23 Days to American Idol

“You didn’t give me chills. I think you managed with what you could.”

-- Simon Cowell, about Kristy Lee Cook’s Top 7 Performance of “Forever,” by Mariah Carey, Season 7


The “chills” were a reference to Mariah Carey’s assessment of KLC’s version of “Forever.” High praise from the Pop Diva, herself, for Season 7’s overachieving country girl. But Simon’s comments encapsulate the uphill battle she fought from the very beginning of the competition. Still, KLC earns the spotlight here over other middling AI contestants for several reasons.

First, she never backed down from the mountain of opposition placed in front of her early on in the competition. Her early performances were admittedly weak, and she could have easily been voted off much earlier than she was. Instead, she embraced the negative criticism and used it to her advantage with the voters. She was self-deprecating, putting on a brave face regardless of how much it might have hurt her confidence.

Second, she stepped up, playing the competition like a game. Her song choices were thinly veiled attempts to connect with, and even pander to the voters. Still, it worked. “God Bless the USA” was as transparent a song choice as they come, but it kept her in the competition. She followed it up with “Anyway,” a Martina McBride song clearly in her wheelhouse. The lyrics were all about perseverance, never giving up despite people trying to bring you down. It was as if she were singing it directly to Simon, who clearly wanted her gone. It helped that she knocked it out of the park, but she still survived another week.



Finally, she worked hard and showed improvement. It was evident in her journey, and despite the fact that I didn’t care for her as a singer, I respected her fortitude and her moxie. Her swansong performance of “Forever” earned her a place in my heart, and a place in my countdown.