A two hour results show, chock full of mega stars performing their biggest hits on two stages, the opportunity to raise even more money, and the promise for the most SHOCKING outcome ever!
Earth Wind and Fire opened the show with a medley of their hits including Boogie Wonderland and September, both from 1979. Quincy Jones then conducted the six finalists as they gathered for a group performance of the new single A Time To Care. It is an attempt to re-create the spirit of We Are The World by United Support of Artists. Back in 1985 a collection of 46 major artists formed to help the suffering people of Africa and the US. It sold over 4 million copies and spent 4 weeks at #1.
A quick bit of attention was given to this week's results when Ryan asked Melinda to stand up so she could hear that she is safe. We were then treated to the four classical voices that come together to form IL Divo. They sang the wonderful love theme from West Side Story, Somewhere. Blake was then asked to stand and hear that he is also safe.
Season Four Miss American Idol, Carrie Underwood, then demonstrated why she is wearing the crown and Gina Glocksen isn't. Carrie performed a heartwarming rendition of The Pretender's I'll Stand By You for a poverty stricken, yet appreciative audience in Africa. Go download the song and all the proceeds will contribute to the charity. It will make an incredible addition toward completing your Carrie Underwood collection. Rascal Flatts sang something boring afterward that also demonstrated why they aren't wearing the crown either.
For some reason Phil is safe again (maybe the shocking outcome will be Ryan taking it back and sending him home?) Let's just compare for a minute now. Josh Groban performed his poetic anthem You Raise Me Up. Josh has a truly suberb vocal gift and Phil doesn't even come close. I'm just sayin...
Where has Season One Miss American Idol, Kelly Clarkson, been lately. Her second album, Breakaway, had a huge amount of hits on it, but we have to keep waiting til this summer to get her third album. To tide us over while we're waiting she made a very rare return to the American Idol stage to give a rousing interpretation of Up To The Mountain along with legendary guitarist Jeff Beck.
Ryan then asked LaKisha to stand up and hear that she is safe. We were then taken back to 1968 when Elvis had a hit with If I Can Dream. In a bizarre feat of technical video wizardry, it was made to appear that Celine Dion was actually sharing the stage with the King of Rock and roll and performing a duet of this uplifting ballad. It was kinda weird, but it just goes to show that nowadays, anything is possible.
Bridge Over Troubled Water is truly one of the greatest inspirational songs of all time. Simon & Garfunkel took it to #1 for 6 weeks in 1970. That year it won the Grammy for Record of The Year. Season Two Miss American Idol First Runner Up, Clay Aiken stole the show during his final face-off with Ruben with his powerful performance of the song and tonight Annie Lennox did her best to do the song justice.
There are only two finalists left waiting to hear their fate, Chris and Jordin. Ryan revealed that Chris is safe. How could it be that the amazing Jordin is the lowest vote getter and is going home?! Well, she's not. Ryan informed the world that she is safe because no one is going home this week. He explained that all of the votes cast this week will be added to votes cast next week. After the totals from both weeks are added together next week, the lowest TWO (2) vote getters will be going home!
Is that really shocking? No, I don't think so, but the thought of getting rid of both Phil and Chris at the same time next week is kind of invigorating. It will be extra special fun to vote for Blake, Jordin, Melinda and LaKisha next week. :)
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
The Top 6 with Inspiration
The night that American Idol Gives Back is finally here. Ryan has talked about it for weeks when every call you make to vote for your favorite finalist will turn into a donation to fight poverty world wide. To go along with the charitable theme of the evening, the top 6 were instructed to pick an inspirational song to perform tonight.
Chris Richardson decided to sing the song that swept the Grammy Awards in 1996, Eric Clapton's Change The World. It won both Record and Song of The Year and hit the top 5 on the charts. This is an understated ballad with wonderful lyrics. Eric Clapton conveyed the power of the song with the kind of subtlety and style that comes with maturity and life experience. We learned last week that Chris is not a storyteller who can grasp the substance in every word. He tried too hard with this attempt and went for power instead of inspiration. Sadly, his voice isn't good for power either.
It looks like Melinda Doolittle decided to take the week off. She has already proven herself as an extremely talented vocal dynamo and last week she freshened up her look with a fun and sassy hair-do. Apparently, she feels she's already won the Miss American Idol crown so she can just phone it in from now on. She chose a minor hit from 2001, Faith Hill's There Will Come A Day. Melinda knows she has a better voice than Faith, so improving on the original was an easy task. She didn't even try to raise the stakes beyond that.
Week after week Blake Lewis has shown us that he is a very talented young man. His voice is a wonderfully smooth tenor. He has the look and the vibe that is hip and cool. He glides across the stage with confidence dancing perfectly to the rhythm. In fact, he has so much rhythm that it can't be contained so it bursts out of him in the form of syncopated beat box percussion. But tonight, Blake sat center stage and let the song and the inspirational lyrics take all the focus. Every fluid syllable was filled with the sincere integrity that only a true story teller can communicate. It brought tears to your eyes to absorb Imagine (John Lennon #3 in 1971) as it resonated from Blake's lips.
Season Three Miss American Idol, Fantasia, took I Believe to #1 in 2004. Last week LaKisha Jones performed a song made famous by another Idol winner, Carrie Underwood, so her selection of Fantasia is clearly her statement to the world, "ANYTHING THEY CAN DO, I CAN DO BETTER!" LaKisha looked great on stage and I applaud her bold choices. She sounded very good as well. I'm not sure if I'm convinced that she has the undeniable winning star quality that Fantasia and Carrie have, but I'm glad we get to see her try every week.
Phil Stacey has been taking the week off from the beginning. He hasn't proven himself vocally, he hasn't freshened up his look, he's been in the bottom three every week and yet he's still here. He chose a very drab song by Garth Brooks and made it sound even more drab. Even his loud screaming notes sounded drab when he was supposedly going for passionate inspiration.
The only hit version of You'll Never Walk Alone was in 1964 when Patti Labelle took it to #34. It's from the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical Carousel and Jordin Sparks made it sound hip and cool for a new generation. To do this song right, one must have exceptional vocal abilities and Jordin showed hers off like she could easily take the crown away from anyone who thinks they already have it. She makes it look easy as she simply opens her mouth and the beautiful tones just flutter out on the wings of butterfies. She provided a truly inspirational final performance for the evening.
I said it last week and I've been given no reason not to say it again. It's a no-brainer that Phil and Chris should be the lowest vote getters. It's a tough call regarding who should go home first, since I don't think either one of them is worthy to be in the top 5. If we get a bottom three this week, I fear that LaKisha could be there with the bad boys. It would be a crime for either Blake or Jordin to be low vote getters so I won't even mention the possibility of that happening. My prediction is that LaKisha, Phil and Chris will be the bottom three and Chris will be going home.
Chris Richardson decided to sing the song that swept the Grammy Awards in 1996, Eric Clapton's Change The World. It won both Record and Song of The Year and hit the top 5 on the charts. This is an understated ballad with wonderful lyrics. Eric Clapton conveyed the power of the song with the kind of subtlety and style that comes with maturity and life experience. We learned last week that Chris is not a storyteller who can grasp the substance in every word. He tried too hard with this attempt and went for power instead of inspiration. Sadly, his voice isn't good for power either.
It looks like Melinda Doolittle decided to take the week off. She has already proven herself as an extremely talented vocal dynamo and last week she freshened up her look with a fun and sassy hair-do. Apparently, she feels she's already won the Miss American Idol crown so she can just phone it in from now on. She chose a minor hit from 2001, Faith Hill's There Will Come A Day. Melinda knows she has a better voice than Faith, so improving on the original was an easy task. She didn't even try to raise the stakes beyond that.
Week after week Blake Lewis has shown us that he is a very talented young man. His voice is a wonderfully smooth tenor. He has the look and the vibe that is hip and cool. He glides across the stage with confidence dancing perfectly to the rhythm. In fact, he has so much rhythm that it can't be contained so it bursts out of him in the form of syncopated beat box percussion. But tonight, Blake sat center stage and let the song and the inspirational lyrics take all the focus. Every fluid syllable was filled with the sincere integrity that only a true story teller can communicate. It brought tears to your eyes to absorb Imagine (John Lennon #3 in 1971) as it resonated from Blake's lips.
Season Three Miss American Idol, Fantasia, took I Believe to #1 in 2004. Last week LaKisha Jones performed a song made famous by another Idol winner, Carrie Underwood, so her selection of Fantasia is clearly her statement to the world, "ANYTHING THEY CAN DO, I CAN DO BETTER!" LaKisha looked great on stage and I applaud her bold choices. She sounded very good as well. I'm not sure if I'm convinced that she has the undeniable winning star quality that Fantasia and Carrie have, but I'm glad we get to see her try every week.
Phil Stacey has been taking the week off from the beginning. He hasn't proven himself vocally, he hasn't freshened up his look, he's been in the bottom three every week and yet he's still here. He chose a very drab song by Garth Brooks and made it sound even more drab. Even his loud screaming notes sounded drab when he was supposedly going for passionate inspiration.
The only hit version of You'll Never Walk Alone was in 1964 when Patti Labelle took it to #34. It's from the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical Carousel and Jordin Sparks made it sound hip and cool for a new generation. To do this song right, one must have exceptional vocal abilities and Jordin showed hers off like she could easily take the crown away from anyone who thinks they already have it. She makes it look easy as she simply opens her mouth and the beautiful tones just flutter out on the wings of butterfies. She provided a truly inspirational final performance for the evening.
I said it last week and I've been given no reason not to say it again. It's a no-brainer that Phil and Chris should be the lowest vote getters. It's a tough call regarding who should go home first, since I don't think either one of them is worthy to be in the top 5. If we get a bottom three this week, I fear that LaKisha could be there with the bad boys. It would be a crime for either Blake or Jordin to be low vote getters so I won't even mention the possibility of that happening. My prediction is that LaKisha, Phil and Chris will be the bottom three and Chris will be going home.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The Results - Martina McBride
The Lucky 7 finalists gathered on stage to perform a campfire sing-along that Jo Dee Messina released in 1998. It's called I'm Alright, but we know one of these finalists isn't going to be alright by the end of the hour. Yes, that's right, another hour long results show. Until the decision is revealed, they fumbled their way through this country ditty. Since once again, Blake is the only one who can dance, they sang the whole song while sitting in chairs. It wasn't very interesting.
Fergie was invited to fill some of the hour to perform her latest single. After spending the last five years as the front-woman for the Black Eyed Peas, she released her first solo album in 2006 and made it a huge success. Both London Bridge and Glamorous hit #1 on the chart while Fergalicious stalled at #2. The song she performed tonight is likely to be just as big. This time it was a rare solo vocal performance for her with no rap collaboration. She showed off some unexpected singing talent in honor of being on the American Idol stage, I guess.
Now to the results. Ryan split the finalists into two groups. One is the highest vote-getters and the other is the bottom three.
Group One:
Sanjaya
LaKisha
Blake
Group Two:
Chris
Jordin
Phil
Ryan left Melinda out and told her that she is safe. He then pressured her to choose which group she thought was the top vote getters and go join them. Melinda sat and the floor and refused to make a choice. Ryan gave in and revealed that Group Two is safe. Turns out tonight was the night for the BIG Surprise. Two of the best finalists have ended up in the bottom three. Blake and LaKisha are facing elimination along with Sanjaya.
Martina McBride just released a new album last week and she performed the lovely vocal showcase Anyway. Martina is a very classy and talented artist and she demonstrated that with her subtle and tasteful interpretation. While her voice is wonderful and soothing, it was still hard to sit through the song while my stomach was tied in knots worried about Blake and LaKisha, though.
I breathed a huge sigh of relief when Ryan allowed Blake to go back to safety. Then there was poor LaKisha stuck standing next to Sanjaya waiting for Ryan to reveal the news. And it was GREAT news! LaKisha is coming back next week and Sanjaya is FINALLY going home. He weeped a few tears from his allegedly beautiful eyes and butchered Something To Talk About for the last time. He tried to be funny and changed the lyrics to "let's talk about something other than hair", but we were too busy rejoicing to see the humor.
This week the bottom three should have been a no-brainer, but music fans have to pick up the phone and actually vote. I only got one of my predictions right. Thankfully it was the most important one. I correctly predicted that Sanjaya would be in the bottom three and that he would be going home. I have no idea why people are still calling in for Phil and Chris. Both of them have stumbled through the competition so far and have failed to impress. So this week must be a wake-up call and motivate people to keep Blake and LaKisha in the running. I think this could be one of the best final four American Idol has ever produced if we are left with Blake, LaKisha, Jordin and Melinda. Can't wait to see what happens next....
Fergie was invited to fill some of the hour to perform her latest single. After spending the last five years as the front-woman for the Black Eyed Peas, she released her first solo album in 2006 and made it a huge success. Both London Bridge and Glamorous hit #1 on the chart while Fergalicious stalled at #2. The song she performed tonight is likely to be just as big. This time it was a rare solo vocal performance for her with no rap collaboration. She showed off some unexpected singing talent in honor of being on the American Idol stage, I guess.
Now to the results. Ryan split the finalists into two groups. One is the highest vote-getters and the other is the bottom three.
Group One:
Sanjaya
LaKisha
Blake
Group Two:
Chris
Jordin
Phil
Ryan left Melinda out and told her that she is safe. He then pressured her to choose which group she thought was the top vote getters and go join them. Melinda sat and the floor and refused to make a choice. Ryan gave in and revealed that Group Two is safe. Turns out tonight was the night for the BIG Surprise. Two of the best finalists have ended up in the bottom three. Blake and LaKisha are facing elimination along with Sanjaya.
Martina McBride just released a new album last week and she performed the lovely vocal showcase Anyway. Martina is a very classy and talented artist and she demonstrated that with her subtle and tasteful interpretation. While her voice is wonderful and soothing, it was still hard to sit through the song while my stomach was tied in knots worried about Blake and LaKisha, though.
I breathed a huge sigh of relief when Ryan allowed Blake to go back to safety. Then there was poor LaKisha stuck standing next to Sanjaya waiting for Ryan to reveal the news. And it was GREAT news! LaKisha is coming back next week and Sanjaya is FINALLY going home. He weeped a few tears from his allegedly beautiful eyes and butchered Something To Talk About for the last time. He tried to be funny and changed the lyrics to "let's talk about something other than hair", but we were too busy rejoicing to see the humor.
This week the bottom three should have been a no-brainer, but music fans have to pick up the phone and actually vote. I only got one of my predictions right. Thankfully it was the most important one. I correctly predicted that Sanjaya would be in the bottom three and that he would be going home. I have no idea why people are still calling in for Phil and Chris. Both of them have stumbled through the competition so far and have failed to impress. So this week must be a wake-up call and motivate people to keep Blake and LaKisha in the running. I think this could be one of the best final four American Idol has ever produced if we are left with Blake, LaKisha, Jordin and Melinda. Can't wait to see what happens next....
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Martina McBride and the top 7
Season Four Miss American Idol, Carrie Underwood, was the big winner at the CMT Awards this week. Carrie would have been the perfect mentor for the finalists as they face the challange of singing Country music tonight. Apparently, she wasn't available, but the alternative, Martina McBride, is also a perfectly accomplished artist to work with them and give competant guidance.
Phil Stacey started out the evening with Keith Urban's Where The Blacktop Ends. This song has a good beat and even when it is paired with Phil's droning voice, the performance managed to keep the audience awake. He ran around the stage a lot more than usual, so there was more energy, but it didn't necessarily showcase enough vibrant stage presence which he is still sorely lacking.
Martina really has one of the best sets of vocal pipes in the industry, so if someone is going to cover one of her songs, she had better be good. We have already seen in the past few weeks that Jordin Sparks is much more than just good. She is a gifted young lady who is bright shining light, so it is no surprise that her interpretation of McBride's Broken Wings was simply stellar.
Bonnie Raitt had her only top 5 hit with Something To Talk About in 1991. Sanjaya Malakar's vocals were absolutely nothing to talk about. They are usually a scratchy whisper and his big notes are wretched screams. This boy knows the only thing we are talking about is his hair, so he tied up his poofy curls in a big red bandana, but there was no distracting from the weak voice this time around.
LaKisha Jones made a wonderful selection in what could have been a very difficult genre for her. Carrie Underwood released Jesus Take The Wheel as her first single in 2005 and she has since become a superstar. It's a song with a special lyrical connection for a single mom, and LaKisha was able to tell the story and sound sincere and powerful.
Great country artists are accomplished story tellers who connect emotionally with the audience. There is no chance that Chris Richardson is going to be a great country artist. He sang Rascal Flatts' Mayberry with his unimpressive voice and he couldn't rely on any attempts to connect through his usual tactics. There was no room for late 90's boy band dance moves, so he was just out of luck.
First of all, Melinda Doolittle, has never looked better that she did tonight. She wore her hair long and relaxed and it made her look more youthful than she has in the entire competition. On top of looking fabulous, she also selected the perfect toe tapper to compliment her great voice. Julie Reeves had a minor hit in 1999 with Trouble Is A Woman, and Melinda could rejuninate this song and bring it all the way to the top of the charts.
Tim McGraw is one of my favorite artists and in 2006 he had a hit with When The Stars Go Blue. Tonight we found out what happens when one of Tim's songs goes Blake. It gives me chills in a totally good way! Blake Lewis stays true to himself while perfectly adapting to the theme each week. He sang this tender ballad and effortlessly hit every note shifting seamlessly from his smooth tenor to a thoroughly dreamy falsetto. You could close your eyes and let yourself drift away, but then you'd be cheating yourself from seeing Blake float across the stage. When the stars go blue, Blake becomes a STAR!
My prediction for the bottom three seems like a total no-brainer this week. How could it not be Phil, Sanjaya and Chris? The other four finalists are exceptionally good, while they are blatantly not in their league. Watch this apparent no-brainer turn into the week of the big SURPRISE elimination! I hope I am right when I predict that this is the week America decides that they are finally ready for Sanjaya to go home.
Phil Stacey started out the evening with Keith Urban's Where The Blacktop Ends. This song has a good beat and even when it is paired with Phil's droning voice, the performance managed to keep the audience awake. He ran around the stage a lot more than usual, so there was more energy, but it didn't necessarily showcase enough vibrant stage presence which he is still sorely lacking.
Martina really has one of the best sets of vocal pipes in the industry, so if someone is going to cover one of her songs, she had better be good. We have already seen in the past few weeks that Jordin Sparks is much more than just good. She is a gifted young lady who is bright shining light, so it is no surprise that her interpretation of McBride's Broken Wings was simply stellar.
Bonnie Raitt had her only top 5 hit with Something To Talk About in 1991. Sanjaya Malakar's vocals were absolutely nothing to talk about. They are usually a scratchy whisper and his big notes are wretched screams. This boy knows the only thing we are talking about is his hair, so he tied up his poofy curls in a big red bandana, but there was no distracting from the weak voice this time around.
LaKisha Jones made a wonderful selection in what could have been a very difficult genre for her. Carrie Underwood released Jesus Take The Wheel as her first single in 2005 and she has since become a superstar. It's a song with a special lyrical connection for a single mom, and LaKisha was able to tell the story and sound sincere and powerful.
Great country artists are accomplished story tellers who connect emotionally with the audience. There is no chance that Chris Richardson is going to be a great country artist. He sang Rascal Flatts' Mayberry with his unimpressive voice and he couldn't rely on any attempts to connect through his usual tactics. There was no room for late 90's boy band dance moves, so he was just out of luck.
First of all, Melinda Doolittle, has never looked better that she did tonight. She wore her hair long and relaxed and it made her look more youthful than she has in the entire competition. On top of looking fabulous, she also selected the perfect toe tapper to compliment her great voice. Julie Reeves had a minor hit in 1999 with Trouble Is A Woman, and Melinda could rejuninate this song and bring it all the way to the top of the charts.
Tim McGraw is one of my favorite artists and in 2006 he had a hit with When The Stars Go Blue. Tonight we found out what happens when one of Tim's songs goes Blake. It gives me chills in a totally good way! Blake Lewis stays true to himself while perfectly adapting to the theme each week. He sang this tender ballad and effortlessly hit every note shifting seamlessly from his smooth tenor to a thoroughly dreamy falsetto. You could close your eyes and let yourself drift away, but then you'd be cheating yourself from seeing Blake float across the stage. When the stars go blue, Blake becomes a STAR!
My prediction for the bottom three seems like a total no-brainer this week. How could it not be Phil, Sanjaya and Chris? The other four finalists are exceptionally good, while they are blatantly not in their league. Watch this apparent no-brainer turn into the week of the big SURPRISE elimination! I hope I am right when I predict that this is the week America decides that they are finally ready for Sanjaya to go home.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
The Results - J-Lo
From 1999 to 2003 Jennifer Lopez managed to hit #1 four times with these recordings: If You Had My Love, I'm Real, Ain't It Funny and All I Have. These were all pop/R&B hits with rap collaborations. What's funny is that the folks at American Idol thought that J-Lo would be able to mentor the finalists regarding la musica latina even though she's never had a latin hit. For the first time in her career Jennifer has released a Spanish-language album just last week so apparently she's here this week to establish her credibility as a Latin artist.
Unlike J-Lo, Enrique Iglesias has had numerous latin hits and latin-flavored pop hits including Bailamos, that spent 2 weeks at #1 in 1999. All 8 finalists gathered on stage to perform esta cancion, but for the most part, they still haven't mastered this style of music. With Blake being the only contestant with any rhythm to speak of, the group as a whole looked rather stiff and clumsy as they attempted to sing a song about dancing.
With a full hour to fill there was plenty of time for more performances including Akon and his song that is currently #1 for it's second week, Don't Matter. Akon was actually on the results show a couple of weeks ago when he performed Sweet Escape with Gwen Stefani. As a result of that high profile performance the song leaped all the way back up to #2 on the charts. So 2007 is turning out to be the year of Akon as he is holding the #1 and #2 positions on the charts.
Finally it came time for the results. Once again, Phil was called center stage in the bottom three. LaKisha, Jordin and Melinda were all safe. Haley was the first to join Phil center stage. Blake was also safe leaving Sanjaya and Chris to potentially be one of the lowest vote getters. Turns out the bottom three is Phil, Haley and Chris. But he wasn't there for long as Chris was immediately informed that he can go back to safety.
Phil and Haley had to wait while Jennifer Lopez performed her latest single, Que Hiciste. What can I say? It was a blatant attempt at Latina credibility. Hopefully this promotional appearance will do its job and ignite some life into this energetic spanish language dance song. One thing is for sure, it won't happen based on her vocal abilities alone.
Once again, Phil has taken up space in the bottom three and once again he has survived to come back for another week. Although she is sweet, sincere and genuine, Haley Scarnato just didn't have enough to garner any more votes. She performed Turn The Beat Around one more time with all the enthusiasm and energy we have come to expect.
This week I correctly predicted all three of the bottom three. Thankfully there were none of the surprises that I feared, but LaKisha and Melinda will hopefully not become complacent. The only thing I couldn't predict correctly was how many lives Phil Stacey has. Week after week he yawns his way through the show and the people still keep voting for him. Will being in the final 7 continue his lucky streak?
Unlike J-Lo, Enrique Iglesias has had numerous latin hits and latin-flavored pop hits including Bailamos, that spent 2 weeks at #1 in 1999. All 8 finalists gathered on stage to perform esta cancion, but for the most part, they still haven't mastered this style of music. With Blake being the only contestant with any rhythm to speak of, the group as a whole looked rather stiff and clumsy as they attempted to sing a song about dancing.
With a full hour to fill there was plenty of time for more performances including Akon and his song that is currently #1 for it's second week, Don't Matter. Akon was actually on the results show a couple of weeks ago when he performed Sweet Escape with Gwen Stefani. As a result of that high profile performance the song leaped all the way back up to #2 on the charts. So 2007 is turning out to be the year of Akon as he is holding the #1 and #2 positions on the charts.
Finally it came time for the results. Once again, Phil was called center stage in the bottom three. LaKisha, Jordin and Melinda were all safe. Haley was the first to join Phil center stage. Blake was also safe leaving Sanjaya and Chris to potentially be one of the lowest vote getters. Turns out the bottom three is Phil, Haley and Chris. But he wasn't there for long as Chris was immediately informed that he can go back to safety.
Phil and Haley had to wait while Jennifer Lopez performed her latest single, Que Hiciste. What can I say? It was a blatant attempt at Latina credibility. Hopefully this promotional appearance will do its job and ignite some life into this energetic spanish language dance song. One thing is for sure, it won't happen based on her vocal abilities alone.
Once again, Phil has taken up space in the bottom three and once again he has survived to come back for another week. Although she is sweet, sincere and genuine, Haley Scarnato just didn't have enough to garner any more votes. She performed Turn The Beat Around one more time with all the enthusiasm and energy we have come to expect.
This week I correctly predicted all three of the bottom three. Thankfully there were none of the surprises that I feared, but LaKisha and Melinda will hopefully not become complacent. The only thing I couldn't predict correctly was how many lives Phil Stacey has. Week after week he yawns his way through the show and the people still keep voting for him. Will being in the final 7 continue his lucky streak?
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
The top 8 and J-Lo
Tonight the finalists had to stick to the theme of La Musica Latina. Unfortunately, they only guidance they got was from non-singer, Jennifer Lopez. Yes, she is a hit-making recording artist, but that doesn't mean she's a singer. So, in reality, left to their own devices, here's how it played out:
Melinda Doolittle had a tough challange ahead of her tonight. Every week she has proven her ability to sing better than the rest, but she has not been able to showcase any youthful energy. She styled her hair differently and wore a slinky off the shoulder number, but she couldn't hide that it was still her same old self. The latin rhythms barely got a shimmy out of her. Melinda sounds great - her recordings will be in high demand. Her live performances - not so much.
Conga introduced the pop world to Gloria Estefan and their first taste of the Miami Sound Machine in 1985. LaKisha Jones has been in the same zone as Melinda for the whole competition - Great voice, bland showmanship. This latin-flavored dance jam was a step in the right direction for LaKisha, but her discomfort was clear from the start. She did her best to dance and take command of the stage, but it fell somewhat flat. And vocally, this song didn't really allow her to do what she does best.
Santana had a huge comeback in 1999 when he teamed with Rob Thomas on the Grammy Award winning Record Of The Year, Smooth. The song spent an amazing 12 weeks at #1 and it is way too much for Chris Richardson to handle. The only thing this kid has going for him is his cute boy band charisma, but he just doesn't have enough to make any significant impact. His vocals were weaker than usual and his moves were not impressive.
No little black dress tonight. Instead, Haley Scarnato wore little black hot pants as she strutted her stuff through Turn The Beat Around. In 1976 Vickie Sue Robinson heated up dance floors with this syncopated disco anthem. Gloria Estefan loved it so much she made a hit out of it again in 1994. I am going to continue to give Haley an A for effort as she has more showmanship than Melinda, LaKisha and Phil combined. She works the crowd joyously as she moves comfortably around the stage in high heels. She also rose to the challange of this lyrically difficult song very well.
Santana continued his huge comeback through 2000 by spending 10 weeks at #1 with Maria Maria. This is a throwaway song that should not have been such a big hit. While Santana had the momentum of multiple Grammy wins to catapult the song to success, Phil Stacey has only one bland performance after another. He had nothing to give his boring rendition a push. It was just the same old Phil failing to captivate.
Yet another selection from the Gloria Estefan catalog was performed by Jordin Sparks. This time it was the top 5 jam Rhythm Is Gonna Get You. Jordin has once again demonstarted that she is the top female vocalist remaining in the Idol competition. She eased her way around every inch of the stage while projecting her sensational vocals to each member of the audience. She also interpretted the song with a fresh arrangement and completely appropriate ad-libs that thoroughly entertained.
And then we come to the top male vocalist remaining, Blake Lewis. Tonight was a breeze for him as he is the only finalist gifted with any natural sense of rhythm. He selected the huge hit from Marc Anthony (current husband of Ms. Lopez) I Need To Know that hit #3 in 1999. Blake's voice is simply a refreshing breath of fresh air and it is only made better as he combines it with his fabulous fancy footwork. He floated above all the others with this exceptional improvement on Marc's original version.
Tonight the only gimmick was the fact that he decided not to shave for a week. Sanjaya Malakar sat center stage and softly "sang" Besame Mucho with a narrow little caterpiller resting on his upper lip. His hair was permed and looking a little shorter than last week. He gazed into the camera in his blatant attempt to beg for sympathy votes. His voice is still the paper thin whisper it has been since day one. Nothing to write home about.
This week many of the finalists were taken out of their comfort zone and it could lead to quite a shake-up as the bottom three are called center stage. Blake and Jordin should once again be able to comfortably sit in safety, but the fate of everyone else is up in the air. Melinda and LaKisha showed their weaknesses, while Chris and Phil showed they are not capable of getting any better. I'm hoping that their weaknesses are not enough to put them in the bottom three, so my prediction is that Phil, Chris and Haley will be called center stage and Phil will finally get sent home.
Melinda Doolittle had a tough challange ahead of her tonight. Every week she has proven her ability to sing better than the rest, but she has not been able to showcase any youthful energy. She styled her hair differently and wore a slinky off the shoulder number, but she couldn't hide that it was still her same old self. The latin rhythms barely got a shimmy out of her. Melinda sounds great - her recordings will be in high demand. Her live performances - not so much.
Conga introduced the pop world to Gloria Estefan and their first taste of the Miami Sound Machine in 1985. LaKisha Jones has been in the same zone as Melinda for the whole competition - Great voice, bland showmanship. This latin-flavored dance jam was a step in the right direction for LaKisha, but her discomfort was clear from the start. She did her best to dance and take command of the stage, but it fell somewhat flat. And vocally, this song didn't really allow her to do what she does best.
Santana had a huge comeback in 1999 when he teamed with Rob Thomas on the Grammy Award winning Record Of The Year, Smooth. The song spent an amazing 12 weeks at #1 and it is way too much for Chris Richardson to handle. The only thing this kid has going for him is his cute boy band charisma, but he just doesn't have enough to make any significant impact. His vocals were weaker than usual and his moves were not impressive.
No little black dress tonight. Instead, Haley Scarnato wore little black hot pants as she strutted her stuff through Turn The Beat Around. In 1976 Vickie Sue Robinson heated up dance floors with this syncopated disco anthem. Gloria Estefan loved it so much she made a hit out of it again in 1994. I am going to continue to give Haley an A for effort as she has more showmanship than Melinda, LaKisha and Phil combined. She works the crowd joyously as she moves comfortably around the stage in high heels. She also rose to the challange of this lyrically difficult song very well.
Santana continued his huge comeback through 2000 by spending 10 weeks at #1 with Maria Maria. This is a throwaway song that should not have been such a big hit. While Santana had the momentum of multiple Grammy wins to catapult the song to success, Phil Stacey has only one bland performance after another. He had nothing to give his boring rendition a push. It was just the same old Phil failing to captivate.
Yet another selection from the Gloria Estefan catalog was performed by Jordin Sparks. This time it was the top 5 jam Rhythm Is Gonna Get You. Jordin has once again demonstarted that she is the top female vocalist remaining in the Idol competition. She eased her way around every inch of the stage while projecting her sensational vocals to each member of the audience. She also interpretted the song with a fresh arrangement and completely appropriate ad-libs that thoroughly entertained.
And then we come to the top male vocalist remaining, Blake Lewis. Tonight was a breeze for him as he is the only finalist gifted with any natural sense of rhythm. He selected the huge hit from Marc Anthony (current husband of Ms. Lopez) I Need To Know that hit #3 in 1999. Blake's voice is simply a refreshing breath of fresh air and it is only made better as he combines it with his fabulous fancy footwork. He floated above all the others with this exceptional improvement on Marc's original version.
Tonight the only gimmick was the fact that he decided not to shave for a week. Sanjaya Malakar sat center stage and softly "sang" Besame Mucho with a narrow little caterpiller resting on his upper lip. His hair was permed and looking a little shorter than last week. He gazed into the camera in his blatant attempt to beg for sympathy votes. His voice is still the paper thin whisper it has been since day one. Nothing to write home about.
This week many of the finalists were taken out of their comfort zone and it could lead to quite a shake-up as the bottom three are called center stage. Blake and Jordin should once again be able to comfortably sit in safety, but the fate of everyone else is up in the air. Melinda and LaKisha showed their weaknesses, while Chris and Phil showed they are not capable of getting any better. I'm hoping that their weaknesses are not enough to put them in the bottom three, so my prediction is that Phil, Chris and Haley will be called center stage and Phil will finally get sent home.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
The Results - Tony Bennett
There was no special performance by Tony Bennett. The final 9 did not do a fun medley of great songs. It was all about the results. Ryan separated the contestants into three groups of three.
Group 1.
Melinda
LaKisha
Jordin
Group 2.
Blake
Chris
Sanjaya
Group 3.
Haley
Gina
Phil
Turns out both groups 1 and 2 were safe and in the clear, while one of group 3 - Haley, Gina or Phil - will be going home. They weren't going to hear their fate until Ryan explained why Tony wasn't here to sing for the fans. He was scheduled to croon a hip tune, but he ended up coming down with the flu. In his place, the young man who is successfully keeping Tony's classic style of music alive and well for music buyers, Michael Buble performed a song from his new album coming out next month.
Phil then found out, after being one of the lowest vote getters 3 out of 4 weeks, that he is once again safe and coming back to bore us again. That left Gina and Haley wondering. Of course, it wasn't for long - Haley will get to pull out her next little dress of a different color when she performs and shows off her legs next week. Gina, meanwhile, has shown us her last fashion disaster.
Once again, I was only able to correctly predict 2 out of 3. I knew it was going to be close between Phil and Gina, but ended up tipping the scales in the wrong direction. Can't wait to see what next week brings us....
Group 1.
Melinda
LaKisha
Jordin
Group 2.
Blake
Chris
Sanjaya
Group 3.
Haley
Gina
Phil
Turns out both groups 1 and 2 were safe and in the clear, while one of group 3 - Haley, Gina or Phil - will be going home. They weren't going to hear their fate until Ryan explained why Tony wasn't here to sing for the fans. He was scheduled to croon a hip tune, but he ended up coming down with the flu. In his place, the young man who is successfully keeping Tony's classic style of music alive and well for music buyers, Michael Buble performed a song from his new album coming out next month.
Phil then found out, after being one of the lowest vote getters 3 out of 4 weeks, that he is once again safe and coming back to bore us again. That left Gina and Haley wondering. Of course, it wasn't for long - Haley will get to pull out her next little dress of a different color when she performs and shows off her legs next week. Gina, meanwhile, has shown us her last fashion disaster.
Once again, I was only able to correctly predict 2 out of 3. I knew it was going to be close between Phil and Gina, but ended up tipping the scales in the wrong direction. Can't wait to see what next week brings us....
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Tony Bennett mentors the Top 9
Who is 80 years old and still releasing multi-platinum #1 albums? It can only be Tony Bennett. This legendary crooner worked with each finalist all week as they selected music from the Great American Songbook.
Blake Lewis chose to interpret the greatest of the great. In 1959 Bobby Darin spent 9 jazzy weeks at the top of the charts with Mack The Knife and Blake did what he does best. He breezed across the stage in a snappy coat and tie and he introduced this classic to a new generation. This is a very challanging song lyrically, but young Mr. Lewis sang every last syllable to perfection. He is an all-around performer who glides across the stage and completely shines in the spotlight.
As if he wasn't boring enough last week, Phil Stacey attempted to lower the bar even further with his vocally drab rendition of the Cole Porter gem, Night and Day. Phil always manages to sound like he's yawning in the middle of everything he sings. He simply brings no personality to his performances and that's what happened again tonight.
George and Ira Gershwin wrote I Got Rhythm in 1930 for the musical Girl Crazy starring Ginger Rogers. Melinda Doolittle selected this timeless classic and, as usual, she gave us a flawless vocalization. I will forgive her this week for conforming to the theme and appearing years older than she is. There was no need for her to freshen things up this week, but I will be overjoyed if in the coming weeks she can find her youthful vibe from within.
He must have walked right out of Justin Timberlake's closet and stole one of his outfits. The problem for Chris Richardson is that he can copy the boy band looks and moves all he wants, but he's just not good enough all around. His vocals are kinda weak and his dance moves are kinda bland. He brought nothing special to his version of Don't Get Around Much Anymore.
The first female finalist of the season to attempt a Barbra Streisand song is the youngest - Jordin Sparks. Barbra has the best vocal instrument in the history of music and Jordin was a natural with her fluid interpretation of On A Clear Day. Ms Sparks made it look easy and I would bet that even Ms. Sreisand would have been impressed. This young lady is raising the bar each week and continuing to get better and better.
The image overhaul from rocker chick to classy songstress was a failure for Gina Glocksen. While the look was a mess, she's lucky that the vocals were pretty good. Charlie Chaplin's Smile has been recorded by numerous artists and her rendition was mostly forgettable. Being pretty good just isn't good enough.
In another feeble attempt at being classy, Sanjaya Malakar abandoned the mohawk and styled his hair in the most flat and tame look he possibly could. It was parted on the side and tucked neatly behind his ears. He claimed he wanted to show the audience that he can really sing, but all he served us was a thin whisper throughout Dancing Cheek to Cheek. He has no confidence in his vocal talent so all he provides is gimmicks.
Haley Scarnato traded in the little black dress from last week for a little green sequined number this week. She played the full-fledged vamping vixen as she showed off her shapely legs for the camera. The vocals in her sultry version of Ain't Misbehavin' were quite capable showing she's more than just a pretty face. Once again, an honest attempt to show that she's the whole package.
There should be no Stormy Weather in the near future for LaKisha Jones. She stood center stage in a glamorous long gown and belted out this dramatic little number with ease. She look confident and sounded great. With LaKisha, it's all about the voice. She doesn't have the moves or the age-defying style and so far in the competition she hasn't needed it. The voice should carry her pretty far...
At this point in the competition we are starting to see which finalists are truly capable of rising to the occasion. Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks have clearly risen to the top. Melinda and LaKisha started out great and are, unfortunately, stagnating. Haley didn't start out as a front-runner, but she is genuinely working hard each week. My prediction for this week's bottom three includes the finalists who weren't that good from the beginning and aren't getting any better: Phil Stacey, Gina Glocksen and Chris Richardson. It was a neck and neck race between Phil and Gina for who could be the sleepiest singer and I think this will be the final snooze that will send Phil home.
Blake Lewis chose to interpret the greatest of the great. In 1959 Bobby Darin spent 9 jazzy weeks at the top of the charts with Mack The Knife and Blake did what he does best. He breezed across the stage in a snappy coat and tie and he introduced this classic to a new generation. This is a very challanging song lyrically, but young Mr. Lewis sang every last syllable to perfection. He is an all-around performer who glides across the stage and completely shines in the spotlight.
As if he wasn't boring enough last week, Phil Stacey attempted to lower the bar even further with his vocally drab rendition of the Cole Porter gem, Night and Day. Phil always manages to sound like he's yawning in the middle of everything he sings. He simply brings no personality to his performances and that's what happened again tonight.
George and Ira Gershwin wrote I Got Rhythm in 1930 for the musical Girl Crazy starring Ginger Rogers. Melinda Doolittle selected this timeless classic and, as usual, she gave us a flawless vocalization. I will forgive her this week for conforming to the theme and appearing years older than she is. There was no need for her to freshen things up this week, but I will be overjoyed if in the coming weeks she can find her youthful vibe from within.
He must have walked right out of Justin Timberlake's closet and stole one of his outfits. The problem for Chris Richardson is that he can copy the boy band looks and moves all he wants, but he's just not good enough all around. His vocals are kinda weak and his dance moves are kinda bland. He brought nothing special to his version of Don't Get Around Much Anymore.
The first female finalist of the season to attempt a Barbra Streisand song is the youngest - Jordin Sparks. Barbra has the best vocal instrument in the history of music and Jordin was a natural with her fluid interpretation of On A Clear Day. Ms Sparks made it look easy and I would bet that even Ms. Sreisand would have been impressed. This young lady is raising the bar each week and continuing to get better and better.
The image overhaul from rocker chick to classy songstress was a failure for Gina Glocksen. While the look was a mess, she's lucky that the vocals were pretty good. Charlie Chaplin's Smile has been recorded by numerous artists and her rendition was mostly forgettable. Being pretty good just isn't good enough.
In another feeble attempt at being classy, Sanjaya Malakar abandoned the mohawk and styled his hair in the most flat and tame look he possibly could. It was parted on the side and tucked neatly behind his ears. He claimed he wanted to show the audience that he can really sing, but all he served us was a thin whisper throughout Dancing Cheek to Cheek. He has no confidence in his vocal talent so all he provides is gimmicks.
Haley Scarnato traded in the little black dress from last week for a little green sequined number this week. She played the full-fledged vamping vixen as she showed off her shapely legs for the camera. The vocals in her sultry version of Ain't Misbehavin' were quite capable showing she's more than just a pretty face. Once again, an honest attempt to show that she's the whole package.
There should be no Stormy Weather in the near future for LaKisha Jones. She stood center stage in a glamorous long gown and belted out this dramatic little number with ease. She look confident and sounded great. With LaKisha, it's all about the voice. She doesn't have the moves or the age-defying style and so far in the competition she hasn't needed it. The voice should carry her pretty far...
At this point in the competition we are starting to see which finalists are truly capable of rising to the occasion. Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks have clearly risen to the top. Melinda and LaKisha started out great and are, unfortunately, stagnating. Haley didn't start out as a front-runner, but she is genuinely working hard each week. My prediction for this week's bottom three includes the finalists who weren't that good from the beginning and aren't getting any better: Phil Stacey, Gina Glocksen and Chris Richardson. It was a neck and neck race between Phil and Gina for who could be the sleepiest singer and I think this will be the final snooze that will send Phil home.
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