Tonight the girls will have the opportunity to make their best effort to impress me. Just like the boys last night, they can pick ANY song that they think will make you want to call in and cast your vote. When left to their own devices, here's what they chose:
The girl from the Chicago suburbs, Gina Glockson, decided to take a stab at the biggest hit of Heart's illustrious career. They spent three weeks at #1 with Alone in 1987. The song requires a big voice and Gina pulled it off. Her problems are going to come from her confused image. What is she conveying with the bright red streak in her hair? While her look is a bad choice, she made a good choice with the song.
The Dixie Chicks just won the Grammy for Record of the Year for Not Ready To Make Nice two weeks ago. The song leaped back into this week's top 5. Alaina Alexander took quite a risk in deciding to attempt this song that is fresh in everybody's hearts and minds. She remained very poised and confident even though it was a pale imitation of the original. Bad Choice.
Gladys Knight has a legendary track record of hits with the #1 smash from 1973, Midnight Train To Georgia, at the very top of the list. LaKisha Jones has the powerful voice that makes her rendition much more than a mere imitation. With a different look including the long hair and the short skirt, she proved her status as a front-runner. Good Choice.
My Funny Valentine is a pop-standard that has been performed by many of the greatest singers in history. Melinda Doolittle has once again proven that she should never go back to being a back-up singer again. As if she is already one of the greats, she belted the song out exactly as it is intended to be. More than a Good Choice. Impressive.
The Jersey Girl, Antonella Barba, decided that she needed to change her image tonight. This time around she felt that Celine Dion's #1 hit from 1996, Because You Loved Me, would cast her in a better light. But it really doesn't matter. Antonella is not a great singer who happens to be pretty. Nope, she's an extremely attractive young woman who is trying to sing. She made flawless fashion choices, but as for song choice - Irrelevant.
In 1998, Christina Aguilera got her big break in music when Disney asked her to sing the theme from Mulan, Reflection. It is an incredibly challanging song and Jordin Sparks hoped that she has the voice to handle it. The great news is that she does. With every key change and crescendo, Jordin demostrated that she made a Good Choice.
Beyonce released her first solo album in 2003, Dangerously In Love. Stephanie Edwards performed the title track with perfection and she made it look effortless. She belted out the big notes at the end with graceful ease. While it was very close to the original, that can only be viewed as a compliment. Good Choice.
The Chicago dog-walker, Leslie Hunt, should have never stopped performing in the neighborhood cafe. She is out-classed in every respect in this competition. She is not the prettiest girl at the party and she definitely does not have the best voice. It's hard to believe she sang the same song that AJ Tabaldo flipped and flounced through last night. I'm sure she thought she jazzed it up with her earthy brand of be-bop. All the energy she tried to bring to her performance was still too small for this big stage. Bad Choice.
Haley Scarnato tried to stand out as the Queen Of The Night by performing the said cut from Whitney Houston's 1992 Bodyguard soundtrack. It's a fun energetic song, but just because you sing it, that doesn't make it true. This song did not allow either her voice or her personality to take center stage. Both were lost in this Bad Choice.
A return to the Whitney Houston catalog was found in the performance by Sabrina Sloan. She wrapped her very capable vocals around the song that spent two weeks at #1 in 1991, All The Man I Need. She has lots of power and lots of confidence in her voice and style. But with a pack of other really good singers surrounding her, she'd better watch her back. Good Choice.
Of all the bad choices made tonight, the ones that will send someone home were made by Alaina Alexander and Leslie Hunt.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
The 10 boys and their second chance...
The 10 Boys who are lucky enough to get this second chance to impress me really have it easy tonight. They can pick ANY song they want to perform. Any song that will make them sound their best. Here's what they chose to do:
Phil Stacey thought that the most boring #1 song from 1984, John Waite's Missing You, was going to make the best impression. I have to disagree. It's a bland song, but he did his best to add some vocal gymnastics at the end. I simply don't think it was enough. His voice is not distinctive in any way and his range is very limited. Bad choice.
Marvin Gaye spent two weeks at #1 in 1973 with Let's Get It On. Jared Cotter once again is sticking with songs that accentuate his positives. He's a tall, dark and handsome young man and this song allowed him to maximize the look with the voice. His voice is smooth and he let it flow effortlessly through every note the song demanded. Good Choice.
AJ Tabaldo is feeling good and he let it show. His inner diva video vamp was front and center with this cabaret vocal showcase. He started out slow and sultry and then with two snaps up and a twirl he showed off exactly what his voice can do. This came quite naturally to him as he was clearly having a great time. Good Choice.
Sanjaya Malakar is stuck with the look of an annoying little brother. He has to try extra hard to prove he's a real contender. The truth is, though, that vocally he's not. He looked like he was playing dress up with his hair pulled back and a hat tipped over one eye. He sang the classic Steppin Out With My Baby and it just fizzled. Bad choice.
Chris Sligh is stuck with the look of a cartoon character. It can be problematic when he's trying to be taken seriously has a bluesy rocker. He's going to have to make sure every song he chooses can get the audience to really listen to the lyrics and vocals and get past the clown they are looking at. Tonight, he will be saved because he made a Good Choice.
Being stuck with "a look" is not Nick Pedro's problem at all. He's a cute guy with a weak voice and a limited range. He gave his all with his bland interpretation of Peggy Lee's top 10 signature song from 1958, Fever. Nick added nothing to make this legendary song his own. Weak Choice.
The video for Virtual Insanity by Jamiroquai won the MTV Video music award for best video of the year in 1997. No other contestant could have done this song justice except Blake Lewis. He has the fluid vocal range and the smooth moves to bring the video into reality. And when he threw in the perfectly placed beat box there was no doubt that he made an Excellant Choice.
Cyndi Lauper broke free of her Girls Just Want To Have Fun image when she took the beautiful ballad Time After Time to #1 for two weeks in 1984. Brandon Rogers broke free from his chances of winning this competition with his completely drippy rendition of the song. It gave him no opportunity to show his range or personality. Bad Choice.
Chris Richardson is another cute guy with a limited vocal range. But unlike that other contestant, he chose a fun, uptempo song to try and leave his mark. Even though Geek In The Pink is an obscure album track that barely cracked the charts from a Jason Mraz album from 2005, Chris made it entertaining and left you wanting to hear it again. Good Choice.
Mustang Sally by Wilson Pickett is now a party favorite even though it didn't even hit the top 20 in 1966. Sundance Head (once again, his real name) made the best of his voice and his look with his energetic performance. He sounded confident that he had made a good choice. And I agree.
Two more boys will be going home, and if it is based on the bad choices they made tonight, it will be Sanjaya Malakar and Brandon Rogers.
Phil Stacey thought that the most boring #1 song from 1984, John Waite's Missing You, was going to make the best impression. I have to disagree. It's a bland song, but he did his best to add some vocal gymnastics at the end. I simply don't think it was enough. His voice is not distinctive in any way and his range is very limited. Bad choice.
Marvin Gaye spent two weeks at #1 in 1973 with Let's Get It On. Jared Cotter once again is sticking with songs that accentuate his positives. He's a tall, dark and handsome young man and this song allowed him to maximize the look with the voice. His voice is smooth and he let it flow effortlessly through every note the song demanded. Good Choice.
AJ Tabaldo is feeling good and he let it show. His inner diva video vamp was front and center with this cabaret vocal showcase. He started out slow and sultry and then with two snaps up and a twirl he showed off exactly what his voice can do. This came quite naturally to him as he was clearly having a great time. Good Choice.
Sanjaya Malakar is stuck with the look of an annoying little brother. He has to try extra hard to prove he's a real contender. The truth is, though, that vocally he's not. He looked like he was playing dress up with his hair pulled back and a hat tipped over one eye. He sang the classic Steppin Out With My Baby and it just fizzled. Bad choice.
Chris Sligh is stuck with the look of a cartoon character. It can be problematic when he's trying to be taken seriously has a bluesy rocker. He's going to have to make sure every song he chooses can get the audience to really listen to the lyrics and vocals and get past the clown they are looking at. Tonight, he will be saved because he made a Good Choice.
Being stuck with "a look" is not Nick Pedro's problem at all. He's a cute guy with a weak voice and a limited range. He gave his all with his bland interpretation of Peggy Lee's top 10 signature song from 1958, Fever. Nick added nothing to make this legendary song his own. Weak Choice.
The video for Virtual Insanity by Jamiroquai won the MTV Video music award for best video of the year in 1997. No other contestant could have done this song justice except Blake Lewis. He has the fluid vocal range and the smooth moves to bring the video into reality. And when he threw in the perfectly placed beat box there was no doubt that he made an Excellant Choice.
Cyndi Lauper broke free of her Girls Just Want To Have Fun image when she took the beautiful ballad Time After Time to #1 for two weeks in 1984. Brandon Rogers broke free from his chances of winning this competition with his completely drippy rendition of the song. It gave him no opportunity to show his range or personality. Bad Choice.
Chris Richardson is another cute guy with a limited vocal range. But unlike that other contestant, he chose a fun, uptempo song to try and leave his mark. Even though Geek In The Pink is an obscure album track that barely cracked the charts from a Jason Mraz album from 2005, Chris made it entertaining and left you wanting to hear it again. Good Choice.
Mustang Sally by Wilson Pickett is now a party favorite even though it didn't even hit the top 20 in 1966. Sundance Head (once again, his real name) made the best of his voice and his look with his energetic performance. He sounded confident that he had made a good choice. And I agree.
Two more boys will be going home, and if it is based on the bad choices they made tonight, it will be Sanjaya Malakar and Brandon Rogers.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Validation
As 2006 came to an end, the final numbers could be added to the record books. History will show that the best selling album of the 2006 was Some Hearts, by Season Four Miss American Idol Carrie Underwood.
As if that was not validation enough that a worthy superstar won the American Idol crown, just two weeks ago at the 2007 Grammy Awards, Carrie was honored with the award for Best New Artist. With this award Carrie now joins the ranks of previous multi-platinum winners Toni Braxton, Sheryl Crow, Leann Rimes, Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey.
An American Idol with both critical praise and massive sales. Congratulations Carrie!
Speaking of validation and congratulations, I am overjoyed for Chicago's own, Jennifer Hudson. I knew that when she was the Season Three Miss American Idol sixth runner up, that was not the last we would see of her.
It was over a year ago when I first heard that she was cast in the showstopping role of Effie White in the movie version of DreamGirls. It was perfect casting and I waited with anticipation until I could finally see her blow us away on the big screen. She did not disappoint.
A month ago she was honored with a Golden Globe for her amazing performance and now she was awarded the highest accolade in show business: The Academy Award. The history books now show that an American Idol finalist is an Oscar winner!
Carrie and Jennifer are talented artists and they don't need awards for validation. But it sure is nice to see them get the biggest recognition there is for stuff that I saw in them from their very first auditions.
As if that was not validation enough that a worthy superstar won the American Idol crown, just two weeks ago at the 2007 Grammy Awards, Carrie was honored with the award for Best New Artist. With this award Carrie now joins the ranks of previous multi-platinum winners Toni Braxton, Sheryl Crow, Leann Rimes, Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey.
An American Idol with both critical praise and massive sales. Congratulations Carrie!
Speaking of validation and congratulations, I am overjoyed for Chicago's own, Jennifer Hudson. I knew that when she was the Season Three Miss American Idol sixth runner up, that was not the last we would see of her.
It was over a year ago when I first heard that she was cast in the showstopping role of Effie White in the movie version of DreamGirls. It was perfect casting and I waited with anticipation until I could finally see her blow us away on the big screen. She did not disappoint.
A month ago she was honored with a Golden Globe for her amazing performance and now she was awarded the highest accolade in show business: The Academy Award. The history books now show that an American Idol finalist is an Oscar winner!
Carrie and Jennifer are talented artists and they don't need awards for validation. But it sure is nice to see them get the biggest recognition there is for stuff that I saw in them from their very first auditions.
Friday, February 23, 2007
The four going home are...
Tears for Fears had a string of big hits in the late 80's including Sowing The Seeds Of Love that peaked at #2 in 1989. All 24 contestants took the stage to perform a hippie love child group rendition of the song. It must have been rough for four of them, who will likely be shedding quite a few Tears of their own.
Six of the boys were gathered on stage. One by one Ryan let them know if they were safe or not. Brandon, Sundance, Christopher, Nick, and Blake were all safe leaving Paul on stage by himself. Ryan broke the news to the barefoot boy that he is the first one to be sent home. Paul Kim sang Careless Whisper once again and even with his shoes on this time around, it still wasn't very good.
Six of the girls then needed to stand center stage. Jordin, Stephanie, Sabrina, Leslie, Melinda and Antonella all got the safe signal from Ryan. Then Ryan asked Amy to take the stage by herself to let her know she was going home. Her performance last night wasn't enough to make us love her, but still we had to listen to her sing I Can't Make You Love Me one more time.
Season Three Miss American Idol Fantasia graced the stage to perform the song I'm Here from the musical The Color Purple. Turns out she's going to be opening on Broadway to perform the song every night. Good for her. It's a style of music that is a perfect match for her. Her rendition of Summertime is still at the top of the list of the best American Idol performances of all time.
The five remaining girls then needed to hear their fate. Haley, LaKisha, Gina were all safe. Nicole and Alaina were the final two on stage and Ryan announced that Alaina is safe. Nicole's performance was even more weird the second time around. What was she singing? What was she wearing? Since she's going home, these questions may never be answered.
The final six boys now had to hear the good or bad news. Chris, Phil, Jerod, AJ all recieved good news leaving Sanjaya and Rudy. The bad news was given to Rudy. It's a shame that this nice guy has to leave so soon. He has a very nice voice, but he chose the wrong song. He sang his cheesy version of Free Ride again and it was a guilty pleasure - just not the makings of an American Idol.
I only got two of my four predictions right. Amy and Paul were no surprise. As for Leslie and Sanjaya, well, looks like we're gonna have to suffer through their second attempt to impress next week. Brace yourselves...
Six of the boys were gathered on stage. One by one Ryan let them know if they were safe or not. Brandon, Sundance, Christopher, Nick, and Blake were all safe leaving Paul on stage by himself. Ryan broke the news to the barefoot boy that he is the first one to be sent home. Paul Kim sang Careless Whisper once again and even with his shoes on this time around, it still wasn't very good.
Six of the girls then needed to stand center stage. Jordin, Stephanie, Sabrina, Leslie, Melinda and Antonella all got the safe signal from Ryan. Then Ryan asked Amy to take the stage by herself to let her know she was going home. Her performance last night wasn't enough to make us love her, but still we had to listen to her sing I Can't Make You Love Me one more time.
Season Three Miss American Idol Fantasia graced the stage to perform the song I'm Here from the musical The Color Purple. Turns out she's going to be opening on Broadway to perform the song every night. Good for her. It's a style of music that is a perfect match for her. Her rendition of Summertime is still at the top of the list of the best American Idol performances of all time.
The five remaining girls then needed to hear their fate. Haley, LaKisha, Gina were all safe. Nicole and Alaina were the final two on stage and Ryan announced that Alaina is safe. Nicole's performance was even more weird the second time around. What was she singing? What was she wearing? Since she's going home, these questions may never be answered.
The final six boys now had to hear the good or bad news. Chris, Phil, Jerod, AJ all recieved good news leaving Sanjaya and Rudy. The bad news was given to Rudy. It's a shame that this nice guy has to leave so soon. He has a very nice voice, but he chose the wrong song. He sang his cheesy version of Free Ride again and it was a guilty pleasure - just not the makings of an American Idol.
I only got two of my four predictions right. Amy and Paul were no surprise. As for Leslie and Sanjaya, well, looks like we're gonna have to suffer through their second attempt to impress next week. Brace yourselves...
The 12 Girls - First Attempt to Impress
Last night the boys failed to make much of an impression. Here's how the girls attempted to make the best of this opportunity to impress me:
Stephanie Edwards is a 19 year old college student. She has the look and the style of a more mature performer. Alicia Keys is a great example of that kind of vibe, as found in her R&B hit from 2002, How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore. Stephanie isn't quite in the same league as Alicia yet, but this is only the first week. Her voice is good. Mildly Impressed.
Amy Krebs is a 22 year old optomitrists assistant. Let's hope the doctor will take her back after she is voted off. Bonnie Raitt managed to take I Can't Make You Love Me to the top 20 in 1992. Amy didn't manage to do anything special with her very weak interpretation. She lacked the personality and the vocal style to make a significant impression.
Leslie Hunt is a 24 year old dog walker from right here in Chicago. That means I have to like her, right? Aretha Franklin is the Queen of Soul because she made classics out of numerous songs including the top 10 smash from 1967, You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman. Leslie let the dogs walk all over her with this one. Her voice is merely good, and it's not good enough to handle a song of this caliber. Rather than lifting it another level, she just let it sit there. Not Impressed.
Sabrina Sloan is a 27 year old professional singer. She seems to have a better handle on what it takes to make an Aretha Franklin song your own. This time it was another top 10 anthem from 1967, I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You. Sabrina has the vocal ability and experience to seriously raise the roof. And she's very attractive and seems to have a nice personality on top of it all. Impressed.
Antonella Barba is a 20 year old Jersey Girl. It's no surprise, then, that she would choose to sing a song by Aerosmith for her first chance on stage. It became the biggest hit of their career when their I Don't Want To Miss A Thing debuted at #1 in 1998. The lack of vocal power is likely to cause this to be the end of Antonella's American Idol career. She seems very sweet and she's quite attractive, but I don't think it will be enough. Not Impressed.
Jordin Sparks is a 17 year old high school junior. When Tracy Chapman hit #3 in 1996 with Give Me One Reason, it was a light pop folk song. This young girl managed elevate the song to a completely different place. It was a vibrant vocal showcase with her hands on the microphone. She's the kind of contestant who we will be able to watch grow and improve week after week. Impressed.
Nicole Tranquillo is a 20 year old voice major. She clearly has a dynamic vocal range that can handle a Chaka Khan jam, but she really doesn't have the look to go along with it. This was the perfect example of choosing the wrong song to make your first impression. I think the performance went over everybody's heads and she failed to connect. She's talented, but came off as weird. Reluctantly impressed.
Haley Scarnato is a 24 year old who sings in a band. When you combine a dramatic producer like Jim Stieman and a gifted vocalist like Celine Dion, the result is the #2 mega smash from 1996 It's All Coming Back To Me Now. Haley has a big enough voice to handle it, but she didn't take any risks to make it her own. Was that a fatal mistake? Probably not. She looks and sounds good enough to stay in the game. Mildly Impressed.
Melinda Doolittle is a 29 year old back ground singer. After tonight she should never be in the background again. The Aretha Franklin catalog made another appearance in the form of the 1968 top 5 smash Sweet Sweet Baby Since You've Been Gone. She has the kind of voice that can take command of the song and the stage. She belted it out with energy and power and left me Impressed.
Alaina Alexander is a 24 year old waitress. Have you ever seen the video for Brass In Pocket, the top 20 song from 1980 by The Pretenders? In it, Chrissie Hynde plays a waitress and it's quite possible that Alaina will be playing one again very soon. It's a great song and as much as she pleaded with us to see that she's special, it didn't quite work. She has a good voice, but she's in a competition with some better voices. Slightly Impressed.
Gina Glockson is another 22 year old from the Chicago area. And once again, that doesn't mean that I'm automatically gonna like her. Eric Carmen spent three weeks at #2 with All By Myself in 1976. Celine Dion tried to compete in 1997, but her version stalled at #4. Gina has a capable enough voice to wrap around this powerhouse song, but she has a lot to live up to. While she didn't completely ruin it, I can comfortably say she was better than the other Chicago girl. Mildly Impressed.
LaKisha Jones is a 27 year old single mother. And she is very brave and very confident. She stood center stage and dared to perform the song that got Season Three Miss American Idol 6th Runner-Up Jennifer Hudson nominated for an OSCAR!!!! It's the career defining song that makes DreamGirls a musical extravaganza - And I Am Tell You I'm Not Going. LaKisha has the voice and the presence to be a success in whatever she decides to sing. Impressed.
The boys had better rehearse like crazy this week, because the girls are lots better. Even so, two of the girls must go home tomorrow and I expect it to be Amy Krebs and Leslie Hunt.
Stephanie Edwards is a 19 year old college student. She has the look and the style of a more mature performer. Alicia Keys is a great example of that kind of vibe, as found in her R&B hit from 2002, How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore. Stephanie isn't quite in the same league as Alicia yet, but this is only the first week. Her voice is good. Mildly Impressed.
Amy Krebs is a 22 year old optomitrists assistant. Let's hope the doctor will take her back after she is voted off. Bonnie Raitt managed to take I Can't Make You Love Me to the top 20 in 1992. Amy didn't manage to do anything special with her very weak interpretation. She lacked the personality and the vocal style to make a significant impression.
Leslie Hunt is a 24 year old dog walker from right here in Chicago. That means I have to like her, right? Aretha Franklin is the Queen of Soul because she made classics out of numerous songs including the top 10 smash from 1967, You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman. Leslie let the dogs walk all over her with this one. Her voice is merely good, and it's not good enough to handle a song of this caliber. Rather than lifting it another level, she just let it sit there. Not Impressed.
Sabrina Sloan is a 27 year old professional singer. She seems to have a better handle on what it takes to make an Aretha Franklin song your own. This time it was another top 10 anthem from 1967, I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You. Sabrina has the vocal ability and experience to seriously raise the roof. And she's very attractive and seems to have a nice personality on top of it all. Impressed.
Antonella Barba is a 20 year old Jersey Girl. It's no surprise, then, that she would choose to sing a song by Aerosmith for her first chance on stage. It became the biggest hit of their career when their I Don't Want To Miss A Thing debuted at #1 in 1998. The lack of vocal power is likely to cause this to be the end of Antonella's American Idol career. She seems very sweet and she's quite attractive, but I don't think it will be enough. Not Impressed.
Jordin Sparks is a 17 year old high school junior. When Tracy Chapman hit #3 in 1996 with Give Me One Reason, it was a light pop folk song. This young girl managed elevate the song to a completely different place. It was a vibrant vocal showcase with her hands on the microphone. She's the kind of contestant who we will be able to watch grow and improve week after week. Impressed.
Nicole Tranquillo is a 20 year old voice major. She clearly has a dynamic vocal range that can handle a Chaka Khan jam, but she really doesn't have the look to go along with it. This was the perfect example of choosing the wrong song to make your first impression. I think the performance went over everybody's heads and she failed to connect. She's talented, but came off as weird. Reluctantly impressed.
Haley Scarnato is a 24 year old who sings in a band. When you combine a dramatic producer like Jim Stieman and a gifted vocalist like Celine Dion, the result is the #2 mega smash from 1996 It's All Coming Back To Me Now. Haley has a big enough voice to handle it, but she didn't take any risks to make it her own. Was that a fatal mistake? Probably not. She looks and sounds good enough to stay in the game. Mildly Impressed.
Melinda Doolittle is a 29 year old back ground singer. After tonight she should never be in the background again. The Aretha Franklin catalog made another appearance in the form of the 1968 top 5 smash Sweet Sweet Baby Since You've Been Gone. She has the kind of voice that can take command of the song and the stage. She belted it out with energy and power and left me Impressed.
Alaina Alexander is a 24 year old waitress. Have you ever seen the video for Brass In Pocket, the top 20 song from 1980 by The Pretenders? In it, Chrissie Hynde plays a waitress and it's quite possible that Alaina will be playing one again very soon. It's a great song and as much as she pleaded with us to see that she's special, it didn't quite work. She has a good voice, but she's in a competition with some better voices. Slightly Impressed.
Gina Glockson is another 22 year old from the Chicago area. And once again, that doesn't mean that I'm automatically gonna like her. Eric Carmen spent three weeks at #2 with All By Myself in 1976. Celine Dion tried to compete in 1997, but her version stalled at #4. Gina has a capable enough voice to wrap around this powerhouse song, but she has a lot to live up to. While she didn't completely ruin it, I can comfortably say she was better than the other Chicago girl. Mildly Impressed.
LaKisha Jones is a 27 year old single mother. And she is very brave and very confident. She stood center stage and dared to perform the song that got Season Three Miss American Idol 6th Runner-Up Jennifer Hudson nominated for an OSCAR!!!! It's the career defining song that makes DreamGirls a musical extravaganza - And I Am Tell You I'm Not Going. LaKisha has the voice and the presence to be a success in whatever she decides to sing. Impressed.
The boys had better rehearse like crazy this week, because the girls are lots better. Even so, two of the girls must go home tomorrow and I expect it to be Amy Krebs and Leslie Hunt.
The 12 Boys - First attempt to Impress
After weeks of auditions, it is finally time for the top 12 boys to take the stage and perform live. Basicly, it's their opportunity to impress me. Here's what they did:
Rudy Cardenas is a 28 year old professional musician. I have to wonder who has paid him to sing in the past. For his first chance to sing in front of millions of viewers, he decided to flounce on stage and do a lounge style version of the Edgar Winter Group's Free Ride. The original was a top 20 rock jam in 1973. Rudy just turned it into a cheesy, corny fiasco. It did not show off his vocal range at all and he did not impress me.
Brandon Rogers is a 29 year old who has performed background with Usher and Christina Aguilera. On his big night to stand in the spotlight he started out with a mellow take on Michael Jackson's #1 smash from 1980, Rock With You. He needed to use this chance to show that he has a distinctive voice to set him apart from the crowd...and he failed. He did not make us want to get on the floor and move to the groove. Not impressed.
Sundance Head is really the name of this 28 year old guy. All the hair gel in the world is not going to turn him into a pretty boy - and he used a lot. The Moody Blues had to settle for peaking at #2 in 1972 with Nights In White Satin. Sundance is going to have to settle for not impressing me with his nervous and flat attempt at this dramatic ballad. He tried to add some power to his vocals, but he just seemed out of his element.
Paul Kim is a 25 year old guy who thinks he need to have the gimmick of performing barefoot to get your votes. When George Michael spent three weeks at #1 in 1984 with Careless Whisper, it wasn't because of a gimmick. It was because George has a smooth and impressive vocal gift. Paul's voice was completely lacking in anything distinctive. Not Impressed.
Chris Richardson is a 22 year old guy who wants to be the next Justin Timberlake. You gotta wonder why, then, he decided to sing the light pop rock song that Gavin DeGraw took to the top 10 in 2005, I Don't Want To Be. This song did not allow Chris to show off his vocal range at all. On the plus side, it did allow him to strut his stuff around the stage and show some energy and vibrance that the other contestants have lacked. Mildly impressed.
Nick Pedro is a 25 year old guy who backed out of Hollywood last year because he couldn't take the heat. Tonight he has to prove that he is worthy of this second chance. If he makes it back next week, it's not going to be because of his bland and boring renditon of the Richard Marx top 10 song from 1994, Now and Forever. He look like a nervous wreck up there, but that made him look like a wounded puppy that will get people voting for him to bring him back. Still, not impressed.
Blake Lewis is a 25 year old who could quite possibly save this 6th Season of American Idol from being a complete bust. He has the charming good looks that makes people say, "the camera loves him". And he chose a subtle ballad by Keane, Somewhere Only We Know, that didn't even hit the top 40 in 2005, but it allowed him to show an impressive vocal range. He also expressed the emotional level of the song very well. If you saw the auditions, you know that this guy has a fun gimmick up his sleeve that he didn't even show tonight. We'll definitley be seeing more of the beat box boy in the coming weeks. Impressed.
Young 17 year old Sanjaya Malakar had to show the world and his sister (who almost made the top 24 also) that he belongs here. Unfortunately, he chose a drab Stevie Wonder obscure album track that had the audience just waiting for it to be over. His merely capable vocals did nothing to bring life to the throw away song. His gimmick is youth and long hair and it's not enough to impress me.
Chris Sligh is a 28 year old guy with big hair who wants to be anything but typical. He certainly doesn't look typical. He's had to depend on his sense of humor and comical looks to get him this far. Tonight he should have taken the stage and made us hear the voice that proves he belongs here. Instead he lumbered around the stage showing that he's not exceptional in any area - vocal range, stage presence - Not impressed.
Jared Cotter is a 25 year old who knows who he is. He made the perfect choice to showcase his strengths by performing the #1 smash from 2000 by Brian McKnight, Back at One. Jared actually sounded pretty much exactly like Brian and he looked even better. He's tall and handsome and he has a very nice voice. Mildly Impressed.
AJ Tabaldo is a 22 year old who wants to get the crowd on their feet. Even though it only cracked the top 40 in 1981, Never Too Much by Luther Vandross was just the ticket to turn the Idol stage into a disco dance floor and let AJ sing his heart out. It was fun and full of energy and the song allowed him to hit some great notes along the way. Mildly Impressed.
Phil Stacey is a 29 year old active duty sailor. But can he sing? He got off to a very rocky start with his interpretation of the Sara Evans song from 2000, I Could Not Ask For More. Oh, Phil, you needed to give us so much more than this. He never really made up for the rocky start. He hit some big notes toward the end, but it wasn't enough to entertain me. And most of all, it was barely enough to mildly impress me.
Ten of these guys are going to get a second attempt to impress, even though most are not worthy. Two of them will be going home on Wednesday and my prediction is Sanjaya Malakar and Paul Kim.
Rudy Cardenas is a 28 year old professional musician. I have to wonder who has paid him to sing in the past. For his first chance to sing in front of millions of viewers, he decided to flounce on stage and do a lounge style version of the Edgar Winter Group's Free Ride. The original was a top 20 rock jam in 1973. Rudy just turned it into a cheesy, corny fiasco. It did not show off his vocal range at all and he did not impress me.
Brandon Rogers is a 29 year old who has performed background with Usher and Christina Aguilera. On his big night to stand in the spotlight he started out with a mellow take on Michael Jackson's #1 smash from 1980, Rock With You. He needed to use this chance to show that he has a distinctive voice to set him apart from the crowd...and he failed. He did not make us want to get on the floor and move to the groove. Not impressed.
Sundance Head is really the name of this 28 year old guy. All the hair gel in the world is not going to turn him into a pretty boy - and he used a lot. The Moody Blues had to settle for peaking at #2 in 1972 with Nights In White Satin. Sundance is going to have to settle for not impressing me with his nervous and flat attempt at this dramatic ballad. He tried to add some power to his vocals, but he just seemed out of his element.
Paul Kim is a 25 year old guy who thinks he need to have the gimmick of performing barefoot to get your votes. When George Michael spent three weeks at #1 in 1984 with Careless Whisper, it wasn't because of a gimmick. It was because George has a smooth and impressive vocal gift. Paul's voice was completely lacking in anything distinctive. Not Impressed.
Chris Richardson is a 22 year old guy who wants to be the next Justin Timberlake. You gotta wonder why, then, he decided to sing the light pop rock song that Gavin DeGraw took to the top 10 in 2005, I Don't Want To Be. This song did not allow Chris to show off his vocal range at all. On the plus side, it did allow him to strut his stuff around the stage and show some energy and vibrance that the other contestants have lacked. Mildly impressed.
Nick Pedro is a 25 year old guy who backed out of Hollywood last year because he couldn't take the heat. Tonight he has to prove that he is worthy of this second chance. If he makes it back next week, it's not going to be because of his bland and boring renditon of the Richard Marx top 10 song from 1994, Now and Forever. He look like a nervous wreck up there, but that made him look like a wounded puppy that will get people voting for him to bring him back. Still, not impressed.
Blake Lewis is a 25 year old who could quite possibly save this 6th Season of American Idol from being a complete bust. He has the charming good looks that makes people say, "the camera loves him". And he chose a subtle ballad by Keane, Somewhere Only We Know, that didn't even hit the top 40 in 2005, but it allowed him to show an impressive vocal range. He also expressed the emotional level of the song very well. If you saw the auditions, you know that this guy has a fun gimmick up his sleeve that he didn't even show tonight. We'll definitley be seeing more of the beat box boy in the coming weeks. Impressed.
Young 17 year old Sanjaya Malakar had to show the world and his sister (who almost made the top 24 also) that he belongs here. Unfortunately, he chose a drab Stevie Wonder obscure album track that had the audience just waiting for it to be over. His merely capable vocals did nothing to bring life to the throw away song. His gimmick is youth and long hair and it's not enough to impress me.
Chris Sligh is a 28 year old guy with big hair who wants to be anything but typical. He certainly doesn't look typical. He's had to depend on his sense of humor and comical looks to get him this far. Tonight he should have taken the stage and made us hear the voice that proves he belongs here. Instead he lumbered around the stage showing that he's not exceptional in any area - vocal range, stage presence - Not impressed.
Jared Cotter is a 25 year old who knows who he is. He made the perfect choice to showcase his strengths by performing the #1 smash from 2000 by Brian McKnight, Back at One. Jared actually sounded pretty much exactly like Brian and he looked even better. He's tall and handsome and he has a very nice voice. Mildly Impressed.
AJ Tabaldo is a 22 year old who wants to get the crowd on their feet. Even though it only cracked the top 40 in 1981, Never Too Much by Luther Vandross was just the ticket to turn the Idol stage into a disco dance floor and let AJ sing his heart out. It was fun and full of energy and the song allowed him to hit some great notes along the way. Mildly Impressed.
Phil Stacey is a 29 year old active duty sailor. But can he sing? He got off to a very rocky start with his interpretation of the Sara Evans song from 2000, I Could Not Ask For More. Oh, Phil, you needed to give us so much more than this. He never really made up for the rocky start. He hit some big notes toward the end, but it wasn't enough to entertain me. And most of all, it was barely enough to mildly impress me.
Ten of these guys are going to get a second attempt to impress, even though most are not worthy. Two of them will be going home on Wednesday and my prediction is Sanjaya Malakar and Paul Kim.
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