Does rumored 'Idol' hopeful Carly Hennessy have superstar potential?

Yesterday, my colleague Shirley Halperin wrote a PopWatch item asking how professional is too professional when it comes toAmerican Idolcontestants (a topic also debated on the special-effects-ladenseason premiere of Idolatry); one reason for the hullabaloo is rumored Hollywood-bound contestant Carly Hennessy, who back in 1999 signed a six-album deal with MCA Records.

While Im torn between believing that its always more fun to root for a total music-biz newbie (like Elliott Yamin) than a semi-pro (say, Taylor Hicks) and wondering where exactly Fox is going to find 24 great-but-unsigned singers who dont at least have a MySpace page with their own original material, I also couldnt resist the urge to do a YouTube search for Hennessy, where I found this 2002 video for Im Gonna Blow Your Mind (apparently produced by New RadicalsGregg Alexander).

Whatever your opinion of the song (or whether or not Hennessy belongs onIdol), youve got to admit: Her hair certainly moves like a pop stars should.

I mean, if you put me in front of a wind machine, all youd get is a light rustling and woeful dishevelment.

But Hennessys tresses?

Wow.

The way they shimmy and shine and explode, its like aSilkience adand aMatrixtrailerand a trip toCastle Enyaall rolled into one.

Her singing, on the other hand, while competent, doesnt strike me as anything particularly distinctive or memorable.

So unlessIdols planning to let her perform in a wind tunnel, Im not sure I want to see her in the season 7 finals.

How bout you?