Lesser-Known Idol

I was scrolling down my Facebook timeline when I over-read this news.
Death of someone. Not so famous, but curious-making enough for me.

I've been a fan of American Idol Facebook page since, I was first signed up to the social media. The talent show itself has always been my favorite since its 6th season, back when I was still on the 9th grade. But my favorite edition was the following season, the 7th, which I watched from the very beginning to the very end. Plus, the set of the judge was still the original three, the last season with only Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell on the panel, before it got screwed up starting from the 8th season.

Oh how can I forgot the season?

I watched all the auditions, the Hollywood Round, the top 24, each and every single week, I watched it all! I felt like so close to every single contestants, trembling along the result show, and cried my ass off when the one I really liked got eliminated -I remember it was when Asia'h Epperson singing her elimination song "I Wanna Dance With Somebody". I even waited for their Ford Commercials and fell for some songs sang on the series that I still hear up till this very second. And guess what, I even had my first high school crush from this show! Browse Kristy Lee Cook and you'll definitely agree with my type.

See? I was that attached to the season, I even remembered the details. But ya as a high school student with lots of meaningless thoughts and activities, I forgot everything pretty quickly as the show was over.

Until six years later, today.

I was scrolling down my Facebook timeline when I over-read this news.

Death of someone. Not so famous, but curious-making enough for me.

It came from American Idol page which I usually take for granted,

Mentioning the death of one Idol alumni, from season 7.

I was not aware at first, but after absorbing the sacred number, the fact that season 7 is the only American Idol I enjoyed, which contestants I knew pretty well, even from the top 24, I began to realize that this could be one that I used to be a fan of.

And I was right.

His name is Michael Johns.

Pic's not mine, taken from here.

No wonder if you have no idea who he is. He finished on the 8th place. Even if hypothetically he ended up being the winner, there would be no guarantee he could be a famous singer because the actual winner of season 7 David Cook's not that shining anyway. So ya, he's basically not famous.

But then again, it's season 7.

And I knew who Michael Johns was.

He started really well and promising, even I predicted that he at least could make it to top 4. But he was eliminated early. It was kinda shocking tho, not just for me, but the whole audience of American Idol because he was that good and some remaining contestants -including, I must say, Kristy Lee- weren't even as good as him!

However the show went on, they got the winner,

And I began to forget the existence of Michael Johns.

Until today when I was scrolling down my Facebook timeline. American Idol devastatingly announced their first ever Idol's death. Come to think of it, ya, the show started on 2002, which natural common would say that the contestants should've still been young and healthy. So why should one of them died early? Why should it be from the season I completely watched? And why should be Michael Johns?

You know the answer to those rhetorical Qs.

I asked because I'm still in the state of being shocked.

He was my favorite and never thought he'd go this fast.

So...

Thanks for your performances, Mr Johns.

Thanks for giving such a competition on the series.

Seriously I'm not a sudden fan claiming that I adore you just today.

If I could I'd bring you back to 2008 and show you what an Idol freak I was.

Rest in Peace,

And "Dream On"