Reading into the Silence
3/23/06
by Diane Sprague
American Idol is very enjoyable right now. I don't even have a favorite. I like them all. It has reached the point where I don't want anyone to go home and wish I could pull back a few of the contestants who have already left. They are all excellent singers, very creative and entertaining, and thoroughly likeable. The judges haven't even blatantly pointed out their chosen one in the disappointing way they have in the past seasons. Ryan has tossed out some great zingers at Simon and the judges haven't been quite as annoying other than the cat fights between Paula and Simon which really ought to be taken outside. It might end up being a real contest and it might stay interesting. It might, but I don't know. There's something I don't trust.
There is a strangle silence that seeps in near the end. Last year I was puzzled by the absurd choice they made to bring back the bad singers during the final week. Why the bad singers? Where were the good ones? Aren't they truly what the show is about? I fear that this year we will be graced by the return of those horrible Brittenum twins rather than the singers we grew to love in the past. Perhaps the good singers are unable or unwilling to return. Perhaps the producers wanted to convey a different message that after all the hoopla, they are finished with the singers and it's time to focus on packaging the entertainment the next round. Whatever the reason, all that seems to be left for the idols is a tacky tour and albums that may sell well but have songs that many have judged to be of questionable quality.
In a society that mainly places attention on the new and flashy, I guess what is happening with American Idol makes sense. We like the promise of new talent, but the effort to let that talent continue to develop and to will to sustain our attention seems to drop into that silence.
Right now, after hearing Chris perform his amazing rendition of I Walk the Line, I imagine him instilling this same creativity and passion into his future performances. Will we get that if he wins, or just tired, predictable songs with crappy lyrics? Would we continue to enjoy Taylor's unique personality and soulful voice or would he just get songs and opportunities that muffle it all into something ordinary. I can easily see how Ace could be immediately dumped into the boy band mode which would ignore the pleasing spark of creativity he brings into the performances. I can see how quickly the uniqueness of Paris, Katharine, Lisa, and Mandisa could get so completely lost in average songs and poor productions.
It's so fun now, but it may so easily slip away. We see the potential in the singers. We know what could happen, but the music industry that awaits could so easily silence it. The American Idol producers are likely well aware of this likelihood, so perhaps they hope they can distract us with a return of the tedious bad singers and a promise of another year bigger and better than the last year.
The only singer I have continued to pay close attention to after American Idol is Clay Aiken. The silence that has permeated the his world is strange and puzzling. Nothing seems to be happening, or if it is, it appears to be classified information inexplicably protected by some strange, stony demon. I don't know why. I don't understand it. I think there might be another album out someday, but apparently anyone who leeks out any information about it will be shot.
My fear is that this silence is the silence of a business that forget what to do with talent, creativity, and uniqueness. American Idol gives us the promise of something better; we see and embrace the potential, but will we figure out what to do with it later? Will we remember how to let something worthwhile last for a substantial length of time, or will we just wait to get distracted by something new.
I would love for my worried pessimisn to be proven unnecessary. Maybe, for Clay, the silence is the calm before the storm. Maybe this season will remain strong and the singers will continue to blossom even when it is over. Perhaps our love for American Idol holds the promise of our willingness to hold onto the things we value and the music industry will figure out how not to wrap it's packages with ordinary predictable blandness. And yet, my fear is that the silence that creeps in is the sign of our not knowing what to do with the things we value and so we simply forget, let it disappear, and hope to soon get distracted by something different and something new. That would be sad, and to find myself chomping on my foot for awhile if I were to discover something different happening would be most enjoyable.
SirLinksalot: Clay Aiken Links
SirLinksalot: American Idol Links