Lionel Richie says 'American Idol' comes down to popularity — fans agree it’s no longer about the best voice
As 'American Idol' Season 23 nears its grand finale on May 18, the show has evolved into more than just a singing competition. Given that at this point in the game, judges have no say and all the power is in the voter's hands, even Judge Lionel Richie didn't resist pointing out, "It's an even playing field, but it comes down to popularity. How many fans do they have that like them as people?" he said in an interview with People. Having heard that, it's clear that audience votes are influenced not only by talent but also by contestants' personal appeal and fan engagement. This aspect has turned the competition into an interesting ride.
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Unlike earlier, where viewers used their vote to make the best talent win, thanks to social media, contestants can now earn their fan base through personal connections or personal branding, engaging with them outside the show. This allows hopefuls not only to show their side but also gives fans an outlet to see their favorite contestants' performances or updates from their lives, even long after their journey on the show has ended. This change, however, saw a flood of criticism from fans. After Slater Nalley and Thunderstorm Artis got eliminated from the Top 5 episode. In a Reddit thread that reads, "I feel like some of y'all need to understand this isn’t a vocals competition," one person wrote, "This has never been a vocal competition since season 1… It’s a connection competition." The second one said, "Agree."
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Asking 'American Idol' makers to bring 'honest judges on board, one wrote, "I have to agree. I miss honest judging because now all they do is skew the audience's opinions, along with the soap opera sad life stories that shouldn’t have anything to do with a talent competition! This show hasn’t been about Star talent for many years. As an IDOL, one needs top talent, singing, performance fitness, entertainment factor, and, especially, personality and charisma. They are out there, but so far there have been too many years of mediocre talent, ho-hum judging, and the people’s vote. Winners aren’t close to IDOL status! I want honest judges, not afraid to ruffle feathers."
On the other hand, 'American Idol' has consistently proven itself as a launching pad for artists, regardless of their final standing. Gone are the days when people thought nothing beyond the elimination. However, history proves that many contestants who didn't clinch the title also secured record deals and achieved significant success in their lives after the show. A famous example is Jennifer Hudson, a finalist of season 3, who went on to become an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winner after her exit from the show. Other famous names who made it big despite leaving 'American Idol' include Chris Daughtry, Adam Lambert, and Katharine McPhee (to name a few), as reported by Yahoo.