Pia Toscano and Kris Allen Singing at the PBS Memorial Day Concert Special

Now for some more recent Idol's, here's Pia Toscano, ninth place finisher of this season, singing The National Anthem at the PBS Memorial Day Concert.

Next, season 8 winner, Kris Allen singing "God Bless America"! Here he is:

Kelly Clarkson Singing The National Anthem at the Indy 500

It seems like all of the Idol alums are being quite patriotic over the Memorial Day weekend! First up: Kelly Clarkson. Here she is with Seal singing the National Anthem at the Indy 500 on Sunday afternoon. (Skip to about the 1:50 mark for the singing.)

Next up, we'll post videos of Pia Toscano of this year, and Kris Allen, season 8's winner, singing on the PBS Memorial Day Concert special.

Pia Toscano Talks About Her First Album

Pia Toscano, A.K.A. the Jennifer Hudson of season 10, has recently revealed what kind of material will be on her first album. She also said that getting eliminated early has been a hidden blessing. She says that she thinks having more time was an advantage that the other contestants won't get. For example, Lauren and Scotty's debut albums (and for the latter, only album) will most likely feel very rushed as they will be pushed to get the CD out as soon as possible. Pia, on the other hand, has had two months more than them to prepare, select, and record her work.


Here's what she had to say about her upcoming album:

"It's definitely going to be big ballads, but there's also going to be those fun up-tempo songs, those dancing songs," she reveals. "I feel like on the show people really only saw me in one way, and I want to show the world that I can do other things." 

Exciting! Are you happy that Pia will be doing some dance-y, uptempo songs? Or do you prefer her big ballads?

No More Haley Talk, Instead All Non-Important Reinhart Ranting Will Take Place at Our New Haley Fansite

here at All of the Idol realize that you might be getting a little tired of our love for Haley Reinhart, A.K.A. the best contestant on Idol since Allison Iraheta (I know, not that far back, but she was really good!). So, we've decided to make a dedicated fansite for all of our non-career related news about her. You can view it all here on the Haley Reinhart Fans site. We plan to have the site up and running and with a couple of sample posts by June 7.


The site will mainly serve as an area where all single recording, relationship, and any personal news of hers will be shared. You will still be able to find any album or record deal news here on All of the Idol, along with all of the other contestants.


So, who do you think our favorite of 2012 will be? We only have to wait seven more months to find out!

Scotty Wins, Nation Lets Out Simultaneous Yawn

Sadly it has happened, after the optimistic side of me leaping for joy thinking that Haley might rejoin the competition in place of Lauren, and Lauren getting all of the buzz and sympathy votes on Tuesday, Scotty has completed what VoteForTheWorst is calling the "Kristy Lee Cook curse". Ever since season seven, Kristy Lee Cook has been their favorite competitor in Idol history. Also, the last four winners have spelled out her name. Kris Allen, Scotty McCreery, Lee Dewyze, and David Cook; or Kris-ty Lee Cook.


Obviously, history will repeat itself, and the runner-up will outsell the winner (Adam and Kris, Crystal and Lee) as Lauren is much more marketable and can crossover styles, unlike Scotty who is all-country all the time. Haley could actually be the highest selling Idol contestant this season, but it could also be Lauren or Pia. Either way, the boys will fail at sales this season. After all, Pia reportedly already has a recording contract and Haley is already done recording her first single.


So, what do you think? Will Scotty actually sell something? Or will the runner-up still sell more than the winner? We'll have to wait and see.

Country & Country, Season 10 Finale Proves to Be Least-Exciting Before It Even Airs

Scotty and two of the only people who will buy his album, himself.

I know, I know, the producers Idol fans all want a Lauren/Scotty finale. And sadly, that's what everyone gets. On Thursday's results show, Haley Reinhart (the best contestant since the top 8) was sadly voted off, leaving America with an Edward and Bella Scotty and Lauren finale. The two most boring singers in the competition since week 1 will go cowboy-to-cowgirl Tuesday and sing their boring little hearts out in hope of winning on Wednesday night.

As everyone knows, a Lauren/Haley finale would have resulted in Haley winning, a Scotty/Haley finale would have left everyone biting their nails down to the second that Ryan utters the famous words granting one of the two contestants their 15 minutes of fame. Sadly, a Scotty/Lauren finale will obviously result in the fourth male winner in a row. Even if he doesn't sing at all Tuesday or even decides to just not show up, his number of votes will blow Lauren's out of the park, much less if he gets out there and musters up some "look how low I can go" songs for all of the teenage girls voting.

What do you think? Personally, I believe fans of good music join together in protest and boycott our favorite show's sure-to-be lackluster finale.

Dear Haley Reinhart, If You Don't Win This Thing, We Boycott

I know, I know, everyone wants a Lauren/Scotty finale. Including the producers of Idol themselves, who have tried to make America believe that they're a couple from the very beginning. But let's be honest, Haley is like Kelly Clarkson in that she is definitely the rising underdog, and she is easily the most talented singer left in the competition. There is a good chance we will see a Scotty/Haley or Lauren/Haley finale as pretty much all of James' votes will go to her, Scotty's and Lauren's country votes will be split, and anyone who hates country now only has one person to vote for.


I am proud to say that Haley has been in my top 2 favorites this entire season (moving to No. 1 after Pia Toscano was shockingly left in 9th place), and that I did start out with Lauren in my no. 3 spot. I will also have to come out and say that I've hated Scotty from the very beginning. He has no personality and seems to have obviously been an avid flute player in his past life. Why would I bring up past lives? Because he also seems to be as energetic as my great aunt. And she's dead. Sorry, just felt like I had to get that out of my system.


So I urge you to vote for someone with true talent and not just for a Lauren/Scotty finale. Please, limit the Cutest Couple contests to your high school yearbook. Also, you should definitely listen to her rendition of "Rolling In The Deep" by Adele (my personal favorite of hers) or "House of The Rising Sun" by The Animals (considered the best performance of the season by all three judges according to their critiques of the song last week).

"Rolling In The Deep" by Adele

"House of The Rising Sun" by The Animals

Paula Abdul Officially Joins US 'X Factor'

Paula Abdul arriving at The X Factor U.S. auditions.

It’s official: Paula Abdul will join Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole and LA Reid as judges on Fox’s The X Factor.

Abdul just appeared on stage at the first round of judged auditions in Los Angeles. The hire rejoins the two most popularAmerican Idol judges on a new singing competition that will launch this fall.

Despite Cowell and Abdul’s previous on-air chemistry, Abdul wasn’t necessarily an obvious choice for the project. Some critics accused her of being spacy and inattentive on Idol, then she quit the hit show over a salary dispute, and her own competition reality effort, Live to Dance, tanked on CBS earlier this year.

The completed panel also marks a notable departure from the recent strategies adopted by the Idol flagship and NBC’s new rival The Voice. Both shows filled its judges seats with major name singers, from Christina Aguilera to Jennifer Lopez. Whereas Cowell and Abdul are best known at this point for their prior reality TV gig, and Reid and Cole are known hardly at all to American audiences.

The show will also be very Brit heavy, with not only Cowell and Cole from across the pond, but co-host Steve Jones is as well (Jones will co-host along with Pussycat Doll’s singer Nicole Scherzinger).

But as Cowell himself proved, reality shows don’t need stars, they make them — both contestant and judge alike. And having charismatic, sharp-witted talent with entertaining chemistry is more important than name recognition, assuming the X Factor panel doesn’t just come across like a support system for the return of Cowell to primetime.

“This show would never have been the same without Paula and I can’t believe I am saying this – I have missed her a lot, and I am thrilled she’s on the show,” said Simon Cowell in a statement.

“I am excited beyond words to be a part of ‘The X Factor,” added Abdul. “I couldn’t be happier to bring my love for cultivating talent and performance to such a wildly anticipated show,” said Paula Abdul. “I’m also delighted and grateful to be sitting next to Simon again…but you might want to check back with me in a week or two!”

Post from: Entertainment Weekly