Simon Cowell - reluctantly predicting Taylor Hicks to win?
From 3/27/06 Rita Crosby on MSNBC. Rita Crosby is interviewing Simon Cowell and American Idol executive producer Ken Warwick.
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COSBY: Simon, what about your top three predictions? You made a prediction a while back of who you think is going to be the top three. Are you sticking with that same prediction now?
COWELL: Yes, I’ll stick by it. It was Kellie, Taylor and Chris. I think that sounds fair, that sounds safe....
...COSBY: And who do you think is going to win? What’s your prediction on who’s going to win, who’s going to take it all?
COWELL: I have a horrible feeling that the public is going to vote for Taylor, and I would prefer Chris.
COSBY: You’d prefer Chris?
WARWICK: It's all subjective.
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So Simon thinks Taylor Hicks will win the whole thing, but he wishes it was Chris. I would be willing to bet Simon thinks Chris is more marketable to a wider audience than Taylor, but I also think he is overestimating the marketability of Chris.
Taylor's music (which I have heard most of his original songs) probably won't appeal to a younger audience, but he has a big enough following that his music will sell and get played on AOR radio stations. He won't become a huge pop-star in the way Kelly Clarkson has, the same way the other 3 winners haven't.
The kind of music Chris performs has a very specific audience and hit it's peak popularity about 5 years ago. In my opinion Chris sounds just like a lot of already existing bands, so that could cut back on his ability to become really big in that style of music. That being said, I'm sure Chris will find some success in that genre, just like Taylor will find success in his.
That's my more objective look at it.
My subjective view is - Go Taylor! I hope you win.
****
COSBY: Simon, what about your top three predictions? You made a prediction a while back of who you think is going to be the top three. Are you sticking with that same prediction now?
COWELL: Yes, I’ll stick by it. It was Kellie, Taylor and Chris. I think that sounds fair, that sounds safe....
...COSBY: And who do you think is going to win? What’s your prediction on who’s going to win, who’s going to take it all?
COWELL: I have a horrible feeling that the public is going to vote for Taylor, and I would prefer Chris.
COSBY: You’d prefer Chris?
WARWICK: It's all subjective.
****
So Simon thinks Taylor Hicks will win the whole thing, but he wishes it was Chris. I would be willing to bet Simon thinks Chris is more marketable to a wider audience than Taylor, but I also think he is overestimating the marketability of Chris.
Taylor's music (which I have heard most of his original songs) probably won't appeal to a younger audience, but he has a big enough following that his music will sell and get played on AOR radio stations. He won't become a huge pop-star in the way Kelly Clarkson has, the same way the other 3 winners haven't.
The kind of music Chris performs has a very specific audience and hit it's peak popularity about 5 years ago. In my opinion Chris sounds just like a lot of already existing bands, so that could cut back on his ability to become really big in that style of music. That being said, I'm sure Chris will find some success in that genre, just like Taylor will find success in his.
That's my more objective look at it.
My subjective view is - Go Taylor! I hope you win.
posted by Sherry L at 11:34 AM
5 Comments:
I think the underestimated value of Taylor is his widespread appeal among people who don't know how to steal his music from the internet. The ratio of sales-to-piracy for Taylor Hicks albums, I predict, will be significantly lower, and every album sold is money... Therefore, Taylor Hicks is money, and I love money... and Taylor Hicks.
I have been picking Paris to win it all since the audition rounds, and I am not changing now.
My top 4, including Paris, is identical to Simon's, although Katherine made a big comeback this week. If she keeps delivering like that, she can become a steamroller.
Kellie has enormous appeal, I will admit, but at some point the comparisons to Carrie will have to work against her. "Didn't we just do blonde last year?"
Chris has by far the best developed radio playability of them all, but this is not "Rock Idol" and I do not think he will take it all.
Taylor is the obvious inside favorite because with one exception ("Take Me Home, Country Roads") he has never failed to entertain, but he is an older, silver haired guy and at some point the overwhelming youth vote will swamp him.
I will not be surprised to see Kellie, Katherine and Paris standing alone, in fact. A lot depends on the next 3 weeks, positioning for who will be where after Elliot and Ace go. Taylor and Chris will need to stay razor sharp to hold their own against the remaining women, all of who can perform their butts off.
Why do I believe in Paris? From the start she has shown that she can sing anything, with feeling. Her range and control are amazing, and she is always, always smiling. She is clearly in her element, and I believe that the (gulp) tighter the competition gets, the more she will rise. It's what my gut has been telling me all along.
But as I said, Katherine showed me something I had never seen from her before this week. She also showed amazing control and feeling, things I did not know she possessed.
At this point I could see the top 5 finishing in any possible order. Clear as mud, eh?
I think Taylor is the one to beat..he is THE most talented one by far, the most entertaining and you never know what he is going to do next...I find myself being totally riveted to the television when he turns on the dance moves. His voice is something that is just killer...Go Taylor!!! You are the King of Rock and Soul!! Taylor Hips all the way!!! Do it baby!
I'm with you Robin!
Taylor Hicks is not an American Idol, he's an American Idiot (sorry Greenday, no pun intended). Come on American, vote seriously. His position on AI is ridiculous. He couldn't carry a tune if it had a handle on it. And what's with those stupid "moves". He looks like he's having a grand maul seizure.
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