A double entendre of course.
James Durbin sang the Muse song "Uprising" last Wednesday, and in the immortal words of Randy Jackson, he "slayed it." I know I have become woefully behind on my Idol recaps - just too much going on. But that is where the other meaning comes in.
Because James Durbin has become my new muse.
Every week on American Idol James has upped his game. From the beginning he has shown versatility with his song selections, singing everything from metal to George Harrison to Stevie Wonder to Muse. He has also displayed his artistic vision by creating moments that have never been seen on the Idol stage before: a flaming piano, a mic stand/cane, a troupe of drummers marching onstage, and one of the greatest metal guitarist doing what he does best.
Many of the Idol contestants this season have proven themselves to be great performers and very good singers. But for me, James has been the most successful talent this season. Every week he shows us something new and exciting. No one could ever accuse him of being karaoke, or "phoning in" his performances. Except for the George Harrison song where he sat on a stool during the entire performance, James is a force to be reckoned with onstage. He has been on top of a piano, run up and down stairs, stood on top of the judges' table, and executed several backbends, all without running out of breath or even visibly sweating.
There is so much to love about James Durbin.
First of all, he has an amazing range and can sing a wide variety of music. Metal / hard rock is his favorite genre, and besides what he has sung on the show, I have also seen youtube videos of him performing songs in this category, including "Back in Black," by AC/DC "Kashmir," and "Stairway to Heaven," by Led Zepplin, and "Rainbow in the Dark." by Dio. I've also seen him sing more mainstream rock songs, like "Layla" by Eric Clapton, and "Separate Ways" by Journey. I even found a video of him singing "Black Velvet" by Alannah Myles. "I bet you never heard a guy sing this before" he said in the video. Apparently he can sing country too, so if there's a country night on Idol he won't be a fish out of water. I found a video of him singing an amazing version of our national anthem.
Second of all, I love his professionalism onstage. James is only twenty-two, but he displays a maturity beyond his years. In every performance on Idol so far, James has managed to highlight whoever is onstage with him, whether it be backup singers, guitar or bass players, piano players, or drummers. He'll often call out their names during or after a song as well, and clap. I've seen him do this on the youtube videos as well. James communicates that a performance is not just about the lead singer, even when he's a competitor on a reality show.
He will also do all he can to bring the audience into the performance. Except for Paul, no one on Idol has done as much as James this season to get the crowd going. Besides his stage antics, he will urge people to stand up, point at people, wiggle his fingers, and make eye contact. He knows where the camera is and is able to succesfully engage the audience at home without alienating the studio peeps. I think if Simon was still a judge, he would say that James has "the X Factor." He has star quality.
Which is even more remarkable given the fact that James Durbin deals with Tourettes and Aspergers Syndromes on a daily basis. Both are neurological conditions. Aspergers is on the autism spectrum and can cause behavior problems and difficulties with socialization, relationships, and interpersonal communication. Tourettes results in involuntary movements known as tics, and in severe cases vocal outbursts.
James is lucky that he has mild forms of both disorders. But still, imagine being onstage in front of 30 million people every week, singing on a reality tv show, and dealing with conditions that most people know little about. Having both Tourettes and Aspergers is a double whammy because they can feed off each other. Aspergers can cause significant anxiety in social situations, and Tourettes can be exacerbated by stress and anxiety.
I'm certainly no expert in either disorder, but it appears to me that James has made significant progress in his journey with Aspergers. He makes eye contact easily, is very well-spoken, and is demonstrative and affectionate with his fellow contestants. In fact, when his closest friend on the show was eliminated, James was in tears, then ran out at the end of Stefano's song to give him a big hug.
I worried a lot in the beginning of the season about how James would handle all the pressure of being first an American Idol contestant, and then a singer in the public eye. There is so much to consider. The hard work, the long hours, the travel, the constant demands placed on you by both the industry and the public. James is witnessing firsthand the polar opposites of adoration and vitriol that the American public can heap on its celebrities. I have seen complaints about everything from his voice to the size of his ears to of course his facial tics. But James has so much going for him. A tough early life has strengthened him rather than hardening him. He has great support from a loving family, including a fiance and young son. He has a very positive outlook on life. "I have Tourettes and Aspergers, but they don't have me," he says. Singing is what he loves to do, and he's not going to let anything stand in the way of achieving his dreams, for himself and for his family.
librarianintx
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