American Idol 2011!

Why did singer Casey Abrams get sent home, really?

Casey Abrams was voted off American Idol on April 28th, 2011 with judges saying that he was great but fans feeling like he might have been just a little bit too funky to win the title of American Idol. But do they have any questions about his talent? Nosiree. They think he’s a musician of note and believe that he’ll go far, possibly bringing jazz back into modern pop music culture. Just not THIS season.

This author would welcome the change. Casey Abrams himself has said that he wants to make jazz cool again, with influences like James Taylor, Ray Charles, and even Frank Sinatra, one of the hippest cats to ever grace a stage. But that just wasn’t enough for the judges or the audience, and so it’s goodbye to Casey Abrams.

But if being voted off American Idol, broke Abrams’ spirit at all, he certainly didn’t let it show. He sang “I Put a Spell on You” as his departure song, almost as if he had known he’d be voted off sooner or later but also knew he’d already hooked America on his style and presentation. He hugged the judges over the desk on his way out, singing as he went, and kissed and hugged ladies in the audience while he left.

Funny enough, he looked relieved and actually for the first time singing relaxed.

Even though he didn’t win — surely as disappointing a departure as that of former contestant and a judges favorite, Pia Toscano — the judges have no doubt that Casey Abrams is a rising star, and Casey, for all it’s worth seems to be just as certain, with a cool confidence that harbors no pretense about his abilities.