IMO, the story of Haley's run comes down to this: She is a uniquely talented artist, It's not that she doesn't know what kind of an artist she is (as Randy kept trying to convince us), she does, but it isn't a thing she calculated. She just is.... she is her talent.
As she said in her Idoloonies interview, her strategy was in playing the game, competing within the rules and shifting environments of a reality show that is more about promoting itself than the talent it purports to 'discover'. It's why Randy couldn't get a bead on where to put her in his playbook of artistic 'types'. Haley is her own 'type' (and why she's still being compared to each following season of Idol since she left... no one's saying, that's the new Pia, or James... yet there's still echoes of Haley
)
So what we saw was Haley adapting to the game. While I agree with merc that she was polarizing, we also have to remember that she was also uniting, bringing fans of different genres together to push her to 3rd place when she was considered cannon fodder through most of the early part of her season.
I think Haley knew that ultimately, the POP SUPERSTARDOM was not her ultimate goal... I think she was confident in her talent, that it was more than good enough to make a good/great living in music, that she had to stick to her instincts, which would probably go against most of what the Music Industry would ask from her.
IMO she knew she had the talent to have a career in music, I think she knew she had what it took, her voice, charisma and charm to take her as far as talent and drive would take her. All she needed was a platform to reach those who could appreciate the musicality within her. That opportunity came in the form of a popular singing competition, the longer she lasted, the more people would hear her.
That is part of the reason why there's been some heated vitriol from some of her fan base, those who supported Haley because of the game she played on Idol, the genres she was able to do so well to go farther into the competition. Some wanted her to pursue Rock or Country or Pop or Blues... that she's been jazz oriented (historically, some of my fewest viewed Haley video have been her jazz videos) has left many who supported her other genres on AI, feel like they'd been sold a false bill of goods
IMO it's a good thing that Haley is still learning about where her talent will take her, that she's not ready to settle into one genre or the other. I love her versatility and her willingness to try what ever opportunity presents itself from the people she meets and the experiences she has.
In over 3 years, I love that Haley is still taking the road less traveled. She doesn't appear to need to 'classify' who she is, yet, and still willing to explore her boundless potential, no matter what genre... follow wherever her instincts lead.
.... That is true artistry,
