Underdog Kris Allen wins Idol crown

May 20, 20099:26 p.m.

Kris Allen, the ultimate underdog, has made one of the biggest comebacks in television history! After 620 million votes, 19 weeks, 100,000 auditions, an extra judge and a bikini girl, Kris Allen is your new American Idol. The all-American, married boy next door defeated the glammed-out, leather-clad rocker and is now the eighth reigning champ in the Idol kingdom. Although Adam was an early favorite with his huge vocals and in-your-face style and confidence, Kris Allen never gave up and came from obscurity in the early rounds to win it all. I am shocked but think America made the right choice!

Before the results were given, Adam and Kris highlighted their polar opposite styling in perfect fashion. Kris paired up with Keith Urban and gave us a radio-worthy version of “Kiss A Girl.” I think this performance is exactly why he is the American Idol. Even with Keith Urban on the stage with him, the song sounded like it should be on his album.
Adam gave us a bigger-than-life collaboration with Kiss, platform boots, space-shoulder pads and all. It was everything you want from Adam.

As one last gift to the Idol fans, both guys joined together for what we have been waiting for all season: Adam singing Queen’s “We Are the Champions.” And surprisingly, Kris holding his own!

As always, the three minutes it took to give us the results were crammed at the end of a two-hour celebrity binge of self-promotion, an opportunity I wouldn’t pass up but found admittedly annoying. Highlights included Kara DioGuardi showing up Bikini Girl in a vocal duel and then adding salt to the wounds by stripping down to a bikini as an inside joke/charity bet among the judges and Ryan. The Top 13 had lots of face time with each Idol getting at least one feature spot – something my season did not get, oh well.

Tomorrow the real work begins for Kris and the rest of the crew. They are joining the real world of the music industry and will start doing everything they can to parlay this amazing experience of American Idol into a huge lifelong career. But I hope each of them savor tonight as a very special moment in their lives. I want to give my congratulations to Kris and all his fans. He is a worthy Idol and I am truly excited for his CD. Adam and his fans should also be very proud. He is a superstar in his own right, and we will be seeing lots from him.

Thanks for sharing Idol with me this season and until next year, please keep in touch on Facebook, Twitter and www.philstacey.com – I should be coming around Ta-town soon! And don’t forget to check out my new album, “Into the Light” on Aug. 25. Peace out and be blessed!

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Who will win?

May 19, 20098:27 p.m.

The last songs have been sung and tomorrow either Adam Lambert or Kris Allen will be our new American Idol.

Round One was the contestant’s choice. Adam gave us an encore version “Mad World.” I still find myself randomly singing it. Kris shared “Ain’t No Sunshine” once more reminding us when he started to pull away from the pack. And to a shocking start, Simon gives this round to Kris!

Simon Fuller (creator of Idol) dictated Round Two. Adam belted “A Change Is Gonna Come” with his high power notes, as usual. The judges declared it his best performance of the season. Kris strummed “What is Going On,” channeling Kenny Loggins’ laid-back style. The judges thought he was too laid-back and it wasn’t big enough for the finale. Chalk this round up to Adam.

Round Three was the coronation song audition. Adam gave the best raw vocal interpretation of “No Boundaries,” but it was kind of weird hearing such a sappy song out of Adam. I just don’t think the song did Adam justice. I think this song is just a little too big for Kris, although with a key change it could fit his voice nicely for radio. Honestly, this song just didn’t do it for me and be something the winner will just have to suffer through before the real first single will come out. All the judges made it very clear that Adam won that round hands down.

Honestly, we all know that making it to the finale on American Idol pretty much guarantees one an industry “in.” 19 Records will snatch up both Adam and Kris, giving each a legitimate chance of superstardom in the music world, just as they have every other winner and runner-up for the past several seasons now.

Contestants often say it doesn’t matter if they win and nonchalantly fall back on the “sometimes it is better not to win – Chris Daughtry obviously did well” catch phrase (I’m guilty). At this stage of the game this is most likely true. It is going to be up to Adam and Kris to make their careers happen, but it really is getting harder for Idols out in the “real” world. It will be interesting to see who will join Kris and Adam with a deal.

And for the record, my money is on Adam to take it all. He is the better singer, but Kris is the better artist. You may disagree – which is your prerogative – but that is my opinion.

I thought both of them performed at finale caliber tonight. And I think Adam will win. But I will personally buy Kris’ album the day it is released.

My last post for this season will be tomorrow night. I have deeply enjoyed our time together, and the e-mails you have sent. I have a record coming out Aug. 25 and if you would like to hear an album full of songs that go deeper than anything I could have done on my own … check the record out. It’s called “Into the Light.” Thanks and be blessed.

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David vs. Goliath

May 13, 20099:06 p.m.

Adam Lambert and Kris Allen will face off next week – the eighth season of American Idol. Early on, Adam Lambert showed his fierce vocal strength and originality resulting in legions of fans; no one is surprised that he is the giant daring someone to slay him. Kris Allen started in the middle of the pack but he steadily gave creative and solid performances earning a place in the finals and winning one of the biggest underdog victories in American Idol history.

Ryan announced at the beginning of the show that 88 million votes were cast and only 1 million separated Adam and Kris! I still believe that Adam is the favorite to win but this could be a bit polarizing. Those he hasn’t won over will probably support Kris. If Kris comes out and gives amazing performances next week he just might be able to pull off an upset.

Danny gave a good fight and in his own words his Idol experience has been “tragedy to triumph.” Ten months ago, Danny had just lost his wife and today he is the Top 3 Idol this season. I’ve been a fan of Danny since the beginning, and I am looking forward to what I’ll see from him in the future.

My Idol, Jordin Sparks, introduced her new single, “Battlefield,” from her newest album. Since we are now Sony labelmates, I thought this was a perfect place for a shameless promo plug – be on the watch out for my new single, “You’re Not Shaken,” on Christian radio within the next couple of weeks. It’s from my new record, “Into the Light,” due out Aug. 25.

Were you all surprised that Kris made it in? Will Kris find a kink in Adam’s armor or will Adam prevail?

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Danny or Kris … that is the question

May 12, 20099:09 p.m.

Tonight’s Idol gave us Danny, Kris and Adam battling it out for a spot in the final with song choices from the contestants and judges. The guys took the gloves off and gave it there all. Tomorrow’s results show is going to be a nail-biter!

Danny started the night off with Paula’s choice of Terence Trent D’Arby’s “Dance Little Sister.” This had Danny written all over it: high-energy, vocal improvisation during a sax solo sprinkled throughout with corny dancing! I thought it was great but did seem a bit predictable. Simon criticized the song choice – funny since Danny didn’t have a say. With that being said – I’m sure Danny would have liked to have a different song to work with also since he admitted to not knowing it.

However predictable Round 1 was for Danny, Round 2 blew off the roof. He gave us Joe Cocker’s “You Are So Beautiful.” I thought this was an amazing arrangement for a song that fit his voice perfectly. From one church boy to another – Hallelujah! Simon called it a “vocal master class” … not a bad Simon comment.

Kris Allen was at the mercy of Randy and Kara and they gave him “Apologize” by OneRepublic. Sitting at the piano, Kris was fighting hard with a mix of a nice falsetto and strong chest voice, but the judges say he played it safe. I agree. I was waiting and rooting for him to really blow us out of the water and keep us guessing about who will go home. This round did not do that for him, not true about Round 2.

When Kris said he was going to attempt “Heartless” by Kanye West, my initial thought was “Heartless”? Wasn’t he there when Kanye performed it on that same stage? But Kris gave a fresh laid-back version, showing his true artistry. It was very brave to go just guitar and vocals with three strikes and two outs left with bases loaded. He put himself back in the game! Tomorrow we will see if he hit a home run.

Adam (with Simon’s help arranging!?) gave us a dramatic interpretation of “One” by U2. Simon loved gloating that Bono personally called him in order to clear the song. Who am I joking, I would be gloating also. No surprise, this was a great fit for Adam and he delivered a powerful performance for his legion of fans.
Again in Round 2 Adam gave a killer show. He SANG “Crying” by Aerosmith. Simon is worried that America will forget to vote for Adam so he campaigned for him. I don’t foresee Adam’s fans forgetting to vote. We will see him next week in the finals.

I think we can all agree that Adam will be in the finals so who gets the second slot? Originally I thought that Danny’s “You Are So Beautiful” took away any chance of Kris taking it to the end. Until Kris sang “Heartless.” I think many people are rooting for Kris so he is picking up new fans each week but my personal favorite of the night was Danny’s “You Are So Beautiful.” Tomorrow’s results show really could go either way. What do you all think?

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Great Night for Idol

April 7, 20098:36 p.m.

I am honored tonight to be hosting Felicia Barton (who was a semifinalist this year on Idol) at my home with her husband and 2-year-old son. As our kids are running around the house screaming and making messes together, she is giving me the scoop on the contestants that are still in the competition.

The theme for tonight is songs from the year of each contestant’s birth. Usually I would be complaining about how it is impossible to be current with songs from the early ’80s, but as these contestants showed us last week, they LOVE singing songs this old.

Danny Gokey opened the show reminding me why I am such a big fan of his. He gave the song “Stand By Me” a gospel feel – which I loved. I am a big Danny Gokey fan and Felicia confirms what a great guy he is.

Kris Allen sang “All She Wants To Do (is Dance).” The judges weren’t quite as keen on this performance as they have been the past few weeks, but Kris is in no danger of leaving. He is a star and is still capable of pulling out an upset.

Allison Iraheta tore herself up some “I Can’t Make You Love Me If You Don’t.” Early in the season, people were really only talking about Danny and Adam, but between Allison and Kris, we have a serious competition. Simon questions her likability and he is right in doing so. She has a hard time showing her personality, but she is definitely one of the best talents there. She reminds Felicia and her husband a great deal of Kelly Clarkson. I’m not exactly there because I think Allison has such a distinct style, but she is definitely in the same league.

Matt Giraud also showed up ready to impress. He nailed “Part-Time Lovers.” To me, it was his best performance of the season so far. He needed this performance tonight because he was starting to shift to the “No-Chance-To-Win” group, but he definitely proved he deserved to stay another week.

Adam LambertAdam Lambert performed “Mad World.” It was my wife’s favorite performance from him. He has amazing vocal control. Simon Cowell gave him a standing ovation – the first I have ever seen in 8 seasons.

Anoop did well, but I can’t imagine a bottom three without him this week. To me, Scott and Lil are both on the chopping block unless a surprise elimination occurs. What do you think?

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Idol Grooves to Motown

March 25, 20099:53 p.m.

American Idol’s Top 10 grooved to 50 years’ worth of Motown hits with Smokey Robinson mentoring tonight’s show.
Matt Giraud started off the night with Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” I loved his falsetto and soulful licks. The judges are now official fans and he joins the front-runner club.
Kris Allen impresses Smokey and the judges with his unique and easygoing “How Sweet It Is.” Simon thinks he needs Simon lessons in swagger.
Scott MacIntyre sang Diana Ross’ “You Can’t Hurry Love.” He chose to stick with the piano and go against Paula’s advice from last week. Simon has finally turned on him with a classic “rubbish” review and has now given America permission to say what they have really been thinking about his performances.
Megan Joy sang in her standard style “For Once In My Life.” This really didn’t have any great standout moments, and she seemed to drown in the song. It really was not good.
Anoop Desai stayed with his serious sensitive side singing “Oooo Baby Baby.” He continued his return to favor with a clean solid performance. I agree that now he has found his vocal sweet spot, he needs to start bringing his showmanship back into his performances. If he can merge the last two weeks of great vocals with his first couple of weeks of energy then he is in the running for Top 5 or higher.
Michael Sarver attempted “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg.” He just didn’t hit his stride, and it felt as if he was fighting with the song the entire time. He admitted as much to Simon … sometimes we as performers just know it isn’t going to work as we walk on the stage. I thought he handled the judges well.
Lil Rounds sings “Heat Wave” in the classic Motown way. She obviously can sing, but I was hoping she would do something a little more relevant, more reflective of something that could be on her album. I think she really lost an opportunity to jump back in the front of the pack by not giving America a “moment.”
Adam Lambert reigned in the craziness and tenderly sang Smokey’s own, “Tracks of my Tears.” He cleaned up his image, literally taking off the black nail polish, and sang the entire song in his great falsetto. This is one of the first times that I not only appreciated his talent, but enjoyed it.
Danny Gokey used his Michael McDonald voice to give America “Get Ready.” I liked it – but no secret that I really love his voice. The judges didn’t think it was his best of the season but for the most part thought it was solid.
Allison Iraheta wailed out “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.” I really love this girl’s voice. She came out and used her pipes to SING! She was by far the best of the night.
Scott MacIntyre, Megan Joy and Michael Sarver should be nervous about continuing on to next week. We only have three females so I don’t think Megan is in real trouble and despite his lackluster performances, I really think America has a spot for Scott so my prediction is that Michael will be sent packing … I’m sure the “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” and Judges’ Save Jokes are being written right now.
What do you all think? Who do you think will be sent home?

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The Final 36

Feb. 11, 200911:00 p.m.

We are only one episode away from the live performances. An interesting thing has been added this season. During the chair episodes, they are letting people they are undecided about have a sing-off to earn their spot in the semifinals. I like this because it is tough to get eliminated once you’ve made it through Hollywood Week and haven’t performed for the judges since…. I don’t like it because it seems very awkward for the contestants. I would have hated to be in any of the sing-offs, whether I won or lost.

I remember being at the hotel the night before the chair episode and that was awkward enough because you know people are being eliminated. The truth is that I never expected to make it through Hollywood Week, so I can honestly say that I was hoping the best for everyone. When I made it through, I was terribly excited to be on the show, but also terribly guilty for having taken someone else’s spot.

I can tell you that there are people that the other contestants aren’t rooting for. On my season, there were a few people from Hollywood Week that did not stand out to us at all. We came back for the chair episode and wondered how in the world they made it into the semifinals when some of our friends who were great got cut. It wasn’t until we saw their original auditions that we understood how they had made it through.

Consider Joanna Pacitti. She’s a great singer, but she forgot her lyrics every time she sang in Hollywood. The other contestants can’t possibly know how great she is just yet.

Or consider Tatiana Del Toro. She’s a good singer, but she couldn’t be any more annoying. I think the other contestants are a little frustrated that many other great singers have been cut so they can feature her on more episodes.

At the end of the day, most of the decisions were expected. Here is a list of the top 36:

Anoop Desai

Von Smith

Alex Trugman

Adam Lambert

Taylor Vaifanua

Jasmine Murray

Arianna Asfar

Casey Carlson

Megan Corkrey

Mishavonna Henson

Stevie Wright

Joanna Pacitti

Kendall Beard

Kristen McNamara

Alexis Grace

Scott Macintyre

Lil Rounds

Jesse Langseth

Allison Iraheta

Danny Gokey

Ricky Braddy

Matt Giraud

Ju’Not Joyner

Jorge Nunez

Brent Keith

Stephen Fowler

Norman Gentle, or Nick Mitchell

Jackie Tohn

Tatiana Del Toro

Nathaniel Marshall

Jeanine Vailes

Kai Kalama

Anne Marie Boskovich

Kris Allen

Matt Breitzke

Michael Sarver

I was a little upset to see Jamar Rogers get cut. He’s an outstanding talent. The fact that Norman Gentle is there instead of him makes it all feel a little off. Don’t get me wrong, I like Norman. But I haven’t heard him sing anywhere near as good as Jamar. Who knows… Thoughts?

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