'American Idol' lowers age limit to 15
American Idol will lower its eligibility age for Season 10, reports USA TODAY's Bill Keveney, allowing 15-year-olds to audition for the first time. "A lot of young, talented people are now seeking careers and representation before they turn 16," executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz. says. "Lowering the age limit allows us to tap into this talent pool." The show previously had a 16-to-28 age limit.
So what does this mean for the show? First off, it's probably just the opening volley of several changes. Bigger, more significant changes to the show are likely on the horizon: After all, there's still a judge and a music director to replace. But it does suggest that Idol still has its eye on the teen audience -- a demographic that hung in with Season 9 better than adults did.
Lowering the eligibility age to 15 may not make much of a difference in the upper half of the final round, either.
After all, the Season 9 teens had pretty much been winnowed out by the Top Four, and the last teens to finish in the Top Two were Season 7 runner-up David Archuleta and Season 6 champ Jordin Sparks.
It does, however, open up greater possibilities for a true teen heartthrob to emerge from the show, for Idol to find the equivalent of a Justin Bieber (who's now 16) or a slightly older Greyson Chance (still just 12). Factor in the announcement that Idol will accept online auditions via MySpace, and it's pretty clear the producers hope to create a viral sensation along the lines of Chance or General Larry Platt, just eligible to compete. (But if you think the show pimps its favorite contestants now, wait till you see what happens when one of them gets 10 million YouTube hits under his or her belt.)
Even if the show gets an act that makes it only to say, the Top Seven, where Tim Urban fell out last season, that kind of teen hysteria is something that Idol could use going forward. And it does show that Idol's serious about retaining a younger audience -- and that's something that bears watching as the show's producers announce additional changes for next season.
Those 15-year-olds can start auditioning July 17 in Nashville, Tenn.
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