Ryan proved that this season is all about Sanjaya's hair when he walked on stage wearing a wacky mohawk wig. Whatever.
He took off the wig and started the roll call. Blake and LaKisha were the first to be named safe. Then Phil was the first to be called center stage in the bottom three. Melinda, Chris Richardson, Jordin, and, believe it or not, Sanjaya are all safe and coming back next week. Haley was then asked to join Phil center stage. That just leaves Chris Sligh and Gina waiting and wondering their fate.
Unlike the previous legendary recording artists who guided and coached the finalists, Gwen Stefani is a current hit making chart topper. It's already a shoo-in for one of the top ten best singles from this year, and Gwen performed this hit The Sweet Escape. It's still in the top 10 this week after peaking at #3 just a few weeks ago. She showed the crowd a sample of what she will be doing on tour this spring and summer. And even though she's in her late 30's (much older than all of the finalists) she showed them how to appear fresh and contemporary on stage.
Turns out Chris Sligh was asked to join Phil and Haley. But Phil wasn't there for long as he was sent back to safety. That left Haley and Chris Sligh to wonder what the future holds. Haley gets to come back next week and Chris got one last chance to make some magic on the American Idol stage. Too bad he had to perform Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, and just like last night, it wasn't.
So this week I got two out of three of my predictions right. Chris Richardson's fan club came through and saved him from being in the bottom again. I guess Chris Sligh should have tried to do something different with his own clown wig every week. Who knows, it could have kept him in the game longer....
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
The top 10 with Gwen
In 1996 No Doubt had their first impact on the charts. Lead singer, Gwen Stefani and the boys brought a fresh sound of musical fusion to the airwaves. They were influenced by punk, reggae, pop and dance music. All week the top 10 finalists were challanged by the experienced input from Gwen and her ecclectic point of view.
LaKisha Jones reached back to the disco/dance influence in No Doubt and selected the Oscar winner from 1978 for Best Original Song, Last Dance by Donna Summer. It peaked at #3 on the charts and this was a perfect match for her look, sound and style. LaKisha has a long career ahead of her as a dance diva if she wants it. It was energetic, fun and got the show off to a great start.
It was 1981 when The Police also peaked at #3 with Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic. With Chris Sligh trying to handle lead vocals instead of Sting, his voice had better shine. Unfortunately for him, the vocals were not magic. Niether his voice nor his looks are as captivating as Sting's and it was a lost cause from the start. Every little thing he did was wrong, especially the complete lack of rhythm.
The last chart success for The Pretenders came in 1994 when they hit the top 20 with I'll Stand By You. This week Gina Glocksen wisely chose this song which allowed her to actually sing some lyrics and show she can carry a tune. She's very lucky she had this opportunity to come back after the mess she made last week. She even picked a cute goth ensamble that made her into the complete package - --- - for a change.
Mockery. That's what Sanjaya Malakar is making of this season. He's thoroughly embraced his role as a cartoon character, at least when it comes to his appearance. People tune in to see what he's gonna do with his long locks and he did not disappoint - it was a train wreck of pony-tails along the top of his head creating the look of a mohawk. Who cares what he sings or even if he sings. Clearly he paid more attention to his appearance than his tepid effort at the obscure album track Bath Water by No Doubt. He was too busy mugging for the camera to actually provide a worthy vocal.
Haley Scarnato, on the other hand, is really trying hard to prove that this is a singing competition and that she belongs here. While she still has a back-up plan by wearing a little black dress that shows off her other assets, she selected Cyndi Lauper's second #1 smash from 1986, True Colors. It's a tender, emotional ballad that is quite simple, but just in case you were missing the point, Haley belted out a few big notes to wake you up. It ended up being a little over the top and unnecessary, but it was a sincere effort.
If you're not Sting, it should just be a rule of thumb that you should not try to sing a Police song. Every Breath You Take was a huge mega hit in 1983 spending 8 weeks at #1. The reality is that this is one of the most boring songs of all time and it was only a hit because of Sting and his charisma. Phil Stacey has absolutely none of that dynamic charisma. His rendition was simply boring.
Look out LaKisha! Melinda Doolittle has her eyes on the queen of disco dance diva crown too. Melinda selected the #4 dance floor jam from 1979, Heaven Knows, that is also by Donna Summer. We already know Melinda has the wonderful voice that can belt out all the big notes with drama and power. That's exactly what she did, but even this uptempo anthem didn't help her appear any younger or more contemporary.
Throughout the 80's, The Cure were always considered the perfect alternative act and then they blew their image by having a huge chart smash in 1989 that peaked at #2 with Love Song. And it was exactly the song to make us love Blake Lewis even more. There was no injection of the beat box this time around. Just a dreamy, fluid vocalization that wrapped around the audience as it hypnotized and entranced. (sigh)
Jordin Sparks has raised her own bar each week with stunning vocal performances. Tonight she decided to lighten up a bit and perform a song that No Doubt took to #5 in 2002, Hey Baby. It's easily one of the best pop songs from that year, but it is definitely not a vocal showcase. Jordin had to let the back-up singers perform the hook while she just danced around like a 17 year old. The good thing for her is that it worked.
No Doubt had the biggest radio airplay smash hit of 1996 with Don't Speak. Chris Richardson had to hope that the familiarity that audience has with this song was going to keep him alive in the competition. Gwen Stefani has a unique personal style that she exudes while performing and Chris simply doesn't come close. Also, no one ever said that Gwen has the best voice in the world, but she sure sounds better than what Chris did to the song. His boy band vocal effort was a wreck.
Predicting the bottom three this season might as well be like dropping a quarter in a slot machine. Who knows who's actually calling in and voting. Hopefully the talented performers are getting votes and finalists like Chris Sligh, Chris Richardson, Sanjaya Malakar and Phil Stacey are failing to connect with viewers. All four of them were seriously lacking tonight. But since only three will be in the bottom, I predict it will be Chris, Chris and Phil. Chris Richardson will be going home and people just can't wait to see what Sanjaya is gonna do with his hair next week.
LaKisha Jones reached back to the disco/dance influence in No Doubt and selected the Oscar winner from 1978 for Best Original Song, Last Dance by Donna Summer. It peaked at #3 on the charts and this was a perfect match for her look, sound and style. LaKisha has a long career ahead of her as a dance diva if she wants it. It was energetic, fun and got the show off to a great start.
It was 1981 when The Police also peaked at #3 with Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic. With Chris Sligh trying to handle lead vocals instead of Sting, his voice had better shine. Unfortunately for him, the vocals were not magic. Niether his voice nor his looks are as captivating as Sting's and it was a lost cause from the start. Every little thing he did was wrong, especially the complete lack of rhythm.
The last chart success for The Pretenders came in 1994 when they hit the top 20 with I'll Stand By You. This week Gina Glocksen wisely chose this song which allowed her to actually sing some lyrics and show she can carry a tune. She's very lucky she had this opportunity to come back after the mess she made last week. She even picked a cute goth ensamble that made her into the complete package - --- - for a change.
Mockery. That's what Sanjaya Malakar is making of this season. He's thoroughly embraced his role as a cartoon character, at least when it comes to his appearance. People tune in to see what he's gonna do with his long locks and he did not disappoint - it was a train wreck of pony-tails along the top of his head creating the look of a mohawk. Who cares what he sings or even if he sings. Clearly he paid more attention to his appearance than his tepid effort at the obscure album track Bath Water by No Doubt. He was too busy mugging for the camera to actually provide a worthy vocal.
Haley Scarnato, on the other hand, is really trying hard to prove that this is a singing competition and that she belongs here. While she still has a back-up plan by wearing a little black dress that shows off her other assets, she selected Cyndi Lauper's second #1 smash from 1986, True Colors. It's a tender, emotional ballad that is quite simple, but just in case you were missing the point, Haley belted out a few big notes to wake you up. It ended up being a little over the top and unnecessary, but it was a sincere effort.
If you're not Sting, it should just be a rule of thumb that you should not try to sing a Police song. Every Breath You Take was a huge mega hit in 1983 spending 8 weeks at #1. The reality is that this is one of the most boring songs of all time and it was only a hit because of Sting and his charisma. Phil Stacey has absolutely none of that dynamic charisma. His rendition was simply boring.
Look out LaKisha! Melinda Doolittle has her eyes on the queen of disco dance diva crown too. Melinda selected the #4 dance floor jam from 1979, Heaven Knows, that is also by Donna Summer. We already know Melinda has the wonderful voice that can belt out all the big notes with drama and power. That's exactly what she did, but even this uptempo anthem didn't help her appear any younger or more contemporary.
Throughout the 80's, The Cure were always considered the perfect alternative act and then they blew their image by having a huge chart smash in 1989 that peaked at #2 with Love Song. And it was exactly the song to make us love Blake Lewis even more. There was no injection of the beat box this time around. Just a dreamy, fluid vocalization that wrapped around the audience as it hypnotized and entranced. (sigh)
Jordin Sparks has raised her own bar each week with stunning vocal performances. Tonight she decided to lighten up a bit and perform a song that No Doubt took to #5 in 2002, Hey Baby. It's easily one of the best pop songs from that year, but it is definitely not a vocal showcase. Jordin had to let the back-up singers perform the hook while she just danced around like a 17 year old. The good thing for her is that it worked.
No Doubt had the biggest radio airplay smash hit of 1996 with Don't Speak. Chris Richardson had to hope that the familiarity that audience has with this song was going to keep him alive in the competition. Gwen Stefani has a unique personal style that she exudes while performing and Chris simply doesn't come close. Also, no one ever said that Gwen has the best voice in the world, but she sure sounds better than what Chris did to the song. His boy band vocal effort was a wreck.
Predicting the bottom three this season might as well be like dropping a quarter in a slot machine. Who knows who's actually calling in and voting. Hopefully the talented performers are getting votes and finalists like Chris Sligh, Chris Richardson, Sanjaya Malakar and Phil Stacey are failing to connect with viewers. All four of them were seriously lacking tonight. But since only three will be in the bottom, I predict it will be Chris, Chris and Phil. Chris Richardson will be going home and people just can't wait to see what Sanjaya is gonna do with his hair next week.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
The Results - British Invasion
Peter Noone had a string of hits with Herman's Hermits from 1964 through 1968. Tonight he sang one of their gold singles that hit the top 5 in 1967, There's A Kind Of Hush. He certainly doesn't make an entrance like Diana Ross, but he proved that he can still work the crowd and connect with the audience after all these years.
Ryan then mixed it up by asking groups of three to stand up. First it was Melinda, Phil and Blake and they were not the bottom three. Next it was Jordin, Chris Sligh and LaKisha and they were not the bottom three. Sanjaya, Haley and Gina were the next group to stand and believe it or not, they are all safe and they are all coming back next week. That only left Chris Richardson and Stephanie Edwards as the bottom two. One of them is going home.
Did you ever have a crush on one of your high school teachers? You knew how it felt to gaze at him in class every day, but just couldn't articulate the words to express your feelings. To Sir With Love is just the song that captures all the letters that you would write across the sky and would soar a thousand feet high. Lulu took the stage and performed her mega smash #1 song from 1967 that conveys those school girl days just as well today as it did back then.
Even after the guidance of Diana Ross and Lulu and very good vocal performances all season so far, Stephanie Edwards failed to connect with the audience and get them to vote for her. She's a very talented young woman who is no longer in the running for Season Six Miss American Idol. What a shame.
The real shame is the fact that Phil, Gina, and the car wreck named Sanjaya are coming back next week. I was way off on all of my predictions. I got none of them right. If you've sat back every year and enjoyed American Idol, but never called in and voted, it seems like this is the year to start dialing. How many talented finalists are you willing to see leave before Sanjaya?
Ryan then mixed it up by asking groups of three to stand up. First it was Melinda, Phil and Blake and they were not the bottom three. Next it was Jordin, Chris Sligh and LaKisha and they were not the bottom three. Sanjaya, Haley and Gina were the next group to stand and believe it or not, they are all safe and they are all coming back next week. That only left Chris Richardson and Stephanie Edwards as the bottom two. One of them is going home.
Did you ever have a crush on one of your high school teachers? You knew how it felt to gaze at him in class every day, but just couldn't articulate the words to express your feelings. To Sir With Love is just the song that captures all the letters that you would write across the sky and would soar a thousand feet high. Lulu took the stage and performed her mega smash #1 song from 1967 that conveys those school girl days just as well today as it did back then.
Even after the guidance of Diana Ross and Lulu and very good vocal performances all season so far, Stephanie Edwards failed to connect with the audience and get them to vote for her. She's a very talented young woman who is no longer in the running for Season Six Miss American Idol. What a shame.
The real shame is the fact that Phil, Gina, and the car wreck named Sanjaya are coming back next week. I was way off on all of my predictions. I got none of them right. If you've sat back every year and enjoyed American Idol, but never called in and voted, it seems like this is the year to start dialing. How many talented finalists are you willing to see leave before Sanjaya?
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
The 11 Finalists sing the British Invasion
In 1964 the Beatles had their first #1 hit on the American charts. They dominated the charts for the next 6 years until they broke up in 1970. Their arrival paved the way for numerous other British acts to enjoy huge success here in the states. One of them was a band led by Peter Noone, Herman's Hermits, who had two big #1 hits during this time. Do you remember Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter? It spent three weeks at the top in 1965. That same year they topped the charts again with Henry The 8th, I Am. Peter worked with the five remaining boys to help them get their act together to sing music from the 60's British Invasion. The six girl finalists had the privelege of working with Lulu. She made her mark on the music scene with the theme song from the film, To Sir With Love. It spent five weeks at #1 in 1967. Here's what the contestants gave us:
The Exciters had one hit song in 1963 called Tell Him. Haley Scarnato had a lot to prove tonight as she performed this sassy single. Last week she forgot the lyrics, but this time around she managed to get every word out. And she did it while balancing in four inch high heels. She worked her way through the audience in an effort to express her confident intentions to stick around for as long as she can. If her vocals don't convince you to vote for her, she also gave people the chance to consider the rest of her assets. She must have been cold in those go-go pants and that halter top.
Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying was a top 5 song for Gerry And The Pacemakers in 1964. It's a sweet and simple ballad and tonight Chris Richardson, once again, wanted to let his voice take center stage. No room for distracting dance moves tonight. He sat center stage with accoustic guitar accompaniment and gave a very straightforward vocal interpretation. This allowed him to let his tenor voice show through as he skillfully slid into a smooth falsetto in just the right places.
Stephanie Edwards chose to sing You Don't Have To Say You Love Me that Dusty Springfield took to #4 in 1966. It's a dramatic love song that packs an emotional punch. Stephanie played it very well with the perfect outfit including some hot high heeled boots that Dusty would have worn herself. Her voice was just as good as it has been every week, but it didn't necessarily jump out and grab you like it should have.
The Time Of The Season was a hit in 1969 for The Zombies after they had already broken up. It's a psychedelic, lava lamp, mind trip just perfect for Blake Lewis to ressurrect. He brought his beat box to the performance in all the right places. Blake is doing something on the American Idol stage that we have never seen before. He is making these classic jams sound fresh, young and contempory. He is completely at ease on stage and looks like a seasoned professional. He's so much more than a gimmick - his singing voice is really good.
Shirley Bassey is the queen of Bond Theme songs. She's recorded three of them including Diamonds Are Forever. LaKisha Jones must have studied Shirley's version very closely as her rendition was almost a note for note imitation. But given Ms. Bassey's amazing range, that can only be taken as a huge compliment. LaKisha is a very capable singer. Her only shortcoming is going to be her stage presence. Good thing she has the rest of the competition to prove herself as an all-around performer.
Tobacco Road hit the top 20 hit for the Nashville Teens in 1964. It was there one and only chart success. Phil Stacey took this relatively obscure song and worked the stage and audience like he was begging to not be in the bottom three again. The good news is that it sounded like it could be a hit on the current country charts. It was just right for his limited vocal range and he had just the perfect amount of energy and enthusiasm to maybe save himself for another week.
Young Jordin Sparks is living up to my expectations. Just as I had hoped, she is raising the bar each week and getting even better and better. She selected the heartbreaking ballad I Who Have Nothing to show that she is ready to take her place in the finals. While it's been recorded by many artists, Tom Jones is the only one to edge into the top 20. Jordin could easily surpass that if she released her powerful vocal extravaganza for a new generation.
Sanjaya Malakar has decided to give in and admit that he doesn't belong in the competition any longer. Awkward doesn't begin to describe his feeble attempt at singing the party anthem You Really Got Me. Even though it was only a top 10 hit for the Kinks in 1964, this is the kind of song that has truly withstood the test of time. I'm not sure if it will survive the damage that Sanjaya has done to it. Can this song ever be cool again? It was wrong. Just WRONG! Since he wasn't sent home last week like he should have, he showed up tonight and did what he had to do....
No other act could compete with the Beatles during than the British Invasion better than the Rolling Stones. One of their 8 #1 songs was Paint It Black which held on to the top spot for 2 weeks in 1966. Gina Glockson fully morphed into a total rock chick with this performance. She wore the leather and chains, but in the process of transforming she forgot about singing better than the others. This song is not meant to be a vocal showcase and she doesn't have the dynamic style of Mick Jagger to make it work. She may have had fun pretending to be a rock star, but the performance was a mess.
The Zombies only had three chart hits and Chris Sligh selected another one of them. She's Not There was their biggest hit peaking at #2 in 1964. It's a great song, but it was a huge risk to draw comparisons to Blake Lewis. While Blake rejuvinated his song, Chris merely sang his. His voice is good, but his performance style was seriously lacking. He can walk through the audience all he wants and swing the microphone stand around, but it's just not gonna make up for what he simply doesn't have: Stage Presence.
The movie version of Oliver! won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1969. One of the songs from it is As Long As He Needs Me. Every week Melinda Doolittle has demonstrated that she is a great singer. Even more than that, she has the ability to really convey the meaning and the story in the lyrics that she sings. But, Melinda has some obstacles that she must overcome. She seems wholly disinterested in sounding or appearing young, fresh or contemporary. Time after time she selects an old people song and sings it like an old people song. At least she does it well, I guess...
This season there is no clear front-runner and any one of these finalists could be at risk. Each week on results night, we could be faced with some big surprises. It seems like each contestant is simply going to be lucky if their fan club remembers to call in and vote for them and keep them safe. So it's gonna be hard to predict the bottom three, but I think Sanjaya will be joined on stage with Phil and Gina. The unluckiest of them all will be Gina.
The Exciters had one hit song in 1963 called Tell Him. Haley Scarnato had a lot to prove tonight as she performed this sassy single. Last week she forgot the lyrics, but this time around she managed to get every word out. And she did it while balancing in four inch high heels. She worked her way through the audience in an effort to express her confident intentions to stick around for as long as she can. If her vocals don't convince you to vote for her, she also gave people the chance to consider the rest of her assets. She must have been cold in those go-go pants and that halter top.
Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying was a top 5 song for Gerry And The Pacemakers in 1964. It's a sweet and simple ballad and tonight Chris Richardson, once again, wanted to let his voice take center stage. No room for distracting dance moves tonight. He sat center stage with accoustic guitar accompaniment and gave a very straightforward vocal interpretation. This allowed him to let his tenor voice show through as he skillfully slid into a smooth falsetto in just the right places.
Stephanie Edwards chose to sing You Don't Have To Say You Love Me that Dusty Springfield took to #4 in 1966. It's a dramatic love song that packs an emotional punch. Stephanie played it very well with the perfect outfit including some hot high heeled boots that Dusty would have worn herself. Her voice was just as good as it has been every week, but it didn't necessarily jump out and grab you like it should have.
The Time Of The Season was a hit in 1969 for The Zombies after they had already broken up. It's a psychedelic, lava lamp, mind trip just perfect for Blake Lewis to ressurrect. He brought his beat box to the performance in all the right places. Blake is doing something on the American Idol stage that we have never seen before. He is making these classic jams sound fresh, young and contempory. He is completely at ease on stage and looks like a seasoned professional. He's so much more than a gimmick - his singing voice is really good.
Shirley Bassey is the queen of Bond Theme songs. She's recorded three of them including Diamonds Are Forever. LaKisha Jones must have studied Shirley's version very closely as her rendition was almost a note for note imitation. But given Ms. Bassey's amazing range, that can only be taken as a huge compliment. LaKisha is a very capable singer. Her only shortcoming is going to be her stage presence. Good thing she has the rest of the competition to prove herself as an all-around performer.
Tobacco Road hit the top 20 hit for the Nashville Teens in 1964. It was there one and only chart success. Phil Stacey took this relatively obscure song and worked the stage and audience like he was begging to not be in the bottom three again. The good news is that it sounded like it could be a hit on the current country charts. It was just right for his limited vocal range and he had just the perfect amount of energy and enthusiasm to maybe save himself for another week.
Young Jordin Sparks is living up to my expectations. Just as I had hoped, she is raising the bar each week and getting even better and better. She selected the heartbreaking ballad I Who Have Nothing to show that she is ready to take her place in the finals. While it's been recorded by many artists, Tom Jones is the only one to edge into the top 20. Jordin could easily surpass that if she released her powerful vocal extravaganza for a new generation.
Sanjaya Malakar has decided to give in and admit that he doesn't belong in the competition any longer. Awkward doesn't begin to describe his feeble attempt at singing the party anthem You Really Got Me. Even though it was only a top 10 hit for the Kinks in 1964, this is the kind of song that has truly withstood the test of time. I'm not sure if it will survive the damage that Sanjaya has done to it. Can this song ever be cool again? It was wrong. Just WRONG! Since he wasn't sent home last week like he should have, he showed up tonight and did what he had to do....
No other act could compete with the Beatles during than the British Invasion better than the Rolling Stones. One of their 8 #1 songs was Paint It Black which held on to the top spot for 2 weeks in 1966. Gina Glockson fully morphed into a total rock chick with this performance. She wore the leather and chains, but in the process of transforming she forgot about singing better than the others. This song is not meant to be a vocal showcase and she doesn't have the dynamic style of Mick Jagger to make it work. She may have had fun pretending to be a rock star, but the performance was a mess.
The Zombies only had three chart hits and Chris Sligh selected another one of them. She's Not There was their biggest hit peaking at #2 in 1964. It's a great song, but it was a huge risk to draw comparisons to Blake Lewis. While Blake rejuvinated his song, Chris merely sang his. His voice is good, but his performance style was seriously lacking. He can walk through the audience all he wants and swing the microphone stand around, but it's just not gonna make up for what he simply doesn't have: Stage Presence.
The movie version of Oliver! won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1969. One of the songs from it is As Long As He Needs Me. Every week Melinda Doolittle has demonstrated that she is a great singer. Even more than that, she has the ability to really convey the meaning and the story in the lyrics that she sings. But, Melinda has some obstacles that she must overcome. She seems wholly disinterested in sounding or appearing young, fresh or contemporary. Time after time she selects an old people song and sings it like an old people song. At least she does it well, I guess...
This season there is no clear front-runner and any one of these finalists could be at risk. Each week on results night, we could be faced with some big surprises. It seems like each contestant is simply going to be lucky if their fan club remembers to call in and vote for them and keep them safe. So it's gonna be hard to predict the bottom three, but I think Sanjaya will be joined on stage with Phil and Gina. The unluckiest of them all will be Gina.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
The Results - Diana Ross
Last night we were treated to 12 selections from the extensive Diana Ross hit collection. Tonight all 12 finalists showcased even more Diana with a festive medley including a few of the other #1 songs from The Supremes: Where Did Our Love Go, which was their first chart topper in 1964, Baby Love, which was their biggest hit staying at #1 for four weeks, and Stop! In The Name Love, the all time most lip-synched song EVER. You know you've done it a million times, just like the finalists did tonight. Sing the word "STOP" and hold your hand out in front of you. Think it over...
Ryan then asked each contestant to stand up and hear the news. LaKisha and Gina are safe. Brandon was the first to be asked to come center stage in the bottom three. Jordin, Chris Richardson and Melinda are safe. Phil was then asked to join Brandon on stage. Chris Sligh, Stephanie and Blake are safe. That leaves just Sanjaya and Haley to potentially be in the bottom three. They both put in sloppy performances and should be at risk to go home, but one of them is safe and definitely coming back next week.
Diana Ross wrote the book on making a grand DIVA entrance. The lights dim...your signature hit song starts to play...(in this case, Ain't No Mountain High Enough)...The crowd starts to roar with anticipation...The curtains open to reveal your dramatic shadow with arms in the air, and flowing cape...LIGHTS UP!!!!....You greet your adoring fans, dramatically walk center stage and sing your latest song! (If only we could just once be welcomed at our jobs this way)
Diana's latest album is called I Love You. It's a collection of covers of her favorite love songs. Tonight she performed More Today Than Yesterday. It was originally a top 20 hit for Spiral Starecase in 1969. She demonstrated beautifully why she is a Legendary Diva as she sang and connected with the audience with grace and style.
Now who is joining Brandon and Phil in the bottom three. Turns out the girls are lucky in that none of them are the lowest vote getters this week. Haley is safe and Sanjaya must join the boys center stage. But Phil wasn't there for long as Ryan sent him back to safety. Here we are...so close to never having to hear Sanjaya sing again. But it's not meant to be. Brandon had to hear Ryan tell him his American Idol ride is over. And the Sanjaya car wreck continues to get worse....
I predicted two of the bottom three correctly and was right about Brandon going home tonight. Haley, Phil and Sanjaya were a mess this week and are very fortunate that only one finalist goes home each week. Can't wait to see if they can get their acts together in time for next week's performances.
Ryan then asked each contestant to stand up and hear the news. LaKisha and Gina are safe. Brandon was the first to be asked to come center stage in the bottom three. Jordin, Chris Richardson and Melinda are safe. Phil was then asked to join Brandon on stage. Chris Sligh, Stephanie and Blake are safe. That leaves just Sanjaya and Haley to potentially be in the bottom three. They both put in sloppy performances and should be at risk to go home, but one of them is safe and definitely coming back next week.
Diana Ross wrote the book on making a grand DIVA entrance. The lights dim...your signature hit song starts to play...(in this case, Ain't No Mountain High Enough)...The crowd starts to roar with anticipation...The curtains open to reveal your dramatic shadow with arms in the air, and flowing cape...LIGHTS UP!!!!....You greet your adoring fans, dramatically walk center stage and sing your latest song! (If only we could just once be welcomed at our jobs this way)
Diana's latest album is called I Love You. It's a collection of covers of her favorite love songs. Tonight she performed More Today Than Yesterday. It was originally a top 20 hit for Spiral Starecase in 1969. She demonstrated beautifully why she is a Legendary Diva as she sang and connected with the audience with grace and style.
Now who is joining Brandon and Phil in the bottom three. Turns out the girls are lucky in that none of them are the lowest vote getters this week. Haley is safe and Sanjaya must join the boys center stage. But Phil wasn't there for long as Ryan sent him back to safety. Here we are...so close to never having to hear Sanjaya sing again. But it's not meant to be. Brandon had to hear Ryan tell him his American Idol ride is over. And the Sanjaya car wreck continues to get worse....
I predicted two of the bottom three correctly and was right about Brandon going home tonight. Haley, Phil and Sanjaya were a mess this week and are very fortunate that only one finalist goes home each week. Can't wait to see if they can get their acts together in time for next week's performances.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Diana Ross mentors the TOP 12
No other artist in pop music history has been more influential than Diana Ross. Everyone who loves music has at one time or another stood in front of the mirror pretending a hairbrush was a microphone and sung one of her songs. And you know you all wanted to stand up front while your two friends sang back-up. She sang lead vocals on 12 classic #1 songs with the Supremes and on her own she topped the charts 6 more times. She was a predominant force on the radio airwaves for three decades. Her impact on the pop music world as we know it is undeniable. Long before they had their own #1 hits and an Oscar, Diana Ross paved the way for Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson to become the DreamGirls they are today. The TOP 12 finalists are incredibly lucky to have worked all week with Ms. Ross and benefit from her experience and talent. Here's what they made of it:
You Can't Hurry Love was a #1 smash in 1966 for two weeks. It's an energetic up-tempo pop number, but Brandon Rogers just sucked all the life out of it. His singing experience comes from being a back-up singer and that's where he belongs. His voice cracked, he forgot the words and his vocals overall are simply not that interesting. Diana did the best she could, but Brandon didn't give her much to work with.
Diana Ross starred in the movie version of The Wiz and she turned Home into the amazing showstopper that it needs to be on the big screen. Melinda Doolittle had no problem whatsoever proving her capabilities with this challanging song. It was soft and subtle in all the right places and she belted out the big notes with ease. Melinda made this a breeze for Diana.
For nine weeks in 1981 Diana shared the #1 spot with Lionel Richie for their beautiful duet, Endless Love. Chris Sligh not only took off his glasses tonight, but he also mixed it up by performing a new and interesting arrangement of the song. It may have been a risk, but it allowed his voice to take center stage. He decided that Diana didn't have much insight to offer him and he stayed true to himself. The drawback is that he may have lost the emotional connection to the song.
Love Child was an image changing #1 hit for the Supremes for two weeks in 1968. It was a story song with a social conscience unlike their previous hits. Gina Glockson couldn't depend on simply being the rock chick and screaming the song out. She needed to convey that the power of the song comes from a catchy hook connected to meaningful lyrics. Gina just looked like she was trying really hard to remember the words and the vocals were an afterthought. Diana apparently left her too starstruck to listen.
Now this is the reason Sanjaya Malakar is in the top 12. It's the car wreck you just can't take your eyes off of. He teased his hair to look as much like one of Diana's biggest wigs as he could. The question is, "why was he merely wearing a striped sweater?" He should have gone all out and put on the sequined gown and the feather boa. Just turn the volume down and watch the disaster so you don't have to hear him destroy her first #1 as a solo artist in 1970, Ain't No Mountain High Enough. There's nothing Diana could have done to help him.
Diana had her final top 10 hit with Missing You in 1985. It was her emotional tribute to Marvin Gaye after his death. Haley Scarnato truly did her best to be true to the song, but when she completely butchered the lyrics during the dramatic crescendo it sealed her fate. While it started out well as she mastered the wonderful subtleties of the song, she'll be remembered as the very pretty girl who made a very sloppy debut. Diana is probably heartbroken that the nerves got the best of Haley.
In 1968 the Supremes teamed up with the Temptatations for their #2 collaboration, I'm Gonna Make You Love Me. Phil Stacey has to hope that you tune in only for his last note because he belts that one out with strength and confidence. The rest of the song was incredibly drab and vocally dreary. If you already love him, great, but this performance isn't gonna make anyone new love him. Once again, Diana gave her best, but there isn't much to work with.
In 1973 Diana earned an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Billie Holiday in Lady Sings The Blues. Diana used her versatile talent to make Billie's bluesy/jazz classics her own. LaKisha Jones stood center stage in a shimmering white gown and performed a very convincing rendition of God Bless The Child. She was in complete control of her voice and toned it down in exactly the right way. LaKisha clearly hung on every word of advice that Diana gave her.
You Keep Me Hanging On is one of the rare songs that has hit #1 twice by two different artists. The Supremes topped the charts for two weeks in 1966 and Kim Wilde made it a #1 again in 1987. Blake Lewis could take this song to #1 for a third time. He's the first finalist of the evening to thoroughly own the stage with his performance. Everything fell into place perfectly. He looked great, he danced across the floor with style and his vocals were smooth and flawless. The boy has star-quality and rhythm. Another breeze for Diana...
Diana Ross took over the disco dance floors with her 1976 #1 song, Love Hangover. Stephanie Edwards decided to leave everyone hanging and skip the toe tapping second half of the song. While she ran circles around the sultry vibe of the first part of the song with her amazing vocals, it was unfortunately unsatisfying. Her choice makes sense since the second half has almost no lyrics. It's a great song, but not the right song to perform on this stage. Hopefully she will get another chance.
Diana remained the disco diva through 1979 when she hit the top 20 with The Boss. Chris Richardson seemed a little out of his element as he attempted to interpret this dancefloor anthem. He was most likely unfamiliar with Diana's material and he just took a stab in the dark. His looks and moves weren't enough to prevent him from missing the target. Chris is clearly too young and inexperienced to have benefitted more from Diana's input.
In 1988, Diana contributed her talents to the soundtrack to the animated film, The Land Before Time. The song is called If We Hold On Together and Jordin Sparks managed to make it sound interesting and entertaining even though it was unfamiliar. This young lady has plenty of vocal talent and it will be a pleasure to see her get better and better each week. She was clearly open to Diana's words of wisdom and it showed.
Tomorrow night the lowest vote getter will be sent home. It's too bad we won't be losing three or four of these finalists. Brandon, Haley and Sanjaya should definitely be in the bottom three. I'd love to see Sanjaya go home and spare us all from future car wrecks, but I fear that people are still calling in for him. My prediction is that Brandon's trip will come to an end.
You Can't Hurry Love was a #1 smash in 1966 for two weeks. It's an energetic up-tempo pop number, but Brandon Rogers just sucked all the life out of it. His singing experience comes from being a back-up singer and that's where he belongs. His voice cracked, he forgot the words and his vocals overall are simply not that interesting. Diana did the best she could, but Brandon didn't give her much to work with.
Diana Ross starred in the movie version of The Wiz and she turned Home into the amazing showstopper that it needs to be on the big screen. Melinda Doolittle had no problem whatsoever proving her capabilities with this challanging song. It was soft and subtle in all the right places and she belted out the big notes with ease. Melinda made this a breeze for Diana.
For nine weeks in 1981 Diana shared the #1 spot with Lionel Richie for their beautiful duet, Endless Love. Chris Sligh not only took off his glasses tonight, but he also mixed it up by performing a new and interesting arrangement of the song. It may have been a risk, but it allowed his voice to take center stage. He decided that Diana didn't have much insight to offer him and he stayed true to himself. The drawback is that he may have lost the emotional connection to the song.
Love Child was an image changing #1 hit for the Supremes for two weeks in 1968. It was a story song with a social conscience unlike their previous hits. Gina Glockson couldn't depend on simply being the rock chick and screaming the song out. She needed to convey that the power of the song comes from a catchy hook connected to meaningful lyrics. Gina just looked like she was trying really hard to remember the words and the vocals were an afterthought. Diana apparently left her too starstruck to listen.
Now this is the reason Sanjaya Malakar is in the top 12. It's the car wreck you just can't take your eyes off of. He teased his hair to look as much like one of Diana's biggest wigs as he could. The question is, "why was he merely wearing a striped sweater?" He should have gone all out and put on the sequined gown and the feather boa. Just turn the volume down and watch the disaster so you don't have to hear him destroy her first #1 as a solo artist in 1970, Ain't No Mountain High Enough. There's nothing Diana could have done to help him.
Diana had her final top 10 hit with Missing You in 1985. It was her emotional tribute to Marvin Gaye after his death. Haley Scarnato truly did her best to be true to the song, but when she completely butchered the lyrics during the dramatic crescendo it sealed her fate. While it started out well as she mastered the wonderful subtleties of the song, she'll be remembered as the very pretty girl who made a very sloppy debut. Diana is probably heartbroken that the nerves got the best of Haley.
In 1968 the Supremes teamed up with the Temptatations for their #2 collaboration, I'm Gonna Make You Love Me. Phil Stacey has to hope that you tune in only for his last note because he belts that one out with strength and confidence. The rest of the song was incredibly drab and vocally dreary. If you already love him, great, but this performance isn't gonna make anyone new love him. Once again, Diana gave her best, but there isn't much to work with.
In 1973 Diana earned an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Billie Holiday in Lady Sings The Blues. Diana used her versatile talent to make Billie's bluesy/jazz classics her own. LaKisha Jones stood center stage in a shimmering white gown and performed a very convincing rendition of God Bless The Child. She was in complete control of her voice and toned it down in exactly the right way. LaKisha clearly hung on every word of advice that Diana gave her.
You Keep Me Hanging On is one of the rare songs that has hit #1 twice by two different artists. The Supremes topped the charts for two weeks in 1966 and Kim Wilde made it a #1 again in 1987. Blake Lewis could take this song to #1 for a third time. He's the first finalist of the evening to thoroughly own the stage with his performance. Everything fell into place perfectly. He looked great, he danced across the floor with style and his vocals were smooth and flawless. The boy has star-quality and rhythm. Another breeze for Diana...
Diana Ross took over the disco dance floors with her 1976 #1 song, Love Hangover. Stephanie Edwards decided to leave everyone hanging and skip the toe tapping second half of the song. While she ran circles around the sultry vibe of the first part of the song with her amazing vocals, it was unfortunately unsatisfying. Her choice makes sense since the second half has almost no lyrics. It's a great song, but not the right song to perform on this stage. Hopefully she will get another chance.
Diana remained the disco diva through 1979 when she hit the top 20 with The Boss. Chris Richardson seemed a little out of his element as he attempted to interpret this dancefloor anthem. He was most likely unfamiliar with Diana's material and he just took a stab in the dark. His looks and moves weren't enough to prevent him from missing the target. Chris is clearly too young and inexperienced to have benefitted more from Diana's input.
In 1988, Diana contributed her talents to the soundtrack to the animated film, The Land Before Time. The song is called If We Hold On Together and Jordin Sparks managed to make it sound interesting and entertaining even though it was unfamiliar. This young lady has plenty of vocal talent and it will be a pleasure to see her get better and better each week. She was clearly open to Diana's words of wisdom and it showed.
Tomorrow night the lowest vote getter will be sent home. It's too bad we won't be losing three or four of these finalists. Brandon, Haley and Sanjaya should definitely be in the bottom three. I'd love to see Sanjaya go home and spare us all from future car wrecks, but I fear that people are still calling in for him. My prediction is that Brandon's trip will come to an end.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
And the TOP 12 are...
Before he went solo in 1978 to have his huge #2 smash, Baker Street, Gerry Rafferty led a group called Stealers Wheel. You may not remember the name of the group, but in 1973 radio stations played Stuck In The Middle With You in heavy rotation. The 16 remaining finalists pulled together as a group and had some fun singing this golden oldie. Surely they were all full of hope that stuck in the middle is where their votes tallied. But four are destined to be at the bottom...
Ryan mixed it up tonight and had both the boys and girls sitting together to hear the news. Blake and LaKisha were the first to find out that they are coming back next week. They were able to walk across the stage to the special chairs just for the final 12. They were next joined by Chris and Jordin. While Phil heard the good news, Jared Cotter found out that America doesn't really love him. He had to sing If You Really Love Me full of conflicted emotions. He did a great job despite the disappointing circumstances.
Melinda and Brandon, the two former back-up singers, found out together that they are moving forward. Gina and Chris are also seated comfortably in two of the 12 seats. There are now nine finalists one step closer to becoming the Season Six Miss American Idol.
The standard for a successful American Idol career has been set by Season Four Miss American Idol, Carrie Underwood. She had the best selling album of 2006 and she won the 2007 Grammy for Best New Artist. She graced the stage and performed yet another smash from her amazing debut album, Some Hearts. Tonight it was the midtempo track called, Wasted. Just like she sings in the lyrics, she's not spending any time wasted.
Antonella and Stephanie then had to hear their fate. Stephanie's fate is in the top 12, while Antonella's is to sing Put Your Records On one last time. It was tearful, but she got through it like a pro. The pairing of Haley and Sabrina was next. Turns out that Haley's heart had wings enough to get her through, while Sabrina became a victim of the crowded field. With her final performance of Don't Let Go she beautifully demonstrated her powerful vocals. Someday we may hear from her again...
The last seat in the TOP 12 is going to go to either Sanjaya or Sundance. Neither one of them is a shining star, but unfortunately we're gonna be stuck with one of them. Putting a humorous twist on it, we'll get a chance to see what comicly tragic thing Sanjaya does to his hair next week. Sundance, meanwhile, screamed through Jeremy again.
And The Top 12 Are:
Blake Lewis
LaKisha Jones
Chris Sligh
Jordin Sparks
Phil Stacey
Melinda Doolittle
Brandon Rogers
Gina Glockson
Chris Richardson
Stephanie Edwards
Haley Scarnato
Sanjaya Malakar
One of them will be crowned the Season Six Miss American Idol! Who is your favorite? I'd like to see Blake Lewis have the glitter fall around him the night of the finals. I think he is quite talented and he has a unique style that we haven't seen in previous years. Please feel free to share your opinions and comments....
Ryan mixed it up tonight and had both the boys and girls sitting together to hear the news. Blake and LaKisha were the first to find out that they are coming back next week. They were able to walk across the stage to the special chairs just for the final 12. They were next joined by Chris and Jordin. While Phil heard the good news, Jared Cotter found out that America doesn't really love him. He had to sing If You Really Love Me full of conflicted emotions. He did a great job despite the disappointing circumstances.
Melinda and Brandon, the two former back-up singers, found out together that they are moving forward. Gina and Chris are also seated comfortably in two of the 12 seats. There are now nine finalists one step closer to becoming the Season Six Miss American Idol.
The standard for a successful American Idol career has been set by Season Four Miss American Idol, Carrie Underwood. She had the best selling album of 2006 and she won the 2007 Grammy for Best New Artist. She graced the stage and performed yet another smash from her amazing debut album, Some Hearts. Tonight it was the midtempo track called, Wasted. Just like she sings in the lyrics, she's not spending any time wasted.
Antonella and Stephanie then had to hear their fate. Stephanie's fate is in the top 12, while Antonella's is to sing Put Your Records On one last time. It was tearful, but she got through it like a pro. The pairing of Haley and Sabrina was next. Turns out that Haley's heart had wings enough to get her through, while Sabrina became a victim of the crowded field. With her final performance of Don't Let Go she beautifully demonstrated her powerful vocals. Someday we may hear from her again...
The last seat in the TOP 12 is going to go to either Sanjaya or Sundance. Neither one of them is a shining star, but unfortunately we're gonna be stuck with one of them. Putting a humorous twist on it, we'll get a chance to see what comicly tragic thing Sanjaya does to his hair next week. Sundance, meanwhile, screamed through Jeremy again.
And The Top 12 Are:
Blake Lewis
LaKisha Jones
Chris Sligh
Jordin Sparks
Phil Stacey
Melinda Doolittle
Brandon Rogers
Gina Glockson
Chris Richardson
Stephanie Edwards
Haley Scarnato
Sanjaya Malakar
One of them will be crowned the Season Six Miss American Idol! Who is your favorite? I'd like to see Blake Lewis have the glitter fall around him the night of the finals. I think he is quite talented and he has a unique style that we haven't seen in previous years. Please feel free to share your opinions and comments....
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
8 girls and their last chance to make the TOP 12...
Last night most of the boys failed to make the best of their final opportunity to make the top 12. Surely the girls will do better. They can pick ANY song they want to - Here's how it played out:
Few people know that rock diva Pat Benatar is a classicly trained opera singer. She took those powerhouse vocals to a string of hits in the 80's starting with Heartbreaker. Jordin Sparks wasn't even born then, but she kicked off the show with an energetic and fun rendition of this classic rock jam. It showed some more of her range and it was a very good showing.
Sabrina Sloan is the whole package: she's a great looking young woman with a great voice. Sometimes that isn't enough to reach the top though. En Vogue was the biggest girl group of the 90's, yet they never managed to get a #1 hit. Their three biggest hits all peaked at #2 including Don't Let Go from 1997. Sabrina did a great job with this song, but in the crowded field she runs the risk of needing to settle for second best. Still a great showing.
Corrine Bailey Rae recieved huge critical acclaim for her debut in 2006, Put Your Records On. It has a subtle vocal range that is actually a good match for Antonella Barba. The problem is that vocal subtlety isn't going to stand out in a competition. She's a beautiful girl with a nice personality, and America will probably root for her. This wasn't an awful showing.
Haley Scarnato is yet another attractive young woman with a nice voice. She decided to perform a relatively obscure Faith Hill track called If My Heart Had Wings. Haley needed to get up there and do something that would make her stand out and this simply wasn't it. She's good, but not a good enough showing.
Stephanie Edwards...I could probably say the same thing I said earlier...A great looking young woman with a great voice. Chaka Khan is definitely an accomplished R&B diva yet she never hit the top. Sweet Thing, from 1976, is one of only three songs that hit the top five for her. It's back to the crowded field problem, but this was certainly good enough for a top five showing.
Whitney Houston never had a problem hitting #1 - she's done it 11 times, but not with I Have Nothing which stalled at #4 in 1993. LaKisha Jones has the blockbuster big voice that seems to be on a fast track to the top of the charts. She is perfectly capable of handling this type of song. She looked great in a black dress accessorized with diamonds and she put in a very good showing.
Tonight Gina Glockson decided to be a rock chick. It was a better match for the red streak in her hair and a great fit for her performance of Call Me When You're Sober, the recent top 10 hit by the 2004 Grammy winners for Best New Artist, Evanescence. It allowed Gina to true to herself and scream with passion. A good showing.
Melinda Doolittle seems to have a quiet and timid personality, but her exceptional voice is helping her push her way to the front of the crowded field. On stage she belts out Because I'm A Woman with self depricating confidence. The vocals and the performance speak for themselves. A Great showing.
What a huge difference from the boys! All 8 girls could be a good fit for the top 12, but still, two have to go home. Antonella, Haley and Gina seem to be the only ones at risk. Because this is a popularity contest, I predict that Haley and Gina will be the girls sent packing.
Few people know that rock diva Pat Benatar is a classicly trained opera singer. She took those powerhouse vocals to a string of hits in the 80's starting with Heartbreaker. Jordin Sparks wasn't even born then, but she kicked off the show with an energetic and fun rendition of this classic rock jam. It showed some more of her range and it was a very good showing.
Sabrina Sloan is the whole package: she's a great looking young woman with a great voice. Sometimes that isn't enough to reach the top though. En Vogue was the biggest girl group of the 90's, yet they never managed to get a #1 hit. Their three biggest hits all peaked at #2 including Don't Let Go from 1997. Sabrina did a great job with this song, but in the crowded field she runs the risk of needing to settle for second best. Still a great showing.
Corrine Bailey Rae recieved huge critical acclaim for her debut in 2006, Put Your Records On. It has a subtle vocal range that is actually a good match for Antonella Barba. The problem is that vocal subtlety isn't going to stand out in a competition. She's a beautiful girl with a nice personality, and America will probably root for her. This wasn't an awful showing.
Haley Scarnato is yet another attractive young woman with a nice voice. She decided to perform a relatively obscure Faith Hill track called If My Heart Had Wings. Haley needed to get up there and do something that would make her stand out and this simply wasn't it. She's good, but not a good enough showing.
Stephanie Edwards...I could probably say the same thing I said earlier...A great looking young woman with a great voice. Chaka Khan is definitely an accomplished R&B diva yet she never hit the top. Sweet Thing, from 1976, is one of only three songs that hit the top five for her. It's back to the crowded field problem, but this was certainly good enough for a top five showing.
Whitney Houston never had a problem hitting #1 - she's done it 11 times, but not with I Have Nothing which stalled at #4 in 1993. LaKisha Jones has the blockbuster big voice that seems to be on a fast track to the top of the charts. She is perfectly capable of handling this type of song. She looked great in a black dress accessorized with diamonds and she put in a very good showing.
Tonight Gina Glockson decided to be a rock chick. It was a better match for the red streak in her hair and a great fit for her performance of Call Me When You're Sober, the recent top 10 hit by the 2004 Grammy winners for Best New Artist, Evanescence. It allowed Gina to true to herself and scream with passion. A good showing.
Melinda Doolittle seems to have a quiet and timid personality, but her exceptional voice is helping her push her way to the front of the crowded field. On stage she belts out Because I'm A Woman with self depricating confidence. The vocals and the performance speak for themselves. A Great showing.
What a huge difference from the boys! All 8 girls could be a good fit for the top 12, but still, two have to go home. Antonella, Haley and Gina seem to be the only ones at risk. Because this is a popularity contest, I predict that Haley and Gina will be the girls sent packing.
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
8 boys and their last chance to make the TOP 12...
Tonight the 8 remaining boys will get one last chance to select any song they want to perform to try and make it to the TOP 12. Tonight's song has to be the one that allows them to look and sound their best. Here's what they decided to do...
Blake Lewis is simply a natural. Without even mentioning his easy going and effortless good looks, he is completely comfortable on stage. He is a gifted vocalist in so many ways - a smooth tenor singing voice and so much rhythm that he just can't keep it inside. On top of all that, he selects to sing songs that sound fresh, hip and young. Tonight it was a hip hop reggae jam by 311. Blake set the bar very high tonight with this impressive showing.
Sanjaya Malakar is the polar opposite. His performance of John Mayer's Waiting On The World To Change, which is a current hit in the top 20 this week, was bland and boring. Everything about him so far has been awkward and unnatural. He's got that crazy long hair that he wore in a pony-tail last week and tonight he straightened it out so it looked just like his sister's. A very weak showing.
Sundance Head is another contestant whose middle name could be "awkward". He doesn't have the looks or the moves to make anything special of Pearl Jam's breakout hit from 1992, Jeremy. This type of song doesn't allow him to show off any vocal range at all. It was just an amateur trying to scream his way through. A poor showing.
Chris Richardson took a risk tonight and tried to show that he has the broad enough range to sing anything. In the past he has shined by coming off as current and on the cutting edge. But tonight he chose a Keith Urban country ballad that took the spotlight off his moves and relied solely on his rather plain vocals. They were good, but it was still a rather shaky showing.
Stevie Wonder had a top 10 hit in 1971 with his If You Really Love Me. This song allowed Jared Cotter to show more of his range. Part of the song is a tender ballad where he can belt out some big notes while the other part is a fun uptempo toe tapper. This gave him a chance to seem more carefree and fun than he has in the past. A good showing.
1971 is also the year that Rare Earth made a top 10 hit out of I Just Want To Celebrate. Brandon Rogers did his best to impress with this energetic anthem. The truth, though, is that the song choice was not the problem. Brandon unfortunately, did not bring any special standout vocals to his performance. What could have been a showstopper was a lackluster showing.
Phil Stacey made a huge mistake tonight by selecting to sing the Leann Rimes song that just missed the top 10 in 2000, I Need You. The song peaked at #11 and Phil seems to have peaked last week and is on his way out. Leann, who won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1997, has a big voice with an extremely broad range. Phil doesn't. His limited abilities made this into a regrettable showing.
Chris Sligh just wants to be loved. Don't we all? He gave us another bluesy / rock song that wasn't very catchy or very well known. It's the kind of choice that could be fatal for his chances except for the fact that there are other guys who are on even more unstable ground than he is. Chris' vocals are merely good so it was therefore, a merely good showing.
I am filled with a lack of enthusiasm for these 8 boys. Blake is the only consistant high performer. Based on these performances tonight, any of the other 7 could be going home. The four most lackluster were Sanjaya, Sundance, Phil and Brandon. Two of these guys will barely squeak into the TOP 12, while I predict that Sanjaya and Phil will be going home.
Blake Lewis is simply a natural. Without even mentioning his easy going and effortless good looks, he is completely comfortable on stage. He is a gifted vocalist in so many ways - a smooth tenor singing voice and so much rhythm that he just can't keep it inside. On top of all that, he selects to sing songs that sound fresh, hip and young. Tonight it was a hip hop reggae jam by 311. Blake set the bar very high tonight with this impressive showing.
Sanjaya Malakar is the polar opposite. His performance of John Mayer's Waiting On The World To Change, which is a current hit in the top 20 this week, was bland and boring. Everything about him so far has been awkward and unnatural. He's got that crazy long hair that he wore in a pony-tail last week and tonight he straightened it out so it looked just like his sister's. A very weak showing.
Sundance Head is another contestant whose middle name could be "awkward". He doesn't have the looks or the moves to make anything special of Pearl Jam's breakout hit from 1992, Jeremy. This type of song doesn't allow him to show off any vocal range at all. It was just an amateur trying to scream his way through. A poor showing.
Chris Richardson took a risk tonight and tried to show that he has the broad enough range to sing anything. In the past he has shined by coming off as current and on the cutting edge. But tonight he chose a Keith Urban country ballad that took the spotlight off his moves and relied solely on his rather plain vocals. They were good, but it was still a rather shaky showing.
Stevie Wonder had a top 10 hit in 1971 with his If You Really Love Me. This song allowed Jared Cotter to show more of his range. Part of the song is a tender ballad where he can belt out some big notes while the other part is a fun uptempo toe tapper. This gave him a chance to seem more carefree and fun than he has in the past. A good showing.
1971 is also the year that Rare Earth made a top 10 hit out of I Just Want To Celebrate. Brandon Rogers did his best to impress with this energetic anthem. The truth, though, is that the song choice was not the problem. Brandon unfortunately, did not bring any special standout vocals to his performance. What could have been a showstopper was a lackluster showing.
Phil Stacey made a huge mistake tonight by selecting to sing the Leann Rimes song that just missed the top 10 in 2000, I Need You. The song peaked at #11 and Phil seems to have peaked last week and is on his way out. Leann, who won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1997, has a big voice with an extremely broad range. Phil doesn't. His limited abilities made this into a regrettable showing.
Chris Sligh just wants to be loved. Don't we all? He gave us another bluesy / rock song that wasn't very catchy or very well known. It's the kind of choice that could be fatal for his chances except for the fact that there are other guys who are on even more unstable ground than he is. Chris' vocals are merely good so it was therefore, a merely good showing.
I am filled with a lack of enthusiasm for these 8 boys. Blake is the only consistant high performer. Based on these performances tonight, any of the other 7 could be going home. The four most lackluster were Sanjaya, Sundance, Phil and Brandon. Two of these guys will barely squeak into the TOP 12, while I predict that Sanjaya and Phil will be going home.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Who should NOT make the top 12...
After this week of competiton we will be down to the final 6 boys and the final 6 girls. One of the best parts of this is that we will finally stop having two nights of competions each week. No more "boy night" followed by "girl night". The top 6 boys and top 6 girls will combine into the TOP 12!!!
I'm not too concerned about who should make it to the top 12. It's really more of a concern because there are certain finalists who definitely should NOT make it that far. I'm sure these contestants are all very nice kids, but they just don't have what it takes to be crowned the Season Six Miss American Idol.
The most glaring example is little Sanjaya Malakar. Clearly he is a very sincere boy who likes to sing. He is just so awkward and unpolished on stage. He should have never made the top 24. He needs a few years to grow up, get a haircut and take voice lessons. He may have some potential, but he's not there yet.
I'm also not feeling much enthusiasm for either Chris Sligh or Sundance Head. Looking at Miss American Idol history - the previous boy winners were Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks. Niether of these guys have young, cute, "boy band" looks and they managed to get all of Alabama to vote for them to the top prize. It's quite possible that Chris or Sundance could be the approach of history repeating. That would be both tragic and boring. I would be fine if they both missed out on the top 12. They don't have exceptional enough voices to warrant getting very far in this competition.
As for the girls, the really bad ones have already left - thankfully. That leaves us with Haley Scarnato, Gina Glockson, and Antonella Barba simply not being as good as the other girls. There's a group of 5 very impressive girl singers who will make the TOP 12 a very entertaining competition. Any of the above three not so great girl singers will not be missed at all.
I'm not too concerned about who should make it to the top 12. It's really more of a concern because there are certain finalists who definitely should NOT make it that far. I'm sure these contestants are all very nice kids, but they just don't have what it takes to be crowned the Season Six Miss American Idol.
The most glaring example is little Sanjaya Malakar. Clearly he is a very sincere boy who likes to sing. He is just so awkward and unpolished on stage. He should have never made the top 24. He needs a few years to grow up, get a haircut and take voice lessons. He may have some potential, but he's not there yet.
I'm also not feeling much enthusiasm for either Chris Sligh or Sundance Head. Looking at Miss American Idol history - the previous boy winners were Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks. Niether of these guys have young, cute, "boy band" looks and they managed to get all of Alabama to vote for them to the top prize. It's quite possible that Chris or Sundance could be the approach of history repeating. That would be both tragic and boring. I would be fine if they both missed out on the top 12. They don't have exceptional enough voices to warrant getting very far in this competition.
As for the girls, the really bad ones have already left - thankfully. That leaves us with Haley Scarnato, Gina Glockson, and Antonella Barba simply not being as good as the other girls. There's a group of 5 very impressive girl singers who will make the TOP 12 a very entertaining competition. Any of the above three not so great girl singers will not be missed at all.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Four more are out the door...
Three Dog Night dominated the airwaves in the early 70's. Their biggest hit spent six weeks at #1 in 1971, Joy To The World. The 20 remaining finalists all performed this hippie anthem with enthusiasm and energy. In less than one hour, four of them will have one less thing to be joyful about.
One by one Ryan asked the boys to stand up and hear their fate. Phil, Chris, Sundance, Blake, and Jerod were all relieved to hear they were safe and then Ryan blurted out that Nick is going home. While his looks got him this far, his weak voice was destined to lead him here. Just turn the volume down and watch him perform Fever for the last time. He's never sounded better.
Then it was time for the girls to hear the news. Stephanie, Gina, Sabrina, and Melinda were all able to sit comfortably knowing they are coming back next week. Alaina, on the other hand, had to endure hearing that she is being kicked to the curb and then she had to sing Not Ready To Make Nice again. It was visibly difficult for her. She was so emotional she could barely get a word out. The girls all rallyed around her on stage and gave her some support. It still didn't sound any good.
In Season Four Carrie Underwood was crowned Miss American Idol and she has since become a top selling recording artist and multiple award winner. In Season Five, the judges must have been desperate to recreate the magic when they allowed Kellie Pickler into the top 24. Just like Carrie, she's a pretty, young and blond country girl. Kellie really did her best to channel Carrie with a performance from her current album that is in stores now. With this high profile opportunity, she may actually get a big spike in sales.
Back to bursting the bubble for one of the boys. Chris and Brandon were both still in tact while Sanjaya and AJ were asked to step center stage. Sanjaya was here last week and he ended up being safe. Turns out he was safe again. Go Figure. AJ treated the audience to another taste of his fabulous, two snaps up with twirl and a flame performance style. He sounded great and he managed to look like he was having a great time. It's a shame we won't get to see him again.
After that surprise announcement any one of the girls could be going home. It was not LaKisha, Haley or Antonella. That left Leslie and Jordin center stage, but, thankfully, there was no surprise this time. Leslie is being sent packing back to the dogs. Who knew that electing to sing Feeling Good was going to be such bad luck. Well, the way Leslie sang it, we all knew she didn't have a chance. We unfortunately had to suffer through her singing it again.
You have to call in and vote for the good singers. I was wrong with my predictions for the boys and we are now stuck with Sanjaya coming back next week. Since I was right with my prediction for the girls their battle for the top 6 should be pretty heated next week.
One by one Ryan asked the boys to stand up and hear their fate. Phil, Chris, Sundance, Blake, and Jerod were all relieved to hear they were safe and then Ryan blurted out that Nick is going home. While his looks got him this far, his weak voice was destined to lead him here. Just turn the volume down and watch him perform Fever for the last time. He's never sounded better.
Then it was time for the girls to hear the news. Stephanie, Gina, Sabrina, and Melinda were all able to sit comfortably knowing they are coming back next week. Alaina, on the other hand, had to endure hearing that she is being kicked to the curb and then she had to sing Not Ready To Make Nice again. It was visibly difficult for her. She was so emotional she could barely get a word out. The girls all rallyed around her on stage and gave her some support. It still didn't sound any good.
In Season Four Carrie Underwood was crowned Miss American Idol and she has since become a top selling recording artist and multiple award winner. In Season Five, the judges must have been desperate to recreate the magic when they allowed Kellie Pickler into the top 24. Just like Carrie, she's a pretty, young and blond country girl. Kellie really did her best to channel Carrie with a performance from her current album that is in stores now. With this high profile opportunity, she may actually get a big spike in sales.
Back to bursting the bubble for one of the boys. Chris and Brandon were both still in tact while Sanjaya and AJ were asked to step center stage. Sanjaya was here last week and he ended up being safe. Turns out he was safe again. Go Figure. AJ treated the audience to another taste of his fabulous, two snaps up with twirl and a flame performance style. He sounded great and he managed to look like he was having a great time. It's a shame we won't get to see him again.
After that surprise announcement any one of the girls could be going home. It was not LaKisha, Haley or Antonella. That left Leslie and Jordin center stage, but, thankfully, there was no surprise this time. Leslie is being sent packing back to the dogs. Who knew that electing to sing Feeling Good was going to be such bad luck. Well, the way Leslie sang it, we all knew she didn't have a chance. We unfortunately had to suffer through her singing it again.
You have to call in and vote for the good singers. I was wrong with my predictions for the boys and we are now stuck with Sanjaya coming back next week. Since I was right with my prediction for the girls their battle for the top 6 should be pretty heated next week.
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