Kris Allen and Adam Lambert shared the stage for the first time since last week's finale, as the two this morning performed at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City for NBC's Today Show. Watch Kris perform "Heartless" below:
On the other hand, Adam performed "Mad World," which is widely considered to be his best vocal performance on the show. Idol's musical director, Michael Orland, accompanied him on piano. Watch the performance below:
The two alums also chatted with Today Show co-host Natalie Morales prior to taking the stage. Adam and Kris each said the opposite deserved to win, and Kris addressed "textgate," the swirling controversy kicked up by The New York Times about the AT&T phone giveaways in Arkansas, by joking about not having to call them up asking for more votes, while Adam said he thinks people need to relax and he wants to move forward with their careers.
Adam also flat out said he would not be joining Queen as the band's frontman, which puts that rumor to rest. Watch the interview below:
Kris also sang an acoustic version of his winning single, "No Boundaries," which seems to be the style of choice to perform the song in while he makes the rounds on the talk show circuit.
And with that, Season 8 is no more. Kris Allen proved that even in the face of insurmountable odds, the underdog can never be counted out, and he did it an style tonight when word came in that he was crowned the American Idol of the eighth season.
I have to say that when I called Kris as the winner this morning, I was a little hesitant to type his name out. How could a no-named contestant that received zero air time before making it to the Top 36 make it all the way to the finale and defeat one of the most talented performers this show has ever seen grace its stage? But something in me said to go with my gut, that Kris' All-American image was really what this country was looking for and his vocal style is exactly what would be defined as "current." Kris is marketable and a record label's dream, and he will surely be able to move past Kara's dreaded "No Boundaries" single (which, by the way, he sounded better on tonight).
When the results came in, Kris looked as shocked as the next person. His surprise left him at a loss for words, which gave Ryan a reason to ask him to "show more excitement," but he really couldn't. It was too unexpected for him.
Adam Lambert should be very proud, though, because he will be much better off in the long run without the Idol stigma attached to his name. Besides, he delivered the single best performance of the night on his duet with KISS. Nothing can beat a little pyrotechnics and good old fashioned glam rock from the '70s and '80s. The performance was definitely the highlight of the night and will be remembered for years to come.
As for the rest of the show, it was leagues more entertaining than last night's performances. The guest performers were abundant and the duets kept on coming, and even though the silly "Golden Idol Awards" were brought back, they were actually epic this time around, with Nick Mitchell making a reappearance as Normund/Norman Gentle and Tatiana Del Toro was back to sing "Saving All My Love For You" for a fourth time while escaping security (yea nice try producers, that was so stage it almost wasn't funny). Those segments were funny, but kind of overshadowed by the performances.
Not all of the duets worked out well, though. Lil and Queen Latifah was kind of a shout fest and Lionel Richie seemed discombobulated when he sang his new single and "All Night Long" with Danny. In fact, Danny sounded so much better than Lionel it was kind of sad. Allison and Cyndi Lauper were soft and somber on "Time After Time" but once Lauper went off on a tangent near the end, things fell apart and the performance devolved into a contest between the two at who could sing the word "time" more.
Kris actually sounded really strong with Keith Urban on "Kiss a Girl." So strong, in fact, that he could actually pass as a country singer if he so chose to pursue that route. But the biggest "huh?" moment of the night had to have been Steve Martin and his folk band's duet with Megan and Michael. The whole thing seemed like a joke, only it wasn't. Poor Megan, she should have just said "caw! caw!" repeatedly and it would have been better than what she came up with in the form of singing. Michael sounded better but it was still rough in spots.
The Top 13 performed well together, but Allison should have had a bigger role on "So What," as the song has her name written all over it. The guys' rendition of "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" was kind of creepy, especially seeing them all dressed in suits. It was cheesy and boring until Rod Stewart came out from under the stage, only to nearly trip and fall on his journey across the stage to the micstand. It's possible he had one too many sherries before he was given the go-ahead to take the stage.
One of the most exciting moments of the show was when Katrina Darrell (aka "Bikini Girl") and her new assets and tan emerged onto the stage to perform "Vision of Love" in her signature bikini when who else but Kara burst out from behind the big ol' Idol door and joined her on the Mariah Carey track. As if that wasn't enough, Kara pulled off the most hilarious moment of the season when she ripped her dress wide open to reveal a black bikini, which she immediately covered up and told Ryan she only did it because the rest of the judges dared her to do it and they agreed to donate to charity if she followed through. For all the pain and suffering she caused as a judge and songwriter, though, this moment did a little bit to take away the sting.
Another performance worth noting were Adam and Kris' duet with Queen on "We Are the Champions," which was an amazing moment with fog overtaking the stage and the rest of the Top 13 serving as a backing choir of sorts up above on the stairs, looking down at the last two men standing. This was definitely not what most expected for a duet between the final two, but nevertheless it did not disappoint. And David Cook's emotional performance of "Permanent" was surely one that will be held near and dear to his heart. It would have worked better had he sang it later in the night but he still did an amazing job.
A performance that could have done without was the Black Eyed Peas and their No. 1 single "Boom Boom Pow," as the foursome brought an awkward five-second "Idol blackout" courtesy of Fergie and her potty mouth (apparently she didn't get the memo that they were to sing the edited, family-friendly version of the song for this special occasion). Santana, on the other hand, did not disappoint, and the Top 13's take on "Smooth" was actually pretty solid.
But now that all the glitz and glamor has ended, it is important to acknowledge that this season was not very good. In fact, it was downright disappointing. Kris and Adam were bright spots in the season, as were a select few other finalists, but the rest of the season was just awful. I will address my thoughts on the season in a forthcoming post on here.
But for now, IDOL LIVE would like to congratulate Kris on his big night. You deserve it buddy.
In the usual tradition, the Top 2 finalists will sing three songs each, only one of the songs will be chosen by Simon Fuller instead of music mogul Clive Davis. The actual formula for Tuesday's performance set list includes one song chosen by Fuller, a reprise of an earlier performance picked by Adam and Kris, and the coronation song as written by Kara. Although things have been switched up in the finales over the course of the series' lifespan, both finalists will perform the same coronation song this time around, as they did in Seasons 1, 3, 4 and 6.
Since Adam and Kris have even less control over what they will be singing, their personal reprisal choices will be all the more important. They will have to be strategic in what they choose, and even if they feel their best showings were on certain songs, they might have to resist giving them another go and take on a song that was not as great instead. That leaves me with the following suggestions for both the personal and Fuller picks:
Adam Lambert: "Mad World" (reprise), "Don't Stop Believin'" (Fuller)
Adam has a ton of options for his reprise on Tuesday. Too many options. In fact, if he goes with something like "Ring of Fire" or "Born to Be Wild," that could be the downfall of his chances. Therefore, he has to pick something on the slow side, preferably not "Tracks of My Tears." "Mad World," which closed the Top 8 show, would be a great decision because it was one of his stronger moments and would not sound out of place amid the rest of the night's performances like "Tears" or "If I Can't Have You" would.
As for Fuller's song choice, everyone is predicting and hoping for something by Queen. That would be predictable, over the top, yet it could work. But for an up-tempo selection, Adam would easily be able to rock out Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" and make it sound theatrical without it being as predictable. It's true that the song was used in a group performance during Top 9 week, but it would sound much different coming just from Adam. Plus, it would be an automatic crowd-pleaser and the the Nokia Theatre would be on its feet for the whole performance.
If these two well-balanced songs are on Adam's set list come Tuesday, the cheesy coronation tune would bot be nearly as disappointing as it should sound. Unless, of course, she pulls off a miracle and doesn't offer up something like Paris Hilton's "Screwed."
Kris Allen: "Ain't No Sunshine" (reprise), "The Remedy" (Fuller)
For a revisit to one of his highlights, Kris would best be served by avoiding "Heartless," which he nailed last week (see Diana DeGarmo's "Don't Cry Out Loud"), and "Falling Slowly," which people were reminded of when they saw him sing it twice while back home in Arkansas for his hometown visit. This leaves him with a few good options, but "Ain't No Sunshine" is best because it's been weeks since viewers heard him perform it and at the time it was considered his best showing.
For Fuller's pick, he should go with something relatively current and fits with the style that would be a perfect match for him. Therefore, since everyone usually compares Kris' style to that of Jason Mraz, a song from his catalog would be ideal. Now, "I'm Yours" would be a logical choice, but it's too current and Kris has performed too many current songs of late. "You and I Both" is another good pick, but I think "The Remedy" would be the song. It's easily recognizable, catchy, and allows for one's vocal range to be shown off.
This might not be the most exciting finale, but there's definitely enough potential for the results to be close if the show is solid. These song choices would be a surefire way to liven things up and present as level a playing field as possible.
IDOL LIVE has shied away from suggesting songs for this season's finalists up until this point, but now that it's down to the wire, I feel it is the perfect time to throw a few suggestions their way.
As previously announced, Tuesday night will mark the Top 4 finalists' journey into the territory of rock 'n roll songs, which is a very general genre that is an umbrella to all sorts of possibilities for songs from many sub-genres, which means each contestant should be able to take advantage of the theme and pick something that fits their musical identity perfectly. That said, here are the songs I think would work well for each remaining finalist:
Adam Lambert: "Somebody Told Me" (The Killers), "Bohemian Rhapsody" (Queen)
So it goes without saying that Adam will excel with this theme. Basically all he has to do is sing any rock song, or any non-rock song in a rocked-out arrangement, and he'll be fine. Therefore, my song suggestions have more to do with what I think would fit his vocal style best than what he needs to sing to advance to the next round.
To kick things off, Adam would do wonders with The Killers' biggest hit to date, "Somebody Told Me," because he would be able to run around the stage and play his theatrical card, which would add to the spectacle and be swimming in excitement. In fact, this performance could potentially be the most entertaining showcase this season if he does everything right.
His second song choice of "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen would not be new to the Idol stage, but it is suited almost too well for him. His vocals could add even more character (if possible) to the classic, and it would be the perfect test to see if Adam really does measure up to Freddie Mercury, whom he seems to be compared to all the time. It would work better if he did not mess with the arrangement, but I could see him switching up a few things to make sure he is not pegged as a Freddie M. impersonator at a cheap karaoke bar.
If Adam takes on the above songs, it would further strengthen the musical direction he would like to pursue in peoples' minds,setting the stage for him to emerge onto the scene post-Idol.
Allison Iraheta: "That's What You Get" (Paramore), "You Learn" (Alanis Morissette)
Alright, alright, I know what you're thinking: why should Allison sing something by a band whose lead singer reminds many of Allison? Well, it's because Allison's performing skills would really radiate on "That's What You Get." Hayley Williams of Paramore really knows how to tear up the stage, and this song is the perfect fit for Allison and her personality. Sure, it would not be solely about the vocals, but her racing around the stage would more than make up for it. Plus, it's current, and since Allison is only 16 years-old, it would fit her perfectly.
In order to cull any "copycat" allegations leveled against her by the judges, Allison would be best served by coming out on stage for her second go round with the rock genre singing something with heart, soul, and less rock than roll. Therefore, an Alanis Morissette song would be the absolute right direction for her to pursure, and there is not a better choice than "You Learn" for Allison to accomplish this goal with. Just her at the micstand, using her extremely powerful lungs to belt out an staple female rock anthem that is full of emotion. To make things even more meaningful, it would be insane if she did an acoustic ore even an unplugged version of the song to potentially create a "moment" for her.
If Allison follows through on the above song choices, it would be hard to deny her a spot in the Top 3.
Danny Gokey: "Somewhere Only We Know" (Keane), "Everything" (Lifehouse)
Everyone and their mother is pegging Danny to fall flat on his face come Tuesday. Well, maybe that's a bit strong, but they definitely are not expecting an A+, out-of-the-park performance from him they way they are from Adam. This opens the door for Danny to really surprise the audience by delivering an unexpected one-two punch that will still allow him to remain in his comfort zone.
Therefore, I believe Danny would best be served by tackling Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know" for his first performance and finish off the night with an emotional rendition of Lifehouse's "Everything." By doing "Somewhere," he will effectively surprise most by performing a well known British rock song that may seem mellow on the surface but really carries a deeper meaning. Plus, it can't hurt when it comes time for Simon to give his two cents.
On "Everything," Danny would start off a bit slow in an effort to lull the audience into a dreamlike state and then come out of nowhere and follow through on the "rock" portion of the song. The song's lyrics could also carry a personal message for Danny, which might result in an even stronger result, and would definitely be a way for him to connect with the audience. In other words, this could finally be his "moment."
Kris has "'90s rock" written all over his face, and this week should be used to show how radio-friendly his vocals really are. By selecting "Back 2 Good" by Matchbox Twenty and "Round Here" by Counting Crows, he will be able to maintain his "good guy" image while at the same time taking a few risks with his vocals. The arrangements really do not need much switching up, and Kris' voice is leagues different than Adam Duritz's and Rob Thomas', so he could not be accused of being "copycat."
Kris could also really go out on a limb on "Back," especially on the final chorus where he really lets loose and ratchets up the intensity factor before returning to a soft, smooth finale on the song. It would help if he did not play the guitar, but it would be a little difficult to imagine him wanting to leave it off the stage here. "Round Here" is a different story, though, as he would most likely have to use his guitar to add another element to his overall performance. That's not to say his vocals could not do the job on their own, but it would feel more complete if he did play it. This performance would come across as genuine Kris and at the same time would really help build his "street cred."
Again, these song suggestions are purely my own personal opinion of what would be best suited for the remaining four contestants, and it is probable that none of them will even be performed come Tuesday night. It would be pretty cool, though, if at least one choice were correct.
IDOL LIVE is the place to stay up to date with the most current news on past, present and possibly future American Idol contestants, in addition to discussing the show in real-time as it happens.
