http://www.americanidol.com/news/view/?pid=1122With rumors swirling that this year's contestants are going to yield the strongest Top 12 in "Idol" history, Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe took time out of his insanely busy schedule to give his own two cents…and he didn't hold back in issuing his opinions either. Nigel said that there are a number of "strong individuals," but he still stands by his comment that last year's Top 12 was one of the strongest as a group. Whereas he felt that Melinda, Blake, Chris and many others from last year formed very a talented group, Nigel says we can expect to see a number of "stand-out individuals right from the beginning this year." This is in contrast to Jordin, who Nigel says actually grew quite a bit throughout the season.
As has also been discussed quite a bit during the off-season, Nigel does admit that the focus last year went too much toward the mentors and that, this season, the show will definitely spend a lot more time talking to the kids about their lives and what they want from the competition. They might even go to the parents for this kind of information. Another thing we can expect to see is less specialized genres, such as '60's/'70's music, instead of dedicating an entire night to one particular artist. Don't expect an entirely new concept, however. Nigel says that they will be sticking by the tried and true "Idol" format, while keeping the show as fresh as possible. This includes showing the good and the bad auditions. He went on to say that the bad auditions are usually what make people smile and laugh, calling it a virtual "Cirque du Lack of Talent." This also means that there won't necessarily be a complete equality of screen time when it comes down to it. As Nigel so frankly puts it, it's their job to show the entertaining ones, so if someone does something interesting or good, he or she will end up on camera.
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