So tonight is the finale of American Idol and that means either Jessica or Phillip is about to take the title as the season 11 winner. As much as you can’t deny the mind-boggling sound that comes out of the tiny 16-year-old Jessica Sanchez, Phillip Phillips seems to have this in the bag. He has since the very beginning. He has sailed right through the competition, never being in the bottom. At first Phillip seemed like the kind of person who would be against reality competition shows and mainstream music like American Idol and he still does. He comes out and performs appearance every week in jeans, a tshirt and a button down plaid shirt- super casual, nothing fancy. He hasn’t let the show shape him into someone that he isn’t appearance wise- only artistically do I think the shows has shaped Phillip into an incredible artist that is going to make honest records- with the American Idol title or not.
However, I have a theory and with just a couple of exceptions, it’s pretty much always proved right. My theory is that all runner-ups and those who make it into the top at least six or seven, always do better than the actual winners. Obviously, don’t include Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood in my theory! But Daughtry? Adam Lambert? Katherine McPhee? Jennifer Hudson? They were all eliminated before the top five or they were the runner-up.
As much as I envy Jessica Sanchez for being able to hit those notes she hits like only Whitney, Mariah and a few others can, my vote- from the start- has been Phillip. However, my vote was not for him to win Idol, it was for him to make it far enough that people know his name and he gains a solid fan base and can make a record. As ironic as it might sound, he is too incredibly talented to win Idol. Everybody who wins somehow gets swallowed up in the press, in conforming, in the media. This is just my feeling. Maybe I’m being selfish like I usually am when it comes to these things, but I don’t want Phillip Phillips to lose his any bit of him and what he has turned into as an artist because right now, the Phillip who performed “Volcano” a few weeks ago and “Home” last night, leaves me in awe.
Besides having somewhat of a hugeeeee crush on him, his voice is raw and raspy and real and it’s not big like most Idol voices are- it’s refreshing. Although having made it this far in the competition without having lost any bit of himself as an artist or person, I do have faith in him that he will continue to be only himself if he did win. But still, the Phillip Phillips that just steps out with his guitar, takes risks with different songs, sings his heart out and leaves it all out there on the stage like he did last night with “Home”…geesh, it blows my mind. He is just so gifted, I don’t want to even think about what would happen if the industry tried “mainstreaming” him.
With the finale only a few hours away, my vote is for Jessica to win. I love Phillip, I love his voice and I love his delivery with each song, but I’m going to stick by my theory. I loved Lee Deweyze, look what happened to him. I loved Kris Allen, look what happened to him. I loved David Cook, look what happened to him. Don’t get me wrong me, I still love those guys and they are still successful and talented but they’ve kind of got overshadowed by the “American Idol” title.
So again, not to be selfish, but I don’t want Phillip Phillips to win. I’ll be rooting for Jessica Sanchez tonight. We’ll see how this all goes down! In the meantime, check above to listen to Phillip Phillips sing “Home” from last night and click here to see him perform “Volcano” from a few weeks ago. Ah. Ma. Zing.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past month, there’s a extremely high chance you’ve caught yourself either humming the tune or singing along saying, “now you’re just somebody that I used to know.” I’ve done it many times. Too many. Almost too many and it’s getting extremely irritating. Not that I have anything against the song, I give any artist or band kudos for creating a contagious song such as Belgian-Australian pop-synth-electronic artist, Gotye, has done with “Somebody That I Used To Know”. However, I can’t stand it anymore. I get annoyed when I start humming it or catch myself singing the lyrics. Wouter De Backer, the man behind the song, definitley has talent and although I haven’t listened to any of his other music, I just hope he doesn’t become a one-hit-wonder. That’s the last thing I’d want to happen to anyone. Especially someone so unique who has such a different sound. I don’t know if it’s the simplicity of the lyrics or the personal anger and tension you can hear coming through the lyrics or the synth-electronic-pop sound Gotye has created, it has all definitley blown my mind at how much attention he has received from it.
So to get away from the original version, I found this awesome a cappella version. Check it out. It’s insanely good! These guys are too talented and their voices fuse together perfectly. The softness and tenderness of the middle guys’ voice, the skill, technique and artistry of the beat-boxer on the far left who has left me in awe, the girls’ powerfully dramatic tone and the striped shirt guys’ melodies and the guy on the far right who completley surprised me by singing a line towards the end.
Almost better than the original. Sounds like a whole new song. Amazing!
“Victory Lap in Brooklyn”
I love a good collaboration. It doesn’t get better that a solid track that’s exciting and energetic and has more than one crazy talented artist signing or rapping. Even better than just a good collab is when its a collab between two different types of artists such as B.o.B and Taylor Swift. Take a listen for yourself above. There’s about 10 tracks. It’ll blow your mind how good some of these tracks are.
