I like the Norweigan guy and thought he did a great job but I have to wonder if he completely deserved to win. I think mainly the reason he won is not only because he sang "Beautiful Day" so well but because he sound EXACTLY like Bono. They showed a clip of him during the competition in Norway singing another song (can't remember the name) and, once again, he sounded exactly like the original singer. I kinda feel that he tries to sing like the original artist rather than adding his own interpretations to the song. I wonder how he would sound if he was given his own original music to sing.
While I was on a cruise last year, there was a guy who was a vocal impressionist who performed. He sang "Hero" by Enrique Iglesias, "Beautiful Day" by U2, and even "Hit Me Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears and he sound EXACTLY like the original artist. Talented? Yes. But, I wouldn't say he's the best singer in the world as he makes his career trying to sound like other people. I feel that the Norweigan guy does the same thing.

ZTAngel OOOOOOOH, that is ONE thing that drives me crazy! Reminds me of a story about Johnny Mathis (Chances Are, Misty) He has a brother who is said to sound exactly like him.
When asked why he too wasn't performing, the explanation was-The world already has one Johnny Mathis.

Tell me, did anyone think the Spice Girl was lip-synching her song?
I may be wrong, but I thought so. How weak is that?!

That's my number one pet peeve-Performers who's vocal ability is totally created in a sound studio.:mad:

Posh was lip syncing. She looked good though. Better than the pics I've seen of her of late!

I wish there would have been a group sing though. I'd have loved that!

And Kurt came in very low in the Pan Arab voting too. I think he was seventh there.

Victoria was def. lip synching....but then again a LOT of people do that....more than you may realize

I wanted Kelly to win it. But, oh well. I don't think that many people watched or cared. I heard that Will was pissed afterwards because he didn't win. And I agree that Posh was lip synching. I thought she looked good. But, I don't understand why she was all dressed up and her background dancers weren't.

Who would've guessed Kelly was such a diva?

This is from the New York Post:

January 3, 2004 -- STUNNED "American Idol" champ Kelly Clarkson abruptly left the set of "World Idol" New Years' night after fans snubbed her in favor of a gap-toothed plumber from Norway.
Clarkson, who had been favored to win the competition, appeared dazed by the loss and did not stick around to congratulate Kurt Nilsen, 24, the good-natured father of two who won.

Clarkson placed second.

"We didn't get to talk. I think she went back to her hotel I guess," Nilsen told The Post yesterday.

The talk of the "Idol" world yesterday was how upset Clarkson appeared on the show, which was taped Thursday afternoon in London and broadcast through various time zones across the world.

She appeared to grow increasingly disgruntled as the votes from different regions were tallied and it became clear she was losing to an otherwise-unknown singer from a small Scandinavian country.

Nilsen is a fan of Clarkson. He traveled all the way to New York from Norway last year to hear her sing at Giant Stadium.

It was his first trip to the U.S.

Kurt, too, seemed surprised he could not find her after the show.

"Everybody wanted to talk to me and take pictures," he said. "I didn't get a chance to say goodbye."

What was clear was that winning the first annual showdown of "Idol" winners from around the world will change the young man's life dramatically.

His single is being a released this week in England and discussions are underway to see if it will get a U.S. release.

"We have to now take the next couple of weeks to have meetings," says his manager Jan Fredrik.

If his record is released here, Nilsen will have to deal again with the idea that he doesn't have the classic good looks of a pop music idol.

Despite his new, relative wealth, Kurt says he will not have his teeth fixed to remove what has become his trademark - a wide space between his front teeth. "I'm really happy the way I am because if I changed my look I think people would think that I had [sold out]," Nilsen said.

Nilsen returned to Norway yesterday after spending New Year's day in a London studio were the holiday show was filmed.

He was greeted at the airport in the seaside city of Bergen, by thousands of hysterical fans, a marching band the city's mayor and other assorted dignitaries. He later was congratulated via phone by Norway's Prime Minister.

It was Nilsen's strong performance of U2's hit "Beautiful Day" in a "World Idol" special that aired on Christmas Day that left "Idol" judges and millions of viewers from around the world star-struck and ultimately helped him snare the title of "World Idol."

The show aired in more than 22 countries and was seen by millions of viewers.

wow! that's crazy! but really, everyone did kind of pump her up for it considering she was the favorite of the judges, etc.

Interesting story...wonder if Kurt is telling the truth & I don't think it was sour grapes. I definitely saw her shake his hand as he walked down to sing & she was clapping along with the rest of the audience & swaying back & forth w/the music, so who knows? I heard she was actually ill that day & looked bad b/c she felt bad...Who knows what the truth is....

i'm glad he won. winning would have done nothing for kelly...it might have even been embarrassing. but this will change that guy's life forever. good for him

THIS is really a good point! I think I'll add a great big DITTO-Good for him!!!!:D

Lauren Hutton did pretty good with the gap between her teeth!