Posted by Emily Exton on 01/25/2012 at 5:56 PM Videos

The Popdust Files: american idol, james durbin

Chances are you have yet to find yourself attached to any of the newest American Idol contestants, which means it’s still acceptable to revisit YouTube clips of last season’s losers. Non-winners from Lauren Alaina to Pia Toscano and Stefano Langone have all received record deals, hoping to capitalize on the fleeting memory of some of their better televised moments before a new crop of aspiring starlets steal our hearts with their teary backstories. Last year’s finalist James Durbin has released a new video for his single “Stand Up”—not to be confused with the Ludacris and Shawna track–in hopes of quelling the light-metal thirst that somehow plagues us all. He’s also created a “Sports Version,” which is almost as bad as Justin Bieber’s “Superfestive!” modifier, in hope that the Muse-y track will flood NFL stadiums around the country, bringing 50,000 people to their feet at every TV timeout. The original video boasts your standard performance fare: Durbin plays his heart out in a dark and empty club, backed by long-haired musicians and a lighting technician who knows when to appropriately enhance a lyric with blinders. Gear up for tonight’s Idol episode by watching below.