It was a very good Christmas this year because I finally got some of the great CD's released in 2010 by some of the Miss American Idol finalists. In these three releases, you can see the broad range of diverse and high quality talent that is coming out of American Idol.
David Archuleta: The Other Side of Down - This is the second album released in October 2010 by the Season 7 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up. From his first album he had a hugely successful single, Crush, that hit #2 on the Billboard HOT 100, but he had no such success with this release. The first single called Something 'Bout Love is a very catchy song with a great beat, but it just didn't connect with radio and music buyers. David is a very talented young man with a great voice and with a fresh, young innocence that it would appear is just too pure for the mainstream. I am very glad to add this fresh, young and innocent music to my collection as it is very enjoyable and you can feel the sincerity in every word David sings.
Clay Aiken: Tried and True - In June when this collection of pop standards was released by the Season 2 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up, he stepped out in front of all the others by having 5 Top 10 albums hit the Billboard charts. Being a collection of covers like Misty, Moon River and Who's Sorry Now, it's no surprise that none of them made a dent on the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart. Having come out as openly gay, Clay is more at peace than ever doing the kind of music that he wants to do and that he does best. He exhibits his exceptional and pure vocal range on every track and the big band, jazz arrangements are outstanding. He is definitely a singer that does not need to rely on studio production at all to sound amazing. Clay is a great live performer and he makes each one of these interpretations into a fantastic showstopper.
Fantasia: Back To Me - With her third release in August, the Season 3 Miss American Idol winner reached her highest position on the Billboard albums chart 8 years after her win. The years of hard work in the music business and her personal struggles have all contributed to the creation of a raw, gritty and genuine R&B album. On each track you can hear the emotion in her voice and you feel all of it as if it were happening to you. Fantasia has never been and will never be a product that is put together by a record company. She is a REAL down to earth artist with deep down in your heart SOUL. Her performance of I'm Here from the Color Purple that is included on the album illustrates her unique ability to tell a story and bring a song to life with her passionate voice.
1 comment:
No Katharine McPhee!! She unlike the rest of them released two CD's in 2010. I do love Fantasia's CD I just wish she would have added more unique songs instead of choosing a lot of songs that all sound alike.
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