Tag Archives: falling-slowly

Lee DeWyze ‘Can’t Complain’ About ‘Beautiful Day’ Debut Sales

‘This is the first season we did a cover song for the finale, whatever part that has to do with it,’ ‘Idol’ champ speculates. By James Montgomery Lee DeWyze Photo: MTV News Lee DeWyze’s reign as “American Idol” champ may have gotten off to a less-than-stellar start with the #12 debut of his coronation single on Billboard ‘s Digital Songs chart. DeWyze’s “Beautiful Day” sold around 100,000 copies, nearly 25 percent less than last year’s champ, Kris Allen, did with his post-“Idol” single, “No Boundaries.” But DeWyze isn’t ready to turn in his crown just yet — far from it, in fact. “You can’t complain about that, regardless of what it is,” DeWyze told MTV News. “But this is the first season that we did a cover song for the finale, and that’s obviously different from past seasons, whatever part that has to do with it. … There [were] things presented, and, you know, that was the right song for the moment, I felt. And I’m glad I did it.” While DeWyze’s version of the U2 tune hasn’t exactly lit the charts on fire, a #12 debut is nothing to sneeze at. And according to Nielsen SoundScan, four of his other “Idol” covers — “Hallelujah,” “The Boxer,” “Everybody Hurts” and “Simple Man” — charted in the top 200. His duet with runner-up Crystal Bowersox on “Falling Slowly” also made the charts. So it’s a solid, if slightly underwhelming, beginning for the new champ, one that he hopes to build on with the release of his post-“Idol” album , which is already shaping up to be a far different affair than anything his fans got to hear on the show. Because, honestly, DeWyze is getting a little tired of playing covers … he’s ready to make his own music. “I’m definitely going to have things on the album that you probably haven’t heard from me on the show,” he said. “It’s my time to be who I am now, and express that through an album. And it’s going to be awesome, it’s going to be fun and I’m really looking forward to it. This is what I’ve always wanted to do.” Are you excited for Lee’s debut album? Tell us in the comments! Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos Lee DeWyze’s Hometown Visit Related Photos Lee DeWyze: From Illinois Boy To ‘American Idol’ Star

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Lee DeWyze ‘Can’t Complain’ About ‘Beautiful Day’ Debut Sales

‘American Idol’ Champ Lee DeWyze’s Singles See Slow Sales

Crystal Bowersox also off to modest start, according to preliminary download numbers. By Gil Kaufman Lee DeWyze Photo: Matt Stroshane/ Disney After a lackluster “American Idol” season and a finale with the second-lowest ratings in the show’s history, this year’s top two, winner Lee DeWyze and runner-up Crystal Bowersox , already had their work cut out for them. The long haul begins this week with the debut of their respective first official singles on the digital charts. And so far, the numbers are, well, modest. According to preliminary figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan, DeWyze’s cover of U2’s “Beautiful Day” will come in at #10 on the Current Digital Tracks chart, selling just over 95,000 copies, which is 25 percent less than last year’s champ, Kris Allen, sold with his almost universally panned coronation song, “No Boundaries.” With final SoundScan numbers due later today, Nielsen Entertainment Vice President Chris Muratore told USA Today that DeWyze and Bowersox are trending much lower than Allen and season-eight runner-up, Adam Lambert. “It’s about half the sales total of Kris Allen and Adam Lambert following the finale last year,” Muratore said of the season-nine pair’s combined download total of around 400,000. While Allen and Lambert placed 25 songs in the top 200 during their finale week, DeWyze and Bowersox managed to chart only nine songs among the top 200 downloads. The other four DeWyze songs in the top 200 were “Hallelujah” (#20, 63,000), “Falling Slowly” (duet with Bowersox, #32, 44,000), “The Boxer” (#55, 26,000), “Everybody Hurts” (#72, 22,000) , “Simple Man” (#107, 14,000) and “You’re Still the One” (#192, 6,000). Bowersox’s cover of Patti Griffin’s “Up to the Mountain” landed at #25 (49,000), followed by “Black Velvet” (#102, 15,000) and “Me and Bobby McGee” (#105, 14,000). Both DeWyze and Bowersox have already signed major-label deals , and if they follow the previous pattern of “Idol” top finishers, their debuts should be released around November or December. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos Lee DeWyze: From Illinois Boy To ‘American Idol’ Star Crystal Bowersox’s ‘American Idol’ Experience

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‘American Idol’ Champ Lee DeWyze’s Singles See Slow Sales

‘American Idol’ Experts: Michael Lynche Done In By Song Selection

They’d predicted Casey James’ ouster first, but our superfans weren’t shocked to see Big Mike go. By Gil Kaufman Michael Lynche on “American Idol” Wednesday Photo: FOX In one of the toughest weeks to call yet, MTV News’ go-to “American Idol” experts were thrown for a loop by Wednesday night’s elimination. They both bet on the demise of cougar-bait cowboy Casey James , who toyed with self-parody with his ode to mother lovers, “Mrs. Robinson.” But it was brawny Michael Lynche who got the boot . On the one hand, MJ Santilli, webmaster of the “Idol” fan site MJsBigBlog.com , was not surprised Lynche was eliminated, only that he was still around. “Actually, it’s pretty amazing how long he stuck around, considering he was originally slated to go out in ninth place,” she said, noting that the judges were not impressed with his cover of Michael Jackson’s “Will You Be There,” and, apparently, neither were viewers. “Casey James’ fanbase came through for him this week, and he may have caught the attention of some casual fans who appreciated his solid performance of ‘Mrs. Robinson,’ ” she said, noting that it was better than Lee Dewyze’s tepid “Kiss From a Rose.” “Casey’s performance was better than the judges acknowledged — or barely acknowledged, as they were too busy teasing Kara and making jokes about the song’s theme — a younger man seducing an older woman,” Santilli said. “Who knows? Maybe the song resonated with more than a few women of a ‘certain age.’ ” For MTV News’ “Idol” expert Jim Cantiello , Lynche’s elimination was like a bad movie flashback. “It was fitting that Big Mike was the lowest vote-getter for the second time this season during a week that felt like d

‘American Idol’ In 60 Seconds: Songs From The Rerun Cinema

Jamie Foxx’s mentoring and Big Mike’s elimination gave us deja vu all over again. By Jim Cantiello Michael Lynche on “American Idol” Wednesday Photo: FOX The theme of this week’s “American Idol” was supposed to be Songs From the Cinema , but the real theme was d

Michael Lynche Sent Packing On ‘American Idol’

The judges used their ‘save’ on Big Mike five weeks ago, carrying him all the way to the final four. By James Montgomery Michael Lynche on “American Idol” Wednesday This week on “American Idol,” the final four tackled the songs of the silver screen , and somewhat fittingly, Wednesday night’s (May 12) elimination show was a dramatic ride, one that kept the audience guessing until the last moment. Most assumed front-runners Lee Dewyze and Crystal Bowersox would make it through to the top three, especially following their much-praised duet on “Falling Slowly” (from the Oscar-winning “Once”). Knowing this, “Idol” producers left both hopefuls in the lurch, instead revealing that Casey James — who, once again, seemed to be the favorite to be sent packing after he plucked his way through a version of “Mrs. Robinson” — would be moving on to next week’s show. That left Bowersox, Dewyze and Michael Lynche staring down the specter of elimination, though host Ryan Seacrest quickly announced that Dewyze would be joining James in the top three. (Of course, he did so by announcing: “Friends, Lee is headed back to Chicago” — a reference to the show’s annual visits to the top three’s hometowns — which most in the crowd seemed to interpret as meaning Dewyze had been booted from the show, at least judging by the gasps in the room.) That meant that either Bowersox or Lynche would be sent packing — and after even more drama (in the form of a Bon Jovi performance and a pair of commercial breaks), we finally found out for whom the bell tolled. It was Lynche, who couldn’t overcome his rather lackluster performance of Michael Jackson’s “Will You be There” (from “Free Willy”). When his name was called, Lynche — in keeping with his big-hearted demeanor — wasn’t bitter. In fact, he thanked the judges for saving him five weeks ago and said that he’ll leave “Idol” with only fond memories. “It’s been unbelievable, man. I just sit here right now, and I think, ‘I wasn’t even supposed to be here,’ ” Lynche told Seacrest. “Thank God for the judges saving me. I got to spend more time here, be with the people … it’s all good, man.” And with that, he performed the “Free Willy” song once again. It wasn’t exactly a Hollywood ending, but we’ll take it. Now, on to the top three. Were you sad to see Big Mike go? Let us know in the comments. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos Michael Lynche’s ‘American Idol’ Experience

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Michael Lynche Sent Packing On ‘American Idol’

‘American Idol’ Report Card: Who Was A Star On Movie Night?

Crystal earns an Excellent grade for her ‘Caddyshack’ cover; Big Mike’s ‘Free Willy’ fails. By Eric Ditzian Crystal Bowersox performs on “American Idol” Tuesday Photo: FOX The numbers in our “American Idol” classroom are dwindling, and that’s forcing producers to get creative. Thus Tuesday night’s Songs of Cinema theme introduced a dose of group work into the live show, as the top four contestants sang a couple of duets in addition to their familiar individual efforts. The ensembles proved to be the night’s saving grace. Before we dole out the grades, we’ve got an extra credit question for the “Idol” conspiracy theorists among you: What was the thinking behind pairing Crystal Bowersox with Lee Dewyze and Michael Lynche with Casey James? Hmmmm. And how about a bonus extra-credit question: What does it mean that for three out of the four contestants, their duets were far superior to their solo performances? In any event, “American Idol” is a competition for individuals, and the singers must be graded on this basic fact: How did each one fair? That’s exactly what we plan do as we push forward with another edition of our “American Idol” report card. (And don’t miss Jim Cantiello’s recap of their performances in the MTV Newsroom.) Excellent Crystal Bowersox : Her blown-glass mic stand was back, and so was MamaSox! After two straight weeks of adequate, if not revelatory, performances, the 24-year-old stormed back with a truly unlikely performance. A song from freakin’ “Caddyshack” ? Really? And yet, the country-rock makeover she gave Kenny Loggins’ “I’m Alright” simply worked. By now we hardly have to mention that her vocals were on point; they’re always on point. And then her duet with Dewyze (“Falling Slowly” from “Once”) showed off such easy chemistry, such likability, we’d say she might just have locked up the competition. But we already knew that, right? Good Casey James : Casey probably should have known better, picking “Mrs. Robinson” after his entire story arc this season has boiled down to a cougar-rific connection to Kara DioGuardi. Wise or not, the song — with its mandolin-driven bluegrass feel — was a pleasing choice that stayed well within James’ vocal abilities. Was it a bit lazy, as Simon Cowell suggested? Perhaps. But we’d take a few more weeks of “Mrs. Robinson”-esque ditties rather than James back in his bar-band rocker mode. Meanwhile, his duet with Big Mike of Bryan Adams’ “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?” was an even stronger performance. It’s going to be very interesting to see what happens between these two singers come elimination time. Satisfactory Lee Dewyze : We’ve known for a long time now that Dewyze suffers from persistent pitch problems. Have those deficiencies ever been on display as glaringly as they were during Seal’s “Kiss From a Rose”? As the judges pointed out, that tune is a crazily difficult one to pull off, and Dewyze simply wasn’t up to the challenge. He did little to change up the tune, and while we wouldn’t go so far as to label the performance “karaoke” — as Cowell did — we will say that it was a colossal disappointment from a singer who’s supposed to be giving Bowersox a run for the “Idol” crown. Luckily for him, he was paired with MamaSox for his duet, and he rode her dreadlocks to the highest praise of the evening. Unsatisfactory Michael Lynche : Big Mike gives us our toughest call of the night. Was he merely OK during Michael Jackson’s “Will You Be There,” or truly subpar? We enjoyed the gospel choir backing him up, but there’s no getting away from the roller-coaster path of his vocals from beginning to end. But in the end, Big Mike ends up at the bottom of our grading curve for making the worst song choice of the evening. Even Ellen DeGeneres couldn’t help but mock the selection, calling “Free Willy” “one of the classic, great movies of all time.” If you believe that one, you might also believe that Big Mike has a shot at winning “Idol” season nine. How would you grade the contestants’ movie-night performances? Post your report cards in the comments. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Photos ‘American Idol’ Season Nine Performances

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‘American Idol’ Report Card: Who Was A Star On Movie Night?

Crystal Bowersox And Lee Dewyze Earn High Praise From ‘American Idol’ Judges With ‘Falling Slowly’

The pair’s duet on song from ‘Once’ has judges raving on movie night. By Kara Warner Crystal Bowersox and Lee Dewyze Photo: FOX Tuesday”s “American Idol”” was to be, in the words of Ryan Seacrest, “a theme fit for a star,” and all about paying tribute to the movies . And with cool-as-a-cucumber mentor Jamie Foxx and several interesting song selections in tow, the Top 4 gave it their all. Sort of. The judges agreed that the evening’s two duets, “Falling Slowly” by Crystal Bowersox and Lee Dewyze; and “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman” by Michael Lynche and Casey James, were better than the contestants’ solo performances. And there’s not much question that Crystal and Lee’s dueling-guitar version of the Oscar-winning “Once” tune sung by Glen Hansard and Mark