Singin’ the praises of American Idol season 12’s all-female finale

Kree Harrison and Candice Glover went head to head tonight, each with three stellar performances. This was no surprise, as judges Keith, Nicki, Randy and Mariah have been singing their praises all season, predicting successful careers in the industry for both finalists. But as these two talented women belted their hearts out on stage, I started singing their praises for a different reason entirely.

What had been percolating in the back of my mind all season finally struck me, front and center. Each time Candice or Kree step on stage, looking all kinds of fabulous, they are making a powerful statement. Not fitting the cookie cutter mold of female pop stars today, their mere presence on the Idol stage serves to redefine cultural notions and standards of beauty.

Each week, along with over 11 million people, I get to see beauty in a slightly different package than is typically presented on tv. I sit in awe every Wednesday and Thursday night and admire the way these two women look. Don’t get me wrong, I am most in awe of their talent, and the way they command the stage, as if they know at their core that they belong there. However, the visual appeal of these two women does not go unnoticed. And while that is revolutionary in and of itself, it doesn’t stop there. 

Candice and Kree’s beauty is not just physical – it is all encompassing. As they perform on the Idol stage, they are not passively pretty – objects performing for a male gaze. Their talent and emotion interact with their physical beauty in a magical way. It’s kind of like they are these full and complex human beings – whose physical attractiveness plays a part in how they are perceived, but doesn’t define it. As I said, revolutionary.

This undoubtedly sends a message to the recesses of girls’ and women’s minds that their bodies, whatever size and shape, are beautiful vessels in which they can do amazing things. It is for this reason I am singing the praises of American Idol’s Season 12 Finalists, Candice Glover and Kree Harrison.

Originally posted on www.feministfriends.com

Disclaimer: This post was written by a Feministing Community user and does not necessarily reflect the views of any Feministing columnist, editor, or executive director.

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