Ahem. well, again, this post is about that adorable amazing musician, Adam Lambert.
what makes me fall so deep for him is not because I watched every week of American Idol season 8 last year, since I had no cable TV yet last year. instead, I first listened to his voice in the coronation song, No Boundaries. right when I listened and compared it to Kris Allen's version, I have known who should have won that contest. No Boundaries is an awesome track with cool music and deep lyrics. Kris made it easy-listening, good one. but Adam put the soul into the track, so that I (and probably some listeners somewhere) can feel what the composer wants to say through that song.
that day, I knew a star has been born.
as time passed by, I see how Adam is not only a new star-born. he got experience since he was so young, he even ever made an album before came to Idol. ah, but, that recording was not that good, at least in my opinion, it was not like Adam singing those songs because the songs are plain, there are no difficulties singing them, there are no high notes nor complicated arrangement. too easy for an Adam Lambert, I guess.
I also see how Adam has a lot of genius fans (including me LOL). the genius fans who never cared of his sexuality, his too-edgy appearance, his controversial performances, and whatever people hates about him. the genius fans are focusing only to his style and talent. to his music. to his voice. isn't it sweet? Adam's so very lucky to have such fans. and he didn't make fans that way, instead he's done a hard work during the Idol and previously gained stage and singing experiences through those opera shows.
well, let's stop the compliments about him, I bet I'll take everyday to give him compliments and praises, like what I do on Twitter lately LOL. what I really, really mind about him is the special treatments and rights he got after the Idol.
what special rights? oh don't tell me you don't know. every Glambert must knows No Boundaries were recorded for Adam and Kris. No Boundaries is a coronation song which should have been the winner's, and only the winner's.
I want to give an example about this coronation song stuff. American Idol season 7 had David Cook as the winner, and David Archuleta as the runner-up. the coronation song was The Time of My Life, which was sang by two of them before the winner was announced. it means there were also 2 versions of the song. but when I search everywhere, I never ever found The Time of My Life in Archuleta's version. I only and always found Cook's, whether it is the studio version or the stage version. seems like no one is allowed to upload the Archie's version because the song has legally become Cookie's. and that way, The Time of My Life is David Cook's song.
correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the winner of Idol season 8 Kris Allen? it should have made No Boundaries legally his, no? while in reality, I don't know the consideration but Adam also recorded No Boundaries. and those two versions are available in an album: The American Idol Season 8. furthermore, in that album, every contestant should have recorded only one song, right? there might be special treatment for the winner, okay, he/she is allowed to record more than a song.
it was not happening to that compilation album. what happened was: Adam and Kris recorded No Boundaries in their own version, Kris recorded She Works Hard for The Money, Adam recorded Mad World.
what happen to the label actually? they let the runner-up do the same exact things with the winner. they give Adam the same right with Kris. they got the same treatment, while people knows exactly that the winner is Kris and the runner-up is Adam. name those special rights now: (1) coronation song, (2) more than one recording in compilation album.
and the newest special right is (3) the Idol mentoring. for the first time in history, an Idol alumni becomes the guest mentor for current Idol contestants. say, I don't have to tell you that (again and again) Adam has been chosen to mentor the Idol season 9's contestants.
this number (3) right is, I think, too much. now Adam got another special right more than every Idol winner ever had. it was okay that he was the first performer in VH1 Unplugged, since it was all about his own album. but now, he is the first Idol guest-mentor from Idol alumni? honestly, really, I'm thinking as deep as I can think about this matter. is it now still about Adam's talent? he might recorded 2 songs, including the coronation track, because he's talented and wanted and it was too bad if he only recorded a song in that album. but, first Idol guest-mentor? hello?
I'm a Glambert, one of those genius fans, and I deeply love Adam. I think of him and listen to his songs 24/7. but in this case, I must see things objectively. this is not fair. I'm sorry, Glamberts, but this is not fair. Adam is a runner-up from season 8. he only had passed a year after his season. his singles and album might be sold out and reach high position in charts everywhere, but he's still so very new to showbiz world. I can't disagree of what some people say, that some former Idols deserve this right more than Adam. they can give this opportunity to Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, or maybe to David Cook. somehow, Adam's still too fresh for this job.
ah but at least I find this condition better than before, when they invited Miley Cyrus as guest mentor LOL.
I'm thinking and thinking. the more I think the more I worry and am terrified of what happens to Adam this far. I remember how some old teenagers made breakthrough in music-biz and now they are nowhere. they're still known, but their songs are no more hits. their albums are no more sold-out. name some of them: Avril Lavigne, Britney Spears, Hanson, and those girl and boy bands. they're known, still, but their songs are not the upper-hits anymore.
that's what I don't want to happen to Adam. he's way too good to be in such condition. he got style and talent in one package. it's a precious thing not every artist/performer can have. showbiz, music-biz, whatever entertainment world would lose a real entertainer if it happened to Adam. that is why I don't really like that he got too much special rights and treatments this soon.
but oh well, despite all those worries and probability, I still think, consider, make some discussions, watch Idol this season, and many things. in the end, I guess I realize that Adam deserves to be a guest mentor in Idol this season. because he might be the one and only contestant who has style, talent, and identity. what I say identity is the character of his voice. no matter what genre he brings, we can still recognize and say: oh, this is Adam Lambert! and he sings in his own way, no matter what the genre is.
stage performance : checked. studio recording: checked. voice range: checked. voice character: checked. fashion style: checked. attitude: checked. professionalism: checked. genius fans: checked.
well Adam, I think you now perfectly harvest what you have planted since long ago.
Whoa, calm down! ;)
ReplyDeleteAt what point did anyone every attach mentoring to winner's rights? I don't remember anyone saying that.
They probably just picked Adam because they thought he'd make a good mentor.
(And because they thought he'd attract viewers, but what they hey. Sue 'em. They need the ratings.)
=]
- Emma
I'd also like to point out that, as far as breaking tradition after the show, and recording anthems and such, well:
ReplyDeleteThey had Kara record a version of the song, too. Unprecedented.
Kris ditched the song in favor of other ones for his first record. Unprecedented.
And they had a load of other unprecedented stuff from season 8 (cough, 13, fourth judge, judges' save, trophy, you name it). All unprecedented.
Just sayin. =]
As for giving the job to an older, "less-fresh," "more-deserving" Idol alum, here are my thoughts on that:
ReplyDelete1) The problem with having someone from an early season come on and mentor (especially someone from far back like Kelly) is that the show has changed so much since then, they might not be that familiar with the modern Idol environment.
I mean, think about it. Most of the people you thought about set strong precedents and traditions, which people in subsequent seasons had to work around. It got more and more complicated and sophisticated as years went on.
It's always tricky for a contestant, not doing what formers have done without getting compared, trying to do something different than what's been done already, but at the same time still adhering to the standard that former seasons have set ...
Also, the expectations placed on more modern contestants are a lot different than those placed on earlier seasons. It has in many ways become song-arrangement, "artist" Idol, rather than just straight-on singer Idol. (Remember they only let instruments on the stage in Season 7).
Considering this, doesn't it make sense for them to pick a mentor who is wholly at home with the current environment of Idol? The last season is about as close as you get, and love him or hate him, Lambert played it to perfection.
He's from season 8; his sensibilities are probably a closer fit to Season 9 than those of someone whose run was further back.
(tbc)
2) I think you should keep in mind that the whole point of a mentor is to actually help the contestants. They need to find someone who is really going to do some good.
ReplyDeleteThese people had all of last year to observe exactly what effect Adam had on backstage life on the Idol set, and by all accounts, he was always giving someone advice.
Being a mentor is kind of just in his nature. (Think Broken Open) He makes people feel comfortable, he has the knowledge to help; at one point last year they even called him the 'camp counselor'.
So yeah, I think whoever decided on it probably just recognized that he fit the part.
aha I love the way you analyze this writing. actually, I never say that Adam don't deserve being a guest mentor. he deserves it, for sure. but, to make an Idol alumni a guest mentor is a new thing, and I think it'll be better if an Idol before Adam get the job. Adam can mentor, but in some more seasons after his.
ReplyDeletenah about sophisticated environment on Idol, some guest mentors from outside Idol never minded about it. so I guess there's nothing about it.
I'm so very proud that Adam is chosen as the guest mentor. I'm just afraid this euphoria would just be a one-hit wonder just like some teenage performers I mentioned above. furthermore, I'm afraid the other Idol alumnus would envy or hate him for those special treatments he get and maybe some of them would tackle him in the future. they might not say it loudly, but we never know indeed.
I hope it won't happen. and I guess it won't as long as Adam still has genius fans like me and you :)