Around 2,000 children and teenagers auditioned for the show; from these twenty were chosen as contestants. Throughout the season, this number was narrowed down to five through several rounds of voting. Like American Idol, voting was done by the show's viewers via telephone. Unlike Idol, to prevent hurt feelings, the contestants were voted into the group, as opposed to being voted off the show. Idol host Ryan Seacrest repeated this duty for most of the shows. Idol judges did not appear (other than one satellite hookup with Simon Cowell from the second season of Pop Idol); the principal Juniors judges were Gladys Knight (who also hosted when Seacrest was absent), Deborah Gibson, and Justin Guarini (American Idol (Season 1) runner-up). A number of Idol alumni, such as Ruben Studdard and Christina Christian, made guest performances.
The five contestants who remained at the end of the season were formed into a group also named the American Juniors. They were Lucy Hale, Tori Thompson, Taylor Thompson, Chauncey Matthews, and Danielle White.
American Juniors became one of the highest rated televison shows of the summer season, with approximately 11.9 million viewers on June 3, though the numbers dropped 40% toward the end of July. Nonetheless, the producers were satisfied of the strong teen demographic. A second edition had been planned for fall 2003, later postponed to the summer after American Idol (Season 3), then called off. [1]
Seeing children and young adolescents competing gave some viewers a sour taste as the show had many "stage parents" in the wings. [2]
The American Juniors made a brief appearance on the December 2003 American Idol Christmas special, An American Idol Christmas. Their debut album American Juniors was released on October 26, 2004 after a year's delay from its original scheduled date.
The American Juniors group disbanded in 2005. The members seem to be pursuing individual efforts and there is little publicity about them as a group. The show website became inactive in April 2005, but the music website remains intact as an archive. In May 2005 the Thompson sisters' website announced they were now out on their own. [3]
Radio stations that play children's music (e.g, Disney, or digital radio) still occasionally play the music of American Juniors.
A Whole New World
American Juniors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shining, shimmering, splendid
Tell me, princess, now when did
You last let your heart decide?
I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways and under
A whole new world
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no
Or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
A whole new world
A dazzling place I never knew
But when I'm way up here
It's crystal clear
That now I'm in a whole new world with you
" A Whole New World" is an underdog anthem of newly found love and excitement as well as going beyond limitations. The song describes the essence of new love and the thrill of exploring new places together. It speaks of a romantic journey that the singer wishes to take with his lover on a magic carpet ride. The lyrics aim to inspire listeners to believe in their dreams and to chase them boldly. They highlight the importance of seizing the moment and taking the necessary steps to achieve one's goals.
The song also enforces the idea of exploring new possibilities and taking risks. The line, "No one to tell us no, or where to go or say we're only dreaming," pushes the idea of paving one's way without any constraints or boundaries. Additionally, the context of the song reflects the characters of Jasmine and Aladdin in the Disney movie, as the song was originally created for the movie. The magic carpet ride is also a motif often found in Arabian stories and may be a reference to the setting of the movie.
Line by Line Meaning
I can show you the world
I can guide you to new experiences
Shining, shimmering, splendid
I can take you to beautiful and wondrous places
Tell me, princess, now when did
You last let your heart decide?
When was the last time you followed your heart's desire?
I can open your eyes
I can help you see things in a new way
Take you wonder by wonder
Show you things that will fill you with awe and wonder
Over, sideways and under
I can take you to all sorts of places, no matter what obstacles we encounter
On a magic carpet ride
Together, we will embark on an exciting adventure full of magic and wonder
A whole new world
We will experience something completely new together
A new fantastic point of view
We will see things from a different perspective together
No one to tell us no
Or where to go
We are free to explore without restrictions or guidance
Or say we're only dreaming
We don't have to question or doubt what we're experiencing, we can just enjoy it
A dazzling place I never knew
I am in awe of the new and wondrous place that we are experiencing together
But when I'm way up here
It's crystal clear
That now I'm in a whole new world with you
Being with you has opened up a whole new world of possibilities and experiences that I never knew existed
Contributed by Lincoln P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.