Performance Finale

Lambert: Mad World not as good as the first time.

Allen: Ain't No Sunshine better than the first time.

Lambert: A Change Is Gonna Come outstanding.

Allen: What's Goin' On merely okay.

Kara: Wow, she let her name be attached to that song? Not good for either contestant. Out of range / wrong key for Kris, and far outside Adam's genre.

Le shrug.

At this stage it doesn't matter *to me* who wins (especially with Allison Iraheta out of the competition... she had the most distinctive sound this season even if her song choice was rarely spot on and she didn't do the now-seemingly-necessary rearrangement of her songs... listen to the studio versions of her songs, she's amazing).

Adam and Kris were both amazing in their own rights and ways throughout the season, and they're in very different places for the industry. And, no doubt, both will be getting record deals.

In the long run, I don't think winning Idol is going to help or hurt Adam's career. Winning Idol will help Kris' career.

Conversely, a Kris win hurts Idol, as a show. Adam is the reason the show has been buzzing so loudly this season, even if the Nielsen ratings reflect a decline in viewership. An Adam win is electrifying, and his not-the-Idol-single debut single release, and album release, around the time of the Idol premiere will be a massive PR boon... no matter how bad it might suck (and it sooooo could... I mean, just because you have Christina Aguilera's pipes doesn't mean you go on vocals runs all the time instead of singing melodies... which is where I, again, point to the studio versions of Adam's songs, which restrain his screaming and runs in a way that makes even the more offensively outrageous performances listenable). Kris is safe and I don't think his single/album will create the whirlwind of buzz that Adam's will... even though they probably will be more radio-friendly (in an easy-listening, Adult Contemporary sort of way).

Ultimately, a Kris win tomorrow night simply means a disappointment for the show. Not for viewers or listeners.

That said, I think Kris will win. You either love or hate Adam. It's hard to hate Kris. You might find him bland, but you don't hate him. He's the underdog, and he will likely pick up more of Danny Gokey's voters than Adam will (because people had already made their decision on Adam).

Oh, and, yes. I'd love Adam to win what with the whole "he's probably one of us gays" thing.

PS - What'd you all think of Glee? I liked the longer rough cut I saw months ago better... but, darn it, if those last minutes with the kids singing "Don't Stop Believin'" isn't still massively uplifting and creating of the warm fuzzies. Hope you stuck around for it.