IDOL CHATTER- THE FINALS

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that Laine Hardy ended up winning American Idol- Season 17 last night. Idol is about singing but it's also about image. Once Laine got to Hollywood someone got a hold of him and turned him into this slick, polished, Elvis-like hick from the South. And it worked!

Laine was consistent all season, singing what he did best- Southern Rock and Rockabilly. He wore flashy clothes, slicked his hair back and flashed his bright new smile. He appeals to teen aged girls but also to older women who dug Elvis way back when.

I wonder where his future lies in recording. I'm sure his first album will be worthy of the Allman Brothers or Marshall Tucker Band. I don't see him as a country artist. It will be interesting how he is marketed.

His rendition of "Jambelia" was gritty and fun. America obviously liked his boyish looks  (" The Boy form the Bayou") and his young Elvis swagger.

I thought he was too slick and too polished. Like he was imitating a singer rather than  being a singer. I'm wondering what the girl feels like who he came to the audition with. just to play guitar? The judges convinced him to "try out" and gave him a gold ticket without even auditioning.

Laine will be on the scene for a while but won't be a major star. Even Katy Perry got on social media after the show and proclaimed "in five years" Laine was break through and be a s tar. of course, the judges were so obsessed with Alejanfro that anyone else would be a disappointment.Let's see if promoters use the "Party with Hardy" tag line and try to make him inot a modern day teen idol?

Speaking of which, Alejandro had a solid if not spectacular final night of performance. He stuck with all original material. It's pretty obvious he is looking to the future and not really caring if he won the whole thing or not. Some avant-guard record producer will sign him quickly, get him into a studio and record the collection of songs that we heard all season.

In a way, finishing as the runner-up may have been the best outcome for Alejando.Now he is  not obligated  to ABC or any big cooperation. He can make his own deal now, and with the backing of famous artists ( like Stevie Nicks),

Alejandro is admittedly a good musician but even he  concedes that he isn't a great singer. He's a songwriter, which helped him a lot in this competition. Lionel said he had a "special place in my heart" for songwriters. As Katy correctly said, "American Idol used to be a karaoke show. Now the bar has been set much higher." Look for more and more people who audition to use their own, original songs.

I think it was a mistake for Alejandro to sing only original songs on Sunday night. That may have been great P.R. for his future career but even I was hungry to hear something familiar from him. But Alejandro was smart. To do something popular would not have been in his wheelhouse ( remember his awful version of "Under Pressure" on Queen night?). He played it safe and America didn't completely buy it.

He seems like a nice, humble guy. Let's hope he stays that way. I predict he will release an album before Laine, as Alejandro has an album's worth of songs ready to record  right now. I'm sure he will be on FM radio soon enough.

Madison finished a surprising third. All through the voting we never knew the exact positioning of the would-be Idols each week. Was Madison just barely making it every week? Or did she just simply have a bad night at the worse possible time?

Her strength was singing power ballads, and her first song was the Oscar-winning "Shallow" from "A Star Is Born." She tried to sing Kelly Clarkson's "Breakaway" for her follow-up and was way off-key, easily her worst performance of the year. That was also a mistake. She had been compared to Clarkson earlier in the season but never sang a Clarkson song until Sunday night. She came up short in comparison and it cost her.

I originally picked Madison and Jeremiah to make the final two. I was way off. I suppose, even though Madison may have gotten robbed as Jeremiah was, and was the best singer of the final trio, she wasn't the most popular.

Madison is only 17. I'm sure she will be on the music scene after she finishes school. Or will she simply fade away?

If she does appear down the road I'm sure she will go the Laine route: go on a diet to lose that baby fat, fix her hair, etc. She had good taste in clothes all along. I just hope she doesn't forget her "girl-next-door" quality that went along with her ability to really belt out a song, which endeared her to America in the first place.

It looks like the judges will return next season and i have mixed feeling about that. They seem to get along and work well together and like each other but they are weak as judges ( which is why they are getting paid millions of dollars each season).

Take for instance last night. Lionel may as well record his so-called critique and play it over and over: "You're  going far.."You're on your way.."You're a star.."

 Katy has become a character of herself. Last night was the worst. First she wore a dress that threatened to peel off her chest when she leaned over, exposing her boobs live on National TV. She awkwardly had to hold a hand across her bosom all night to prevent a major accident from happening.

She tries to hard to be cute and funny anymore, instead of letting it happen naturally like in her first season. She was seen as quirky and refreshing, now she seems too planned and annoying.

Luke probably has evolved into the best judge. He seems to give honest opinions without being too critical.

It won't happen but I wish Simon Cowell was back. People watch many nights just to hear his honesty. Something is needed to spice up the judges next year.

It was odd that last year's winner, Maddie Poppi, was on, has a new album which "dropped" two days before, also with a new single, yet didn't sing. Wasn't she asked to sing, yet the producers had time for other artists?Even Ryan's attempted interview with her seemed strange, as she suddenly blurted that shes  was "bad" on live TV? But wasn't that what made her season 16's winner?

Adam Lambert was just OK, doing a new single ( which was just OK as well) and a very shortened version of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." Carrie Underwood was OK too, hawking her new single. It seems these former Idol contestants don't really do much but try to sell themselves during the final show.

It was good to see some of this seasons' familiar faces back for the final, like the little cowboy who was good at lassoing. One last moment in the sun.

I will miss Idol until next spring. Auditions begin this summer. No Idol tour like before, which is interesting. Word around is that ABC renewed the show but will slash it's budget for next year. Maybe less lights and a not as extravagant stage would be a good thing. At times Idol seemed too glitzy and polished- just like it's eventual winner, Laine Hardy.