Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Hey, look, the producers of American Idol listened.

Thursday, I blogged about how American Idol should start paying back its own by featuring former contestants in all the results show performance slots.

This morning, I’m greeted by a news release announcing next week’s performers.

Jennifer Hudson and James Durbin.

James will sing “Higher Than Heaven” off his “Memories of a Beautiful Disaster” album.

Jennifer will perform “Think Like a Man,” accompanied by Rick Ross and Ne-Yo.   The song is number 34 on Billboard’s R&B singles chart this week, a whopping eight-spot jump from a week ago.

In case you haven’t heard it, I’ve embedded the video below.

As I wrote Thursday, more Idols than ever are releasing new music this year.  The show should be paying them back by helping promote the new material.   (Read ‘Idol still needs to show more gratitude to ex-contestants’ here.)

I mean, why not celebrate your past rather than grant prime marketing time to Lana Del Ray, Nicki Minaj and The Wanted?

I’m hoping next week’s lineup of performers becomes an Idol trend.

And, OK, Nigel, I’m sure you weren’t reading or listening

But thanks for the happy coincidence.

Now, Jennifer’s “Think Like a Man.” Cute ending, by the way.