Idol 4 - Elliott Yamin

4. Elliott Yamin

Season 5, 3rd Place

Who knew someone like Elliott Yamin - an obvious underdog - would suddenly become one of the best Idol contestants EVER? Frankly, not me.

But I have to say, Elliott really epitomized what the competition was all about. I mean, you don't really get much more of a raw talent than Elliott. He wasn't a seasoned performer who had been striving for a music career. He had rarely even sang in public before he was on Idol. I felt like he was a true gem - a diamond in the rough. Elliott was a brilliant vocalist!!

But, as I have said a number of times in this blog, Elliott Yamin was probably one of the most underrated finalists on Idol, who no one thought would even get a remote chance of advancing to the next round or even winning the whole lot. Needless to say, he was just another cannon fodder during Season 5. He got zero exposure during the auditions and was barely noticed during the Hollywood Week. Thanks to the obnoxious Brittnum twins though, because their drama made me notice Elliott even just a little.

To be honest, going into the Top 24 of Season 5, I didn't really care for him that much. Yes, I was aware that he had so much raw soul in his voice, but that was just about it for me. But then, he performed If You Really Loved Me on his first live performance and I was in serious awe. He was absolutely amazing. I was also happy to hear Simon tell him that he was potentially the best male vocalist they had ever had on Idol. The next week, Moody's Mood For Love happened and I just lost it. His rendition of that song was just phenomenal. By that point, I considered myself a fan and decided Elliott to be one of the two contestants that I would be rooting for that season.

Now, going into the Top 12, I figured that I should not to get my hopes up with him. I probably predicted Elliott to end up at about eighth or ninth place in the competition. That time, I thought that he just didn't have the fanbase to carry him further - a couple of trips at the Bottom 3 even if he did amazing the previous night proved that. But somehow, he managed to sneak his way every single week and survive all those brutal cuts. That was the moment I realized that he was basically winning people over because of his outstanding performances. He just didn't rely on pure hype, he worked very hard for it.

Truth be told, Elliott Yamin had such a Cinderella story on Idol. I mean, even though he could sing circles around most of his competition, almost no one expected him to make the Top 3 of that season. He was clearly the underdog. And despite being extremely consistent, he often was denied credit from Simon Cowell. Heck, almost everyone had him completely written off at the beginning of the competition. In the end, he missed the Finale by merely .2% of the vote! Sad.

But I really couldn't have asked for much more. I mean, I remember early in the competition, I told myself that I'd be happy to get ten performances from Elliott. Well, I got that and seven more. Haha. Elliott went out on top, and I couldn't have been happier with his run in the competition. Seriously.

Now, after Idol, I was really thrilled when I learned that Elliott got a record contract - even though it wasn't as major of a label as I had hoped for. Still, it was a better deal than I expected. He got to make his debut album the way he wanted to - without 19 tainting his style - and it was undeniably great album. Elliott's tone on every song of that record just pierced right through me. I was even more happy when his debut single, Wait For You, became a huge hit - very deservingly - worldwide. Sure, he didn't top the success he had when he released his second album but I think it was still a solid effort from him. Nonetheless, I'll still be waiting anxiously for his third studio album!

Favorite performance(s): Where do I even begin? I really loved almost every performance Elliott gave. My very favorite performance, though, would have to be Moody's Mood For Love. I mean, after 9 seasons, this still ranks second on my All-Time Best American Idol Performances. As I've said, just the modulation and key changes made this absolutely phenomenal. Of course, A Song for You was a classic. That song was like Elliott's anthem, and he completely delivered it with so much passion and believability. Trouble was also really good. I'm such a sucker for some ridiculous soul singing and he certainly delivered it with this performance. It was the grittiest, bluesy-soul clincher I have ever heard on that stage and I was completely giddy after hearing it! His performance of Somebody to Love was also ridiculously outstanding. Elliott couldn't have picked a Queen song better suited for his voice. If I Can Dream is another favorite and so is I Believe It To My Soul and If You Really Love Me.

Moody's Mood For Love

A Song For You

Trouble

Somebody To Love

If I Can Dream

I Believe It To My Soul

If You Really Love Me

Wait For You