First, can we agree that lyrically, the new American Idol song, "This Is My Now," is more of the same? A gloppy ballad about the sun breaking through the clouds, the path becoming clear, the light shining down, blah blah blah… Sorta weird that it came from an actual songwriting competition — I suspected it had been spit out by the Trite-o-Matic 2000. Still, it’s not as bad as Carrie Underwood’s Idol song, "Inside Your Heaven," which is notorious in the EW.com offices (well, between me and Slezak, mostly) for including the baffling line "Take me to the place you cry from." What? I digress.
So now AOL Music has debuted the recorded version of Jordin’s "This Is My Now," and a pretty okay version it is, to my huge relief. As all you Idolatry addicts know, I have been a Sparks plugger ever since the first go-round of "I (Who Have Nothing)," and am not ashamed to throw up the spirit fingers for the 17-year-old. But I have something to confess…
Every time I watched her sing live on TV this season, my jaw would clench in premature worry that something would go wrong. I always felt like Jordin was workin’ overtime (and who doesn’t love a hard worker?) to keep control in her performances. When she went for the glory note, didn’t it sometimes seem she was uncomfortably close to careening off-key, a victim of the dreaded Voice Crack?
No such worries on the recorded version, of course. (Yay, producers!) It’s nice to hear some vocal layers in there, backing my girl up. (Ooh, echoes!) I mean, it’s not terribly original — I don’t think I’ll be able anytime soon to hear a song on the radio and instantly know, "Hey, that’s Jordin!" — but for what she’s working with… that’ll do, Miss Sparks.
But what do you think?
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No, it isn’t bad at all, but it’s more of the same. I guess that’s what AI producers look for, that love & hopeful type of song. Her vocals are good also, and actually I can’t see Blake or Melissa singing that song. It’s not my type of song but I’m resigned to hear it in every retail store I walk into.
Well…it’s better than “Do I Make You Proud.” I’m not going to buy it anytime soon, though. It’s just a’ight for me, dawg.
No purchase necessary. Congrats to her but nothing compares to Tamyra Gray/Fantasia’s “Believe.”
what a crappy song, but I just came here to say… OH MY GOD, Dawnie, you said “spirit fingers” how much do I love YOU!!!!?
ok to the people that hate the finale song…
Last year when Taylor came out with “Do I Make You Proud” and everyone thought it was horrible, the producers actually thought of a fresh idea by making the songwriting competition.
How is it their fault that people didn’t like the outcome? They left the final song up to you… DID YOU GUYS VOTE?? If you didn’t then shutup and live with it because you had a chance to decide and you passed on it!
I think its a good song, mainly cuz it fits Jordin’s voice.. although I prefer “A Moment Like This” and “i Believe” over TIMN
I seriously doubt if this song will get any radio airplay. It doesn’t fit in today’s play lists. It will only get played if DJs are told to play it.
Hahah, spirit fingers! I love Bring It On!
“Those aren’t spirit fingers” (wiggles fingers limply), “these are spirit fingers” (rapid finger wiggling).
“Cheerleaders are dancers who have gone retarded.”
Oh, and “This is My Now” is the worst song ever. Period.
i’m glad you like the song. go buy it, lock yourself in your room and have a fantasy moment with your Pretty Pony.
Methinks this songwriting “competition” could have been just as rigged as the actual Idol competition!
Sigh. Still bitter about Melinda’s premature departure.
In all fairness, there have been worse songs – Inside Your Heaven definitely being one of them – and Jordin’s got a decent enough set of pipes to pull them off.
I felt exactly the same way regarding Jordin’s live vocals – her voice, particularly towards the end, was always so pitchy and gaspy, teetering on the edge of cracking!
If I’m not mistaken, none of the singles written for the show have been RADIO hits; they’ve all gone to number 1 because people buy/download them. Top 40 radio simply does not play pop ballads. I agree with you that the song sucks, but really, what were you expecting?
I have to disagree with you on Jordin; I never thought her voice was going to crack during her performances. I always THOUGHT she was going to win, as I’ve been saying here, but my fave was voted off before the top 10, Sabrina Sloan. Oh well……
It’s the perfect song for Jordin.
I think the song is crap!! I don’t think Jordin should have won! Blake was great with Doug E Fresh, Melinda and LaKeisha sounded great with Gladys, Melinda sounded fab with BeBe and CeCe and the Guys sounded fab with Smokey. Having said that, are they going to do an encore of the finals? I didn’t get to tape it and I would like to. Simon, Randy and Paula should be ashamed of themselves for the way they acted this year. They were so bias toward Jordin it was shameful. I think that is one reason people were so upset. They acted like there was no one else there. Clearly, after seeing last nights finale, there were several singers (if this was a singing competition)that were better than Jordin, but they will get contracts. I just can’t believe the judges behavior. They practically told Blake over and over again that he was coming in 2nd, not that we didn’t know that by the way they were acting long before the final votes. If you know of encore, please let me know.
Okay, I LOVE your joke about “Inside Your Heaven” because my friends and I never get tired of making fun of that song. It’s terrible.
“This is My Now”, however, isn’t even funny. It’s one of those cornball songs that the kid from choir that everybody hates sings at high school graduation. Awful but par for the course as far as AI singles go.
I recently heard Reuben’s “Flying without Wings” at Von’s and nearly vomitted in the produce aisle.
With all the money this show has brought in, why not hire the better song writers? These first songs have all been the pits!
seriously, why does every single have to be a crappy ballad about ur dream coming true. why can’t we have timbaland produce a track. or even, shudder, scott storch.
“Inside your Heaven” is proof that Carrie Underwood can sing anything and make it sound sensational!
congrats on 6x Platnium!
yes indeed it’s designed for jordin. a crappa song like that should only go to the person who deserves it. good thing blake didn’t win. i would probably know how much suffering he’d have if he won, and with that song as his single. congrats blake!
lol it’s ironic, i’m congratulating the runner-up. but it’s true. good luck on your career and i hope you more success than the winner.
Another bad somg in a line of bad AI songs. Why can’t AI let these kids do covers and make it easy? That’s what Reuben did, he civered Westlife, no original song for him. All the original songs have been pop ballad schlock. Ugh.
Terrible song. Period. So glad Blake didn’t have to sing that song (GO BLAKE!), but on the other side, Jordin is cute and young, and makes a great Idol!
Actually I’m pretty sure “This Is The Night” (Clay Aiken) was a radio hit, right? That one wasn’t so bad…
This song was probably designed for Jordin back in February when the powers that be decided she would be the winner.
Hmm.. ya, the song ain’t good, but it’s not too bad compared to others… I’ll see your “Inside Your Heaven” and raise you Rooo-ben’s “Flying Without Wings” AND Taylor’s “Do I Make You Proud” (to answer Taylor’s question, by the way… no).
This year has been one of the worst AI shows I’ve ever seen. The only one that deserved that spot was Melinda a true AI. Also I’ve always bought the AI’s songs, but as for Jordin it’ll never happen, because she shouldn’t have won. She doesn’t even have that wow factor in her voice yeah she can hit a few high notes, but it’s more to singing than that. And she doesn’t even have any showmanship she just stands there like a robot. Very boring I might add. I much rather Blake had won because at least he has soul & showmanship. I liked what him & Doug E Fresh did on the show it was awesome “you go Blake”. Now that’s who should of won instead of Jordin! I really could of enjoyed listening to his music because u knew he had something different to offer and that’s what makes him unique! But I have no doubt that he still will make it because it will be ludacris 4 someone not to sign him up. The way I see it Blake & Melinda are already winners!
It’s not rigged, just please let go of the bitterness and become a better voter next time. The girl wanted this and you could tell that from the start. And that connected with the audience who gave her the majority of 74 million votes. No the song isnt great but its an AI ballad. And if you voted on the songwriting contest you would have heard that it was the best of the dreadful offerings.
JORDIN ENJOY YOUR MOMENT, YOU DESERVE IT AND THE 1 MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT!
All the Idol songs are disposable. The only one that was bearable was Kelly Clarkson’s. And that’s because she can sing. Really sing….. really.
I really don’t think that the Idol songs are listable. The only song from that list that is possible to digest is Aiken’s “This is the Night”, because his “Invisible” was just that-invisiable!
Excuse me, “listenable”. Dumb keyboard.
I have to say, even though it isn’t a ground-breaking song, I’m impressed that it was written by two amateurs. It is catchy, has a great hook in the chorus, and fits perfectly with all the other Idol’s debut songs. Yet, except for Kelly Clarkson, it has always been the runner-ups who end up making the better music choices and I look forward to seeing what musical direction Blake goes.
Oh my heck, how awful. Luckily, these Idol #1’s don’t get radio play.