Kris is the Idol, Adam still wins, and Allison is a star!

My favorite moment of the finale was not Kris Allen's reaction to winning the title of American Idol (though it was one heck of a moment), but Allison Iraheta's subdued, yet powerful, performance duet of "Time After Time" with pop icon Cyndi Lauper, proving what a great performer and singer she is, and how great a finale it would have been had she been in the final two. Oh what could have been. I cannot wait until she finally releases her original music. I am certain she is bound to be a pop-rock icon, herself.

Other hi-lites of the night:

- Kris & Adam Lambert's performance of "We Are The Champions" with the remaining members of Queen.
- Mr. A-Z, Jason Mraz, sans the creepster goatee.
- Idol predecessor David Cook's performance of "Permanent" as a tribute to his late brother Adam. Amazing.
- Finally airing Kris's audition video, which was four months long overdue, ya think?!
- In the audience, Carrie Underwood, looked very pretty in pink.
- Adam's goth-industrial-winged-whatever get-up during his performance with KISS
- "The winner of American Idol 2009 is Kris Allen!"

...and lo-lites...

- Judge Kara DioGuardi, in a boost of her ego, attempted to one-up some no-talent bikini bimbo in a Mariah sing-off.
- "No Boundaries", although Kris sang this better the second time around ;)
- Rod Stewart, who I do not think he is sexy, nor do the rest of America.
- The fact that top 5 finalist Matt Giraud was never given the chance to sing a duet with a star, yet Megan Joy and Michael Sarver, of all people, got to do one (with Steve Martin...WTF)
- Kris apologizing for winning. (Dude, I know no one in Idol-land wanted expected you to win, but live it up. You represent the best of America's undiscovered talent and was bestowed the most-fitting title.)

And as for the runner-up, I have to say that I really do like Adam. Watching the finale back, it did cement my understanding of why he belonged in the final two. He is arguably is the best performer to come away from the show, came off as a very confident and seasoned pro (perhaps too seasoned), and left indelible images after every performance -- from his hair, facial expressions, outrageous fashions, and ridiculously impressive vocal range. Ultimately, I truly think Adam is better off without the constraints of the Idol contract. This non-win will enable him to do more things without the scrutiny the job title entails. I know his supporters may be very disappointed and angry at the outcome, and I certainly won't blame them for it, but we all know Adam will come out of this with tons of success. He already is an Idol. I may have been a bit critical of him in the previous post, but he still intrigues me. Perhaps if the judges hadn't praised him so darn much and all but bestowed the title all season long, I would have been squarely in his corner, too...but if it is one thing that America proved to be true last night, it is that it hates being told how to think and who to vote for. Let this be a lesson to the producers and judges for next year: showcase all serious contenders from the beginning, drop the fillers, and let the country do its thing.

Winning Moment:

Video: MJ's Big Blog; Photos: AP, Ray Mickshaw

Why Kris Allen will win American Idol

To me, Kris Allen is the American Idol and he has my vote for the following reasons:

I love rooting for the underdog. In the duel of Kris v. Adam Lambert, it is pretty evident that the title is Adam's to lose. He was annointed TCO (a.k.a. "the Chosen One") by the production early in the season, after receiving the gift of a back story (They wanted you to know he was the 'theatrical' guy from the cast of Wicked who wore guy liner and had the emo hair) with ample airtime during the audition rounds. Adam had the judging panel, early fans, and production on his side (smoke! lighting! angles! song choices!), and the media obsessed over his private life and what significance that meant in respect to winning the competition.

On the other corner of the ring, Kris Allen is representative of the shocker finalist. He was pretty much cast aside as fodder because he was never portrayed to be a serious contender to win, compared to the likes of Adam and Danny Gokey, whom were the predestined final two. Editing-wise, the audience never got to watch Kris's first audition. We seldom heard a peep from him, save a group performance during the Hollywood rounds and Top 36 semifinals. This not-so-subtle blatant producer manipulation has infuritated me all season.

Of past Idol winners, only Kelly Clarkson received similar treatment her season, and she was only able to survive the early disadvantage by building a fan base based solely on her talent and only later in the season, we finally got to know her as the youthful, go-with-the-flow girl from Texas, which favored her in terms of likability and relateability -- two things that does an American Idol make. Luckily for Kris, his silent ascent in the competition was attributed to a number of things I will touch upon later, and his win tonight may cement the parallels I see with Kelly. A darkhorse win would be a big F.U. to the producers who've never favored him to win. His would serve as sweet, poetic justice for the remaining finalists (including Allison Iraheta, who would have won deservedly in another year) who had to fight extra hard to overcome the disadvantage of less screen time and questionable critiques this year.

As a matter of personal taste, I love the sound of Kris's voice. As everyone knows, the winner becomes a recording artist and sell their music. As a potential buyer, I would purchase Kris's album because he has demonstrated what kind of artist and music he would release, namely his distinctly acoustic pop-soul sound and vocal interpretation on tracks such as Once's "Falling Slowly", OneRepublic's "Apologize" and Kanye West's "Heartless". Although Adam wins on showmanship, I have a vague idea of what he wants to bring forth on a record. And to be quite frank, I cannot see Adam's vocal gymnastics translate well onto a record.

Kris is likable. He was never the victim of some personality misstep, or involved in any controversy this season, which would preclude him from winning. His appeal as a God-fearing Mama's boy from Arkansas has proven successful for past winners (The pride of Checotah, Oklahoma Carrie Underwood! Burleson, Texas' home girl, Kelly Clarkson!) In terms of image, Kris looks like an Idol. What I observed in him was that he seems unfazed by the competition, despite his growing popularit, and has remained very true to himself, which I respect as a voter. Because these people are thrusted into the public spotlight very quickly, I have little doubt Kris will continue to be a genuinely humble dude after he wins.

Kris is able to connect with you. In terms of his music, he has the ability to create and maintain a deep, emotional connection with the listener. His ability to play multiple instruments this season (acoustic guitar and piano/keyboard) further enhanced this connection. With Adam, there is often a disconnect when he sings and I never feel the same melodic, heart-on-sleeve attitude as I do with Kris. Take last night's coronation song round, which both had to sing the terribly good amazingly bad Kara DioGuardi tune "No Boundaries" -- although Kris's voice is very different from Adam's and struggled with the higher notes the song called for, I believed and was sold on his version. The lyric of "Here I am, still holding on...with every step, you climb another mountain " also fits well with Kris's uphill battle this entire season. His win would be an inspirational one.

The Kris v. Adam finale is a very appropriate summation of the season: the heavily pimped favorite versus the previously unseen and unheard darkhorse. I wouldn't be terribly upset if the other guy won, since it would also be a groundbreaking win. But I do hope the confetti will fall on the better artist tonight.

Allison Iraheta is the American Idol who never was

Although I have had thoughts of abandoning this season's Idol over my utter frustration of a majority of the selected 'singers' in this year's competition, what remained was a hope that a legitimate, undiscovered singing talent will ultimately win the crown at the behest of the nation. There were a few I thought stood a chance, namely Matt Giraud, whose remarkably soulful voice is superior in a recording studio track, and Allison Iraheta, a 17-year-old red-haired, Salvadoran-American teenage wunderkind who notably sang with a distinctly raspy rock voice.

I grew to root for the latter throughout the competition, since I have an instant affinity toward female rock voices (Hayley Williams, Cassadee Pope, P!nk) and felt the show was long overdue for a legitimately female rocker to complement last year's Idol David Cook. Heck, the original Idol Kelly Clarkson declared her favorite as Allison, as well, whom she has been favorably compared with. It did, however, seem like an incredibly uphill battle for Allison as she seemed to do nearly everything right as a singer and performer, but never got the full support and recognition from the judges that she truly deserved. It was a disservice of sorts when it was clear that the judges had a vendeta against her. On Tuesday night, the day before she was eliminated from contention, her amazing performance of Janis Joplin's "Cry Baby" during rock week, of all weeks, was leaps and bounds ahead of remaining finalist Danny Gokey and yet, the judges denied her the credit she deserved, tainting their glowing reviews with subtle negative critiques which consequently impacted America's vote, as the nation decided to keep Danny, the mediocre blue-eyed soul singer, rather than a talent with tons of untapped potential.

Allison was a refreshing change for most Idol teenagers. She actually displayed a genuinely fun (read: goofy/quirky), optimistic personality who never saw winning as life or death. She was the kind of girl to run at the mouth, but never to the point of being obscene (a spitfire of sorts). Allison was a bit raw, but so are most 17-year olds. She was never a prim & proper girl like Jordin Sparks, although I admit to hoping Allison's fate would parallel Jordin's. I was also hoping for an Adam Lambert/Allison Iraheta finale, a would-be battle between the season's rock vocalists, which would match the excitement of last year's "David Vs. David" match-up, but she was denied the chance to be this year's David Archuleta.

I should also note that of the four remaining finalists, Allison never given a favorable producer edit, which upsets me because it creates an unfair disadvantage for these contestants who have little, to no no exposure to the viewing public, which is necessary to create a fan base. (Kris is the other one. TPTB have envisoned a Danny/Adam finale). Luckily, Allison's amazing vocals were rewarded by the nation, even though she was predestined to not be the Idol. And her fourth place finish is a testament to it.

On the bright side, Allison will not be constrained by the notorious Idol contract and will have more control over the direction of her career. And perhaps it is best that she mature and grow into her adult voice, experience more of life, get a makeover, and come back even more powerful as the acclaimed artist most fans and critics envision her to eventually be. It is given that she will receive a record deal and a matter of time before she reaches the success of Chris Daughtry and becomes the most successful participant of the season. Sorry, Adam! (Although I would gladly welcome it, as a historic pop culture moment, but I digress ;).

As a viewer, I did find myself emotionally invested in rooting for Allison (as I did with Ricky Braddy and Joanna Pacitti), and was rather heartbroken, and then I realized how ridiculous it was to get so involved in a trivial thing like a reality show. The entire season really was an insult to my intelligence and a test of most of the country's (lack of) musical taste. But then again, I subconsciously wanted her to do well, just so I can hear her on the radio and play her music. Is that asking too much?

The elimination of Ricky Braddy sealed the coffin for Season 8

It is a sad day when being a the best singer in a supposed singing competition is not enough, as it was the case for Ricky Braddy, the North Carolinian dude who served chicken fingers but possessed an amazing vocal talent, yet was cut short of the American Idol Top 12 again. He had virtually no screen time in the lead up to his first public vote but instantly won fans based on ONE performance. He was, thankfully and rightfully, brought back as a Wild Card contestant because he showed legitimate vocal ability and was arguably one of the better singers than those who became finalists.

But instead of celebrating, it was a night of heartbreak as tonight, the judges harped on his performance of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" even after taking the criticism that he previously lacked personality and proved to the judges that he could be an entertainer, as well as a great vocalist. I was slightly hoping that Paula would be his lifesaver, but this time around, the judges, as a collective, gave him the boot. And let's face it. The cards were stacked against him. America never really got to know his personality and was dismissed as a boring but good singer, as alluded by Simon. He certainly was never given his due and the judges/producers/TPTB really disappointed me on passing people like Ricky, Felicia Barton, and Mishavonna Henson, especially over the likes of Megan (Joy) Corkrey, who cannot carry a tune but the judges claim she has this great appeal that I cannot comprehend, and Jasmine Murray, whose "commercial" viability is simply overhyped vanilla. It is a given that these two will not win American Idol, so why even give them shots? Oh right...this isn't a singing competition. Right.

Goes to show the harsh reality of this damn television show: good guys finish last while the dramatic and pretty Miss Personalities win this kind of rat race. Who is the David Cook, Carrie Underwood, or Kelly Clarkson of Season 8? I am hard-pressed to find someone like them to root for.

Kelly debuts video today, gets the #1 song in the nation tomorrow...

Kelly Clarkson's new single "My Life Would Suck Without You" will make the big jump from #97 last week to #1 this week when Billboard officially publishes its Hot 100 singles chart tomorrow. Clarkson will now have the honor of making the largest leap to the top spot, previously held by Britney Spears' "Womanizer".

She debuted her music video on AT&T's website along an accompanying teaser on tonight's American Idol. The video, directed by Wayne Isham, has Kelly back in top form as a cool hipster chick whose rocky (but good) relationship with her boyfriend has lasted since childhood, evolving from friends to lovers. My favorite parts of the video: (1) Kelly nearly throws her bf's goldfish tank (along with the innocent gilly) out of the window but the little fish is saved at the last munute before its home was smashed to pieces and when (2) Kelly is in the jeep, singing the chorus from the top of her lungs with the sunshine peeking through her messy, dirty blonde hair. I am digging this video. And it's great to see Kelly having a lot of fun, for a change.

Will Joanna Pacitti be the next American Idol?

America may not be familiar with Joanna Pacitti, but I am. This past Tuesday, the 23-year-old Philadelphia native auditioned in Louisville, Kentucky for a spot in this year's American Idol competition. What sets this particular person apart from the others is the very interesting is the fact that she was once signed and released a major record label album.

First, some back history...she was known professionally as simply Joanna and was the subject of press attention since childhood. She was infamously released from her contract in the midst of starring on Broadway's Annie in the early 1990s, performed her song "Ultraviolet" on the sitcom "What I Like About You" in the early 2000s, and was followed by MTV for a True Life documentary on artists attempting to break into the recording industry, which happened to capture Joanna recording sessions under her development deal. She was finally signed by Ron Fair to Geffen Records, and subsequently released her debut This Crazy Life in 2006.

Now the matter at hand is her participation in this season's Idol. Although the show was originally intended to find the next undiscovered (and amateur) superstar, Idol has evolved into finding the next superstar America has yet to embrace. Take last year's roster of Idol finalists, including Carly Smithson (née Hennessey): most of whom have released albums prior to competing. Its producers have embraced the fact that some of these artists have had a taste of a professional career, but have amended the rules to give these singers a second chance due to their unfortunate circumstances. In Joanna's case, her promising album flopped and her recording company failed in giving her her due in my eyes.

In 2006, I purchased Joanna's album and was instantly hooked by its tracks. I believed it had the potential to be a chart topper because it was full of radio-friendly pop-rock hits like the lead single "Let It Slide", Your Obsession", and the Dashboard Confessional cover of "Screaming Infidelities". I encourage you to purchase and listen to her great recording voice. If you watched her Idol audition, she is arguably a pop belter in the same league as Mariah Carey and Kelly Clarkson. And on top of being a stunner, it is her voice that is her most beautiful instrument, and if she is able to showcase it and gain exposure from advancing in Idol, I believe she can win over America and get that much deserved second chance.

She already has my vote.

Fresh Judgment: Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You"

My Life Would Suck Without You - Kelly Clarkson

The original American Idol is back on the music scene with a brand new album (her fourth dropping in March) titled All I Ever Wanted and arguably amusingly-titled comeback single. Kelly Clarkson goes back to her pop/pop-rock roots last heard from her Breakaway days to revive her mainstream music career since releasing the critically praised but commercially flopping My December.

The song opens with a drumbeat hook reminiscent of "Since U Been Gone" but quickly builds up to a dancey electro-pop chorus. Sure, the lyrics seem to find Clarkson falling back in love rather than love-scorened, but there are subtle hints in her delivery that indicate some unresolved aggression. As if she is begrudgingly giving in (or giving up?) to a second chance relationship with this guy. Perhaps this was a result of my initial confusion upon hearing the song for the first time. I secretly hoped she would go pop again, but also take her organic and angsty My December outlook with her. But since she takes a backseat on the songwriting this time, the result is a shiney, made-for-radio pop song. The first indication is the sing-a-long chorus and catchy hook. The second are the song's co-writers, Max Martin and Dr. Luke, who helped credit Clarkson with major chart success with "SUBG".

No doubt, this song is almost guaranteed to have chart success, thanks to the presumed record label support it (and the album) will receive, unlike the last time around when Clarkson butted heads with her label and label-head Clive Davis over the direction and content of My December. Maybe it is a stretch or over-analyzation, but a second-take on the lyrics may also indicate Clarkson eating humble pie (read: compromising) and acquiescing her creative control to those who have developed her career.

Think about it when you listen to the lines in the second verse:

Maybe I was stupid for telling you goodbye / Maybe I was wrong for trying to pick a fight.../ Either way, I found out I'm nothing without you.

If indeed Clarkson has found peace with the direction of her music this time around and truly has found all she ever wanted (pun intended), I hope she hasn't lost complete creative control and the rest of her new album will showcase all her strengths: originality and vulnerability, which unfortunately is lacking here, as well as the pop-rock sound she has successfully mastered.

Our new Idol Rocks!

And so the right David won the seventh season of the reality t.v./karaoke/singing competition American Idol. My favorite contestant David Cook beat the odds and contributed to a picture-perfect finish at the finale earlier this Wednesday night. Despite failing to win over judge Simon with his final three performances to the songs "I Still Haven't Found What I've Been Looking For" (BMG big-wig Clive Davis' choice), "Dream Big" (one of the reject non-winning original songs from this year's songwriting competition...which screamed arena rock), and finally "The World I Know" (David's choice), the audience saw things differently. Indeed, Simon was wrong to say it was a mistake to close with that Counting Crows song, which I thought was a brilliant choice -- very touching and with just enough of an emotional pull to tug at the heartstrings. This guy had to win over the equally credible threat of David Archuleta, the credibly underaged wunderkind who just kinda bored me with every textbook performance.

When announced, Cook was overwhelmed with emotions and the grown man broke down in tears. It was quite a sight to see our rock representative show some emo. He ended the night singing his coronation song "The Time Of My Life", which has already soared to #1 on iTunes.

Although we've had a few close ones (Southern rocker Bo Bice as runner up to Carrie Underwood in 2004, Chris Daughtry placed 4th in 2006), Cook marks the first rocker to win in the show's history. And to boot, he actually is talented. We will surely see big things with David Cook!!