For 'Idol' crown, 2 guitar-playing singer-songwriters square off tonight

OK, it hasn't been the greatest season for "American Idol," creatively or ratings-wise.



But tonight's showdown between Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze and Wednesday's crowning of a winner still could be a memorable two nights of television.

After all, this is an "Idol" finale.

To put it kindly, the show's current season has seemed slightly out of tune. There hasn't been as much excitement about the Top 10 contestants as there was in past years. New judge Ellen DeGeneres seems better at delivering laughs than insightful comments. And Simon Cowell is leaving to start another show on Fox.

Any more good news?

Yes, actually. Although the Bowersox-DeWyze contest may not be as buzzworthy as prior finales -- remember the excitement surrounding the 2009 Kris Allen-Adam Lambert competition? -- it does boast two of the more likable and earnest singers ever to vie for the "Idol" title.

Bowersox, a 24-year-old mom from Elliston, Ohio, has a riveting style and endearingly down-to-earth personality. She has moved "Idol" fans with emotionally rich renditions of songs like "People Get Ready."

DeWyze is also 24 and a Midwesterner. The humble rocker from Mt. Prospect, Ill., started out seeming as if he'd be more comfortable back at the paint store where he worked before landing on "Idol." But he's gained confidence and impressed viewers with his gritty yet delicately nuanced vocals.

Whether Bowersox or DeWyze wins, it will be a victory for the sort of singers who sometimes get overlooked by "Idol" -- crooners who'd be equally at home in coffeehouses or concert halls.

The finale also will be a time to mark the end of Cowell's remarkably successful role as the voice of reason on "Idol."

Cowell is leaving the series to launch his new show, "X Factor," next year. How will the mega-hit that he helped build with his tough-but-fair remarks bid adieu to him?

Former judge Paula Abdul will make an appearance on the finale, according to People.com, which also says Christina Aguilera will be one of the celebrities performing at what's traditionally a star-studded evening.

And now for the big question: What will happen to "Idol" post-Cowell?

"It won't be the same 'American Idol,' and I think if they keep the same format, people are going to really make unfair comparisons to it," says Ann Donahue, senior editor at Billboard, where a recent Web story on Billboard.com was titled "Can 'American Idol' Be Saved?"

"I know they're talking about changing it up quite a bit," says Donahue. "Maybe they'll move it to New York. Maybe they'll make it more of a 'Big Brother'-type thing, where you see more of the contestants' lives behind the actual performances."

Donahue says "they're probably going to have to do something pretty radical to keep people entertained."

A reinvented "Idol"? With any luck, that could be something for fans to sing about.

source: www.freep.com

Your Ad Here