But based on the press conference the panel and the executive producers - including Nigel Lythgoe - did earlier today, there are other serious changes that the show will implement this season! Am I happy with it? Some but not all.
Here are the changes expected to happen for Season 10 and other stuff from the press conference via mjsbigblog:
- Contestants will get to perform in their own genres every week! No more county singers singing rock and vice versa. Themes will focus on decades rather than genres. “It’s really important to develop what they are good at,” says Nigel.
- There will be big changes that seem very X-Factor like. Jimmy Iovine, from Interscope/UMG will mentor the kids every week. Big producers like Timbaland will be brought in to coach the kids. It’ll be the best of the best.
- There will be NO guest mentors. Jimmy Iovine will be the “resident in-house” mentor and will work with the kids every week. They laughed at the idea of Miley Cyrus as mentor
- The kids will be pushed to improve, to become, “better and more interesting” than in past seasons, “developing the young artists the way they would anyone who signs with the label.”
- It’s possible there will be guest judges if appropriate. Nigel says they would not turn down an Elton John.
- The middle rounds are going to be re-vamped. Didn’t go into a lot of detail about how.
- There could be changes regarding the use of instruments. Ken spent some time dissing the guitar players. He felt some of them hide behind their instruments. Nigel says there will be no “shoe gazers”. They want contestants to move.
- Nigel says after Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, there were no Idols. “We have got to go back to creating American Idols,” he says.
- Backstories aren’t going away any time soon. “We’ve still got to get to know these kids,” says Nigel.
- Nigel wants to bring the focus back to the talent, rather than making decisions based on the ratings.
- Nobody is there to replace Simon Cowell. Each judge will play themselves, just as Simon did. Every judge will dole out tough critiques when necessary.
- Jennifer says she believes in “tough love” but could never be cruel. Sounds like she’ll play the Paula role.
- Hard to tell what role Steven is going to play. He’s inarticulate. He’s moving to Los Angeles. (He lives in Boston).
- Steven tried to put a positive spin on it, but it’s obvious his Aerosmith bandmates are pissed. He says when they first heard the news they were jealous and angry that they heard it through the media.
- Jennifer unfazed by rumors in the run-up to the announcement. She’s used to bad press. She says the truth is always revealed.
- Jennifer has a 1st look deal with FOX . She’ll develop film and television projects.
- Fox brass insists the negotiations with both went really smoothly.
With the changes they have made, we now have genres competing rather than contestants. I mean, if it’s country that floats my boat, I can’t see myself voting for a rocker, because I am automatically programmed to cringe when he/she sings a rock song every single week. In the past, watching the contestants struggle outside their genres made them real people. Are they really going to let a contemporary crooner sing rat pack songs each week and win over all the great-grandmas through mere votes? Are they going to allow contestants - like Mandisa and Chris Sligh - who want to be Christian artists sing in that genre? That could be interesting when it comes to the voting.
If there are no theme weeks but contestants stay in their genres, I foresee a battling of the genres with the largest voting demographic supporting their chosen genre. That is all. Haha.
2 comments:
No idols after Kelly and Carrie? Whoa, what harsh words from Nigel. Harsh, but true.
And I'm kinda liking the battle of the genres. Perhaps there might be a rapper this season. Or an opera singer. That'll be something new.
Will: Yes, pretty harsh from Nigel. I mean, Daughtry, Hudson and, to some extent, Cook, Lambert and Allen have decent careers. Sure, Kelly and Carrie were the top sellers but these guys have contributed to the cred of American Idol.
As for the battle of the genres, I'd prefer a battle of the contestants than genre. Because if that's the case there's no way an opera singer or an rnb singer can win AI. Let's face it, opera singers doesn't have enough fans for people to vote and people who are into Urban and RnB music just doesn't care about these things. I maybe wrong though.
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