Just want to acknowledge the roller-coaster ride of young James Durbin, who appears on the Vocals section on ASSR and who got cut from American Idol on Thursday night.
Most if not all of us who made or make records do it for a least some recognition and on a TV show like American Idol the pressure to become an instant commodity must be overwhelming.
We first heard James back in 2009 shortly before he auditioned for that year's American Idol. He already sang like a star (and we have the video to prove it!) but didn't even make it off the parking lot. So much for AI's capacity to spot talent - then or now.
This season he did make it; well almost. Although a TV talent contest has put him in front of a national if not international audience, the curse of winning this type of event can snuff out a career as quickly as it ignites it. Fortunately a talent such as James' is both rare and resilient and chances are he will be around for a long time to come.
It was a pleasure working with James and it will be a pleasure to see how his career blossoms now.
TV talent contests are one of the uglier sides of the music business - all TV and contest and normally very little talent involved. Tough though it can be to stomach, TV is one of the few commercial outlets for musicians today so this is our New Reality, whether we like it or not.
Best we can do is at least make good music, however or wherever it finally hangs its hat.
Well done James for raising the bar and long may you continue to do so.
Julian C, series producer ASSR
One would have to wonder if the judges declaring him pretty much the next AI winner (his competition to lose), up to 5 weeks before the finale had a negative effect on the voting public. That, along with Haley getting beat up by Randy and J Lo pretty much every week may have backfired this week by getting voters to side with her after Wednesday's judges fiasco even Ryan had to ask "what is she suppose to get out of your responses" (so to speak).
People stopped voting for James because the judges called it his competition to lose and Haley probably got the voting bump because the voters got tired of watching Haley get trashed (she who seemed to be in the bottom 3 each week in the beginning).
Thing is, in my opinion, James had consistently, as a musician, delivered week after week and in my view should not have been voted off. If it's any consolation to him, he is in good company with non AI winners Daughtry and Adam Lambert, both of whom went on to bigger things that the crowned winners.
My wife is so pissed, she does not care to watch the last 2 weeks.
I also commend ASSR, specifically Julian C for the post giving James his due. It was very thoughtful of you.
Concluding this initial chapter in his public career, James Durbin's home town of Santa Cruz, California, was given special dispensation by the 'good folks' at Fox and Coca Cola to come home the week he was voted off American Idol for a parade and mini show at the City's spectacular Boardwalk stage on the beach.
30,000 people (in a City of only 50,000) turned out for the event.
We wish James all the very best in his future career and will keep the ASSR community posted.
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