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Paula Abdul May Return for American Idol Season Finale

Admin — Sun, 23 May 2010 14:00:46 +0000

Nearly a year after her last appearance on American Idol, Paula Abdul may return.

A network source told TVGuide.com it’s likely that the former judge will return for…

Simon Cowell “Bored” with American Idol

Admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 15:45:23 +0000

After nine seasons on American Idol, Simon Cowell said he’s leaving the Fox juggernaut because he’s bored.

International Emmys to honor Idol‘s Simon Cowell

“After a while, you start to go on automatic pilot,” Cowell told Oprah Winfrey during an interview Thursday. “And there were too many times, Oprah, where I was sitting there bored, and I thought …

Simon Cowell Tells Oprah His ‘Time’s Up’ On ‘American Idol’

Admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 10:25:00 +0000

Judge also says he ‘hated’ his reaction to Susan Boyle’s appearance on ‘Britain’s Got Talent.’
By Kara Warner

src="http://www.mtv.com/shared/promoimages/news/o/oprah/simon_oprah/281x211_2.jpg"/>

Simon Cowell on “The Oprah Winfrey Show”

Photo: Harpo

The end of “American Idol” season nine next week will also bring the departure of controversial-yet-adored judge Simon Cowell. The Brit appeared on Thursday’s (May 20) “Oprah Winfrey Show” to discuss his reasons for leaving, whether he’ll miss the show and why he’s starting a new, seemingly similar show.

Oprah started the interview by asking Cowell point-blank why he’s leaving “Idol.” “Time’s up,” he answered. “It feels like the right thing to do.”

The often sharp-tongued Brit said part of the reason behind his departure is due to boredom. “After a while, you start to go on automatic pilot. Too many times I was sitting there [at the judges' table] bored. The audience deserves more than that … and I can’t hide when I’m bored.”

To combat that boredom, Cowell said he’s launching a U.S. version of his “X Factor” talent show that, although similar to “Idol,” will have several differences. “It’s different because there’s no upper age limit. … Singing groups can enter the show,” he explained. “I have no idea whether it’s going to work or not, but I’ll put its success and failure on whether we can find a star.”

Oprah then asked if Cowell is bored on “Idol” now why he would move on to yet another talent show. “I actually like doing it, funny enough,” he said. “I remember Fantasia singing ‘Summertime,’ and for three minutes, I lost myself. I like the buzz it creates. You want to be part of something people are talking about. I love that feeling.”

While recalling some of his favorite contestants (Carrie Underwood and Fantasia) Cowell readily admitted that his “big ego” often gets in his way — particularly with the case of Susan Boyle’s now-famous audition on “Britain’s Got Talent”

“On the day [of her audition], I was in such a bad mood, I didn’t want to be there, I never thought we’d find anyone good,” he remembered. “When I watched the clip back, I actually hated myself. We’re all sneering, we’re not listening. I didn’t like what I saw. It was a wake-up call, and I was happy she made us look stupid, because we deserved it.”

Yet all in all, and given his track record (and reported $1 billion net worth from his various productions), Cowell said he’s confident he can still find undiscovered talent: “I do trust my judgment as somebody who can spot a potential star.”

Regarding his impending “Idol” departure, Cowell said he expects his last night on the ratings juggernaut to be poignant.

“The final night will be quite emotional,” he told Oprah. “I’ve had a great time. I love working over here [in the U.S.] and never thought I would.”

What did you think of Cowell’s interview? Let us know in the comments!

Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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‘American Idol’ In 60 Seconds: Casey Makes Way For Lee And Crystal

Admin — Thu, 20 May 2010 17:30:56 +0000

The judges get their way, with a little help from the blond guy’s poor song choice.
By Jim Cantiello

src="http://www.mtv.com/shared/promoimages/news/a/american_idol/2010/100519/281x211.jpg"/>

Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze on “American Idol”

Photo: AP Images

This week’s “American Idol” had the contestants singing two songs each, which was good news for Crystal Bowersox, better news for Lee DeWyze, and totally irrelevant news to Casey WhatsHisFace.

Round one was the contestants’ choice! That blond guy did himself no favors by picking a song by an artist who’s somehow less famous than he is, and MamaSox went the predictable route with a poor Melissa Etheridge impression. That left Lee DeWyze to steal the show with Skynyrd’s “Simple Man,” which was quite simply his best performance on “Idol,” period.

In round two, the judges picked the music. Kara and Randy did their best to sabotage Ponytail Man’s “Idol” run with a tuneless, low-impact John Mayer song. Meanwhile Ellen DeGeneres finally did some good on the “Idol” stage by allowing Crystal Bowersox to bare her soul with Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed.” The ‘Sox may have hit some bum notes, but the best note she struck was keeping the pronouns the way the Beatle wrote them. She didn’t care that she sounded like a transgendered man in love with a woman, so why should America? A thousand awesome points to MamaSox.

But it was predetermined that it was Lee DeWyze’s night to shine, what with Simon assigning him “Hallelujah” and basically telling America that Lee was going to have “a moment” with the song before the dude had moaned a single note. (Why is it when Paula Abdul critiqued Jason Castro ahead of time everyone freaked, but when Simon Cowell did the same for DeWyze, it became gospel?)

The good news is that DeWyze did not perform the done-to-death (no pun intended) Jeff Buckley arrangement. The bad news is the version DeWyze did was the Overwrought, Overproduced, Overcooked Vegas Spectacular Rendition, complete with strings, horns, timpani, choirs, SteadiCams, angels, furrowed brows and the cast of Cirque du Soleil waiting in the wings, ready to pounce on Lee’s signal, which he never activated. (Also, no bagpipe.) Lee sounded great, but then again, with that setup even Seacrest could have warbled a line and sounded like Pavarotti. It’s a miracle 30 million Americans didn’t choke Tuesday night, given the way “Idol” producers shoved Lee down viewers’ throats.

On Wednesday night’s results show, after an interview segment that lasted approximately 42 minutes, we saw footage from the “Idols” hometown visits! And everyone cried! Casey got emotional when he visited the hospital that saved his life, Crystal got weepy at a stadium and Lee DeWyze sobbed from start to finish. We met doctors, teachers, paint salesmen, local Fox affiliates, AT&T employees and creepy fans who ran next to limousines and plotted to tattoo autographs to their chests. (This … is “American Psycho”!)

To put things in perspective and make the season-nine finale showdown all the more enticing, “Idol” booked Perez Hilton’s pet project Travis Garland as a guest performer, and suddenly this year’s crop of contestants seemed exponentially more appealing. (Also now suddenly appealing? Justin Bieber! Travis Garland should be on standby on Tax Day to make that hell seem like a holiday, too.)

In the end, the results played out exactly the way Simon and company hoped they would. Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox will face off next week, while Casey James was left to sing that John Mayer song again, except this time he performed with a little girl prop. It’s too late to get the “awww, look at the cuteness” votes, Casey.

Did you feel like Simon Cowell was heavy-handed in his promotion of Lee DeWyze this week? Sound off in the comments.

Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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‘American Idol’ Finale: It’s Lee DeWyze Vs. Crystal Bowersox

Admin — Thu, 20 May 2010 06:14:17 +0000

Casey James eliminated after a rough performance night.
By Gil Kaufman

src="http://www.mtv.com/shared/promoimages/bands/a/american_idol/bowersox_dewyze/281x211.jpg"/>

Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze

Photo: FOX

Nearly a year after their journey began, Lee DeWyze and Crystal Bowersox took one giant step closer to the promised land Wednesday night (May 19). The two singers, whose paths to next week’s season-nine “American Idol” finale at times felt preordained, survived Tuesday night’s 47 million votes as the sand ran out for Cool, Texas’ Casey James.

The good ol’ boy with the Guess model looks and the bluesy bar-band style was pegged early on as eye candy by judge Kara DioGuardi — who made him take his shirt off at his audition — even as the panel frequently praised his earthy sound and guitar skills. The focus on his sex appeal to the cougar set sometimes became annoying, but James never let it distract him from attempting to deliver solid, heartfelt performances week after week while trying to not seem annoyed by the constant jibes about his looks.

In the end, as it often is for “Idol” finalists who flame out before the finish line, it came down to song choice, and James blew it by going with the obscure “OK, It’s Alright With Me” by Eric Hutchinson and just wasn’t able to do enough with the judges’ choice, John Mayer’s “Daughters.” His friends think he’s gonna be just fine, and James seemed all right with the result as well.

“I’m so thankful for the opportunity,” he said after host Ryan Seacrest delivered the bad news, a look of disappointment shining through his winning smile. “It’s been an amazing, amazing journey, and I’m just so honored that I’m here. It’s amazing.” Looking around at he big “Idol” stage one more time, James, bathed in hot-pink and blue lights, hugged and slapped hands with some screaming female fans and sang to his #1 supporter, DioGuardi, before lifting up a little girl from the audience and sitting her on his lap while singing a mostly solid version of “Daughters” again.

Just moments before, Seacrest had waved former paint-store clerk and high school rebel Lee DeWyze through, followed by Ohio booster Crystal Bowersox, who seemed confused at first and asked the host to clarify what was going on. “I’m safe?” she asked, dumbfounded. “I’m safe?” she said again before going over to DeWyze and surprising him with a full-body hug.

And so, just like last year’s Kris Allen/ Adam Lambert showdown and the David Cook/ David Archuleta face-off the year before, the two early favorites, neither of whom ever hit the bottom three, will go head to head Tuesday for the “Idol” title.

The show featured a performance from gossip blogger Perez Hilton’s latest obsession, Travis Garland, whom he claimed is a better singer than Justin Timberlake. Speaking of eye candy, the boy-band-ready singer sang his bubblegum first single “Believe” accompanied by a trio of percussionists and a troupe of overly dramatic backup dancers. Running all over the stage and set, the former member of boy band NLT’s high, thin voice sometimes appeared to be swallowed up by the song’s techno-gospel arrangement.

There were no such problems for globetrotting teen wonder Justin Bieber, who easily hit his marks on the doo-wop ballad “U Smile” and then swaggered just so behind his signature mop-top ‘do as his male backup dancers shimmied all around him during his smash “Baby.” He even took a break near the end of the song to show off his skills behind the drum kit, ending with a flourish and a smile.

The two-part “Idol” finale kicks off Tuesday when DeWyze and Bowersox will have one last chance to impress America before a winner is crowned the next night.

What did you think of Wednesday night’s elimination? Did you call it? Did Casey deserve to go home? Leave your comments below.

Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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‘American Idol’ Report Card: Crystal, Casey, Lee Cram For Finals

Admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 18:58:14 +0000

Bowersox’s ‘Maybe I’m Amazed’ scores the week’s high marks.
By Eric Ditzian

src="http://www.mtv.com/shared/promoimages/news/a/american_idol/2010/100513/three/281x211.jpg"/>

Lee DeWyze, Crystal Bowersox, Casey James

Photo: FOX

It’s the week before final exams on “American Idol,” so it’s probably too late to start wondering, “What if?” As in, “What if we had a different top three? What if Lilly Scott or Katelyn Epperly hadn’t been chucked off the show far too early and were still bringing their expectation-defying artistry to the stage?”

It’s certainly too late to imagine our expectations might be proven wrong when it comes to the performances of Crystal Bowersox, Lee DeWyze and Casey James. By this point in the “Idol” school year, we know exactly what we’re going to get from each contestant and, at least in this regard, Tuesday night’s show did not disappoint.

There were, of course, myriad disappointments: Bowersox’s first song choice, which came off like a parody of a Bowersox performance; the way the judges bickered among themselves after James’ second performance rather than concentrate on the evaluation at hand; how DeWyze’s purportedly show-stealing performance of “Hallelujah” paled in comparison to Jason Castro’s take on the song years earlier, and maybe even to Tim Urban’s earlier in the season. There were also many highs: MamaSox’s smack-it-outta-the-park rendition of the softball song choice Ellen DeGeneres handed her. Time to get specific and dole out some grades with another edition of our “American Idol” report card. (And don’t miss Jim Cantiello’s “Idol” recap in the MTV Newsroom.)

Excellent

Crystal Bowersox, “Maybe I’m Amazed”: Courtesy of Ellen DeGeneres, MamaSox got the gift of the finest judges’ song choice with this Paul McCartney hit. She didn’t squander the opportunity. Crystal’s voice was delicate in places, powerful in others, and at all times showed off range and emotion that her competitors simply can’t match. We’d take points away for the staging, during which she descended a staircase and generally looked uncomfortable, but we’re guessing all that movement wasn’t her idea. Note for next time, Crystal: If you’re gonna ditch the guitar, stay in one place on the stage and do what you do best: Frickin’ wail!

Good

Lee DeWyze, “Simple Man”: Would it be crazy to say we enjoyed this take on the Lynyrd Skynyrd tune better than his second performance? Less ornate, more honest, fewer bells and whistles, more Lee. We dug the slowly building intro and how he cut the song’s Southern-rock flare with some indie-rock verve. He suffered through some pitch problems in the second half of the tune, but his performance was far and away the finest of the first three songs.

Lee DeWyze, “Hallelujah”: This seems to be the most buzzed-about performance of the evening. Simon Cowell could barely contain his self-satisfaction as he congratulated himself for choosing a tune that allowed Lee to have a “moment.” Only problem was that it wasn’t really Lee’s moment. He was surrounded by half the backup singers in Hollywood and a brassy trumpet, the combined effect of which was to overwhelm the “Idol” hopeful. That’s not to say it wasn’t a good performance, especially by season-nine standards. And Lee showed off genuine emotion, something verging on vulnerability. For the first time, he looked like he actually wants to win. But despite the judges’ effusive praise, Lee’s song was not nearly as powerful as Crystal’s “Maybe I’m Amazed.”

Satisfactory

Crystal Bowersox, “Come to My Window”: You want to know why MamaSox landed in the Satisfactory range on this one? Not because she didn’t sound lovely, or because we didn’t dig the reappearance of her harmonica, or because we fault her for staying true to herself as an artist. It’s for a simple lack of creativity on her part. A Melissa Etheridge song sung pretty much exactly how Melissa Etheridge sings it shows us nothing new about Bowersox. No doubt that cover killed back in her hometown, but up on the “Idol” stage, it was simply tiresome. Not something we’d expect at this point in the competition. There’s a way to respect your own artistry while at the same time surprising your audience. This wasn’t the way. Luckily, she returned for a stellar second performance.

Casey James, “Daughters”: James deserves an apology from Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi for a lazy song choice that almost seemed designed to deny the singer a “moment” in the same way that Bowersox and DeWyze got a chance at theirs. John Mayer’s song is a simple one that requires a voice that can communicate raw emotion; Casey’s just lacks that sort of intensity, phrasing and modularity. What we got instead was a contestant far too laid-back at this point. That’s the Casey we’ve known all along. The only difference seems to be that, for the second week in a row, the judges seem to have tired of his presence on “Idol” and are ripping him to shreds in the hope that voters follow their lead. He deserves better, even if he doesn’t really deserve to call himself an “Idol” top-three finalist.

Unsatisfactory

Casey James, “OK, It’s Alright With Me”: If Jackson and DioGuardi were bent on sabotage in their song choice, James straight up nuked himself with his pick. Let’s just forget about the song choice, because there’s no way to wrap our heads around that one. He was severely uncomfortable on the stage. There was nothing unique about the performance. It was the epitome of small time. Forget about star power. This performance never got off the ground. It’s hard to see any other outcome on Wednesday’s elimination show: James’ “American Idol” run will be coming to an end.

How would you grade the top three on last night’s “American Idol”? Share your report cards in the comments.

Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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‘American Idol’ Experts Predict Crystal Bowersox/ Lee DeWyze Showdown

Admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 13:20:06 +0000

If the judges have their way, Casey James is going home this week.
By Gil Kaufman

src="http://www.mtv.com/news/photos/a/american_idol/10/performances/100518/crystal/281x211.jpg"/>

Crystal Bowersox on “American Idol” Tuesday

Photo: FOX

They’ve said it before, but this time our “American Idol” experts really mean it: This is the week Casey James is riding off into the sunset, paving the way for the long-expected showdown in next week’s “Idol” finale between Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze.

“Simon Cowell and company have been pushing for a Lee/Crystal finale since week one, and it looks as though they’ll be getting that come results-show time,” MTV News’ resident “Idol” expert Jim Cantiello predicted. “Casey did nothing to convince America that he deserved to break up the MamaSox and DeWyze showdown. Rewind to a year ago, where Kris Allen was expected to sing his swan song but instead showed up armed with brilliance.”

Cantiello said Casey squandered his chance to gain ground after landing the opening slot on Tuesday night’s show by picking a song from obscure singer Eric Hutchinson, “OK, It’s Alright With Me.” He was then saddled with a lackluster judges’ pick in John Mayer’s “Daughters.”

“Crystal’s got the fanbase; Lee’s got the momentum,” Cantiello said. “Casey’s got … the opportunity to pack his bags. Mr. James, you are no match for the judges’ pimping. Sorry. It’s been fun.”

Our other expert, MJ Santilli of MJsBigBlog.com, couldn’t agree more, though she added that it might just be time to crown DeWyze the champ right now after his bravura performance of the oft-sung “Idol” chestnut “Hallelujah,” by Leonard Cohen.

“Wow. Simon Cowell manufactured quite the moment for Lee, with the choir, and the horns and strings,” she said of the dramatic show-closing performance by DeWyze, the former paint-store clerk and high school rabble-rouser.

“He also made sure the song had the proper ‘climax’ as he called it,” Santilli said. ”The thing is, the big showy numbers are what move viewers to pick up the phone and vote. I’ll bet that Lee ran away with the vote tonight. He’s in the final for sure. But not undeservedly — Simon’s machinations notwithstanding, Lee delivered two solid vocals this week.”

That leaves Crystal and Casey to fight it out for the final spot, and Santilli lamented that small-town Ohio soul mama Bowersox had just an OK night. “Her vocals were strained, and she seemed distracted,” Santilli noted. “And I have to wonder how viewers at home responded to her repeated declarations, ‘I’m a man, I’m a man,’ (during her cover of Paul McCartney’s ‘Maybe I’m Amazed.’) Singing the song from a man’s point of view diminished the song’s emotional punch.”

But Bowersox may still be saved thanks to positive comments from the judges, who Santilli said seemed to have it in for James. “They obviously want him gone,” she opined. “Instead of critiquing his vocals (which were quite good), they picked apart his song choices and played up his eye-candy appeal. It’s true, Casey’s first song was pretty boring, but I thought he deserved more credit for his sweet version of ‘Daughters.’ I hate to admit it, but if minimizing Casey’s performance helps Crystal advance to the final, I’m all for it.”

Do you agree with our expert’s picks? Who do you think is going home? Post your comments below.

Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Crystal Bowersox And Lee DeWyze ‘In It To Win It’ On ‘American Idol’

Admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 07:42:05 +0000

Casey James seemingly punches his ticket home with lackluster pre-finale performance night.
By Gil Kaufman

src="http://www.mtv.com/shared/promoimages/bands/a/american_idol/idol_051810/281x211_3.jpg"/>

Crystal Bowersox

Photo: FOX

It’s down to three, and if this season (or any season, frankly) of “American Idol” has taught us anything, it’s all about song choice. Left to their own devices, the top three mostly blew it on Tuesday night with their selections, with only Lee DeWyze earning lukewarm praise for his pick, while Crystal Bowersox and Casey James both elicited tepid responses. Things turned around in the second half when all three got thumbs-up from the judges (who also happened to pick the songs), and DeWyze sprinted ahead of the pack with a powerhouse performance of the oft-covered Leonard Cohen soul-stirrer “Hallelujah,” which has been the savior of many an “Idol” contestant.

First up, though, was Cool, Texas’ James, who chose little-known singer Eric Hutchinson’s 2008 song “OK, It’s Alright With Me,” which he said felt like something he could have written. James sang the bouncy pop tune in his signature bluesy rasp and smiled his way through the peppy lyrics, earning a clap-along from the pumped-up audience but clearly not impressing the panel.

Randy Jackson said it was just all right and deemed the song choice too safe and easy, and Ellen DeGeneres agreed, reminding James that what he really needed to do was blow the crowd away. “The problem is, it is arguably the most important night of your life,” Simon Cowell said. “You’re lucky you’ve got two song choices, because I would compare that first song to if you were having dinner, that’s the salad. In other words, there’s something more hopefully substantial to come.” He ended by saying James appeared to be busking for change rather than competing to win.

Bowersox went with a more recognizable song, picking “Come to My Window” by Melissa Etheridge, a song that seemed like an obvious choice for her voice and blues-mama style. Opening with some Bob Dylan-esque harmonica and finger-picked acoustic guitar, the Elliston, Ohio, native came out a bit wobbly with the first couple of lines but soon found her vocal footing and leaned into the choruses with her big, brassy voice, biting into the passionate lyrics and displaying her signature sass.

Kara DioGuardi thought she got lost in the arrangement a bit but still brought a decent vocal. Jackson also didn’t love the arrangement but said Bowersox rose above with her vocals and won him over. Cowell agreed and gave her props for never once compromising during the entire competition. “You came out here and you just decided to do what is you,” he said. “It’s a very honest performance, and I think you probably made the right choice.”

Also slinging his acoustic guitar was Mt. Prospect, Illinois’ Lee DeWyze, who said the lyrics to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” — a tune he has frequently performed at karaoke bars with his hometown pals — have always spoken to him. Starting out solo acoustic, DeWyze didn’t change up the arrangement of the classic-rock ballad too much but still managed to put his patented bar-band-crooner stamp on the tune.

After asking him why he chose the song — Lee explained that it just makes him happy — Cowell said Lee picked well. “I don’t think you won round one; I think you just crushed the other two,” Cowell said. Comparing him to a “little baby lamb” when they first met him, Ellen busted out another of her bizarre metaphors and said Lee’s blossomed into a carefree impala. Randy agreed that it was a brilliant song choice and growled, “Somebody here is feelin’ like they could win!” Kara said he did what every wannabe “Idol” winner needs to do: show dynamics and pick a song that has meaning, calling round one for DeWyze.

For their judges’ pick, Randy and Kara went with John Mayer’s “Daughters” for James, saying it fit his commercial appeal to women. His eyes narrowed in concentration, James gently strummed an electric guitar, accompanied by some subtle piano and acoustic guitar, as he played a straightforward, smoldering jazz cover of the only contemporary song in the mix, making some flirty eye contact with the camera, and, seemingly, some ladies in the crowd.

“This fits you like a glove, and I hope that you continue in this direction,” Jackson enthused, seconded by DioGuardi, who said the song showed his more artistic, vulnerable side. Cowell couldn’t help but laugh at Kara’s commendation of her song choice, saying he liked the performance but had an issue with the “lazy” arrangement and held his fellow judges responsible for not providing James with a “moment.”

Ellen gave Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed” to Crystal, hoping it would help show off MamaSox’s range. Sitting on the stairs to start, Crystal put some gospel grit into the tune as she made her way down the stage, growling the lyrics (without changing the gender pronouns!) and putting some serious soul fire on the subtle solo hit from the ex-Beatle.

“I couldn’t have asked for more. That’s what I was hoping you’d do, and you did it,” smiled DeGeneres, after Jackson shouted, “Great song, great vocals, and America, we got somebody else in it to win it!” Kara praised her for putting down the guitar and showing off new parts of her voice. “What you’ve proved after that performance is that you’ve got soul,” said Cowell, who was initially wary of the song choice. “You worked outside of your comfort zone, and after that, you may be thanking Ellen next week for putting you in the final. That was terrific.”

Going back to a song that has been pay dirt for several former “Idol” contestants, Cowell chose Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” which the judge said he suspected DeWyze could knock out of the box. Backed by a string section and a gospel choir and bathed in white spotlights, Lee poured all of his gravelly spirit into the song, his voice rising to meet the ascending arrangement before climaxing with a sustained note that earned him a standing ovation and, likely, a berth in the finale.

“Lee, you are what this show is all about,” Kara gushed. “Somebody who starts in one place and ends up here tonight in an incredible, epic moment. You are the heart of this show this season, and you just owned the entire night.” Jackson gave props to Cowell for picking the song and called the performance unbelievable, as Ellen concurred, calling the tour de force “stunning.”

Never one to mince words, Cowell said he was very proud of DeWyze and said the performance proved he was a “fantastic singer and a great person” who is on his way to realizing his dream.

Wednesday night’s elimination show will determine this season’s finalists and will feature performances from Justin Bieber and Travis Garland.

How do you think the top three did? Who came out on top? Who is probably going to go home? Leave your comments below.

Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Lee DeWyze Radio Single Marks An ‘American Idol’ First

Admin — Tue, 18 May 2010 03:32:00 +0000

‘Princess (Reprise)’ went to Chicago stations last week; no other ‘Idol’ contestant has had a song on radio before the finale.
By Gil Kaufman

src="http://www.mtv.com/shared/promoimages/news/a/american_idol/2010/episode_54/dewyze/281x211.jpg"/>

Lee Dewyze

Photo: Fox

Plenty of “American Idol” finalists have independently released albums or singles before rolling the dice on the show for a shot at a big-time recording contract. In April, an Ohio radio station even started playing Crystal Bowersox’s “Holy Toledo,” a song that was never released on an album. But never in the history of the program (as far as MTV News can tell) has a top-three finisher had a brand-new single offered to radio in the final weeks of competition.

On Friday — the day Lee DeWyze returned home to Chicago for a parade, a concert and a visit to Wrigley Field to sing the national anthem and throw out the first pitch at a Cubs game — his former label, Wuli Records, delivered “Princess (Reprise)” to two hometown stations. On Wednesday afternoon, music engineer Doug McBride was at Chicago’s Gravity Studios putting the finishing touches on the song, which he’d first laid ears on less than 24 hours earlier.

“These guys [Lee DeWyze bandmembers and Wuli partners guitarist Louis Svitek and drummer Ryan McGuire] essentially produced this song,” he said, cueing up the tune on the small studio’s booming system. “It’s not really a remix of the album song; it’s a completely different production and recording. And basically, I just kind of helped them finish it.” He said the song, which appears in a much more sedate version on the Wuli-released Slumberland, shows a different side of DeWyze, with a crunchier rock arrangement, big drums and a heavier, alt-rock vibe.

The tune starts out with DeWyze’s raggedy, soulful voice over a gently strummed acoustic guitar, which is quickly joined by crashing drums and a thick wall of electric guitars that mixes the sensitivity of John Mayer with the stomp of Nickelback. The result is much more aggressive than the style of songs DeWyze has performed on “Idol,” especially in the middle section, which features a squealing electric-guitar solo.

Though Wuli’s founders sent copies of the song on Wednesday night to both the alt-rock station WKQX 102.1 (Q101) and the more classic-rock outlet WLUP 97.9 FM (The Loop), Kyle Guderian, operations manager for the Chicago sister stations, said Monday (May 17) that only WLUP has played it so far.

“We put it on the air Thursday on the Loop and spun it a few times on Thursday and Friday,” he said, noting that it did not get any weekend play but was supposed to pop up again during the Monday drive-time hours. “We’re still evaluating it to see if it will be a permanent add.” While the song didn’t fit the format for Q101, the station honored DeWyze’s request to be interviewed on Friday on the outlet he said he listened to all the time growing up. DeWyze was in town for his home visit, which his many supporters were excited about, as the low-key singer steams toward a possible showdown in the finals with Crystal Bowersox or Casey James.

While the Loop only has about a dozen new songs in rotation at any give time, Guderian said the response has been positive so far for “Princess (Reprise),” and he’s psyched to have the exclusive. “There’s lots of local hometown support for him, so it’s natural to have people exited to hear it and applauding the Loop’s effort to support him,” he said. “For a straight-ahead rock song, it fits the bill.”

Slumberland, released quietly in January when DeWyze was already on the show, was the second of a planned trio of Wuli albums under the singer’s contract with the label. Svitek and McGuire let their bandmate out of his contract, though, so he could compete on the show, but McGuire said the wheels were already in motion to release the follow-up to 2007′s So I’m Told, so that plan went ahead.

McGuire said he and Svitek were inspired to work with the one vocal take they had from DeWyze of the alternate version of the song because they were eager to try to get some of Lee’s music on local radio stations to support the hometown finalist. What they came up with was an unused track from the Slumberland sessions that they added new music to and beefed up in order to get play on commercial radio in the lead-up to the May 26 “Idol” finale.

Though sales of Slumberland were sluggish to tiny at first, McGuire said they’ve picked up considerably since, and he’s hoping the new single — or, best-case scenario, a win by Lee — will boost them even more. “He’s done pretty well,” McGuire said cagily, his eyes hidden underneath a baseball cap pulled low over his face. He noted that Walmart had just made a sizable order and that other major national retailers are getting onboard, in addition to iTunes. Though he didn’t have hard figures to share, he said even without DeWyze available to promote the disc — which he can’t do while on “Idol” — the word of mouth is definitely getting out. “Walmart is a huge chain, and they gook a big chunk, a big whopper order,” he said of the disc, which was recorded in his backyard studio in the Oak Park section of the city.

McGuire — who, along with ex-Ministry member Svitek, backed up DeWyze for five years and played on both records — couldn’t resist razzing his former frontman, chuckling about how Lee had insisted on having the Slumberland cases printed on recycled hemp paper with plant-based dyes, a process that tacked an extra six weeks onto the manufacturing process. But now that orders are picking up, McGuire said he’s been forced to revert back to good-old plastic jewel cases to comply with some of the major chains. “It’s plastic from now on,” he laughed. “Sorry, Lee.”

What do you think about Lee’s former bandmates releasing his music? Let us know in the comments.

Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Michael Lynche Sent Packing On ‘American Idol’

Admin — Thu, 13 May 2010 10:51:12 +0000

The judges used their ‘save’ on Big Mike five weeks ago, carrying him all the way to the final four.
By James Montgomery

src="http://www.mtv.com/shared/promoimages/news/a/american_idol/2010/episode_512/281x211.jpg"/>

Michael Lynche on “American Idol” Wednesday

Photo: Fox

This week on “American Idol,” the final four tackled the songs of the silver screen, and somewhat fittingly, Wednesday night’s (May 12) elimination show was a dramatic ride, one that kept the audience guessing until the last moment.

Most assumed front-runners Lee Dewyze and Crystal Bowersox would make it through to the top three, especially following their much-praised duet on “Falling Slowly” (from the Oscar-winning “Once”). Knowing this, “Idol” producers left both hopefuls in the lurch, instead revealing that Casey James — who, once again, seemed to be the favorite to be sent packing after he plucked his way through a version of “Mrs. Robinson” — would be moving on to next week’s show.

That left Bowersox, Dewyze and Michael Lynche staring down the specter of elimination, though host Ryan Seacrest quickly announced that Dewyze would be joining James in the top three. (Of course, he did so by announcing: “Friends, Lee is headed back to Chicago” — a reference to the show’s annual visits to the top three’s hometowns — which most in the crowd seemed to interpret as meaning Dewyze had been booted from the show, at least judging by the gasps in the room.)

That meant that either Bowersox or Lynche would be sent packing — and after even more drama (in the form of a Bon Jovi performance and a pair of commercial breaks), we finally found out for whom the bell tolled. It was Lynche, who couldn’t overcome his rather lackluster performance of Michael Jackson’s “Will You be There” (from “Free Willy”).

When his name was called, Lynche — in keeping with his big-hearted demeanor — wasn’t bitter. In fact, he thanked the judges for saving him five weeks ago and said that he’ll leave “Idol” with only fond memories.

“It’s been unbelievable, man. I just sit here right now, and I think, ‘I wasn’t even supposed to be here,’ ” Lynche told Seacrest. “Thank God for the judges saving me. I got to spend more time here, be with the people … it’s all good, man.”

And with that, he performed the “Free Willy” song once again. It wasn’t exactly a Hollywood ending, but we’ll take it. Now, on to the top three.

Were you sad to see Big Mike go? Let us know in the comments.

Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page, where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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