I think you're right about Carrie. She was so nervous tonight, I don't know how she would handle the pressures of being the next Idol. But whoever wins, I won't complain. Both Carrie and Bo have shown great deal of class and grace through this whole competition and I wish them the best.
Carrie was terribly nervous, and that kind of stress tightens the vocal cords. But who can blame her for being a nervous wreck, in that humongous theater, with those hordes of people, and down to the wire in the contest?
She did very well, nevertheless. Part of her charm is her freshness and innocence facing a new situation like that.
Reminds me of the last scene in "Gypsy" (the stage version) where Gypsy Rose Lee finally overcomes her shyness to WOW the audience. That moment will come soon for Carrie. (But she'll keep her clothes on...hopefully.)
Bo has years of stage experience, so, in that sense, he was not doing anything new tonight.
I believe they should put the required age back to 26 or under next season, in the interests of fairness.
P.S. Do you think we'll get the thread up to 10,000 posts tomorrow night?
The two power ballads that the AI producers came up with for the first record of the winner played totally to Carrie's strengths, not to Bo's. Obviously, I don't know when the songs were written, but do know that they are ready at least three weeks before the final show. The last three or four contestants all record it so it will be ready to be released quickly after the winner is chosen.
Back when those songs were being written and produced, Carrie was the favorite to win. They clearly were designed for her. That being the case, I'd say Bo actually did the better job tonight, because he was the one forced out of his genre and natural style. He was a little bit shaky on the first song, but really nailed the other two.
Carrie actually had the easier job tonight, because all three songs fit her natural style. I think she did a fine job overall -- about the best that she can do in a competition setting. But I disagree with Simon (who was still trying in the end to tilt the voting to her). I think she fell just a bit short.
Bo reached a whole different level last week with that amazing a cappella performance, and I think he may actually have won the competition then. Remember a few weeks ago when pretty much everyone thought the final three were going to be Carrie, Constantine and Nadia? And then somewhere along the line, Bo reached down deep and found a different level of performance in himself. He's come on strong ever since, and it would surprise me if he lost tomorrow night.
I think the vote totals will be close, and it will depend on whose voters get through the most. But there are plenty of country/power ballad type singers out there. Other than her fresh, all-American-girl beauty, Carrie doesn't bring anything particularly unique to the table. Bo does. He isn't just a retro-rocker, nor another Josh Groban/Clay Aiken type, nor even the boy version of today's pop tarts (e.g., Justin Timberlake). Even when he does ballads, Bo has a compelling edge to him that draws the audience in.
No so much in vocal tone or genre, but in that edge he has to his voice, Bo reminds me of singers like Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, and Bruce Springsteen (in his prime). His sound isn't smooth and sikly, like Carrie and so many singers of that type.
Having said all that, I almost want Bo to lose because his first release will be those two awful power ballads that the AI producers/song writers came up with for the winner. Neither one of those songs suit him well or do him justice. He deserves better for his first release. They aren't authentic to who he is as a vocalist. As I said, they suit Carrie much better.