When dreadlocked Jordis Unga strode onstage and ripped into a searing rendition of The Who's "Baba O'Riley," she didn't just kick off another music competition, she outsang four seasons' worth of American Idols. The 15 contestants vying here for a shot at fronting the group INXS (whose singer Michael Hutchence committed suicide in 1997) can all jump-start a crowd, but my favorite is Ty Taylor, who has the perfect mix of ego, charisma, swagger and, most importantly, talent (plus, he's the first guy ever to look cool with a mohawk).
That's why I hope he doesn't win. Cohost Brooke Burke can throw around phrases like "ultimate dream," but singing for a band (average age: 46) more than 15 years removed from their "Devil Inside" heyday is the last thing these hopefuls (average age: 30) should be doing. In reality, the INXS-mates, who vote off one person each week, need these Stars far more than the contestants need them.
