Hey- they voted for Adam. I think they definitely will vote for Lee and Crystal. They seem to have been so far. Aaron or Mike are next.
Adam was a teen pop idol type of performer. He was as Simon would proclaim, "current". Adam is now a big star and yes, very current.
Lee and Crystal are more "indie" based musicians, aka Indigo Girls and Dave Matthews at best, and are less about looks and show, and more about quiet reflection, kind of like the blond haired girl who played a mean piano and Scott McIntyre from the past who didn't win.
Talent is never the top factor on Idol. It probably ranks behind teen idol credentials of dress, moves, and overall looks. They have to be "cool" in order to win in most cases. Melinda Doolittle is the perfect example of talent losing out over image.
Justice would give this competition to Lee or Crystal, but the remaining three are more marketable for the teen and early 20s market. If Lee had the stage presence and happy demeanor of a George Huff or Clay Aiken and Crystal had the demeanor and looks of a Carrie Underwood of Kelly Pickler, this contest would pretty much be over. And I don't think I am even mentioning the most teen attracting personalities from the past.
If Lee had the looks and smile of second place Justin from season #1, he would win hands down. Heck, if Lee even had the female appeal of a Sanjaya, looks wise, this contest would be over.
Lee's the only one who has delivered from nearly the beginning of the season and changed it up just enough to be called versatile. Crystal came to life the night she tried performing without a guitar and showed her feminine side.
Ultimately, I see Crystal and Lee as people who get one vote from their respective fans. People like Tim Urban, who some say shouldn't have been in the top 12, was the type of person a teenage girl would vote ten times for in one night. This is still pop music, and perhaps at its biggest in rock and roll history.
Where else can 30 million people tune in 2 to 3 times a week just to watch music, and then 90 second covers (not much more than jingles), and still get thrilled.
I say by the time we get to the top 12, let the singers double the length of the songs they are singing so at least they can get a chance to tell a story, or build to a climax. How else can Bohemian Rhapsody or A Day in the Life be properly performed?
That being said, win or not, Lee and Crystal will become huge stars and capture much of the market of the late-20s to late-30s music buying crowd. Lee potentially has the ability to become, yes, the next Bruce Springsteen. Crystal can be, arguably, as big as Melissa Etheridge. But both would need more than one hit record (which I think is guaranteed) and be around for at least a decade.
I think Carrie Underwood is the only one who can keep her career going strong over ten years before she retires and become a real, long-term star. The rest have the ability, but it's up to the record buying public to decide on that.
There have been amazing bands in the past who have not achieved long term, big sale pop status like the Ramones, PJ Harvey, the Nymphs, Sonic Youth, and Guitar Wolf.
