On American Idol last night, Lee DeWyze beat out heavily favored contestant Crystal Bowersox in an upset win to take home the top prize, leaving many to wonder WTF happened. The evening was full of surprises both sweet and sour. Bret Michaels‘ American Idol appearance, for example, was thrillingly unexpected and we loved every minute of it. On the other hand, watching the wrong contestant win American Idol yet again was not so much fun.
After re-watching Monday night’s American Idol performances by Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze, we still cannot fathom how voters chose DeWyze as the winner. Going back through the season and watching performances from both singers throughout the show, we are dumbfounded how anyone could compare the two and pick DeWyze over Mama Sox.
We aren’t bashing on DeWyze here, that’s not the point. Although we do think the guy has serious vocal control issues and epic pitch problems. No, the point is that it seems obvious to us Crystal Bowersox is so much more naturally gifted as a musician and singer than DeWyze. Head to head, song to song, Crystal Bowersox beat out Lee DeWyze every single night on American Idol with the possible exception of one – the night DeWyze sang “Hallelujah”.
So why did Lee DeWyze win and Crystal Bowersox fail to capture the voters? Why did we end up with a Kris Allen topping Adam Lambert scenario yet again?
Well, let’s face it, whether we like it or not, a girl with dreadlocks and lip piercings is still too ‘out there’ for a decently large swath of Middle America. Just like Adam Lambert was way too gay for them even before he was officially out. Then of course we have to factor in the ‘tween girl’ vote – because they are always going to vote for whoever the cutest boy left is. Even if he isn’t all that cute.
We also have the Vote for the Worst people who are intentionally voting for the least talented contestant. They actually do make a small difference; we’ve seen their work succeed too often to ignore their tiny power block. Lastly, there are those people out there who honestly didn’t want Crystal Bowersox to win because she – for a while – didn’t seem to want to win. We get cranky about people not appreciating the ‘gift’ of our rabid fanness.
In the end, it doesn’t really matter all that much if Crystal Bowersox lost or Lee DeWyze won. It may even prove to be the best result. Bowersox may squeak by as the runner-up with a bit less rigid control on her image and her music. Which seems to have worked out pretty well for Adam Lambert. She will, of course, easily land a record deal of her own and tons of offers to do all kinds of cool things once she is done with the American Idol Live Tour. Some folks may have even voted against Bowersox just so she wouldn’t be weighed down with the stricter restrictions of being the Idol winner.
Without the American Idol title though, Lee DeWyze might have ended up fading away into distant memory even faster than we think he will anyway. Everyone in my house said it nearly at the same time when the winner was announced: DeWyze needs it, Mama Sox doesn’t.
So for now, at least, Lee DeWyze can enjoy his American Idol winner status. And Crystal Bowersox can get back to doing what she does best – making amazing music and singing the hell out of it. We know which album we’ll be buying when it hits the shelves…
>> Previously:Â American Idol Last Night: The Final Performances
Get over it!
I believe that Lee and Crystal would make a fabulous duet. They seem to bring the best out of each other. Maybe that should be the path they eventually choose.
I AM 100% AGREE!!!!!
i really think that Crystal should win it..
America chose the wrong decision..
I think it’s because most of the viewers of AI are girls, so automatically they just vote for boys, especially like Lee who is cool and handsome. The thing is they don’t see the talent but more to the “look” of the contestant.. I hate it.. That was totally wrong…
the last few weeks lee was definately good Id say he sang better than mama sox quite a few times. Crystal had the better last performance though.
Let’s face it…America is generally tone deaf!!!
OMG you stated exactly what I was thinking-like you read my mind-must mean LOTS of people are having the same thoughts! Something is most definitely fishy.
“I can bend minds with my spoon”
I watched the show every week and can say that I never heard Lee sing a song without being off-pitch at least a few times. As a vocalist and vocal teacher, it pained me to listen to him at times. At the finale, Tim Urban sounded really good compared to him and let’s be serious, Tim had some major issues with his vocals during the season. Lee was one of the best guys this season, but the guys were really terrible this year. Big Mike probably had the best voice, but he was so cocky that he could never have won.
Crystal definitely should have had this one in the bag. She was consistently good throughout the season and very rarely had any pitch issues. She also put a million times more feeling into her music than Lee ever did. And what was with Lee’s choice of “Beautiful Day” as the song he will release? Find something original, for goodness sake. He doesn’t hold a candle to U2’s version. I wish Simon and the other judges hadn’t promoted him so much when he didn’t do anything to merit it.
When you look objectively, Crystal deserved to win. I look forward to seeing what she does with her future career.
Nice. Way to sound like a whiny immature child instead of taking the decent route and conceding defeat to the better competitor. I’m not saying that I favor Lee (I don’t), but I believe in mathematics. On the scale that we’re talking about here, there’s absolutely no way that the “wrong” person could win for any of the reasons you’ve stated. As a statistician, I’m almost insulted that you would suggest otherwise. The fact is that every American Idol winner up to and including this one have won fair and square. More people thought Lee was a better singer than Crystal. That’s why Lee won. If you are a true Idol fan then you should be happy for him. Instead you try to make excuses for why he didn’t actually win. It’s fine that you like Crystal better. You are certainly entitled to your opinion. But you’re opinion is apparently in the minority, and thinking otherwise is just delusional.
Probably a blessing in disguise for Crystal; since she is such a free soul and has her own ideas about how her music should be presented, she won’t be bound to AI’s one year contract, which can be a curse I understand. I am sure she’s had quite a few record labels knocking on her door, let alone artists that would love to sing with her. What I resented when judges said how much Lee had improved, blah,blah,blah. He has pitch problems, he doesn’t really have any stage presence, so in the end she is going to come out the winner, just like Adam Lambert
We kind of wonder if the vote is real or if we are just being told it is real.
As a Statistician??? LMAO–the voting method is flawed, it has noting to do with. More people didn’t think he was a better singer–when a few can vote MULTIPLE times the numbers becomed flawed and cannot be relied on. The fact of the matter is american idol allows people to vote over and over again and AT&T won’t stop it because of $$$$$ they get for each vote. If the rules were 1 vote per number the results would have been different. The teenie tweenies females and the cougar moms
gave him a victory my simple multiple votes. As a “statistician” your are completely aware that stats can be easily manipulated. In this case there weren’t–the better singer didn’t win because of a flawed voting system and Lee knows it as well. He was more surprised at his win anyone else.
Lee will be fade away fast and Crystal will be around for sometime.
Your assessment is spot on. Although Crystal certainly should have won, I believe she will have a much faster rise to the stardom she deserves without the tag American Idol Winner. And to be sure, beware of the tweens. Looks are everything to them. Talent means nothing.
Everything you said is correct. I couldn’t believe my ears last night when the winner’s name was read. It was like being kicked in the gut. I’m done. I can’t compete agaist the tweens, even though I got my 30 votes in for Crystal. I wish them both all the success in the world and I’m going to find something else to do on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.
Only a couple of times have the best singer/performer won AI. That is the reason that more and more people are finding other things to do on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
Let’s face it everyone, we watch the show to see talented “ordinary” people, who might never be recognized for their talent, take a chance at realizing a dream of a lifetime. It’s not really who wins at the end, because the final 4 or 5 contestants usually are all excellent singers and will have a good chance of being successful AFTER the final show. Threatening NOT to watch the show because the voting method is flawed is really childish, because we got a lot good entertainment from all the shows – either from the guest singers or from exceptional performances from any of the contestants. If there was any improvement to the voting process, it would be to prevent people from voting more than once per night. There should be no credibility given to anyone who votes more than once per night and their complaints about “tweens” should be ignored. One good result of the final vote is we can see how people react to different musicians and their performances. It is very possible that the final voting choice in this series was determined by the better song choice. Who can argue that U2’s “It’s a beautiful day” was NOT the best choice of the evening?
Every year it’s the same whining. It doesn’t matter who contestant A is and who contestant B is. Every year, the sore loser fans claim it was fixed or “America got it wrong” or somebody (fill in the appropriate conspiracy here) power-voted the win. Lee won, simply, because more people want to hear him sing. He’s selling better than Crystal (who, incidentally, I love). Get over it. Go watch SYTYCD and then you can complain when your favorite doesn’t win and claim it was fixed or America got it wrong or the conspiracy-theory-of-the-moment.
Why are tweens always being picked on like they are idiots? Producers LOVE tweens–who do you think spends the big money for this industry? Maybe you are too old to be watching Idol and should switch over to DWTS and Survival.
Get over it. you claim you weren’t bashing on Lee?? hahaha you guys are freakin’ JERKS. and who the heck said america must be tone deaf?? i read that stupid comment somewhere. okay, you’re right millions upon millions of people are tone deaf and they all happened to vote for lee. right. give me a break. crystal is an amazing singer and so is lee. i hate the title of this stupid article: voters wrong again. if you liked crystal so much, maybe you should have voted for her more!! ugh this article is infuriating. really is.
The wrong person did not win! I am glad Lee won because Crystal thought she had it in the bag. She sang awesome on the final performance but really, she did butcher a few tunes throughout the series. The only song she sang that I absolutely loved was the very last one she sang; it is the only one I bought on Itunes, but I did buy a few of Lee’s and also Casey’s. I am not a tween – I just don’t really care for cocky attitude whether it comes from Mike or Crystal. IMO
I’m glad Lee won, he was good! Last year was the wrong winner, Adam beats Kris anyday. Good for Lee!
I totalay agree with you Anita Crystal was the same old week after week very good mind you and will do well. But Lee came out of his shell and improved so much and thats what the show should be about not somebody that is already good. An ordinary guy selling paint and wins American Idol, that makes the show interesting. Congrates to you Lee.!!!
Totally and absolutely agree! In fact,Casey James was a far worthier candidate for the title than this guy. I don’t get it…..Taylor Swift sings off key and gets awards!! How can you guys get it all wrong?
Some well-known, award-wining artists have been known to sing off-key many times. That becomes part of their “signature” and actually may become a more desirable trait.
Your kidding me right?
Lee DeWyze was way better, with the exception of the finale.
What ever your smoking, please stop!
According to my rough calculation on the info I have, Lee got about 3 per cent more votes than Crystal. Not a big majority but enough to have him crowned winner. That,s it. Over. And if he was voted on his performence through out the series. If it was believed he performed better than Crystal, specially on the deciding final performance. that he had more stage persona, a better voice and more musical and that the voters voted in true judgement were not mind twisted by outside factors or judges and there is a fair voting system that allows only one person per vote then who can really argue against the decision. But there lyeth the question if?. As the result was declared a rightfully dismayed commenter on /Did America get it right stated that Crystal will go on to become a superstar. In my eyes and probably millions of others she already is.
Malcolm, just look at the Lee vs. Crystal sales data. He WAY outperformed her in sales, which means more people are willing to spend money on his recordings than hers. Lee was the more popular contestant and the better revenue-generator. Lee won. End of discussion.
Kay FUCK OFF!!! you guys need to get a life. Lee won and he deserved it. But you sore losers can’t take the fact that your fav person lost !! And you guys think that it isn’t fair that he only won because of girls voting ya well guess what those girls who voted for him will buy his cd so leave him alone!! You guys are making this big contreversy over it and it’s all over the news but think about how he feels right now .. Kay so he won now shut the fuck up and get a fuckin life!!
well i was kinda shocked after hearing out the results.America really sucks when it comes to ultimate decision, i mean what the fuck crystal fucking deserves it and every one knows that fucking well.She had that perfection of a rockstar well Lee was good too but comparatively weak to crystal,well itz all because of those dumb blonde chicks who vote impulsively ,just because thay think that Lee is somewhere a cute cunt.Crystal was a fucking professional and maybe better than some of the fuked up judges out there or maybe better than all of them!Atlast i want to say that screw you america for making such a fukd up decision!
Shahnan shut the fuck up !! Your probably a blonde you ass !! And whoever voted for him will buy his cd so it doesn’t matter that he won get a fuckin life and get over it
To “CC” regarding off-key singing: No, I’m not kidding and I don’t ever smoke anything. Maybe you need to read or listen more, because you have missed a lot. Besides Taylor Swift, who won about everything a singer could win this year, there are many more examples. Just check out this link: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/archive/index.php/t-143759-p-3.html To Ashley: I’m glad I’m not your enemy – or in your circle of friends for that matter.
Doug: why would you say that ?
Maybe I’m out of touch, but who is “Ann” and who is she to say that the “Voters (were) wrong again?” Is AI really a singing / talent contest, or is it a contest to market a group of talented individuals to the public to see who’s going to have the best chance of selling millions of records? We made AI a family event this year, and from day one we liked Lee and found Crystal creepy. Dreads, ink and piercings didn’t do it for us. So we voted for Lee.
I don’t know if Lee was off pitch or not (in the words of Harry Connick, Jr….”what does pitchy mean? It’s not even a word”). We thought he sounded good, and frankly sounded better than HCJ, Miley Cirus, Rascal Flatts, or half of the other “Pros” that were on the show. The American public isn’t composed of music experts, just people who think music sounds either good or bad. It’s gonna get mixed in a sound studio and sound – for all intents and purposes – pretty darn good and “un-pitchy” when it’s released anyway, right? That’s why half of the concerts you go to sound considerably worse than the corresponding records.
Isn’t saying that the voters got it wrong sort of like saying that the wrong team won the Super Bowl? It’s a ridiculous thing to say, unless you’re seriously going to contend that somebody won by cheating. Lee got more votes, and so what if someone voted 4 or 5 (or 40 or 50) times? Are you really going to say that out of 40 million votes some kid in Peoria is going to vote enough to influence the outcome? If so, he’ll probably buy a bunch of Lee DeWyze records, so I would say that it’s reasonable that his vote should count more than mine. They are, after all, trying to determine who’s going to sell the most records.
FAIL!
I love lee 🙂