. It's just... wrong. Again, nothing really spectacular with the last 2 songs. Maybe it's Scotty's unfortunate title, but I liked Lauren's song a wee bit better. What turned me off was her hugging Mama Alaina in the middle of the song (that just felt staged), and the overall favoritism of the producers toward her. (She was sick! She loves her mother! She's the next Carrie Underwood!)
So who do you think will win? Personally (and after much thought), I'd like Scotty to be the next American Idol. He was the most consistent this season. Lauren has a lovely tone but she's not there yet vocally. (And the judges, of course, are not giving enough constructive critique to help her, or even Scotty.) And I just don't like how the producers of Idol are pushing Lauren down our throats.
It doesn't really matter who wins in the end, right? Adam Lambert and Chris Daughtry have great careers even though they weren't crowned the Idols of their respective seasons. Lauren has the bigger chance of winning right now (only because of the favoritism she gets), but Scotty will have a big career no matter what. And Haley too! I'm hoping Haley gets signed into a record deal and she produces lots and lots of wonderful albums! HaleyFTW!
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Scotty McCreery may not be my American Idol, but at least he's a gentleman.
After the announcement of the final 2 last week, a coin, with the finalists' faces pasted on each side, was tossed on stage. The winner of the coin toss can decide the order of the performances in the finale. According to backstage reports from TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly, the coin revealed Scotty's face after the toss. So when he was asked what he wanted to do, he immediately turned to Lauren and asked her what she wanted to do. Lauren said she wanted to go second and McCreery instantly agreed that he'll go first.
I know this is not American Gentleman but this is making me root for Scotty a little bit more. Also, there were reports that right after Haley got eliminated and when the judges were on stage to talk to the top 3 (now top 2), Lauren was so excited that she started jumping up and down with J.Lo and Steven Tyler. I love that Haley (my American Idol!) and Lauren are BFFs in real life, but maybe Lauren shouldn't be jumping in joy in front of her eliminated companion? Or am I just being overly protective of Haley?
No matter what, I think Lauren did a wise thing to sing last in the finale performance show. It's always good if you're the last one to leave an impression to the voting viewers. But I don't think this will help Lauren's chances enough to make her win the entire thing. Scotty has been more consistent the entire season, he has a really large fan base and one can't underestimate teenage girls' voting prowess. Lauren can only win the entire thing if she'll have a mind-blowingly good performance in this season's final week.
So who are you guys rooting for? Is Scotty a sure bet to be under that confetti shower in the finale? Are you still mourning about Haley's elimination? I still sure am! And did Scotty's gentlemanly ways impress you?
Here's a season finale that I WON'T be watching next week. After receiving almost no love from the judges all season, after being a cannon-fodder finalist to someone who fought her way to the top 3, and after a whole lot of explosive and sensational performances, Haley Reinhart leaves the Idol stage.
This leaves us with Scotty and Lauren to sing their swan songs in the Nokia Theater next week. Tell me honestly, is this the most boring Idol finale or what? We all already know what Scotty will do next week- a couple of safe ol' country songs, some upbeat country ditty, and a whole lot of eyebrow-raising and cheesy facial expressions. (Why haven't the judges commented on this? Oh right, 'coz their a bunch of overly-paid celebrities who have absolutely no idea of what they're doing.) Scotty should take some chances. I'm not saying he should stop being country. But why not take rock or pop songs and give them some country spin?
Lauren, on the other hand, should have joined American Idol after a couple of years. She obviously lacks the confidence that a couple years worth of experience can bring. This is why she always sings the same safe stuff- one or two ballads, then a set list of midtempo songs that don't really show her range. In the course of one week, she should find that self-confidence to actually take risks in the finale. If she doesn't fight, Scotty will surely be under that confetti shower.
I blame the judges for this. Everyone has been so disappointing this season. I've expected Randy to be talking some non-sense, but I've never thought Jennifer Lopez to always be contradicting herself and Steven Tyler to be asleep the entire season. I love Haley for knowing that the judges' critique (or non-critique) are a bunch of BS. (C'mon J.Lo and Randy, comment on her singing! not on whether her song is POPULAR or not.) And of course, only Haley gets the harsh comments. Scotty is always "in it to win it" and Lauren is "the One."
This is so disappointing because although Scotty had a shining moment in "You've Got a Friend in Me" and Lauren in "Anyway", Haley had the most spectacular performances! Bennie and the Jets. Rolling in the Deep. You and I. House of the Rising Sun. I (Who Have Nothing). What Is and What Should Never Be. Rhiannon. Yes Randy, Haley is in it to win it too! She definitely deserved to win. Sadly, it will never happen. I am now just hoping that Haley gets signed and have a successful music career after Idol. 'Coz we all know it's not about winning the entire thing. (Chris Daughtry, anyone?) And I'll buy her album for sure!
But as of the moment, we're stuck with Lauren and Scotty. Personally, I'd like to see Lauren win. But I bet Scotty will be the one to grab the entire thing in the end.
Are you as disappointed as I am? Who do you want to win next week? And does Haley have a chance in the music industry?
As a tribute to Haley Reinhart, let me leave you with probably her best performance this season. Enjoy!
