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American Idol 5 Showdown – The Tale of the Tape!by Donna Reynolds -- 05/23/2006
View Printable version of this article This week, Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee will face off in a musical showdown to determine who will be the next American Idol. The winner will receive a recording contract and immediately begin working with Clive Davis to record his or her first album. The new Idol will also be the headliner on the tour show, earning all the publicity that comes with the title. There’s a lot at stake here, and Idol fans all over the world will be watching these two talented people. Here’s how they stack up. 
Katharine McPhee Age: 22 (Born March 24, 1984)
Strengths: Katharine has excellent vocal skills, solid vocal training, polished performance skills, and striking looks. Weaknesses: Katharine has been somewhat inconsistent in her song choices. She also has a tendency to oversing when a bit more subtlety would have worked more in her favor. Brief Bio: Katharine started singing when she was two years old. She has been coached by her mother, Peisha Burch McPhee, an accomplished singer in her own right. After graduating from Notre Dame High School in 2002, Katharine attended the Boston Conservatory and studied musical theatre. She left school to pursue an acting career and auditioned for various TV shows and movies. She appeared in several area musical theatre productions prior to her audition for Idol. Incidentally, her aunt, Ruth Burch, was a legendary Hollywood casting director who was responsible for casting some of television’s greatest shows, including The Andy Griffith Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show. High Point: Katharine’s best performance in the competition was her final three rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Her vocals were perfection, and opening the song a cappella gave viewers a chance to really hear her voice. “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” was a close second. Low Point: Katharine’s performance of “Hound Dog/All Shook Up” was probably her low point in the competition. Katharine forgot a line in the song, and the song choice was not a good fit. She has since admitted that this theme was difficult for her, and that she felt that the guys had an edge this particular night. In the end, it didn’t hurt her, as this was the week that Chris Daughtry was eliminated. Best Katharine Moment: After her performance of “I Believe I Can Fly” on top three night, Randy made a comment about song choice. As the discussion ensued, Katharine finally had enough and pointed out that she hadn’t picked the song! She also commented that the judges had been awfully hard on her for the past few weeks. She did this with a sense of irony, though, and didn’t come across as being arrogant or argumentative, just telling it like it was. Advice: Katharine needs to relax and let the music flow through her. She must focus on connecting with her songs, and sing to the audience, not the judges. And, of course, she must be very, very careful with song selection. “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” would be the best choice of all those she has sung on the show, and the one that I think she did the best. Taylor Hicks Age: 29 (Born October 6, 1976)
Strengths: Taylor has excellent stage presence, commanding vocals, outstanding performing skills, and great energy. He is also very likeable and has amassed an intensely loyal and devoted fanbase. Weaknesses: Taylor can get a bit carried away with excitement and this distracts from his vocals. Taylor had a few off nights when it was clear that he was not sold on his song choice. Brief Bio: Taylor was born in Birmingham, and as a child, played a variety of sports. He began singing when he was five years old and performed in the school choir from middle school through high school. When he was 16, he bought his first harmonica. Taylor graduated from Hoover High School in 1995 and attended Auburn University, where he majored in business, communications, and marketing. He also formed the Passing Through Band while still a student. Taylor left school, however, and headed for Nashville, where he spent nine months trying to break into the business. When this didn’t pan out, he returned to Birmingham, formed another band, and began performing at area clubs and bars. Taylor has released two CDs, In Your Time in 1997 and Under the Radar in 2005. 
High Point: Taylor had his best night during top three week. His performance of “You Are So Beautiful” was the perfect foil to “Try a Little Tenderness,” which was brilliant. Low Point: Country week should have been a piece of cake for Taylor, but his choice of “Country Roads” lacked enthusiasm and he sang it without any conviction. Best Taylor Moment: The night of the top three elimination, each of the contestants had a chance to debut their track from the season’s compilation CD. Taylor was up first and sang “Takin’ it to the Streets.” He hit center stage, and then almost immediately danced over to the couch where Elliott and Katharine were waiting their turns. He then returned to center stage and beckoned them out onto the stage. They danced while Taylor sang, and then it seemed that they were directed off the stage. Taylor wasn’t having it and danced back over to them where he finished up the song. Advice: The only advice I have for Taylor is to relax, have a good time, and let it happen. I would love to hear him sing “Georgia,” and think that he could nail the title down firm if he is able to do it. I also think he should sing “Levon” again. That was the song that got it all started, and would be a fitting way to end the competition. Donna Reynolds is a freelance writer based in Syracuse, New York. While entertainment sustains her emotionally, she earns her daily bread by writing and editing web copy. Check out her new website at www.idolthoughts.net. Donna loves mail, so shoot her an email at foxydonna@earthlink.net. Be sure to sign up for the RealityNewsOnline/FoxesOnIdol e-mail update so you can stay informed about new articles on both sites! For all of our articles, check out our sections on American Idol on FoxesOnIdol, American Idol on RealityNewsOnline, as well as articles on Nashville Star and Canadian Idol. Also make sure to check out RealityNewsOnline for recaps and articles covering other reality TV shows. For even more news about American Idol, be sure to check SirLinksALot - American Idol! View Printable version of this article
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