<p>"Hold on to me as we go. As we roll down this unfamiliar road.
But although this wave is stringing us along, just know you’re not alone
because I’m going to make this place your home. </p>
<p>Settle down, it’ll all be clear. Don’t pay no mind to the demons that fill you with fear.<br>
If there’s trouble it might drag you down. You get lost, you can always be found.
Just know you’re not alone because I’m going to make this place your home."</p>
<p>I loved PP’s performance! “Home” was sang before by Greg Holden.</p>
<p>Definitely sounded like Mumford & Sons…when Jennifer gushed about how it was a sound she hasn’t heard before, I yelled at the TV–“Mumford!!” He also sang it a lot more melodically than he usually sings a song. It didn’t seem so “Phillip” to me–which I thought made it better! When he sings a melody, he actually sounds very good…like he did with the Bob Seger song. I’ll be popping over to buy the single.</p>
<p>Phillip has been good about taking a song and making it his (like Beggin’ or the Billy Joel song) or singing a song that a lot of people don’t know well so that it seems like his (Volcano). </p>
<p>Jessica has a great voice but doesn’t have an inner direction about what she wants to do as an artist. She definitely could use more seasoning and growth. If she ends up with the right mentor, she could really develop into a star. Handled the wrong way? Her career could be set back by years. Loved her “Prayer.” </p>
<p>Have been reading articles about “Where are they now?” relating to past Idol contestants. The article said that Pia Toscano has recorded over 50 tracks since she left Idol, but hasn’t put out a CD yet. 50!!!</p>
<p>Also that Paul MacDonald has married Nikki Reed (whom he met at an Idol red carpet event). I think Paul may have won the prize that year!!</p>
<p>I also have been reading that Idol viewership has decreased after increasing last year. I definitely think that adding Jennifer Lopez brought people to the show last year…but doesn’t seem to have carried forth into this year.</p>
<p>That, and sugarcoating all her critiques, won’t help her pry even more money out of Nigel and company for next season, if she is trying to use rumors of leaving as a way of getting a salary increase. Simon Cowell may be the only true savior of the show. If XFactor declines next season, maybe he resurfaces for an even bigger boatload of money?</p>
<p>It is on my Yahoo homepage, lower right side. The one thing that isn’t up in the air is that there were more P2 than JS supporters when Ryan asked the 7,000 fans in the audience who they were rooting for to open the show on Tuesday night.</p>
<p>I think Philip should win. As many others have said at least they know what to do with him once he wins. He could actually sell a few songs.</p>
<p>Jessica can sing, but really needs a good voice teacher to help with her technique (I agree with alwaysamom once again!). I still don’t know who her audience will be if she wins.</p>
<p>There’s not much wrong with Jessica’s technique. In this season, she was easily #1 or #2 on the technical front of singing. The irony of champion PP to win while stating that Jessica is lacking in technique is hilarious. PP is the same guy who has shown no versatility (seen one performance, you’ve seen them all), has a very limited range (vocal range isn’t very important, but the guy appears to barely have an octave to his voice), and has been known to go an entire song under pitch. Horrendous. </p>
<p>Everyone has known since auditions that PP would win. He’s a generically attractive white guy with a decent/mediocre voice and a guitar. Look at the past five winners.</p>
<p>Who wins doesn’t matter. They both get a contract. I honestly see neither having successful careers. PP will go the way of the past five winners. He could have a somewhat successful album, but he’ll almost surely fall completely off the map with his followup. Jessica could possibly be successful, but it all depends on the material and the direction that she takes musically.</p>
<p>I honestly hate the direction the show has taken. The judges are utterly useless and either give no constructive criticism or are completely up a contestant’s behind. As good (and polarizing) as Joshua was, he definitely did not deserve 13 standing O’s. The viewing and voting demographics are fairly sound now, and it’s obvious from very long who will win. </p>
<p>I also do not buy that Jessica does not know what she wants to do. She’s shown it clearly when she chose “Stuttering.” She may have shied away from it, since it was the performance that “voted her off,” but it was arguable one of her best, and one of the few where she really connected and conveyed.</p>
<p>In closing, I will never understand the hype over PP. I got it the first time I saw him, but it wore off after seeing the same thing 25 times. He’s shown no versatility in his delivery (when he tried once, he failed). The thing that bothers me the most is that the judges taut him as some very original artist. We’ve seen contestants like him many seasons, and there are millions of PP out in the world and plenty in the record industry. I don’t like the internal manipulation of the viewing audience.</p>
<p>Sorry to double post, since I cannot edit, but both contestants have apparently spoken out about not really liking their singles (aka the last song performed). They had one day to choose a song and record it. Apparently the word “choose” should be taken lightly, since they didn’t really have that much of a choice. Phil is not a big fan of his song’s lyrics.</p>
<p>And to continue with my criticism, they took a promising season with some of the best talent they’ve had in years, as far as an entire top 12/13 is concern, and let it go to waste. The themes are atrocious. The judges and Jimmy have far too much sway with voting.</p>
<p>@averageguy: Im not a music expert. I do listen to all kinds of music. I dont know how to explain why I prefer PP over Jessica. Its sort of like thisI prefer to listen to Jason Mrazs Im Yours while Im laying down by the beach sipping my Mai Tai rather than listen to Lea Michele belting out to some Whitney Houston song. Thats great you connected with Jessica when shes singing but I didnt. Shes probably been practicing singing Whitneys songs for the past decade so shes an excellent mimic but when shes asked to sing an original song she didnt know how to interpret it in her own unique style that draws the audience. Thats how I look at it and hope this explains the perspective of some viewers who prefer PP over JS. I liked Skylar too even though Im not an avid fan of country music. I think she’ll have a succesful career. Now as for which hype I don’t undertand? It’s Taylor Swift. She keeps winning all these major awards but bless her, she can’t sing live. Sometimes, I feel like I’m the boy in the story, “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” wondering what all the fuss is about.</p>
<p>Oh, dear. Chaka Khan is really in very good shape, but someone should have talked to her about her brown unitard. </p>
<p>Well, I still love Joshua. What he did with his brief bit with the Bee Gee song just makes me LOVE to listen to him. Oh, well. He would have been a Stax artist back in the day.</p>
<p>Instead of hearing how many votes were cast, it would be interesting to know how many songs were downloaded each week. THAT would be a far better representation of popularity.</p>
<p>I wasn’t worried about leaking the winner to our west coast friends, I wanted to say something about Fantasia’s catsuit. That’s not a good look on many people…Scarlett Johansson maybe…but it’s a short list. Someone should have told her (although I wouldn’t volunteer).</p>
<p>Heard on NPR that AI viewership is down this season. Talent had potential, format is getting mega-tedious. Often feel that it is advantageous not to win. The initial albums of some Idols have not been good demonstrations of their personal best.</p>