making a case for...diana

Diana DeGarmo.  The American Idol.  Sounds plausible.  Even possible.  Diana has come a long was since the beginning weeks of this competition.  So let's make a case for Diana to move on to the finale as one of the final two.

She's young.  She's perky.  And she can belt out a song in a way that neither Jasmine or Fantasia can.  It's been a rollercoaster ride with her this season.  During round one, her rendition of I Got the Music In Me set the standard for the prelims that very few of the contestants were able to meet.  As the episodes continued, while her vocal talent has never been in question, her performances tended to reek of plastic.  She was going through the motions.  At one point I wondered where her wind-up mechanism was located.  There was never any evidence of a true connection to her music or to her audience.

However, in the last few weeks, it seems that Diana has mellowed a bit.  She seems to have thrown caution to the wind, busting out of her Barbie mold and letting us have it with both barrels.  She's been the shining star on two nights:  Gloria Estefan night and disco night.  She has picked up bundles of fans, the ones she came in with who will vote for her for her youth and new fans who have watched a pretty young girl grow into a more seasoned, less-polished, less-automated performer.

It will be very interesting to see what song choices the judges give Diana Tuesday night.  Certainly one will be upbeat, and I'm hoping the other is a ballad.  She proved on Manilow night that she can belt out a power ballad.  Whatever the judges select, I do hope that she has a nice mix, a buffet of song choices to show her range and her vocal maturity.  I hope to see her continue to relax and remain less stilted and over-rehearsed.  I hope she keeps the giggling to a minimum (remember:  we're reaching out to the older LaToya audience as well as the younger ones now).  And I hope she continues to wow both the studio and television audiences as well as the judges.

It is quite possible that Diana will become the next American Idol.  It is almost certain that she will make the finale.  I'd certainly bet my husband on that, and might even consider betting the dog.

*photo from idolonfox.com