Thank you Kris Allen and Adam Lambert for a great Season 8 of American Idol. The talent level this year was noticebly higher as many of the contenders would have won it all in previous seasons.
First and foremost, Kris Allen demonstrated a huge range of talent as a singer and as a musician, playing both guitar and piano. It is clear to me that Kris has a broad appeal with a lot of charm.
Adam Lambert has extraordinary talent that is difficult to summarize. I will only say that he should not limit himself to singing. I suspect that Adam has a great career ahead of him on stage and in film.
Danny Gokey really sang his heart out last night on Lionel Richie's "Suddenly". This guy has a lot going for him and he definitely won the hearts of millions of viewers with his voice, personality and story.
Allison Iraheta performed very well despite her 16 years. I believe that she will find success, but I hope that she will also continue her education as 16 is too young to put 100% into a career as a performer in my humble opinion.
The show was entertaining, yet the human element is what makes it enjoyable for me. I suppose I am not a huge fan of the outdated, rock god mystique. I really like the genuine human side of recent winners and runners up on American Idol.
while Simon insists on putting the "bigger than life" spin on the whole enterprise (and it is, along with Simon Fuller, his enterprise), I think that Carrie Underwood should provide a clue about what is working in today's market. That is, Carrie Underwood has demonstrated huge sucess without falling into the whole image trap.
Yes, there are some stars who continue to follow this approach. Prince perhaps best demonstrates the image approach to stardom. The guy definitely has talent. But, I believe his success has been muted by his image and attitude. There is no telling how much money this guy left on the table by alienating millions who just don't have the stomach for his super ego and self indulgence.
Recent winners and runners up demonstrating success with some grace and humility include Carrie Underwood, David Cook, and David Archuleta. Chris Daughtry has a bit of a bad boy look, but I think he is smart enough to not allow the image thing to screw him up.
This years winner and runners up will undoubtedly do well to remain true to themselves. Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, and Danny Gokey all exemplify an element of grace and humility.
Ultimately, I believe there is a price to pay for relying on an image. Nothing bears this out quite so clearly as some of the performers from last night.
Rod Stewart still has a distinct voice. But, I think Rod had the right idea when he launched a rather successful comeback a few years ago singing love songs and standards. Last night, however, he went back to his earlier image. The problem is, Rod Stewart is in his 60's. There is nothing that screams "NO" so loudly as a 60 year old man trying to dance on live television. Rod would have been ok to sing his mega hit "Maggie May" without trying to bust a move. In addition, I think Rod would have looked a whole lot better in a tux than the garish plaid jacket. I know he loves his Scottish heritage, but he reminded me of the Rodney Dangerfield character in Caddie Shack whose line,"It looks good on you, though", seemed appropriate for the occasion.
KISS is in the same category. C'mon guys! This is the problem with the image thing. You all looked ridiculous. Your days are numbered. Actually, your days have already expired. It just doesn't make sense to rely on image forever. How old is Gene Simmons? Having a 60 year old man slinging his unusually large tongue out on television is not entertaining, unless it was intended as a parody of themselves. I'm sure the ladies in the nursing homes went wild.
Lionel Richie, Carlos Santana and Brian May were all respectable, I think. However, this should drive the point home. They were respectable from the beginning. They are not doomed to maintain an image that is unsustainable over time.
I can list a whole lot of failed artists who would like another chance, but most of us know who they are. I could include those who died, perhaps in part, as a result of having an outrageous image. However, I don't think it is in good taste. So, I will leave it to you, the reader, to consider for yourself.
In summary, American Idol is alive and well. Yet, I really believe the rock idol, poser image is gone. The market is much more diluted these days, and the numbers will no longer support the extravagance of the 70's and 80's. Besides, we are wrong if we want our entertainers to maintain images that ultimately lead to obsolescence and in some cases, self destruction. Our entertainers should have the right to be ordinary people, living ordinary lives. I happen to like an entertainer who can appreciate their good fortune with at least a little humility and grace.
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