Our Fave American Idols
Two contestants came out of the gate fast in the early stages of live
American Idol competition last month. While countrified
Carrie Underwood was a
Simon favorite and rocker
Bo Bice won props for his rendition of "Drift Away," we dub
Nadia Turner and
Mario Vazquez ones to watch.
Mario VazquezThis 27-year-old New Yorker looks like
Justin Guarini (all the cuteness
sans the hair) and sounds like
Justin Timberlake. Mario, who likes soul and electronic music, makes up for his newsboy caps with a charisma even Simon Cowell can't deny. His liquid brown eyes and winsome smile have won over female fans — including
Paula Abdul, who gave him two standing ovations and cried "Touchdown!" after he sang
Stevie Wonder's "Do I Do." We think someone has a little crush. Who can blame her?
Nadia TurnerIf you combined
Gladys Knight and
Tina Turner (Nadia's favorite female pop artist), you'd get this radiant performer. Nadia is workin' Tina's outsize hairdo and long legs, which no doubt inspired
Randy Jackson to declare she looks "rockin' in jeans." Judging from her impressive vocal prowess and hip-gyrating moves on
Ashley Cleveland's "Power of Love," it's no wonder Simon called her "the antidote to karaoke hell."
Idol's producers were wise to raise the contest's age limit, because the 28-year-old Floridian blows younger, less confident competitors out of the water like a Miami hurricane.
IDOL STATSAmericans viewing the Season 4 premiere: 33.6 million (more than one in nine)
Total number of votes for Season 3, with viewers casting multiple votes: 360 million (67 million more than the population of the United States)
Season 3 finale voting: 65 million
Votes received by
President Bush and
John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election:
Bush: 62 million
Kerry: 59 million
