Smothering management is more like it. The contestants signed by 19/BMG sacrifice an awful lot of their sales income and musical control in exchange for the TV exposure and a shot at a career. They even sacrifice control over their own image and name (as a brand). 19/BMG has a habit of going with cheesey songs that they think might make them a quick commercial buck. They don't give a rat's butt about the long-term careers of these AI winners and runners up.
In four seasons of AI, only one person appears to have a real, lasting career. The jury is still out on Clay and Fantasia. So the odds are against Carrie and Bo.
At 19-20 years old, Kelly was as young as, or even younger than Carrie when she won the first AI. So age, alone, shouldn't be a handicap. Carrie seems to know what she wants, which is to do country music. As I've mentioend before, the key will be finding quality songs and performing them with heart and soul.
I genuinely want to see her succeed, if for no other reason than an odd one. That is to stick it to that total AI rip-off, Nashville Star, LOL!
The obligatory AI summer tour starts in July, and both Bo and Carrie have said their albums are coming out in October. The tour runs through August, which leaves only about a month to select the songs, arrangements, musicians, back-up singers, learn, rehearse and record all 10 to 12 songs, etc. I'm worried for both Carrie and Bo that the quality of their albums will suffer because of the rush to get them out.
Clark's new album has sold just over 500 copies to date, making him a total laughing stock on all the music boards I visit.
500 copies?
The sales of Ruben's second album were very disappointing. If he puts out a third album and it also tanks quickly, his career is done.
I used to feel sorry for Ruben, but not anymore. He can sue and point fingers all he wants, but if his career implodes it will be because of his own doing more than anthing else. Good riddance.