Idol top 12...my thoughts

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by somerfrost

Well, I know it sounds like that but there is a big difference between good and different...what the judges are looking for is something that sets a singer apart from the others, a uniqueness...but it doesn't matter how different you are if you stink! The folks last night tried different things with arrangement, tempo, key...but none were very successful. Haley was the one who came across as somewhat unique last night...hard to pinpoint exactly what it was but she had a presence on stage, it could have been the dress, the way she moved, her expressions, the way she "felt" the song...probably a bit of all those plus other factors...suddenly, she was noticed! LaKisha and Melinda already have that uniqueness, they have "it"...Jordin is close. In the end, America will select the next Idol based on that uniqueness as much as voice.

No, I didn't imply that different = good. I said that i felt Chris was different and good.

You mentioned how America will select the Idol. I think uniqueness is part of it for sure, there has to be something to identify with, some kind of separator between you and the others, something that people like. It can be intangible also like you said, the way a person moves, smiles, what they wear, how they interact with Simon and the judges etc. Its these things that will separate the real finalists, who I'm sure will all be quite good singers.

Another factor from week to week that i don't know if anyone has mentioned is where a person falls in the singing order. Think of these like 12 separate acts. if you follow directly after a great act, well, its a tough act to follow as the saying goes. I think the first performer is in an inherently bad spot. The crowd isn't warmed up, the nerves are higher and I think people generally don't expect that the first performance will be the best performance so its sort of immediately downgraded by default.

by contrast, the final performance is a great position because it will be what people remember. I have noticed that Fox mixes up the order and it seems to me like they want to end with a great performance and they seem to know who has something great in store and they put them last. For example there was no way they were going to end the show last night with Sanjaya. Its basically one of the ways I think Fox can manipulate things to favor certain people, by putting them in certain slots. Like if they want a certain person off the island they can keep putting them after Melinda and they will always appear as a let-down. But the person following Sanjaya has a better set-up.

does anyone else think like this? I know one thing, I've been sitting here at work writing about american idol from 20 minutes on a horse racing forum. I may need to seek help!