Who doesn't love Harry Connick, Jr.? He is a crooner and a swooner and I adore his music! Maybe this week's episode will be a little better than the last few weeks. I hope so. There aren't too many contestants, though, who I think will fit in well with a big band. But we shall see. Maybe someone will surprise us.
Aaron Kelly -- Fly Me to the Moon -- He seemed to struggle a little bit in the beginning. But I guess he got a little bit better toward the middle and end. It's kind of comical to watch him sing this style of music, though, because it definitely requires a certain swagger. Aaron definitely has zero swagger. But bless his little heart, he gave it a good shot.
Bonus Question: What was the funny story Casey shared about his friend back home?
Casey James -- Blue Skies -- Casey's voice is lacking a little, which is much easier to notice when he's performing without his guitar. I would say this performance was better than Aaron's, but definitely not something we would typically expect from a Top 5 contender on American Idol. But this is Season 9, so, all things considered, this was a decent performance.
Bonus Question: What large tattoo does Crystal sport across her back?
Crystal Bowersox -- Summer Wind -- Crystal is obviously the most seasoned and talented performer on the show this season. Her performance showcased that. I thought it was a little boring in the beginning, but the song became more interesting toward the middle and end. This was a nice performance of hers. I'm still a fan. My brother wanted me to say that Crystal looks like Julia Stiles. I put it in here because today is his birthday. And he's spending it watching American Idol and reading my blog over my shoulder.
Michael Lynche -- Writing this before he performs, I kind of think Michael could potentially shine with this style of music. The Way You Look Tonight -- For once Michael's cockiness has an opportunity to shine without becoming abrasive. His attitude carried across more as charm and swagger than conceit tonight and it definitely worked in his favor. I think Michael's was definitely the best performance of the night. And the truest to the Rat Pack stylings. The double-handed wave at the end was something I could have done without, though.
Lee Dewyze -- That's Life -- I love Michael Buble's version of this song. Lee was the second best tonight. It might be more because of the song than his vocals, though. Lee is primarily a really good gritty singer, but when his the song calls for a cleaner vocal, his voice just doesn't sound as good. But I loved hearing the song. The organ was a nice addition.
Bonus Question: What homework did Kara give Lee?
So who you do think will go home? Who do you think SHOULD go home? Answer the bonus questions and send me your predictions tomorrow before the show starts Wednesday!
*Tonight we'll be doing something a little different: The first person to answer will receive 20 bonus points, the second person will receive 15, the third person will receive 10, and the fourth person will receive 5. So get your answers in quickly!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Idol Gives Back
Idol Gives Back is back again. In Idol Gives Back's inaugural year the producers made the decision to not send anyone home because they wanted to maintain the inspirational and uplifting theme, rather than bringing down the mood of the show with a downer of an elimination. In season 7, the Idol people acted like they were not going to eliminate anyone, but then cruelly and viciously gave Michael Johns the boot. You'll get 2 bonus points for making an extra prediction this week if you're right: do you think they WILL or WILL NOT eliminate someone this week?
Bonus Questions:
Which judge said “We’re to the point now where someone’s going to have to go home every single week.”?
Which judge said, “You don’t have the tone for that voice.”
Name each of tonight’s songs that are from movie soundtracks (2 points each)
It seems like every season during “inspirational songs week”, the contestants choose really strange songs that I would never think of as particularly inspirational. This week continued that trend.
Just to show how very disengaged I am from this show this season, as soon as the show came on the camera panned around behind the judges and I thought, “wow, there’s 4 judges this week? I wonder who the guest judge is!”
Casey James – Don’t Stop. I didn’t get his vocal arrangement for this song. It didn’t sound right. I’m not that good at hearing notes, but it almost seemed like he was singing in the wrong key. Maybe it’s just me. I just didn’t think this performance was consistent with the caliber of Casey’s other performances.
Lee Dewyze – The Boxer. Welp, he still stinks at interviews. I’m starting to think he’s a lost cause. I appreciate Lee’s efforts in trying to play more of a ballad this week, but I wish his voice was a little crisper and able to hit the notes better. I would say this performance was refreshing, but not as great as it could have been. I love the original Simon and Garfunkel version of this song, but I don’t think I ever really paid much attention to the lyrics.
Tim Urban – Better Days. Why did it sound like a bunch of the notes in the beginning were way too low for Tim’s voice? Tim was well on his way to making a fan out of me, until he opened his mouth this week. Too many bum notes. The orchestra sounds pretty, though. I’m not sure how much credit Tim deserves for that, though.
Aaron Kelly – I Believe I Can Fly. I agree with Alicia Keys that this song has the potential for overkill. His song choice proves just how green Aaron is as a performer. I would say that other than Wind Beneath My Wings (if Katie Stevens had still been in the competition, she would have chosen that.), this is probably the most cliché “inspirational” song in popular culture. And Aaron did his typical Rascal Flatts impersonation with the song. I suppose it wasn’t a bad performance vocally….just not my cup of tea. And annoying.
Siobhan Magnus – When You Believe. I haven’t heard this song in years. I loved her hair tonight. I think Siobhan has a beautiful voice. She had a couple of bad weeks, but she seems to be back now. This song suited her voice very well and I think she pulled it off. Why are the judges so hard on her? It’s like their judging her on a different plane than most of the other contestants.
Michael Lynche – Hero. I wish he wouldn’t point into the camera. I guess this performance was okay. I’m just not a big fan. I think I might like him more if he wasn’t so cocky acting. And the judges are way easier on him than they are on Siobhan for some reason.
Crystal Bowersox – People Get Ready. I love that she started out a capella. And I love that Crystal has done two outspokenly Gospel songs in the past two weeks. I don’t know if she’s a believer, but I still appreciate that she’s unashamedly performing songs that a lot of people would be afraid to touch. She’s such an incredible performer. This performance was miles ahead of all of the others. That was beautiful. And inspirational. Bonus Question: Why did Crystal say she got emotional during her song?
Bonus Questions:
Which judge said “We’re to the point now where someone’s going to have to go home every single week.”?
Which judge said, “You don’t have the tone for that voice.”
Name each of tonight’s songs that are from movie soundtracks (2 points each)
It seems like every season during “inspirational songs week”, the contestants choose really strange songs that I would never think of as particularly inspirational. This week continued that trend.
Just to show how very disengaged I am from this show this season, as soon as the show came on the camera panned around behind the judges and I thought, “wow, there’s 4 judges this week? I wonder who the guest judge is!”
Casey James – Don’t Stop. I didn’t get his vocal arrangement for this song. It didn’t sound right. I’m not that good at hearing notes, but it almost seemed like he was singing in the wrong key. Maybe it’s just me. I just didn’t think this performance was consistent with the caliber of Casey’s other performances.
Lee Dewyze – The Boxer. Welp, he still stinks at interviews. I’m starting to think he’s a lost cause. I appreciate Lee’s efforts in trying to play more of a ballad this week, but I wish his voice was a little crisper and able to hit the notes better. I would say this performance was refreshing, but not as great as it could have been. I love the original Simon and Garfunkel version of this song, but I don’t think I ever really paid much attention to the lyrics.
Tim Urban – Better Days. Why did it sound like a bunch of the notes in the beginning were way too low for Tim’s voice? Tim was well on his way to making a fan out of me, until he opened his mouth this week. Too many bum notes. The orchestra sounds pretty, though. I’m not sure how much credit Tim deserves for that, though.
Aaron Kelly – I Believe I Can Fly. I agree with Alicia Keys that this song has the potential for overkill. His song choice proves just how green Aaron is as a performer. I would say that other than Wind Beneath My Wings (if Katie Stevens had still been in the competition, she would have chosen that.), this is probably the most cliché “inspirational” song in popular culture. And Aaron did his typical Rascal Flatts impersonation with the song. I suppose it wasn’t a bad performance vocally….just not my cup of tea. And annoying.
Siobhan Magnus – When You Believe. I haven’t heard this song in years. I loved her hair tonight. I think Siobhan has a beautiful voice. She had a couple of bad weeks, but she seems to be back now. This song suited her voice very well and I think she pulled it off. Why are the judges so hard on her? It’s like their judging her on a different plane than most of the other contestants.
Michael Lynche – Hero. I wish he wouldn’t point into the camera. I guess this performance was okay. I’m just not a big fan. I think I might like him more if he wasn’t so cocky acting. And the judges are way easier on him than they are on Siobhan for some reason.
Crystal Bowersox – People Get Ready. I love that she started out a capella. And I love that Crystal has done two outspokenly Gospel songs in the past two weeks. I don’t know if she’s a believer, but I still appreciate that she’s unashamedly performing songs that a lot of people would be afraid to touch. She’s such an incredible performer. This performance was miles ahead of all of the others. That was beautiful. And inspirational. Bonus Question: Why did Crystal say she got emotional during her song?
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Top 9 Week (again)
Crystal Bowersox – Saved. Wow. I love the gospel feel she has. I’m not familiar with this song. This may in fact be my first iTunes purchase of the American Idol season. I just love how Crystal has a handle on this whole performance thing. And she knows what she’s good at and where her voice can go. You don’t hear her going and attempting a Whitney Houston ballad because that’s not her forte. I appreciate that about Crystal. She nailed it with this performance.
Andrew Garcia – Hound Dog. This performance is very cheesy to me. Andrew has consistently failed to bring whatever it was that helped him soar to the top in Hollywood Week. This rendition of Hound Dog is pathetic. I think Andrew needs to figure out what type of music he wants to make. Then if he wants to reinvent songs he can try to recreate them into his own style. But this just didn’t work at all. I was glad when it was over.
I wonder if Kara gets money for every time she says “own it” on the show, because I think she says it at least a hundred times an episode.
Tim Urban – Fools Rush In. Aunt Sharon, this is for you: Tim actually sounded nice on this performance. I liked his guitar playing. The performance was nice and subtle. Tim may have finally mastered the art of subtlety. His performance was definitely better than Andrew’s, and possibly even close to Crystal’s in quality.
Lee Dewyze – A Little Less Conversation. He fumbled around the lyrics a little. But overall, I liked his take on the song. He still lacks in the performance aspect. He’s very awkward in all of his interview packages and everything, so I wonder if he has some shyness to overcome. I don’t know. I would say this performance was good, but GASP, maybe not quite as good as Tim Urban. Yikes!
Aaron Kelly – Blue Suede shoes. Did anyone else think he looked like a little kid trying to do an Elvis impersonation during his performance? I agree with Aaron that this song is all wrong for him. It just doesn’t make sense. Granted, at this point Aaron’s going to have to pull something pretty spectacular out of his hat if he wants to impress me…..like Tim Urban did tonight.
Siobhan Magnus – Suspicious Minds. I’ve noticed over the past couple of weeks that Siobhan makes really weird faces when she sings. If I’m noticing that, it might mean that she’s boring me. She got a little better toward the middle to the end of her performance. But I think Siobhan is definitely in a little bit of a slump right now. Her movements as she sang were really corny. She still sang better than many of the other contestants, but she still disappointed me. Maybe next week she’ll be back on track.
Michael Lynche – In the Ghetto. Here’s the point where Michael proves to America why he was worthy of the only-good-for-one-use judges’ save that could potentially send Crystal, Lee or Siobhan home later on in the competition. And, actually, he was much improved over his previous performances, in my opinion. I think this is, by far, his best performance. It was a little hard to hear at the end what with my little brother singing along at the top of his lungs and all. Maybe Michael really was worth the trouble…..well, I’m not entirely convinced of that yet with several weeks into the competition and one good offering to speak of, but I will say I definitely don’t hate him as much as I used to.
Katie Stevens – Baby, What Do You Want Me to Do? Katie robbed an accessories store before her performance! Jeesh! How can she walk around with all that stuff on her? I just don’t get what’s so great about her voice. She can hit the notes, but I think her tone is a little Kermit the Frog-like. And all those faces she makes and head jerks she does remind me of someone in a cheesy pageant. I can’t see past all of that. And she deserves to go home tomorrow*.
Casey James – Loudy Miss Cloudy. I’m not familiar with this song, either. But I think Casey sounds great singing it. He, too, has found his niche. Unlike Crystal, though, I think Casey’s performances tend to sound similar. He’s consistently good, though so I can’t complain about that. I think Casey and Lee are probably the two most talented male contestants this season.
Why did Adam Lambert say he loved Elvis?
Whose song did Simon say he identified with the lyrics?
Which judge used the expression “on the money, full stop” tonight?
What “instrumental” joke did Ellen make during Katie Stevens’ performance?
*Actually, after listening to the recap at the end of the show, I would say Andrew deserves to go home a million times before Katie.
Andrew Garcia – Hound Dog. This performance is very cheesy to me. Andrew has consistently failed to bring whatever it was that helped him soar to the top in Hollywood Week. This rendition of Hound Dog is pathetic. I think Andrew needs to figure out what type of music he wants to make. Then if he wants to reinvent songs he can try to recreate them into his own style. But this just didn’t work at all. I was glad when it was over.
I wonder if Kara gets money for every time she says “own it” on the show, because I think she says it at least a hundred times an episode.
Tim Urban – Fools Rush In. Aunt Sharon, this is for you: Tim actually sounded nice on this performance. I liked his guitar playing. The performance was nice and subtle. Tim may have finally mastered the art of subtlety. His performance was definitely better than Andrew’s, and possibly even close to Crystal’s in quality.
Lee Dewyze – A Little Less Conversation. He fumbled around the lyrics a little. But overall, I liked his take on the song. He still lacks in the performance aspect. He’s very awkward in all of his interview packages and everything, so I wonder if he has some shyness to overcome. I don’t know. I would say this performance was good, but GASP, maybe not quite as good as Tim Urban. Yikes!
Aaron Kelly – Blue Suede shoes. Did anyone else think he looked like a little kid trying to do an Elvis impersonation during his performance? I agree with Aaron that this song is all wrong for him. It just doesn’t make sense. Granted, at this point Aaron’s going to have to pull something pretty spectacular out of his hat if he wants to impress me…..like Tim Urban did tonight.
Siobhan Magnus – Suspicious Minds. I’ve noticed over the past couple of weeks that Siobhan makes really weird faces when she sings. If I’m noticing that, it might mean that she’s boring me. She got a little better toward the middle to the end of her performance. But I think Siobhan is definitely in a little bit of a slump right now. Her movements as she sang were really corny. She still sang better than many of the other contestants, but she still disappointed me. Maybe next week she’ll be back on track.
Michael Lynche – In the Ghetto. Here’s the point where Michael proves to America why he was worthy of the only-good-for-one-use judges’ save that could potentially send Crystal, Lee or Siobhan home later on in the competition. And, actually, he was much improved over his previous performances, in my opinion. I think this is, by far, his best performance. It was a little hard to hear at the end what with my little brother singing along at the top of his lungs and all. Maybe Michael really was worth the trouble…..well, I’m not entirely convinced of that yet with several weeks into the competition and one good offering to speak of, but I will say I definitely don’t hate him as much as I used to.
Katie Stevens – Baby, What Do You Want Me to Do? Katie robbed an accessories store before her performance! Jeesh! How can she walk around with all that stuff on her? I just don’t get what’s so great about her voice. She can hit the notes, but I think her tone is a little Kermit the Frog-like. And all those faces she makes and head jerks she does remind me of someone in a cheesy pageant. I can’t see past all of that. And she deserves to go home tomorrow*.
Casey James – Loudy Miss Cloudy. I’m not familiar with this song, either. But I think Casey sounds great singing it. He, too, has found his niche. Unlike Crystal, though, I think Casey’s performances tend to sound similar. He’s consistently good, though so I can’t complain about that. I think Casey and Lee are probably the two most talented male contestants this season.
Why did Adam Lambert say he loved Elvis?
Whose song did Simon say he identified with the lyrics?
Which judge used the expression “on the money, full stop” tonight?
What “instrumental” joke did Ellen make during Katie Stevens’ performance?
*Actually, after listening to the recap at the end of the show, I would say Andrew deserves to go home a million times before Katie.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Top 10 Week
Please excuse my brevity and scatter-brained-ness on this week’s blog. There are a couple of reasons for being so off tonight:
It’s 10:30 as I type this and I’m just now sitting down to watch Idol for the evening.
I’ve just about lost my faith in American Idol Season 9….if it wasn’t for a certain female contestant (whose name may or may not rhyme with Powerbox), I probably would have quit watching around Top 20 week or so….also I have a contest to run and people counting on me to deliver prizes…so here we go!
Awkward kissing moment with the judges backstage before the show started...that was weird.
Bonus Question: What did the back of Randy Jackson’s cardigan say? (hint: I don't know what the cardigan really said, and I'm really curious....so you'll get points if you give me your best guess or if you give me the correct answer.)
Bonus Question: What is the name of Usher’s new album?
Bonus Question: Which contestant did Usher instruct to “make me that person [you’re in love with]”?
Siobhan Magnus – Through the Fire – I like her hair with that braid thing going across the top of her head. Siobhan sounds uncharacteristically off key tonight. She sounds bad. Oh boy. She was one of the ones I was counting on to get me through the night. Everyone I’m watching this with thinks I’m crazy, but I think she sounds terrible tonight. She has to quit with that shrieking stuff…it’s old now.
Casey James – Hold On, I’m Comin’ – I think Casey sounds alright. To me Casey is consistently mediocre every week. But he’s never done anything astounding on the American Idol stage. It’s time for him to start rising above the pack and make a name for himself.
Michael Lynche – Ready for Love – Bonus Question: To what food item did Michael Lynche liken his guitar? Michael sounds better with this subtle performance where he’s not displaying his cheese factor. But he was a little boring to me. For me, for you.
Didi Benami – What Becomes of the Broken Hearted – She looks like Taylor Swift this week for some reason. I like the tone of her voice. She was channeling the older styles of music a little bit. She may not have as many big vocal tricks up her sleeve as some of the other contestants, but her voice quality is very pleasant to listen to and she’s a little bit unpredictable in that you never really know if she’s going to soar or to bomb. This week I would say she definitely didn’t bomb, but I don’t think she was nearly as bad as the judges seemed to think she was.
Tim Urban – Sweet Love – Usher told him that he hoped he would “give it to the camera” at some point….but Tim didn’t take his eyes off the camera the entire time! It was a little creepy. I thought his performance was okay. His voice really wasn’t that great, but it sounded fine I guess. To sound like Simon, it sounded like wedding music or background music at the shopping mall or something. Just kind of stale and nowhere close to as good as the real thing.
Note: I am 92% sure that Randy Jackson said “Predestrian!”
Andrew Garcia – Forever – I got made fun of for not knowing this Chris Brown song. I guess Andrew changed up the arrangement, but I thought it was okay sounding, but a little on the boring side. I don’t know. I can’t really critique it since I didn’t know what it was supposed to sound like I guess.
Katie Stevens – Chain of Fools – This was a very predictable song choice for her. I already hate it with the horn introduction. Katie is so pageanty when she sings. She tried to put a “pretty” bad attitude look on. She’s just so corny to me. And I just don’t get her voice. I mean, she does okay with the notes, but I just don’t like the way it sounds. I guess she has a lot of fans, though, because she’s still on the show.
Lee Dewyze – Treat Her Like a Lady – I actually enjoyed this arrangement of the song. I thought it started out a little slow, but maybe that was the effect he was going for, because the song just exploded in the middle. This was the best performance of the night so far. Maybe this was the “moment” the judges were wanting Lee to create.
Crystal Bowersox – Midnight Train to Georgia – Those background singers are horrifyingly awful, but I was surprised to hear that Crystal could play the piano, too. Although she didn’t play much of it. This whole performance was something very different for Crystal. Adam made the comment that she didn’t know what to do with her hands since she wasn’t holding a guitar. I thought her vocals sounded terrific….maybe not the best we’ve heard from her, but definitely head and shoulders above most everyone else in the competition.
Aaron Kelly – Ain’t No Sunshine – Aaron’s back with his crooked faux-hawk. He’s a little pageanty as well. I liked his little head jerk at the end of his performance. And his hand motions. I literally LOLed at this performance. He’s just annoying to me for some reason. I can’t even critique his singing because his stage presence was so goofy.
That’s it. Answer the bonus questions and get me your predictions before the show starts on Wednesday! I’m going to Tennessee!
It’s 10:30 as I type this and I’m just now sitting down to watch Idol for the evening.
I’ve just about lost my faith in American Idol Season 9….if it wasn’t for a certain female contestant (whose name may or may not rhyme with Powerbox), I probably would have quit watching around Top 20 week or so….also I have a contest to run and people counting on me to deliver prizes…so here we go!
Awkward kissing moment with the judges backstage before the show started...that was weird.
Bonus Question: What did the back of Randy Jackson’s cardigan say? (hint: I don't know what the cardigan really said, and I'm really curious....so you'll get points if you give me your best guess or if you give me the correct answer.)
Bonus Question: What is the name of Usher’s new album?
Bonus Question: Which contestant did Usher instruct to “make me that person [you’re in love with]”?
Siobhan Magnus – Through the Fire – I like her hair with that braid thing going across the top of her head. Siobhan sounds uncharacteristically off key tonight. She sounds bad. Oh boy. She was one of the ones I was counting on to get me through the night. Everyone I’m watching this with thinks I’m crazy, but I think she sounds terrible tonight. She has to quit with that shrieking stuff…it’s old now.
Casey James – Hold On, I’m Comin’ – I think Casey sounds alright. To me Casey is consistently mediocre every week. But he’s never done anything astounding on the American Idol stage. It’s time for him to start rising above the pack and make a name for himself.
Michael Lynche – Ready for Love – Bonus Question: To what food item did Michael Lynche liken his guitar? Michael sounds better with this subtle performance where he’s not displaying his cheese factor. But he was a little boring to me. For me, for you.
Didi Benami – What Becomes of the Broken Hearted – She looks like Taylor Swift this week for some reason. I like the tone of her voice. She was channeling the older styles of music a little bit. She may not have as many big vocal tricks up her sleeve as some of the other contestants, but her voice quality is very pleasant to listen to and she’s a little bit unpredictable in that you never really know if she’s going to soar or to bomb. This week I would say she definitely didn’t bomb, but I don’t think she was nearly as bad as the judges seemed to think she was.
Tim Urban – Sweet Love – Usher told him that he hoped he would “give it to the camera” at some point….but Tim didn’t take his eyes off the camera the entire time! It was a little creepy. I thought his performance was okay. His voice really wasn’t that great, but it sounded fine I guess. To sound like Simon, it sounded like wedding music or background music at the shopping mall or something. Just kind of stale and nowhere close to as good as the real thing.
Note: I am 92% sure that Randy Jackson said “Predestrian!”
Andrew Garcia – Forever – I got made fun of for not knowing this Chris Brown song. I guess Andrew changed up the arrangement, but I thought it was okay sounding, but a little on the boring side. I don’t know. I can’t really critique it since I didn’t know what it was supposed to sound like I guess.
Katie Stevens – Chain of Fools – This was a very predictable song choice for her. I already hate it with the horn introduction. Katie is so pageanty when she sings. She tried to put a “pretty” bad attitude look on. She’s just so corny to me. And I just don’t get her voice. I mean, she does okay with the notes, but I just don’t like the way it sounds. I guess she has a lot of fans, though, because she’s still on the show.
Lee Dewyze – Treat Her Like a Lady – I actually enjoyed this arrangement of the song. I thought it started out a little slow, but maybe that was the effect he was going for, because the song just exploded in the middle. This was the best performance of the night so far. Maybe this was the “moment” the judges were wanting Lee to create.
Crystal Bowersox – Midnight Train to Georgia – Those background singers are horrifyingly awful, but I was surprised to hear that Crystal could play the piano, too. Although she didn’t play much of it. This whole performance was something very different for Crystal. Adam made the comment that she didn’t know what to do with her hands since she wasn’t holding a guitar. I thought her vocals sounded terrific….maybe not the best we’ve heard from her, but definitely head and shoulders above most everyone else in the competition.
Aaron Kelly – Ain’t No Sunshine – Aaron’s back with his crooked faux-hawk. He’s a little pageanty as well. I liked his little head jerk at the end of his performance. And his hand motions. I literally LOLed at this performance. He’s just annoying to me for some reason. I can’t even critique his singing because his stage presence was so goofy.
That’s it. Answer the bonus questions and get me your predictions before the show starts on Wednesday! I’m going to Tennessee!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Top 12 Week
Sorry folks, no blog this week or next. Come back on Top 10 week and I'll get back into the swing of things! Thanks for checking in. -nicole
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Season 9: Top 8 Guys
I’ve had a long-standing hypothesis that Randy Jackson is among the most obnoxious personalities on television. Tonight, as Ryan introduced the judges and Randy proceeded to give a hardy “yeah, yeah, yeah” for each judge (including himself), and then predictably, a resounding “boooooooo” for Simon Cowell, he solidified his place as the single most annoying person who ever has been, or ever will be on television.
But none of that matters because the weather is lovely, the sun was bright today, my windows are open and there is a cool, gentle breeze whispering through my house as I type this. I don’t care if the boys stand up there and perform Vanilla Ice, I’m still going to be in a good mood!
Lee Dewyze – Firefly – This was a very bizarre choice for Lee. He started out a little nasal-sounding. And he stayed that way. He sounded horrible. The song is supposed to sound mystical and dreamy, not like you swallowed rocks before you sang. That was icky. I don’t know what the judges were talking about. It was absolutely terrible.
Alex Lambert – Trouble – This, on the other hand, was a perfect song choice for the mullet-haired wonder. Alex still looked really stiff on the stage, but I think he has turned himself into a serious contender. I love the tone of his voice. I really want to listen to an entire album of his already. And that’s saying a lot, considering the slim pickins we have as far as the men are concerned this season.
Bonus Question: Despite Alex's great performance, only one judge gave him a positive review. Name that judge.
Tim Urban – Hallelujah – Before he even sang a note, I knew this was Tim Urban’s proverbial kiss goodbye to the American Idol stage. Nobody can possibly surpass Jason Castro’s monumental performance of this song a mere two years ago. Jason had one of the biggest performances in Idol history with this song. Tim sounded okay, but with Jason’s performance in my mind, I would be doing Tim a favor if I called his version mediocre. He didn’t sing with the tenderness and vulnerability the song begs. Tim missed a few notes, and it just wasn’t there for me. Maybe I’m biased, though. The judges seemed to disagree.
Andrew Garcia – Genie in a Bottle – Wow. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that song. I almost didn’t recognize it until he got to the chorus. I liked his interpretation of this song; I just hope Andrew doesn’t become a one-trick pony, taking originally female pop-songs and turning them into acoustic coffee-house hits. I thought he sounded really good with the song, though. It was my favorite performance of the night up to that point in the competition. I think the judges were a little unfair in their criticism of him.
Bonus Question: In the comments below, please list who you think is the best judge and who you think is the worst, and don’t forget to list your reasons why! Because these judges are killing me tonight (in the bad way)!
Casey James – You’ll Think of Me – I think Casey is slowly becoming one of my favorites of the male contestants…and it has nothing to do with how he looks with his shirt off. I think he is very adept at interpreting songs with a raw emotion and then conveying them in a way that isn’t cheesy. I thought Casey sounded great singing it tonight. Yes, Randy, he is good at the blues vibe, but he can also show different facets of himself as an artist.
Bonus Question: Who is married to the person who originally sang “You’ll Think of Me”
Aaron Kelly – I’m Already There – Aaron gave a cheesefest of a performance tonight. It all started when he began with his first chorus of “I’m Allllllllready there,” as he slowly stood from his stool and stepped into the spotlight with his hand stretched in the air. Aaron’s voice is lacking almost as much as his stage presence. He’s simply not as good at singing as all of his competitors. He’s very plastic to me, like David Archuleta. It’s like he’s been bred from infancy to be a stage performer and everything he does is so rehearsed and polished, that it’s too rehearsed and polished. I’m not digging Aaron and I think he’ll be going home this week along with the other child contestant, Katie Stevens.
Bonus Question: Despite Aaron's subpar performance, only one judge gave him negative reviews. Name that judge.
Todrick Hall – Somebody to Love – As I sit here during the commercial break, Ryan Seacrest has just announced that Todrick will be singing something by Queen, and then the camera cut to Todrick with his black leather/tweed jacket with a multitude of zippers and those strange little half-gloves that everyone seems to be sporting on the show this season. I must admit I’m nervous. Queen is my favorite, you see, and I know there is no way, eh hem, NO WAY in this world that Todrick has the capacity to do justice to a Queen song. Oh, the humanity! I am offended at the very thought. I hope Todrick proves me wrong. Well, I will give Todrick props this week for not trying to overhaul a song into a tacky overdone anthem. However, Todrick’s vocals fell flat and boring about midway through the song and he never quite got there. He doesn’t have the range to sing Freddie Mercury and I’m afraid we’ll be hearing this song again tomorrow night. Once again, I disagreed with the judges.
Michael Lynche – This Woman’s Work – Well, I was not expecting that falsetto at the beginning of the song. For a minute I thought I was listening to Jordan Knight and the New Kids on the Block circa 1991! This performance seemed to drag on for a long time. Michael’s movement on stage is always very strange to me. It’s unnatural on him for some reason. I didn’t like this performance because I couldn’t figure out what it was supposed to be. Everyone knows I’m not the biggest R&B fan, but all that aside, I just didn’t get it this time.
Well, I'm still in a wonderful mood because of the fresh air, but I have successfully chosen 3 men to go home tomorrow night instead of just two. It would be more fair if they would accept more girls this year since they are better. I'm holding out hope that we'll get rid of one female and 3 males tomorrow night. I know it's not going to happen, but a girl can dream, can't she?
After tomorrow night's show, we'll know who the Top 12 contestants are, and you'll get your points for your selections. Be expecting a lovely points recap on Friday!
But none of that matters because the weather is lovely, the sun was bright today, my windows are open and there is a cool, gentle breeze whispering through my house as I type this. I don’t care if the boys stand up there and perform Vanilla Ice, I’m still going to be in a good mood!
Lee Dewyze – Firefly – This was a very bizarre choice for Lee. He started out a little nasal-sounding. And he stayed that way. He sounded horrible. The song is supposed to sound mystical and dreamy, not like you swallowed rocks before you sang. That was icky. I don’t know what the judges were talking about. It was absolutely terrible.
Alex Lambert – Trouble – This, on the other hand, was a perfect song choice for the mullet-haired wonder. Alex still looked really stiff on the stage, but I think he has turned himself into a serious contender. I love the tone of his voice. I really want to listen to an entire album of his already. And that’s saying a lot, considering the slim pickins we have as far as the men are concerned this season.
Bonus Question: Despite Alex's great performance, only one judge gave him a positive review. Name that judge.
Tim Urban – Hallelujah – Before he even sang a note, I knew this was Tim Urban’s proverbial kiss goodbye to the American Idol stage. Nobody can possibly surpass Jason Castro’s monumental performance of this song a mere two years ago. Jason had one of the biggest performances in Idol history with this song. Tim sounded okay, but with Jason’s performance in my mind, I would be doing Tim a favor if I called his version mediocre. He didn’t sing with the tenderness and vulnerability the song begs. Tim missed a few notes, and it just wasn’t there for me. Maybe I’m biased, though. The judges seemed to disagree.
Andrew Garcia – Genie in a Bottle – Wow. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that song. I almost didn’t recognize it until he got to the chorus. I liked his interpretation of this song; I just hope Andrew doesn’t become a one-trick pony, taking originally female pop-songs and turning them into acoustic coffee-house hits. I thought he sounded really good with the song, though. It was my favorite performance of the night up to that point in the competition. I think the judges were a little unfair in their criticism of him.
Bonus Question: In the comments below, please list who you think is the best judge and who you think is the worst, and don’t forget to list your reasons why! Because these judges are killing me tonight (in the bad way)!
Casey James – You’ll Think of Me – I think Casey is slowly becoming one of my favorites of the male contestants…and it has nothing to do with how he looks with his shirt off. I think he is very adept at interpreting songs with a raw emotion and then conveying them in a way that isn’t cheesy. I thought Casey sounded great singing it tonight. Yes, Randy, he is good at the blues vibe, but he can also show different facets of himself as an artist.
Bonus Question: Who is married to the person who originally sang “You’ll Think of Me”
Aaron Kelly – I’m Already There – Aaron gave a cheesefest of a performance tonight. It all started when he began with his first chorus of “I’m Allllllllready there,” as he slowly stood from his stool and stepped into the spotlight with his hand stretched in the air. Aaron’s voice is lacking almost as much as his stage presence. He’s simply not as good at singing as all of his competitors. He’s very plastic to me, like David Archuleta. It’s like he’s been bred from infancy to be a stage performer and everything he does is so rehearsed and polished, that it’s too rehearsed and polished. I’m not digging Aaron and I think he’ll be going home this week along with the other child contestant, Katie Stevens.
Bonus Question: Despite Aaron's subpar performance, only one judge gave him negative reviews. Name that judge.
Todrick Hall – Somebody to Love – As I sit here during the commercial break, Ryan Seacrest has just announced that Todrick will be singing something by Queen, and then the camera cut to Todrick with his black leather/tweed jacket with a multitude of zippers and those strange little half-gloves that everyone seems to be sporting on the show this season. I must admit I’m nervous. Queen is my favorite, you see, and I know there is no way, eh hem, NO WAY in this world that Todrick has the capacity to do justice to a Queen song. Oh, the humanity! I am offended at the very thought. I hope Todrick proves me wrong. Well, I will give Todrick props this week for not trying to overhaul a song into a tacky overdone anthem. However, Todrick’s vocals fell flat and boring about midway through the song and he never quite got there. He doesn’t have the range to sing Freddie Mercury and I’m afraid we’ll be hearing this song again tomorrow night. Once again, I disagreed with the judges.
Michael Lynche – This Woman’s Work – Well, I was not expecting that falsetto at the beginning of the song. For a minute I thought I was listening to Jordan Knight and the New Kids on the Block circa 1991! This performance seemed to drag on for a long time. Michael’s movement on stage is always very strange to me. It’s unnatural on him for some reason. I didn’t like this performance because I couldn’t figure out what it was supposed to be. Everyone knows I’m not the biggest R&B fan, but all that aside, I just didn’t get it this time.
Well, I'm still in a wonderful mood because of the fresh air, but I have successfully chosen 3 men to go home tomorrow night instead of just two. It would be more fair if they would accept more girls this year since they are better. I'm holding out hope that we'll get rid of one female and 3 males tomorrow night. I know it's not going to happen, but a girl can dream, can't she?
After tomorrow night's show, we'll know who the Top 12 contestants are, and you'll get your points for your selections. Be expecting a lovely points recap on Friday!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Top 16 Ladies
How about a rushed episode tonight where the performances are approximately 30 seconds long? I appreciated that Idol was only an hour , but I felt like I needed to sit in front of a fan, stretch my muscles and drink a glass of ice water afterwards. Holy cow!
Katie Stevens – Breakaway – Katie seemed like she couldn’t get in the right tempo with the band. This might have been her weakest performance to date. She missed a lot of those notes. I was glad when it was over.
Bonus Question: Who did Siobhan say she was dedicating her performance to?
Siobhan Magnus – House of the Rising Sun – I think Siobhan is one of the serious contenders this season, and I never would have said that two weeks ago. I really liked this performance. Siobhan’s voice is so strong and she knows how to use it properly.
Bonus Question: In one redundant sentence, Kara described Siobhan as both unique and what?
Lacey Brown—The Story – I love this song. I think Lacey sounded great singing it. Except for she skipped the huge part of the song. I think she sounded subtle, though, and that song suited her voice so well. She’s considered by many to be an underdog, but Lacey is still one of my favorites. And if anyone is looking for some new folksy music with power vocals, I would highly recommend Brandi Carlile.
Katelyn Epperly– I Feel The Earth Move—I don’t think Katelyn’s voice was as strong as it has been. This performance was a little cheesy to me, from the way she was playing the keyboard with her little side to side movements to her vocals. It wasn’t my favorite, but it wasn’t horrible either, I suppose.
Didi Benami—Rhianna – I liked seeing Didi back with her guitar. I think she’s more comfortable on stage with it, and she sounds better. Didi has one of the freshest sounding voices on the show and I hope this performance will help to seal her place in the Top 12.
Paige Miles—Smile – This is just a wild thought, but it might be nice to see a performance of the song “Smile” by a singer who is smiling. I think Paige’s voice is one of the weakest ones in the competition. She had her moments, but overall, she sounded shaky and off. It was such a dreary performance. It was especially bad in light of Jermaine Purifory’s incredible performance of the song in his audition…and he didn’t even make it to the Top 24!
Bonus Question: Who did Ryan say wrote “Smile”?
Crystal Bowersox– Give Me One Reason – I love this song, too! I think this performance was great. I love Crystal’s style and her voice. She is consistently good. I can’t think of one bad week she’s had. American Idol hasn’t had a blues singer since Taylor Hicks…if you can count that. Crystal looks like she enjoys every minute of being up on the stage.
Lilly Scott—I Fall To Pieces – I’m falling out of love with Lilly. I think her style and her personality and quirkiness overshadow her lacking vocals. She has consistently left me feeling iffy. I really wanted to be a fan of hers, but it’s just not going to happen. Maybe I’m wrong. I don’t know. I just don’t think she’s as good as the hype she’s received.
What did you think? Who is your favorite and who is the weakest? Comment below and email me your bottom 3 predictions and answers to the bonus questions!
Katie Stevens – Breakaway – Katie seemed like she couldn’t get in the right tempo with the band. This might have been her weakest performance to date. She missed a lot of those notes. I was glad when it was over.
Bonus Question: Who did Siobhan say she was dedicating her performance to?
Siobhan Magnus – House of the Rising Sun – I think Siobhan is one of the serious contenders this season, and I never would have said that two weeks ago. I really liked this performance. Siobhan’s voice is so strong and she knows how to use it properly.
Bonus Question: In one redundant sentence, Kara described Siobhan as both unique and what?
Lacey Brown—The Story – I love this song. I think Lacey sounded great singing it. Except for she skipped the huge part of the song. I think she sounded subtle, though, and that song suited her voice so well. She’s considered by many to be an underdog, but Lacey is still one of my favorites. And if anyone is looking for some new folksy music with power vocals, I would highly recommend Brandi Carlile.
Katelyn Epperly– I Feel The Earth Move—I don’t think Katelyn’s voice was as strong as it has been. This performance was a little cheesy to me, from the way she was playing the keyboard with her little side to side movements to her vocals. It wasn’t my favorite, but it wasn’t horrible either, I suppose.
Didi Benami—Rhianna – I liked seeing Didi back with her guitar. I think she’s more comfortable on stage with it, and she sounds better. Didi has one of the freshest sounding voices on the show and I hope this performance will help to seal her place in the Top 12.
Paige Miles—Smile – This is just a wild thought, but it might be nice to see a performance of the song “Smile” by a singer who is smiling. I think Paige’s voice is one of the weakest ones in the competition. She had her moments, but overall, she sounded shaky and off. It was such a dreary performance. It was especially bad in light of Jermaine Purifory’s incredible performance of the song in his audition…and he didn’t even make it to the Top 24!
Bonus Question: Who did Ryan say wrote “Smile”?
Crystal Bowersox– Give Me One Reason – I love this song, too! I think this performance was great. I love Crystal’s style and her voice. She is consistently good. I can’t think of one bad week she’s had. American Idol hasn’t had a blues singer since Taylor Hicks…if you can count that. Crystal looks like she enjoys every minute of being up on the stage.
Lilly Scott—I Fall To Pieces – I’m falling out of love with Lilly. I think her style and her personality and quirkiness overshadow her lacking vocals. She has consistently left me feeling iffy. I really wanted to be a fan of hers, but it’s just not going to happen. Maybe I’m wrong. I don’t know. I just don’t think she’s as good as the hype she’s received.
What did you think? Who is your favorite and who is the weakest? Comment below and email me your bottom 3 predictions and answers to the bonus questions!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Season 9: Top 10 Ladies
Now I can see what the judges were saying when they described this as "The Girls' Year," well, sort of. The girls definitely had a better showing tonight than the boys did last night, but I still think the talent pool for this season is much, much lower than in seasons past. Some of them don't deserve to be there of course, but at least some of them DO deserve to be there. That's more than I can say for the guys.
Crystal Bowersox – Long As I Can See the Light – I don’t think I know this song, but I like Crystal’s “church-spin” rendition of it. She sounds really good. The boys can take a lesson from her on how to perform a lower tempo song without getting boring or over doing it. She did great, especially for having been in the hospital the day before.
Haeley Vaughn – The Climb – Does anyone else think she speaks like a 5 year old? Her interview packages always annoy me. I think Haeley’s performance is a serious improvement from last week. She still hit some sour notes. But then again, so does Miley. I think she’s pushing her voice too much again. She needs to exhibit some restraint. That definitely won’t be my favorite performance, and she definitely is one of the weakest singers on the show.
Lacey Brown – Kiss Me – I like that Lacey took Kara’s advice, and sang the exact song she suggested. That way Kara at least couldn't criticize her for her song choice. Lacey sounds a million times better than she did last week. I think she has a pretty voice, and as soon as she can overcome some of those nerves, she’ll be great. Hopefully she’ll be able to do that before she’s eliminated. Honestly, probably anything could have been an improvement over last week. Contrary to what Randy said, I think Lacey changed up the song a little….she didn’t sound like Sixpence at all.
Katie Stevens – Put Your Records On – I get what Simon was saying about her last week with is “pageanty” comment. She likes to scrunch her face up and look at the camera. Sort of like what you would see on that show "Toddlers and Tiaras." She sounds okay singing this song. I don’t really get what the big deal is about her, though. I don’t find anything distinctive about Katie or her singing. It’s something we’ve all seen a million times on this show. She had really cute shoes, though. Bless her heart.
Bonus Question: Which contestant did Kara say could use another year to train?
Didi Benami – Lean On Me – I’m not sure I really liked this arrangement of the song. But there’s no doubt that Didi can sing well. She may need a little work with her movement while she’s on stage. I like Didi, though, and I think she’ll stick around for awhile. I am kind of undecided on this performance. I don’t think the performance was terrible, but I think Didi maybe didn’t do as well as we’ve seen her. The judges gave her more harsh criticism than she deserved, probably.
Michelle Delamor – Arms Wide Open – I never would have expected her to sing a Creed song. I would have to say she made one of the smartest song choices of the evening. I think Michelle has a real chance of making it to the top 12. She may not be the best singer, but she has made good song choices the past two weeks. Her vocal style is pretty conventional…we can hear it on the radio on any Top 40 station, but Michelle took a song that was outside of her genre and reinvented it. Her ending note wasn’t the greatest. But overall, I think she was good.
Lilly Scott – A Change Is Gonna Come – Lilly sounds like a surfer in her interview packages. I don’t think her voice sounds as good this week as she has in other episodes. I’m not sure exactly what it is. I think, like many of her male competitors, she’s trying to do too much. I think she has potential, but she needs to scale it back a little. Or maybe I’m an idiot because the judges seemed to disagree with me.
Katelyn Epperly – The Scientist – Apparently Katelyn is or was a student of Millikin University here in Decatur. I hadn’t heard that before, and I thought it was interesting. I don't know if it necessarily makes me her number one fan, but it's cool to know that a hometown girl is in the competition. Her performance seems a little boring, but she seems polished. I think it’s a lot easier for a singer to have an emotional connection when they’re playing a piano. I’m not sure why it comes across like that. I think Katelyn did pretty well. I like her voice, and I think she’s one of the better singers of the night.
Bonus Question: What mistake did Ellen make in her critique of Katelyn’s performance?
Paige Miles – Walk Away – I think this was a pretty good song choice for Paige. Her voice is a little bit watered down though. I think she needs to put some more punch into her vocals to make a stronger name for herself. She’s a lot better than last week. This was another good performance tonight. Compared to herself, she's a million times improved. However, if you compare her to some of the better vocalists in the competiton, she just doesn't quite have it.
Siobhan Magnus – Think – She’s such a quirky girl, and I can't figure out if it’s genuine or if it’s an act. I think this song would have been better performed on a larger stage, with a bigger audience. But Siobhan held her own throughout the performance. She looked a little stiff, but her voice is incredible. That glory note was amazing. Siobhan definitely won the night!
So, what did you think? Did the girls fare better than the men? Is there a real front-runner yet? Comment below and let me know what you think!
Crystal Bowersox – Long As I Can See the Light – I don’t think I know this song, but I like Crystal’s “church-spin” rendition of it. She sounds really good. The boys can take a lesson from her on how to perform a lower tempo song without getting boring or over doing it. She did great, especially for having been in the hospital the day before.
Haeley Vaughn – The Climb – Does anyone else think she speaks like a 5 year old? Her interview packages always annoy me. I think Haeley’s performance is a serious improvement from last week. She still hit some sour notes. But then again, so does Miley. I think she’s pushing her voice too much again. She needs to exhibit some restraint. That definitely won’t be my favorite performance, and she definitely is one of the weakest singers on the show.
Lacey Brown – Kiss Me – I like that Lacey took Kara’s advice, and sang the exact song she suggested. That way Kara at least couldn't criticize her for her song choice. Lacey sounds a million times better than she did last week. I think she has a pretty voice, and as soon as she can overcome some of those nerves, she’ll be great. Hopefully she’ll be able to do that before she’s eliminated. Honestly, probably anything could have been an improvement over last week. Contrary to what Randy said, I think Lacey changed up the song a little….she didn’t sound like Sixpence at all.
Katie Stevens – Put Your Records On – I get what Simon was saying about her last week with is “pageanty” comment. She likes to scrunch her face up and look at the camera. Sort of like what you would see on that show "Toddlers and Tiaras." She sounds okay singing this song. I don’t really get what the big deal is about her, though. I don’t find anything distinctive about Katie or her singing. It’s something we’ve all seen a million times on this show. She had really cute shoes, though. Bless her heart.
Bonus Question: Which contestant did Kara say could use another year to train?
Didi Benami – Lean On Me – I’m not sure I really liked this arrangement of the song. But there’s no doubt that Didi can sing well. She may need a little work with her movement while she’s on stage. I like Didi, though, and I think she’ll stick around for awhile. I am kind of undecided on this performance. I don’t think the performance was terrible, but I think Didi maybe didn’t do as well as we’ve seen her. The judges gave her more harsh criticism than she deserved, probably.
Michelle Delamor – Arms Wide Open – I never would have expected her to sing a Creed song. I would have to say she made one of the smartest song choices of the evening. I think Michelle has a real chance of making it to the top 12. She may not be the best singer, but she has made good song choices the past two weeks. Her vocal style is pretty conventional…we can hear it on the radio on any Top 40 station, but Michelle took a song that was outside of her genre and reinvented it. Her ending note wasn’t the greatest. But overall, I think she was good.
Lilly Scott – A Change Is Gonna Come – Lilly sounds like a surfer in her interview packages. I don’t think her voice sounds as good this week as she has in other episodes. I’m not sure exactly what it is. I think, like many of her male competitors, she’s trying to do too much. I think she has potential, but she needs to scale it back a little. Or maybe I’m an idiot because the judges seemed to disagree with me.
Katelyn Epperly – The Scientist – Apparently Katelyn is or was a student of Millikin University here in Decatur. I hadn’t heard that before, and I thought it was interesting. I don't know if it necessarily makes me her number one fan, but it's cool to know that a hometown girl is in the competition. Her performance seems a little boring, but she seems polished. I think it’s a lot easier for a singer to have an emotional connection when they’re playing a piano. I’m not sure why it comes across like that. I think Katelyn did pretty well. I like her voice, and I think she’s one of the better singers of the night.
Bonus Question: What mistake did Ellen make in her critique of Katelyn’s performance?
Paige Miles – Walk Away – I think this was a pretty good song choice for Paige. Her voice is a little bit watered down though. I think she needs to put some more punch into her vocals to make a stronger name for herself. She’s a lot better than last week. This was another good performance tonight. Compared to herself, she's a million times improved. However, if you compare her to some of the better vocalists in the competiton, she just doesn't quite have it.
Siobhan Magnus – Think – She’s such a quirky girl, and I can't figure out if it’s genuine or if it’s an act. I think this song would have been better performed on a larger stage, with a bigger audience. But Siobhan held her own throughout the performance. She looked a little stiff, but her voice is incredible. That glory note was amazing. Siobhan definitely won the night!
So, what did you think? Did the girls fare better than the men? Is there a real front-runner yet? Comment below and let me know what you think!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Season 9: Week 2 (The Guys)
Well, tonight showed a marked improvement over last week's episode. But then again, watching that animated hamster movie that was out awhile back would be an improvement over last week's episode.....
The guys took the stage tonight and left me wondering if American Idol has already found all of the talented singers in our fine country. The singers this year just aren't as good as in seasons past. Have you ever watched the American Idol Rewind shows? They showcase the past seasons of the show, and if you go to back and watch the first couple of seasons, the singers just weren't as good as what the show has typically showcased in the more recent seasons. The singers for season 9 remind me more of those contestants from early on in the show's tenure. And that would be fine if American Idol was still the same as it was back then. But the contest has evolved to the point where singers are now expected to know how to play instruments and create their own arrangements of songs. In the words of one of the singers tonight, what's goin' on?
Mike Lynche – This is a Man’s World – A huge improvement over last week. This is the best his voice has sounded so far. And I think he brought some performance through to make him more like that headliner that Simon instructed him to be. The performance dropped off a little towards the end and definitely did not finish as strongly as it started out. But I think Huge Mike’s performance was pretty good.
John Park – Gravity – Oh Boy. John seems to lack a little in the personality department. I hope he gets better at interviews because he’s boring! He looks terrified! His voice sounds much better this week. Well, kind of. He’s still hitting some bum notes. I think he lacks some emotional connection when he sings. Something’s missing.
Casey James – I Don’t Want to Be – I would like to nominate this song for the Please Never Ever Ever Ever EVER Perform This Song from the American Idol Stage….Ever! list. His voice is not as good this week. He sounds very shaky. I don’t think he should have chosen this song to showcase his vocals, because they are not as good as Gavin DeGraw's. He didn’t really do anything different with the song, either, which seems to be a going complaint from the judges’ table. I like his pretty blue guitar, though.
Alex Lambert – Everybody Knows – Another person who needs a little help in the interview department…and let’s throw in the wardrobe department as well. Hello, horrifying plaid jacket! Alex is much easier to listen to if you avoid looking at the TV screen. But, I’m sorry to say, that even with his guitar in tow, he still looks like a terrified little kitten. I like the John Legend song, and I think Alex’s performance from this week was inconceivably better than last week’s. But I feel like Alex Lambert is one of the weakest male contestants on the show.
Todrick Hall – What’s Love Got to Do with It – I still say that Todrick isn’t as good as he thinks he is. And I think he’s trying to make a name for himself by “reinventing” popular songs. The only problem is that his reinventions are torturous to listen to. I think Todrick’s performance was, by far, the weakest of the night up to this point.
Bonus Question: Ryan announced that the guys would be performing tonight for what reason?
Jermaine Sellers – What’s Goin’ On – I do not understand this guy. I wonder if he realizes how conceited he comes across on camera. I think he was trying to be more vocally restrained this time around, but his voice just sounded incredibly weak. He had too much air in his voice and hit quite a few bad notes. I will be surprised if Jermaine does NOT go home on Thursday. That’s not what I would have expected from his original audition of Joan Osborne’s “One of Us.” Too bad.
Andrew Garcia – You Give Me Something – The song seemed a little rushed to me for some reason. I love listening to Andrew’s voice, and I’m still convinced that he is head and shoulders above the rest of the men in this competition. I almost thought this performance was a little lackluster, though. It was just a little boring for me.
Aaron Kelly – My Girl – In my opinion, this was a subpar performance. Aaron’s falsetto was shaky and he tried way too hard with all of those runs in the verses. And My Girl is a song that a contestant should sing only if he has to pick a song from a specific theme, such as "Nauseatingly Cheesy Love Songs from the 60's Week****." But when you can select any Billboard hit, you have to make a better choice than that. I wonder if Aaron would have had a better chance if he had gotten a career as Disney’s next teen sensation, rather than trying to fill up the huge American Idol platform with his tiny little voice. I was not impressed. At all.
Tim Urban – Come on Get Higher – I prefer him singing without the big band behind him. The scaled back arrangement suits him, but it worries me for when things like Disco Week come along. I see Tim as more of a coffeehouse venue type of performer, and maybe less of an American Idol type. I think he held his own with this performance, though. Except for that last note. Simon's comments may have saved him this week.
Lee Dewyze – Lips of an Angel – I’m not sure about this choice for him. He sounded really nasally and really missed a lot of notes. And he looks pretty awkward on the stage. It pains me to say that, because I was really holding out hope that Lee would be better than some of his competitors. But tonight it just wasn’t there. The judges were way too easy on Lee this time. I was a little surprised by that, honestly. They must be holding on to the same hope that I am.
Let's see if the girls bring a little more tomorrow. I hope so because May is a loooooooong way off!
2 Bonus Points for commenting on the blog and explaining which conestant you thought was the most improved from last week. Be sure to list who it is and what made them better.
****I would like to point out that when I called "My Girl" a nauseatingly cheesy love song from the 60's, I was in a disgruntled state, having watched 8 crappy performances up to that point. I would like to clarify that while Aaron Kelly's rendition of "My Girl" was, in fact, nauseatingly cheesy, I adore the song itself when sung by The Temptations. My Girl is a very sweet and classic love song, and I don't think it's fair for it to be butchered on American Idol by a 16 year old who makes it hokey.....just so you know.
The guys took the stage tonight and left me wondering if American Idol has already found all of the talented singers in our fine country. The singers this year just aren't as good as in seasons past. Have you ever watched the American Idol Rewind shows? They showcase the past seasons of the show, and if you go to back and watch the first couple of seasons, the singers just weren't as good as what the show has typically showcased in the more recent seasons. The singers for season 9 remind me more of those contestants from early on in the show's tenure. And that would be fine if American Idol was still the same as it was back then. But the contest has evolved to the point where singers are now expected to know how to play instruments and create their own arrangements of songs. In the words of one of the singers tonight, what's goin' on?
Mike Lynche – This is a Man’s World – A huge improvement over last week. This is the best his voice has sounded so far. And I think he brought some performance through to make him more like that headliner that Simon instructed him to be. The performance dropped off a little towards the end and definitely did not finish as strongly as it started out. But I think Huge Mike’s performance was pretty good.
John Park – Gravity – Oh Boy. John seems to lack a little in the personality department. I hope he gets better at interviews because he’s boring! He looks terrified! His voice sounds much better this week. Well, kind of. He’s still hitting some bum notes. I think he lacks some emotional connection when he sings. Something’s missing.
Casey James – I Don’t Want to Be – I would like to nominate this song for the Please Never Ever Ever Ever EVER Perform This Song from the American Idol Stage….Ever! list. His voice is not as good this week. He sounds very shaky. I don’t think he should have chosen this song to showcase his vocals, because they are not as good as Gavin DeGraw's. He didn’t really do anything different with the song, either, which seems to be a going complaint from the judges’ table. I like his pretty blue guitar, though.
Alex Lambert – Everybody Knows – Another person who needs a little help in the interview department…and let’s throw in the wardrobe department as well. Hello, horrifying plaid jacket! Alex is much easier to listen to if you avoid looking at the TV screen. But, I’m sorry to say, that even with his guitar in tow, he still looks like a terrified little kitten. I like the John Legend song, and I think Alex’s performance from this week was inconceivably better than last week’s. But I feel like Alex Lambert is one of the weakest male contestants on the show.
Todrick Hall – What’s Love Got to Do with It – I still say that Todrick isn’t as good as he thinks he is. And I think he’s trying to make a name for himself by “reinventing” popular songs. The only problem is that his reinventions are torturous to listen to. I think Todrick’s performance was, by far, the weakest of the night up to this point.
Bonus Question: Ryan announced that the guys would be performing tonight for what reason?
Jermaine Sellers – What’s Goin’ On – I do not understand this guy. I wonder if he realizes how conceited he comes across on camera. I think he was trying to be more vocally restrained this time around, but his voice just sounded incredibly weak. He had too much air in his voice and hit quite a few bad notes. I will be surprised if Jermaine does NOT go home on Thursday. That’s not what I would have expected from his original audition of Joan Osborne’s “One of Us.” Too bad.
Andrew Garcia – You Give Me Something – The song seemed a little rushed to me for some reason. I love listening to Andrew’s voice, and I’m still convinced that he is head and shoulders above the rest of the men in this competition. I almost thought this performance was a little lackluster, though. It was just a little boring for me.
Aaron Kelly – My Girl – In my opinion, this was a subpar performance. Aaron’s falsetto was shaky and he tried way too hard with all of those runs in the verses. And My Girl is a song that a contestant should sing only if he has to pick a song from a specific theme, such as "Nauseatingly Cheesy Love Songs from the 60's Week****." But when you can select any Billboard hit, you have to make a better choice than that. I wonder if Aaron would have had a better chance if he had gotten a career as Disney’s next teen sensation, rather than trying to fill up the huge American Idol platform with his tiny little voice. I was not impressed. At all.
Tim Urban – Come on Get Higher – I prefer him singing without the big band behind him. The scaled back arrangement suits him, but it worries me for when things like Disco Week come along. I see Tim as more of a coffeehouse venue type of performer, and maybe less of an American Idol type. I think he held his own with this performance, though. Except for that last note. Simon's comments may have saved him this week.
Lee Dewyze – Lips of an Angel – I’m not sure about this choice for him. He sounded really nasally and really missed a lot of notes. And he looks pretty awkward on the stage. It pains me to say that, because I was really holding out hope that Lee would be better than some of his competitors. But tonight it just wasn’t there. The judges were way too easy on Lee this time. I was a little surprised by that, honestly. They must be holding on to the same hope that I am.
Let's see if the girls bring a little more tomorrow. I hope so because May is a loooooooong way off!
2 Bonus Points for commenting on the blog and explaining which conestant you thought was the most improved from last week. Be sure to list who it is and what made them better.
****I would like to point out that when I called "My Girl" a nauseatingly cheesy love song from the 60's, I was in a disgruntled state, having watched 8 crappy performances up to that point. I would like to clarify that while Aaron Kelly's rendition of "My Girl" was, in fact, nauseatingly cheesy, I adore the song itself when sung by The Temptations. My Girl is a very sweet and classic love song, and I don't think it's fair for it to be butchered on American Idol by a 16 year old who makes it hokey.....just so you know.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Season 9: Week 1 (The Guys)
Bonus Question: What product has Kris Allen been endorsing this season in Idol commercial breaks?
Bonus Question: One popular Randy-ism has been noticeably absent from the judging table this season, with it only being said once tonight (by Randy)....what is it?
Todrick Hall – Since U Been Gone. Well, I guess he gets points for reinventing this Kelly Clarkson song, but it was actually a pretty terrible arrangement and he didn’t sing it very well. I appreciate his ambition, though, I guess. His performance was just a little too high on the cheese factor.
Aaron Kelly – Here Comes Goodbye. Aaron sounded a little nervous in the beginning. His voice doesn’t seem that strong. He may have been better off in the contest if he had waited a couple years. This kid is no Archuleta, that’s for sure. He seems like he strains a lot when he sings…like it’s painful. Without being a bully, I would say Aaron's performance should send him home tomorrow.
Jermaine Sellers – Get Here. This performance was boring. And his singing didn’t sound anywhere near where he’s sounded earlier in the competition. I don’t know if he couldn’t hear himself or what, but he was shrieking a ton of really bad, really shrill notes. I would say Jermaine is another person who should go home tomorrow...I don't know if he will or not, though. I don't think the TV audience has seen him as a likeable contestant, so I wouldn't be surprised if he's packing his bags.
Bonus Question: What did Jermaine Sellers refer to Hollywood Week as?
Tim Urban – Pologize. Didn’t quite get there. I hate this song anyway, but this guy made it even more miserable. His performance was not impressive. That being said, I feel bad for Tim based on Simon’s critique. He looked heartbroken! I think the judges were a little more harsh with him than they were with some other contestants. They want Tim to go home tomorrow night. To be fair, Tim's performance wasn't stellar by any means, but I think the judges should give him a break since he's coming into the competition with a little bit of an unfair disadvantage, having not even been featured in the Top 24 shows!
Joe Munoz – You and I Both. Finally someone is doing a Jason Mraz song that’s not “I’m Yours.” And I would like to give to Joe some credit for changing the song up a little bit in a creative way. However, Joe’s voice didn’t transition well to the big stage. He seemed a little shaky…almost like a bleating goat (oddly, this is also how I describe Miley Cyrus’s voice). I wouldn’t be surprised if Joe was one of the first to be eliminated, but I think there were others who should go before him.
Tyler Grady – American Woman. I’m not sure about this guy. He has more poise than most of the other contestants to be sure, but I don’t think he’s as good as he thinks he is, or as good as we’re supposed to believe he is. And I’m going to get sick of this whole 70s niche if he’s planning on doing this every week. Perhaps the comments from the judges will help him to figure out what he needs to do differently. He kind of looks like John Mayer a little bit. That may have something to do with why I instinctively don't like him.
Lee Dewyze – Chasing Cars. I really like this song. I think Lee possesses a quiet confidence that is lacking in a lot of the other competitors. He sounded a little nasally on some parts of his song, but overall he is a good musician. He reminds me of Jeremy Camp…a lot. I think Lee is one of the more seasoned performers on the show. He seems like a professional. And I get what the judges are saying in trying to liken him to David Cook...but I think Lee would probably prefer to not be pigeon-holed into the shadow of another recent winner so early on.
John Park – God Bless the Child. I love his low voice! This song may have been a little too quiet for John to make the statement he needed to make since we haven’t heard anything from him since his audition. I think, though, that if he does a more fun and vibrant song next week, he’ll definitely be a contender for the Top 12.
Bonus Question: There are 3 male contestants from Illinois this season…2 points for each one you identify correctly.
One problem I have with Ellen is that on a number of occasions tonight, she referred to the male contestants performing to get the votes of “young girls.” I think that is a little sexist for her to assume that these guys will automatically get the votes of young ladies, and so they should pine for them, rather than trying to please the general audience. I agree there are a lot of young girls who watch and vote, and have unwavering devotion for some of the male contestants. But I think it’s a big generalization for Ellen to think that these girls are the majority of the vote. If that were the case, no female contestant would ever be able to win again. A judge would never advise a female contestant to perform for the “young guys,” that would be shallow and superficial. But for some reason it’s okay to expect the male contestants who are good-looking to pander to the 12 year-old giddy tween demographic.
Michael Lynche – This Love. I don’t get it. I think Mike’s voice is very whiny sounding. His confidence and likability really work for him because his voice just isn’t there. I do think it’s cool, though, that he makes a regular-sized guitar look like a ukulele.
Alex Lambert – Wonderful World. This is the kid who looks like the brother from Hannah Montana, plus a mullet. His dancing is a little awkward, but I really think his voice has a nice Maroon 5-ish quality to it. I think once he’s a little more comfortable on stage he’ll deliver a better performance. It wasn’t as bad as we’ve seen, but there’s room for improvement.
Casey James – Heaven. He’s supposed to be some kind of sex symbol, but does anyone remember Bucky Covington from season 5? I think they favor each other (they have the same hair, at least). Casey, however, is a better singer. I really like his voice. I prefer him when he’s singing more bluesy stuff, but I think he delivered an acceptable performance tonight. He looked dreadfully nervous, but that seems to be a trend. Does anyone else think it’s awkward for this whole Kara-Casey love story thing to take place? First of all, she’s married, and secondly, there’s got to be a rule somewhere against judge-contestant relationships. Depending on how you look at it, this issue could be an advantage or a disadvantage to Casey. It's not fair for him to gain this unwarranted attention and popularity on the show because Kara thinks he's exceptionally good-looking. But on the other hand, this focus on his looks is going to cause a lot of voters to think that Casey is nothing more than a hunky guy with an okay voice. I could tell at one point tonight during the judges' speaking, that Casey was not enjoying what was being said. I can't say that I blame him.
Andrew Garcia –Sugar, We’re Going Down. I love this song! I love the acoustic, stripped-down version Andrew created. I think Andrew is one of the few performers who may indeed be above the caliber of what American Idol contestants usually are. Oddly enough, he reminds me a lot of David Cook in that while everyone else is getting their feet wet and delivering average performances at this stage, I think Andrew always surprises.
What did you think of tonight's show? Who were your favorites, and who do you think needs to catch the first train OUT of Hollywood? Feel free to comment below!
Bonus Question: One popular Randy-ism has been noticeably absent from the judging table this season, with it only being said once tonight (by Randy)....what is it?
Todrick Hall – Since U Been Gone. Well, I guess he gets points for reinventing this Kelly Clarkson song, but it was actually a pretty terrible arrangement and he didn’t sing it very well. I appreciate his ambition, though, I guess. His performance was just a little too high on the cheese factor.
Aaron Kelly – Here Comes Goodbye. Aaron sounded a little nervous in the beginning. His voice doesn’t seem that strong. He may have been better off in the contest if he had waited a couple years. This kid is no Archuleta, that’s for sure. He seems like he strains a lot when he sings…like it’s painful. Without being a bully, I would say Aaron's performance should send him home tomorrow.
Jermaine Sellers – Get Here. This performance was boring. And his singing didn’t sound anywhere near where he’s sounded earlier in the competition. I don’t know if he couldn’t hear himself or what, but he was shrieking a ton of really bad, really shrill notes. I would say Jermaine is another person who should go home tomorrow...I don't know if he will or not, though. I don't think the TV audience has seen him as a likeable contestant, so I wouldn't be surprised if he's packing his bags.
Bonus Question: What did Jermaine Sellers refer to Hollywood Week as?
Tim Urban – Pologize. Didn’t quite get there. I hate this song anyway, but this guy made it even more miserable. His performance was not impressive. That being said, I feel bad for Tim based on Simon’s critique. He looked heartbroken! I think the judges were a little more harsh with him than they were with some other contestants. They want Tim to go home tomorrow night. To be fair, Tim's performance wasn't stellar by any means, but I think the judges should give him a break since he's coming into the competition with a little bit of an unfair disadvantage, having not even been featured in the Top 24 shows!
Joe Munoz – You and I Both. Finally someone is doing a Jason Mraz song that’s not “I’m Yours.” And I would like to give to Joe some credit for changing the song up a little bit in a creative way. However, Joe’s voice didn’t transition well to the big stage. He seemed a little shaky…almost like a bleating goat (oddly, this is also how I describe Miley Cyrus’s voice). I wouldn’t be surprised if Joe was one of the first to be eliminated, but I think there were others who should go before him.
Tyler Grady – American Woman. I’m not sure about this guy. He has more poise than most of the other contestants to be sure, but I don’t think he’s as good as he thinks he is, or as good as we’re supposed to believe he is. And I’m going to get sick of this whole 70s niche if he’s planning on doing this every week. Perhaps the comments from the judges will help him to figure out what he needs to do differently. He kind of looks like John Mayer a little bit. That may have something to do with why I instinctively don't like him.
Lee Dewyze – Chasing Cars. I really like this song. I think Lee possesses a quiet confidence that is lacking in a lot of the other competitors. He sounded a little nasally on some parts of his song, but overall he is a good musician. He reminds me of Jeremy Camp…a lot. I think Lee is one of the more seasoned performers on the show. He seems like a professional. And I get what the judges are saying in trying to liken him to David Cook...but I think Lee would probably prefer to not be pigeon-holed into the shadow of another recent winner so early on.
John Park – God Bless the Child. I love his low voice! This song may have been a little too quiet for John to make the statement he needed to make since we haven’t heard anything from him since his audition. I think, though, that if he does a more fun and vibrant song next week, he’ll definitely be a contender for the Top 12.
Bonus Question: There are 3 male contestants from Illinois this season…2 points for each one you identify correctly.
One problem I have with Ellen is that on a number of occasions tonight, she referred to the male contestants performing to get the votes of “young girls.” I think that is a little sexist for her to assume that these guys will automatically get the votes of young ladies, and so they should pine for them, rather than trying to please the general audience. I agree there are a lot of young girls who watch and vote, and have unwavering devotion for some of the male contestants. But I think it’s a big generalization for Ellen to think that these girls are the majority of the vote. If that were the case, no female contestant would ever be able to win again. A judge would never advise a female contestant to perform for the “young guys,” that would be shallow and superficial. But for some reason it’s okay to expect the male contestants who are good-looking to pander to the 12 year-old giddy tween demographic.
Michael Lynche – This Love. I don’t get it. I think Mike’s voice is very whiny sounding. His confidence and likability really work for him because his voice just isn’t there. I do think it’s cool, though, that he makes a regular-sized guitar look like a ukulele.
Alex Lambert – Wonderful World. This is the kid who looks like the brother from Hannah Montana, plus a mullet. His dancing is a little awkward, but I really think his voice has a nice Maroon 5-ish quality to it. I think once he’s a little more comfortable on stage he’ll deliver a better performance. It wasn’t as bad as we’ve seen, but there’s room for improvement.
Casey James – Heaven. He’s supposed to be some kind of sex symbol, but does anyone remember Bucky Covington from season 5? I think they favor each other (they have the same hair, at least). Casey, however, is a better singer. I really like his voice. I prefer him when he’s singing more bluesy stuff, but I think he delivered an acceptable performance tonight. He looked dreadfully nervous, but that seems to be a trend. Does anyone else think it’s awkward for this whole Kara-Casey love story thing to take place? First of all, she’s married, and secondly, there’s got to be a rule somewhere against judge-contestant relationships. Depending on how you look at it, this issue could be an advantage or a disadvantage to Casey. It's not fair for him to gain this unwarranted attention and popularity on the show because Kara thinks he's exceptionally good-looking. But on the other hand, this focus on his looks is going to cause a lot of voters to think that Casey is nothing more than a hunky guy with an okay voice. I could tell at one point tonight during the judges' speaking, that Casey was not enjoying what was being said. I can't say that I blame him.
Andrew Garcia –Sugar, We’re Going Down. I love this song! I love the acoustic, stripped-down version Andrew created. I think Andrew is one of the few performers who may indeed be above the caliber of what American Idol contestants usually are. Oddly enough, he reminds me a lot of David Cook in that while everyone else is getting their feet wet and delivering average performances at this stage, I think Andrew always surprises.
What did you think of tonight's show? Who were your favorites, and who do you think needs to catch the first train OUT of Hollywood? Feel free to comment below!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Season 9: Week 1 (The Ladies)
The "real" competition began tonight and the ladies started off more than a little shaky. There must be a big difference in a person's mental state, between performing on a stage in front of your peers, and performing on live television in front of America.
A couple of notes on the judges: To me, Simon seemed more engaged than usual...perhaps he's trying to make the most of his final season on the show. A lot of his advice, however, fell flat (more on that later).
I'm trying to decide who dominates in the nails-on-chalkboard factor: Randy or Kara. Randy Jackson's seat could just as adequately be filled by a parrot because all he does is echo whatever the people say who speak before him. And Kara's unrelenting use of feel-good terms including, but not limited to, heart, feeling, inside yourself, know who you are, and believe, make me wonder if she has some kind of inspirational cheat-sheet taped to the judging table. She just chooses a phrase at random and runs with it for whatever contestant she happens to be speaking to.
Ellen, on the other hand, has been a pleasant surprise for me. She's unabashed about the fact that she's no musical expert, and I appreciate her as a representative of the typical American audience, who just wants to be entertained (thank you, Adam for helping me to see her role in that way).
Bonus Question: Which contestant did Randy say was his favorite of the night?
Paige Miles - All Right Now - Paige seemed incredibly nervous, and her voice sounded a little shaky to me. I think she would have done better by choosing a song that defined where she'd like to go with her career since we hadn't gotten the chance to hear her sing a single note thus far in the competition. The judges, however, were very easy on her. I guess sometimes it's a good thing to go first.
Ashley Rodriguez - Happy - This song was too low for Ashley on the verse portion. She's a pretty girl, but again, she hasn't been showcased enough for the viewing audience to really know who she is or what she sounds like. She unfortunately chose a forgettable song and gave a forgettable performance. I wouldn't be surprised if she goes home on Thursday.
Janelle Wheeler - What About Love - I would like to start a petition for this song to be retired from being performed on any reality show ever again. I love Heart, and Kara did get one thing right tonight: nobody can sing like Ann Wilson. It's too bad that Janelle even attempted it because her song fell flat. And it just seems like one of those early-round selections someone makes and then they fall into American Idol obscurity and we never hear from them again.
Bonus Question: Simon said that many of the contestants are trying too hard to sound like ____________ and _____________. Name these two artists (2 points for each).
Lilly Scott - Fixing a Hole - It's a funny thing about Lilly Scott. I think she's undoubtedly one of the most talented contestants on the show this season, but I can't see the typical American Idol viewer really liking her all that much. Maybe I'm wrong...it's happened before. I just think that someone who chooses such a strange Beatles song as their first live performance is either a creative genius, or she's digging her own grave. I really like Lilly's voice. She's a little jazzy and bluesy. As of right now, I don't know if I'd purchase a full album of hers, but I think I would definitely give up $1.29 on iTunes to buy one song, even though it's highway robbery to raise your prices by 25% overnight, APPLE! (I think that's right....and I know that happened quite some time ago, but I'm still upset about it.)
Katelyn Epperly - Oh Darlin' - Katelyn chose another Beatles tune, but she chose to do a copycat performance from the film "Across the Universe." The original was sung magnificently by Dana Fuchs, who is amazing. Katelyn didn't quite get there with her song, but I will say she did better than I was expecting her to. I honestly had a difficult time listening to her because I found her entire look to be a little distracting. She reminded me of Sandra D at the end of Grease when she becomes the "bad girl."
Bonus Question: Simon said this would be "The ___________ Year."
Haeley Vaughn - I Want to Hold Your Hand - Oh boy. Haeley is screamy. I can't tell if it's just her singing style, or if she was nervous, but her voice reminded me of a loose car. I can't really explain that since I'm not sure what a loose car is, but that's how I would define it. Her voice just seems a little out of control to me. There is no way I could ever listen to an entire album of Haeley's, though. Maybe as she matures a little, she'll be able to master her own voice.
Lacey Brown - Landslide - Before tonight, every time Lacey has been heard on the show her voice has been beautiful and subtle. And she sings with such an effortless grace that it draws you in. She's been one of my favorites from the beginning and I hated seeing her bomb tonight. I actually thought her performance was not as bad as the judges made it out to be, but I do think the nerves got the best of her in this case. I think she's magnetic enough to draw in some votes, though, so I feel like she'll get another chance. I'm not entirely sold, however, on her Sharon Osborne haircut.
Michelle Delamor - Fallin' - I take back what I said about Heart's song earlier in this post. I would like to put all of my eggs in the proverbial basket of getting "Fallin'" taken off the roster for American Idol. I get so sick of hearing this song over and over again every season. I think I know what a radio DJ must feel like when they have to play the same Katy Perry song a thousand times a day. Michelle sang the song surprisingly well, though. I think she was one of the better performers of the evening. I appreciate that she changed up the melody of the song a little and added her own stylings to it. I would have complained a lot more had she chosen to sing the textbook version. I think Michelle was pretty good tonight, but I'm afraid she might easily get lost in the shuffle of everyone else who was more memorable.
Didi Benami - The Way I Am - Didi has a beautiful voice, and I think up until that point in the show, she had the best performance of the night. I liked what Didi did with her voice in the song, in that she had a lot of surprises up her sleeve. I do agree with Simon's critique, however, that she made the song sound dreary. I don't think the way Didi sang it fit in very well with the lyrics of the song. It's supposed to be a cheesy, happy love song, and she sang it like she was sad. Is this what music people mean when they refer to "phrasing?" I'm not sure. Feel free to answer this question in the comments section, I'd really like to know.
Bonus Question: What former Idol's single did Simon make fun of? (2 points for the artist and 2 points for the song title)
Siobhan Magnus - Wicked Games - I'm not sure where my reasoning is coming from on this, but I think this song is very sexy when performed by a man, but it becomes very creepy when a woman sings it. I can't quite figure that out, but I wasn't completely sold on that song choice for Siobhan tonight. I do think it was an interesting performance to say the least, and I think Siobhan's voice is one of the strongest ones in the competition. I'm glad she stood up for herself when the judges scolded her for not choosing a song with powerhouse vocals. Sometimes understated is a better way to go.
Crystal Bowersox - Hand In My Pocket - Crystal won the night with her impressive rendition of the Alannis Morrisette tune. To me, Crystal already seems like she's a notch ahead of most of her fellow competitors. She's ready to go out and record a platium-selling album, whereas someone like Haeley Vaughn is just getting her feet wet. One thing I'm scared of for Crystal, though, is that I'm not sure how she's going to grow and improve throughout the course of the season if she's already this good. Shame on Simon for scolding Crystal by saying that everyone always chooses the same songs. He may be right about that, but he shouldn't have chosen THIS contestant for that critique, after she sang THIS song! Nobody sings Alanis on American Idol!
Katie Stevens - Feelin' Good - Katie sang a hundred times better than I thought she would. I was impressed. I think she gave a good performance of a wonderful song and I can't wait to hear more from her. She looks like she's a teenager, but her voice is much more mature. Bonus Question: In what musical was this song first showcased?
So what did you think? How did the judges behave? Which parts of the show did you love, and which parts did you hate?
Please email me your predictions for who will be in the bottom 3 and which 2 contestants will be eliminated, along with your answers to the bonus questions!
A couple of notes on the judges: To me, Simon seemed more engaged than usual...perhaps he's trying to make the most of his final season on the show. A lot of his advice, however, fell flat (more on that later).
I'm trying to decide who dominates in the nails-on-chalkboard factor: Randy or Kara. Randy Jackson's seat could just as adequately be filled by a parrot because all he does is echo whatever the people say who speak before him. And Kara's unrelenting use of feel-good terms including, but not limited to, heart, feeling, inside yourself, know who you are, and believe, make me wonder if she has some kind of inspirational cheat-sheet taped to the judging table. She just chooses a phrase at random and runs with it for whatever contestant she happens to be speaking to.
Ellen, on the other hand, has been a pleasant surprise for me. She's unabashed about the fact that she's no musical expert, and I appreciate her as a representative of the typical American audience, who just wants to be entertained (thank you, Adam for helping me to see her role in that way).
Bonus Question: Which contestant did Randy say was his favorite of the night?
Paige Miles - All Right Now - Paige seemed incredibly nervous, and her voice sounded a little shaky to me. I think she would have done better by choosing a song that defined where she'd like to go with her career since we hadn't gotten the chance to hear her sing a single note thus far in the competition. The judges, however, were very easy on her. I guess sometimes it's a good thing to go first.
Ashley Rodriguez - Happy - This song was too low for Ashley on the verse portion. She's a pretty girl, but again, she hasn't been showcased enough for the viewing audience to really know who she is or what she sounds like. She unfortunately chose a forgettable song and gave a forgettable performance. I wouldn't be surprised if she goes home on Thursday.
Janelle Wheeler - What About Love - I would like to start a petition for this song to be retired from being performed on any reality show ever again. I love Heart, and Kara did get one thing right tonight: nobody can sing like Ann Wilson. It's too bad that Janelle even attempted it because her song fell flat. And it just seems like one of those early-round selections someone makes and then they fall into American Idol obscurity and we never hear from them again.
Bonus Question: Simon said that many of the contestants are trying too hard to sound like ____________ and _____________. Name these two artists (2 points for each).
Lilly Scott - Fixing a Hole - It's a funny thing about Lilly Scott. I think she's undoubtedly one of the most talented contestants on the show this season, but I can't see the typical American Idol viewer really liking her all that much. Maybe I'm wrong...it's happened before. I just think that someone who chooses such a strange Beatles song as their first live performance is either a creative genius, or she's digging her own grave. I really like Lilly's voice. She's a little jazzy and bluesy. As of right now, I don't know if I'd purchase a full album of hers, but I think I would definitely give up $1.29 on iTunes to buy one song, even though it's highway robbery to raise your prices by 25% overnight, APPLE! (I think that's right....and I know that happened quite some time ago, but I'm still upset about it.)
Katelyn Epperly - Oh Darlin' - Katelyn chose another Beatles tune, but she chose to do a copycat performance from the film "Across the Universe." The original was sung magnificently by Dana Fuchs, who is amazing. Katelyn didn't quite get there with her song, but I will say she did better than I was expecting her to. I honestly had a difficult time listening to her because I found her entire look to be a little distracting. She reminded me of Sandra D at the end of Grease when she becomes the "bad girl."
Bonus Question: Simon said this would be "The ___________ Year."
Haeley Vaughn - I Want to Hold Your Hand - Oh boy. Haeley is screamy. I can't tell if it's just her singing style, or if she was nervous, but her voice reminded me of a loose car. I can't really explain that since I'm not sure what a loose car is, but that's how I would define it. Her voice just seems a little out of control to me. There is no way I could ever listen to an entire album of Haeley's, though. Maybe as she matures a little, she'll be able to master her own voice.
Lacey Brown - Landslide - Before tonight, every time Lacey has been heard on the show her voice has been beautiful and subtle. And she sings with such an effortless grace that it draws you in. She's been one of my favorites from the beginning and I hated seeing her bomb tonight. I actually thought her performance was not as bad as the judges made it out to be, but I do think the nerves got the best of her in this case. I think she's magnetic enough to draw in some votes, though, so I feel like she'll get another chance. I'm not entirely sold, however, on her Sharon Osborne haircut.
Michelle Delamor - Fallin' - I take back what I said about Heart's song earlier in this post. I would like to put all of my eggs in the proverbial basket of getting "Fallin'" taken off the roster for American Idol. I get so sick of hearing this song over and over again every season. I think I know what a radio DJ must feel like when they have to play the same Katy Perry song a thousand times a day. Michelle sang the song surprisingly well, though. I think she was one of the better performers of the evening. I appreciate that she changed up the melody of the song a little and added her own stylings to it. I would have complained a lot more had she chosen to sing the textbook version. I think Michelle was pretty good tonight, but I'm afraid she might easily get lost in the shuffle of everyone else who was more memorable.
Didi Benami - The Way I Am - Didi has a beautiful voice, and I think up until that point in the show, she had the best performance of the night. I liked what Didi did with her voice in the song, in that she had a lot of surprises up her sleeve. I do agree with Simon's critique, however, that she made the song sound dreary. I don't think the way Didi sang it fit in very well with the lyrics of the song. It's supposed to be a cheesy, happy love song, and she sang it like she was sad. Is this what music people mean when they refer to "phrasing?" I'm not sure. Feel free to answer this question in the comments section, I'd really like to know.
Bonus Question: What former Idol's single did Simon make fun of? (2 points for the artist and 2 points for the song title)
Siobhan Magnus - Wicked Games - I'm not sure where my reasoning is coming from on this, but I think this song is very sexy when performed by a man, but it becomes very creepy when a woman sings it. I can't quite figure that out, but I wasn't completely sold on that song choice for Siobhan tonight. I do think it was an interesting performance to say the least, and I think Siobhan's voice is one of the strongest ones in the competition. I'm glad she stood up for herself when the judges scolded her for not choosing a song with powerhouse vocals. Sometimes understated is a better way to go.
Crystal Bowersox - Hand In My Pocket - Crystal won the night with her impressive rendition of the Alannis Morrisette tune. To me, Crystal already seems like she's a notch ahead of most of her fellow competitors. She's ready to go out and record a platium-selling album, whereas someone like Haeley Vaughn is just getting her feet wet. One thing I'm scared of for Crystal, though, is that I'm not sure how she's going to grow and improve throughout the course of the season if she's already this good. Shame on Simon for scolding Crystal by saying that everyone always chooses the same songs. He may be right about that, but he shouldn't have chosen THIS contestant for that critique, after she sang THIS song! Nobody sings Alanis on American Idol!
Katie Stevens - Feelin' Good - Katie sang a hundred times better than I thought she would. I was impressed. I think she gave a good performance of a wonderful song and I can't wait to hear more from her. She looks like she's a teenager, but her voice is much more mature. Bonus Question: In what musical was this song first showcased?
So what did you think? How did the judges behave? Which parts of the show did you love, and which parts did you hate?
Please email me your predictions for who will be in the bottom 3 and which 2 contestants will be eliminated, along with your answers to the bonus questions!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Season 9: Top 24!
Here is a list of the Top 24 for American Idol Season 9! Click HERE if you need a refresher of what predictions you're supposed to make from this list. I apologize for not adding photos to this blog post. My site is disagreeing with my computer tonight.
1. Todrick Hall - He wrote a memorable audition song for the judges, and continued to impress throughout Hollywood week. He played in The Color Purple alongside Fantasia.
2. Michael Lynche - "Big Mike", as they call him, made a lasting impression on America for being 1. huge, and 2. absent from the birth of his first child. I'm not a fan. Obviously.
3. Didi Benami - Her fragility and tenderness, paired with her ethereal looks are reminiscent of Brooke White from American Idol Season 7. But Didi's voice is more polished and, I think, prettier. I have an inkling that if Didi keeps doing what she's been doing, she'll stick around for a long time.
4. Katelyn Epperly - I don't remember much about her, except that her hair is almost as big as mine. Ellen gave her a hard time in telling her that she was through to the Top 24. I can't remember what she sounds like, though...that could be a problem.
5. Casey James - Kara objectified him in his audition by requesting that he remove his shirt and let his hair down (wonder what would have happened if a male judge had made this request of a female auditioner....hmmmmmm?). This audition led me to believe that Casey was just an average singer who made it through based on his looks. But after seeing Casey's performance during Hollywood Week, I actually think he's a very talented musician. He's got a bluesy quality about him, and he did a pretty fantastic rendition of Colbie Calliat's "Bubbly" on Tuesday night's episode.
6. Aaron Kelly - Sixteen-year-old Aaron brings the Archuleta factor this season. I think he has a pretty voice, but he may lack the star power to stick around. He's not quite as unassuming and cuddly as David Archuleta. We'll see though; he's a very talented singer.
7. Lee Dewyze - Lee hasn't been given much camera time up to this point, which may be detrimental to his future on the show. However, his husky vocals and guitar playing may be enough to save him. It's been done before.
8. Janelle Wheeler - Janelle has a pretty face and a pretty voice, but she might fall into the forgettable category. Simon didn't initially want to pass her through the audition round.
9. Tyler Grady - Tyler was a drummer who was injured in an accident in the past. He has a 70s style. Unfortunately, all of that stuff outshines his voice because I can't remember what he sounds like at all.
10. Lacey Brown - The pixie-haired singer has a soft, soothing voice with a little bit of a jazz quality to it. I think she's really talented, and I hope she makes it far.
11. Alex Lambert - I always think that this guy looks like the brother from Hannah Montana (no, I do not have children, and yes, I do know who the characters on Hannah Montana...I'm sad about it.).
12. Joe Munoz - I'm not sure that we've heard Joe sing at all in the competition. Don't be too quick to write him off, though. Former contestants like Jason Castro and Kris Allen were barely showcased until the Top 24!
13. Ashley Rodriguez - Ashley's another one who hasn't had a lot of screen time. I do remember her doing a mediocre version of Jordin Sparks' Battlefield at some point during Hollywood Week, though.
14. Crystal Bowersox - Crystal is the antithesis of what a female American Idol contestant should be. And that's one of the reasons why I love her, and her dreadlocks and piercings! Well, that and her amazing vocals! I think Crystal is my favorite out of the Top 24.
15. Katie Stevens- Her grandmother suffers from Alzheimer's Disease and Katie wanted to be a contestant on the show to make her grandma happy while she could still remember. Katie seems like a sweet girl, but I'm afraid that her lack of vocals and experience will send her to an early exit from Season 9. I'm afraid Katie won't make the Top 12.
16. Lilly Scott - Her memorable whitish-blonde hair and cauliflower-sized earrings are definitely a statement. I'm not sure what statement exactly, but I suppose they help her to stand out among the crowd. I really like her voice; I think she'll stick around in the competition for awhile.
17. Paige Miles - I don't recall ever having seen Paige on the screen before the moment when they told her she was part of the Top 24.
18. Siobhan Magnus - She wins the award for the coolest name, at least. I'm not sure about these 1940s nightgown frocks she keeps wearing, along with her cut-off denim jacket (?) I do like her voice, though.
19. Michelle Delamor - I thought she was the same person as Michelle Rodriguez. Their hair is different, though, I guess.
20. Jermaine Sellers - Jermaine first auditioned in Atlanta and I was blown away by his amazing vocal ability. However, since then Jermaine has consistently oversung on every performance they've shown. I'm not sure I'll be able to tolerate much of him this season.
21. John Park - I remember loving John Park's voice from his audition, but then he sort of fell off the radar throughout Hollywood Week. I think he'll be a clear contender for the Top 12, though. He has the clean cut look and the voice to make that happen.
22. Haley Vaughn - The sixteen-year-old soul, country singer has the potential to be great, but I'm afraid she's simply too young for this season. She's a talented musician, but she needs a little fine tuning (pun most definitely intended). Her voice cracks all the time and she hits a lot of bum notes. I fear the Sanjaya factor may soon haunt her. And that's sad because she's just so darn cute!
23. Andrew Garcia - If anyone is going to give Crystal Bowersox a run for her money in the quest for my devotion this season, it will be Andrew. His version of "Straight Up" by Paula Abdul had me singing that song for days afterwards, much to my chagrin, of course. I really enjoy hearing him take a new spin on a song. I think he's one of the most talented musicians to ever grace the American Idol stage.
More importantly, why did Thaddeus Johnson's mother accompany him into the men's room of the hotel?!
24. Tim Urban - The clip of him on the show tonight was so short that I missed it! I have no idea who this guy is...I guess we'll find out next week!
The low point of the evening was certainly the dismissal of Angela Martin. Angela has been showcased prominently over the previous two seasons, more for her backstory of hardship and struggle than her singing voice (which is sad, since she actually has a really nice voice). Once again, Angela was featured several times in Season 9, only to be let go, once again, and then patronized by the Kara DioGuardi Counseling Hour followed by a complimentary Ryan Seacrest Pep Talk. That was a little ridiculous.
So what do you think of the Top 24? Who made it, but shouldn't have? Who should have made it, but didn't? How's Ellen doing so far? I read an interesting statement from an Entertainment Weekly writer who said that Ellen is being pegged more to take over Simon's role than to take over Paula Abdul's roll...I can see that, and I agree! She's not cranky and British to be sure, but she's also does not blather on nonsensically and slur her words. :) That's right! I said it!
Don't forget to make your predictions before the show airs next Tuesday! And please email them to me at nicole_rena06@yahoo.com.
Feel free to comment on this post, though. Share your thoughts....please!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Season 9: Let the Games Begin!
Hey everyone, it looks like we have a good-sized group of people for this season. So far my count is 21! I just wanted to let you all know some information about what's going to happen with the pool this year. And so without further ado, I present: American Idol Pool: Season 9! Feel free to come back and reference this post throughout the season if you need a reminder of point values or other information.
Here's How the Pool Will Work:
Each week I will write a blog and send an email out to everyone on TUESDAY NIGHT. Everyone will then reply to my email and make their predictions and answer any bonus questions before the show airs Wednesday night. I will keep track of the points and send out a recap email after every Wednesday night episode.
Here's a breakdown of the points:
40 Points if you successfully choose the winner based ONLY on his or her initial audition. This prediction MUST be completed BEFORE the show airs next Tuesday, February 9th, when Hollywood Week begins. And you only get 1 shot, but it's worth a lot of points, so it would be a good idea to make a guess, even if you don't remember many people from the auditions.
5 Points for each person you successfully choose for the Top 12, based on the Top 24. The Top 24 will be revealed on the February 17th episode.
10 Additional Points if you successfully pick 8 of the Top 12 contestants, based on the Top 24.
30 Points if you successfully choose the winner, based on the Top 24.
20 Points if you can correctly choose the winner from the Top 12.
Weekly Points:
2 points for every correct answer to the bonus questions.
2 Points for each person you correctly predict for the Bottom 3.
5 Points if you correctly predict who is eliminated that week.
5 Points each for correct song predictions (if information on the week's theme is available beforehand).
I will be keeping track of the points throughout the entire season and the winner of the pool gets a prize (to be determined) and a custom trophy (awesome!). (Hint: You may want to keep track of your own points, too, so that I cannot be accused of CHEATING at the end of the SEASON if you do not WIN--Aunt Rena'!!)
So your assignment this week is to make a prediction based on the audition rounds of ONE person you think might win it all! Remember to get your prediction to me before the show airs next Tuesday, or it won't count (and you'll be sad)! It's worth 40 points if you get it right, so you might as well go ahead and take a shot in the dark.
Let's Review: Each week will basically work like this:
1. Watch Tuesday, watch American Idol. Feel free to laugh, cry, scream, mock, eat, exercise, and have a generally wonderful time.
2. After the show, wait for my email. Depending on what I have going on, the email may come as early as 9:30 or as late as midnight (CST, of course).
3. Once you receive my email, go the blog and read it. Feel free to leave comments, if you please.
4. Respond to my email with your predictions as to who will be in the bottom 3 and who will ultimately be eliminated, along with answers to any bonus questions. This must be completed BEFORE the show airs on Wednesday night.
5. Watch Idol on Wednesday night.
6. Anxiously await my recap email to find out how many points you received.
7. Celebrate!
8. Often times during the week, I will send an email regarding the week's theme and instructions on making predictions of songs the contestants may sing...more instructions to follow!
Hope everyone has a great time with this...it was a lot of fun last year. Please let me know if you have questions!
I know this is a lot of information, but don't get overwhelmed. We'll walk you through it. It's supposed to be fun. So smile! And have a wonderful day!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Season 9 Premiere!
The Season 9 American Idol Premiere is Tonight and Tomorrow night at 8/7 Central! The pool won't be in full swing until Hollywood Week, but keep your eyes peeled for auditioners you might like. There will be bonus points for anyone who selects a person from the Top 24 based on their first audition.
I'm not exactly up to snuff on my Idol happenings lately, but I know 3 major changes are happening with this season:
1. Paula is gone (Is it appropriate to say Praise God for this?)!
2. Ellen DeGeneres will have her inaugural season...I'm undecided on how I feel about this. I do think Ellen is hilarious, but I'm just not sure how a comedian will fit in with the already time-crunched show. My instincts tell me the show will be even more rushed this season. Although, maybe it's a trade off, Ellen's joke-telling for Paula's stammering and stuttering...maybe we'll break even! Ellen was not named as a permanent judge until September, and the auditions are held throughout the summer, so Ellen will not appear in the audition episodes. Instead, guest judges will appear each week. This week we have Victoria Beckham and Katy Perry to look forward to hearing from. I'm sure they're filled to the brim with wisdom and insight into what it takes to establish a fan base and create a career out of limited talent and unlimited publicity...I mean, err, I'm sure they'll give great singing advice to all of the contestants.
3. Simon Cowell has just announced that this will officially be his last season on the show as he prepares to bring his UK hit X Factor to the States. Apparently it will air in the fall. Sadly the days are numbered for the times that we watch in wonder as Simon flippantly destroys the ambitions and dreams of doe-eyed hopefuls while simultaneously caressing his pectorals.
Also, rumor has it that Idol producers have nixed the Top 36 thing they did last season, and have opted to revert back to the Top 24 format of previous seasons. This will hopefully make the beginning part of the season seem less tedious and have better flow.
It looks like there will be 4 weeks of Audition Episodes (my least favorite part of the show), followed by 2 weeks of Hollywood Week.
So keep your eyes and ears peeled for a few special auditioners you think might make it all the way to the Top 24.
As always, anyone is welcome to participate in the pool...I just need your email address. Please send it to me via email at nicole_rena06@yahoo.com or leave it in the comments section of this blog.
I'm not exactly up to snuff on my Idol happenings lately, but I know 3 major changes are happening with this season:
1. Paula is gone (Is it appropriate to say Praise God for this?)!
2. Ellen DeGeneres will have her inaugural season...I'm undecided on how I feel about this. I do think Ellen is hilarious, but I'm just not sure how a comedian will fit in with the already time-crunched show. My instincts tell me the show will be even more rushed this season. Although, maybe it's a trade off, Ellen's joke-telling for Paula's stammering and stuttering...maybe we'll break even! Ellen was not named as a permanent judge until September, and the auditions are held throughout the summer, so Ellen will not appear in the audition episodes. Instead, guest judges will appear each week. This week we have Victoria Beckham and Katy Perry to look forward to hearing from. I'm sure they're filled to the brim with wisdom and insight into what it takes to establish a fan base and create a career out of limited talent and unlimited publicity...I mean, err, I'm sure they'll give great singing advice to all of the contestants.
3. Simon Cowell has just announced that this will officially be his last season on the show as he prepares to bring his UK hit X Factor to the States. Apparently it will air in the fall. Sadly the days are numbered for the times that we watch in wonder as Simon flippantly destroys the ambitions and dreams of doe-eyed hopefuls while simultaneously caressing his pectorals.
Also, rumor has it that Idol producers have nixed the Top 36 thing they did last season, and have opted to revert back to the Top 24 format of previous seasons. This will hopefully make the beginning part of the season seem less tedious and have better flow.
It looks like there will be 4 weeks of Audition Episodes (my least favorite part of the show), followed by 2 weeks of Hollywood Week.
So keep your eyes and ears peeled for a few special auditioners you think might make it all the way to the Top 24.
As always, anyone is welcome to participate in the pool...I just need your email address. Please send it to me via email at nicole_rena06@yahoo.com or leave it in the comments section of this blog.
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