DO I MAKE YOU PROUD - TAYLOR HICKS
Taylor Hicks’ victory in the fifth season of “American Idol” presents a mighty challenge for label J: How do you take a charismatic physical presence who wowed voters and convert his unexceptional vocal talents into mass-appeal hitmaking? Hicks’ long-term prospects seem preposterously slim (29? Purple velvet?) and first single “Do I Make You Proud” is an insipid bid for acceptance beyond the pageant’s borders. The Billboard Hot 100 has traditionally propelled “A.I.” winners to No. 1, thanks to robust post-finale sales, and Hicks will likely triumph. But in terms of seeing his name on the single charts a year from now, our bets side closer to the Ruben Studdard column than to Kelly Clarkson’s.Billboard
