After 15 seasons, the popular TV singing competition American Idol is coming to an end. With only a few more weeks left of the final season, the country is getting closer to choosing the final American Idol, a bookend to Kelly Clarkson. The end of the show is definitely bittersweet. While it became less popular as a whole in the last few years (I bet you can’t name the previous five winners of the show), American Idol has given us a lot. Without it, we wouldn’t have Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, Jordin Sparks, Chris Daughtry, and many other contestants who have changed the face of music since their time on the show. I think that sometimes we forget that so many singers we now know and love started off on Idol.
What’s so special about the show? Well, it’s the only television singing competition that will allow a complete nobody off the street to walk through the double doors and present his or her talent to three of the most famous people in the world. Speaking of judges, the show has been through its fair share. When it began, the judges were Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. Simon was known for being the meanest person alive, Paula clapped at everything and Randy just called everyone “dawg.” Did he give any criticism ever? Who knows? But we do know he called everyone “dawg,” so there’s that. Here’s a bit of trivia for those watching back then: does anyone remember when they would have those weird cutaway videos suggesting a romantic relationship between Simon and Paula? Strange.
The final season will end with Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick, Jr as judges. Let me tell you, as someone who has had to sit through every single judge that ever came on Idol, I can safely say that this is the best group of judges the show has ever had. EVER. I knew the first time that Harry Connick, Jr. gave actual music advice that it was going to be good. These are three professionals who have been performing for years and still have thriving careers in music. They know what’s up! I think America is so blessed to have these three on TV every week, even if they don’t like the competitors.
America is even more blessed because it has gotten to watch Ryan Seacrest grow up on this show. Seacrest was only in his 20s when he started hosting, and if it wasn’t for the show, he wouldn’t have the thriving career he does now, making millions every year and being named the most hardworking man in show business. I sure do feel sorry for Brian Dunkleman, who hosted season one with Seacrest and then left to pursue acting. But I’m secretly grateful because if he had stayed, Seacrest’s career might not have taken off and we wouldn’t have half the celebrity news we get today.
Okay, so this article is turning more into a nostalgic jumble of words by Devika. But hey, isn’t that what Idol is? It’s nostalgia. Most people who don’t watch the show now watched it when it first started, when they were little kids! So Idol symbolizes crowding around the TV with family, picking a favorite singer and forming memories. I think that what most people will miss about the show is the fact that it was a constant. We could count on the fact that it was on every Wednesday or Thursday night, even if we didn’t watch. Now, it’s just going to be gone. When someone auditions and gets rejected, there’s no more, “Oh just work hard and come back next year.” Idol is going to be gone. We technically already know our next and final winner. It’s going to be La’Porsha, Dalton, Trent or MacKenzie (Let’s be honest, we all want it to be La’Porsha with Dalton as the runner-up who also gets a record deal).
I think the thing that hurts the most about the end of Idol is that it just isn’t going to be there anymore.
I’m going to be honest. I haven’t watched the show religiously since the beginning. I was on and off for a while. But I watched every single moment of the farewell season, because I know it’s the last time I’ll ever be able to do it, and I want to give American Idol the send-off it deserves.