"There are no boundaries."
Disclaimer: STILL LIFELESS. DO NOT DENY ME HAPPY FEELINGS. One of the best finales I've ever seen (can you say a lot of Kradam moments?). But it also marked the birth of one of the cheesiest coronation songs ever (Really, Kara? That's all you came up with? Really?). I'd take those magic rainbows over hurricanes any day. At least I get a pot of gold at the end, while a hurricane would just blow me away. Again, results show in a different post, just because it was just too epic. I HAVE to comment on the glorious performances that occurred then. Ehhh, my Wednesday and Thursday nights are going to be so empty now.
American Idol Season 8 Finale
Let me just say, off the record, that I think the both of them have already won. They're both complete polar opposites of each other and do their own thing extremely well, so I can't pick a firm favourite anymore. That and they've both earned their right to be in the finale. I can't say I'm unhappy about how this is going to end because either way, both of them are going to be extremely successful. I LOVE THIS TOP 2. I WILL BUY THEIR ALBUMS. AND ALLISON'S. SRSLY. WITH MONEY. If I had any at the time. :D
Now, on to business. Not looking at spoilers at all, does things to you, especially after you've come to rely on online sources to catch up on what you've missed. Not looking at spoilers, totally makes the performances all the more compelling and exciting. But, oh god. You don't know how much willpower it took for me to just stay away from the goddamn computer and study for my Lit 4 paper (which went alright, thank you very much for asking).
I was really, really hoping he'd do this song after I found out about the themes a couple of days ago. I mean, come on. This was definitely the best performance of the entire season, blue light and all. So, when Ryan confirmed that Adam was doing this song, I was pretty much squealing in my seat like the biggest fangirl in the world.
And hello, what an amazing way to open the show with the over-the-top theatrics. Adam is really pulling out all the stops. There's the staircase entrance ala "Feeling Good"; a heck of a lot of dry ice creating a huge swirling fog on the stage and again with the blue lighting! But in a darker shade! YOU WIN BEST ENTRANCES EVER ON IDOL STAGE.
He's belting a little more this time around but it still has those glorious falsettos that showcase his amazing vocal control. His last note was spot on, wasn't as high as before, but at least he didn't have to worry about botching the note. Vocally, a perfect performance.
As much as I love this song, the emotional impact wasn't was powerful this time around. Adam did connect with it. I know for a fact that this song really means something to him and it was apparent from the way he delivered the song (RE: Following lines and in BOLD, "I went to school and I was very nervous, no one knew me. No one knew me. Hello teacher, tell me what's my lesson. Look right through me. Look right through me"). But, it just wasn't the same moment.
bb still looks amazing in his long, black trench coat though. Amazing showmanship he has, too.
"Ain't No Sunshine" is my all-time favourite performance by Kris because it is the performance that melted my Swedish heart in the first place. This was the performance that made Kris one of the better contestants in my book (along with Allison. Bring back the rocker. Oh and Matt G. I have a soft spot for the man). Cue more squealing in my seat like the fangirl I am when Ryan made the announcement.
AND HELLO. THIS IS AN ENTIRELY NEW FLAVOR OF ICE-CREAM ALTOGETHER YET IT STILL HAS THE CHOCOLATE CHIPS IN IT THAT MAKE IT OH-SO-SPECIAL.
Kris brings out the piano again and I think this is one of his strongest performances on the show to date. Again with the beautiful phrasing, starting off gentle, the song slowly builds up into a crescendo and then it starts hitting me smack bang left right in the face when he gets to the line "I know, I know, I know, I know", then descending again into soft, sweet territory as he ends with a gorgeous falsetto note. YES. Kris did NOT botch his falsetto note! I am terribly happy about this because the man has a horrible tendency of screwing up his falsettos and for him to pull this one off so well makes me feel incredibly ECSTATIC.
The best thing about this song, was the emotional interpretation. This performance was vulnerable and I felt every word he was singing. His interpretation of the song is just heart-aching and I am pretty blown away by this. This is what I'm looking for! It's like a first "Mad World" moment except it's not! It's a total "Ain't No Sunshine", Kris Allen moment.
2) Simon Fuller's Choice: Social awareness crammed into 4 minutes.
Adam Lambert: "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke
Kris Allen: "What's Going On?" by Marvin Gaye
Performance Night aka Big Ding Dong.
(Finale Night also = Big Picture Night)
(Finale Night also = Big Picture Night)
Let me just say, off the record, that I think the both of them have already won. They're both complete polar opposites of each other and do their own thing extremely well, so I can't pick a firm favourite anymore. That and they've both earned their right to be in the finale. I can't say I'm unhappy about how this is going to end because either way, both of them are going to be extremely successful. I LOVE THIS TOP 2. I WILL BUY THEIR ALBUMS. AND ALLISON'S. SRSLY. WITH MONEY. If I had any at the time. :D
Now, on to business. Not looking at spoilers at all, does things to you, especially after you've come to rely on online sources to catch up on what you've missed. Not looking at spoilers, totally makes the performances all the more compelling and exciting. But, oh god. You don't know how much willpower it took for me to just stay away from the goddamn computer and study for my Lit 4 paper (which went alright, thank you very much for asking).
1) Contestant's Choice: Favorite Performance Of The Season
Adam Lambert: "Mad World" by Gary Jules (Top 8: Songs From The Year I Was Born).
Kris Allen: "Ain't Not Sunshine" by Bill Withers (Top 9: Popular i-Tunes Downloads).
Personally, I think this theme is kind of a bad idea, even if the song choice is epic. A repetition of the same performance is like eating your favourite flavor of ice-cream 5 days in a row (RE: TATIANA DEL TORO AND "SAVING ALL MY LOVE" OMG). Rarely works out.
Kris Allen: "Ain't Not Sunshine" by Bill Withers (Top 9: Popular i-Tunes Downloads).
Personally, I think this theme is kind of a bad idea, even if the song choice is epic. A repetition of the same performance is like eating your favourite flavor of ice-cream 5 days in a row (RE: TATIANA DEL TORO AND "SAVING ALL MY LOVE" OMG). Rarely works out.
And hello, what an amazing way to open the show with the over-the-top theatrics. Adam is really pulling out all the stops. There's the staircase entrance ala "Feeling Good"; a heck of a lot of dry ice creating a huge swirling fog on the stage and again with the blue lighting! But in a darker shade! YOU WIN BEST ENTRANCES EVER ON IDOL STAGE.
He's belting a little more this time around but it still has those glorious falsettos that showcase his amazing vocal control. His last note was spot on, wasn't as high as before, but at least he didn't have to worry about botching the note. Vocally, a perfect performance.
As much as I love this song, the emotional impact wasn't was powerful this time around. Adam did connect with it. I know for a fact that this song really means something to him and it was apparent from the way he delivered the song (RE: Following lines and in BOLD, "I went to school and I was very nervous, no one knew me. No one knew me. Hello teacher, tell me what's my lesson. Look right through me. Look right through me"). But, it just wasn't the same moment.
bb still looks amazing in his long, black trench coat though. Amazing showmanship he has, too.
AND HELLO. THIS IS AN ENTIRELY NEW FLAVOR OF ICE-CREAM ALTOGETHER YET IT STILL HAS THE CHOCOLATE CHIPS IN IT THAT MAKE IT OH-SO-SPECIAL.
Kris brings out the piano again and I think this is one of his strongest performances on the show to date. Again with the beautiful phrasing, starting off gentle, the song slowly builds up into a crescendo and then it starts hitting me smack bang left right in the face when he gets to the line "I know, I know, I know, I know", then descending again into soft, sweet territory as he ends with a gorgeous falsetto note. YES. Kris did NOT botch his falsetto note! I am terribly happy about this because the man has a horrible tendency of screwing up his falsettos and for him to pull this one off so well makes me feel incredibly ECSTATIC.
The best thing about this song, was the emotional interpretation. This performance was vulnerable and I felt every word he was singing. His interpretation of the song is just heart-aching and I am pretty blown away by this. This is what I'm looking for! It's like a first "Mad World" moment except it's not! It's a total "Ain't No Sunshine", Kris Allen moment.
And Round 1 goes to....
Kris Allen. Ding ding.
Very close call. But Kris wins in terms of connection.
(I feel like Judas Iscariot now. D:)
Kris Allen. Ding ding.
Very close call. But Kris wins in terms of connection.
(I feel like Judas Iscariot now. D:)
2) Simon Fuller's Choice: Social awareness crammed into 4 minutes.
Adam Lambert: "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke
Kris Allen: "What's Going On?" by Marvin Gaye
Here's the deal with the social awareness thing. "A Change Is Gonna Come" was basically the anthem for the American Civil Rights Movement and deals primarily with the issue of racism that was so common back in the 60's. On the other hand, "What's Going On" places heavy emphasis on political and social concerns such as environmentalism, political corruption, drug abuse, and the Vietnam War. Therefore, both songs hold a very deep meaning to them, making for an interesting duel to see who interprets it the best. CLEVER SIMON FULLER, CLEVER.
Oh, how I love seeing my bb dressed in sharp, sleek suits. So fierce (Marriage proposal open forever. srsly. not kidding. forever. dear future husband, adam + lee hom > you. you have been forewarned).
I was extremely excited to know that Adam was going to do this song. He's already done it before on The Zodiac Show, cabaret style and I absolutely love it (although I did not love his costume. Nasty, nasty costume). So knowing that he was going to do it again, made me wonder how he's going to up the bar. Did Simon Fuller see that performance earlier for him to have chosen this song? Is the song choice a coincidence? I THINK............yes.
AND HELLO (yes, I use this term a lot, so sue me), SOMEONE JUST KNOCKED "MAD WORLD" DOWN HALF A SPOT ON MY "BEST ADAM LAMBERT PERFORMANCES ON IDOL" LIST AND BROUGHT THE FIERCE. HE IS BACK IN THE GAME, PEOPLE!
Very bluesy side of Adam that he hasn't shown before during the competition. We've seen his rocker, crooner and theatrical side and now we have him dipping into the realms of good, old fashioned soul. It is extremely refreshing to see him pull off such a soulful song with such passion and fire, unlike a certain former Idol contestant who did the exact same song, but just not as good (RE: TAYLOR HICKS. That was not a good season. He won over Daughtry? Really? REALLY?). Effortless transitioning from his low to high register. This really showcases his range, and ohemgee how Patti LaBelle is he towards the end? Excellent buildup, the starting being a slow burn, but then it turns into this flaming wildfire which just keeps going and going, it's so freaking amazing I can't get over how amazing this is. THIS IS UP THERE WITH "MAD WORLD". FO SHIZZLE.
Studio version wins. LOOKIT THAT VOICE. SOARRRRRRR. Amazing buildup yet again. This has been on repeat all day. Srsly. And so has "What's Going On?"
Now, bring on K-Sizzle! Coz' that's his rap name.
Acoustic jam session! FUN. COMPLETE WITH BONGOS. YES. "SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY" MOMENT.
The MTV All Stars version of the song has been in my i-Tunes for a couple of years now so it's been a recurring favourite of mine and to have Kris turn it from this soulful track into a pop-acoustic number is an amazing moment. I couldn't help but bop along to this and mouth along to the words as Kris strummed on the guitar (said guitar is insane pretty btw).
Very, very radio friendly. Like something I'd hear on "Light & Easy". It's got a really good arrangement and again with the beautiful interpretation. He looks extremely comfortable behind his guitar and that shows because somehow, I like him a whole lot more with a guitar or an instrument than compared to him just singing without his own accompaniment. I love how he bops along to the music as well as he plays, his shoulder does a little dance of its own and his legs starting swinging up and down, it is absolutely precious. Pocket Idol, you are so goddamn precious, I want to pick you up and take you home with me and feed you pasta and chicken soup.
Only drawback? It's a little too laid back for a finale performance. It didn't have enough momentum and it lacked the intensity of "Ain't No Sunshine" even if it was really good. I'm not going to be as harsh as Simon to say that it sounded like "3 guys strumming in their bedroom". It wasn't THAT laid back! Yeesh.
Studio version wins though. It's so easy listening, I could just listen to it all day. On repeat. Which it was. Along with "A Change Is Gonna Come". Which is the complete polar opposite in terms of vocals. Something's wrong with me.
The MTV All Stars version of the song has been in my i-Tunes for a couple of years now so it's been a recurring favourite of mine and to have Kris turn it from this soulful track into a pop-acoustic number is an amazing moment. I couldn't help but bop along to this and mouth along to the words as Kris strummed on the guitar (said guitar is insane pretty btw).
Very, very radio friendly. Like something I'd hear on "Light & Easy". It's got a really good arrangement and again with the beautiful interpretation. He looks extremely comfortable behind his guitar and that shows because somehow, I like him a whole lot more with a guitar or an instrument than compared to him just singing without his own accompaniment. I love how he bops along to the music as well as he plays, his shoulder does a little dance of its own and his legs starting swinging up and down, it is absolutely precious. Pocket Idol, you are so goddamn precious, I want to pick you up and take you home with me and feed you pasta and chicken soup.
Only drawback? It's a little too laid back for a finale performance. It didn't have enough momentum and it lacked the intensity of "Ain't No Sunshine" even if it was really good. I'm not going to be as harsh as Simon to say that it sounded like "3 guys strumming in their bedroom". It wasn't THAT laid back! Yeesh.
Studio version wins though. It's so easy listening, I could just listen to it all day. On repeat. Which it was. Along with "A Change Is Gonna Come". Which is the complete polar opposite in terms of vocals. Something's wrong with me.
And Round 2 goes to....
Adam Lambert. Ding ding.
Again, very close call. Adam wins based on intensity and buildup.
(I still feel like Judas Iscariot. What is up with that?!)
Adam Lambert. Ding ding.
Again, very close call. Adam wins based on intensity and buildup.
(I still feel like Judas Iscariot. What is up with that?!)
3) "No Boundaries", co-written by Kara DioGuardi. Get some crackers.
If anyone remembers "Time Of My Life", you'll remember the "magic rainbow" line. I keep cracking up every time I think of David Cook singing that line with this thought forming in his head, "What the freak?!". Magic rainbows... *snicker*
And just when I thought that coronation song couldn't get any cheesier, they come up with something about hurricanes and mountain climbing. Lyrics below:
Seriously? That was the best you could come up with? Three Grammy winning/nominated lyricists and composers came up with THAT song? I'm not trying to make it sound like I could write anything better, but COME ON. They're the people who came up with "Toxic", "Ain't No Other Man" and "Pieces Of Me"! I see a grammatical error in there somewhere. "You've almost gave up on your dreams"? Isn't it "given up?" Get a proofreader! The melody's a bit odd in the verses though I do like the melody for the chorus.
If anyone remembers "Time Of My Life", you'll remember the "magic rainbow" line. I keep cracking up every time I think of David Cook singing that line with this thought forming in his head, "What the freak?!". Magic rainbows... *snicker*
And just when I thought that coronation song couldn't get any cheesier, they come up with something about hurricanes and mountain climbing. Lyrics below:
Seconds, hours and so many days
You know what you want but how long can you wait?
Every moment lasts forever, when you feel you've lost your way
What if my chances were already gone
I started believing that I could be wrong
But you give me one good reason,
To fight and never walk away
So here I am, still holding on
With every step you climb another mountain
With every breath it's harder to believe
You’ll make it through the pain, weather the hurricane
To get to that one thing
When you think the road is going nowhere
Just when you’ve almost gave up on your dreams
Then take it by the hand and show you that you can.
You can go higher, you can go deeper
There are no boundaries above or beneath you
You break all the rules,
coz' there's nothing between you and your dreams.
One of Adam's worst vocals to date. It was oddly pitchy in spots (BLASPHEMY. ADAM LAMBERT DOES NOT GO OFF PITCH) and given his vocal range, you think he'd kill it, but NO. The only thing that saved the performance was the way he presented it, being the amazing showman he is.
Can I just talk about his pants for a second here? How on earth does he manage to stuff himself into them? THOSE ARE KINDA TIGHT, IT LEAVES LITTLE TO THE IMAGINATION (recalls pin-striped pants from "Slow Ride" performance. OMG). And are they black or white? I can't tell. I can't stop staring at them! It's so.... psychedelic. Like hypnotizing. WTF. I'M STILL TRYING TO DECIDE IF IT'S BLACK OR WHITE.
If even Adam "Pitch-Perfect" Lambert was struggling with the song, imagine how Kris "Not-That-Big-A-Range" Allen is going to do.
And Pocket Idol didn't surprise me by doing any better.
Kris was singing at the tippy-toppy of his range, he looked like he had a LOT of trouble with the song, not in his league at all and I think he forgot the line before "weather the hurricane". But I liked that he tried to interact with the crowd. So cute.
While the live versions scream, "FAIL" in many ways, I LOVE THE STUDIO RECORDINGS TO DEATH. The more I listen to them, the more I. CAN'T. STOP. Both are different in their own respective styles, Adam's being more dramatic and Kris' being more pop-acoustic-rock. Both work for me. BOTH ARE RADIO FRIENDLY. WIN.
Can I just talk about his pants for a second here? How on earth does he manage to stuff himself into them? THOSE ARE KINDA TIGHT, IT LEAVES LITTLE TO THE IMAGINATION (recalls pin-striped pants from "Slow Ride" performance. OMG). And are they black or white? I can't tell. I can't stop staring at them! It's so.... psychedelic. Like hypnotizing. WTF. I'M STILL TRYING TO DECIDE IF IT'S BLACK OR WHITE.
If even Adam "Pitch-Perfect" Lambert was struggling with the song, imagine how Kris "Not-That-Big-A-Range" Allen is going to do.
And Pocket Idol didn't surprise me by doing any better.
Kris was singing at the tippy-toppy of his range, he looked like he had a LOT of trouble with the song, not in his league at all and I think he forgot the line before "weather the hurricane". But I liked that he tried to interact with the crowd. So cute.
While the live versions scream, "FAIL" in many ways, I LOVE THE STUDIO RECORDINGS TO DEATH. The more I listen to them, the more I. CAN'T. STOP. Both are different in their own respective styles, Adam's being more dramatic and Kris' being more pop-acoustic-rock. Both work for me. BOTH ARE RADIO FRIENDLY. WIN.
Round 3 goes to...
Carrie Underwood. Ding ding.
Her closing performance of "Home Sweet Home" was fuuuun.
No, seriously.
IMO, who wins the Big Ding Dong?
(Primarily based on finale night performance)
No one. It's a tie.
Adam 1:1 Kris
Coronation song ruined it for the both of them.
In reality, who wins the Big Ding Dong?
Pocket Idol, Kris Allen.
Carrie Underwood. Ding ding.
Her closing performance of "Home Sweet Home" was fuuuun.
No, seriously.
IMO, who wins the Big Ding Dong?
(Primarily based on finale night performance)
No one. It's a tie.
Adam 1:1 Kris
Coronation song ruined it for the both of them.
In reality, who wins the Big Ding Dong?
Pocket Idol, Kris Allen.
-cue inner turmoil-Inner Adam fan is experiencing slight bouts of annoyance.
Inner Kris fan is spazzing out and screaming like a little girl.
Inner Adam fan is trying to convince herself that Adam is better off not winning.
Inner Kris fan is going through the 5 stages of WHOOHOO.
Inner Adam fan has come to accept results and will not be bitter about it.
Inner Kris fan is still flailing.
Inner Kradam fan died from pure, unadulterated bliss after seeing all the love and how gracious they both are to one another.
Inner Allison fan is slightly bitter because she feels that Allison should've been in the Top 3.
That being said, I'm not particularly surprised over the results despite Adam's front-runner status.
Did the right man win? Yes.
Kris clearly has much more marketability as an artiste and while I think that Adam deserves it much more based on his talent, a little part of me is absolutely exhilarated that he didn't win because then he won't be tied to the ball and chains of 19E. Or maybe that's just my denial talking. Then again, the NY Times reported that 19E was going to sign the both of them, so NO ESCAPE. Sigh.
Adam is a superstar in his own right. He's totally versatile and might be able to bring back glam-rock (give me some Queen any day) to the mainstream media. WHICH WILL BE, LEGEN - wait for it, and I hope you're not lactose intolerant - DAIRY. Geddit? Man worked his ass off to get where he's at. He's going to go places, title or not, so I don't feel as bad about him being a runner-up. He'll definitely have a lot more freedom with his record and no way is he not going to be amazing. So yes, I have come to the conclusion that Adam's already won in his own Adam-like way.
I think that Kris truly deserves to be where he is. He's grown so much as a performer and gained so much confidence along the way, yet I think feel as though he still has a long way to go before I'm going to grant him superstar status. Winning Idol, is definitely going to propel him to that point. Either way, I'm happy with the outcome. Absolutely thrilled for the both of them and I cannot wait for their albums and - OOOOOOOOOH.
-gets distracted by Adam's shiny, new official site and bounces off to click around shiny site-
Yech. Not the prettiest picture of him they're using for the header. Least they could do is find something more flattering. BUT OMG ADAM.
OOOOOOOOOH.
-gets distracted by Kris' shiny new official site and bounces off to click around shiny site-
HAY PRETTY. NICE HEADER FONT.
As I was saying, I cannot wait for their albums. Thanks for the amazing run. Wednesdays and Thursday nights will never be the same again.
Did the right man win? Yes.
Kris clearly has much more marketability as an artiste and while I think that Adam deserves it much more based on his talent, a little part of me is absolutely exhilarated that he didn't win because then he won't be tied to the ball and chains of 19E. Or maybe that's just my denial talking. Then again, the NY Times reported that 19E was going to sign the both of them, so NO ESCAPE. Sigh.
Adam is a superstar in his own right. He's totally versatile and might be able to bring back glam-rock (give me some Queen any day) to the mainstream media. WHICH WILL BE, LEGEN - wait for it, and I hope you're not lactose intolerant - DAIRY. Geddit? Man worked his ass off to get where he's at. He's going to go places, title or not, so I don't feel as bad about him being a runner-up. He'll definitely have a lot more freedom with his record and no way is he not going to be amazing. So yes, I have come to the conclusion that Adam's already won in his own Adam-like way.
I think that Kris truly deserves to be where he is. He's grown so much as a performer and gained so much confidence along the way, yet I think feel as though he still has a long way to go before I'm going to grant him superstar status. Winning Idol, is definitely going to propel him to that point. Either way, I'm happy with the outcome. Absolutely thrilled for the both of them and I cannot wait for their albums and - OOOOOOOOOH.
-gets distracted by Adam's shiny, new official site and bounces off to click around shiny site-
Yech. Not the prettiest picture of him they're using for the header. Least they could do is find something more flattering. BUT OMG ADAM.
OOOOOOOOOH.
-gets distracted by Kris' shiny new official site and bounces off to click around shiny site-
HAY PRETTY. NICE HEADER FONT.
As I was saying, I cannot wait for their albums. Thanks for the amazing run. Wednesdays and Thursday nights will never be the same again.
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