‘American Idol’: A cheat sheet to the top 24
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It took a near breakdown from judge Jennifer Lopez and lots of crocodile tears from ousted hopefuls, but “American Idol†has finally settled on its top 24 contestants.
Though the crop includes a diverse breadth of talent -- from country and soul crooners, to powerhouse divas -- it goes without saying the show remains, at its truest form, a competition to find a pop star.
Now that the judges have made their final decisions before the fate of the contestants is handed over to America, we wanted to make some snap judgments of our own.
After hearing so many voices come through the double doors hoping to go before the judges, it became easier to pull vocal references from some of today’s pop stars (using the word ‘pop star’ incredibly loosely here) and shove the new class into a music box (Hey, a major label is going to do it when they sign any of them, so why don’t we just save them some time?)
On the off chance any of our readers don’t plan to watch “Idol†for the rest of the season (or ever), or you don’t start your “Idol†experience until the live shows begin next week, here’s a quick cheat sheet so you know exactly what you’re getting -- vocally -- from the contestants.
After the jump, check out the entire line up of contestants – and whose vocal style each resembled based on what they offered on the show thus far:
Name: Casey Abrams
Age: 20
Sounds Like: Taylor Hicks
Name: Jovany Barreto
Age: 23
Sounds Like: Marc Anthony
Name: Jordan Dorsey
Age: 21
Sounds Like: John Legend
Name: James Durbin
Age: 22
Sounds Like: Adam Lambert
Name: Clint Jun Gamboa
Age: 26
Sounds Like: Bruno Mars
Name: Tim Halperin
Age: 23
Sounds Like: The Fray’s Issac Slade
Name: Stefano Langone
Age: 21
Sounds Like: Stevie Wonder
Name: Brett Loewenstern
Age: 17
Sounds Like: Clay Aiken
Name: Jacob Lusk
Age: 23
Sounds Like: Phil Perry or Luther Vandross
Name: Scott McCreery
Age: 17
Sounds Like: Trace Adkins
Name: Paul McDonald
Age: 26
Sounds Like: Jason Mraz
Name: Robbie Rosen
Age: 17
Sounds Like: Jon B
Name: Naima Adedapo
Age: 26
Sounds Like: Goapele
Name: Lauren Alaina
Age: 16
Sounds Like: LeAnn Rimes
Name: Kendra Chantelle
Age: 27
Sounds Like: Sara Bareilles
Name: Ashthon Jones
Age: 24
Sounds Like: Melanie Fiona
Name: Thia Megia
Age: 16
Sounds Like: Norah Jones
Name: Haley Reinhart
Age: 20
Sounds Like: Duffy
Name: Karen Rodriguez
Age: 21
Sounds Like: Jennifer Lopez
Name: Pia Toscano
Age: 22
Sounds Like: Christina Aguilera
Name: Lauren Turner
Age: 24
Sounds Like: Katy Perry
Name: Tatynisa Wilson
Age: 20
Sounds Like: Keyshia Cole
Name: Julie Zorrilla
Age: 20
Sounds Like: ‘Glee’s’ Lea Michele
Name: Rachel Zevita
Age: 23
Sounds Like: Pink
Feel free to argue your picks. Hear someone else in any of them? Think they are incomparable? Sound off below.
-- Gerrick D. Kennedy
(Top) Top 24: top row from left, Kendra Chantelle, Jovani Barreto, Lauren Turner, Casey Abrams, Tatynisa Wilson, James Durbin, Karen Rodriguez, Jacob Lusk, Lauren Alaina, Thia Megia, Scott McCreery, Brett Loewenstern, Pia Toscano and Jordan Dorsey. Bottom row from left,: Rachel Zevita, Stefano Langone, Paul McDonald, Julie Zorrilla, Tim Halperin, Haley Reinhart, Clint Jun Gamboa, Robbie Rosen, Naima Adedapo and Ashthon Jones.
All photos: Michael Becker / Fox
