Favourite American Idol Seasons: #3

#3 – Season 5

Describing Season 5 can be quite problematic, even schizophrenic at times.

The whole casts execute their own styles and personality so precisely that you are to rely mostly on personal taste when judging them, or having to resort to what I describe as the either-you-get-it-or-you-do-not mentality.

Let us not get too far first. Even the winner emerging from the season, Taylor Hicks, is a love-him-or-hate-him contestant. I mean, he is essentially Jon Peter Lewis with a less ordinary vocal. But he captivated so many people into his fanbase. And though I am not one of those people who would pay to see him live, I can see that he is a damn fine entertainer.

Then there is another “winner” named Chris Daughtry, whose hype I will never really understand. To me, he is a watered-down Nickelback wannabe. But I am not going to pretend that he is not taking the ideal route to success. His vocal and stage command suits modern-rock music best. In fact, I would never insult him. I know it for sure that he is someone accomplished who I simply cannot get.

When it comes to someone like Elliott Yamin, I would say that he is amazing. I truly admire him and all, but I have near-zero degree of fandom towards him. Well, it is all simply because blue-eyed soul is not my thing. But I really really really really admire him, though. Similar cases can be said for Paris Bennett and Mandisa as well.

Then there is Katharine McPhee, who had so many highlights and lowlights during her run on the show. Her approach to melisma and high notes needed to be toned down, but I am like, “Screw that! I love her regardless.” Her style is so well-defined that once you get her, you are willing to forgive all the mistakes she made.

All the aforementioned six contestants are amazing in their own ways, which appeal to a wide different demographics.

But even a contestant as poor as Kellie Pickler managed to generate a huge fanbase despite having butchered so many classics on the show. Well, I guess that you will forgive and forget about those butchered classics once  you get her. Before Fancy, I would conveniently rank her even below Kevin Covais. But once I understand her appeal, she became the seventh best contestant from the season.

Then there are other enormously popular contestants back then, like Lisa Tucker and Ace Young. They appeal yet to a different range of demographics. To me, though, both contestants have been awful throughout the season with not even a single worthy performance. I Am Changing? Nah, I would rather listen to Mikalah Gordon.

Whoa, I told you before that this write-up would be very confusing.

So anyway, regardless of whether I get them or not, I acknowledge the greatness of Katharine McPhee, Elliott Yamin, Paris Bennett, Mandisa, Chris Daughtry, Taylor Hicks, and to a lesser extent, even Kellie Pickler.

And let me tell you one more thing: this season has the most performances that I would put on repeat over and over again. I am fascinated with the varying degrees of talent offered on this season. Now if only that I get the appeal of Chris Daughtry and Taylor Hicks as well, I would be hard-pressed to compress a great deal of excellent performances into a Top 10 Performances list.

Best Night

Five contestants (I do not count a sixth, Mandisa, because she was eliminated too early) shined in their own ways on several different nights. But when everything is compromised as we reach the golden middle, we get Final 7 – Great American Songbook.

Two superb performances, three technically-accomplished ones, and two rough ones.

Paris Bennett and Katharine McPhee were the stars of the night, singing These Foolish Things and Someone To Watch Over Me respectively. Yet the rest of the contestants are still up to the challenge. Chris Daughtry delivered my personal favourite from him, the intimate What A Wonderful World.

Elliott Yamin and Taylor Hicks both had another solid night with It Had To Be You and You Send Me respectively. So far so good, this almost approaches the degree of perfection. Then we have Ace Young, who is as dull as usual, but at least his rendition of That’s All is less excruciating than usual.

The worst performance of the night? Kellie Pickler’s Bewitched, Bothered, And Bewildered. Well, it almost triumphed Chris Daughtry, Elliott Yamin, and Taylor Hicks to be the third best performance of the night. Everything was great up until the part she reached for the high notes. Nasally, screechy, ear-destructive, and in the word of Randy Jackson: “pitchy, dawg”.

Oh, but come on, the first half of the song was impressive.

Ranking of Finalists

01. Katharine McPhee (Best performance: Over The Rainbow)
02. Elliott Yamin (Best performance: A Song For You)
03. Paris Bennett (Best performance: These Foolish Things)
04. Mandisa (Best performance: I’m Every Woman)
05. Chris Daughtry (Best performance: What A Wonderful World)
06. Taylor Hicks (Best performance: Crazy Little Thing Called Love)
07. Kellie Pickler (Best performance: Fancy)
08. Bucky Covington (Best performance: Superstition)
09. Melissa McGhee (Best performance: What About Love)
10. Kevin Covais (Best performance: Part-Time Lover)
11. Lisa Tucker (Best performance: I Am Changing)
12. Ace Young (Best performance: In The Still Of The Nite)

Honorable semi-finalists: Gedeon McKinney, Ayla Brown, Patrick Hall

Top 10 Performances

01. Over The Rainbow by Katharine McPhee
02. A Song For You by Elliott Yamin
03. Come Rain Or Come Shine by Katharine McPhee
04. These Foolish Things by Paris Bennett
05. Someone To Watch Over Me by Katharine McPhee
06. I Ain’t Got Nothing But The Blues by Katharine McPhee
07. Fever by Paris Bennett
08. I’m Every Woman by Mandisa
09. Since I Fell For You by Katharine McPhee
10. I Believe To My Soul by Elliott Yamin