r/americanidol

I feel like other than the audition, we know nothing about the contestants. I'm not even talking about just their backstories, but who they are as a person and what they're like. In the Fox era, by the time we got to the top 5, it was like we knew these people personally. We just spent a lot more time with them. We saw them interact with each other in Hollywood Week, hanging out at auditions, living together, doing different things throughout the week. I remember feeling so nervous for my favorites when they were about to sing. We celebrated them with montages and goodbyes and final songs when they left. We were excited to get their music because we were already fans. We were on the edge of our seats to see if the judges would like it.

In this current iteration, they're kind of just paraded through, we get some good moments here and there, the judges kind of don't ever add anything interesting, and then poof they're gone in rapid speed. They're lucky if anyone remembers them once they leave, and they're really lucky if they have any kind of career after the show. The seasons have no storyline. No criticism, no redemption, no shock boots. They have had amazing contestants in the ABC era, but haven't known how to really celebrate them. And the front runners are always the ones that have the most emotional backstory audition clip. I miss when contestants like Kris, Kelly, Haley, etc really got the chance to break through just based on amazing performances. (Kelly, whose audition wasn't even shown, probably never would've made it to the end in this current iteration. She just kept growing and gaining speed week to week to week.)

I still love this show, don't get me wrong. But I don't know why ABC seems so confused when it comes to recapturing the magic.

He said he has been approached with several offers and is currently weighing his options:) Note: which makes sense, since he is still competing on the show, and can't be officially signed to an outside label yet.

I remember being so excited to watch Idol back in the day. There was so much power behind the performances.. so much passion. It felt like the contestants wanted to be there, and that so much was riding on this shot. This was their only CHANCE to make it.

Kelly, Adam Lambert, Carrie, Constantine, Chris Daughtry… just to name a few of my favorites.

I will admit that it has been a few years since I watched. This is the first season in probably.. ten years? Maybe not even that long, I don’t even know. I went into it excited to get back into it. But man.. it is just so, so AWFUL.

It all feels so forced. There’s no passion behind these vocals. Rarely does it feel like they even want to be there. Like this is the most important thing they have ever done. As I type this I am watching them sing “You’ve got a friend in me” and.. LORD it’s so bad. It feels like they’re at the end of their shift and they get to clock out after this song and go home, so they’re just trying to get through it.

I don’t know what it is, maybe some of you who have been watching in recent years can fill me in with what is missing. Is it the hyper-forced theming (spirituality, Disney, throwbacks) that doesn’t let them be true to themselves? Is it the fact that each episode just feels like a Disney ad of some sort? (I love me some Disney, don’t get me wrong)

Why do they all seem so MISERABLE?

Someone please help me figure it out, it’s killing me lol.

They only gave the Taylor Swift songs. I’m just curious

Here are my best guess:

It's a toss up between Braden and Keyla. They are both so good and have not missed one note! Love them both.

My third place finisher is Jordan who is also good enough to win outright. I honestly don't know how Hannah made it into the top 5. She's good but boring. I know a lot of people really liked Brooks and when it was the top 30, he was the favorite but I have not been very impressed with him. I would have preferred to see Daniel stay on and have Brooks and Hannah leave.

This is the first season I’m watched in a very long time. Haven’t watched since the fox era, and it’s got me back in my American Idol nostalgia. What season should I go back and rewatch once this season end? Fox era only is what I’m looking for. The early favorite is season 5. Daughtry and Eliot Yamin.

I need to get something off my chest and admit something…

I love Chris’s singing and have been voting for him every week. I am the reason why he’s been moving on every week 🙋

Haven’t watched the show since the late-00s, but I randomly got into it again this year.

Just wondering what the consensus was like on who would win last year. It seems like Hannah’s running away with it on Facebook, but Keyla’s doing a bit better on YouTube. Looking at the numbers, a similar thing happened last season with John and Jamal.

In general, were fans confident in John last year based on socials, or was it close through the end? And how similar is it to Hannah this year?

I’ve been such a big fan since the beginning. But I feel that the show is close to being ruined almost jumped the shark using an old term. Here’s why I think this:

1. Religion- some religion is fine. Contestants who grew up singing in church should be true to themselves. By why does the entire show need to be a Christian singing show? It feels like this when all three judges regularly put their hands in the air, praise the Lord and have religious moments and they have religious week now. It’s creeping in more and more. Not everyone is religious - this is a material and has to be intentional shift from the centrist pop idol show it used to be.

2. Shift to country- with Carrie and Luke both being country singers (yes, Carrie likes rock and knows every song, but she’s still country), they seem to have a bias to country. Moreover, the voters have a HUGE bias towards country singers who are plain vanilla over quality singers. Case in point: Rae and Philemon -!he sang some country but was much more versatile vs Hannah who is classic almost old fashioned country. She’s very pretty but doesn’t move and has no style. But…she’s very Christian (yes, I said it),! Seems sweet and humble etc. that’s not American Idol material. That’s Christian classic country boring. Rae was better in every way but voters like middle schoolers didn’t like her confidence. Boo hoo. This should be about who’s your best friend. It’s about singing and who would make the best pop star- Christianity and purity should have no role…but it does

3. Color- I’m still very concerned that white people in the end win over anyone of color except in rare circumstances. Maybe I’m wrong, but in the top 5, Jordan has the most amazing voice, followed by Keyla and Brayden. Nobody else should win. If those 3 aren’t in the top 3, I think this is not about voice and we have a color issue again.

I know some will not like my opinion, but I wish we could have some change where poo singers with the best voices and personalities of an entertaining pop singer win and nothing else. I don’t know how this could even be done unless votes are rejected or there are lots of judges saves, but to me (maybe only me and my wife) it’s so disappointing that we sometimes hesitate to watch - but we still do. Ugh.

https://preview.redd.it/i7eq3btijtxg1.png?width=1023&format=png&auto=webp&s=a220b70194f860d85e873f970f2a73a2b3cf2ac5

Idol's official episode description: The Top 7 celebrate Taylor Swift’s chart-topping hits and defining eras as America votes live to reveal the Top 5. Plus, Luke Bryan performs, Nikki Glaser joins as a guest judge, and the finalists perform songs from California’s biggest artists. 

Here are all the ways to vote. 

After the Live Chat visit The Post-Show, a separate post for discussing the episode after it airs.

Don't forget! Tomorrow we'll be hosting an AMA with Season 6's Melinda Doolittle! You can join us live with Melinda at 8pm ET or submit your questions right now in this post.

For best results, sort comments by NEW during the live chat and BEST after it.

Kieran, dim the lights… this is (sorta) American Idol.

Id love to know more about how the song selection process works. Who gets to pick which song?
Or are they given a song and told to sing it?

In terms of Hollywood week/Hawaii I can't remember so many contestants previously doing an original song. I don't see the point of it? What's to gain? Singing an amazing song that everyone knows well is so much more powerful than one no-one has heard before. It makes no sense.

You have to be strategic in terms of your song choice and I think Simon was the only person in the history of the show who was really aware of this.

How do you like Keyla? I swear it’s rage bait every time she preforms. Please tell me you really don’t think her singing is that good? Did you not hear that off-pitch, whining, monotone monstrosity??? My goodness, I am so disappointed with this season and the voting.

Over Daniel!!!!?????