ON THE 2009 ?American Idol? tilt, there are still six finalists left, but in some viewer-voters? opinion, the competition?s winner has already been identified: He?s Adam Lambert, the show?s resident musical-theater veteran, with the ?impossibly? high vocal range, especially on falsetto.
Why are they so sure? They point out that, from week to week, Lambert comes up with the most innovative and versatile vocal moves?and gets the most appreciative comments from the ongoing tilt?s sometimes surly judges.
Unofficial survey
In addition, for what it?s worth, an unofficial survey lists Lambert at the top of the field, followed by Allison Iraheta, Kris Allen, Danny Gokey, Anoop Desai, Matt Giraud and Lil Rounds (in that order). Let?s see how these ?predictions? pan out in succeeding weeks.
In any case, however the viewer-voters? ?final-final? verdicts finally pan out, Lambert can already bask in the warm, tingly feeling that comes from knowing that, in the entire eight-year history of ?American Idol,? he?s the only finalist ever honored by the show?s resident sourpuss, Simon Cowell, with a standing ovation (two weeks ago).
As for the tilt?s viewers, they love Lambert?s ?perfect control over his high notes,? ?beautiful, haunting and captivating rendition,? ?magic,? ?flawless sound??etc.!
How did Lambert get to be so good? His father was a DJ and exposed him to the best music of the ?60s, ?70s and ?80s. In addition, he?s been performing in stage musicals ever since childhood?that?s 15 years of performing experience over some of his cofinalists? thinner curricula vitae.
Of course, all that musical-theater experience can become a liability when you?re competing in a pop/rock singing tilt. Many musical-theater artists are criticized for being too ?big,? ?broad? and ?loud.? Happily for Lambert, however, he?s worked hard to counteract those tendencies, and both viewers and judges approve.
Ability
Lambert cut his performing teeth when he was cast in the European tour of the musical, ?Hair.? After that, he reinvented himself as a glam rock-soul performer. Later, he was cast as Joshua in ?The Ten Commandments,? where he became a press and audience favorite, and won praise as ?a musical chameleon,? ?a young singer possessing a high tenor power voice,? ?an artist who seamlessly maneuvers in and out of many musical genres,? as well as for his ability not just to sing, but also to compose his own songs.
Expectedly, Lambert?s popularity had made him a moving target for negative talk and ?shocking? rumors that allude to his ?gender-bending? proclivities. To get away from his original ?glam rock? image, Lambert has been projecting a more ?mainstream? look of late?no more dark nail polish, ?wild? hair, etc. Will it work? If he wants to end up on top of the ?Idol? heap, it better.
