Ever since I was born, I have had a fairly unique taste in music. The first song I sang in karaoke was, "Crocodile Rock," by Elton John when I was 4. My first concert was Aretha Franklin when I was in kindergarten. I give my mom all credit for my obsession with 70s and Motown music from such a young age.
When I was not even 5-years-old, I remember watching the finale of a TV show I had never seen before. Apparently, my parents had been following this show, but I'd never seen it since, you know, it was probably past my bedtime. The host announced the winner, everyone cheered, and then she started singing. My music-obsessed self fell in love with this show, and from then on I was hooked.
This show was "American Idol."
When I was in kindergarten, I watched the second season of "American Idol" religiously. I would make my mom record the show each night on VHS so that I could watch the performances on repeat the following day. I would tell my mom about my favorite songs that I'd heard on the show, and then I would listen to those songs for hours on end. I vividly remember listening to, "I Can't Help Myself" by the Four Tops so many times that the cassette broke, and I cried for a solid two hours.
Of course, the only reason I knew that song was because my favorite contestant, Clay Aiken, sang it on Motown night, which was undoubtedly my absolute favorite night in American Idol history. (I'm still bitter that Clay Aiken came in second place to Ruben Studdard, and that was 13 years ago).
A few months after the finale, my family and I took a road trip to Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Utah. We were in the car for a solid amount of time. When I wasn't sleeping, I was watching all of the "American Idol" episodes we'd recorded. Keep in mind that this was before DVD players existed, so I watched the VHS tapes on a 12-inch box TV with a built-in VHS player in the back seat of my dad's Tribute. I can't tell you how many times I rewound the tape to watch Kimberley Locke singing "Where the Boys Are." I'm pretty sure my mom has a video of me singing along to that performance.
So, needless to say, I am a die-hard "American Idol" fan. My family and I ended up going to Oklahoma City to see the "American Idol: Live Tour" with the season two contestants. That was also the first time I tried hot fudge sundae Pop Tarts, so my life was changed in two wonderful ways that day.
For the next several years, I anxiously awaited the start of "American Idol." I would vote for my favorite contestants and get in arguments with family members over which contestants were the best (usually, I was right). I listened to all of the American Idol CD's, played the "American Idol" board game, wore my "American Idol" t-shirts, and, most importantly, watched all of the episodes. I would dream about the day when I would finally be old enough to audition.
But, the show started changing. The original judges left, and new ones took their places. The dynamic was completely different, and I, personally, wasn't a fan of how the show had progressed. I stopped following it around season 10 or 11, which was roughly around the time when "The Voice" started airing on television. "American Idol" became a distant memory, and I let my childhood dreams of auditioning for the show fall flat.
When I found out that this season of "American Idol" would be the last, my first thought was, "It's about time!" I didn't watch any of the episodes until the very finale. My mom had texted me saying that all of the former contestants were performing, so I streamed it live from my computer. And I could not stop crying.
That's honestly the entire reason why I started writing this article. A wave of nostalgia came over me as I remembered all of the fond memories "American Idol" provided in my childhood.
Even though I stopped following the series once I entered middle and high school, "American Idol" definitely had a huge impact on my life. It instilled in me a love of music, and that love of music has been a constant throughout my life. I used to credit the musical Wicked as the reason I joined choir, but looking back, I think I should give credit to "American Idol." I watched dozens of live performances each season, and I always thought, "I want to sing onstage like they do!" Well congratulations, tiny Kara. You did just that.
Thank you, "American Idol," for introducing me to many incredible songs and performers. Thank you for helping countless talented people achieve their dreams. Thank you for being such an important part of my childhood and for instilling in me a love for performing.
In the words of Ryan Seacrest, "Goodnight, America...for now."
