American Idol 2014 best friends Caleb Johnson and Jena Irene Ascuitto are still making beautiful music together long after the competition is over. The American Idol winner and runner-up recently wrapped up the Live Tour and went their separate ways, but recently came back together for a fabulous duet of “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons.
American Idol 2014 winner Caleb Johnson just released his new album, Testify, back on August 12 to a less-than-stellar response. We can’t help but think that maybe if the CD had contained a couple of duets with bestie Jena Irene, the sales might have been a bit better. The two of them really do make a fabulous pair when they get together and make sweet harmonies with their killer voices.
Caleb Johnson and Jena Irene famously went to prom together after American Idol season 13 wrapped up, but as far as we know they still continue to just be best pals. Caleb has noted that Jena is far too young for him and that their relationship is purely platonic. But while there may not be any romance going on, there is no doubt they certainly have some serious musical chemistry!
The “Top Two” greatest in American Idol History should do a duet!
Meh. For the most part they sound fine individually but the duet doesn’t really work for me.
Didn’t work for me either.
I don’t like the arrangement. Too slowed down to the point of being a dirge. Not too keen on the dynamics either.
Just a stripped down (teaser) piano version. See the on tour dynamic duo version on youtube!
I don’t like that it lost whatever rhythm it had and that they keep getting louder and louder.
LOL! Quite right! If this is an example of “powerful” voices, I would hate to listen to voices that are not deemed powerful.
When one singer’s doing a bluesy early 1970s soul-tinged number and the other’s doing a P!nk-esque version, the effect is not so much “you got peanut butter in my chocolate” as “you got oysters in my Kahlua.”
I like oysters. I like Kahlua. I do not combine them, and I stand by my own rightness in that.
If these two are going to do a duet that’s current music — which is a fine idea — it needs to be something in the line of soul-infused pop.
Unlike David Cook, Jena can do both. That’s why I call her the “MOST” versatile girl singer since Kelly Clarkson!
Agree to disagree about Jena and I put her several notches below Kelly.
Agree to disagree about Cook too.
Jena is “not’ unlike David Cook, both are “ROCK & POP” versatile-except Jena can also do Jazz (maybe Country) as on American Idol she did everything from A to Jazz! Sounds like a good title for her Album-doesn’t it?
Ah. Well, you should have originally written “Like David Cook, Jena can do both.” What confused me is that you wrote “Unlike”.
Could not agree more. Would have loved to hear either of them individually. Together, we don’t have a train wreck, but its akin to asking for tickets on a freight train heading north-south for a transcontinental journey—we’re never going to reach the intended destination.
Only time I tuned in this year was finale week, to see who the top 2 were. After Caleb and Jena had finished their battle, the top 12 sang Kelly Clarkson’s Breakaway. Worst group singing I’ve ever heard. Harmonies were awful. Made me wonder if this was truly the best from the thousands that tried out.
Throughout Idol’s history the Result-Day group songs have been notorious. This year’s no different; I’d be happy to see them just let them have past Idols come in, be a guest judge on Competition Days, and guest singers on Result Days. I kind of like how they crammed results into a shorter program, but they could still utilize the spare time better.
You mean being stupid and “Giddy”-like the “Voice”?
I can’t comment on that, as I’m not a regular viewer of ‘Duh Voice’.
Wouldn’t it be better for A.I. if they did the results in the first 5-10 minutes, performed the Sayonara Song within 15 minutes then had the rest of the program to talk about the next week’s theme and started prep work with the remaining Idol Wannabes … similar to how they run Hollywood week?
They could easily eat up 10-15 minutes of the Result’s show talking about, explaining the following week’s theme.
That even gives viewers time to prep for next week’s program.
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They waste so much air time doing those Groupy things which end up being just a turn off. Having J-Lo, Harry, Keith, & other well-knowns do guest appearances are fine. Those productions, however, tend to put the Idol 2-minute stints to shame. 🙂
I think The Voice has the edge when it comes to delivering singers with stylistic diversity. For instance, during season 2, Christina Aguilera’s team included a classical crossover singer.
Fair enough. I don’t think that’s a show-stopper for Idol, however. Idol, historically, has had a wide range of singers post-Hollywood week for voters to supposedly elect thereafter.
Seasons 8 & 9 are what really broke Idol up in terms of diversity. Season 10 on, the predictability factor went way up while the diversity of singers went way down.
Season 13 tried to allude to & appeal to a more diverse crowd, however, the predictability factor was still sky-high. I would not be surprised in the least if it were revealed that season 13 was scripted as far back as pre-hollywood week.
It wouldn’t surprise me in the least bit either.
The only problem with that notion.. once you understand a reality show isn’t really unscripted, it becomes a LOT less interesting. 🙂
One more reason why “COPS” will continue for years to come.
Season 12 was the worst as far as producer manipulation was concerned. You could clearly tell they were trying to get a girl winner at all costs.
Cassadee Pope and Danielle Bradberry have been the most successful winners from The Voice so far.
www .metro .us/newyork/entertainment/television/2014/02/27/winners-of-the-voice-where-are-they-now/
It’s not surprising that neither Javier Colon nor Jermaine Paul went on
to successful careers after the show… they were both in their mid-30’s
and married with children…. not the stuff pop stars are built upon.
I love how the Voice finds musicians that are so great and so original
and talented like Dia Frampton from season 1 or Juliett Simms or even
Michelle Chamuel from season 4. They may not be superstars yet or
ever but I still enjoy listening to the quality that is their voice and
artistry. I don’t care if they don’t become superstars I love how the
Voice introduced me to these talents and that’s all that matters
That’s the same way I feel about Idol alumni I became a fan of.
The point of this exercise in futility (the video) is an unintentional
affirmation of the fact that “diamonds in the rough” just aren’t viable
as Idolettes. Knowing something, anything about musical styles,
enunciation, presentation, harmony, singing in someone else’s key, pace
(and the list goes on) are not things that can be taught in 3 months on a
reality show. Some musical knowledge is essential for anyone who wants
to be a “star”.
Concur! That’s why Jena’s musical talent (75 original songs + 3=78 in May) and now even more; makes her possibly the greatest “MUSICAL” talent ever on American idol and of course other lesser talented shows, ex.:Voice AGT, Rising Star, XFactor, etc..(at age 17-now 18)
Not naming anybody, but the problem with “diamonds” in the rough is sometimes they’re really just rhinestones. 😉
Some take “longer’ to develop. Katy Perry as well as Ariana Grande were told no many times. Katy was dropped-then taken, then dropped again before becoming the star she is today. Ariana was 13 (21 now) when she was just a Mariah Cary copycat. She “never” had a successful single until IGGY ADDED RAP TO HER NOW HIT ‘PROBLEM”! (8 years for a hit) Jena won’t wait that long because she can write her own hits!
That’s why JLo has only kissed one Idol-“JENA”! JLo knows that Jena is a very special “Diamond’.
Just like some of the others here, I’m not a fan of Jena either.
Quite right. Made it through 49 torturous seconds…enough, enough. But the
“worsters” must be forever happy. After all they waited, season after
season to get their “worst Idols ever” onto the top of the heap. And
the irony is that it happened after their website disbanded…but their
loyalty to the cause never wavered.
There isn’t much to argue; Caleb/Jena are the “GREATEST TOP TWO” in American Idol’s history! Note: first 4 seasons of American Idol Kelly/Justin, Ruben/Clay, Fantasia/Dianna, Carrie/Bo. Who were the Voices? American idol/13-Voice(Monday)/7-or over half AI’s seasons.
Glad you like Caleb/Jena. They’re unappealing to me.
I don’t like Caleb’s Rock music and I’m from the 70’s(didn’t like it then). He should find an old “established” retro band and join them. Example: Caleb can “NOW” blow Steven Tyler away, so why not give Steven the “BOOT” and replace with a young better “ROCKER”!
LOL!
Well, I still agree to disagree that they are the “greatest top two”
Caleb will not be another Steven Tyler (born 40 years too late) unless “ROCK” becomes popular again. As I said I never liked it, much like I never liked “COUNTRY”. That saying I still respect Carrie Underwood as an artist (like Caleb). Jena has the “GOODS” to surpass Kelly Clarkson as the Number 1 American Idol, but still remains to be seen. Note: I’m usually 90% right-no brag- just fact. Note: 19/interscope won’t sign Jena in which I’m glad. I’d like to see her sign with the Republic Record Label.
Like Eilonwy, I also put Jena several notches below Kelly.
Only “TIME” will tell!
For you. But not for me.
Just like myself, standtotheright is not a Jena fan.
Quite agree. That was painful.
Should be interesting to see how far Idol goes in dissing season 13 next spring. LOL!