IMO, the finalists are better than many years of contestants but while they are emotionally bringing it, they need some training on when to do certain things and when to just sing as written. That goes for Josh and Jessica. As far as Phillip Phillips goes, he’s just a beer joint musician and I do not know how he got this far except for the tween voters who vote more than the rest of us who are older than 15.
I agree with you they need to work with them more on a lot of things and I think they need much better guidance in picking songs. Some of the songs choices this year have been kind of out there and got a few sent home because it didn’t really showcase what they are capable of.
As far as Phillips is concerned I have to disagree there because he has a raw talent that can be polished. What he did with the Jonny Lang song was brilliant. Now will my MP-3 player be seeing him anytime soon? I doubt it very much it is just not my cup of tea. But he has got this Dave Matthews/Richie Havens/Joe Crocker vibe going for him with a devil may care attitude that is drawing people in. Plus he has got a somewhat unique sound that has not been heard in a while and it seems to be appealing to a lot of people. Will he be a big hit, a dud, or just fill a niche market no one knows until he releases an album. But if musical history is any indicator odd vocal stylings seem to be big hit makers.
Here is the thing no one can ever predict what the listening public is going to like hearing. It is impossible. If Record Companies could predict who and what is going to be a hit they would rule the world. They would not waste millions of dollars each year scouring the land looking for talent, producing product, and acts that can’t crack the Top 100 and in some cases do not even chart. It is hard to gauge what the listening audience is going to be into.
Take Lou Reed for example a true rock icon. Here is a guy with a heavy Long Island/NY accent. Is he the best singer ever? No. But what he has going for himself is he is a great songwriter who tells dynamic stories through music with an over the top rebellious attitude that captivates huge audiences with his unique style and voice.
Then there is Bob Dylan with a high pitched nasally voice who wrote songs that tapped into the American psyche of that time with his folk/rock music not only captivating the listening public by the droves but also inspiring a whole generation of this nation. He was one of Jimi Hendrix’s favorite artists to listen too.
Look at Neil Young with his high pitched whine of a voice. And he has covered just about all the genres from folk, rock, country, punk, to techno dance, and yet he has a big following and has sold a ton of records because of his unique voice.
Joe Crocker, Cyndi Lauper, The Sex Pistols, Tom Waits, etc the list goes on when it comes to odd or different sounding musical talent making the grade while many technically great singers who record companies spend time and money on packaging just don’t have the “It Factor” that grabs an audience and go by the way side just showing that no one can predict who the listening public is going to like.