Idol Chatter & Voice Views

And then there were three.

Three X Factor contestants still in the running for a fat $5 million prize and the chance to appear in a Pepsi commercial.

Though I’m a little baffled by the latter.  When you have an adorable commercial starring Sofia Vergara and David Beckham, why would you want a new one featuring an X Factor champ?

Anyway, it’s time to rank the three finalists.

Which will be about as suspenseful for those who follow these rankings as last week’s elimination episode of The X Factor … which is to say, not suspenseful at all.

1. Melanie Amaro: In terms of vocal ability, she’s the Adam Lambert of Idol Season 8, the Crystal Bowersox of Idol Season 9.  In other words, clearly the best singer.  Clearly the contestant who should win.  If there was ever a doubt, she cleared it up with that version of “Feeling Good” last week.  It was one of the best performances on a lackluster first season for The X Factor.

But I’m wondering if the X Factor folks are concerned about her post-X viability.  Is the music world ready to embrace the second coming of Mariah Carey?  Pia Toscano was a similar contestant on Idol this year and required a less dramatic makeover. And her heavily-hyped first single went flop.

2. Josh Krajcik: If they tried a makeover on Josh Krajcik, it didn’t take.  Not that anyone should care that much considering the guy hits the stage each week with vocals and consistency and intensity only Melanie can match.  He’s had a couple of stumbles along the way, but they didn’t come last week when the “Come Together” and “Hallelujah” performances cemented his spot in the finals.

And you have to admire how unflappable Josh seems in the midst of all The X Factor hoopla. He might flash all sorts of demonic expressions while he’s singing, but he comes across as quietly confident when the music stops.  Just a likable guy who’s at his best (listen up, Nicole) when he isn’t surrounded by distracting nonsense.

3.  Chris Rene: But there’s likable, then there’s lovable, which is the word L.A. Reid used to describe Chris last week.  I don’t get it.  Nor do I buy that this competition isn’t about singing.  And if singing matters at all, Chris finishes a distant third among this trio.

But there’s that back-story.  And X Factor tugged and plucked every heart string last week with that segment on Chris and his father — the father who didn’t live long enough to see his son turn his life around.  Was X Factor waiting for the perfect moment to dust off that footage?  If Chris wins, he owes producers at least half of the $5 million prize and Simon a co-starring role in that Pepsi commercial.

So there you have it — the final rankings for X Factor Season One.

Melanie Amaro in a landslide, right?

Oops, I almost forget.

Adam Lambert and Crystal Bowersox finished second.