Another week, another results show. This time they make some jokes about Simon's right hand before doing the group sing. Like last week, the group sing is a medley of songs from the theme decade.
Holy cow! The first song in the medley is Todd Rundgren's "I Saw the Light"! What a rare moment of good taste! Why is it that the only ones who get solos for it are overrated pimpees Michael, David C. and David A.? My mother comments that David C. looks really smug, and I have to agree. He's smirking the whole time he sings. Oh well. I'm glad they used a great underappreciated song for this medley. The next song is Bonnie Tyler's "Nothing But a Heartache." First two solos are by singing mannequin Kristy and queen plant Carly. Then it's Alexandréa. Six solos in and finally we get someone who isn't pimped! Whoa, it's Amanda, and her voice sounds like an electric can opener. With every note she probably loses another fan. Next is 10cc's "The Things We Do For Love," then it's Carole King's "I Feel the Earth Move." Not surprisingly, Brooke gets a solo on the latter. I almost don't recognize her at first with her new straight hair. I'm just glad she got to sing a song by one of her own idols. Overall, I'd say this group sing was much better than last week's. It actually seemed like they were having fun this time.
Fun's over! It's time to eliminate someone! Ryan focuses on the guys first. He tells the back row to stand up. Michael's safe. Chikezie's safe. Ryan tries to fake out Jason C. and then tells him he's safe. It's down to Danny and Jason Y., and Jason is going home. Well, this stinks. I had some hope after he placed second on DialIdol, but technically it did say he was still vulnerable. Ryan chats with him, and a clearly disappointed Jason says he was surprised at the criticism he got on Tuesday, because he honestly felt like he gave his all in his performance. He thinks the problem was that he wasn't able to find that perfect song choice. Are you listening, Nigel? Either ditch the iTunes deal or put in more work to get songs cleared. The show and its contestants are suffering. Ryan asks Simon why he thinks Jason's going home, and Simon says it's because he doesn't stand out. No, it's because you guys aren't pimping him. He stood out to me from the beginning. Jason sings "Long Train Runnin'" one last time before the rest of the guys crowd around him to bid him farewell. Good luck, Jason. You'll be missed.
Next it's a girl's turn to fall. Once again they start with the back row. Kristy is safe. Asia'h is safe. Brooke is safe. It's down to Amanda and Alexandréa. I voted for both, but if I had to choose I'd like to see Alexandréa stay. Of course, Ryan then tells us that Alexandréa is leaving. Decked out in peace signs and a t-shirt that says "Rock on!", she walks to center stage for her turn to chat with Ryan and the judges. Randy says he doesn't think she should be going home, but the problem was that she made a bad song choice. Enough about song choice, already! These kids only have a small list of songs to choose from. Ryan mentions her great-grandmother, and she tells Ryan "You were supposed to bring her to California, freak!" Oh well. I have to wonder if that woman in her 90's really wanted to make the trip. It's just a shame. I have a feeling if Alexandréa had tried out a few years later she would've been a top contender. As she sings "If You Leave Me Now" yet again the camera shows us several shots of David A. crying on Luke's shoulder. I guess we know which guy was closest to her. As soon as her sing-out ends she goes over to give David a hug. I really wish America had recognized this girl's talent. Contestants need to remember not to sing songs that deal with leaving, saying goodbye, not being able to make someone love you, not winning or going down in a blaze of glory. It's a curse, I tell you.
After the break another girl has to leave. The front row stands up. Carly's safe (rats!). Ramiele's safe (I guess she avoided the curse I just mentioned). Syesha's safe (double rats!). It's down to Kady and Alaina. I voted for Alaina, didn't vote for Kady. I hope Kady's going. Ryan tells us that the person who's safe was in the bottom three vote-getters. That safe person is Kady. Kady looks surprised, and Alaina tries to fake a smile. They cut to a shot of the couches, where Ramiele looks shocked and Syesha looks completely uninterested. Alaina starts crying, and is obviously embarrassed to be doing so on national TV. What is it with girls named Alaina on this show? Just like last year a really emotional girl with that name goes home the second week of Semifinals. After being consoled by Ryan and Paula, Alaina is given the option of not singing if she wishes. She says she doesn't want to, but the girls on the couches all convince her to do it. As the girls crowd around Alaina for her sing-out she announces it's going to sound terrible, but she actually ends up not sounding that bad. I'm going to miss her. She has much more likability than some of these other girls.
Ryan gives us a special announcement. They've gotten the rights to the Lennon-McCartney songbook, and with this year's Top 12 being the best ever (Dang it! Just when I thought they'd given up on perpetuating that lie!), the first week of Finals will have a Beatles theme. That should be fun, but it's a shame we don't have better contestants to do it with. Ryan then announces that they're doing "Idol Gives Back" again this year, and they show a clip of the highlights from last year. It's a good cause, but these highlights are nothing more than filler.
Finally, one of the guys from the front row has to leave. The three Davids are all safe, so Luke and Robbie have to come to center stage. Ryan talks about Luke's song choice and the judges' comments and suddenly prepares to announce the result. Realizing his mistake, he then does the same for Robbie. Amazing. You rarely see Seacrest mess up like that. He then announces that Robbie is going home. Finally, someone I didn't vote for gets eliminated. It's a shame he has to leave under a cloud of poseurdom. Ryan asks him what went wrong, and Robbie says he thinks it was a bad song choice and he could've sung it better. Argh. I'm glad he's not making excuses, but it's getting ridiculous how none of these contestants seem capable of making a good song choice (thanks, Nigel!). Simon says he thinks the problem was authenticity. He believes America saw what they saw: that it didn't feel real. Did America see that, or did you and Randy convince them of it, Simon? They show the exit tape of the eliminated contestants' journeys and Robbie gets to sing "Hot Blooded" one more time. This guy may wear a wig, but he is a pretty good singer. I hope he can continue doing his thing, even if I won't be supporting his career.
Next week we get songs from the 80's. That should be interesting.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Top 10 Girls Recap
Once again the girls performed, and once again my mother fell asleep in the middle of the show (well OK, she was only asleep during Kristy's performance). I guess it was better than last week, but there were very few standouts in my opinion. Just like the guys yesterday, the girls are giving us facts about themselves America probably doesn't know.
This time we start out with Carly Smithson. She tells us that in addition to having a tattoo shop with her husband (We get it, Carly! You love tattoos! I hate them, so the more you bring them up the more annoying you get!) she works at an Irish bar. All the people who work there are Irish, according to her. Hey, there's another thing I hate: alcohol. Oh well. It's not like I'd ever vote for her anyway. She sings Heart's "Crazy on You." She actually sounds much better than last week, though the high notes are a bit strained once again (that seems to be a theme this year). Her tattoos are exposed for all of middle America to see, and the Ann Wilson influence in her singing is front and center. Overall I'd say she does a really good job, but I still want her gone. Randy says it was all right, Paula says it was good, and Simon says he doesn't feel like she's really connected with the right song yet. Carly says that if nothing else she wanted to be able to do that song on the show, since it's one of her all-time favorites. How convenient that it just happened to be on the short list of songs to choose from. Moving on...
We come to Syesha Mercado next. Last week she told us she was a "working actress," but for some reason she thinks we'll be surprised to know that she's done a lot of commercials. She can also do a good "baby cry," which would be perfect for her to break out when she gets eliminated. She sings Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones" from a female perspective, changing the "Mrs." to "Mr." This girl has a really attractive face, but her singing is flat in the verses. There's just something underwhelming about her to me. Could it be because she's a retread of every oversinging diva wannabe out there? I should look into that theory. Randy says it was a bad song choice and just all right. Paula points out that the soft notes were off-pitch. Simon calls it indulgent and says he was put off by it. I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds Syesha offputting.
Next up is my favorite girl: Brooke White. She tells us she once went to beauty school and looks at hairstyling as an art form. She sings Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" and accompanies herself on guitar. Like Jason Castro, what she lacks in vocal power she makes up for in personality. This performance is much more interesting than last week's and the best of the night so far. All the judges like it, saying it's the perfect song choice for her and that she connected well. They also get into the question of whether the song was directed at Simon, which makes for an amusing sidetrack. Brooke shows further class by thanking the band for backing her up. I love this girl. I want her to go far.
Our aspiring first Asian-American Idol winner Ramiele Malubay gets to chat with Ryan before her performance. He tries to speak with her in her native language, which seems to embarrass her. She tells people that she used to Polynesian dance, which doesn't seem that surprising. After Sanjaya told us he could hula last year this seems tame by comparison. She sings "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston, which is a good song choice for her considering how upset she gets when people are eliminated. She doesn't have the most powerful voice, but I don't think it's a terrible performance overall. My mother, on the other hand, doesn't like it, probably because she's too familiar with the original. Randy says it was just OK, Paula says it wasn't enough of a singer's song and Simon says it wasn't memorable. I think it could've been better, but Ramiele probably won't be going anywhere for a while.
Kristy Lee Cook is up next, and I'm really hoping she flops as badly as last week. She tells us she's a tomboy. I think we could've inferred that when you told us you were into cage fighting, Kristy. She sings "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt, and frankly, her whole performance seems affected to me. The vocals are solid, but the whole "attitude" she's giving to the song seems forced. To be honest, this girl is so "perfect" she's downright boring. She's like a singing mannequin. Sadly, I think she's gained enough of a fanbase because of her early pimping that it'll take a really disastrous performance to keep her out of the Top 12 (please pull a Sundance, Kristy!). Randy says it was a 100% improvement over last week, Paula says she's "back," and Simon says she's hard to label but has a lot of potential. He suggests the country route, which Kristy says she would definitely be interested in. Yeah, as if you haven't been a country singer already. I thought it was obvious to everyone that country was her intended style. I guess I mixed up the internet information with the TV information.
With extra streaks in her hair, our resident rocker girl Amanda Overmyer performs next. She tells us she's a bookworm and loves reading biographies of rock icons. She sings Kansas' "Carry On Wayward Son" and it just doesn't work. Her voice is wavery throughout the performance and she has trouble staying on pitch. It's also ridiculous that she sings lyrics about being "a blind man" and "a mad man." I think Amanda's interesting, but she's more of a shouter than a singer. The judges give her some of the criticism she deserved last week but didn't get. Randy says it was a bad song choice because it had too much melody for her. So in other words, he's saying she can't really sing? Paula says she likes her moves, but agrees that it was a bad song choice. Simon says it felt contrived. Paula then says that Amanda's a really beautiful girl without all the excess makeup she wears, which is funny, because I was thinking the same thing. She has a really cute face. I'll bet if she wore less makeup, took the streaks out of her hair and went shopping wherever Brooke buys her clothes she could pass for a wholesome girl next door.
Next up is Alaina Whitaker. She tells us that she doesn't like to let the different food items on her plate touch each other. Hooray for OCD! She sings "Hopelessly Devoted to You" from Grease. While Alaina is currently one of my favorite girls, I'll admit she doesn't have the strongest voice. The high notes are a bit awkward, and overall the performance is just mediocre. My mother comments that she's no match for Olivia Newton-John. Randy says it was sharp in some spots, but Paula likes it. Simon says she looks like her grandmother prepared her to perform and that it was too pageanty. Interestingly though, he says she's one of the dark horses in the competition. I know I certainly want her to stick around.
Now we come to Alexandréa Lushington. She tells us she used to be the poster child for the Atlanta Fire Department and that she's performed at Ground Zero. She seems to have changed up her hairstyle for this performance, which makes her look vastly differently to me. Dressed somewhat akin to a high school boy, she tackles Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now." Though her voice reminds me of someone with a stuffed nose and she hits too many bad notes, there's something about this girl I like. She seems like a true artist, not some cookie-cutter singer. Both weeks she's selected songs that you wouldn't expect a black teenage girl to pick. As I said last week though, I have a feeling many people in the "Idol" audience just won't "get" her. Truth be told, her voice hasn't sounded all there in her performances either. I think she could be in trouble. Alexandréa is visibly frustrated after she finishes singing, and Randy asks her why. All she can say is "It's over!" as if it were a positive. At least she knows it was off. Randy says it was too safe, Paula says she made it her own, and Simon says her vocals were too inconsistent. I just hope America will see the potential in this girl and save her from elimination.
Kady Malloy tells us before her performance that she can sing opera, and loves to do it in the bathroom. I'm not surprised, as Kady has said singing is her entire life. She's the second girl tonight to perform a Heart song, as she tries her hand at "Magic Man." I know how badly Kady wants to succeed, but this performance puts her in danger of leaving. From the beginning she's off-key and out of sync with the music. My mother says it's the type of performance where she can't wait for it to end, because it's so painful. Randy says she never found the notes and Paula says her lower register was off. Simon says that her intro clips are great but that her performances are disappointing. I have to agree. I want to like Kady, but there's just something missing with her.
Finally, we close with Asia'h Epperson. She tells us she was a cheerleader. Gee, I never would have imagined that. She sings "All By Myself," which is by Eric Carmen, dagnabbit, not Céline Dion! I would've been interested to hear mini-Eric Carmen tackle it yesterday. I guess what's good for the pimp spot guy is good for the pimp spot girl. As soon as she hears the opening lines my mother hates it, simply because she's always hated this song. I personally like it, but I wish people would give its writer and original performer more credit. Asia'h gives it a good effort, but she misses several notes, including a big one in the chorus. She ends it with a pretty good gospel-jawed flourish, but overall this performance is nothing to write home about. Randy comments that he knows she's been sick, and that he thinks she did a good job with it. Paula says the low notes were bad, but the ending was good and that's all that counts on that song. Simon says it's one of the diva songs of all time (please don't minimize the work of The Raspberries' lead singer that way, Simon), and that it was too big for her. After they show the number Ryan reminds us one last time that Asia'h was really sick this week. Yep, she's one of the pimped. I think there are enough people who like her that she'll be around for a while though.
Overall there were some OK performances, but most of these girls aren't living up to the hype for me. On the bright side, there were no mentions of the patently false "most talented group ever" line, but that's probably because they realized they weren't fooling anyone anymore. Anyway, if you've been reading these recaps regularly you know the drill.
Probably Going Home
Alexandréa
Kady
Also Vulnerable
Amanda
Alaina
Probably Safe
Carly
Syesha
Ramiele
Kristy
I'd Be Shocked
Brooke
Asia'h
Whom I Voted For: Brooke, Ramiele, Amanda, Alaina, Alexandréa. I couldn't vote for Kady this week, because I just didn't think she'd earned it with that performance. I'd rather see her stay than some of the plants, but if she goes maybe Alaina will pick up the "cute young blonde" vote.
I'm looking forward to the results. This show becomes more exciting the farther along it gets.
This time we start out with Carly Smithson. She tells us that in addition to having a tattoo shop with her husband (We get it, Carly! You love tattoos! I hate them, so the more you bring them up the more annoying you get!) she works at an Irish bar. All the people who work there are Irish, according to her. Hey, there's another thing I hate: alcohol. Oh well. It's not like I'd ever vote for her anyway. She sings Heart's "Crazy on You." She actually sounds much better than last week, though the high notes are a bit strained once again (that seems to be a theme this year). Her tattoos are exposed for all of middle America to see, and the Ann Wilson influence in her singing is front and center. Overall I'd say she does a really good job, but I still want her gone. Randy says it was all right, Paula says it was good, and Simon says he doesn't feel like she's really connected with the right song yet. Carly says that if nothing else she wanted to be able to do that song on the show, since it's one of her all-time favorites. How convenient that it just happened to be on the short list of songs to choose from. Moving on...
We come to Syesha Mercado next. Last week she told us she was a "working actress," but for some reason she thinks we'll be surprised to know that she's done a lot of commercials. She can also do a good "baby cry," which would be perfect for her to break out when she gets eliminated. She sings Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones" from a female perspective, changing the "Mrs." to "Mr." This girl has a really attractive face, but her singing is flat in the verses. There's just something underwhelming about her to me. Could it be because she's a retread of every oversinging diva wannabe out there? I should look into that theory. Randy says it was a bad song choice and just all right. Paula points out that the soft notes were off-pitch. Simon calls it indulgent and says he was put off by it. I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds Syesha offputting.
Next up is my favorite girl: Brooke White. She tells us she once went to beauty school and looks at hairstyling as an art form. She sings Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" and accompanies herself on guitar. Like Jason Castro, what she lacks in vocal power she makes up for in personality. This performance is much more interesting than last week's and the best of the night so far. All the judges like it, saying it's the perfect song choice for her and that she connected well. They also get into the question of whether the song was directed at Simon, which makes for an amusing sidetrack. Brooke shows further class by thanking the band for backing her up. I love this girl. I want her to go far.
Our aspiring first Asian-American Idol winner Ramiele Malubay gets to chat with Ryan before her performance. He tries to speak with her in her native language, which seems to embarrass her. She tells people that she used to Polynesian dance, which doesn't seem that surprising. After Sanjaya told us he could hula last year this seems tame by comparison. She sings "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston, which is a good song choice for her considering how upset she gets when people are eliminated. She doesn't have the most powerful voice, but I don't think it's a terrible performance overall. My mother, on the other hand, doesn't like it, probably because she's too familiar with the original. Randy says it was just OK, Paula says it wasn't enough of a singer's song and Simon says it wasn't memorable. I think it could've been better, but Ramiele probably won't be going anywhere for a while.
Kristy Lee Cook is up next, and I'm really hoping she flops as badly as last week. She tells us she's a tomboy. I think we could've inferred that when you told us you were into cage fighting, Kristy. She sings "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt, and frankly, her whole performance seems affected to me. The vocals are solid, but the whole "attitude" she's giving to the song seems forced. To be honest, this girl is so "perfect" she's downright boring. She's like a singing mannequin. Sadly, I think she's gained enough of a fanbase because of her early pimping that it'll take a really disastrous performance to keep her out of the Top 12 (please pull a Sundance, Kristy!). Randy says it was a 100% improvement over last week, Paula says she's "back," and Simon says she's hard to label but has a lot of potential. He suggests the country route, which Kristy says she would definitely be interested in. Yeah, as if you haven't been a country singer already. I thought it was obvious to everyone that country was her intended style. I guess I mixed up the internet information with the TV information.
With extra streaks in her hair, our resident rocker girl Amanda Overmyer performs next. She tells us she's a bookworm and loves reading biographies of rock icons. She sings Kansas' "Carry On Wayward Son" and it just doesn't work. Her voice is wavery throughout the performance and she has trouble staying on pitch. It's also ridiculous that she sings lyrics about being "a blind man" and "a mad man." I think Amanda's interesting, but she's more of a shouter than a singer. The judges give her some of the criticism she deserved last week but didn't get. Randy says it was a bad song choice because it had too much melody for her. So in other words, he's saying she can't really sing? Paula says she likes her moves, but agrees that it was a bad song choice. Simon says it felt contrived. Paula then says that Amanda's a really beautiful girl without all the excess makeup she wears, which is funny, because I was thinking the same thing. She has a really cute face. I'll bet if she wore less makeup, took the streaks out of her hair and went shopping wherever Brooke buys her clothes she could pass for a wholesome girl next door.
Next up is Alaina Whitaker. She tells us that she doesn't like to let the different food items on her plate touch each other. Hooray for OCD! She sings "Hopelessly Devoted to You" from Grease. While Alaina is currently one of my favorite girls, I'll admit she doesn't have the strongest voice. The high notes are a bit awkward, and overall the performance is just mediocre. My mother comments that she's no match for Olivia Newton-John. Randy says it was sharp in some spots, but Paula likes it. Simon says she looks like her grandmother prepared her to perform and that it was too pageanty. Interestingly though, he says she's one of the dark horses in the competition. I know I certainly want her to stick around.
Now we come to Alexandréa Lushington. She tells us she used to be the poster child for the Atlanta Fire Department and that she's performed at Ground Zero. She seems to have changed up her hairstyle for this performance, which makes her look vastly differently to me. Dressed somewhat akin to a high school boy, she tackles Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now." Though her voice reminds me of someone with a stuffed nose and she hits too many bad notes, there's something about this girl I like. She seems like a true artist, not some cookie-cutter singer. Both weeks she's selected songs that you wouldn't expect a black teenage girl to pick. As I said last week though, I have a feeling many people in the "Idol" audience just won't "get" her. Truth be told, her voice hasn't sounded all there in her performances either. I think she could be in trouble. Alexandréa is visibly frustrated after she finishes singing, and Randy asks her why. All she can say is "It's over!" as if it were a positive. At least she knows it was off. Randy says it was too safe, Paula says she made it her own, and Simon says her vocals were too inconsistent. I just hope America will see the potential in this girl and save her from elimination.
Kady Malloy tells us before her performance that she can sing opera, and loves to do it in the bathroom. I'm not surprised, as Kady has said singing is her entire life. She's the second girl tonight to perform a Heart song, as she tries her hand at "Magic Man." I know how badly Kady wants to succeed, but this performance puts her in danger of leaving. From the beginning she's off-key and out of sync with the music. My mother says it's the type of performance where she can't wait for it to end, because it's so painful. Randy says she never found the notes and Paula says her lower register was off. Simon says that her intro clips are great but that her performances are disappointing. I have to agree. I want to like Kady, but there's just something missing with her.
Finally, we close with Asia'h Epperson. She tells us she was a cheerleader. Gee, I never would have imagined that. She sings "All By Myself," which is by Eric Carmen, dagnabbit, not Céline Dion! I would've been interested to hear mini-Eric Carmen tackle it yesterday. I guess what's good for the pimp spot guy is good for the pimp spot girl. As soon as she hears the opening lines my mother hates it, simply because she's always hated this song. I personally like it, but I wish people would give its writer and original performer more credit. Asia'h gives it a good effort, but she misses several notes, including a big one in the chorus. She ends it with a pretty good gospel-jawed flourish, but overall this performance is nothing to write home about. Randy comments that he knows she's been sick, and that he thinks she did a good job with it. Paula says the low notes were bad, but the ending was good and that's all that counts on that song. Simon says it's one of the diva songs of all time (please don't minimize the work of The Raspberries' lead singer that way, Simon), and that it was too big for her. After they show the number Ryan reminds us one last time that Asia'h was really sick this week. Yep, she's one of the pimped. I think there are enough people who like her that she'll be around for a while though.
Overall there were some OK performances, but most of these girls aren't living up to the hype for me. On the bright side, there were no mentions of the patently false "most talented group ever" line, but that's probably because they realized they weren't fooling anyone anymore. Anyway, if you've been reading these recaps regularly you know the drill.
Probably Going Home
Alexandréa
Kady
Also Vulnerable
Amanda
Alaina
Probably Safe
Carly
Syesha
Ramiele
Kristy
I'd Be Shocked
Brooke
Asia'h
Whom I Voted For: Brooke, Ramiele, Amanda, Alaina, Alexandréa. I couldn't vote for Kady this week, because I just didn't think she'd earned it with that performance. I'd rather see her stay than some of the plants, but if she goes maybe Alaina will pick up the "cute young blonde" vote.
I'm looking forward to the results. This show becomes more exciting the farther along it gets.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Top 10 Guys Recap
Well, I will say that this show was better than last week's, but I still don't think this is the best group "Idol" has ever had. Sure, these guys can all sing, but how many of them are unique or interesting? The theme this week is the 70's, and in the intro clips the guys all tell us something that America doesn't know about them.
First up is Michael Johns. They're performing in vaguely the reverse order of last week, though not exactly. He tells us he's a tennis player, which most of us who follow these contestants over the internet already knew about him. He sings Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way" and right off the bat I don't like it. He struggles to hit the high notes in the chorus and resorts to his usual Vedder-brato several times throughout this off-key debacle. My mother comments that this is just not a good song choice for him and that it would work better with a female singer. Maybe one of the girls will sing it tomorrow. Randy and Paula both give it a lukewarm review (oh, the benefits of being pimped), and Simon says it was OK, but the weakest performance they've seen from him so far. Once again Simon is the closest to giving Michael the harsh criticism he deserves.
Dreadlock boy Jason Castro is up next. The interesting fact about himself that he shares is that he's not good at doing interviews, and they show a montage of him messing up and getting frustrated while filming the video segments. It's actually kind of funny and makes Jason more likable to me. You know what? I think I may vote for him this week. He sings Andy Gibb's "I Just Want to Be Your Everything." Like last week, what he doesn't have in vocal power he makes up for in personality. He plays the guitar once again and comes across as a guy just having fun jamming. Overall, his performance is pretty cool. Randy comments that the vocals weren't that great. Paula says she thinks he's cute and that she hopes next week (which she's confident he'll be there for) he decides to perform without the guitar. Simon thinks it was a schmaltzy song choice. Oh well. You've got my vote, Jason!
Now we come to one of my early favorites based on his website interview video: Luke Menard. He tells us about his a cappella group Chapter 6, which, again, we diehards already knew about. He says you can't afford to have vocal flaws in an a cappella group, so it makes good practice for "Idol." In the clip they show of him singing with the group though, his voice sounds a bit weak. He performs Queen's "Killer Queen," and sad to say, it disappoints me. His vocals seem slightly off-key the entire time and he's a bit too falsetto-ey. Obviously that's how Queen's songs often are, but it just seems lacking when he does it. Oh well. It may not have been the best vocal, but he's still a cool person in my book. Randy likes it and says Luke is good at theatrical stuff. Paula likes it and says that's why she fought for him to make the Top 24. Simon says it was weak when compared to Freddie Mercury. Luke says last week he was 0 for 3 with the judges and this week he's 2 for 3, so he'll take it. Ryan asks America if they want to vote for "Dawson's Creek" before they bring up the phone number on the screen, which elicits a laugh from Luke.
Next up is Robbie Carrico, and before they get to the performance Ryan chats with Robbie about the whole issue of his authenticity as a rocker. Robbie says he's just being himself and that there are many different forms of rock, so if Simon doesn't get it he must be focused on only one style. He tells us in the intro clip that he drag races. That's cool, I guess. He sings Foreigner's "Hot Blooded," and my first thought when I hear it is "He's no Lou Gramm." Just like last week he gives a decent performance, but he's still too Daughtry Lite for my tastes. Randy says he doesn't know if the rocker thing is really for him, and Robbie looks like he's trying to hold in his frustration. Randy also says he was waiting for Robbie to "kill him" with the vocals (à la Daughtry, I suppose), and I get what he's saying there. Something just seemed to be missing. Paula actually defends Robbie, saying that he's the only one who knows who he truly is and that he shouldn't have to defend himself to anyone. She does criticize him a little though, by saying she thinks he played it safe. Simon says it was just OK. I actually feel bad for Robbie. It appears that his credibility will be questioned as long as he's on this show.
Danny Noriega's turn is next, and he tells us in the intro video that he used to be in a punk rock band with his best friend. They show photos, and it appears that his best friend is a girl, but he himself also looks like a girl, so who knows? He says they played one show and broke up because they were terrible. I'll bet there are people at home who now think Danny has more street cred than Robbie. He sings The Carpenters' "Superstar," and whereas last week's performance was ridiculous, this week's is just creepy. The camera zooms up on Danny's face closer than I care to look at him, and his phrasing during the verses is weird. To quote my mother: "Gag me." Paula and Randy both say he overthought his vocals and didn't let loose enough. Simon says it wasn't fantastic, but better than last week. I say he has an interesting personality, but I can live without him.
Next is David Hernandez. He tells us that he used to do gymnastics. I can believe that, since he does look like the athletic type. He sings The Temptations' "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," and to be honest, it's the best performance of the night so far. I can't find any real criticism except a few notes that weren't pitch-perfect (as if any performance on this show ever is). The judges all love it, and Simon compliments David for taking criticism well and using it to improve himself. I have to be honest about something; In light of the recent rumors about David I sort of have mixed feelings about him (go search the internet if you want to know what they are, I won't discuss them here). On this show though, he comes across as really likable, and his singing is great. He still has my vote for now.
Now we come to another of my initial favorites: Jason Yeager. He tells us he can play several instruments. He'd like to play guitar during a performance sometime this season, but he's waiting for a "killer song" to do it on. I hope you get the chance, Jason. He sings The Doobie Brothers' "Long Train Runnin'." He misses a few notes, but I still really like this guy's tone. My mother comments that he seems to be going for a disco style with his clothes and the dancing he does at the end. Once again Jason comes across as a bit cheesy, but it's good cheesy, doggonit. Randy says he didn't pick a "singer's song," and that it seemed like a karaoke performance. Paula agrees about the song not showing off enough range. Simon pulls out his old Taylor Hicks line about Jason seeming like a drunk guy at a party. He goes on to say that Jason is a good singer but a bad performer. Jason seems a bit dejected after the judges' comments, and Ryan chats with him for a minute. Jason says he put a lot of thought into his song choice because he was trying to change it up after last week. He picked The Doobie Brothers because they've got soul, and that's what he's all about. It's interesting that Jason said in his website interview video that his favorite past Idol was Taylor Hicks, and now he's performing with the same mentality and getting the same criticisms as him. I gave Jason the biggest share of my votes this week.
Chikezie is up next. The interesting fact about him is that his name is Nigerian (as is he), and that it's actually pronounced differently than how we all say it. He sings the Donny Hathaway version of Ray Charles' "I Believe to My Soul." He puts his own name in during the "when you know my name is" line, which Paula points out is a clever reference to Simon not remembering it. His performance is much better than last week's, as he's actually on key this time and really owns the stage. Chikezie is right up there with David Hernandez as the best of the night. The judges all love it, and Simon even brings up last week's orange suit. Chikezie says he still loves that suit, but that he can't wear the same thing twice on the show. Just when it looks like he's redeemed himself for last week's attitude, he can't resist taking a jab at Simon's wardrobe by adding "Only you do that!" Poor guy. He comes across as really likable in his interviews, but he seems like he can't keep his sarcasm under control. I feel you, buddy. At least this time he immediately apologized. He also gives props to one of the backup singers, who is Donny Hathaway's daughter.
Overpimped rocker David Cook tells us in his intro video that he's a "word nerd". That's interesting, since I'm one of those too. I wouldn't spend so much time on these recaps if I weren't. Still, I have no desire to vote for David. He plays the electric guitar (left-handed, no less) for his performance of Free's "All Right Now." He seems more comfortable with the guitar, but my mother thinks it overpowers his voice too much. I think his performance is OK, but nothing particularly interesting. Randy talks about how David is "our real rocker from the boys," which I assume is an indirect attack on Robbie. Paula loves it and reiterates that David is "the real deal." Simon says it was solid, but that David himself lacks charisma. I agree with that completely. David then talks back and says that fortunately his job is to win over America, not Simon. Bad move, dude, but good for those of us who don't want to see David go far in this competition. I'm sure he's a good guy, but he's got all the personality of a paper towel. I want to watch people who are interesting.
Finally we close with (surprise, surprise) our giddy youngster David Archuleta. I don't like to get too ahead of myself, but this guy is definitely the favorite to win right now. The girls start screaming for him as soon as Ryan announces he'll be performing after the break. His interesting fact is that he met the finalists from the first season of "American Idol," which we diehards once again already knew. They show the now-famous YouTube clip of him singing "And I Am Telling You" to them and Kelly Clarkson congratulating him on how good he is. For this performance he sings John Lennon's "Imagine." I'll admit I don't like this song, but I actually like David's version. He does an outstanding job with it, a hundred times better than Blake's version last year (not to mention Jennifer Hudson's ridiculously oversung version from Season 3). Unlike last week, I really get the hype about David this time. Randy says he did a great job, but asks why he skipped the first verse. David says he wanted to include the third verse, which is his favorite. I think it might also have to do with the fact that David is Mormon and singing lines like "imagine there's no Heaven" probably don't feel right to him. Paula is crying, so she loves him. Simon tells him he's the one to beat in the competition. I can't disagree at this point, but I still wonder if I'm the only one who thinks he looks and sounds like a miniature Eric Carmen.
Prediction time!
Probably Going Home
Jason Y.
Luke
Also Vulnerable
Robbie
Danny
Probably Safe
Michael
Jason C.
David H.
Chikezie
David C.
I'd Be Shocked
David A.
Whom I Voted For: Jason C., Luke, David H., Jason Y., Chikezie. Basically, I voted for the same people as last week minus the two that went home and plus Jason C. Hopefully we can get one of these "rockers" bounced. Sadly, I won't be surprised if both guys who get eliminated on Thursday are ones I voted for.
Tomorrow the girls perform. Hopefully my mother won't fall asleep halfway through this time.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Top 24 Results Recap
Tonight the Top 24 is together for the last time. Four people are going home. I doubt we'll see anything shocking tonight, but you never know on this show.
Ryan starts out by reminding us for the umpteenth time that this is the most talented group the show has ever had. I guess "Idol" is trying to follow the Goebbels-like tactic of repeating a lie enough times that it becomes the truth. They're apparently still doing damage control over the now widely-known semi-pro history of certain contestants, since Ryan brings up the subject of past experience (to Paula, of all people) when chit-chatting with the judges. Paula reminds us that everyone had to go through the same process to get on the show, and that past contestants such as Kelly Clarkson, "Brandon Davis" from last season (is she thinking of Brandon Rogers?) and Mandisa had previous experience. I'd heard about Kelly Clarkson's record deal that didn't quite happen, but Brandon Rogers and Mandisa were never more than backup singers as far as I know. Whatever.
We then see a montage of the Top 24 all dressed up for the photo shoots backed by a "killer track from Daughtry." After it ends we're treated to a medley of 60's songs from the Top 24. It includes "Needles and Pins," "When You Walk in the Room," "Spanish Harlem" and "Bend Me, Shape Me." The Idols are still all dressed up, which makes me think the show is budgeting poorly this year. Rather than spending money to get clearance for interesting songs they're trying to make our Top 24 look nice. I'd rather see them dress the way they want and sing the songs they want, but it's not up to me. Robbie Carrico wears a fedora that makes him look like Kid Rock, but his pop group past means he probably has no trouble with the cheesy-but-fun choreography. Some contestants look less enthusiastic about it than others. They all crowd in for a group shot at the end. Personally, I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the ones last season. Fewer contestants got solos, they changed the melody to "Bend Me, Shape Me," and it just didn't have the same warmth as the ones last year did. The sound seems to come in more clearly once the commercial bumper music starts up.
When we get back from the commercial it's finally time to eliminate someone. Ryan tells the girls to relax for now because they're going to focus on the guys. He calls Garrett Haley forward and strikes up a conversation with him about how it's always tough to say goodbye to someone (as if anyone watching doesn't know where this is headed). Ryan then announces that tonight we're going to have to say goodbye to Garrett. Garrett doesn't seem very shaken up by the news, handling it with his usual humor and never losing that spaced-out smile. I have a feeling he saw it coming, just like the rest of America. The intro video to his performance made it seem like he tried out on a whim, so perhaps he figures he already got farther than he should have. Ryan asks him if he thought Simon's criticism last night was too harsh or personal and Garrett says something about how he's happy with the way he is. With a hat on his head and his hair straightened he looks kind of like Cheap Trick's Robin Zander as he sings "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" one last time and the clock winds down on his 15 minutes of fame. So long, Garrett. We hardly knew ye.
Now it's time to eliminate one of the girls. Ryan calls Kristy Lee Cook forward. For a moment I wonder if my bold prediction that she'll be eliminated is about to come true, but as I expected, they switch it up and tell Kristy she's safe. Oh well. That's how it goes when you're one of the pimped ones. If Kristy gives another awful performance next week though, I don't see her making the Top 12. They show us a quick shot of the still-seated Amy Davis just before Ryan announces that she is in fact the one going home. Paula gives Amy the usual speech about how she now has more opportunities because of being on the show and that it's up to her to do whatever she wants with it. Amy sings "Where the Boys Are" again and it sounds as bad as it did the night before. I have to believe this girl is sick. There's no way someone who normally sounded this bad would be put through. My mother thinks she has a lump in her throat. She does seem understandably emotional during her final performance, but I don't think it made as much of a difference as being sick did. I guess this is further proof that Vote For the Worst isn't as powerful as a lot of people think (so stop blaming them for Taylor Hicks winning all you sore Katharine McPhee and Chris Daughtry fans!).
After the commercial we get to see the debut of Paula Abdul's new video for "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow." It has to be some of the most expensive filler in the history of this show. This video is mainly just clips of Paula performing the song and doing her thing with a bunch of backup dancers, but it's well-done if you like that stuff. It's a catchy little tune, despite Paula's digitally altered voice. Ryan, Randy and Simon all appear briefly at the end of the video, and when they cut back to the studio Ryan is holding up a big fan as a spoof on the "wind" that was in seemingly every shot. It's good to see the judges getting along and enjoying each other's camaraderie after all the fighting they normally do.
Back to the eliminations. Ryan calls Joanne Borgella and Amanda Overmyer forward and tells the girls on the couches that they're all safe. Wow, they're getting right to the point this year. No more making each person sweat. At this point I'm wondering what to think. After I made my predictions I looked around the internet and most people were predicting Joanne would go home. Then again, Amanda made (in my opinion) a bad song choice, and despite the pimping I could see a lot of people just not "getting" her. Are they setting us up for a shocker? Ryan finally tells us that America voted and Amanda...is safe. For the first time in "American Idol" history the last contestant of a certain gender to make the Top 24 won't make it to the end of the Semifinals. I thought Joanne would stay around a bit longer because some "big girls" would vote for her (don't laugh at my logic, I've seen message boards where people said they were voting along those lines), but I guess she couldn't overcome her weak performance. To her credit, Joanne is extremely classy in her elimination, admitting that she didn't do her best on Wednesday and staying upbeat about her future. She sings "I Say a Little Prayer" again while we see shots of several girls on the couch crying. Even though the other contestants appear more sad about her elimination than she does, I sort of feel bad for her. She seems like a real sweetheart.
Finally there's one elimination to go. Ryan goes over to the couches and asks Chikezie and Colton to come forward. Is it the same deal as Joanne's elimination, or are they going to flip the script just like earlier? I guess it must be, because they dim the lights and get right to it. Amazing. I'm not the only person in America who liked Jason Yeager. I guess having a kid helped him get votes. Back to Colton and Chikezie though. Ryan tells us one of them has to go home and that person...is Colton. Wow. Colton was the last guy to make the Top 24 and now he's going home after one week just like Joanne. I'll say this for Chikezie: For all his attitude, he seems really friendly to Colton, putting his arm around him and giving him a hug before taking his seat. Amanda didn't do any of that to Joanne (unless it was while the camera briefly cut away, but it didn't appear so). It's possible Amanda's just not a touchy-feely person (I'm the same way), but on this show it comes across as a little cold. Paula tells Colton (who is clearly holding back tears) to keep singing because he's young and talented, but Simon tells him he doesn't have a shot at a music career and that he should focus his efforts on something else. Dang. Maybe Amanda's not so cold after all.
Ryan calls the other three eliminated contestants back on stage so that we can watch the video of their journeys on "American Idol." This new "Hollywood's Not America" song will probably become a hit before the end of this season thanks to the weekly exposure. After the clip ends Colton gets to sing his smily version of "Suspicious Minds" one more time while the other Idols are allowed to release their tears. It looks like Ramiele, Kady and Danny will be this season's big criers.
That's it for this week. We say goodbye to four people who had talent but were clearly out of their league on this show. I wish them well, as I voted for all of them, and I hope next week some of the people I don't vote for will be sent packing. I'm hoping there won't be any theme next week, but because of "Idol" offering the performances on iTunes we'll probably be stuck with more middle-of-the-road song choices. Please, Nigel. Go back to the "anything goes" Semifinals after this season. Until next week, I'm out (unless I decide to write about something else on this blog).
Ryan starts out by reminding us for the umpteenth time that this is the most talented group the show has ever had. I guess "Idol" is trying to follow the Goebbels-like tactic of repeating a lie enough times that it becomes the truth. They're apparently still doing damage control over the now widely-known semi-pro history of certain contestants, since Ryan brings up the subject of past experience (to Paula, of all people) when chit-chatting with the judges. Paula reminds us that everyone had to go through the same process to get on the show, and that past contestants such as Kelly Clarkson, "Brandon Davis" from last season (is she thinking of Brandon Rogers?) and Mandisa had previous experience. I'd heard about Kelly Clarkson's record deal that didn't quite happen, but Brandon Rogers and Mandisa were never more than backup singers as far as I know. Whatever.
We then see a montage of the Top 24 all dressed up for the photo shoots backed by a "killer track from Daughtry." After it ends we're treated to a medley of 60's songs from the Top 24. It includes "Needles and Pins," "When You Walk in the Room," "Spanish Harlem" and "Bend Me, Shape Me." The Idols are still all dressed up, which makes me think the show is budgeting poorly this year. Rather than spending money to get clearance for interesting songs they're trying to make our Top 24 look nice. I'd rather see them dress the way they want and sing the songs they want, but it's not up to me. Robbie Carrico wears a fedora that makes him look like Kid Rock, but his pop group past means he probably has no trouble with the cheesy-but-fun choreography. Some contestants look less enthusiastic about it than others. They all crowd in for a group shot at the end. Personally, I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the ones last season. Fewer contestants got solos, they changed the melody to "Bend Me, Shape Me," and it just didn't have the same warmth as the ones last year did. The sound seems to come in more clearly once the commercial bumper music starts up.
When we get back from the commercial it's finally time to eliminate someone. Ryan tells the girls to relax for now because they're going to focus on the guys. He calls Garrett Haley forward and strikes up a conversation with him about how it's always tough to say goodbye to someone (as if anyone watching doesn't know where this is headed). Ryan then announces that tonight we're going to have to say goodbye to Garrett. Garrett doesn't seem very shaken up by the news, handling it with his usual humor and never losing that spaced-out smile. I have a feeling he saw it coming, just like the rest of America. The intro video to his performance made it seem like he tried out on a whim, so perhaps he figures he already got farther than he should have. Ryan asks him if he thought Simon's criticism last night was too harsh or personal and Garrett says something about how he's happy with the way he is. With a hat on his head and his hair straightened he looks kind of like Cheap Trick's Robin Zander as he sings "Breaking Up is Hard to Do" one last time and the clock winds down on his 15 minutes of fame. So long, Garrett. We hardly knew ye.
Now it's time to eliminate one of the girls. Ryan calls Kristy Lee Cook forward. For a moment I wonder if my bold prediction that she'll be eliminated is about to come true, but as I expected, they switch it up and tell Kristy she's safe. Oh well. That's how it goes when you're one of the pimped ones. If Kristy gives another awful performance next week though, I don't see her making the Top 12. They show us a quick shot of the still-seated Amy Davis just before Ryan announces that she is in fact the one going home. Paula gives Amy the usual speech about how she now has more opportunities because of being on the show and that it's up to her to do whatever she wants with it. Amy sings "Where the Boys Are" again and it sounds as bad as it did the night before. I have to believe this girl is sick. There's no way someone who normally sounded this bad would be put through. My mother thinks she has a lump in her throat. She does seem understandably emotional during her final performance, but I don't think it made as much of a difference as being sick did. I guess this is further proof that Vote For the Worst isn't as powerful as a lot of people think (so stop blaming them for Taylor Hicks winning all you sore Katharine McPhee and Chris Daughtry fans!).
After the commercial we get to see the debut of Paula Abdul's new video for "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow." It has to be some of the most expensive filler in the history of this show. This video is mainly just clips of Paula performing the song and doing her thing with a bunch of backup dancers, but it's well-done if you like that stuff. It's a catchy little tune, despite Paula's digitally altered voice. Ryan, Randy and Simon all appear briefly at the end of the video, and when they cut back to the studio Ryan is holding up a big fan as a spoof on the "wind" that was in seemingly every shot. It's good to see the judges getting along and enjoying each other's camaraderie after all the fighting they normally do.
Back to the eliminations. Ryan calls Joanne Borgella and Amanda Overmyer forward and tells the girls on the couches that they're all safe. Wow, they're getting right to the point this year. No more making each person sweat. At this point I'm wondering what to think. After I made my predictions I looked around the internet and most people were predicting Joanne would go home. Then again, Amanda made (in my opinion) a bad song choice, and despite the pimping I could see a lot of people just not "getting" her. Are they setting us up for a shocker? Ryan finally tells us that America voted and Amanda...is safe. For the first time in "American Idol" history the last contestant of a certain gender to make the Top 24 won't make it to the end of the Semifinals. I thought Joanne would stay around a bit longer because some "big girls" would vote for her (don't laugh at my logic, I've seen message boards where people said they were voting along those lines), but I guess she couldn't overcome her weak performance. To her credit, Joanne is extremely classy in her elimination, admitting that she didn't do her best on Wednesday and staying upbeat about her future. She sings "I Say a Little Prayer" again while we see shots of several girls on the couch crying. Even though the other contestants appear more sad about her elimination than she does, I sort of feel bad for her. She seems like a real sweetheart.
Finally there's one elimination to go. Ryan goes over to the couches and asks Chikezie and Colton to come forward. Is it the same deal as Joanne's elimination, or are they going to flip the script just like earlier? I guess it must be, because they dim the lights and get right to it. Amazing. I'm not the only person in America who liked Jason Yeager. I guess having a kid helped him get votes. Back to Colton and Chikezie though. Ryan tells us one of them has to go home and that person...is Colton. Wow. Colton was the last guy to make the Top 24 and now he's going home after one week just like Joanne. I'll say this for Chikezie: For all his attitude, he seems really friendly to Colton, putting his arm around him and giving him a hug before taking his seat. Amanda didn't do any of that to Joanne (unless it was while the camera briefly cut away, but it didn't appear so). It's possible Amanda's just not a touchy-feely person (I'm the same way), but on this show it comes across as a little cold. Paula tells Colton (who is clearly holding back tears) to keep singing because he's young and talented, but Simon tells him he doesn't have a shot at a music career and that he should focus his efforts on something else. Dang. Maybe Amanda's not so cold after all.
Ryan calls the other three eliminated contestants back on stage so that we can watch the video of their journeys on "American Idol." This new "Hollywood's Not America" song will probably become a hit before the end of this season thanks to the weekly exposure. After the clip ends Colton gets to sing his smily version of "Suspicious Minds" one more time while the other Idols are allowed to release their tears. It looks like Ramiele, Kady and Danny will be this season's big criers.
That's it for this week. We say goodbye to four people who had talent but were clearly out of their league on this show. I wish them well, as I voted for all of them, and I hope next week some of the people I don't vote for will be sent packing. I'm hoping there won't be any theme next week, but because of "Idol" offering the performances on iTunes we'll probably be stuck with more middle-of-the-road song choices. Please, Nigel. Go back to the "anything goes" Semifinals after this season. Until next week, I'm out (unless I decide to write about something else on this blog).
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Top 12 Girls Recap
Watch out America, here come the girls! Just as the guys this year are mostly rockers and teenagers, the girls this year are mostly blondes and teenagers. Just like last year, I think the guys as a whole have more diversity and personality, but unlike last year, I think there's more talent among them. I don't have as much to say about these performances as I did about yesterday's, but I'll try to make this interesting. If you read my recap yesterday (and you probably didn't), this recap will follow the same format.
The show follows yesterday's pattern. Ryan starts out by telling us that some of these girls have the flu, once again incorporating the company line by telling us that even THE BEST TOP 24 IN AMERICAN IDOL HISTORY isn't immune to it. He then introduces the girls, who walk onto the balcony in the order in which they'll be performing. Carly has the pimp spot, of course. Could they be any more transparent? There's some idle chit-chat with the judges, and once again they show a montage of the girls being said "yes" to, although this time the backing song is Carrie Underwood's "We're Young and Beautiful."
First up is Kristy Lee Cook, she of the two failed record deals. Her song is "Rescue Me" by Fontella Bass. For all the early attention she got, she does terribly. She sings a soul song after fashioning herself as a country singer. I suppose there probably weren't many country options on the list of 50 or 60 that fit the theme, but it doesn't change the fact that this performance is completely out of tune and that she doesn't have the voice to pull it off. Randy points out her pitch problems. Paula basically gives her a pass because she's sick and it's tough to go first. Simon just tells her it was a bad song choice and performance. Nothing personal against Kristy Lee, but I hope going first and doing poorly is enough to send her home. The fewer "plants" we have to feel conflicted about the better. The girl still has her horses.
Next up is Joanne Borgella, known by casual fans as "The Plus-Sized Model". She talks about how she's not really a soul singer in her intro clip, which I guess makes her different from most of the black women who usually appear on this show. She comes across like a nice person. She sings Dionne Warwick's "I Say a Little Prayer" and her voice doesn't impress me much (no Shania Twain jokes, please). She seems like she has trouble staying with the music and her voice is a bit uncomfortably high-pitched. Randy says he thought she was nervous, Paula says she liked it but didn't love it, and Simon says he hated it. I think it's safe to say Joanne isn't a frontrunner in this competition.
Alaina Whitaker, this week's early favorite to go home, tells us her birthday is tomorrow and that the best gift she could get is not to be eliminated from "American Idol." That's understandable, but it almost seems like a cheap attempt to get votes. While Alaina has seemed like little more than a nondescript blonde with a decent voice to this point, she actually surprises me. She sings "More Today Than Yesterday," and like Chikezie last night, it starts out slowly. Just when I'm wondering what the deal is with this boring arrangement they're using on the show, the music picks up and the song turns into the foot-tapping favorite most of us are familiar with. Alaina hits all the high notes, and since I already love this song, I love this performance. Randy loves it, Paula said it was the best ending on that song she'd ever heard, and Simon says he thinks the song is corny, but that it was the best performance of the night so far. This girl is not only cute, but she can really sing. I think she made a fan out of several people tonight, not just me.
Next up is blues rocker Amanda Overmyer. She's gained a lot of buzz for being one of the more distinctive contestants on this show, but there are concerns that her novelty will wear off quickly. She announces that she won't be singing Janis Joplin in this competition, which I think is a smart move, since she needs to show America she isn't a copycat. She sings the blues standard "Baby Please Don't Go," which I guess fits the theme because a few bands recorded it during the 60's. She walks out scatting along with the guitar, and already we have the night's second poor song choice. Sorry, but this isn't a singer's song. It has too many instrumental breaks and the few lyrics it has are pretty repetitive. This is the type of song you sing with a band, not in a competition like "American Idol." Despite the out-of-place selection, the judges all praise Amanda for her individuality. I said before that I found her interesting, and I hope she gets another shot next week. If she gives another performance like this one though, I might have to jump off the Amanda bandwagon.
Amy Davis, the other early favorite to go home this week, performs next. She hasn't gotten much screen time, but Josiah Leming says she's really nice. The second straight Hoosier to perform, Amy attempts to tackle Connie Francis' "Where the Boys Are" and falls flat on her face. She must be another contestant with the flu, because I can't imagine them putting someone with such awful pitch in this competition. Randy tells her it wasn't great, Paula says the camera loves her but she's worried about her nerves, and Simon pulls out several of his old standby criticisms (bad song choice, boring, cabaret). Vote For the Worst appears to be supporting her because they don't have anyone else, but I don't think that'll be enough to save her.
Next up is everyone's favorite good girl, Brooke White. She continues to come across as very genuine in her interview clip, and her personality even sort of reminds me of Melinda Doolittle. Once again we have a song that was done by one of the guys last night, as she sings "Happy Together." She does a better job with it than David Cook (then again, I could probably do better than David Cook), but she still has some pitch problems. My mother comments that the song isn't fun enough, and that Brooke moves her arms around too much. Personally, I think she needs a keyboard in front of her to feel comfortable. Randy says she "slayed" it at the end, Paula likes her originality, and Simon says it was good, but comparable to a washing liquid commercial from the 60's. I think enough people like her that she'll be in this thing for a while, but she needs to do better than this performance if she wants to win.
Another contestant with little screen time performs next, the eight-syllabled Alexandréa Lushington. She comes across as pretty mature for her age, and like Joanne, she's another black girl whose musical style doesn't seem oriented toward R&B and soul. She sings "Spinning Wheel" by Blood, Sweat and Tears, and all I can say is that this performance is interesting. She seems to miss a few high notes, but her stage presence and outfit (complete with peace-sign earring) make her memorable. Randy and Paula both love it, but Simon doesn't get it. While the judges criticize Alexandréa I notice she appears to have some sort of mole on her chin that's kind of distracting. Simon likes her self-confident attitude, but I think the biggest problem with her lies in something he said: A lot of people probably won't "get" her. Still, I could see her sticking around a while longer.
The Girl of 1,000 Voices, Kady Malloy is next. Her intro clip shows her impersonating Britney Spears, and oddly enough she actually looks a little like Britney. She tells us she's a recording studio assistant and that music is her life. She sings The Mindbenders' classic "A Groovy Kind of Love," which is another song I have a soft spot for, as it's one of my all-time favorites. I actually really like her rendition of the song. There are a few pitch problems near the end, but overall I think it's a beautiful song sung beautifully by a beautiful girl. Randy says he thinks she got lost, Paula wants more life from her, and Simon thinks it was boring. He says that she's great when she impersonates others but boring when she's herself. He also makes some ridiculous remark about a pencil impersonating her, which ends up being Ryan's signal to cut him off. Are they trying to anti-pimp her? I have no idea, but I don't think she deserves to go home based on what we've seen tonight.
Asia'h Epperson, this year's bubbly teen, is up next. She sings the song everyone was probably expecting Amanda to sing, "Piece of My Heart" by Janis Joplin. I think she's a little too smily for this song, but she sings it competently with her distinctive husky-ish voice. All the judges love it, and Simon even calls it his favorite performance of the night so far. I think her personality combined with her backstory (her father died while she was at her audition) and the judges' pimping will keep people voting for her a while.
Next up is Ramiele Malubay. I'll give her credit; by mentioning her Filipino heritage as often as she does she's shrewdly establishing a base of voters. I'm not overly impressed with her voice, but she is very good. She sings Dusty Springfield's "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me," and though her voice doesn't quite sound like it's all there at times, she's gives a good, tasteful performance. Randy loves it, Paula says she's a force to be reckoned with, and Simon says it wasn't her best, but that he thinks she's outsung everyone else so far. I predict Ramiele stays in this thing a while. Her Filipino fanbase and more solid performances like this one should see to it.
Another semi-plant, Syesha Mercado is up next. In her intro clip she refers to herself as a "working actress." Considering most actors and actresses are struggling to get work, that's not a good way to come across as humble and relatable. She sings "Tobacco Road" by The Nashville Teens, and the line about how "mama died and my daddy got drunk" seems oddly appropriate after she shared with us that her father was a recovering drug addict. Syesha can sing, but there's really nothing original about her. The word "oversinging" comes to mind several times during her performance, and the obligatory pitch problems are there. Randy says it was a little pitchy but he liked it, Paula likes it, and Simon says she's one of the most talented contestants. Paula keeps hitting the desk while the judges are talking for some reason. Syesha will probably last a while, but I think she could leave earlier than many expect due to a somewhat cocky appearance and the fact that divas who turn every song into a beltfest can become grating after a while.
After sitting through all these performances we finally get to the end with the controversial Carly Smithson. Surprisingly, she actually comes clean about her major label past in the intro clip. I guess Nigel knew he couldn't act like it never happened forever. She sings Tony Bennett's "The Shadow of Your Smile" and wears long sleeves, possibly to cover up her distracting tattoos. Carly is apparently sick, as she sounds strained throughout the entire performance. She's definitely got a great voice, but I'm not sure why she chose to go with a lot of heavy belting if she was sick. Was she trying to suggest to the audience what she's capable of when healthy or is showing off just her modus operandi? Randy tells her it was what the show was all about and calls it the best vocal of the Top 24. Paula basically tells her everything about her singing is perfect. Simon, to my utmost surprise, actually tells her it was disappointing and that she's not living up to the hype. Simon gets booed, but Carly herself says sickness is no excuse, so I'm glad someone on the panel was honest about the fact that her performance sounded terrible. Carly's been pimped enough that she probably has a few more weeks in the bank already, but several questions still remain. Will there be (more serious) backlash against her because of her past? Will she get a free pass from Randy and Paula if she has more performances like this one? Will America actually fall in love with her? I hate rooting against Carly so heavily since she seems like a nice girl, but I just...can't...support her. I'm honestly not sure how far I think she'll go.
Now that we've seen all of the Top 24 I can weigh in on the biggest question of all: Is this the most talented Top 24 in "American Idol" history? Sorry, but I say no. Sure, every season has its strong and its weak performers, but few people in this group seem transcendently memorable. I don't see any potential superstars. Perhaps someone will grow throughout the competition, but right now I can't imagine buying the album of any of these singers. This "most talented" business is all hype.
Anyways...let's get to the predictions:
Probably Going Home
Kristy Lee
Amy
Also Vulnerable
Joanne
Alexandréa
Kady
Probably Safe
Alaina
Amanda
Brooke
Syesha
Carly
I'd Be Shocked
Asia'h
Ramiele
Whom I Voted For: Joanne, Alaina, Amanda, Amy, Brooke, Alexandréa, Kady and Ramiele. I'm all but positive that at least one of these girls I voted for is going home, but hey, at least I gave these underdogs something.
Check back tomorrow for a recap of the results show!
The show follows yesterday's pattern. Ryan starts out by telling us that some of these girls have the flu, once again incorporating the company line by telling us that even THE BEST TOP 24 IN AMERICAN IDOL HISTORY isn't immune to it. He then introduces the girls, who walk onto the balcony in the order in which they'll be performing. Carly has the pimp spot, of course. Could they be any more transparent? There's some idle chit-chat with the judges, and once again they show a montage of the girls being said "yes" to, although this time the backing song is Carrie Underwood's "We're Young and Beautiful."
First up is Kristy Lee Cook, she of the two failed record deals. Her song is "Rescue Me" by Fontella Bass. For all the early attention she got, she does terribly. She sings a soul song after fashioning herself as a country singer. I suppose there probably weren't many country options on the list of 50 or 60 that fit the theme, but it doesn't change the fact that this performance is completely out of tune and that she doesn't have the voice to pull it off. Randy points out her pitch problems. Paula basically gives her a pass because she's sick and it's tough to go first. Simon just tells her it was a bad song choice and performance. Nothing personal against Kristy Lee, but I hope going first and doing poorly is enough to send her home. The fewer "plants" we have to feel conflicted about the better. The girl still has her horses.
Next up is Joanne Borgella, known by casual fans as "The Plus-Sized Model". She talks about how she's not really a soul singer in her intro clip, which I guess makes her different from most of the black women who usually appear on this show. She comes across like a nice person. She sings Dionne Warwick's "I Say a Little Prayer" and her voice doesn't impress me much (no Shania Twain jokes, please). She seems like she has trouble staying with the music and her voice is a bit uncomfortably high-pitched. Randy says he thought she was nervous, Paula says she liked it but didn't love it, and Simon says he hated it. I think it's safe to say Joanne isn't a frontrunner in this competition.
Alaina Whitaker, this week's early favorite to go home, tells us her birthday is tomorrow and that the best gift she could get is not to be eliminated from "American Idol." That's understandable, but it almost seems like a cheap attempt to get votes. While Alaina has seemed like little more than a nondescript blonde with a decent voice to this point, she actually surprises me. She sings "More Today Than Yesterday," and like Chikezie last night, it starts out slowly. Just when I'm wondering what the deal is with this boring arrangement they're using on the show, the music picks up and the song turns into the foot-tapping favorite most of us are familiar with. Alaina hits all the high notes, and since I already love this song, I love this performance. Randy loves it, Paula said it was the best ending on that song she'd ever heard, and Simon says he thinks the song is corny, but that it was the best performance of the night so far. This girl is not only cute, but she can really sing. I think she made a fan out of several people tonight, not just me.
Next up is blues rocker Amanda Overmyer. She's gained a lot of buzz for being one of the more distinctive contestants on this show, but there are concerns that her novelty will wear off quickly. She announces that she won't be singing Janis Joplin in this competition, which I think is a smart move, since she needs to show America she isn't a copycat. She sings the blues standard "Baby Please Don't Go," which I guess fits the theme because a few bands recorded it during the 60's. She walks out scatting along with the guitar, and already we have the night's second poor song choice. Sorry, but this isn't a singer's song. It has too many instrumental breaks and the few lyrics it has are pretty repetitive. This is the type of song you sing with a band, not in a competition like "American Idol." Despite the out-of-place selection, the judges all praise Amanda for her individuality. I said before that I found her interesting, and I hope she gets another shot next week. If she gives another performance like this one though, I might have to jump off the Amanda bandwagon.
Amy Davis, the other early favorite to go home this week, performs next. She hasn't gotten much screen time, but Josiah Leming says she's really nice. The second straight Hoosier to perform, Amy attempts to tackle Connie Francis' "Where the Boys Are" and falls flat on her face. She must be another contestant with the flu, because I can't imagine them putting someone with such awful pitch in this competition. Randy tells her it wasn't great, Paula says the camera loves her but she's worried about her nerves, and Simon pulls out several of his old standby criticisms (bad song choice, boring, cabaret). Vote For the Worst appears to be supporting her because they don't have anyone else, but I don't think that'll be enough to save her.
Next up is everyone's favorite good girl, Brooke White. She continues to come across as very genuine in her interview clip, and her personality even sort of reminds me of Melinda Doolittle. Once again we have a song that was done by one of the guys last night, as she sings "Happy Together." She does a better job with it than David Cook (then again, I could probably do better than David Cook), but she still has some pitch problems. My mother comments that the song isn't fun enough, and that Brooke moves her arms around too much. Personally, I think she needs a keyboard in front of her to feel comfortable. Randy says she "slayed" it at the end, Paula likes her originality, and Simon says it was good, but comparable to a washing liquid commercial from the 60's. I think enough people like her that she'll be in this thing for a while, but she needs to do better than this performance if she wants to win.
Another contestant with little screen time performs next, the eight-syllabled Alexandréa Lushington. She comes across as pretty mature for her age, and like Joanne, she's another black girl whose musical style doesn't seem oriented toward R&B and soul. She sings "Spinning Wheel" by Blood, Sweat and Tears, and all I can say is that this performance is interesting. She seems to miss a few high notes, but her stage presence and outfit (complete with peace-sign earring) make her memorable. Randy and Paula both love it, but Simon doesn't get it. While the judges criticize Alexandréa I notice she appears to have some sort of mole on her chin that's kind of distracting. Simon likes her self-confident attitude, but I think the biggest problem with her lies in something he said: A lot of people probably won't "get" her. Still, I could see her sticking around a while longer.
The Girl of 1,000 Voices, Kady Malloy is next. Her intro clip shows her impersonating Britney Spears, and oddly enough she actually looks a little like Britney. She tells us she's a recording studio assistant and that music is her life. She sings The Mindbenders' classic "A Groovy Kind of Love," which is another song I have a soft spot for, as it's one of my all-time favorites. I actually really like her rendition of the song. There are a few pitch problems near the end, but overall I think it's a beautiful song sung beautifully by a beautiful girl. Randy says he thinks she got lost, Paula wants more life from her, and Simon thinks it was boring. He says that she's great when she impersonates others but boring when she's herself. He also makes some ridiculous remark about a pencil impersonating her, which ends up being Ryan's signal to cut him off. Are they trying to anti-pimp her? I have no idea, but I don't think she deserves to go home based on what we've seen tonight.
Asia'h Epperson, this year's bubbly teen, is up next. She sings the song everyone was probably expecting Amanda to sing, "Piece of My Heart" by Janis Joplin. I think she's a little too smily for this song, but she sings it competently with her distinctive husky-ish voice. All the judges love it, and Simon even calls it his favorite performance of the night so far. I think her personality combined with her backstory (her father died while she was at her audition) and the judges' pimping will keep people voting for her a while.
Next up is Ramiele Malubay. I'll give her credit; by mentioning her Filipino heritage as often as she does she's shrewdly establishing a base of voters. I'm not overly impressed with her voice, but she is very good. She sings Dusty Springfield's "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me," and though her voice doesn't quite sound like it's all there at times, she's gives a good, tasteful performance. Randy loves it, Paula says she's a force to be reckoned with, and Simon says it wasn't her best, but that he thinks she's outsung everyone else so far. I predict Ramiele stays in this thing a while. Her Filipino fanbase and more solid performances like this one should see to it.
Another semi-plant, Syesha Mercado is up next. In her intro clip she refers to herself as a "working actress." Considering most actors and actresses are struggling to get work, that's not a good way to come across as humble and relatable. She sings "Tobacco Road" by The Nashville Teens, and the line about how "mama died and my daddy got drunk" seems oddly appropriate after she shared with us that her father was a recovering drug addict. Syesha can sing, but there's really nothing original about her. The word "oversinging" comes to mind several times during her performance, and the obligatory pitch problems are there. Randy says it was a little pitchy but he liked it, Paula likes it, and Simon says she's one of the most talented contestants. Paula keeps hitting the desk while the judges are talking for some reason. Syesha will probably last a while, but I think she could leave earlier than many expect due to a somewhat cocky appearance and the fact that divas who turn every song into a beltfest can become grating after a while.
After sitting through all these performances we finally get to the end with the controversial Carly Smithson. Surprisingly, she actually comes clean about her major label past in the intro clip. I guess Nigel knew he couldn't act like it never happened forever. She sings Tony Bennett's "The Shadow of Your Smile" and wears long sleeves, possibly to cover up her distracting tattoos. Carly is apparently sick, as she sounds strained throughout the entire performance. She's definitely got a great voice, but I'm not sure why she chose to go with a lot of heavy belting if she was sick. Was she trying to suggest to the audience what she's capable of when healthy or is showing off just her modus operandi? Randy tells her it was what the show was all about and calls it the best vocal of the Top 24. Paula basically tells her everything about her singing is perfect. Simon, to my utmost surprise, actually tells her it was disappointing and that she's not living up to the hype. Simon gets booed, but Carly herself says sickness is no excuse, so I'm glad someone on the panel was honest about the fact that her performance sounded terrible. Carly's been pimped enough that she probably has a few more weeks in the bank already, but several questions still remain. Will there be (more serious) backlash against her because of her past? Will she get a free pass from Randy and Paula if she has more performances like this one? Will America actually fall in love with her? I hate rooting against Carly so heavily since she seems like a nice girl, but I just...can't...support her. I'm honestly not sure how far I think she'll go.
Now that we've seen all of the Top 24 I can weigh in on the biggest question of all: Is this the most talented Top 24 in "American Idol" history? Sorry, but I say no. Sure, every season has its strong and its weak performers, but few people in this group seem transcendently memorable. I don't see any potential superstars. Perhaps someone will grow throughout the competition, but right now I can't imagine buying the album of any of these singers. This "most talented" business is all hype.
Anyways...let's get to the predictions:
Probably Going Home
Kristy Lee
Amy
Also Vulnerable
Joanne
Alexandréa
Kady
Probably Safe
Alaina
Amanda
Brooke
Syesha
Carly
I'd Be Shocked
Asia'h
Ramiele
Whom I Voted For: Joanne, Alaina, Amanda, Amy, Brooke, Alexandréa, Kady and Ramiele. I'm all but positive that at least one of these girls I voted for is going home, but hey, at least I gave these underdogs something.
Check back tomorrow for a recap of the results show!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Top 12 Guys Recap
At long last we get what we've been waiting for: the performances. For the first time in "American Idol" history the Semifinals have a theme: the 60's. I just used the same punctuation mark in two straight sentences: the colon. While it disappoints me that the contestants won't be showing off their individual styles in the Semifinals like the old days, at least we the viewers finally get to vote. Will this season live up to the hype? After all, we've been beaten over the head with the fact that this is the most talented Top 24 in the show's history for the last month. I'll do my best to give my honest opinions all season. My mother and I watch the show together, and she makes observations that are worth sharing here at times too.
Ryan starts out the show by reminding us that the stage is a "platform that will launch someone into superstardom." "Idol" has probably already picked out that person, but that's beside the point. He introduces the guys, presumably in the order they'll be performing. Chikezie Eze is now going only by his first name and Michael Johns apparently has the pimp spot (what a shocker!). Ryan asks the judges what they're looking for. Randy says originality, which is ironic, since it seems that the most original contestants got cut in Hollywood. Paula makes a joke about Randy's use of slang, and Simon just gives a generic answer about originality, personality and good singing. Nothing to see here, folks. Before the first commercial break they show us a montage of the guys being said "yes" to set to Blake Lewis' "Break Anotha." They must really want people to think that song is good.
First up is David Hernandez. I guess they like putting the Latin guys first, since Rudy Cardenas went first last year. He sings "In the Midnight Hour" by Wilson Pickett, starting off slowly and then picking up the pace. His facial expressions remind me once again of Rudy, but to his credit, he's a lot less cheesy and sings his song much better. Randy says "it's on!" Paula likes him. Simon says it was better than he expected, but that he didn't think it was very distinctive. Honestly, I like this guy. He's got a great voice and seems to have a humble personality. I'd say he has the potential to be my horse in this race if some of my other favorites get eliminated.
Next up is the newly surname-less Chikezie. I kind of liked this guy based on what I saw previously, since he seems to be sort of an old-school soul singer. He sings "More Today Than Yesterday" by The Spiral Starecase. He slows the song down a bit and changes the phrasing and melody. Chikezie is off-key from the first note, and I'm not a big fan of this arrangement. I want to like him, but this performance didn't do him any favors. Randy and Paula both give it a lukewarm review, and Paula comments that Chikezie has lost weight. Is that why his voice isn't as good as what we heard before? Simon (despite accidentally calling him "Jacuzzi" at first) brings the truth and tells him that it was terrible, criticizing his clothes in the process. Chikezie tries to talk back to Simon by making some comments about his wardrobe, and later, while talking to Ryan, makes some snide comments about how hard it is to be current on 60's Night. I hate to say it, but this guy is digging himself into a hole. Talking back to the judges and performing poorly aren't good ways to make people want to vote for you. Throw in the fact that he's performing early in the show, and I think we already have a good candidate for Thursday's trip home. Then again, he's the only black male contestant, so that might help him stay around.
Before they go to the next performance they do a short interview with Colton Berry, where he jokes about his resemblance to Ellen DeGeneres. It's interesting that they're actually commenting on these contestants' lack of airtime.
Next up is David Cook, the rocker with the dumb-looking hair. He sings "Happy Together" by The Turtles. He starts the song slowly, and already I'm starting to wonder if slowing down songs is going to be a running theme tonight. He later starts "rocking out," which makes my mother cringe and comment that his singing is "too affected." Something about his singing reminds me of Denver, lead singer of The Mile High Orchestra. I think it's that "push the words out" phrasing he employs. Randy and Paula both like it, which tells me already that David's going to be one of the pimped ones. Simon says it was "almost believeable" and Randy throws in a reference to Alice in Chains. I didn't like it, but he'll probably gets votes based on the judges' comments.
Next up is another member of the no-airtime crew: Jason Yeager. I said before that I liked him based on his interview, so now I finally get to learn something about him with the opening clip. We find out that he's a singing server and has a son. Interesting. He chooses "Moon River" as his song, and sad to say, he flubs it by losing the beat several times. His voice reminds me of Phil Stacey's at certain points, though overall I wouldn't say he sounds that much like him. Whereas David Cook sings like Denver, Jason actually kind of looks like him. Randy advises him to concentrate more. Paula says the song has sentimental value to her, since she did her first ballet recital to it. Jason says he chose it because it reminded him of his grandmother. Awwwww. Simon says the song makes him seem older and that the performance was very "cruise ship." The judges get into a weird discussion about dogs before it's all said and done. Jason seems a bit cheesy to me, but hey, I'm a cheesy person too. I'm voting for him.
Now we come to Chris Daughtry soundalike Robbie Carrico. He's pretty open about his pop past and the fact that he once toured with Britney Spears. He deserves a cookie for his honesty. He mentions that in Hollywood he did the Fuel song "Hemorrhage." Considering Chris Daughtry did that song on "Idol," he's not doing much to come across as original. He sings "One" by Three Dog Night, and I'll admit he does a very good job with it. Still, I'm not a fan of the "modern rock" Robbie evidently wants to make, so he can get his votes somewhere else. One thing I'll give him though, is that he's better than David Cook. Randy likes it, Paula says it a was a little over the top, and Simon says it was the best performance of the night so far but that he's still not convinced Robbie is a true rocker. Just what we need on "Idol": a debate about musical credibility.
Next up is semi-plant David Archuleta. I guess he's not so bad if "Star Search" is the extent of his previous experience, but I'm probably not going to vote for him unless he's the least "planty" of the remaining contestants. He's really nervous and giggly in his introduction clip, which makes my mother comment that he seems "innocent and real." I'll admit his dorkiness is somewhat endearing. He sings "Shop Around" by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. Personally, I find his tone weird. It has sort of an Eric Carmen quality to it. I like Eric Carmen, but David's voice doesn't seem to fit the song. Overall, his performance is all right, but I don't think it's anything earth-moving. Randy and Paula both talk about how mature and brave his performance is for someone his age, which seems to be an early clue that David will be getting the same types of comments as Jordin Sparks last year. Simon says it was the best of the night and that David has "got it." Ryan lets David bask in his pimpedness for a few moments before they go to a commercial.
Next up is Danny "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Noriega. He talks about how he made it to Hollywood last year, but failed because he tried to create an image for himself that he thought would be more what they were looking for. Now he's just being his flamboyant self and wants his performances to be "hot". He sings "Jailhouse Rock," which shouldn't have been an option for this week seeing as how it's from 1957, and it's just weird. His voice is too nasal to fit this song, and my mother comments that he definitely doesn't come across as "hot". Randy says it was "kind of hot," Paula says it was "very warm, almost scalding" (huh?), and Simon says it was "verging on grotesque." Danny makes weird faces while listening to the judges, and when talking to Ryan he says he thought it would be a fun song choice but that evidently some people (looking in Simon's direction) "weren't LI-kin' it!" Ryan tells him to be careful, because Simon might double-snap him right back. I'm sorry, but the gay innuendos between Simon and Ryan are just awkward when Danny's around. He'll probably be back next week due to Vote For the Worst's support, but he has to pick better songs.
Another guy with little airtime, Luke Menard, performs next. We find out that he tried out last year but didn't make it. He sings "Everybody's Talkin'" by Harry Nilsson. My mother really loves it, and I think he pulls it off well, missing no more than a note or two. Randy says he was sharp (as in off-key) and Paula agrees with him, leaving me utterly confused, as it sounded fine to me. Paula also comments that she likes his Kenny Loggins tenderness. Simon says whether he was pitchy or not (is that the first time Simon's used the word "pitchy?") he was forgettable, and I'm starting to think they're trying to anti-pimp Luke. Luke sort of talks back by saying he disagrees with the judges' assessment of him, but I don't think his comments are as bad as Chikezie's were. I just hope he makes it to next week.
Next up is theater boy Colton Berry. In his intro clip he mentions that he sings the "Teletubbies" theme in his head whenever he gets nervous. Is that another Chris Sligh-like dig at Simon? He chooses an Elvis song, this time one that's actually from the 60's, with "Suspicious Minds." It seems like the music and his vocals aren't mixed very well for some reason. This kid's definitely got talent, but his voice isn't quite at the level it needs to be to win this show. He missed too many notes for my liking. Randy says it started rough but he eventually found himself, Paula says it was nice but not his best performance, and Simon says he doesn't see Colton as a recording artist. He seems like a nice kid and I hope he sticks around, but I don't think he's in it for the long haul.
Now we have another unknown, Garrett Haley. Ryan gives Garrett a little pre-performance interview due to his lack of airtime. I guess Nigel Lythgoe might be listening to the complaints about our unfamiliarity with these contestants after all. Apparently they read the internet discussions, since Ryan brings up the talk of Garrett's resemblance to both Peter Frampton and Leif Garrett. Garrett seems like he wants to be funny, since he comments on how he also looks like Ellen DeGeneres and pretends that he just wants to talk to the camera. He sings the boring, slowed-down, loungy version of Neil Sedaka's "Breaking Up is Hard to Do." Honestly, he sounds like just another kid with a high-pitched voice. His singing isn't that great, and his personality is a slightly spaced-out version of laid-back. I think he may have been put in just to make the favored contestants look better. Randy says he needs to make the song his own. Paula says not to be afraid to tell Rickey Minor to speed up the song in the middle (a gimmick that's been used twice in this episode already). Simon tells him it was boring and that he looks like a shut-in. To his credit, Garrett doesn't seem to take himself too seriously and he accepts the criticism well.
Now we have the guy with dreadlocks, Jason Castro. He didn't get any airtime, but at least he now holds the distinction of being the first contestant in "American Idol" history to play an instrument with his performance. Guitar in hand, he sings The Lovin' Spoonful's "Daydream," which I suppose fits with his laid-back personality. My mother says his look doesn't match his voice, and I kind of agree. It's not the best voice, as he misses a few notes, but overall he gives a solid, fun performance. Randy says it was pitchy but all right, Paula says it blew her away, and Simon says it was one of the top two performances of the night and that Jason has "just got it." Not bad, especially since he says in his website interview video that he's only been singing for a few years.
Finally we get the guy "Idol" junkies are already predicting is this year's "chosen one," Australian Michael Johns. In his interview video he talks about how he's been in America for his entire adult life, which is obviously for the people who think it's improper that a non-American-born contestant is on this show. He sings "Light My Fire" by The Doors, and does his best Eddie Vedder impression in the process. Seriously, this guy is a total copycat. I'd think it was stupid even if he weren't one of the plants. My mother hangs her head when she hears it. Randy and Paula love it, of course. Simon says he doesn't think it was the best performance they've seen from him, but that he's "just got it." I guess "just got it" is going to be this year's judge catchphrase.
I'd say there are some definite talents in this year's group of guys, but several are a bit on the overrated side. There aren't many girls who interest me in this bunch, but perhaps I'll like some of them more after I hear them.
Now that I've recapped all the performances it's time for predictions. I'll divide them into four tiers.
Probably Going Home (I predict these two will be leaving)
Jason Y.
Garrett
Also Vulnerable (I could see these people going as well)
Chikezie
Luke
Colton
Probably Safe (I doubt these people will be leaving, but I wouldn't be completely surprised if they did)
David H.
David C.
Robbie
Danny
I'd Be Shocked (I would be amazed if these people went home)
David A.
Jason C.
Michael
Whom I voted for: David H., Chikezie, Jason Y., Luke, Colton and Garrett. Some of them gave bad performances, but I think they're all underdogs who deserve a second shot next week.
Check back for the girls' performance recap tomorrow!
Ryan starts out the show by reminding us that the stage is a "platform that will launch someone into superstardom." "Idol" has probably already picked out that person, but that's beside the point. He introduces the guys, presumably in the order they'll be performing. Chikezie Eze is now going only by his first name and Michael Johns apparently has the pimp spot (what a shocker!). Ryan asks the judges what they're looking for. Randy says originality, which is ironic, since it seems that the most original contestants got cut in Hollywood. Paula makes a joke about Randy's use of slang, and Simon just gives a generic answer about originality, personality and good singing. Nothing to see here, folks. Before the first commercial break they show us a montage of the guys being said "yes" to set to Blake Lewis' "Break Anotha." They must really want people to think that song is good.
First up is David Hernandez. I guess they like putting the Latin guys first, since Rudy Cardenas went first last year. He sings "In the Midnight Hour" by Wilson Pickett, starting off slowly and then picking up the pace. His facial expressions remind me once again of Rudy, but to his credit, he's a lot less cheesy and sings his song much better. Randy says "it's on!" Paula likes him. Simon says it was better than he expected, but that he didn't think it was very distinctive. Honestly, I like this guy. He's got a great voice and seems to have a humble personality. I'd say he has the potential to be my horse in this race if some of my other favorites get eliminated.
Next up is the newly surname-less Chikezie. I kind of liked this guy based on what I saw previously, since he seems to be sort of an old-school soul singer. He sings "More Today Than Yesterday" by The Spiral Starecase. He slows the song down a bit and changes the phrasing and melody. Chikezie is off-key from the first note, and I'm not a big fan of this arrangement. I want to like him, but this performance didn't do him any favors. Randy and Paula both give it a lukewarm review, and Paula comments that Chikezie has lost weight. Is that why his voice isn't as good as what we heard before? Simon (despite accidentally calling him "Jacuzzi" at first) brings the truth and tells him that it was terrible, criticizing his clothes in the process. Chikezie tries to talk back to Simon by making some comments about his wardrobe, and later, while talking to Ryan, makes some snide comments about how hard it is to be current on 60's Night. I hate to say it, but this guy is digging himself into a hole. Talking back to the judges and performing poorly aren't good ways to make people want to vote for you. Throw in the fact that he's performing early in the show, and I think we already have a good candidate for Thursday's trip home. Then again, he's the only black male contestant, so that might help him stay around.
Before they go to the next performance they do a short interview with Colton Berry, where he jokes about his resemblance to Ellen DeGeneres. It's interesting that they're actually commenting on these contestants' lack of airtime.
Next up is David Cook, the rocker with the dumb-looking hair. He sings "Happy Together" by The Turtles. He starts the song slowly, and already I'm starting to wonder if slowing down songs is going to be a running theme tonight. He later starts "rocking out," which makes my mother cringe and comment that his singing is "too affected." Something about his singing reminds me of Denver, lead singer of The Mile High Orchestra. I think it's that "push the words out" phrasing he employs. Randy and Paula both like it, which tells me already that David's going to be one of the pimped ones. Simon says it was "almost believeable" and Randy throws in a reference to Alice in Chains. I didn't like it, but he'll probably gets votes based on the judges' comments.
Next up is another member of the no-airtime crew: Jason Yeager. I said before that I liked him based on his interview, so now I finally get to learn something about him with the opening clip. We find out that he's a singing server and has a son. Interesting. He chooses "Moon River" as his song, and sad to say, he flubs it by losing the beat several times. His voice reminds me of Phil Stacey's at certain points, though overall I wouldn't say he sounds that much like him. Whereas David Cook sings like Denver, Jason actually kind of looks like him. Randy advises him to concentrate more. Paula says the song has sentimental value to her, since she did her first ballet recital to it. Jason says he chose it because it reminded him of his grandmother. Awwwww. Simon says the song makes him seem older and that the performance was very "cruise ship." The judges get into a weird discussion about dogs before it's all said and done. Jason seems a bit cheesy to me, but hey, I'm a cheesy person too. I'm voting for him.
Now we come to Chris Daughtry soundalike Robbie Carrico. He's pretty open about his pop past and the fact that he once toured with Britney Spears. He deserves a cookie for his honesty. He mentions that in Hollywood he did the Fuel song "Hemorrhage." Considering Chris Daughtry did that song on "Idol," he's not doing much to come across as original. He sings "One" by Three Dog Night, and I'll admit he does a very good job with it. Still, I'm not a fan of the "modern rock" Robbie evidently wants to make, so he can get his votes somewhere else. One thing I'll give him though, is that he's better than David Cook. Randy likes it, Paula says it a was a little over the top, and Simon says it was the best performance of the night so far but that he's still not convinced Robbie is a true rocker. Just what we need on "Idol": a debate about musical credibility.
Next up is semi-plant David Archuleta. I guess he's not so bad if "Star Search" is the extent of his previous experience, but I'm probably not going to vote for him unless he's the least "planty" of the remaining contestants. He's really nervous and giggly in his introduction clip, which makes my mother comment that he seems "innocent and real." I'll admit his dorkiness is somewhat endearing. He sings "Shop Around" by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. Personally, I find his tone weird. It has sort of an Eric Carmen quality to it. I like Eric Carmen, but David's voice doesn't seem to fit the song. Overall, his performance is all right, but I don't think it's anything earth-moving. Randy and Paula both talk about how mature and brave his performance is for someone his age, which seems to be an early clue that David will be getting the same types of comments as Jordin Sparks last year. Simon says it was the best of the night and that David has "got it." Ryan lets David bask in his pimpedness for a few moments before they go to a commercial.
Next up is Danny "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Noriega. He talks about how he made it to Hollywood last year, but failed because he tried to create an image for himself that he thought would be more what they were looking for. Now he's just being his flamboyant self and wants his performances to be "hot". He sings "Jailhouse Rock," which shouldn't have been an option for this week seeing as how it's from 1957, and it's just weird. His voice is too nasal to fit this song, and my mother comments that he definitely doesn't come across as "hot". Randy says it was "kind of hot," Paula says it was "very warm, almost scalding" (huh?), and Simon says it was "verging on grotesque." Danny makes weird faces while listening to the judges, and when talking to Ryan he says he thought it would be a fun song choice but that evidently some people (looking in Simon's direction) "weren't LI-kin' it!" Ryan tells him to be careful, because Simon might double-snap him right back. I'm sorry, but the gay innuendos between Simon and Ryan are just awkward when Danny's around. He'll probably be back next week due to Vote For the Worst's support, but he has to pick better songs.
Another guy with little airtime, Luke Menard, performs next. We find out that he tried out last year but didn't make it. He sings "Everybody's Talkin'" by Harry Nilsson. My mother really loves it, and I think he pulls it off well, missing no more than a note or two. Randy says he was sharp (as in off-key) and Paula agrees with him, leaving me utterly confused, as it sounded fine to me. Paula also comments that she likes his Kenny Loggins tenderness. Simon says whether he was pitchy or not (is that the first time Simon's used the word "pitchy?") he was forgettable, and I'm starting to think they're trying to anti-pimp Luke. Luke sort of talks back by saying he disagrees with the judges' assessment of him, but I don't think his comments are as bad as Chikezie's were. I just hope he makes it to next week.
Next up is theater boy Colton Berry. In his intro clip he mentions that he sings the "Teletubbies" theme in his head whenever he gets nervous. Is that another Chris Sligh-like dig at Simon? He chooses an Elvis song, this time one that's actually from the 60's, with "Suspicious Minds." It seems like the music and his vocals aren't mixed very well for some reason. This kid's definitely got talent, but his voice isn't quite at the level it needs to be to win this show. He missed too many notes for my liking. Randy says it started rough but he eventually found himself, Paula says it was nice but not his best performance, and Simon says he doesn't see Colton as a recording artist. He seems like a nice kid and I hope he sticks around, but I don't think he's in it for the long haul.
Now we have another unknown, Garrett Haley. Ryan gives Garrett a little pre-performance interview due to his lack of airtime. I guess Nigel Lythgoe might be listening to the complaints about our unfamiliarity with these contestants after all. Apparently they read the internet discussions, since Ryan brings up the talk of Garrett's resemblance to both Peter Frampton and Leif Garrett. Garrett seems like he wants to be funny, since he comments on how he also looks like Ellen DeGeneres and pretends that he just wants to talk to the camera. He sings the boring, slowed-down, loungy version of Neil Sedaka's "Breaking Up is Hard to Do." Honestly, he sounds like just another kid with a high-pitched voice. His singing isn't that great, and his personality is a slightly spaced-out version of laid-back. I think he may have been put in just to make the favored contestants look better. Randy says he needs to make the song his own. Paula says not to be afraid to tell Rickey Minor to speed up the song in the middle (a gimmick that's been used twice in this episode already). Simon tells him it was boring and that he looks like a shut-in. To his credit, Garrett doesn't seem to take himself too seriously and he accepts the criticism well.
Now we have the guy with dreadlocks, Jason Castro. He didn't get any airtime, but at least he now holds the distinction of being the first contestant in "American Idol" history to play an instrument with his performance. Guitar in hand, he sings The Lovin' Spoonful's "Daydream," which I suppose fits with his laid-back personality. My mother says his look doesn't match his voice, and I kind of agree. It's not the best voice, as he misses a few notes, but overall he gives a solid, fun performance. Randy says it was pitchy but all right, Paula says it blew her away, and Simon says it was one of the top two performances of the night and that Jason has "just got it." Not bad, especially since he says in his website interview video that he's only been singing for a few years.
Finally we get the guy "Idol" junkies are already predicting is this year's "chosen one," Australian Michael Johns. In his interview video he talks about how he's been in America for his entire adult life, which is obviously for the people who think it's improper that a non-American-born contestant is on this show. He sings "Light My Fire" by The Doors, and does his best Eddie Vedder impression in the process. Seriously, this guy is a total copycat. I'd think it was stupid even if he weren't one of the plants. My mother hangs her head when she hears it. Randy and Paula love it, of course. Simon says he doesn't think it was the best performance they've seen from him, but that he's "just got it." I guess "just got it" is going to be this year's judge catchphrase.
I'd say there are some definite talents in this year's group of guys, but several are a bit on the overrated side. There aren't many girls who interest me in this bunch, but perhaps I'll like some of them more after I hear them.
Now that I've recapped all the performances it's time for predictions. I'll divide them into four tiers.
Probably Going Home (I predict these two will be leaving)
Jason Y.
Garrett
Also Vulnerable (I could see these people going as well)
Chikezie
Luke
Colton
Probably Safe (I doubt these people will be leaving, but I wouldn't be completely surprised if they did)
David H.
David C.
Robbie
Danny
I'd Be Shocked (I would be amazed if these people went home)
David A.
Jason C.
Michael
Whom I voted for: David H., Chikezie, Jason Y., Luke, Colton and Garrett. Some of them gave bad performances, but I think they're all underdogs who deserve a second shot next week.
Check back for the girls' performance recap tomorrow!
Friday, February 15, 2008
One Extra Top 24 Thought
Alexandrea Lushington's interview video didn't work yesterday, but now that I've seen it I actually kind of like her. She has a cool personality and talks about being a positive role model if she wins. Sounds like the type of person I'd want to support.
To sum up, the contestants I'm interested in voting for this year are as follows:
Alexandrea Lushington
Ramiele Malubay
Amanda Overmyer
Brooke White
Chikezie Eze
Luke Menard
Jason Yeager
I probably won't be able to help some of them, but it won't stop me from trying.
To sum up, the contestants I'm interested in voting for this year are as follows:
Alexandrea Lushington
Ramiele Malubay
Amanda Overmyer
Brooke White
Chikezie Eze
Luke Menard
Jason Yeager
I probably won't be able to help some of them, but it won't stop me from trying.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
American Idol Top 24 Preview
Now that we know the Top 24 I thought I'd take a look at them and try to give some thoughts and predictions about each one. I'll be honest, the people I found the most interesting didn't make it (I totally would've voted for Kyle Ensley), and conspiracy theories are already abounding that some of these contestants are in the competition under false pretenses. Several of them have had previous record deals and many fans feel that these people have an unfair advantage because they're already experienced in the industry. I personally don't like the "plants," and I'm planning to find some underdogs to vote for this year.
Here are the Top 24, along with my thoughts. I've watched the interview videos and read the profiles on the "Idol" website, and I'm taking into account what I see to decide if I want to vote for these contestants. The profiles appear to be incomplete, since they aren't nearly as long as the ones from past seasons, so perhaps they'll be expanded later. Right now, I'm just going by what I see.
Top 12 Women
Joanne Borgella
We know she's a plus-sized model and she says she's had trouble making it in the industry because of her size. Based on the clips they showed of her she's a pretty good singer, but I would hardly say she's anything special. She seems fairly humble and likable in her interview, but I'm not sure if it's enough to make me want to vote for her. Ever since "Idol" went to the Top 24 format the last person of each gender to make it into the Top 24 has been eliminated just before the Top 12. If that trend continues Joanne will only get three performances.
Kristy Lee Cook
One of the "plants," Kristy (or is it Kristy Lee?) once had a major label deal and was managed by LeAnn Rimes' manager. She can definitely sing, but there's nothing about her singing that stands out to me. I sort of want to like her, since she seems somewhat wholesome, but there are certain things about her I don't like. Besides that, she's already had her chances to make it. I'm not sure what effect the internet will have on this year's voting. It's possible that there'll be backlash against these plants or it's possible that most voters will like them because they don't known about their plant-ness. Personally, I hope the plants either give poor performances or just don't connect with the audience. That way they can get voted out on their own merits, because I feel like a jerk for rooting against some of these people.
Amy Davis
We saw her audition, but I barely even remember it. After consulting YouTube, I can say that this girl's another one who's "just OK." I remember reading on the internet that she's a model as well. Basically, she's a good-looking girl with an OK voice, but nothing much stands out about her. Even her name is undistinctive. They didn't show much of her in Hollywood, so I'm assuming the powers that be don't have high hopes for her. I won't be surprised if she's one of the first to go.
Asia'h Epperson
Ah, yes. The girl whose father died two days before her audition. She's had to deal with a lot to get to where she is. She's another with a decent voice who seems likable enough, but I don't know if I care enough about her to vote for her. She comes across as a little too cheerful in her interview video, and that stud in her nose annoys me. Granted, Jordin Sparks had one and I voted for her in last year's finale, but that was more because I didn't want Blake Lewis to win. Unless her performances just don't measure up, she'll probably stay in the competition for a while because of her back story.
Alexandrea Lushington
Another where they showed her audition, but not much of her in Hollywood. Going back to YouTube just to remember her, I'd say she's pretty good. She might stay in this thing a while. At this point, I've noticed that I keep saying the same things about these women. I guess I could make a blanket statement that male singers tend to be more interesting than female singers, at least on this show. All these R & B, pop, country and even rock singers seem like a dime a dozen to me. If you want to impress me you need to show me something different either in your voice, personality or musical style. I'm not seeing that from many of these girls.
Kady Malloy
This is the girl who could do vocal impersonations, and Simon called her audition the best he'd heard all year at the time. They didn't show her much in Hollywood. Based on her interview and profile she seems to have an interesting personality, but if she's just another country blonde I won't be voting for her. I have a feeling she could either go really far or be eliminated within the first few weeks due to blending in too much. We shall see.
Ramiele Malubay
Here's a girl that's somewhat different. She's Filipino and proud of it. She wants to be the first Asian American Idol. She seems like just another diva, but she's definitely good enough for this competition. I suppose I'm spoiled after watching Melinda Doolittle last year, but her voice does seem to have a few flaws. Hopefully she won't try to overdo it and she'll pick songs that she can pull off. There's some talk that she might last a while because Filipinos tend to be extremely proud and supportive of their own. I guess she's a nice alternative to some of these nondescript girls. Perhaps I'll cast some votes for her.
Syesha Mercado
We know that Syesha was on a failed reality show called "The One." She lost her voice in Hollywood and had to save it all to belt out her performance. She's got some pipes and is definitely an attractive young woman. She comes across as a little "overconfident" in her interview video, so that attitude could either make people like her or turn them off. I don't think I'll be voting for her, but I imagine she'll probably get pretty far in the competition if she doesn't have vocal problems.
Amanda Overmyer
Now here's a girl who really stands out to me. She's a nurse by day and a rock star by night. Her voice sounds like a cross between Janis Joplin and Grace Slick. I'm normally not into "rocker chicks," but this girl seems like something different that I could get into. She's also from Indiana, a state that's been underrepresented on this show. Simon expressed a (legitimate, in my opinion) concern that her voice is somewhat one-dimensional, and perhaps it'll hurt her if her performances are always the same thing. Still, I like her. For now I think I'll be supporting her.
Carly Smithson
Ah yes, the queen of the plants. Carly, as most people who follow the competition on the internet know, had a major label deal back at the turn of the century. The record company spent over $2 million on her, but the album sold less than 400 copies. She's also from Ireland and has a huge tattoo on her arm. She has a good voice, but I don't think she's as great as the judges seem to think she is. She has these weird eyebrows that give her a sort of sinister look. Even though she apparently really wants to win this competition, I can't support her at all. She's had her chance already, she may or may not be an actual American citizen, I don't like her image, and to top it all off, her voice is really nothing unique minus the Irish accent. I'm sure she's probably a nice person, but I hope she's one of the first to go (though she'll probably be heavily pimped and last a long time).
Alaina Whitaker
Another bland blonde with a country bent. I have a feeling she'll be one of the first to go, since she'll have to compete with Kristy and Kady for the same voters and she's only 16. There's really nothing much else to say about her.
Brooke White
We've reached the end of the girls and we now have a grand total of three that I actually have some interest in voting for. Brooke is a Mormon singer-songwriter who works as a nanny and has never seen an R-rated movie. She seems incredibly nice and wholesome, and doggone it, we need more people like that. I'm not totally thrilled by her musical style, but I like her as a person. After watching her interview video I liked her even more, because she seemed genuine and down-to-earth. I'm supporting her, and with the amount of airtime she's gotten I imagine she'll last a while.
Top 12 Men
David Archuleta
You wouldn't know it from watching the show, but David won "Star Search" when he was 12. The only thing they tell us about him is that he once had a paralyzed vocal cord. The boy can sing, but I personally don't find him all that interesting. As Simon said though, he's talented, good-looking, and likable. Throw in all the pimpage he seems to be getting and I think we have another one who's in it for the long haul.
Colton Berry
They barely showed this guy, but he was the last male to make the Top 24. He's a theater geek, and as such he doesn't come across as the most masculine contestant. From what little we saw of him he seems like a decent singer, and I imagine girls would find him good-looking. Again, based on the "last one in" curse, he should be eliminated in the final cut before the Top 12.
Robbie Carrico
This guy used to be in a teen pop group, and according to the internet he actually used to go out with Britney Spears. Now he's a Chris Daughtry-esque rocker. He's pretty good from what I heard, but as I'm not a fan of Chris Daughtry's style (I refer to it as "bore-rock") I have no reason to vote for this guy. I predict he'll go moderately far, but I'm not sure if he'll make it to the "home stretch" of the competititon.
Jason Castro
He was the white guy with dreadlocks that you kept seeing in the background but whose performances never got shown. It seems like a lot of girls think he's good-looking, but his lack of screen time will probably hurt him. He seems like a pretty laid-back guy based on his interview, and he's apparently only been singing for a few years. The dreadlocks might set him apart enough that he'll make it past some of the people who got more hype than him, but unless he's really good I have a feeling that the best he can hope for is to make it just past the Semifinals.
David Cook
Another rocker guy who got a good bit of screen time. He's OK, but like Robbie Carrico, he appears to be another bore-rocker. He seems to have slightly more personality than Robbie based on his interview, but that's not saying much. He'll probably get far based on the initial hype, but I doubt I'll be voting for him. He has the same last name as Kristy Lee Cook, and we all know what they say about too many Cooks...
Chikezie Eze
The only black male contestant in the Top 24, Chikezie was cut in Hollywood last year. I liked his audition, and I think he could be a good alternative to these uninteresting girls and bore-rockers. I don't see him getting especially far, but I won't be completely surprised if he does. After watching his interview video I think I may vote for him. He's an old-school soul singer, and he seems likable.
Garrett Haley
There's not much to say about this guy, since we never saw him during the auditions or Hollywood. Nothing in his interview stood out to me. He looks a bit like Kalan Porter from Season 2 of "Canadian Idol." Unless he's really good, his lack of screen time means he'll probably be one of the first to go.
David Hernandez
His audition was shown retroactively during Hollywood. He's got some talent, but Simon told him he really needed to step up his game if he wanted to have even the slightest chance of winning. My father walked by when they were showing him and he casually said: "He's good. He'll make it." I don't know if David (one of three contestants with that name) is distinctive enough to make a big splash, but like Kady Malloy, I could see him either being one of the first to go or making it really far.
Michael Johns
This guy has a lot in common with Carly Smithson. He's not originally from America (he's Australian), he once had a record deal, and he's getting tons of screen time. A lot of girls seem to like him because of his looks, even those who know he's a "plant." There's a story about him allegedly stealing a song from a band he used to be a member of, but he claims the band is making the situation out to be worse than it is. He considers himself a blue-eyed soul singer, but Simon seems to like him a lot more than Taylor Hicks. There's some speculation that he's this year's "chosen one," but I won't be voting for him because of his plant status. I will admit though, that he's really good, so rooting against him might be futile.
Luke Menard
Another guy they didn't show at all during auditions or Hollywood. Based on what we know through the internet, he was part of an a cappella group called Chapter 6. I've heard their stuff, and it's actually kind of cool. After watching his interview I really like him. He wants to be the next American Idol so that he can be a positive role model, which is something you don't hear enough from these hopefuls. A lot of girls seem to find him attractive (he looks a lot like Patrick Dempsey), so perhaps that'll help him overcome his lack of screen time. Still, I don't see him making it very far based on his unfamiliarity.
Danny Noriega
This kid made it to Hollywood last year. He seems a bit light in the loafers, but he's got a pretty good voice. He's gotten some screen time so far, and Vote For the Worst seems to consider him an early favorite due to his somewhat idiosyncratic style, so perhaps he'll be around a while. I have a feeling he won't make it to the home stretch, but I could see him getting into the Top 12.
Jason Yeager
Finally, one more guy who was shown for the first time when he made the Top 24. Apparently he was once on the show "Making the Band." I haven't heard him sing, but based on his interview I actually like him. He seems to be a Christian based on his profile, and he's one of the few contestants who gives props to Taylor Hicks when asked about which past Idol he'd compare himself to. I think I may vote for him, but I don't know if it'll be enough to save him from being one of the first people cut.
To sum up, if I had to venture a guess as to how this season will go it'd look something like this:
First week of Semifinals:
Amy Davis
Alaina Whitaker
Garrett Haley
Jason Yeager
Second week of Semifinals:
Alexandrea Lushington
Kady Malloy
David Hernandez
Luke Menard
Third week of Semifinals:
Joanne Borgella
Amanda Overmyer
Colton Berry
Chikezie Eze
12. Jason Castro
11. Asia'h Epperson
10. Danny Noriega
9. Robbie Carrico
8. Ramiele Malubay
7. David Archuleta
6. Kristy Lee Cook
5. Carly Smithson
4. David Cook
3. Syesha Mercado
2. Brooke White
1. Michael Johns
Now, this list could easily change once we see some of these contestants on the "Idol" stage. Some of them might be better or worse than we think. Some might have to sing through a cold or forget the lyrics. At this point anything can happen, and it usually does. While I'm not too keen on the plants this year, hopefully this season will still be entertaining and not feel like a sham. I hope to post recaps and predictions on this blog over the course of the season, and maybe somebody somewhere will actually read and enjoy them.
Here are the Top 24, along with my thoughts. I've watched the interview videos and read the profiles on the "Idol" website, and I'm taking into account what I see to decide if I want to vote for these contestants. The profiles appear to be incomplete, since they aren't nearly as long as the ones from past seasons, so perhaps they'll be expanded later. Right now, I'm just going by what I see.
Top 12 Women
Joanne Borgella
We know she's a plus-sized model and she says she's had trouble making it in the industry because of her size. Based on the clips they showed of her she's a pretty good singer, but I would hardly say she's anything special. She seems fairly humble and likable in her interview, but I'm not sure if it's enough to make me want to vote for her. Ever since "Idol" went to the Top 24 format the last person of each gender to make it into the Top 24 has been eliminated just before the Top 12. If that trend continues Joanne will only get three performances.
Kristy Lee Cook
One of the "plants," Kristy (or is it Kristy Lee?) once had a major label deal and was managed by LeAnn Rimes' manager. She can definitely sing, but there's nothing about her singing that stands out to me. I sort of want to like her, since she seems somewhat wholesome, but there are certain things about her I don't like. Besides that, she's already had her chances to make it. I'm not sure what effect the internet will have on this year's voting. It's possible that there'll be backlash against these plants or it's possible that most voters will like them because they don't known about their plant-ness. Personally, I hope the plants either give poor performances or just don't connect with the audience. That way they can get voted out on their own merits, because I feel like a jerk for rooting against some of these people.
Amy Davis
We saw her audition, but I barely even remember it. After consulting YouTube, I can say that this girl's another one who's "just OK." I remember reading on the internet that she's a model as well. Basically, she's a good-looking girl with an OK voice, but nothing much stands out about her. Even her name is undistinctive. They didn't show much of her in Hollywood, so I'm assuming the powers that be don't have high hopes for her. I won't be surprised if she's one of the first to go.
Asia'h Epperson
Ah, yes. The girl whose father died two days before her audition. She's had to deal with a lot to get to where she is. She's another with a decent voice who seems likable enough, but I don't know if I care enough about her to vote for her. She comes across as a little too cheerful in her interview video, and that stud in her nose annoys me. Granted, Jordin Sparks had one and I voted for her in last year's finale, but that was more because I didn't want Blake Lewis to win. Unless her performances just don't measure up, she'll probably stay in the competition for a while because of her back story.
Alexandrea Lushington
Another where they showed her audition, but not much of her in Hollywood. Going back to YouTube just to remember her, I'd say she's pretty good. She might stay in this thing a while. At this point, I've noticed that I keep saying the same things about these women. I guess I could make a blanket statement that male singers tend to be more interesting than female singers, at least on this show. All these R & B, pop, country and even rock singers seem like a dime a dozen to me. If you want to impress me you need to show me something different either in your voice, personality or musical style. I'm not seeing that from many of these girls.
Kady Malloy
This is the girl who could do vocal impersonations, and Simon called her audition the best he'd heard all year at the time. They didn't show her much in Hollywood. Based on her interview and profile she seems to have an interesting personality, but if she's just another country blonde I won't be voting for her. I have a feeling she could either go really far or be eliminated within the first few weeks due to blending in too much. We shall see.
Ramiele Malubay
Here's a girl that's somewhat different. She's Filipino and proud of it. She wants to be the first Asian American Idol. She seems like just another diva, but she's definitely good enough for this competition. I suppose I'm spoiled after watching Melinda Doolittle last year, but her voice does seem to have a few flaws. Hopefully she won't try to overdo it and she'll pick songs that she can pull off. There's some talk that she might last a while because Filipinos tend to be extremely proud and supportive of their own. I guess she's a nice alternative to some of these nondescript girls. Perhaps I'll cast some votes for her.
Syesha Mercado
We know that Syesha was on a failed reality show called "The One." She lost her voice in Hollywood and had to save it all to belt out her performance. She's got some pipes and is definitely an attractive young woman. She comes across as a little "overconfident" in her interview video, so that attitude could either make people like her or turn them off. I don't think I'll be voting for her, but I imagine she'll probably get pretty far in the competition if she doesn't have vocal problems.
Amanda Overmyer
Now here's a girl who really stands out to me. She's a nurse by day and a rock star by night. Her voice sounds like a cross between Janis Joplin and Grace Slick. I'm normally not into "rocker chicks," but this girl seems like something different that I could get into. She's also from Indiana, a state that's been underrepresented on this show. Simon expressed a (legitimate, in my opinion) concern that her voice is somewhat one-dimensional, and perhaps it'll hurt her if her performances are always the same thing. Still, I like her. For now I think I'll be supporting her.
Carly Smithson
Ah yes, the queen of the plants. Carly, as most people who follow the competition on the internet know, had a major label deal back at the turn of the century. The record company spent over $2 million on her, but the album sold less than 400 copies. She's also from Ireland and has a huge tattoo on her arm. She has a good voice, but I don't think she's as great as the judges seem to think she is. She has these weird eyebrows that give her a sort of sinister look. Even though she apparently really wants to win this competition, I can't support her at all. She's had her chance already, she may or may not be an actual American citizen, I don't like her image, and to top it all off, her voice is really nothing unique minus the Irish accent. I'm sure she's probably a nice person, but I hope she's one of the first to go (though she'll probably be heavily pimped and last a long time).
Alaina Whitaker
Another bland blonde with a country bent. I have a feeling she'll be one of the first to go, since she'll have to compete with Kristy and Kady for the same voters and she's only 16. There's really nothing much else to say about her.
Brooke White
We've reached the end of the girls and we now have a grand total of three that I actually have some interest in voting for. Brooke is a Mormon singer-songwriter who works as a nanny and has never seen an R-rated movie. She seems incredibly nice and wholesome, and doggone it, we need more people like that. I'm not totally thrilled by her musical style, but I like her as a person. After watching her interview video I liked her even more, because she seemed genuine and down-to-earth. I'm supporting her, and with the amount of airtime she's gotten I imagine she'll last a while.
Top 12 Men
David Archuleta
You wouldn't know it from watching the show, but David won "Star Search" when he was 12. The only thing they tell us about him is that he once had a paralyzed vocal cord. The boy can sing, but I personally don't find him all that interesting. As Simon said though, he's talented, good-looking, and likable. Throw in all the pimpage he seems to be getting and I think we have another one who's in it for the long haul.
Colton Berry
They barely showed this guy, but he was the last male to make the Top 24. He's a theater geek, and as such he doesn't come across as the most masculine contestant. From what little we saw of him he seems like a decent singer, and I imagine girls would find him good-looking. Again, based on the "last one in" curse, he should be eliminated in the final cut before the Top 12.
Robbie Carrico
This guy used to be in a teen pop group, and according to the internet he actually used to go out with Britney Spears. Now he's a Chris Daughtry-esque rocker. He's pretty good from what I heard, but as I'm not a fan of Chris Daughtry's style (I refer to it as "bore-rock") I have no reason to vote for this guy. I predict he'll go moderately far, but I'm not sure if he'll make it to the "home stretch" of the competititon.
Jason Castro
He was the white guy with dreadlocks that you kept seeing in the background but whose performances never got shown. It seems like a lot of girls think he's good-looking, but his lack of screen time will probably hurt him. He seems like a pretty laid-back guy based on his interview, and he's apparently only been singing for a few years. The dreadlocks might set him apart enough that he'll make it past some of the people who got more hype than him, but unless he's really good I have a feeling that the best he can hope for is to make it just past the Semifinals.
David Cook
Another rocker guy who got a good bit of screen time. He's OK, but like Robbie Carrico, he appears to be another bore-rocker. He seems to have slightly more personality than Robbie based on his interview, but that's not saying much. He'll probably get far based on the initial hype, but I doubt I'll be voting for him. He has the same last name as Kristy Lee Cook, and we all know what they say about too many Cooks...
Chikezie Eze
The only black male contestant in the Top 24, Chikezie was cut in Hollywood last year. I liked his audition, and I think he could be a good alternative to these uninteresting girls and bore-rockers. I don't see him getting especially far, but I won't be completely surprised if he does. After watching his interview video I think I may vote for him. He's an old-school soul singer, and he seems likable.
Garrett Haley
There's not much to say about this guy, since we never saw him during the auditions or Hollywood. Nothing in his interview stood out to me. He looks a bit like Kalan Porter from Season 2 of "Canadian Idol." Unless he's really good, his lack of screen time means he'll probably be one of the first to go.
David Hernandez
His audition was shown retroactively during Hollywood. He's got some talent, but Simon told him he really needed to step up his game if he wanted to have even the slightest chance of winning. My father walked by when they were showing him and he casually said: "He's good. He'll make it." I don't know if David (one of three contestants with that name) is distinctive enough to make a big splash, but like Kady Malloy, I could see him either being one of the first to go or making it really far.
Michael Johns
This guy has a lot in common with Carly Smithson. He's not originally from America (he's Australian), he once had a record deal, and he's getting tons of screen time. A lot of girls seem to like him because of his looks, even those who know he's a "plant." There's a story about him allegedly stealing a song from a band he used to be a member of, but he claims the band is making the situation out to be worse than it is. He considers himself a blue-eyed soul singer, but Simon seems to like him a lot more than Taylor Hicks. There's some speculation that he's this year's "chosen one," but I won't be voting for him because of his plant status. I will admit though, that he's really good, so rooting against him might be futile.
Luke Menard
Another guy they didn't show at all during auditions or Hollywood. Based on what we know through the internet, he was part of an a cappella group called Chapter 6. I've heard their stuff, and it's actually kind of cool. After watching his interview I really like him. He wants to be the next American Idol so that he can be a positive role model, which is something you don't hear enough from these hopefuls. A lot of girls seem to find him attractive (he looks a lot like Patrick Dempsey), so perhaps that'll help him overcome his lack of screen time. Still, I don't see him making it very far based on his unfamiliarity.
Danny Noriega
This kid made it to Hollywood last year. He seems a bit light in the loafers, but he's got a pretty good voice. He's gotten some screen time so far, and Vote For the Worst seems to consider him an early favorite due to his somewhat idiosyncratic style, so perhaps he'll be around a while. I have a feeling he won't make it to the home stretch, but I could see him getting into the Top 12.
Jason Yeager
Finally, one more guy who was shown for the first time when he made the Top 24. Apparently he was once on the show "Making the Band." I haven't heard him sing, but based on his interview I actually like him. He seems to be a Christian based on his profile, and he's one of the few contestants who gives props to Taylor Hicks when asked about which past Idol he'd compare himself to. I think I may vote for him, but I don't know if it'll be enough to save him from being one of the first people cut.
To sum up, if I had to venture a guess as to how this season will go it'd look something like this:
First week of Semifinals:
Amy Davis
Alaina Whitaker
Garrett Haley
Jason Yeager
Second week of Semifinals:
Alexandrea Lushington
Kady Malloy
David Hernandez
Luke Menard
Third week of Semifinals:
Joanne Borgella
Amanda Overmyer
Colton Berry
Chikezie Eze
12. Jason Castro
11. Asia'h Epperson
10. Danny Noriega
9. Robbie Carrico
8. Ramiele Malubay
7. David Archuleta
6. Kristy Lee Cook
5. Carly Smithson
4. David Cook
3. Syesha Mercado
2. Brooke White
1. Michael Johns
Now, this list could easily change once we see some of these contestants on the "Idol" stage. Some of them might be better or worse than we think. Some might have to sing through a cold or forget the lyrics. At this point anything can happen, and it usually does. While I'm not too keen on the plants this year, hopefully this season will still be entertaining and not feel like a sham. I hope to post recaps and predictions on this blog over the course of the season, and maybe somebody somewhere will actually read and enjoy them.
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