The two finalists had their last shots tonight, performing three songs each.
ROUND ONE: CONTESTANT'S FAVORITE
Lee’s first song was “The Boxer,” a song he sang during inspirational week. It was a decent vocal, but it was too reserved for the finale. There wasn’t enough spunk to it & it seemed more like he was singing a song around a campfire, than in front of 7,000 people at the finale of the #1 show on television. Lee would have benefited more from a number with intense production & strong emotional pull. In order to compensate for his common voice. What It Is: B
Crystal sang “Me and Bobby McGee,” one of her best performances from earlier this season. Crystal looked a lot more comfortable up on the massive stage – she was really selling it to her audience at the Nokia Theatre. The vocal was solid, and she chose to hold out the note at the end, which showed off her technical strength. This was a classic Crystal performance that was a great start to her three-song run. What It Is: A
ROUND TWO: SIMON FULLER'S CHOICE (Executive Producer)
Simon Fuller chose “Everybody Hurts” for Lee’s second song. The song matched Lee’s voice really well…I hadn’t even thought of R.E.M. on him. He sang it well enough, but like I’ve said countless times, I couldn’t call Lee anything more than your average good singer. He doesn’t come close to Kris Allen, who himself isn’t amongst the most talented ‘Idols.’ Lee is lucky to be in this finale, and if he wins it will be because he’s likable, not because he’s the best singer in America. I really don’t like the way he looks like he’s about to cry after every song…he is not embracing his role in this finale, so why should he win? I understand that his story is that he “came from nothing,” and all, but enough is enough. He needed to be smiling, fearless and energetic in order to nail this. Instead, he was biting his lip and grimacing at the camera the whole time. Not entertaining for me. What It Is: B+
Crystal did “Black Velvet,” with a fantastic display of dedication and desire that surpassed anything she has shown this season. She did try to hit some notes that she didn’t quite have in her register, and she lost control of her voice at one point in the song. The fire in her voice, however, was in itself enough to show just how much Crystal wants to, and SHOULD win this competition. At this point, she is willing to push herself beyond anything she would have done on her own a few months ago. What It Is: A-
ROUND THREE: FINALE SONG (to be released as first single)
Lee’s final performance was U2’s “Beautiful Day.” He sounded a little like he had a frog stuck in his throat. Or rather, like he had a larger frog in his throat than he usually does. There was serious fear behind Lee’s eyes on this song. His attempts at smiles weren’t enough to hide it. It was definitely a good song on his voice, but he didn’t offer anything special to it. He hasn’t really offered anything special to any of the songs he’s done. It’s pretty much always the same, static vocal, on the same type of song. Sometimes, he sings a bit higher than his regular range – at least that shakes it up a little bit. But overall, Lee has proven that he is not the most talented singer in America, and for that reason, I sincerely hope that he does not win this title. What It Is: B
Crystal’s last song was “Up to the Mountain,” originally recorded by Patty Griffin. I can’t fully describe just how perfect this performance - this artistic outpour of emotion - was for me. If you’ve never heard the song, you should listen to the live version Kelly Clarkson did on Idol Gives Back a few years ago. Not to compare Crystal to her – rather, to get a second look at how beautiful & moving the song is. It’s Gospel-based, but it doesn’t opt for the big production we’ve come to expect from the “grand American Idol finale song” we get each year. It’s for exactly that reason that this was the best song of the season. Crystal has never been about big production, and she shouldn’t be. But what she is about, and what hasn’t always come through strong enough, is deeply rooted emotion. She is a passionate soul with a wholly unique tone, and it all came together on this song. She held absolutely nothing back, and she mastered the dynamics of the song. She volleyed back and forth between projecting the loudest she could muster and the softest she could make audible. It was flawlessly conveyed, and this will be the performance I remember when I look back on this season. What It Is: A+
But Let’s Be Real: Last year, I was straight up mad when Kris Allen beat Adam Lambert for the season eight title. Twelve months later, I would still argue that Adam should have won. But, I would also grant that Kris Allen has turned out to be a great acoustic artist with a decent appeal. I can also pick up on the passion in his voice in a way that I couldn’t before. But the reason I couldn’t before remains the same – he was facing one of the most talented singers of the decade. I think that we are in the same situation again, just on a much smaller scale. Crystal Bowersox is by no means the most talented singer you’re going to find. But, as Ellen DeGeneres said, you won’t find another artist like her. And you will be hard-pressed to find a musician with as much as passion as she has, all technicalities forgotten. Lee may have the story, but Crystal has the talent and artistry. The competition needs to be left at that, and I hope it pans out right tomorrow evening.
Final Breakdown:
Crystal Bowersox A
Lee DeWyze B
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