American Idol 2008: It Has Begun

Ken — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:17:39 +0000

Well. We've got our top 24 contestants for American Idol Season 7.

Unfortunately, only half of them have received any significant air time on the show. The rest are virtually unknown. It's hard to handicap the contestants without seeing a little more of them.

But with that being said, my early money is on these contestants:

Amanda Overmyer. She's this year's resident rocker. She can belt it out, she's edgy and unique, and she seems genuine. Best comparison to previous contestants: Gina Glocksen from Season 6. Possible weakness: ballads might be tough for her.

Michael Johns. He's ruggedly good-looking, he's got a good voice, and he's got that Australian accent going for him. Best comparison to previous contestants: Ace Young from Season 5. Possible weakness: might have a tendency to choose "safe" songs.

Syesha Mercado. She's pretty, she impressively fought through hoarseness during the Hollywood auditions, and she's got some soul. Best comparison to previous contestants: Nadia Turner from Season 4. Possible weakness: a tendency to sound old-fashioned.

Ramiele Macrowon Malubay. This might be a stretch, since we haven't heard much from her, but tiny and cute goes a long way. Best comparison to previous contestants: Jasmine Trias from Season 3. Possible weakness: it'll seem weird seeing anything but pop songs come from her mouth.

I'll be able to provide a much better evaluation once we get through live performances with all the contestants next week.