I really believe that the American Idol judges are influenced and leaned on heavily by the producers of the show. Sometimes it is so apparent who the producers believe will be the most profitable for them that the judges are almost forced to weight their criticism to match. I even wonder if the voting results that they present are even the actual results of the numerous phone calls people make. The legitimacy of the show in question, I still believe that many strong performances come out on that stage. And while I know I’m no professional music critique, I believe that I am just as qualified as Paula Abdul, and just as honest as Simon Cowell. So, looking back on the past year of Idol, won by David Cook, I have come up with this list of the ten best performances.
David Archuleta: Top 20 - Imagine
Of all the performances this season, I truly believe that this was the best. Coming into the second guys week, no one, from either gender, had displayed anything remotely close to dignifying that statement that “this is the most talented cast ever.” In fact, after watching the first 29 performances, I felt this group was as bereft of talent as season 3. However this one performance changed all of that. Archuleta has a gift of emoting better than perhaps any contestant before him, and this acoustic version of a classic was enough to really get the season going. And while Archuleta had a few excellent performances throughout the course of the season, he, or anyone else, captured the pure joy of music again throughout the season.
David Cook: Top 10 - Billie Jean
David Cook needed this. He had had a great performance in the top 12 with Eleanor Rigby, but this version of Billie Jean changed him from a darkhorse to a favorite. It was interesting, it was original and it was completely unlike anything heard on American Idol had heard before. A very dark recording, David Cook solidified himself as the rocker, something that Robbie Carico attempted to do and failed miserably.
Jason Castro: Top 16 - Hallelujah
This one good performance, in my opinion, his only real strong performance, got this man all the way to the Final 4. His voice was always very limited and his persona very anti-pop star, however he came out, looking terrified, and delivered. The only place most of the viewers knew this song from was the movie Shrek, and I don’t believe that anyone even realized where they knew it from, but it didn’t matter. Hallelujah became a Jason Castro song, and may very well be the mark he leaves on the world of popular music.
Syesha Mercado: Top 11 - Yesterday
I don’t know what the anti-Syesha sentiment was all about in the beginning of the show, but I was thrilled to see her in the Top 3. She delieverd some great performances down the stretch, I Will Always Love You and Proud Mary, for example. However, her most original, and best suited performance, came in the form of this Beatles hit. Acclaimed by the judges, but all but forgotten by America, this was a brilliant performance. Like I said, I never understood how she was placed in the bottom 3 week after week.
Carly Smithson: Week 12 - Come Together
Carly was always given tons of credit by the judges. I never thought she was that amazing, and obviously, neither did America. She came to this country because she signed a music contract and never made it then, so she was inserted as a “plant” into American Idol and didn’t make it there. So obviously it’s time to give up on music. Despite all that bashing, sorry Carly you seem nice enough, her first performance on the big stage brought down the house. She showed amazing range, energy and was spot on with everything. But as proven by Jason Castro, one performance doesn’t usually win a four month long competition.
Chickezie: Top 12 - She’s A Woman
They must’ve really brought their A-game for the Beatles weeks. I never realized how much I liked those performances until just now. Anyway, Chickezie was a very likable guy with a very good voice, he just preferred the wrong kind of music. I wish Simon would have told him, “There is music that you like to listen to, and music you are suited to sing, don’t mix them up.” Chickezie did deliver on this one, however. With a folk-Southern rock style displaying tons of energy and charisma, this performance, along with his next one, a similar version of I’ve Just Seen a Face, actually made him seem as though he could contend, if only for a fleeting moment.
