The American Idol ball and chain

[Miguel]

Currently Interning at the Daily Herald in Chicago I am pursuing a photojournalism degree from Ohio University class of 2014

^ Joel. I imagine they directed him to get shots of Haley because she's a hometown girl.

[NUG]

Haley will overcome! I too get sick of every compliment preceeded by "I hate American Idol but...." or "I can't believe this girl came from American Idol." Eventually it won't matter, Haley has a way of overcoming things that would likely be death traps to other new artists, like having her whole family on the stage with her, haha. Luckily her talent and class are miles above her cheesiness level, and I think all of us O.G. fans kinda like the cheesiness she sometimes exudes. Hopefully that means everyone else who hates AI will follow suit eventually.

[Tusk]

IMO I can't be too mad at Haley's connection to AI, and it seems Haley has credited AI freely as an acknowledgement of the leg up she's been given.

Alot of the time, these type of comments are so over the top wrong, that it reveals more about the validity of the author than the subject of the comment.

I don't think I may ever have heard of Haley if I didn't happen to take an interest in James or Lauren during the competition. I didn't take an interest in AI at all other than S1 and Blake Lewis' season (From Bothell). If it wasn't for AI I would never have gotten on the Haley train at all these last two years.

She will have to separate herself from it eventually, but I can't hate on the AI label too much, personally, because without them, I would never have known anything about Haley Reinhart.

Kelly and Carrie have reached a level that they are known separate from AI, yet they still return to help AI along by bringing their star power back to the show.

[Miguel]

That's true Tusk, but it's also true the American Idol connection is limiting her recognition by music fans in their twenties and thirties. Many people in that group pride themselves on having developed an appreciation for music outside the mainstream. To them, the American-Idol label is synonymous with someone of average talent singing formulaic pop; even if they have a good voice, they're not true artists doing something original. Haley has to win them over because the boost from American Idol isn't as great as it was when Kelly and Carrie appeared. They won their seasons at a time when Idol had higher viewership. Today, the average Idol viewer is ten years older and overall album sales for the music industry are down substantially.

[Tusk]

That's true Tusk, but it's also true the American Idol connection is limiting her recognition by music fans in their twenties and thirties. Many people in that group pride themselves on having developed an appreciation for music outside the mainstream. To them, the American-Idol label is synonymous with someone of average talent singing formulaic pop; even if they have a good voice, they're not true artists doing something original. Haley has to win them over because the boost from American Idol isn't as great as it was when Kelly and Carrie appeared. They won their seasons at a time when Idol had higher viewership. Today, the average Idol viewer is ten years older and overall album sales for the music industry are down substantially.

Yes, I realise AI's presitge was far different in Carrie and Kelly's seasons, but I've realised, after railing against the injustice of unfair judging, defending against unfair and inaccurate criticisms by her haters, explaining away apparent fluctuations in 'weight' depending on which videos or pics, hoping that there is a wider strategy of a seemingly nonexistent promotion of her career etc for going on two years, now....that despite all these adversities and injustices, Haley still has her talent, her moxy, and her perserverance as well as what she has grown to know and understand, being raised in a musical house hold, that she will keep at it, learn, and succeed in her chosen career.

Recently, I, sarcastically posted at IDF to a fan who, from want for her to succeed, nit picked at what she was doing wrong, and what she should have done, instead of celebrating what she had accomplished at Lolla. I told him he should focus on what we do have and not what we don't. I said something like, "do you watch a sunset on the ocean and complain that it was too orange and needed a little more red"?
That made me realise I was doing the same thing in regard to AI, or her management strategies. These criticisms and injustices and misplaced strategies are all out of our/Haley's control. Whether she sells millions or 10's of thousands is really irrelevant to the fact that Haley's talent in pure and inherent and true. Despite all obstacles and missteps, ultimately, she has talent that does something really special to/for people which has to account for something.

Her talent isn't something she has to manufacture or 'enhance', give her a stool and a mic and she will make magic with her vocals, and she has the perspective learned from her parent's ability to raise a loving household, that she can and will be able to make a living in music and entertain those who are lucky enough to recognise and enjoy that talent.

I'm at a point in my fandom that, yes, I want more for her, but those things I can't control, criticisms, misconceptions, and lack of exposure, in the end don't matter. Because of the AI exposure, she has a fairly sizeable fan base, and many of these fans are extremely loyal and hunger to hear her talent. This is what matters.

That is what we can control. I've almost gotten past being indignant about the listed injustices, and am moving on to what I can do to help spread the love. Huddling with fans wondering why this and why not that, ultimately has no effect because we can't control those things. We can control what fans like you or I or figure8 or Stairway2halien or Himm2 or Lovinda and Buzz....etc. do. Continue to spread the support in our own ways.
We can complain about the injustices, or we can continue what we've been doing, one by one, introducing Haley to new ears, sharing our enthusiasm and exposing her to new fans, so they can each have their WTF moments organically, and not through some million dollar promotion that might never come. I'm tired of waiting for the Ellen/Leno/Letterman promo that might never come.

I know Haley is a once in a lifetime talent and I do what I can, in my own limited way to grow her fan base. It's a better use of my energy than to constantly bicker at hater's and critics and injustices.

Do what Haley does in these circumstances, Smile and move on. All we have to do is get people to "Listen Up!", Haley's talent will do the rest.

[cherelann]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Very well said Tusk!! I will try to focus on the positive & let the rest take care of itself.

[Miguel]

I'm not upset with American Idol. I'm not indignant about the snarky comment. I would like it changed because it reinforces the negative opinion many people have about American Idol performers. I started this thread to note that perception and how it was hurting Haley.

The photo caption struck me as illustrating the crux of the problem. Here she was playing Lollapalooza, a huge honor that might make people take notice, and her talent was dismissed out of hand.

I read a comment last week to the effect, "American Idol's coattails can only carry her so far." Meaning she's gotten a lot of press from being associated with American Idol, but if she doesn't break through the press will begin diminishing and the label support may dry up.

That stuck with me. I think there's some truth to it. And it's worrisome because we know she just needs to be heard to win over new fans, but there may be fewer opportunities for them to hear her in the near future.

I've taken some solace in the fact she's still very young and if she doesn't blow up now she might five years from now while she's still a youthful 26.

But I would prefer the spark to catch fire now while she has some momentum.

[BrandHaley]

There is a huge story angle Haley's PR peeps have not yet unwrapped in posturing Haley for a "beyond Idol" audience. Hers is a radically different Idol story. Present her as the AI problem child, or the red-headed step child, the cinderella idol who could talk back when cornered, whatever....Let it finally be told to the world that this is the reject, the cannon fodder that wouldn't go away on queue, the one who if left unattended would outshine the show. The American Idol, American Idol didn't want! The Un-Idol for the un-Idol world.
NOTE: Of course not to put her in bad light, or try to make her out to be a new bad girl, and not to recreate her as an ungrateful brat,…. and we all know how ridiculous yet vulnerable her attitude reputation is. That’s why we call their trade ‘public relations.’
Her walk through the AI mill was not the scenic route but a walk through the fire. Now she's rocking Lollapalooza on her way to Carnegie Hall while her demons are getting fired or put on the bubble at best, ironically wretching and twisting on the stools of doom previously owned by the Haleys and Elises of this world.
(With snippets)…She broke all the rules like....idols don't growl (God Bless the Child audition), yodel (Blue), scat (Moanin'), Idols aren't supposed to sing covers by legends, esp current no 1 songs....and nail it (Rolling in the Deep), yadayadayada.....
Show her many stunning looks....on a show which is to focus all the looks on JLo. Tell the Gaga story, the Led Zeppelin story,
"Take her down, Randy! JLo, you're second chair--you know what to do!" Use snippets from her whole season, followed by his and JLo's insane responses incl. you were screaming, you don't have the range, I prefer the Alicia Keyes rendition, and Gaga's offer of a previously unreleased song, "I didn't know the song therefore it was a bad song choice, therefore you suck really bad and should be sent home,” and not to be omitted the infamous "Yeah, I'd say that it's a tie between Scotty, Lauren, and James!!!" etc. etc. etc.
Everyone on this forum can outline the story better than this....this is just to say there is a great back story to Haley Reinhart that has nothing to do with being cookie cut by the American Idol template.
Haley has taken the high road for the past year and plus. She has graciously worn all the negative garb that accompanies the Idol experience, along with the third place designation ("Oh, you mean you didn't win?!?") She has protected AI and it's miscreants in every interview she has given. Now that AI is being reinvented and the said miscreants being ousted, it is a great time to let the story be told! And please include Slash, NOLA/Mayfield, Carnegie Hall, Lollapalooza, Montreux/Umbria, etc. etc. etc.
Haley got her moment on Idol, and helped give Idol their ratings. She has said thank you and is now in her “shindig” phase. All in all it’s a great time to …….
Break that chain!

[cherelann]

But I would prefer the spark to catch fire now while she has some momentum.

Haley is the little engine that could. Overnight sensations are a myth. However, preparation leads the way to what seems to be overnight success. No worries, Miguel. Sometimes that spark can smolder for awhile before it becomes a forest fire.

[Miguel]

There is a huge story angle Haley's PR peeps have not yet unwrapped in posturing Haley for a "beyond Idol" audience...

All that is true but it's Idol overload for people not interested in Idol. I think it's best saved for new, devoted fans of Haley. They'll want to know everything about her and it will solidify their feelings about her.

What will sell people are performances that make them go, "Wow, that was amazing. I never expected that from an American Idol contestant."

Thus my preferred method of selling Haley is through her live performances. When someone tweets they don't know who she is, I try to educate them. If they're overseas, I might include a link to a playlist of repad's Idol videos because they can still view them.

The past couple of weeks has filled out Haley's lineup of live performances nicely.

I've begun including the professionally shot Keep Coming Back live performance debut. And today I started tossing in a 1-minute video of "Oh MY" shot at Lollapalooza. It opens with her in the middle of the rap and makes a nice contrast to the rest of the videos, which include "Free" on The View, "Wild Horses" with Slash and Myles, and/or Mayfield in NOLA or a video of "Undone."

Actually, I just tweeted that many videos at once for the first time today. But I think I had a surprising success responding to an online contest that pits Haley against Austin Majone, who may be "the next Justin Bieber."

He has 957K followers on Twitter compared to Haleys' 210K.

Austin fan reaction to the contest:

♥ ‏@ItsGabbyMarie

http://www.fm97.com/pages/Bracket.html … AUSTIN IS LOSING TO SOME NOBODY SO GO VOTE FOR HIM GUYS

She has 7,500 followers. A follower of hers responded with,

austin❤carter☁mahone ‏@SuicideStop9

Who's Haley reinhart? LOLOLOL and how is she winning??

I responded with a tweet that said, "Haley:" and provided five videos:

- Keep Coming Back, MN
- Free, on The View
- Undone lyric video
- Oh My, Lolla
- Wild Horses, Slash & Myles

The person with 7,500 follower retweeted it without comment. And the follower retweeted her.

So I think it's a victory of sorts if anyone watches the videos. Whenever I tweet links to Haley's videos I feel compelled to watch them myself. And my reaction is always, "This girl is too good to not make it big."