The final show..

I was happy to see David Cook win AI last night. He seemed genuinely shocked and happy with the outcome. The fact that David C. was the winner after two of the three judges all but crowned Archuleta last night, proves that the Idol folks don’t really know what the public wants their pop music to sound like…or maybe they don’t want pop music at all.. I hate that I had lost faith and called the win for Archuleta. I let the judges get to me, but maybe that was their plan? Call it for Archuleta and Cook fans will vote like crazy. Well whatever the case, I’m just pleased that Cook won. My bet that Archuleta would win was really just because it was a safe bet. But music shouldn’t be about being safe. It should be dangerous; It should be about taking risks, following your heart, and self-expression. David C. did that all season. He came in a bit under the radar and just seemed to soar higher and higher each week. He and possibly Jason Castro were the only contestants that made me anxious to find out how they would interpret the weekly themes into their own style and make it work. The difference was Cook made it work. He was believable week after week, the consummate professional. I came to admire his integrity as an artist and on the finale night, when Simon questioned his song choice, David said, what I think defines him as a contestant on Idol..For him it is “about progression”, why do the same song again? Take the risk and show your versatility as an artist. I eagerly await David C’s first post Idol CD. I feel it will be a good one. As for Archuleta, he has a huge fan base, although I still can’t imagine what type of CD he will release? and that was part of my problem with David A all year. I know he has the potential for a huge career. I think he has a rare and wonderful gift of a voice, so exquisitely pure and with dead on tone, but when he sort of settled into this “Up with People” vibe and chose songs like “The Voice” I just couldn’t buy into it. I know TPTB at Idol have a plan for him as an artist and are hoping that his folks stays out of the way and let’s the professionals do their job. But right now, at this time, Cook is clearly more the American Idol. The big difference in these two is; whereas Archuleta will need some time to develop as an artist and find his voice, Cook is already there, he has already defined himself as an artist and is ready to make records right now. In every category Cook was superior, stage presence, song arrangement, song choice you name it!

The Post Idol Problem

Honestly I know Archulta fans don’t want to hear this but finishing second is actually a better place for Archuleta. Simply because the pressure to make a hit CD is not as strong for the second place finisher. The press and the public have grown to place an enormous amount of pressure on the Idol winner to produce a hit CD right out of the gate. Even when the sales numbers are respectable, they are not good enough unless they crush the sales numbers of all previous Idols and even of established music acts on the charts at the same time. It is an unrealistic expectation and one that is difficult to live up to. I sensed through articles that I have read that although Archie has a huge base of dedicated fans, there is this built in dislike for Archulta by the media; they seem to be looking for him to fail. I’m not sure why but possibly because of his Dad or something more insidious like his good guy persona but as we have seen with past Idols the media will beat that drum until they get that point across. I’m sure he will overcome these obstacles and go on to a great recording career. Personally I think Cooks’ outlook on the competition is the healthiest outlook to have regarding what competing and winning Idol should be about.

Quoting Cook from an AP article after the competition backstage after the show he said:

“I  actually walked into this with no expectations, and I’m walking out of it with no expectations, This show is a springboard, but it’s still a crapshoot.”

As for the rest of the top twelve, I think we will see CD’s from many of them as well, certainly Jason Castro, Michael Johns, Kristi Lee Cook, Brooke White and Carly Smithson will all be signed to labels and put out some music. Some of those I am looking forward to as well. I also think Syesha Mercardo seems to have caught the acting bug and may show up on Broadway or on a television show. I also think she could possibly record a CD in the future. And, as we know by now with some smart career moves, all the contestants have a shot at making it post Idol.