Despite coming late to the Lee DeWyze lovefest, I am completely stoked that I got to see him anointed America's choice live via satellite.
The 2-hr show started early, 7 am my time. Which was perfect as the end of the show coincided with the start of my meeting at the head office. The reason to why I was able to watch the telecast as it was going on instead of the repeat in the evening once I returned from the project site wasn't a happy one. I had to be at the HQ this morning as I was needed to be present at an employee termination meeting. I will admit I was erring on the unprofessional side this morning but under the unpleasant circumstances I was going to encounter later, I just wanted a lil bit of good news in the form of a Lee DeWyze win.
And it was good news I got, great news in fact. The telecast was running over and I was getting antsy for the results to be announced as I was already due to run into the meeting room for the 9 o'clock appointment. The moment Ryan announced Lee as the winner and his name flashed on the jumbotron in the background, I let out a silent but elated 'YES!' and immediately turned off the TV so I could rush down to the meeting. The last images I saw were of the fireworks display going off in Lee's hometown of Mount Prospect, Illinois. I will admit that in the back of my mind, I was torn between staying a few minutes more to watch him sing Beautiful Day but the professional in me won that battle and I went to assist in crushing someone's day/life.
I just finished rewatching the finale and am so touched by Lee's victory moment. He truly appears to be awed, humbled and completely grateful for his win. I have not seen a more honest reaction from a contestant in the years since I started following American Idol (Fantasia's year). I still stand by that I have been moved by this seasons' contestants the most out of any other season. Maybe because I like the singer/songwriter types and this season was chock-full of 'em. I also liked how unbelievably likeable most of the Top 12 were and it was easy to root supportively for everyone without feeling as if you truly needed to pick a camp.
The highlights of the finale show, besides Lee's winning moment, was Crystal's duet with Alanis Morissette, the season 9 contestants singing with Alice Cooper, Casey's duet with Bret Michaels (which I simply found amazing since the guy was in the ICU with a brain haemorrage a coupla weeks ago), the girls performing Christina Aguilera's Fighter, the boys perfomance with Daryl Hall & John Oates, Lee singing Chicago's If You Leave Me Now in a falsetto (?) I've never heard him use before, the moment right before the winner's announcement when both Lee and Crystal held onto each other for support; completely underlining their mutual respect, friendship and love for one another and of course, Lee singing Beautiful Day as a most heartfelt thank you to all those who supported him throughout his journey.
And I managed to get all these moments despite the fact that the finale was hijacked by the Simon Cowell farewell party. LOL, don't get me wrong, I love SiCo (I even had a crush on him during the Carrie Underwood season) and will definitely miss him but it completely detracted from the event at hand; crowning the 9th American Idol. I did enjoy the tributes though, funny and touching all rolled in one. Basically, the finale was great times all around for me.
I'll admit I'm a tiny bit sad because the season has ended and my weekly fix of Lee and to a slightly lesser degree, Casey and Crystal, is over. But I cannot wait for Lee's album (and Casey's and Crystal's as well). I am trying to ignore the haters of this season who say that both finalist are basically forgettable and won't make a mark. It's a different type of season so I just wish they would stop whining for an Adam Lambert style of performance cos looking at this crop of contestants, it's not their thing to be flashy. They're more about the songs and the connection than they are about the showmanship. Call me dull, boring, whatever but I like my musicians to be about substance.
So, Lee DeWyze wins the crown and I honestly hope he can sustain the momentum of his win by coming out with a record that will silence all those naysayers who keep going on about how he can't keep two notes on key and other sort of rubbish talk. Don't squander this opportunity, Lee. This is your beginning, the start in which you make people remember the moments in their lives when they heard you sing. Run with it, dude.
P.S: Photo is, again, courtesy of Fox.
The 2-hr show started early, 7 am my time. Which was perfect as the end of the show coincided with the start of my meeting at the head office. The reason to why I was able to watch the telecast as it was going on instead of the repeat in the evening once I returned from the project site wasn't a happy one. I had to be at the HQ this morning as I was needed to be present at an employee termination meeting. I will admit I was erring on the unprofessional side this morning but under the unpleasant circumstances I was going to encounter later, I just wanted a lil bit of good news in the form of a Lee DeWyze win.
And it was good news I got, great news in fact. The telecast was running over and I was getting antsy for the results to be announced as I was already due to run into the meeting room for the 9 o'clock appointment. The moment Ryan announced Lee as the winner and his name flashed on the jumbotron in the background, I let out a silent but elated 'YES!' and immediately turned off the TV so I could rush down to the meeting. The last images I saw were of the fireworks display going off in Lee's hometown of Mount Prospect, Illinois. I will admit that in the back of my mind, I was torn between staying a few minutes more to watch him sing Beautiful Day but the professional in me won that battle and I went to assist in crushing someone's day/life.
I just finished rewatching the finale and am so touched by Lee's victory moment. He truly appears to be awed, humbled and completely grateful for his win. I have not seen a more honest reaction from a contestant in the years since I started following American Idol (Fantasia's year). I still stand by that I have been moved by this seasons' contestants the most out of any other season. Maybe because I like the singer/songwriter types and this season was chock-full of 'em. I also liked how unbelievably likeable most of the Top 12 were and it was easy to root supportively for everyone without feeling as if you truly needed to pick a camp.
The highlights of the finale show, besides Lee's winning moment, was Crystal's duet with Alanis Morissette, the season 9 contestants singing with Alice Cooper, Casey's duet with Bret Michaels (which I simply found amazing since the guy was in the ICU with a brain haemorrage a coupla weeks ago), the girls performing Christina Aguilera's Fighter, the boys perfomance with Daryl Hall & John Oates, Lee singing Chicago's If You Leave Me Now in a falsetto (?) I've never heard him use before, the moment right before the winner's announcement when both Lee and Crystal held onto each other for support; completely underlining their mutual respect, friendship and love for one another and of course, Lee singing Beautiful Day as a most heartfelt thank you to all those who supported him throughout his journey.
And I managed to get all these moments despite the fact that the finale was hijacked by the Simon Cowell farewell party. LOL, don't get me wrong, I love SiCo (I even had a crush on him during the Carrie Underwood season) and will definitely miss him but it completely detracted from the event at hand; crowning the 9th American Idol. I did enjoy the tributes though, funny and touching all rolled in one. Basically, the finale was great times all around for me.
I'll admit I'm a tiny bit sad because the season has ended and my weekly fix of Lee and to a slightly lesser degree, Casey and Crystal, is over. But I cannot wait for Lee's album (and Casey's and Crystal's as well). I am trying to ignore the haters of this season who say that both finalist are basically forgettable and won't make a mark. It's a different type of season so I just wish they would stop whining for an Adam Lambert style of performance cos looking at this crop of contestants, it's not their thing to be flashy. They're more about the songs and the connection than they are about the showmanship. Call me dull, boring, whatever but I like my musicians to be about substance.
So, Lee DeWyze wins the crown and I honestly hope he can sustain the momentum of his win by coming out with a record that will silence all those naysayers who keep going on about how he can't keep two notes on key and other sort of rubbish talk. Don't squander this opportunity, Lee. This is your beginning, the start in which you make people remember the moments in their lives when they heard you sing. Run with it, dude.
P.S: Photo is, again, courtesy of Fox.
