Entertainment
Top Earning American Idols In Focus
What does this week’s American Idol winner have to look forward to? Far less than in the past. The pop music market, now saturated with close to 100 of the show’s alums, is showing signs of Idol fatigue. Earnings for some of Idol’s top vocalists have nosedived over the past year. The show that reshaped television and the music business just isn’t minting cash for its stars like it once did.
Kris Allen, the 2009 Idol winner, has sold just 300,000 albums, according to Nielsen SoundScan. In the past year his music and touring sales have delivered an estimated $748,000—nothing much to sing about. He places 10th on our annual list of the top-earning stars launched by American Idol.
Jennifer Hudson’s light touring schedule and the end of her lucrative role as Avon spokeswoman hit the Oscar winner in the pocketbook, too. Forbes estimates that she earned $3.5 million in the year from June 1, 2009, to the end of this month, compared with $5 million the previous year. That dropped her to sixth place from second on last year’s list. Carrie Underwood, No. 1 on our list, earned an estimated $13 million over the past year—$1 million less than the year before. One Idol star, Taylor Hicks, didn’t earn enough to remain on our list.
Plenty of the show’s alums, including Hudson, have made money on Broadway. Among them: Clay Aiken, Fantasia Barrino, Ace Young and Constantine Maroulis. But Broadway shows are paying less, too. The salary of a starring theatrical role is now as little as 10% of what a newly crowned Idol winner grosses on a debut tour, typically about $300,000.
However, not all Idol stars are taking it on the chin. Kelly Clarkson and Kellie Pickler are in the midst of high-grossing, nationwide tours. Clarkson, No. 2 on this year’s list—and the very first Idol winner—made an estimated $11.7 million over the last year, more than double the year before thanks to a heavy touring schedule. Clarkson was one of the most frequently played artists on radio in 2009, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Pickler, No. 4 on our list, has played 100 concerts in the past year, bringing in $7.6 million.
But this season’s stars probably won’t do as well. If there’s one thing lacking among Idol contestants this year, it’s an “It” factor. Neither of the final two vocalists—24-year-old musician Crystal Bowersox of Toledo, Ohio, and 24-year-old paint sales clerk Lee DeWyze of Mount Prospect, Ill.—have the personality draw of, say, an Adam Lambert. And so far there has been little personal drama in their rivalry, unlike David Cook and David Archuleta (season seven), who battled each other like musical gladiators.
Adding to this lackluster season may be an Idol backlash, of sorts. Blogs that cover the show suggest its aggressive product promotions are turning off fans (a recent episode plugged Ford and the latest Shrek movie in back-to-back video segments). There is less behind-the-scenes action to chatter about. Gone are the wacky, off-camera antics of former judge Paula Abdul, who left the show last year. Idol’s creator and its central personality, Simon Cowell, is also leaving after the show’s finale Wednesday night.
Idol now averages 24 million viewers a broadcast, down from its high of 31 million in 2006. A Frank Sinatra-themed episode in early May that featured a special appearance by Lady Gaga drew one of the show’s lowest ratings ever, dipping to 17.5 million viewers. Worse, Idol was recently overtaken in the ratings for the first time by ABC’s Dancing With the Stars.
All that said, Idol is still among the most lucrative shows on television. During the upcoming finale, Fox is believed to be charging $1 million for a 30-second spot. The network reportedly pays Cowell $30 million annually for his judging, far more than any Idol contestant has ever made in a year.
Celebrity performers who appear on Idol do so to tap what is still a powerful promotion machine. In May, after Lady Gaga performed a new song, “Alejandro” (wearing a black thong and fishnet bodysuit), sales for the single jumped, says Nielsen SoundScan Vice President Chris Muratore. “The airplay Gaga got of that single was astounding. Digital sales of “Alejandro” went up 70% after her Idol appearance, from 78,000 to 133,000 per week,” he says.
Bowersox and DeWyze will no doubt be signed to record deals, but no one is betting either will be the next Carrie Underwood. That leaves viewers to ponder the show’s only true dramatic storyline this year: Can Idol survive the departure of Simon Cowell, its most recognizable presence?
One viewer believes so. “I think Simon is a kind of love-to-loathe character who revels in his ambiguous popularity,” says Ellis Cashmore, author of Celebrity/Culture and a professor at England’s Staffordshire University. “But American Idol is too robust to suffer from the loss of one individual.”
Entertainment
“French Up Your Career” PH, 2025 :Consul General Of France Harps On Proficiency In French
The Consul, General of France in Nigeria, Laurent Favier has encouraged French Learners to improve their skills on the language, as there are lots of opportunities up for grabs on the job market with fluency in French Language, saying that there are many other career paths which are often less well known to learners of French.
Participants at the “French Up Your Career” event held in Port Harcourt.
Favier who disclosed this during the just concluded third edition of the seminar tagged “French Up Your Career” organized by Alliance
Française, Port Harcourt explained that learning French doesn’t mean adding a language to your resume. It rather provides learners with new opportunities. Irrespective of their area of interest, be it diplomatic and International relations, international development, translation and Interpretation or journalism.
According to the Consul General, it was important to create awareness for young Nigerians in Port Harcourt who desire to have better understanding of how been fluent in French can create diverse career opportunities for users of the languages in Nigeria and the world at large, emphasizing that proficiency in French could possibly make learner a bridge between Nigeria and fast-developing regions.
“You previously heard this morning about how you can improve your French skills. This afternoon you will discover how being fluent in French can provide a significant edge on the job market and lead to professional careers that you may not have even considered before,”
“This event comes at the right time, as it launches the celebration of the richness and diversity of French-speaking cultures, which will mobilize us for more than a month throughout Nigeria and alongside other French-speaking countries,” Favier added.
He further highlighted that French is spoken by over 300 million people across the world, saying that, it’s one of the official languages of the United Nations, the European Union, and the African Union.
“There are many neighbouring African countries to Nigeria ,who have French as one of their primary languages of communication including Cameroon, Chad, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. So, what does this mean for you as students here in Nigeria?” He asked
“These sectors in which the French Embassy is often mobilized are the business and marketing field for example, as French is often the preferred language in many multinational companies, particularly those in the energy, oil and telecommunications sectors. I’m thinking as well in technology and IT,” he said
He noted that French-speaking countries in Africa are investing heavily in tech, innovation, and infrastructure, revealing that companies in Tech are looking for bilingual professionals to assist with software localization, customer support, and managing projects in French-speaking regions.
“The French embassy is not only mobilized to help learners discover promising sectors. We are also providing our support and expertise in
training teachers and optimizing university programs,” he summed up
Also, the linguistics cooperation attaché, French Embassy in Nigeria, Magaly Losange, who also gave a lecture at the seminar, in an interview with Newsmen said that the main purpose of the seminar was to be more informative and supportive to those who want to make a skill out of French Language,saying that as the linguistics cooperation attaché of the French Embassy it is her duty to promote French language through culture.
She cited traditional stereotypes as a major challenge affecting the growth and development of French in Nigeria, as school, teachers at the primary and secondary level in most cases teach French using the traditional way, where students learn French, but could not put words and grammar together as a skill for communicate.
“French is important. I don’t see French as colonization, l see French as a key to embrace globalization, l hope that learners will be inspired and ready to embrace the global village,” Losange said.
She however said that the French Embassy is working to ensure that equipments to facilitate the learning of French is put in place to enable learners improve their skills fast, which in two to three years learners should be able to communicate with French, advising learners to be intentional with learning the language, through social media and other workable devices to advance their skills for certification and better opportunities.
Highlight of the event which had about 250 participants in attendance was the eloquence award ceremony where students were awarded for their eloquence in French language by the Director, Alliance Française Port Harcourt, Mrs.Marina Lacal alongside the Linguistics cooperation attaché of the French Embassy in Nigeria, Magaly Losange.
After two edition of the seminar it was the turn of the Alliance Française, Port Harcourt to host the Third edition.
It would be recalled that the first edition of ” “French Up Your Career” event was organized at the Alliance Française Lagos on October 23, the second one at UNILAG on November 24, 2024 respectfully.
Popular Nigerian comedienne, Tomama has revealed how she waited for Afrobeats superstar, Wizkid outside the bathroom.
She shared this while recounting her encounter with the singer at a recent event with heavy security.
In a video posted on her Instagram page, Tomama explained that she waited by the bathroom in an attempt to have a one-on-one conversation with Wizkid.
She stated that she positioned herself near the restroom, hoping Wizkid would eventually use it, giving her the perfect opportunity to speak with him.
“Wizkid, I saw you, and I waited for you to pee, but you didn’t even stand up from where you were sitting. You just stayed there. All your crew members standing around got up to go pee. I was standing by the bathroom, waiting for you to come pee so that you would notice me,” she said.
Content creator and actor, Mr Macaroni has opened up about his financial struggles, saying he was both a victim of a scam and a failed investment in 2021.
He revealed that after losing all his savings, he resorted to borrowing to settle pending commitments and slipped into N500 million in debt.
He admitted that he is financially reckless and generous, impacting his financial stability negatively.
In lengthy post shared via his X handle yesterday, Mr Macaroni wrote, “Sometime around 2020/2022, I was a victim of a scam and simultaneously a failed investment that cost me all I had saved at the time. It shook me deeply but I told no one about it. If you know me well enough, you would know I do not like to share my problems. I could be going through the worst and at the same time helping others solve their own problems but I just would never share mine.”
“After I lost all the money I had then, Trouble started when I had to borrow money from different sources to settle all pending commitments and also fulfill certain responsibilities I have always believed were mine to fulfill. I make money in millions so I never thought borrowing money to pay back with interest could ever be a problem. But I got too comfortable and it took me a long time to realise that I was using the money I was earning to pay back interests. Also, my financial recklessness did not help. Please don’t borrow money! But if you must, please be responsible.”
The actor stated that 2024 marked a pivotal moment in his acting career but it was also the most challenging year for him as he faced over half a billion naira in debt.
Mr Macaroni revealed that his frustration grew worse after he was betrayed by someone he considered “a friend and sister.”
He added that with the support of family and friends who stood by him during his trying times, he now “feels better than I have felt in the last three years!”
The comedian stated that he decided to finally share his story to encourage others who are going through challenges.