One week before it all ends, the usually unflappable American Idol host Ryan Seacrest could not help but feel emotional.
“The moving trucks are here to dismantle the sets,” he said, standing on Stage 36 of the Charles Cappleman Studios at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California, home to the reality-TV singing competition for 14 years and 15 seasons.
"It's the last week of American Idol," he added, talking to the live audience last Thursday. "I cannot believe it – but I'm glad you're here."
Who can blame Seacrest for being wistful? The series he has presented since the programme’s debut on June 11, 2002, has become one of the most influential and successful shows on American television. On Friday night, the final episode will be broadcast, the last chance to anoint a star before it fades into television and music history. “It’s going to be a rather spectacular show,” said executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, revealing that all of the past 14 winners – including Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood – will be present along with a few fan-favourite contestants and “other surprises”.
“It’s about the American idols, about reminding people of 15 seasons,” he said.
In the running for the last Idol crown are three contenders, all from the southern United States, who could not be more different, musically.
Old-school soul
Farm boy Trent Harmon is a 25-year-old who works as a waiter in his family's restaurant in Amory, Mississippi. His choice of song when he auditioned for the show – Unaware by American soul musician Allen Stone – provided a clear clue about his preferred singing style: Southern soul crooning.
Throughout the competition, he has covered old-school greats such as Ben E King, Lynyrd Skynyrd, David Allan Coe and Percy Sledge.
Chasing his dreams in Hollywood, Harmon – all shy and wide-eyed – has been compelling to watch.
Last week, when the finalists got a chance to return to their hometowns, a brief respite from American Idol's daily grind, he received a hero's welcome in Amory, riding his farm tractor through the town centre as hundreds of fans lined the streets to get a glimpse.
“I don’t even have that many Facebook friends,” he quipped, looking dazed at the number of people who turned up. “Not even I had the foresight that it would be something this big.”
A pop star is born
If Harmon is all soul, Dalton Rapattoni is pure pop. A former member of Disney boy band IM5, the 20-year-old works as a vocal coach for children in his hometown of Sunnyvale, Texas.
Since his audition, the angsty, effortless and hungry Rapattoni has sported his signature eyeliner, which prompted comparisons with Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer of punk rockers Green Day.
His song choices have been consistently unexpected, performed with his own pop-rock spin: from Olivia Newton-John's Hopelessly Devoted to You and The Mamas and the Papas' California Dreamin', to Billy Idol's Rebel Yell and the theme song from The Phantom of the Opera.
Rapattoni, who has bipolar disorder, has been one of the most emotional contestants to appear on American Idol, often tearing up during and after a performance.
During his homecoming in rural Dallas County last week, he broke down after seeing the support offered by residents of his town.
“It’s just crazy seeing all these people who actually care – I didn’t have that before,” he said. “I’ve been living in this town my entire life and I’ve been making music – screaming, trying to get people to listen to me – and now they are.”
Last woman standing
The competition’s sole remaining female contender, La’Porsha Renae, is also its front-runner. A call centre representative from McComb, Mississippi, week after week she has astonished the judges – Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick Jr and Keith Urban –with impassioned renditions of ballads and R&B tunes.
The 22-year-old has also inspired viewers with her story: after four years of domestic abuse, she separated from her husband and is now raising her 1-year-old daughter on her own. Renae's poignant performance of Mary J Blige's No More Drama – which Blige wrote about her own abusive relationship – has been the highlight of the season so far.
During her return to McComb last week, Renae visited the domestic-violence shelter where she stayed after fleeing from her partner.
“Since sharing my story on the show, so many women have reached out to me saying how much I’ve changed their lives and inspired them to get to safety like I did,” Renae said, as she met the shelter’s current residents. “Seeing these women face-to-face makes me want to go harder.”
Farewell to a phenomenon
American Idol provided as big a boost for its home network, Fox, as it did for any of its contestants, ruling the ratings roost as the No 1 series for an astonishing nine consecutive years, from 2003 to 2011.
Before the two-part grand finale, which will be broadcast on Thursday and Friday in the UAE, there is a chance to reflect on its historic run in a 90-minute special titled American Dream. The programme's original judges – Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson – will be among those reminiscing. It will be narrated, as always, by Seacrest.
Back at the CBS studios in Hollywood last Thursday, Seacrest was getting ready to deliver his final spiel on Stage 36, before the entire production moves to the famed Dolby Theatre, where the finale will be staged.
“Before we say good night, I just want to say congratulations to all the people who have worked on this show for the past 15 years,” Seacrest told a packed room that had suddenly turned quiet.
“We love you,” he said, uncharacteristically sombre. “To be frank, it’s an emotional night for all of us.”
Then the lights went up, the music played and Seacrest flashed a big smile. “And next week, we go for it,” he said, looking triumphant.
American Idol's three-day finale is broadcast in the UAE tomorrow, Thursday and Friday at 9pm on OSN
artslife@thenational.ae
