Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts

By Alyce Wilson

A lot of American Idol betting pools are going to have to be reassessed in light of last night's shocking elimination. Rocker Chris Daughtry was cut from the show, when most people figured Katharine McPhee would leave, who had had an off night.

Chris was considered a favorite to win from the very early weeks. But this isn't the first time something like this has happened. In season three, frontrunner LaToya London was cut, leaving a top three of Fantasia Barrino, Diana DeGarmo and Jasmine Trias. Many people had predicted the final two would be Fantasia and LaToya, but it was Fantasia and Diana instead.

In much the same way, many people have been betting on a final two of either Chris and Taylor or Chris and Katharine. But now all bets are off.

I have been a Taylor fan for a long time now. He's got incredible musical talent, and he's a joy to watch on stage. By contrast, Chris has had some rough weeks recently, such as last week when he could barely finish one of his song. Likewise, this week when he just shouted at the end of "A Little Less Conversation", I think that hurt him.

Chris might have also lost some votes to Elliott, who blew him out of the water vocally. Elliott is now a dark horse for the top two. Contestants often leave the week after their last performance, which could very well mean that Katharine, who fell apart on stage this week, will leave next week. Katharine is a joy to watch but not always a joy to listen to.

While Chris seemed to have it all, and he's got talent, he didn't do as well jumping from genre to genre as some others have done. Ultimately, I think it comes down primarily to song choice. He often chose harder edged songs because he liked them, but wasn't thinking about what the audience might enjoy.

I also think that, much like LaToya was overshadowed by the big personalities of Fantasia and Diana, Chris pales in comparison to Taylor and Katharine. Elliott, who's always had a great voice, has grown as a performer to the point where he's winning new votes.

No doubt, there are many great things in store for Chris Daughtry. His fans won't forget him, and I'm sure that as soon as his American Idol contract will allow, he'll be putting out a chart-topping album.

As far as this season is concerned, there could still be surprises to come. At this point, it's anybody's game. I will, however, be voting for Taylor until my finger falls off.

More on American Idol:

Musings on American Idol Season 5 (2006)

Musings on American Idol Season 4 (2005)

Musings on American Idol Season 3 (2004)

Copyright 2006 by Alyce Wilson

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