Brian. I don't think Naima is the most talented nor do I think she should get a "social justice" type break. I do think she's improving in her abilities in bigger steps than most of the others - and that's because she likely started further behind them because of a lack of training. I also think that the marketing tool known as AI also benefits by the mirage it creates with the success of such a person because it promotes the illusion that a person from her circumstances has a shot at going all the way to the top without putting in a lot of time honing their skills. Having said that, I disagree that AI should be just about being the most talented. AI is about creating a celebrity - hence the name American Idol. And we all know being a celebrity doesn't equal talent. Actually, I'm leaning toward Casey or James because I do love music. I really don't care who wins. Nor will I buy their CDS, downloads, or whatever unless I like their original song(s) - because I'm more interested in the song than the artist. Most of my commentary is based on what I perceive as AI's strategy of getting the most marketable tour and winning artist for their money. The risk AI takes is that the voters don't buy the releases of the artists that win or attend the shows that follow this season - and with the economy being what it is, that risk is getting greater.

http://www.soundclick.com/Summeoyo
http://www.ourstage.com/profile/summeoyo1