The first big cut happened over the course ofAmerican IdolSeason 23’s first two live shows. Cutting down from 24 to 14 in the span of two nights, 10American Idolhopefuls watched as their dreams were dashed. While America had full influence over the tragic departures of artists likeMKYandGrayson TorrenceinIdol’s boundary-pushing “Songs of Faith” night, it was the next set of shocking eliminations that have now altered the trajectory of where the season will go.
In this new era of the show, the split concept of singing for celebration or singing for safety doesn’t quite give America their wishes, as 4 out of the 10 wildcards singing for safety are saved by the judges.That may mean that those four saves could have been America’s lowest vote-getters.We’ll never know. But based on the results, we all made some terrible choices.
America Voted Some Through Some Wildcards
To kick off the season’s first official live show,American Idolgave viewers a 3-hour evening of wall-to-wall music under the theme of Songs of Faith. While the concept was loosely utilized, thankfully, it was still an elimination night that saw four singers barely miss the Top 20.Split between their two original Aulani performance nights,Penny Samar, MKY,Kyana Fanene, and Grayson Torrence were left without any fanfare. Literally. No final song, nothing.Just a “thanks for playing” and “nice to know ya.“But at least we had a powerful performance fromCarrie Underwoodto remind us why she is anAmerican Idolchampion.
With the stage set for the Top 20, Idol returned to the still-cringey result reveal.Ryan Seacrestwill call a hopeful forward and have them either sing for celebration or sing for safety, where the judges —Carrie Underwood,Luke Bryan, andLionel Richie—will save four of the ten at-risk individuals. For the ten singers who automatically advanced to the Top 14, they had the opportunity to sing but received no feedback from the judges.That meant the questionable decisions made by American voters didn’t have an opportunity to be corrected, as perhaps their performance was not so good.
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So, let’s talk about some of those questionable choices we voters made. The season’s youngest singer,Mattie Pruitt, is completely out of her league, and yet America pushed her through without the fear of elimination. It’s mind-boggling. But hey, this isAmerican Idol.Every season needs one of those contestants who spoil the fun.When she sang for celebration, her rendition of “In the Stars” byBenson Boonewas immensely pitchy. Hopefully, she was advised behind the scenes by the judges on how to correct her performance in the next round. With the push to celebrate artists in touch with their faith, it made sense as to whyCanaan James Hill, who opened Sunday’s show, was instantly in the Top 14. Deserved, not quite, but with the evening catered towards artists like him, based on his performance, America reacted. Will he be able to capture that spirit in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night? The field has immense talent left so it will be an uphill battle.
‘American Idol’ Lost Some Stars With Potential
Now, let’s get to the heartbreak. When we got to those singers in danger, it seemed like a slam dunk that the judges would save early frontrunners likeVictor Solomon, Zaylie Windsor, andDrew Ryn. Instead, Carrie, Luke, and Lionel ended up making some incredibly shocking decisions, like savingJosh King, who performed an uncomfortable and cringeworthy rendition ofRick Astley’s troll song “Never Gonna Give You Up.” And then there wasAmanda Barise, who always looks terrified when she takes to the stage. While the New York native has a booming voice, where does she fit in this industry? In a competition focused on vocals rather than fostering a superstar, perhaps Amanda would have been a better fit forThe Voiceinstead.
The way that the voting and saving system breaks down, the voting public may feel betrayed by the judges’ decisions.Their power, almost equal to the coaches onThe Voice, seems to sway toward the stories they want to tell rather than the potential superstars before them. Three of the six cut had high potential to make it to the end, but the judges preferred others over them. There’s a future for Drew and Zaylie compared to Amanda. Victor is an exceptional performer, while Josh is meant to live behind a piano. Sure, this marked the end forBaylee Littrell, but he got what he needed from this journey.
While there have certainly beenAmerican Idolalums who have found success without a victory,being cut so soon and in such dismal fashion doesn’t help their potential to build a fandom.Now, with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame night up next, the Top 14 will truly be tested to see how they can celebrate the songbook while maintaining their artistry. I’m worried about the direction some of these hopefuls might take. Let’s hope guest mentorJames Taylorguides them to great potential.American Idolairs Sundays and Mondays at 8:00pm on ABC. All episodes are available to stream on Hulu.
American Idol
Twelve American finalists (six men and six women) compete in a singing contest.
