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American Idol Season 21 Gives Off Season 6 Vibes, Fans Think

American Idol Season 21 Gives Off Season 6 Vibes, Fans Think
Image credit: ABC

Five surprising similarities the two seasons share.

It has been just a few days since the grand finale of the twenty-first season of American Idol, the television phenomenon that first graced our screens in 2002. Except for a brief hiatus in 2017, the show has aired uninterrupted, launching the careers of eminent artists such as Adam Lambert, Kelly Clarkson, and Carrie Underwood, among many others.

The recently concluded Season 21 showcased a plethora of extraordinary musicians.

However, as the rule dictates, only one could claim the top spot. This honour went to Iam Tongi, leaving Megan Danielle as the admirable runner-up. This outcome, coupled with the overall vibe of the season, has prompted numerous fans to draw comparisons to another memorable year, Season 6, which, they argue, shares a great deal in common with its more recent counterpart.

While the notion might initially appear odd, the parallels between these two seemingly very different seasons are remarkably compelling.

Obvious Winners

The first similarity revolves around a sense of inevitability about who was going to win. Throughout Season 21, Iam Tongi was a unanimous favourite, his impending victory predicted early on by many fans. This mirrors the trajectory of Jordin Sparks from Season 6, whose captivating performances had her pegged as the inevitable winner well before the season's finale.

Controversial Participants

In Seasons 6 and 21, two artists – Blake Lewis and Colin Stough, respectively – found themselves subjected to the audience's ire. These goofy generic white guys, while completely different from each other, were both deemed to take the place of more interesting artists, much to the viewers’ annoyance.

Talented Contestants of Colour

Both seasons also featured incredibly gifted artists of colour, Melinda Doolittle and Wé Ani, respectively, who both failed to win despite stellar vocals.

Bromance

The fourth similarity was the palpable camaraderie, or 'bromance', between some contestants. Chris Sligh & Phil Stacey and Oliver Steele & Iam Tongi’s on-camera relationships in seasons 6 and 21, respectively, brought audiences to tears and exhilaration with their sincerity and outstanding kindness and support for each other.

Memeable Contestants

Lastly, there were contestants, namely Sanjaya in Season 6 and Nutsa in Season 21, who, despite their impressive performances, attracted mockery and scorn from certain sections of the audience. According to fans, both were just too full of themselves to be taken seriously. It should be noted, though, that on the whole, Nutsa got more recognition for her astounding vocals and powerful stage presence than Sanjaya, whose only value, according to many, lay in being an endless source of memes for a while.

Source: Reddit.