#WaybackWednesday: Final 'American Idol' Season Premiere Brings the Nostalgia
Judging by the two-hour premiere of American Idol’s farewell season this Wednesday, every episode of Season 15 is going to be a #WaybackWednesday or #ThrowbackThursday. I mean, Brian Dunkleman made a circa-2002 flashback cameo during the show’s cold open (oh, how I’ve missed you, The Dunk). Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, Kris Allen, Lee DeWyze, and Taylor Hicks (the latter jamming with hopefuls and recruiting potential Soul Patrollers with his trusty harmonica) showed up as guest judges during the cattle-call auditions. And the night’s first contestant, a 15-year-old superfan who’s apparently been watching Idol since she was still in the womb, even reminisced about the scarring-for-life Season 8 moment when the panel opted not to use the Judges’ Save on her favorite finalist, Scott MacIntyre. (This same superfan couldn’t remember how to pronounce reigning champ Nick Fradiani’s surname, however, which was telling.)
We got also a heartstring-plucking montage of winning moments (aw, Phillip Phillips in white linen, showered in confetti, sobbing stoically) and an equally emotional highlight/lowlight reel of famous Idol sob stories (stuttering rocker James Durbin, car-dwelling ragamuffin Josiah Leming, hard-luck country girl Kellie Pickler). To employ what is sure to be another popular hashtag this season, there were plenty of #feels. This is going to be one very long, very bittersweet, but very fun goodbye.
Yes, this was all a perfect setup for a season-long nostalgia-fest that will hopefully remind viewers – especially fairweather fans who likely bailed during Season 9 or Seasons 12 through 14 – of American Idol’s rich history. But as Wednesday’s premiere progressed, I couldn’t help but feel a wee bit sorry for the singers vying to be, as Brian Dunkleman’s not-necessarily-better but still-employed half, Ryan Seacrest, put it, “the bookend to the legendary Kelly Clarkson.” Come on, we all know whoever wins this year will not be the star of Season 15’s Nigel Lythgoe-produced megafinale. Everyone will instead remember the massive musical number in which all the judges, even Ellen DeGeneres, Kara DioGuardi, and Nicki Minaj, link arms with every contestant ever, from Adam Lambert and Jennifer Hudson to William Hung and Norman Gentle, for an epic, “We Are the World”-style group singalong. (This is my dream for the finale, anyway. Nigel, I hope you’re reading this.) The crowning of the final Idol will be the afterthought, not the bold-faced morning-after headline. Current judge Keith Urban may have insisted Wednesday that this show is still “about finding superstars,” but it’s simply too difficult for today’s crop of aspiring Idols to compete with the legacies of Carrie Underwood and Fantasia Barrino. Just ask poor Candice Glover or Caleb Johnson. (Side note: Candice and Caleb better be invited back this season, too.)
And let’s face it, when the premiere’s pimp-spot spot goes not to a standout singer, but to a joke audition by Kanye West (who was indulging in a bit of nostalgia himself, rapping his 11-year-old hit “Golddigger”), what chance does any Season 15 contestant really have?
That all being said, as much as I enjoyed the nostalgia Wednesday (Clay Aiken was especially terrific; I think being a reality TV judge is his true calling), I do want to believe Keith Urban. I really, really want to believe that American Idol can go out on a literal and figurative high note and produce one more pop star before The Voice officially establishes its monopoly over the singing-competition TV genre for good.
So, were any of Wednesday’s contestants, from the Atlanta and Denver tryouts, the “bookend” that this series needs? Let’s assess.
Michelle Marie - This is the 15-year-old superfan with encyclopedic Idol knowledge (aside from that unfortunate Fradiani slip-up, that is) and a soft spot for Scott McIntyre. The gushing, borderline-creepy fandom she displayed during her interview package had me worried that she was being set up as a joke contestant, but thankfully, her cover of LeAnn Rimes’s “Blue” was a pleasant surprise. She certainly nailed the yodeling section. Jennifer Lopez praised Michelle’s natural singing ability, while hard-to-please Harry Connick Jr. said he was impressed by the level of technical difficulty of her performance. “I feel like I just accomplished my life-long goal!” declared the sweet girl, as she collected her golden ticket and Kelly Clarkson’s “Heartbeat Song” blasted in the background. I am a little worried that Michelle might not make it past Hollywood Week – I have a feeling she wouldn’t take that rejection too well – but for now she’s realized the dream she’s had since age 4, and that’s nice. And if Idol doesn’t work out for her, she can always follow a new dream. She’s young and still has plenty of time to give The Voice a try.
Josiah Siska - This 17-year-old country crooner had a low enough voice to make Season 10 winner Scotty McCreery sound like Adam Levine. I was digging his old-school, classic-country vibe on Johnny Cash’s “Ghostriders.” I always appreciate a youngster who respects his elders and acknowledges the past, and this performance was a welcome change of pace from all that beer/trucks/girls-obsessed “bro country” music on the radio these days. “That’s just cool. We’ve never had anything like that on the show before,” said Harry, who seemed in a better-than-usual mood this week. Could it be all this Idol nostalgia is making Harry a little soft this season, too?
Lindita - This contestant’s sob story was like American Idol and The Biggest Loser rolled into one. The Kosovo-born 26-year-old lost 150 pounds before trying out for Idol; she later married her personal trainer, and is now a certified trainer herself. When she tackled James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World,” J.Lo noted, interestingly, that Lindita still “sings like a heavy girl.” Added Harry: “Yeah, she didn’t lose that part.” Jennifer and Harry actually meant that as a compliment; Lindita belted like a true soul diva. Harry even thought Lindita pulled off all of the song’s “flashy runs,” admitting, “Fans eat that stuff up.” (No pun intended, I’m sure.) I actually thought Linda’s runs were a bit excessive (Keith suggested that she trim back), but she could really sing, so of course she triumphantly emerged from the audition room with her golden ticket – as Kelly Clarkson’s “Invincible” played in the background, of course.
Lee Jean - This 15-year-old bluesman was the first real standout of the night for me. Yes, it may seem odd to call someone barely old enough to a shave a “bluesman,” but this kid was mature beyond his years. Sweet, well-spoken, and dedicating his quiet-fiery performance of Ed Sheeran’s “I See Fire” to his deceased brother, he just oozed raw talent and that all-important likability. “There’s an ease about your talent,” remarked J.Lo. Harry admitted that Lee needed work, but said that was “doable” and called him “terrific.” I have a feeling Lee will make his brother proud in Season 15.
Jeneve Rose Mitchell - I know this girl will be a polarizing contestant, but man, I just adored her. A cello-playing, quirky cowgirl who lives “off the grid” in the rural wilderness and only powers up the family generator once a week to watch Idol (clearly her priorities are in the right place), this 15-year-old maverick displayed a lot of moxie, originality, and unexpected funkiness during her cover of the Band Perry’s “Chainsaw.” Keith was wowed by her “rhythmic sensibility” on the cello. Harry said, “You’re a work in progress, but man, there’s a lot to work with!” I hope Jeneve makes it to the live shows; the season would be a whole lot less interesting without her. If she makes it, the Mitchell family better get that generator ready!
Sonika Vaid - Sonika was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-her montage contestant from The Voice Season 4 (which of course Seacrest conveniently forgot to mention Wednesday), but maybe she was always better suited for Idol. Sonia’s performance of Carrie Underwood’s “Look at Me” was a classic pop-girl Idol audition, and while I didn’t quite get what all the judges’ fuss was about (Harry called this a “perfect performance” with a “pure, God-given voice,” and even predicted Sonika could win Season 15), it did make me feel like The Voice had given this girl, now age 20, a raw deal.
Reanna Molinaro - This was more like a novelty audition, with Reanna, a policewoman by day, actually handcuffing Harry. (Well, that’s one way to get a captive audience, I suppose.) I didn’t think she brought enough grit, twang, or pathos to her cover of Patsy Cline’s “Leavin’ on Your Mind,” and Harry’s praise was a little subdued. (He called her a “pretty darn good singer” and “solid.”) Jennifer also said she wanted more “performance quality” from Reanna. But I guess Harry didn’t want to end up in handcuffs indefinitely, so once he was mercifully unshackled, he handed over that golden ticket anyway. I have a feeling Reanna will end up with the right to remain silent during Hollywood Week. She wasn’t a standout for me.
Kory Wheeler - Huzzah! The Nashville barista of Season 14 is back! Anyone remember him? I sure do. This indie-rock singer-songwriter type received tons of screentime when he bolted from his hipster coffeehouse job to audition across the street during his lunch break last year. He was an early S14 standout, but got the boot during the Hollywood Week group round with barely an explanation. What a (coffee) buzzkill. So even though he didn’t get that much screentime this week, I was thrilled to see him return, doing the best Idol version of Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets” since Haley Reinhart in Season 10. Here’s hoping he survives Hollywood this time around.
Joshua Wicker – Here’s a contestant all of America can love: A worship director with a very supportive (and very pregnant) wife, doing a lovely, indie-inflected version of Rihanna’s “Stay.” I have a feeling he will stay on this show for a while. The judges certainly seemed to hope he will. Jennifer loved all the “pretty colors” in his voice. Keith told Joshua, “You sang that song like you wrote it.” And Harry said, “If it’s compelling, that’s all I care about.”
Jordan & Alex Sasser - I predict this dual audition, by a married couple who showed up with their toddler, will generate some controversy. Alex, the wife, went first, doing the quirky-girl shtick with her ukulele on Bruno Mars’s “Count on Me.” It was a sweet, cutesy performance, with her husband and kid dancing on the sidelines. But then Harry said Alex “was not passionate at all,” and Keith said her performance was “too light.” Annoyingly, Harry even said all that toddler-dancing in the wings during her audition was “distracting.” But when Jordan tried out with a showboating rendition of Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me” – while Alex stood nearby with their baby – Harry didn’t lodge the same complaint. So Jordan received a golden ticket, and Alex seemed rather bitter, practically blaming Jordan for pulling focus from her audition and ruining her chances. If she accompanies him to Hollywood, that’s going to be one tense, awkward plane trip.
Kerry Courtney – This fellow, whose mother recently died of cancer, was likable right from the get-go. “You look like the kind of guy I’d like to hang out with,” Harry told him. But then Kerry showed he had a dark side, when he did a brooding version of Death Cab for Cutie’s “Black Sun.” I found him interesting. Really interesting. I was drawn to Kerry’s dark side. And those operatic high notes were giving me some Shudder to Think/Coheed & Cambria realness. While the judges definitely appreciated Kerry – Keith loved his “unique style” and Harry called his performance “quirky and different… an interesting piece of art” – Jennifer found Kerry’s sinister quality off-putting, telling him, “I don’t know if America will respond to that.” Sadly, J.Lo may have been right. Kerry isn’t exactly America’s sweetheart – he’s no Scotty McCreery, or Scott MacIntyre. But I hope if he gets to the live shows, viewers give him a shot.
Shelbie Z. – Hey, I remember Shelbie! She’s another Voice veteran, and I recall that it was a shock when the Team Blake country-rock powerhouse/sassy Southern hairdresser went home in the top 20 week of The Voice Season 5. This time, I think she might make it much further. Shelbie’s cover of Carrie Underwood’s “Last Night” practically blew the cardboard cutouts of Jordin Sparks and David Cook clear off the audition room walls. Damnnnnnn. This feisty filly can sang. “You’re going to be one of those people who’s going to go out to win,” said J.Lo. “I don’t like you; I love you,” gushed an uncharacteristically enthusiastic Harry. It seemed The Voice’s loss was Idol’s gain, again.
Kanye West – And then this aspiring young rapper closed the show. I have a feeling he didn’t have to stand for hours in a parking lot cattle-call queue, due to his wife’s connections to Ryan Seacrest or his shrewd strategy of performing a song that namechecked Jennifer Lopez. OK, OK, I have to admit it: This was kind of cute. But I bet ‘Ye wouldn’t get along with anyone during Hollywood Week’s group round…
And there you have it. Which Idol alums will show up in the future audition cities? And will any of them be upstaged by this season’s crop of actual new talent? Tune in Thursday, for part two of the Season 15 premiere, and we shall see.
Parker out.
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