Will David Cook be the next American Idol?

The seventh season of American Idol (AI) is down to its last four finalists. Come Tuesday evening, Wednesday afternoon here in the Philippines, one among David Archuleta, Jason Castro, David Cook and Syesha Mercado will lose his bid to follow in the footsteps of Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barino, Taylor Hicks, Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks.

Logically, the honor should go to David Cook. The 25-year-old rocker from Missouri has been the most consistent as far as performance is concerned. I cannot recall any misstep from Cook. Song selection is always excellent. He takes unlikely choices and makes them work. Eleanor Rigby. He does great covers. Chris Cornell’s Billy Jean. He dares to make the familiar his original. Mariah Carey’s Always Be My Baby. And at a time when the other finalists were found floundering through the Andrew Lloyd Webber catalogue, Cook rocked the joint with Music of the Night.

But then as we have found out these past years, AI might be a singing competition but it is not essentially the best singers who win. Like it or not, the show needs stars to keep rating. Fans also like stars and vote for those they like. So if you want a show that people will watch, it is best to choose the star rather than the best singer. Of course, Sometimes you can get lucky and find a winner who is both. Think Clarkson of the first AI. Current sensation Leona Lewis of the UK’s Pop Idol. Sarah Geronimo in our Star for a Night.

But that is not always the case. Besides, you also have to consider the fact that contestants who have the financial resources and the manpower who will man phones and get the votes out, have a better chance of staying to the end. Successful losers who failed at this operation are Jennifer Hudson and Chris Daughtry. And I can also think of some names who undeservingly puttered through to the final weeks.

Cook, although attractive seems to have chosen to stay low-key, preferring to shine only while he is performing. He seems to be respectful, humble and oblivious to how his stint in the competition is shaping up. He needs to get out more, to bring on the cheesy smile, give the fans something to swoon over if he wants to win. If he does not want to do those, then he’d better have the most number of people he could mobilize ready to cast their votes every week till the finals night.

Vocally, Cook has some competition from Syesha but as the judges have correctly observed, she is a good actress/singer. I guess that also means she is not a star. Truth to tell I still do not know what she really is, how she will shape up as a singer, what songs will suit her and become her hits. And the contest is almost over. Maybe as she proved with One Rock and Roll Too Many from Starlight Express, she will indeed end up a success in a stage musical.

Given how their young fans have been reacting to them, there is also a strong chance that either Archuleta, 17, or Castro, 20, would win the title. Do you think they would do a male Hannah Montana with their CDs should they win?  I guess that is all right and much better than it would be if they choose Aaron Carter.

Now, these two can sing and it is always a pleasure to find a lot of talent in young people. These boys though have the air of kids who were brought up to be in showbusiness. They behave like Nino Bonitos who were told they could do no wrong and are surprised when told that they are, in fact doing something wrong. Archuleta is well-mannered enough. He just pouts a bit. But I really thought Castro acted like a brat during the Lloyd Webber night. “You are making me sing something I do not like,” his performance seemed to say, “So I will not do it well.” So he did not.

This is one season of AI wherein there is an obvious winner, Cook, because there is not much to choose from. But it is still impossible to predict the outcome. Cook has to shine, bright, bright, bright in the next few weeks. I know he can always do a Daughtry if he gets booted off but think of what will happen to AI if it fails to produce a star. It could be the beginning of the end.