Less than a week after Ke$ha delivered the most poorly-reviewed celebrity performance ever on an “American Idol” stage, the show found another way to stir controversy.
FOX confirmed Monday that Miley Cyrus serves as the mentor for this week’s “Idol” round, which features the “Billboard #1s” theme. FOX had previously advertised the theme as “Teen Idols Week,” a motif more logically-aligned with Cyrus as a mentor (Miley is a teen idol but has never had a number one on the Billboard Hot 100).
The 17-year-old Cyrus brings significantly less critical credibility than most past mentors, although in terms of offering guidance in a pop competition, her resume is relevant. Having generated numerous hits with a very recognizable voice, Cyrus’ stage presence–typically the greatest area of weakness for “Idol” contestants–is widely praised.
Plus, with Ellen DeGeneres as a judge this season, it is clear that “Idol” does not view decades of high-level music experience as a necessary prerequisite for making a contribution.
Still, the idea of teenage Cyrus guiding singers in their late 20s should make for intriguing video clips.
Designed as part of the publicity push for her new film “The Last Song,” Cyrus’ mentor appearance also includes a performance of “When I Look at You” during Wednesday’s results show. Fellow Disney stars Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato will also appear to perform “Make a Wave.”
