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'American Idol' Recap: But Will We Love James Durbin Tomorrow?

Posted 4/28/11 9:15 am EST by in American Idol

Remember when "American Idol" producers promised non-restrictive, decade-based theme weeks for Season 10?

Well, Wednesday night the top six sang from the Carole King songbook!

As a way to fill 90 minutes an added bonus, the top six paired off for duets in which the girls sounded flawless and the boys sounded like constipated donkeys. But OMG, the boys are so cute! Brb, power-texting.

Between Constantine, Carole King('s daughter) and Brad Garrett, there were famous faces at every turn in the "Idol" crowd. But I can't go another second without shouting out Penny Marshall in the front row, dressed like Ozzy Osbourne imitating Lady Gaga's "Fame" album cover. Marshall was placed right behind Randy, who was obviously paying homage to Laverne's initial-laden bowling shirt. (That Randy Jackson mensch loves his classic sitcoms.)

Before I go on a rant about showmances, let me quickly remind you to check out "Idol Party Live" at noon ET, streaming right here in this very blog. In addition to hanging with Yahoo's "Idol" watcher Lyndsey Parker and MTV News rock editor James Montgomery, I scored a delightful exclusive chat with Kris Allen and "Glee" star Matthew Morrison that we'll be rolling back. It's bro-tacular.

Now on to the performances!
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Who Is Cheryl Cole And Why Does Simon Cowell Need Her On 'X Factor'?

Posted 4/25/11 3:46 pm EST by in American Idol

Admit it. It's kind of hard to get excited when Snoop Dogg, Elton John, Mariah Carey, Diddy and, hell, even George Michael have allegedly been in the judges' panel mix, and then the big name Simon Cowell reveals for his upcoming American version of the "X Factor" is ... Cheryl Cole.

Like most Americans, your first thought was not "How will she get along with Paula Abdul?" but rather "Cheryl Who?"

Although Cole is a major star in England (think of her as a kind of mix between a more vocally talented Aubrey O'Day and Eva Longoria), when it was revealed on Monday that Cowell is close to signing her as one of the four judges on "Factor" a lot of people rushed for Wikipedia to find out who she is.
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Katy Perry's 'E.T.' And More Surprising 'American Idol' Performances

Posted 4/22/11 5:17 pm EST by in American Idol

By Alex Chapman

Ever since the birth of "American Idol" (remember Brian Dunkleman??), the singing competition has become the premier pit stop for already-established singers to get their "sanger" on. Whether it's Miley, Gwen or Gaga, "AI" guests always put their best vocal foot forward — after all, it's not just some random awards show; it's a show about singing, and they need to prove their pipes worthy of the illustrious "Idol" stage. Or something like that.

That's why "Idol" performances are oftentimes especially special: They make the shiniest of stars work for their spot just as hard as the contestants, and nothing makes me happier than seeing super-rich/successful people actually having to try (evil laugh). All that being said, we've made a little list of some of the most memorable, sometimes surprising guest gigs — may there be many more!

1. Miley Cyrus
I can't say I wasn't a little skeptical when Miley came on the show not only to sing, but to mentor the contestants for the week's performances. But the super-young singer proved herself a few times over. Not only did she actually give really good advice, she gave a jaw-dropping performance of her ballad "When I Look at You" that gave her a leg up in legitimacy and the respect of "AI" viewers everywhere.

2. Gwen Stefani
Although Gwenny's long been known for her impressively imaginative artistry and distinct sound, I'd never thought of her as a particularly exceptional singer. But boy oh boy, did Ms. Stefani turn on the heat when she performed "4 in the Morning" on "Idol" via satellite. Not only did the singer/designer/superwoman's pitch-perfect vocals breathe new life into the already good track, but her showmanship proved to Stefani skeptics everywhere that the singer is far more than a pretty face; she's also a pretty voice!

3. Rihanna
Rihanna's always been a huge favorite of mine, but let's face it: She's proven to be less than perfect in her past TV gigs. But RiRi turned over a new leaf with her recent slot on "Idol" singing her beautiful ballad "California King Bed." The simple, heartfelt performance showed the singer's surprisingly wide vocal range, as well as her ability to straight-up own a song, something that sets her apart from a bulk of her contemporaries as a reigning princess of pop.

4. Justin Bieber
It may seem like the ubiquitous Biebs has been running the music game for a while now, but the young superstar has only really been around for a year or so. And closer to the beginning of Bieber fever, JB had a chance to sport his stuff on "Idol." Sure, he could've just performed "Baby" to the tune of a gazillion screaming girls, but instead, Biebs decided to prove that he could also carry a more traditional tune, performing the soulful "U Smile." The result? Justin not only won the hearts of his adoring fans, he also proved himself to be a musical force to be reckoned with, regardless of his age.

5. Katy Perry
While Katy Perry is a freakin' incredible singer/songwriter, her hit "E.T." is a difficult one to perform. The verses don't have many modulations, and they are lower in register, which can oftentimes cause songs like it to wash over audiences until bigger moments (in this case, the badass chorus). But being the true pro she is, Katy's vocals were on-point to the fullest when she performed the track on "Idol," never falling flat or losing attitude. Nothing like a gig on "Idol" to remind people why you're one of the most popular artists on the planet!

Which artist had your favorite "Idol" performance? Let us know in the comments!

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'American Idol' Predictions Results: Stefano Langone Saw it Coming

Posted 4/22/11 12:46 pm EST by in American Idol

Listen, Stefano Langone seems like a sweet kid. As my dad used to say, "I'm sure he doesn't eat glass or trip his grandma."

But despite the overwhelming power of tween girls to keep the cutie pie crooner on "American Idol," all the dimples, camera eye-humping and "sexy" dance moves in the world couldn't help the perpetual bottom-dweller on the show this week. I'm not just saying this because I feel like gloating about being one of the only panelists to correctly predict that Langone was doomed to punch his ticket to Disney Cruise obscurity this week.

I'm saying this because after the too-soon departures of clearly more talented singers Pia Toscano andPaul McDonald, Stefano's ouster feels like vindication that America does sometimes listen to "Idol" with the sound on instead of just gazing at the contestants with googly eyes while furiously texting in votes for alleged hunks like Casey Abrams.
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'American Idol' Elimination Predictions: Not Looking Good For Jacob And Stefano

Posted 4/21/11 12:23 pm EST by in American Idol

You know it's a wacky week on "American Idol" when James Durbin is the one everyone is raving about thanks to a marching-band-assisted cover of Muse and a Mad Max-meets-My Chemical Romance outfit that made musical inspiration Adam Lambert seem like a jeans-and-T-shirt guy by comparison.

But Wednesday night's "Music of the 21st Century" night was kind of like that. Untouchable Scotty McCreery was kind of flat, people seemed to like Haley Reinhart again and wasted save Casey Abrams was back to his serial killer eyes and stuck-pig rock grunting as if he hasn't been paying any attention to what the judges and Jimmy Iovine have told him not to do.

So, who is going home? Tough call.

MTV's own "Idol Party Live" host Jim Cantiello predicted that the next three weeks of elimination are all about Jacob Lusk, Stefano Langone and Reinhart. "The three of them seem to have fanbases significantly smaller than everyone else," he suggested. "Jacob tossed the dead dad card in the ring [on Wednesday night], so he's safe. General consensus is that Haley delivered one of, if not THE, strongest vocals of the night, so she won't be going home just yet."
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'American Idol' Recap: James Durbin Violates The Geneva Conventions

Posted 4/21/11 8:49 am EST by in American Idol

Three months ago, if you had told me that "American Idol X: F--- F---" was going to have a theme week about recent music, I would have said, "Yeah, and Katherine Heigl will make a good movie one day." But holy crap. That's exactly what "Idol" did Wednesday night. Sorry, Stevie Wonder. Your revenue stream off "Idol" royalties is going on a one-week hiatus. You'll live.

The show kicked off with a montage of auditions. Oh, the good old days, back when we thought Steven Tyler was a passionate judge and Casey Abrams was a goofy guy who'd never step to Jimmy Iovine. Our egomaniacs used to be so adorable when they were young.

Before I get interrupted by a random, pointless drum line, let me quickly remind you to catch our weekly post-performance interactive chat show, "Idol Party Live," at noon right here in this very blog. My co-host for the week will be Rolling Stone writer/superstar and all around hilarious dude Rob Sheffield.

Now on to the performances!

Paul McD and the Idol X Losers
Song: Pink's "So What"
Verdict: So What The Frick!

Hey, America! Remember the five girls you didn't care about enough to keep on "Idol"? They're back! Dare you to remember their names! (Psssst, the one inexplicably singing in a baby voice is Ashthon. The one dressed like sexy Olivia Newton-John at the end of "Grease" is Karen.) You all know that Naima Adedapo holds a special place in my heart, what with her high kicks and "boom fiyahs." But my love grew even deeper as she shed layers of clothing throughout the song, like a toddler overheating at a family function. I'd kill to watch a Naima reality show, although we probably wouldn't see much, given her propensity for tossing jackets over camera lenses.
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'American Idol' Castoff Paul McDonald Answers MTV News' 10 Questions

Posted 4/20/11 11:53 pm EST by in American Idol

By Rya Backer

Paul McDonald was a favorite of ours on this season's "American Idol." His dance moves, bedazzled suits and singular vocals won us over early on, so we were sad to see him go last Thursday. But all those frowns turned into smiles really quickly when he swung by MTV News earlier this week — especially for me, since I learned that I (Jim's "Idol Party Live" co-producer) would take on the Q&A.

In addition to a winning (well, eighth place isn't that bad) smile, the26-year-old raspy-voiced rambler is very funny and, as we learned during the interview, very, very excited by the idea of pancake batter shooting out of his navel.

Sure, we asked McDonald about his budding romance with actress Nikki Reed. And, of course, we asked him about what music he's working on. And yes, we had him explain his cameo in this music video. But we "Idol" fanatics wanted to know more. Like, who is his favorite member of TLC? What would the name of his debut album be? How could he have fixed the Spider-Man musical? All these questions and then some were answered in our weekly "10 Questions."

Check in with us Thursday at noon ET for more with Mr. McDonald (not this one) and talk with Jim Cantiello, who will be joined by music writer Rob Sheffield and Yahoo!'s Lyndsey Parker. Tweet your thoughts on tonight's performance show using the hashtag #idolparty, and you may be a co-star in Thursday afternoon's live broadcast!

What do you think is next for Paul? Let us know in the comments!

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'American Idol' Celebrates Songs Of The 21st Century With Bruce Springsteen?

Posted 4/19/11 11:16 am EST by in American Idol

Given that the theme of this week's "American Idol" is "Songs from the 21st Century," it's only natural that the Top 7 are being mentored by Bruce Springsteen, a guy who's about as 21st century as Spanish Influenza.

Then again, we'd expect nothing less from "Idol," which, in its tenth season, has tossed common sense by the wayside. The judges seem hell-bent on praising even the most underwhelming of talent (shout-out to Haley Reinhart!), or preserving their chances with ill-advised saves (shout-out to Casey Abrams!), even if that strategy eventually comes back to bite them — and the show — in the butt (shout-out to Pia Toscano!) There's been the bats--t "mentoring" of Will.I.Am, who seems incapable of making sense, host Ryan Seacrest's constantly evolving hairstyles, and, of course, terrifying performances from folks like Constantine Maroulis and Iggy Pop.

In short, this season has been a mess, to the point where making Springsteen the mentor during "Songs from the 21st Century" week almost makes sense. Still, we'd be remiss if we didn't point out that there are a whole lot of other artists the "Idol" folks could've booked this week ... most of whom were not born during the Truman administration. Don't get us wrong, none of them could carry the Boss's Jersey Jock, but they're at least, you know, 21st Century. Who'd we pick? Read on to find out!

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'American Idol' Predictions Results: Paul McDonald Grins And Bears It

Posted 4/15/11 1:30 pm EST by in American Idol

So much for talent and personality winning the day. "American Idol" viewers just never seemed to cotton to Paul McDonald. Though the Nashville native has the kind of rasp that is selling tons of records for Mumford & Sons and plenty of tickets for Ray LaMontagne, not to mention a 1,000 watt smile, sharp dress sense and a goofy, but polished stage presence, the good guy singer was sent packing on Thursday night's elimination show.

Yes, I'm mad that I was alone among our experts in not calling his demise, but maybe I was just in denial. I mean, let's review here: Paul, who could record an album today that would likely outsell last year's "winner" Lee DeWyze in a minute, is out. That means we're left with simpering Stefano Langone, cornpone Scotty McCreery, unmarketable Jacob Lusk and straight metal Adam Lambert (a.k.a. James Durbin). Oh, and "sexy" scatter Casey Abrams. Really America?
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'American Idol' Elimination Predictions: Paul McDonald May Have To Pack His Fancy Suit

Posted 4/14/11 10:47 am EST by in American Idol, Music


I've kind of given up on "American Idol" at this point. The judges have clearly decided to serve up only bland platitudes, the remaining group of singers are an uninspired mish-mash of personalities whose quirky shticks feel stronger than their voices and the judges look like they're watching the NBA playoffs under their console.

And Casey Abrams? Really? If his "Nature Boy" was as good as Jennifer Lopez claimed, I need to make a run for the urban oasis of noise that is Times Square.

Wednesday night's show was the perfect example of what's gone wrong, down to Lopez's claim that you don't have to be a pop star to win "Idol," but that you can be a Norah Jones-like jazzbo and sell 17 million albums. Guess which jazzhead has sold 17 million albums since Jones? Right, none. Guess which winning guy has sold 17 million albums to date coming off "Idol"? None, not all put together, multiplied by 10,000 and supplemented by 15 million more.

That said, Casey doesn't seem like the most likely man to finally break the season 10 drought of male eliminations. "Paul McDonald, your time has come for you to face the music," said MTV News "Idol Party Live!" host Jim Cantiello. "Your 'Old Time Rock and Roll' was fun, but it was REALLY fun on mute. This is a break-up we've known was coming for awhile. We both know that this wasn't a good fit."

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