American Idol: Finale

If you handed a record producer the portfolios of Bo Bice and Carrie Underwood, the reaction would be clear-cut. Carrie would jump right off the page -- beautiful blonde girl with an excellent voice, the prototype American Idol. Sign her now, record her album and make sure to tell the creative team to put that sunshine, perfect smile front and center on the cover.

Bo? Hippie-looking kid with a '70s throwback voice, perhaps relevant, perhaps not.

But guess what? Bo stepped outside of the stereotype, emerging as a tour de force original, a kid from 'Bama with the passion, persistence and personality to woo America into his personal genre of music.

Week after week Bo made a lasting impression, showing versatility no one has ever approached in four years of Fox's mega-popular singing competition. He could sing Gregg Allman, Jim Croce and the Ides of March with such verve and precision you thought you were hearing the original record. His a cappella "In a Dream" was one of Idol's landmark performances.

Hippie? Long-haired southern boy? You betcha. Meet your next American Idol.

Here's the order of how the final 2 performed last night, with the odds of winning it all tonight:

1. Bo Bice
Bo can sing anything. He could do Tom Jones, Eddie Vedder and James Taylor. Heck, he might even be able to do Billie Holiday. He cuts across genres yet creates his own lyrical spirit. Last night in his opener, to sort of quote Paul McCartney, Bo "took a sad song and made it better" with "Long, Long Road." Thought he started slow and picked it up toward the end. It's safe to say that "Vehicle," the Ides of March classic, now belongs to Bo. When he cuts his first album, he'd be smart to include this. Bo was exceptional on "Inside Your Heaven," another new song. It was here where Bo showed his versatility, the quality that will give him the deserved crown tonight.
Odds of winning: 2-1

2. Carrie Underwood
Carrie has been a terrific contestant, and definitely deserves to be in the final, unlike two of the past runner-ups, Justin Guarini and Diana DeGarmo.  There were times this season when she was considered the favorite, before a steamroller named Bo decided he thought being an American Idol would be kind of cool.  Was not crazy about any of Carrie's songs last night. On "Inside Your Heaven," she was off-key for much of the song, saved only by a big note at the end. "Independence Day" was boring, but she came through somewhat with "Angels Brought Me Here," perhaps even out-singing Bo on this one. In the end, Carrie is a talented girl who will sell a lot of country records.
Odds of winning: 5-1

Comments

[dj]

Carrie's summary performance was doctored. It wasn't the same as her performance on her last song.

[john]

Yes, everyone knows this, the whole recap at the end is from the dress rehearsal. Did you expect them to get the whole thing done, literally, seconds after the last performance??

[Kevin]

Carrie's last song was not "Long, Long Road" it was "Angels Brought Me Here."

[Dan]

Kevin - thanks for the correction.

-- Dan