American Idol: "Guy Next Door Versus Guyliner"
AMERICAN IDOL
The Last Fight: "The Guy Next Door Vs. Guyliner"
TONIGHT WAS THE FINAL ROUND BETWEEN ADAM LAMBERT AND KRIS ALLEN for American Idol 2009.
It's been a long journey for both of this guys, but on the eve of their last performances, both men were feeling confident. "For me, I don't feel too much pressure right now. We've made it,'' Kris Allen said during a press conference Tuesday. "I do feel like we've accomplished exactly what we wanted to accomplish. It's not a competition anymore. We're going to go out there and have a good show."
Adam Lambert ranked his jitters at about a "five… I'll get more nervous right before." Allen ranked his nerves at at about "five or six," and likely bumping up to 10 by showtime.
So how did they do tonight?
Each guy performed three songs: their favorite performance of the season, a song chosen by the show's creator, Simon Fuller and the song No Boundaries co-written by Kara Dioguardi.
Round One: Adam kicks off the show with an encore performance of Mad World. I think this was a great choice, especially since a lot of people missed this performance the first time due to the show going over schedule. I can't say that this performance was as effective to me as it was the first time. Maybe it's missing something or maybe I'm just over it. Randy said "A for Adam." Kara said he rocked it again tonight. Paula said she was unbelievably proud of him and he should bask in it. Simon said maybe it was his long coat or the dry ice but he thought it was a bit over-theatrical.
Hey Simon, it's better than Adam in drag!
Kris' personal pick is "Ain't no Sunshine" on piano and he was a knock-out, both intense and passionate. For me, round one goes to Kris! Randy said it was one of his best performances ever on the stage. Kara agrees, she said if you aren't be moved by a Kris Allen performance, something is wrong with you. He creates an intimate bond with everyone in the audience. Paula sputtered something about how he awakens the spirit in all of us by "Allen-izing" all the songs he sings. Simon said honestly when Kris was announced last week, he thought American got it wrong, but after that performance, he takes it all back.
Round Two: Adam sings Sam Cooke's Change is Gonna Come. Adam's performance was soulful and he nailed all the high notes. This time he wasn't too "over-theatrical" but he was still a little over the top. Randy said he sang his face off and he was unbelievable. Kara said it was his best interpretation of a song to date. Paula said that was best she heard him sing ever…ever…ever. He's going to be iconic. Simon said he was 100 percent back in the game.
Kris sang Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. Kris played guitar this round and did a good job, but sad to say it wasn't as memorable as Adam's performance.
Randy said it was a great song choice but it was too light. Kara said she likes that he has been true to himself and she can see why Simon Fuller picked it for him because Kris has can uplift people. Paula said he tore it up and made Marvin Gaye proud. Simon said he loved the song but that Kris played it like "three friends in their bedroom strumming along to Marvin Gaye." He did not grab hold of the song and make it his own, too laid back.
Final Round: Adam added his rock persona to No Boundaries. I thought he sounded pitchy, maybe a little bit out of breath during some parts, but he put a lot of heart into the song. The crowd went wild!
Randy said he can sing the phone book but that was not his favorite performances, it was a little bit too pitchy for him. Thank you Randy! Kara was moved and proud to hear him sing her song. Paula said adjectives cannot express what he has brought to season 8 (I think that's only because she has finally run out of adjectives). She was in awe and she will be a fan forever. Simon said he's not going to judge the song, just him, calls him one of the best, original contestants on the show. He believes he is a star.
Kris finishes the show with a down and mellow version of No Boundaries. Kris showed that you can tone down a song and still make it amazing. I liked his version better. Randy said he should be proud of what he's done in this competition and that song fit his voice better than Adam. Kara said he should be judged not on the song but on him being a compelling artist. Paula said he did an amazing job to end up where he is now. Simon said his highlight was the first song but watching him on stage was incredible and that he deserve to be there.
So tomorrow is the big two hour finale (give or take a few minutes anyone taping the show) I would love to see the under dog, Kris, take the win but I fear that Adam's popularity and mystery will take the win. We'll see tomorrow night!
Nicki R. is a Southern girl living in the big city of Chicago. She loves quiet evenings a home watching horror films with her dogs Jezebelle and Zombie. Check out her blog, Hey, Look Behind You!
Tags: Television
