It's been awhile since I've written a music post and since we're well into this season of American Idol, I've got it on my mind and I needed to write! 
I want to talk about the whole American Idol phenomena and what I think about it. Here's basically my thoughts in a list, plus my comments on this season's contestants! 
1. If you are crowned the American Idol, it doesn't guaranteed ANYTHING! IMO, in regard only to the actually winners of each season, I think that the success of the winners so far is 2 out of 6. Those people would be Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. Of course there has definitely been non-winners that have been quite successful, which I will talk more about later. But this first point I really wanted to make because when all the contestants are finally off the show, winner or 'loser', winning really has no baring on whether or not you're going to make it. It just really doesn't.
p.s. I don't think Jordan Sparks is nearly at quite the status that those 2 are. But with her new single 'No Air', she partners with Chris Brown and doing that is quite a good move for her. I'm still thinking she's really not going to be that big, but that song is definitely a step in a positive direction for her. I've got the music video linked below:
http://musicbox.sonybmg.com/video-player/jordin-sparks?bcpid=1287040638&...
2. The 'Kelly Clarkson' factor I think this is a good opportunity to remind people that Kelly, being the first Idol and basically being the pioneer of this show, wasn't taken all that seriously as an artist once she was out there in the 'real world' - at first. People still thought of her as the winner of that reality music contest. I think that America wanted to see her 'prove herself' as an actual musician, out there with everyone else on the radio. So 'Thankful' which was her first CD, did do okay, but it wasn't until her 2nd album 'Breakaway' came out that people really started to pay attention to her. She was no longer that girl from American Idol, she was Kelly Clarkson. Her name finally meant something. When Kelly made it with that album, churning out single after single, I think people really started to believe that being on that show really could mean something - big.
3. People who did not win, but still made it in their own way. In season 2, it was Clay Aiken who in my opinion really 'won' and has really made something for himself especially in the 'easy listening'/'adult contemporary' music category. He's got the audience of young girls and grandmas on his side! His voice as my boyfriend says is 'polished' and just all together a great recording voice. I think we all knew that Clay had a following and he was going to make it.
And of course there are contestants who if the singing career wasn't going to do it for them, there was Broadway (i.e. Frenchie Davis of Season 2 in the musical Rent). And who can forget Miss Jennifer Hudson of season 3, an Oscar winner for her role in 'Dreamgirls.'
4. Chris Daughtry. Need I say more. Chris was the product of season 5, and I believe the 4th person to leave that season. But that number seems to have proved to be a lucky # for him as his current success obviously shows. He proved that you don't have to win in order to make it big out in the music industry. His debut album skyrocketed to the top of the charts in no time, and even I admittedly was surprised to see his overnight success. Simon Cowell has said repeated this current season (season 7) that it doesn't cut it be able to sing well, you have to have 'something' else that makes you stand out. I think he uses the word 'charisma.' What I think really helped Chris was that he said to himself, I'm not going to let this 'lose' hold me back from trying to make it out there. Being on this show was a great starting point for me, people know who I am now and what I can do. And unlike some pasts Idolers, he never dismissed Idol. I believe he even thanked Idol when he won those Grammy's! He even has some of his songs featured as the 'goodbye' song of both the current and past season. He did it right and made it all work out for him. I have nothing but respect for how he has handled everything and somehow has stayed thankful and humble in the process.
http://www.daughtryofficial.com/ I current really love his single 'Feels Like Tonight.'
5. My opinion about this season. This season is being called the season 'with amazing talent' but I have to admit as a whole they haven't showed the amazing potential that they all exhibited during Hollywood week. But even with the lack of overall talent, there are definitely a handful of people that I think are going to do really well, no matter when they fall off. For one I have to say, Michael Johns, Michael Johns and MICHAEL JOHNS! He has it. He's got the sexy foreign (Aussie) accent which of course we Americans just love! He's got the looks, and he's got the voice. Once he's done with having to sing those random mix of songs for American Idol and can sing his own stuff, he could potentially follow really well (in his own way) in Chris' footsteps. My other 4 picks are Brooke White, Carly Smithson, David Archuleta and Jason Castro. There are a few others that are pretty good that I haven't included but I think those are the ones that have potential to really shine once out there in the music world. Because really, it's what you do when you're out there that really counts.
Happy AI watching everyone!
Karen Millen
I agree with #1, I've always felt the same. I actually think it's better for you to lose and just get the publicity and move on. The bar is set so high for AI winners that most of the time, it's hard to achieve great success. These days, Carrie Underwood is the only success. Kelly has fallen off their music scene, it's really weird.
So far, I'm not too impressed with this year's competition. The only person who sticks out with me is Michael Johns. He is oh so sexy and he's just got it all...he's so original. I think he just need to work more on stage presence, he hasn't really OWNED that but everything else, he's spot-on. I don't like David Archuleta, he seems fake..playing up the 'kid' angle. I don't think Carly Smithson would be huge success, neither Brooke Smith or any of the others, except for Michael Johns. This is just my opinion though. Great blog.
1BTW, in Season 5 Chris Daughtry came in 6th (meaning, when he left there were only 5 other people remaining).
2Wonderful post! Chris Daughtry is one of my favorites; and I agree that when it comes to AI it's usually better for them to lose since you won't have to sing the generic songs the winners have to produce. I agree with you on the ones that stand out this season: Michael Johns, David Archuleta, Jason Castro, Carly Smithson and Brooke White; the rest are okay however not at the level those five are. I'm just glad that there isn't a sanjay(whatever his name is, i can't spell it) this season; i almost stopped watchin AI last year because of him.
3precious_pets4, I thought he was 6 as well, but if you look on the AI website for that season and see the days that each was kicked off you'll see that Chris comes in 4th (with 3 other people remaining - 5: Paris 4: Chris 3: Elliot Yamin, 2: Katherine Mcphee, and 1: Taylor Hicks).
4Hi T, how nice to see you posting again
I am the biggest fan of AI, while the show is on. Once it's over I hardly even remember the runner up - unless he/she makes it big. And needless to say if I ever see the Top 12 again I have no idea who they are. I think that most viewers like myself, get sucked in by the show - because it is so entertaining - but then we just move on. That's why the Idols have to work so hard to be current, because us, their "fans" will soon forget them.
Regarding this season, I still have no favorites. I usually get more invested when there are like 6 or 8 ppl left. I liked Archuleta at the beginning, but now I'm finding him annoying, too cutesy and angelic to be genuine imo. I like the aussie because I think he looks confident on stage, but on Tuesday he was sporting a pot belly that was a big turn off.
I liked Alexandrea so much, I was bummed that she was voted off. From the girls, I haven't found anybody that I like yet. The biker momma-nurse with the skanky highlights makes me sad because I think that she looks like an old, worn out, hard ridden, rockstar wannabe that never quite made it. She looks at least a decade older than her age, sounds like a smoker, moves like a spastic 60's flower power... ahh just a sad sight.
IMO.
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5We are shaped and fashioned by what we love. - Goethe
Hehe Shi, I know I want to get back to posting more regularly. I do like to write
and it is a skill that you can only improve on with practice! Anyway, thanks for your feedback. I forget that there are people that forget who was on the show. It just reminds us all about
how many things vie for our attention (media in general) that they REALLY need to make some sorta lasting impression on us good and even bad for us to remember! Yea she does look older for
her age. I don't think she's going to make it that much further...
6Great post! I agree with everything you said. I will admit that I am not watching this season due to the fact that 'winning means nothing'. So, I think it has lost it's excitement.
7Whenever I tell hubby "We have 5 hours of AI this week!" he looks at me and says "Are you ever going to get tired of watching this show?" I'm like "hell no!"
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8We are shaped and fashioned by what we love. - Goethe
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