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Silver-haired American Idol finalist bucks traditional pop star image:Posted By: Kirk Griffin JUDY MONCHUKSun Mar 19, 2:05 PM ET CALGARY (CP) - In an entertainment universe where Botox rules and youth is the ultimate goal, the mere suggestion of a grey-haired Idol seems like a joke played on TV viewers.But Taylor Hicks, the effusive harmonica-playing blues singer from Alabama who looks older than his 29 years, has become an unlikely focus on American Idol, the televised singing contest that has become a pop culture phenomenon. Even tweens who are the show's target audience applaud his individuality and unwillingless to revamp his image - even if the soulful singer isn't exactly their choice among the top 12 finalists. "It's kind of brave of him," says Oliver, a Grade 7 student at the Calgary Girls School, where all grades study and discuss the importance of being comfortable in their own skin. "It's risky being out there with a different sort of beauty." Oliver and her classmates were horrified by a suggestion from Idol host Ryan Seacrest that Hicks, who started going grey at 15, is facing some pressure from the show's hairstylist to change his hair colour. "He'd be giving in - it would be like he thought he wasn't good enough," said Jennifer. Hicks has become a hot topic online thanks to his unusual image, which is decidedly different from that of the average pop star. After all, two of the show's most successful winners - Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson - have cover-girl looks to go along with beautiful voices. A series of Hicks fansites have popped up on the Internet, including www.greycharles.com: a nod to both his hair and his Ray Charles influenced sound. Many include debates on whether or not he should cover the grey which even Hicks says has become his "beacon" and set him apart from the other finalists. In fact, "grey haired idol" was Yahoo!'s top-searched buzz item after one of the Idol shows earlier this month. Hairstylist Patrick Trudeau, who clips locks at the Ginger Group, Calgary's trendiest salon, says Hicks would be crazy to cave into pressure for a makeover. "I love the fact that he's chosen to be natural," says Trudeau, who began going grey himself at 16. "A lot of people would say he's chosen to be plain, but in today's culture, with everybody colouring their hair, for him to choose to be natural makes him more of an individual." It's doubtful that his infectious smile or his oddly jerky dance moves will spawn a trend of young Hicksters opting against covering up the first indications of a salt-pepper look. But his refusal to change has made Hicks easier to identify and that's a good thing in a competition, says Arlene Oak, who teaches the connection between culture and appearance in the University of Alberta's human ecology department. "It's a way in which he stands out and that's positive in this environment," said Oak. "He's drawing attention to himself by being himself." Still, no one believes a female contestant would have made it this far with grey hair. "They'd get the image of a grandma," said Oliver. Oak notes that there is a kind of triangle between age, gender and grey hair - and they don't necessarily have equal sides. "It's still more of a liability to look older if you're a woman," she said. "Because grey hair is a marker of age." As part of a class assignment, the young women at the Calgary Girls School have been writing letters to modelling agencies, movie stars and even acid-tongued Idol judge Simon Cowell questioning the single-minded portrayals of what denotes beauty. The girls also call teen queen Hilary Duff, on the cover of last month's Cosmopolitan magazine, to task for being hypocritical. "She used to say it's important to be yourself," said Morgan. "She used to be my favourite singer but now she's getting anorexic." Courtesy Of: Yahoo! News The information reported above is property of Yahoo! inc. and reprinted or modified with legitimate permission. We thank Yahoo! inc. for the kind cooperation with us and other shareholders. |
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