TV Week Interview with Nigel Lythgoe: Top 9

This week’s TV Week backlot talk interview with American Idol producers. This morning, Chuck Ross spoke with Nigel Lythgoe.

Blake – “I didn’t think Blake bit it well enough for me…I thought he sang it very well and sustained the notes, but that one, you really bite the notes [Nigel demonstrates]…it’s quite a nasty song about the underworld.”
Phil – “Tony thought he was a great crooner, he sounded like the old…Jack Joneses and this sort of thing.”
Melinda – “She did a great job…Tony Bennett said…, ‘you know what, you sing that song just how the composer wanted you to do it…you did the verse, you did the main tune of it and then you brought it to a climax’…it was absolutely right.”
Chris – “I thought this was a good performance from him. I didn’t think it was his best–the judges thought it was his best…he’s learning every week. He and Blake are really good singers.”
Jordin – “Both Ken…and myself talk about the journey of American Idol and the growth that these kids go through, and she really is enjoying this journey and growing every week.”
Gina – “I’m a Nat King Cole fan, I prefer Nat King Cole’s version [over Tony Bennett’s version of “Smile.”]…it was a strange one for me, because she didn’t look like she was going to sing “Smile”…she looked like she was going to sing a French rock song…she had these sort of fishnet tights on and the split skirt…it reminded me very much of the French resistance…only she wasn’t carrying a machine gun.”
Sanjaya – “I thought he sang it reasonably well, actually…well Tony actually says he sings in tune, and he did, that’s a plus there. But I think the big thing for me and it was Randy said, he’s turning into an entertainer, and that’s absolutely true. And also Tony says, ‘he dares to be different’ and there he was wandering around in Al Pacino’s suit from Scarface. I do understand why people vote for him.”

The interviewer, Chuck Ross, says that although Taylor Hicks was VFTW’s candidate last year, he was a very deserving winner. He goes on to say that he would be very surprised if Sanjaya wins. Nigel says “It would be a shock.”

Then, Nigel elaborates on the concept of winning, “What do you mean by winning? Taylor won the competition, but the one selling the albums at the moment is Daughtry. So what is the “win” at the end of the day? I think Sanjaya is going to win in this, in the sense that he is gonna have a very interesting career.” Nigel adds, “Chris was my favorite last year…I was surprised [that he didn’t win] at the same time I was also delighted that Katharine and Taylor were in the finale.”