On Wednesday night's (April 28) episode of "American Idol," the country had to say goodbye to Siobhan Magnus, the 20-year-old glassblower from Massachusetts. Though Magnus didn't have the best voice, her offbeat style and willingness to experiment earned her a lot of supporters, and her elimination last night came as a minor shock (especially considering the contestants who are still left in the competition).
If there was one thing that Magnus will be remembered for as the ninth season of "American Idol" fades in the rearview mirror, it will be her signature scream. It first showed up during her performance of Aretha Franklin's "Think," and at first it blew people away. The shriek then became her signature, showing up in just about every performance she rolled out during her time on the show. Eventually, it may have become her undoing, but it certainly made her lovable and memorable.
In fact, Magnus' scream profoundly recalls another much-beloved former "Idol" contestant: Adam Lambert. During his stint on the show during the eighth season, Lambert also broke out the wail to drive home notes and finish songs in eyebrow-raising fashion. In fact, we went back to the video tape to compare the two screams head-to-head to see which one is superior.
The video footage seems to suggest that Lambert's scream seemed to function a bit better in the context of his songs, but Magnus' may be the superior when taken in a vacuum. But we leave it to you: Did Siobhan Magnus make herself into the new scream queen, or does Adam Lambert remain at the top of the shriek heap?