Chikezie's Performance on American Idol: The Difference Between an Amateur and an Idol

Chikezie's performance on the March 25 episode of American Idol was soulful, inspiring, and strong. But in this competition, originality is what counts. And Chikezie lacked it.

All of the contestants had strong voices, and all showed emotion in their performances. Chikezie was no different, performing "If Only for One Night." His performance had focus and clarity, and he connected very well with his audience. In the middle of the song, he reached out into the audience to touch the hands of people in the front rows, a move Simon Cowell later called "cheesy."

Chikezie also had a tender, soothing, voice. However, his song choice did not allow him to truly show his potential. Instead the TV audience was treated to a mild, even-tempered performance, but not anything ground-breaking.

The difficulty for the contestants in American Idol is not voice quality, or even looks. They passed those qualifications in their auditions. So how does a contestant make him or herself stand out? Quite simply, contestants must be unique. This is hard, since Idol performers sing songs written not by them, or for them specifically, but written by or for some other singer, who has already had success in singing it.

But the ability to make an already successful song, make it one's own, and make that version stellar in its own right, is the mark of a professional. When musicians do it well, they sometimes do it so well that even some listeners do not realize that it is a re-make, and not an original. Quick question: who originally sang "I Will Always Love You?"If you answered Whitney Houston, you're wrong. Dolly Parton was the original writer and singer, performing it as a country song in 1974. Houston, who is not a country singer, but has a powerful voice, changed her performance and made the song into a soul tune, allowing her to showcase her talents. The result? The song became one of Houston's greatest hits.