American idol will need to make some changes to have continued success as the show rolls into its seventh season and they realize that it is time to step it up. Many fans blamed the judges last year for their early choices of contestants. As the show dragged on, it was very evident that some people should not have made the cut, but they continued into the late rounds and by that time it was too late. Us Weekly magazine reports that this year there will be No Sanjayas this season and notes that judge Randy Jackson swears by this year’s talent pool. Really.

Fine Tuning American Idol for Season 7 (Fox)

"We have the potential of having the best, most original top 12 ever – kids who don’t sound like copies of everyone else,” the judge tells US, adding, “The under-21 crowd is definitely good.” As for the possible champ, Jackson says facetiously, “The winner will definitely have hair.”


Take note, Chris Daughtry didn't have hair and he is battling Carrie Underwood for the greatest post idol career ever. For Season 7, auditioners were allowed to accompany themselves on an instrument, such as a piano or guitar. "For some it worked brilliantly, but others crashed and burned," so-exec producer Nigel Lythgoe tells Us Weekly in the print edition that is on sale now.

The report notes that the finals will likely remain vocals-only. And though guest mentors will still be featured a’la 2007’s Gwen Stefani and Jennifer Lopez, “we got carried away,” he admits. “Now we will spend more time talking with the kids about their lives.”


The magazine goes to audition central and reports that you can expect the usual range, from “Cirque du Lack-of –Talent” (Lythgoe’s words) to powerful renditions of Fergie’s “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and Rihanna’s “Umbrella”. (Lythgoe cites San Diego as “our best city for talent”.) Among the hopefuls? Past Idol winner Fantasia’s older brother, Ricco Barrino, who auditioned in Dallas with a gospel standard.