AS THE American Idol season ends, Aerosmith’s Steve Tyler and Jennifer Lopez have proved more than worthy replacements of Simon Cowell and Kara DioGuardi.

Ms Lopez has shown nurturing qualities infused with keen instincts. Being such a high-profile critic has raised the expectations for an artist known most for being famous. Her remake of The Lambada, On The Floor, featuring Pitbull, is a good dance record. But even with contributions from Lady GaGa, Antonia LA Reid and the ever-present Jorgen Elofsson, the album misses killer songs. You can expect Countryboy Scotty McCreedy to out-sell his mentor ten to one.

Jennifer Hudson gain a lowly seventh position in American Idol, from which she rose to her Oscar-winning role in The Dream Girls. But the Jennifer we remember looks nothing like the Barbie doll princess adorning the cover. Those fearing that weight loss and an extreme Hollywood makeover might harm that precious voice need fear not. Hudson still sends shivers down the spine and shoots straight to the heart.

Kicking off with No One Gonna Leave You, I Got This and Where You At, I Remember Me is the best constructed and performed album since Whitney Houston’s I Look To You. Could this possibly be the album Whitney never made?