Season Ten - News, Rumor, Speculation

[TopCatDC]

Season Ten is now under construction - use this thread to talk about the changes ahead (but no contestant spoilers, please.)

19E has released the audition dates. There was talk of postponing the preliminary auditions - but it looks like they are going ahead with them this summer. USA Today has the story (below). In addition to the big stadium auditions, this year they are also accepting auditions through the AI MySpace page.

'American Idol' audition dates set

The announced dates and cities are as follows:

Nashville (July 17, Bridgestone Arena)
Milwaukee (July 21, Bradley Center)
New Orleans (July 26, TBA)
East Rutherford, N.J. (Aug. 3, IZOD Center)
Austin (Aug. 11, Frank Erwin Center)
San Francisco (Aug. 19, AT&T Park)

The judges don't appear at these dates; callbacks will be scheduled in each of the cities, probably in September.

[razorbacker]

Seacrest tweeted yesterday that "big changes" will be announced as early as today...6/21.

[razorbacker]

1st change has been announced....The age has been lowered to 15.

[ibot2much]

Wow--lowering the age is the last thing you would expect.

[TopCatDC]

Last year they were chasing after their own Taylor Swift. This year they want their own Justin Beiber. All we got for their troubles last year was a lot of green, inexperienced contestants. Looks like we get even more next year.

I guess this is also 19E's admission that despite the tens of thousands that audition, they have officially "over-fished" the undiscovered, talented twentysomethings. They have to catch them younger and younger.

And I would have thought after their experience with David Archuleta's dad, they would want to avoid minors all together.

[MsFroggy]

American Idol: Then Kindergarten Edition!! Sinking to new lows... literally.

[RealityLovesMe]

Well, that was unexpected. I am glad that they didn't raise the limit. Most breakthrough artists aren't over 28. I don't know where they are headed with the lower age limit. I don't see 15 year olds going over so well. I'm just glad they didn't raise the limit.
I am guessing they will announce the judging panel soon. The age minimum change isn't "big." Also, with the auditions happening soon, we will have to find out who is judging even sooner.

[AsIs]

1st change has been announced....The age has been lowered to 15.

Boo!

[Unklescott]

1st change has been announced....The age has been lowered to 15.

Instead of Coke being a sponsor it will now be Pampers. The show will now be shown on Saturday mornings so the audience will have time to vote before bedtime. I could go on and on.

[TopCatDC]

And what happens to these kids after Idol? David Archuleta never finished high school. Neither did Allison. You can bet that Katie and Aaron won't either. Their tour will end in mid-September, two or three weeks into the school year. But by that time they will be pursuing record contracts, trying to "strike while the iron is hot", before they become yesterday's news.

Here's my suggestion: abolish the minimum age. Instead, require a high school diploma in order to go to the Hollywood round. If some kid wants to finish high school early so they can audition for AI early - let them knock themselves out. But don't preempt this minimum education requirement just to compete on a TV show.