Final 'American Idol': Hardy Wool defeated Alejandro Aranda. Here is a possible reason why.

Throughout the American Idol Season 17 finale on Sunday night, the winner seemed almost too obvious; In particular, when Alejandro Aranda, a 24-year-old singer-songwriter from Pomona, California, played an original song called "Out Loud". In the end, the studio audience screamed and applauded so loudly that the judges were drowned.

"We love you, buddy. Thank you for having changed our lives, "Luke Bryan told Aranda when the crowd finally reassured.If this sounds hyperbolic, Lionel Richie said earlier in the episode:" From time to time time, something happens that captivates your imagination, your soul and your spirit. you know that what you are looking at is the next level of something unbelievable. Katy Perry added, "It was a pleasure to live in the same life as you. "

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These reactions were distinctly different from the way they treated Laine Hardy, the 18-year-old Livingston musician, La. Although the judges praised and complimented her song choices (Perry said that he was working hard in five years, he could be "one of the greatest stars on the planet"), they also joked a lot, suggesting that he should mark the phrases "Party With the Hardy" and "Bayou Boy".

But then, Aranda and Hardy, the last two, took the stage while host Ryan Seacrest announced that the champion elected by the fans and the winner of a recording contract: " The American Idol 2019, it's … Hardy Wool! "

The result was somewhat shocking – Aranda, a favorite producer whose song was judged "otherwise" and "sacred", seemed destined to win. His video on the YouTube channel "Idol" was titled "Alejandro Aranda AMUSANT A full audition leaves the judges speechless." (It was viewed 10.4 million times.) Stevie Nicks wrote on Facebook that her songs made her cry. He has been called the favorite by websites specializing in predicting winners of televised competitions. So how did he lose?

Laine Hardy, winner of season 17 of "American Idol," sings her coronation song, "Flame," surrounded by fellow comrades and mentor, Bobby Bones. (Eric McCandless / ABC)

Fans have a lot of theories, but a possible explanation may have come accidentally from Perry, who is in her second year as a judge since the reality series has gone from Fox to ABC. After Aranda had played a piece called "Ton tonight," Perry had some thoughts.

"Listen, I love being on American Idol," said Perry. "But of course, some would say in the past," American Idol "- you know, it was a bit of a karaoke show … More now, when people like you come, you bring some original music. Art, and you're still raising the stakes. "

That's right, Arando stood out by playing more original music than anyone else this season. (As a rule, finalists would like to cover songs.) At his first audition, he confessed that he had no formal musical training and that he had started to write songs only a few years ago while he was fed up with working in warehouses. He then made the judges virtually speechless as he displayed dazzling guitar and piano skills, creating songs called "Out Loud" and "Cholo Love".

"I just feel that I'm in the presence of greatness," said Bryan, barely able to pronounce the words. "I have never seen anything like it."

While Aranda had won a ton of fans throughout the season, many of whom were angry, he had not won, but Perry's "karaoke" comment inadvertently revealed a possible reason why he did not win. had not won.

After all, basically, "American Idol" is mainly a karaoke show. And that's what works! The series has certainly evolved since its launch in 2002, with the producers finally allowing the contestants to play their own instruments and sing original music. But "Idol" took off in part because fans were eager to see candidates give new rotations to past and current hits.

Aranda played many times during the season, from Coldplay to Post Malone to Drake. But he was more comfortable when he was singing something that he wrote himself; Even Seacrest has described it as "unpublished" that Aranda has sung four original songs in the finale. Incidentally, it is at this moment that the winner's live vote took place – Hardy interpreted "Home" by Marc Broussard, "Jambalaya (On the Bayou) of Hank Williams", "Bring It On Home Home to Me from Sam Cooke "and played duet with Jon Pardi" Dirt On My Boots "and" Night Shift ".

So, maybe some viewers preferred songs they knew. And speaking of familiarity, this could be another explanation for Hardy's surprise victory. This was his second pass on "Idol" – he tried it in season 16 and was cut early enough. Then he returned to auditions this season, for the sole purpose of helping his guitarist friend. In one way or another, the judges convinced him to try once again.

Hardy performed "The Weight", the band's song, and Perry, Bryan and Richie were captivated. Apparently, in the year following his rejection of "Idol", he gained a lot of confidence in him.

"He had well,"Perry said, while they were presenting their gold ticket to Hollywood, Perry uttered the magic words, which would eventually be prophetic:" You could win that one. You could really. "

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