Idol 31 - Didi Benami

31. Didi Benami

Season 9, 10th Place

Coming into the semifinals, I seriously pegged her as the new American Idol. Sigh.

Season 9, we've all been told that it was a girl’s season to win. That’s fine because I saw that potential with the line-up. There was a very good chance that a female indie singer/songwriter artist will win that season, but there were so many of them that they keep running over each other like little kids in a bumper car arena. Everyone was starting to sound so familiar and then, in retrospect, ordinary. Unfortunately, Didi Benami was one of those indie singer/songwriter artist.

Didi, in my opinion, was the first true former frontrunner to fall out of the running for the Idol title. Didi, from her audition to Hollywood week, looked to be in a strong position capable of moving her into the Top 5 contestants. She showcased her phenomenal instrument during her audition of Hey Jude. The phrasing was interesting, the tone was unique, and she’s got power behind her voice - confident power that most folk singers lack. Obviously, Didi had it in spades - not to mention she’s beautiful.

Then, Terrified happened during Hollywood week and I was instantly a fan of hers. Seriously. She was so good and there isn’t anyway I can overstate how powerful she was that night. That moment, along with Andrew Garcia, I told myself that if Didi wasn’t in the Top 12, Idol should prepare for a collective uproar from the Idol fans.I mean, Benami was gorgeous, marketable, affable, and has more commercial potential than almost anyone else on the program.

But something happened when we got to the semifinals. Her guitar strings were snapped one by one and she stopped thinking like a competitor and began to pick songs that she loved rather than songs America could get behind and vote for in ridiculous numbers.

Sure, she had the brilliant Rhiannon, the intense Play With Fire, and to some extent, the very controlled and very cool indie performance of The Way I Am,  but her other performances were lackluster. I don't know what happened. Heck, I even predicted her to win it all.

Well, Didi’s worst trait was that she was too true to herself and that was a very bad position to be in on one of the cheesiest competitions on television. Her performances became self-indulgent and she somehow just didn't think wisely of her song choices - What Becomes of a Broken Hearted? Really?

She can, on a good night, make me feel like I have heard this song for the first time. I mean, Didi has an innate talent of being able to connect to a song like no other contestant in the competition that season, which sucked because she had so much potential to be another Taylor Swift in the making. Sad.

Favorite Performance(s): I've enumerated them all already. The brilliant Rhiannon, the intense Play With Fire, and to some extent, the very controlled and very cool indie performance of The Way I Am. Haha.

Check this out!  

Sweet Rain - Didi Benami

Rhiannon

Play With Fire

The Way I Am

#30 - Most Successful Non-Winner