Idol Stalker

34 opinions for American Idol Season 7 Controversies Begin…Again

• Jean
  Feb 15, 2008 at 9:42 am

  Well……
  Years ago, there was a mini scandal for a few seconds when Diana’s manager agreed to drop her contract when she got on Idol. She did not have a recording contract, but she did actively tour. Realy not a biggie, she was still looking for the break.

  This year there are people that may have had active record contracts and may have had them put on suspension for them to appear on Idol. I guess we will know at the end of the season. Michael Johns and David both are supposed to have albums in the can, if they are the earliest ever released idols albums, it might just be with the album music.

  I think the offense is not having experience, but the idea of agents walking clients in the doors of idol and getting them audition spots without the requisite waiting on line and surviving the brutal interview after interview process, with good singers randomly being dismissed. It is picturing the futility of someone off the street getting picked.

• Jeanne
  Feb 15, 2008 at 9:49 am

  Good info as usual, Jean. I guess I would be bothered if it meant that these people actually won but, so far, Diana did not win, Rob James didn’t come close to winning and this season is just beginning.

  I see your point, though, about agents walking people in. Do you think that really happens in all of these cases?

• Kim
  Feb 15, 2008 at 12:40 pm

  And Dave Moffatt was on CI too! To me saying David A was a “pro” because he was on a talk show is absolutely absurd! Those talk shows feature lots of kids with big voices, its not any different from going on your local news.

  But there are so many contestants this year who have had record deals or big name connections, etc, but the only red flag imo is Carly. Did you hear about her being signed to MCA at the same time that Randy Jackson was president of the record label? That sort of does make her look like a plant. And I wouldnt be shocked if a lot of the contestants were “invited” to audition but honestly, I don’t care because it’s paid off; look how talented the top 24 is!

• Jeanne
  Feb 15, 2008 at 2:12 pm

  That is a good point, Kim (about MCA and Randy Jackson) but, like you said, this is a kick-ass top 24. If someone had a record deal and we’ve never heard of them then does it really matter? I’m not sure.

  I do know that I don’t think Carly is the best girl in the competition (she’s good!!!) so we’ll see.

• pinayidol2
  Feb 15, 2008 at 7:07 pm

  The key word is “CURRENT” contract which I am sure none of them do at this point. Having an agent, a manager, a cd, or experience still does not guarantee a win. I’ve been watching AI from day 1 and I agree that this year’s talent is the best of the bunch so far - no cookie cutter IMO -so they will really have to bring their A game to make it through.

• Mel
  Feb 15, 2008 at 7:26 pm

  My only problems with this is that wouldn’t it put non-discovered participants into a disadvantage? And i hate that the Idol producers keep going on about how they are there to discover America’s best undiscovered talent. If they gave it a rest with that, i wouldnt be so ticked off.
  And to go back to Kim’s good point about Carly, I’d like to add that there is some sort of connection between Kristy Lee Cook and/or David Arche(w/e i cant spell his last name) and Clive Davis, who is the person who signs AI winners. Cant remember what exactly i read about it though.
  Oh well.

• Jean
  Feb 16, 2008 at 2:37 am

  Every year there are inexperienced people and people with some experience. The people with no experience disappear quickly (think Julia DeMato and her deer in the headlights look on Season 2).

  The difference this year is not between people with some experience and people with none, but people wioth a lot of professional experience that have had coaches and have television experience like no other year. I think this can have a negative affect on the season.

  Last year, we had Melinda a professional back up singer who had to come out of her background history. She started off singing fantastic and never had a bad performance. But he never had a wow performance either, she never grew, or changed or tried something new. She stayed on the same level she started because she was good enough, why take chances.

  This year there are several pros with years of perfromance experience, they are finished products, I don’t expect them to grow, I don’t expect them to change, I don’t expect the judges to give them criticisms. I expect a boring year of people not taking chances. As for any of the lesser experienced people, they should be wiped out quickly in the first shows, that is just because people with experience are so much better than those without. The people without experience will never have the opportunity to grow.

• Robert Ramos
  Feb 16, 2008 at 8:53 am

  I wish they would have had a top 30 this year , There was too many good singers dismissed

• Evelyn Harris
  Feb 16, 2008 at 9:22 am

  I agree with Simon about record contracts.

• Lauren (lolo)
  Feb 17, 2008 at 10:29 pm

  Jean, you raise some good points.

  Seeing that these people have had prevous cotracts, just shows me that they really want this. I mean, yeah, they had a previous contract, but it really isn’t like David or Kristy are famous or made millions of dollars. It obviously didn’t do too much for them. I really don’t see a problem with it.

• A'kyra
  Feb 18, 2008 at 9:26 am

  Don’t forget Charity from this season-Miami, she was disqualified for being under contract currently.

• ozzy
  Feb 18, 2008 at 4:14 pm

  So what happens to the 10,000 or so…completely talented but undiscovered… people who truly waited for days and went through the entire audition process just to be pushed aside by “pros” with agents and connections? You can bet these people did not go through the entire process. The show is no longer what it was supposed to be about as far as I’m concerned. It will never again be the place for a truly unknown talent to get a break.

• MMM
  Feb 18, 2008 at 6:33 pm

  They should include their truthful pasts on the show…. We hear and see a lot of contestants lives,but nothing about their profesional musical history? If he was singing on TV as a kid then they should mention it. Instead he plays dum and says things like I don’t believe in my singing etc. Basicaly it comes across as hiding the truth. If it doesn’t matter to Simon and American Idol thats fine… Just bring it up in a Bio clip instead of playing dum.

• MMM
  Feb 18, 2008 at 6:35 pm

  They should include their truthful pasts on the show…. We hear and see a lot of contestants lives,but nothing about their profesional musical history? If he was singing on TV as a kid then they should mention it. Instead he plays dum and says things like I don’t believe in my singing etc. Basicaly it comes across as hiding the truth. If it doesn’t matter to Simon and American Idol thats fine… Just bring it up in a Bio clip instead of playing dum..

• A'kyra
  Feb 19, 2008 at 3:25 am

  MMM- I have to agree with you…why hide it? This is a reality show (supposedly) right so why not tell the real truth instead of saying he is not confident in his music/singing. That is a crock of bull if anyone has seen the video of him singing to Kelly Clarkson and Justin G. from season one, he has nothing but confidence…this guy is so fake. I know a lot of people like him (Lauren) but he should just be real, yeah he can sing and I’m not taking that from him at all cuz the boy can blow but just be truthful. If he does get cut, at least we know he will be fine and will probably have a better album then whoever wins :)

• A'kyra
  Feb 19, 2008 at 3:53 am

  Ozzy- you have a great point as well. It does seem like all the “good” ones that they do pick to be on the show, already have previous experience and in a way it is unfair. We talked about this last season with contestants having “connections” in one way or another that get in. Jordin Sparks was one discussed b/c her “famous” NFL dad had connections.
  Indeed American Idol has changed since season one, and it does seem like they are picking more people that have previous experience and that changes the whole point of the show.

• Lauren
  Feb 19, 2008 at 7:45 am

  The main things that I feel America looks for in an Idol is likeability and singing talent. I mean, you don’t have to be experienced or under a recording contract to have those qualities. So it really doesn’t matter whether or not David, Kristy or Carly have had *in the past* a recording contract. Someone who has experience may not even posses as many of the desirable qualities that someone without as much expereince could. I really think it all depends on the contestant.

  I fail to see how David’s previous contract would give him an advantage because, it’s how he performs and sings that determines the Idol winner. Not whether or not the world knows that he has had a contract. But now, with the publicity this is getting, I just hope that it doesn’t affect people’s opinions on him as a singer.

  It definitely was not just about Jordin’s dad being a football player. I didn’t feel like Jordin even deserved to be in the finale. I felt like she got pimped. And in the end, I hated how the final song, which would decide who the next Idol would be, was a song that really only suited Jordin. It was really a mix of things that made me unhappy with her.

• Tired of American Idol 7 Conspiracy Theories Already…
  Feb 19, 2008 at 10:41 am

  […] I’m sorry.  I try to stay neutral but I’m genuinely annoyed.  Everyone is freaking out about Carly Smithson’s failed record deal and David Archuleta’s past and it’s […]

• SUNSHINE
  Feb 19, 2008 at 11:19 am

  I WISH THAT IS WAS BETTER WHEN IT WAS REALLY UNDISCOVERED TALENT BUT AS FOR CONNECTIONS, THINK ABOUT ALL THE PROFESSIONAL BACKUP SINGERS THEY DIFFENTLY HAD THE CONNECTIONS. AND FOR ALL YOU PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT SEASON 1, LET ME REMIND YOU THAT KELLY CLARKSON WAS RECORDING DEMOS FOR A RECORD COMPANY BEFORE GOING ON IDOLS.

• A'kyra
  Feb 19, 2008 at 11:48 am

  Sunshine so what is your point? And what does this mean: I WISH THAT IS WAS BETTER….
  and this:DIFFENTLY…<what does that mean it wasn’t in the dictionary.

  Anyway, the point others are trying to make is that it was different in the begining than it is now. At first American Idol was supposed to be about finding that one undiscovered American talent and create a POP star. Now it seems they prefer to have the up and coming instead of the undiscovered.
  You are right about the back-up singers, I forgot about them. Yes they come under that category as well. They should just change the meaning of the concept and that would calm a lot of folks down. As I said before, if Britney Spears auditioned, they would put her through to Hollywood and she would most likely win, now how fair is that to the undiscovered artist who is struggling to get that American Dream? It’s not. It’s all about the B-listers now and not the no-bodies who are looking for a break.

• vicki
  Feb 19, 2008 at 4:09 pm

  I don’t think it’s right that American Idol dupped us all into believing that this was ‘raw’ talent. Now I know why they focused so much attention on them the last few weeks, and not the ones who were just first timers. I’m not sure how I feel about American Idol this year, but I feel sorry for the ones that stood in those long lines, and didn’t get a break because 12 idols were already on the list to go to Hollywood.

• A'kyra
  Feb 20, 2008 at 3:52 am

  Vicki- I totally agree with you. We are watching the show with the mind set of one thing while the show has turned out to be something else. The first timers are really getting screwed over where American Idol is concerned. I mean look, Josiah got turned away yet last year Sanjaya got to stay….what’s that about? Josiah has way more talent, as we saw on Ellen yesterday. AI is a popularity contest and a battle of the up and coming and not the “undiscovered raw talent” that they claim. It’s so unfair.

• christine
  Feb 20, 2008 at 5:37 am

  The contestants dont need to be singing Elvis songs

• Jason
  Feb 21, 2008 at 9:28 am

  Everyone always seems to forget, but Sanjaya’s audition was really very good. It wasn’t until the top 12 that he really started falling apart.

• bubba
  Feb 21, 2008 at 12:50 pm

  I think this whole “Controversy” over Carly is a perfect example of why American Idol has always (with the exception of Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood) Ended up with the wrong person in the winners seat
  This should be about the person who has the best voice and nothing more. Although I do agree that a successful Artist should not be allowed to compete, Carly is not yet a success. One failed album does nothing to further someone’s career, and there are many reasons why it could have failed ( bad song choices, bad marketing, label failure or lack of promotion and name) People have no Idea how difficult the record industry is to break into. Millions of artists get deals every year and fail, for reasons other than being talented.
  The fact is this girl is virtually unknown and one of the best performers to grace the AI stage in all 7 seasons. If people voted on talent she would most likely win. My fear is people will let bitterness, or liking other contestants for the wrong reason, or stupidity interferes with getting the best to number one. I am willing to put money down that Carly will not win even though she should because AI voters almost NEVER vote for the right reasons….Talent.

• Jann
  Feb 21, 2008 at 12:57 pm

  Carly is not the only talented person on the show… That’s what some people need to remember.

• A'kyra
  Feb 22, 2008 at 3:22 am

  bubba- you are most likely going to be right. It always seems to end up that way but we also have to remember the track record of contestants that didn’t win and ended up with a better deal. Chris Daughtry is a perfect example so maybe if Carly does not win, she will still come out on top.
  People vote based on the craziest things and not the contestants voice. People that hate the show, vote for the worst person just to mess the results up, some vote because of a hair-do or they think someone is hot but can’t sing. So in a way the voting system is unfair for the contestants but good for the rating s of the show.

• Lauren
  Feb 22, 2008 at 7:37 am

  A’kyra - In response to this “he has nothing but confidence…this guy is so fake. I know a lot of people like him (Lauren) but he should just be real”. Assuming you are talking about David Archuleta, I have to say that I compoletely disagree. When David Archuleta steps on the stage, he’s not trying to pretend to be some rocker guy or some crazy fun loving person. He steps on the stage and is just David. Which I find made him look a bit awkward during his performance, but I would definitely not call him a fake. For me, it’s actually the opposite. I mean, you see some people who you really have to wonder “is that real” “Do you really think she’s that crazy or is it just an act?” But I’ve never been given a reason to say that about David. And this awkwardness should show you that just because you were previously under a contract, it doesn’t mean you’re a great performer or even the best singer. Someone without a contract could be a better performer and/or singer.

  And are we saying that we shoiuldn’t be giving people who have failed with their careers, a chance? I mean, honestly, Carly only sold 400 albums! I know people personally who have probably sold more than that. That is a major flop and I’m sure it must be hard to get the courage to get out of such a hole.

  I have never heard of any one of these contestants before Idol, and really I’m sure the majority of us haven’t. Let’s say Carly or David won Idol. How exactly would having a previous contract help them in the end?? The whole point of Idol is to build a star that America would want to buy albums for. Having the fact that you’ve had a previous recording contract doesn’t make people love you more. It just causes unecessary controversies. And I’m beginning to wonder if that’s only what people are looking for: a person to shake their heads at. Idol’s got enough drama as it is without people making it worse.

• Lauren
  Feb 22, 2008 at 7:43 am

  And, if we can make an acception for Jordin Sparks we can definitely give someone a chance who hasn’t been on all those talent shows, broadcasting themselves everywhere, or tried to be a model…

  http://www.idolstalker.com/tired-of-american-idol-7-conspiracy-theories-already/#comments

• Lauren
  Feb 22, 2008 at 7:44 am

  Although, I do agree that they shouldn’t hide it because it does make them look sneaky and I was glad they mentioned Carly last night.

• Lauren
  Feb 22, 2008 at 7:45 am

  And, I have to say that this new design for Idolstalker is great! :)

• A'kyra
  Feb 22, 2008 at 8:11 am

  Lauren, when I said David was a “fake” I was refering to his story not his stage presence or his singing, but I guess I didn’t make that clear enough. I have said in other posts that David is good, but you may not have seen that either. All-in-all his story about being so nervous and shy seemed to be fake when you look at his background, this kid has been involved in so many events where he has sung in front of hundreds of people, and even had the guts to walk up to Kelly and Justin in season one and seranade them so him saying he is this or that is totally the opposite of what we have seen for ourselves. A lot of times with AI, the sob story gets the viewers votes, he doesn’t need that b/c he is very talented. That’s all I was saying and the other web sites that printed his true story.
  Cool? Also, I didn’t make it clear but I was refering to the other Lauren-sorry I forget there are two here but I meant the Lauren(lol) one :)

• Lauren(lolo)
  Feb 22, 2008 at 8:30 am

  Lol. Sorry, forgot to put that beside my name. It is me, A’kyra. Now, that I know what you meant, I can cool down a bit. But, did David actually say he was shy?
  And you can be nervous and still find the courage to do something brave.

• A'kyra
  Feb 22, 2008 at 8:35 am

  LOL, I didn’t know it was you b/c there was not an lol…funny. But, I thought Jeanne told you…..never mind I will call you later today… :)

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