Constantine Maroulis, in a snappy jacket and stubble, has to be this week’s hot vote gainer. Singing a full-bodied version of the despair ballad, “I Can‘t Make You Love Me,” Constantine reminded me why last week I wrote an insightful analysis titled “Constantine and His Secret Life As . . . Clay Aiken?” DUDE. I’m good.
While Randy and Paula gushed over Constantine’s performance---with Paula declaring that she “loved every minute of it” (yeah, you and millions of other girls, Paula)---it was Simon who got to the meat of the matter.
After stating that Constantine had out-performed the exalted Bo, Simon announced that Constantine had come off as a “classic pop star” and that his fans were going to absolutely “love that.” I say again, dude: I’m good.
Okay, I’m kidding with the self-congratulations. But here’s the point: it sure took awhile for these music/industry geniuses to figure out that trying to keep Constantine in a box only made them look lazy, if not downright dumb and oinky-headed. They totally missed the obvious time-space-fan continuum in Constantine’s singing “I Think I Love You.” I mean, how much more in-their-face could the fact be that the judges were viewing Constantine through their own musical (and, it's not too strong to say, cultural) stereotypes, rather than in his natural context? Oh, I said that before, too (in "Kissyface Judges").
Other performances of note:
First, Carrie. Look, she’s already won. Her heart and her voice is in country music. No matter what happens on American Idol, she will get a recording contract. She will be successful in her genre and, most likely, as a cross-over artist. Josh Gracin, who never got nearly the wet kisses Carrie gets, came in fourth in AI2. His self-titled cd had the highest debut of a male country artist in a decade. His single, “Nothing to Lose,” topped the Billboard country chart and is still in the top 10. You don’t have to be good, dude, to see that and more in Carrie’s future. In the meantime, she’s an enjoyable part of the show.
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Article comments
1 - Scott Pepper
Con's performance was okay -- I actually thought the judges made a bit too much of it. Better than he has been, but Bo is still the man. Besides, as my wife points out, it is Constantine's smouldering gaze into the camera that will get him votes, not his singing.
2 - carol
Anthony means nothing to Clay fans....in fact most ridicule him for trying to be like Clay.
Dismal performance....he should be the one to leave this week.
3 - Eric Olsen
thanks Sticker! I think Scott or Anthony should go
4 - thereisnoduplicate
As a Clay fan there is nothing about that performance that would alleviate the drought while Clay is off working on his second album.
Anthony becomes more pale with each and every comparison. He also needs to put the glasses back on to hide his squinty, beady eyes. Who knew they actually added character to his face.
Constantine, blech, can't even watch the rock poser and I am glad that Randy finally called him on what he really is, a theater geek. He talks about Seattle grunge and then continues to sing a souless version of a Bonnie Raitt song. Kimberley Locke should show him a thing or two about singing that song.
5 - K
I like your last two articles. But I have to agree with the Clay fans. I'm sure Anthony is a nice enough guy but Clay Aiken he ain't. This season is much better than last season but I think season two was still the best.
6 - Sticker
Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed my articles.
I agree with you that there is only one Clay Aiken.
7 - Sticker
Hi, Scott.
Just to be clear: I wasn't really commenting on the merits of Con's performance, only on its relative effectiveness in the constestants' quest to jockey for position.
Regardless of the reason (and, yes, "smoldering" is one) I think each week he is solidifying his base and drawing new voters.
And even smoldering requires context---IOW, it's not just an eye movement---so I have to give props to Con for putting the song/music/lyrics and performance together that allows him to work on his smoldering!