Lack of singer personalities concerns Cowell
A non-remonstrative Simon Cowell had a simple explanation as to why Michael Johns got the boot last week from "American Idol" - and it appears conspiracy theorists get it but the contestants do not.
"You cannot deliver an uninspired performance at the top of the show," Cowell said in an interview that mostly concerned the chart success of Leona Lewis. "And you can't be up there imitating another singer."
As our conversation turned toward song selection, I noted that Aerosmith's "Dream On" did not fit the definition of inspirational, just because the word "dream" is in the title.
"I couldn't agree with you more," Cowell chimed in.
With the one judge on the line who keeps the proceedings close to level, it was hardly surprising that Cowell, who considers talents shows in the U.S. and U.K. "the luck of the draw," would be willing to pinpoint a collective flaw in the season 7 cast.
"Personality," he said, a little more than an hour before Tuesday night's all-Mariah Carey show. "They are giving very safe answers to questions, making safe song selections. We are not getting a sense of who they are. We have to try to pull it out of them more."
That seemed like a marching order to me going in to Tuesday's show - let's play "Where in the World is an 'American Idol's' Personality?"
It's a little disturbing to think the most prominent personality in Creed's old neighborhood, where David Cook has taken up residence. He treated "Always Be My Baby" - a great pop song - as pliable, which all strong interpreters need to do. His rock power ballad version worked on multiple levels yet the problem is the novelty factor: In the moment, it sounds great, but there has to be more variety down the road.
The one thing he did do, though, was assert himself as a thinking rock musician, aware of hit record styles beyond the "AI"/Mariah/Whitney/Nashville universe. It worked for Daughtry, but not so much for Taylor Hicks or Bo Bice.
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"You cannot deliver an uninspired performance at the top of the show," Cowell said in an interview that mostly concerned the chart success of Leona Lewis. "And you can't be up there imitating another singer."
As our conversation turned toward song selection, I noted that Aerosmith's "Dream On" did not fit the definition of inspirational, just because the word "dream" is in the title.
"I couldn't agree with you more," Cowell chimed in.
With the one judge on the line who keeps the proceedings close to level, it was hardly surprising that Cowell, who considers talents shows in the U.S. and U.K. "the luck of the draw," would be willing to pinpoint a collective flaw in the season 7 cast.
"Personality," he said, a little more than an hour before Tuesday night's all-Mariah Carey show. "They are giving very safe answers to questions, making safe song selections. We are not getting a sense of who they are. We have to try to pull it out of them more."
That seemed like a marching order to me going in to Tuesday's show - let's play "Where in the World is an 'American Idol's' Personality?"
It's a little disturbing to think the most prominent personality in Creed's old neighborhood, where David Cook has taken up residence. He treated "Always Be My Baby" - a great pop song - as pliable, which all strong interpreters need to do. His rock power ballad version worked on multiple levels yet the problem is the novelty factor: In the moment, it sounds great, but there has to be more variety down the road.
The one thing he did do, though, was assert himself as a thinking rock musician, aware of hit record styles beyond the "AI"/Mariah/Whitney/Nashville universe. It worked for Daughtry, but not so much for Taylor Hicks or Bo Bice.
continue...
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