We all know this is the last season of American Idol and whoever wins tonight will be the last Miss American Idol winner. So while Trent and La'Porsha wait patiently all of the fans were treated to the most fantastic parade of Miss American Idol Superstars!
The show opened with a close up on La'Porsha starting the opening line of Barry Manilow's hit, One Voice. But just like in the song, her voice was joined by one Idol alum after another. It was a rousing and spectacular opening and triggered the first of many tears to be shed throughout the night.
Way back in the finale for Season 1, Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini performed a duet of It Takes Two. Tonight, Trent and La'Porsha paid homage to that historic moment with a recreation of that performance.
Showing posts with label Jennifer Hudson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jennifer Hudson. Show all posts
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
More Favorite Songs of 2015
I
recently listed my Top 10 Favorite Songs of 2015. Just for
clarification let me explain that those songs all had to meet the
eligibility for that list by reaching the Top 10 on the Billboard HOT
100 during 2015. I happen to be one of those people that believes that
"It's not a hit until it's a hit on Billboard". Just in case you don't
know, in order to reach the top of the Billboard HOT 100, a song must
get the most sales and radio airplay for any given week.
There were lots of other songs that I loved in 2015 that failed to make the top 10 on the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart. Here's a list of some of my other favorites in 2015. One thing that I can say about all of these songs is that it's a shame it didn't get more sales and airplay to do better on the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart.
In the ideal world, great songs from Country, Pop, Dance and R and B would all find their way to the upper positions of the Billboard HOT 100.
Lose My Mind - Brett Eldredge: He's tall and sexy and he sings hot new country hits.
Make Me Wanna - Thomas Rhett: Such a great beat paired with a handsome guy singing great vocals.
Smoke Break - Carrie Underwood: She shifts gears to show her more down home country side on this catchy hit.
Take Your Time - Sam Hunt: Talk / Singing is totally a thing thanks to this amazing ballad.
I Still Love You - Jennifer Hudson: What a perfect song to celebrate marriage equality!!!!
Loving Your Easy - Zac Brown Band: A throwback sound of 60's Motown updated to perfection.
Levels - Nick Jonas: The perfect sound for a grown up boy band member going solo. So hot he makes the Queens Scream!
Biscuits - Kacey Musgraves: More wonderful words of wisdom by a talented young lady who is bringing classic country into the new era.
Lay Low - Josh Turner: That wonderful deep voice always pulls me in. Yes, Josh, we would love to disappear with you for a while.
Kick The Dust Up - Luke Bryan: This two time Entertainer of the Year can always be counted on to bring the party.
Infinity - Mariah Carey: Her outstanding show at the Colosseum in Caesars Palace in Las Vegas has her performing all 18 of her Billboard HOT 100 #1 singles. She finishes the show with this wonderful song and leaves us all wanting more.
There were lots of other songs that I loved in 2015 that failed to make the top 10 on the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart. Here's a list of some of my other favorites in 2015. One thing that I can say about all of these songs is that it's a shame it didn't get more sales and airplay to do better on the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart.
In the ideal world, great songs from Country, Pop, Dance and R and B would all find their way to the upper positions of the Billboard HOT 100.
Lose My Mind - Brett Eldredge: He's tall and sexy and he sings hot new country hits.
Make Me Wanna - Thomas Rhett: Such a great beat paired with a handsome guy singing great vocals.
Smoke Break - Carrie Underwood: She shifts gears to show her more down home country side on this catchy hit.
Take Your Time - Sam Hunt: Talk / Singing is totally a thing thanks to this amazing ballad.
I Still Love You - Jennifer Hudson: What a perfect song to celebrate marriage equality!!!!
Loving Your Easy - Zac Brown Band: A throwback sound of 60's Motown updated to perfection.
Levels - Nick Jonas: The perfect sound for a grown up boy band member going solo. So hot he makes the Queens Scream!
Biscuits - Kacey Musgraves: More wonderful words of wisdom by a talented young lady who is bringing classic country into the new era.
Lay Low - Josh Turner: That wonderful deep voice always pulls me in. Yes, Josh, we would love to disappear with you for a while.
Kick The Dust Up - Luke Bryan: This two time Entertainer of the Year can always be counted on to bring the party.
Infinity - Mariah Carey: Her outstanding show at the Colosseum in Caesars Palace in Las Vegas has her performing all 18 of her Billboard HOT 100 #1 singles. She finishes the show with this wonderful song and leaves us all wanting more.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Billboard HITS!!!
This week the Idol finalists had to perform any song that was a hit on the Billboard HOT 100. Returning to the Idol stage showing them how it's done was Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson, who performed her current hit with Iggy Azeala, Trouble.
The first one to be called to safety was Jax who performed Poker Face. When she gets it right it can be amazing, but more often than not, she misses the mark and I just don't like what she did to the song.
Nick took Teenage Dream and perfectly illustrated why so many of his fans listen to those lyrics and think of him.
Trying to prove he is more than just a high fashion artist Quentin showed off his vocal range quite successfully on his rendition of Latch.
I have always thought that Wrecking Ball was a good song, but I never wanted to hear the horrible sound of Miley's voice attempting to sing. When someone actually has a nice voice, the song can be very powerful. Joey's voice is even more dreadfully worse than Miley's so there was no improvement here.
Clark is jumping ahead of the competition by leaps and bounds with outstanding performances like Make It Rain.
Tyanna did what Joey was not able to do. Her version of Stay was powerful, emotional and vocally better than what Rihanna does. Tyanna served up a very impressive improvement of the original.
Rayvon and Qaasim were the two lowest vote getters and once again this week the fans had to tweet either #SaveRayvon or #SaveQaasim to decide who was staying.
Rayvon gave us his usual smooth as silk vocals on Set Fire To The Rain and he stepped it up another notch higher with belting out some powerhouse notes at the end.
Qaasim jumped around the stage performing Hey Ya and put on a pretty good show, but his vocals remain pure torture on the ears.
I am happy to report that the fans have spoken and Rayvon is coming back next week while Qaasim is finally going home. Two down and one to go. We just need to get rid of Joey next week and this competition can really begin!
The first one to be called to safety was Jax who performed Poker Face. When she gets it right it can be amazing, but more often than not, she misses the mark and I just don't like what she did to the song.
Nick took Teenage Dream and perfectly illustrated why so many of his fans listen to those lyrics and think of him.
Trying to prove he is more than just a high fashion artist Quentin showed off his vocal range quite successfully on his rendition of Latch.
I have always thought that Wrecking Ball was a good song, but I never wanted to hear the horrible sound of Miley's voice attempting to sing. When someone actually has a nice voice, the song can be very powerful. Joey's voice is even more dreadfully worse than Miley's so there was no improvement here.
Clark is jumping ahead of the competition by leaps and bounds with outstanding performances like Make It Rain.
Tyanna did what Joey was not able to do. Her version of Stay was powerful, emotional and vocally better than what Rihanna does. Tyanna served up a very impressive improvement of the original.
Rayvon and Qaasim were the two lowest vote getters and once again this week the fans had to tweet either #SaveRayvon or #SaveQaasim to decide who was staying.
Rayvon gave us his usual smooth as silk vocals on Set Fire To The Rain and he stepped it up another notch higher with belting out some powerhouse notes at the end.
Qaasim jumped around the stage performing Hey Ya and put on a pretty good show, but his vocals remain pure torture on the ears.
I am happy to report that the fans have spoken and Rayvon is coming back next week while Qaasim is finally going home. Two down and one to go. We just need to get rid of Joey next week and this competition can really begin!
Monday, December 29, 2014
Favorite Albums of 2014
These were my favorite new albums of 2014:
Me. I Am Mariah: The Elusive Chanteuse - Mariah Carey
She has one of the most amazing voices in all of music and her new release in 2014 is an outstanding showcase for her depth and range. From the heartfelt ballad You're Mine to the joyful happiness of Make It Look Good there is something for every one here. The fact is that she has written songs for this collection that reflect an emotional level of wisdom and maturity that Mariah is rarely given credit for having. This is without a doubt the most under-rated and overlooked album of the year. From the open cut, Cry, where she displays a raw vulnerability, to the uplifting gospel closing track, Heavenly, Mariah is better than ever. The array of songs in between have catchy sing a long hooks and toe tapping beats that we have come to expect from Mariah, but on this collection they are actually better than we have ever heard from her in the past. If you love music, do yourself a favor and let yourself enjoy this hidden gem.
747 - Lady Antebellum
The fifth release from Lady Antebellum is another collection of great songs that you can listen to from beginning to end. Its first single was the outstanding country/pop jam, Bartender. The album is packed with other potential hit singles from the title track, 747 to the opening cut Long Stretch of Love. In addition, this collection is full of songs that pull on your emotional heart strings telling stories of love and longing like Damn You 17 and One Great Mystery.
My Everything - Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande was able to be the dominant force in pop music in 2014 because her sophomore album, My Everything, is over flowing with amazing pop music. The first single, Problem, grabs your attention with its infectious saxophone riff and keeps your attention with her amazing vocals singing the catchy hooks. While Problem was still dominating the charts, two more singles were released at the same time. Break Free is a high energy disco dance anthem while the superstar collaboration with Jessie J, Bang Bang, is without competition the party anthem of the year. As the year came to an end the fourth single, Love Me Harder, was all over the airwaves. With all of the other amazing tracks on this album, it is sure to remain dominant throughout 2015.
JHUD - Jennifer Hudson
The Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is well known for her exceptional vocal abilities. She has won Grammys and critical praise for her first two albums, but on this third collection, JHUD, I think she has found the perfect songs and the perfect sound that fit her best. This album is an R&B/disco and funk filled musical extravaganza. Every track is a stand out because her powerhouse voice is matched with slamming and jamming beats that can keep up with her. This album is perfect for a festive party or for playing loud while you are driving. When one song ends it's fun to keep listening and hear the next one!
Me. I Am Mariah: The Elusive Chanteuse - Mariah Carey
She has one of the most amazing voices in all of music and her new release in 2014 is an outstanding showcase for her depth and range. From the heartfelt ballad You're Mine to the joyful happiness of Make It Look Good there is something for every one here. The fact is that she has written songs for this collection that reflect an emotional level of wisdom and maturity that Mariah is rarely given credit for having. This is without a doubt the most under-rated and overlooked album of the year. From the open cut, Cry, where she displays a raw vulnerability, to the uplifting gospel closing track, Heavenly, Mariah is better than ever. The array of songs in between have catchy sing a long hooks and toe tapping beats that we have come to expect from Mariah, but on this collection they are actually better than we have ever heard from her in the past. If you love music, do yourself a favor and let yourself enjoy this hidden gem.
747 - Lady Antebellum
The fifth release from Lady Antebellum is another collection of great songs that you can listen to from beginning to end. Its first single was the outstanding country/pop jam, Bartender. The album is packed with other potential hit singles from the title track, 747 to the opening cut Long Stretch of Love. In addition, this collection is full of songs that pull on your emotional heart strings telling stories of love and longing like Damn You 17 and One Great Mystery.
My Everything - Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande was able to be the dominant force in pop music in 2014 because her sophomore album, My Everything, is over flowing with amazing pop music. The first single, Problem, grabs your attention with its infectious saxophone riff and keeps your attention with her amazing vocals singing the catchy hooks. While Problem was still dominating the charts, two more singles were released at the same time. Break Free is a high energy disco dance anthem while the superstar collaboration with Jessie J, Bang Bang, is without competition the party anthem of the year. As the year came to an end the fourth single, Love Me Harder, was all over the airwaves. With all of the other amazing tracks on this album, it is sure to remain dominant throughout 2015.
JHUD - Jennifer Hudson
The Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is well known for her exceptional vocal abilities. She has won Grammys and critical praise for her first two albums, but on this third collection, JHUD, I think she has found the perfect songs and the perfect sound that fit her best. This album is an R&B/disco and funk filled musical extravaganza. Every track is a stand out because her powerhouse voice is matched with slamming and jamming beats that can keep up with her. This album is perfect for a festive party or for playing loud while you are driving. When one song ends it's fun to keep listening and hear the next one!
Sunday, December 28, 2014
American Idol Grammy Nominations
The nominations for the 57th Grammy Awards have been announced and once again there were some Miss American Idol finalists who heard their names called.
The Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is nominated for the Best R&B Performance for her track It's Your World from her latest album JHUD.
The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood, is up for two awards. Her spectacular song Something In The Water has earned her a nomination for Best Country Solo Performance. She is also nominated along with Miranda Lambert for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for their duet, Somethin' Bad.
The winners will be announced on Sunday February 8th.
The Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is nominated for the Best R&B Performance for her track It's Your World from her latest album JHUD.
The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood, is up for two awards. Her spectacular song Something In The Water has earned her a nomination for Best Country Solo Performance. She is also nominated along with Miranda Lambert for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for their duet, Somethin' Bad.
The winners will be announced on Sunday February 8th.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
JHud back on the charts
The Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson debuts at No. 2 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums with her third album JHud (24,000 copies sold in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan). On the Billboard 200, the new set enters at No. 10; her first two began and peaked at No. 2. The rank is familiar to Hudson, as its her third set to peak in the runner-up slot. Her last release, I Remember Me, also debuted and peaked at No. 2 (165,000) in 2011. Her 2008 eponymous debut also reached No. 2 with 56,000 sold in its first full week. The new album's "It's Your World" (featuring R. Kelly) bullets at No. 12 on the Adult R&B singles chart with a 7 percent rise in spins, according to Nielsen BDS.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
American Idol Superstars 2013
Even though there are new singing competition shows on that are getting attention, none of them are getting close to the standard that has been set by American Idol. While people might be gossiping about X-Factor and The Voice, the reality is that, they are complete failures at finding or creating new music superstars. In the many seasons that these shows have been on, there hasn't been a single finalist or winner to even make a ripple in the real world.
The American Idol winners and finalists, on the other hand, can be found actually working and thriving in the music business. Many of them have become viable stars on their own apart from their initial American Idol exposure. They are winning awards, appearing on TV shows, starring in movies, getting radio airplay and the public is buying their music! Just look at the impact the American Idol Superstars had in 2013:
The Season 11 Miss American Idol winner Phillip Phillips was all over the radio with his two hit songs Home and Gone Gone Gone. According to the Billboard Year End charts he had the #14 album of the year! He was even nominated as the Favorite New Artist at the American Music Awards.
The Season 10 Miss American Idol winner Scotty McCreery released his third album and saw it come in at #1 on the Billboard Country albums chart. At the American Country Awards he actually won the award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year.
The Season 8 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up Adam Lambert started appearing on the hit TV show Glee where his distinctive singing, dancing and acting style is being put to use every week.
The Season 5 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up Katharine McPhee completed her starring role in the musical drama series Smash.
The Season 5 Miss American Idol finalist Kellie Pickler is a consistent award nominee for her country music and this year she ended up winning the Mirror Ball trophy on Dancing With The Stars.
The Season 5 Miss American Idol finalist Mandisa has totally dominated the Gospel world with the release of her album Overcomer. She has earned three Grammy nominations for her music this year.
The Season 3 Miss American Idol winner Fantasia released her 4th studio album and has also received impressive critical acclaim including three Grammy nominations.
The Oscar winner and Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist Jennifer Hudson starred in the movie Winnie Mandela that is now streaming on netflix.
The Season 2 Miss American Idol winner Ruben Studdard was a contestant on this season of the Biggest Loser and he has already lost over 100 pounds. Even though he has been eliminated, by the end of the season he hopes to lose another 100 pounds.
The Season 1 Miss American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson started out the year by winning her third Grammy (Best Pop Album) and she ended the year with the very successful release of her holiday collection, Wrapped in Red topping the charts and also allowing her the opportunity to have her own Christmas TV special.
The American Idol winners and finalists, on the other hand, can be found actually working and thriving in the music business. Many of them have become viable stars on their own apart from their initial American Idol exposure. They are winning awards, appearing on TV shows, starring in movies, getting radio airplay and the public is buying their music! Just look at the impact the American Idol Superstars had in 2013:
The Season 11 Miss American Idol winner Phillip Phillips was all over the radio with his two hit songs Home and Gone Gone Gone. According to the Billboard Year End charts he had the #14 album of the year! He was even nominated as the Favorite New Artist at the American Music Awards.
The Season 10 Miss American Idol winner Scotty McCreery released his third album and saw it come in at #1 on the Billboard Country albums chart. At the American Country Awards he actually won the award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year.
The Season 8 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up Adam Lambert started appearing on the hit TV show Glee where his distinctive singing, dancing and acting style is being put to use every week.
The Season 5 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up Katharine McPhee completed her starring role in the musical drama series Smash.
The Season 5 Miss American Idol finalist Kellie Pickler is a consistent award nominee for her country music and this year she ended up winning the Mirror Ball trophy on Dancing With The Stars.
The Season 5 Miss American Idol finalist Mandisa has totally dominated the Gospel world with the release of her album Overcomer. She has earned three Grammy nominations for her music this year.
The Season 3 Miss American Idol winner Fantasia released her 4th studio album and has also received impressive critical acclaim including three Grammy nominations.
The Oscar winner and Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist Jennifer Hudson starred in the movie Winnie Mandela that is now streaming on netflix.
The Season 2 Miss American Idol winner Ruben Studdard was a contestant on this season of the Biggest Loser and he has already lost over 100 pounds. Even though he has been eliminated, by the end of the season he hopes to lose another 100 pounds.
The Season 1 Miss American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson started out the year by winning her third Grammy (Best Pop Album) and she ended the year with the very successful release of her holiday collection, Wrapped in Red topping the charts and also allowing her the opportunity to have her own Christmas TV special.
Friday, December 6, 2013
American Music Awards
The 2013 American Music Awards have come and gone and there were no wins for the American Idol alumni association this year. Neither Carrie Underwood nor Phillip Phillips won their nominations in their respective categories, Favorite Country Female Artist and Favorite New Artist of the year.
The only presence of the American Idols came in the form of presenters. The Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson graced the stage as a presenter. She is currently promoting her new single, I Can't Describe. It's a fun R&B groove that I have been playing in heavy rotation on my playlist, but since it has failed to appear on any charts yet, I could be the only person playing it.
Season 5 Miss American Idol 3rd runner up, Chris Daughtry, was also there as a presenter. He is promoting the release of his 4th album, Baptized. The album has just made its debut on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart at #6 with just over 55,000 units sold. This means that all four of his albums have made it to the Top 10 on this chart. His last album, 2011's "Break the Spell," debuted and peaked at No. 8 off a start of 129,000.
The only presence of the American Idols came in the form of presenters. The Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson graced the stage as a presenter. She is currently promoting her new single, I Can't Describe. It's a fun R&B groove that I have been playing in heavy rotation on my playlist, but since it has failed to appear on any charts yet, I could be the only person playing it.
Season 5 Miss American Idol 3rd runner up, Chris Daughtry, was also there as a presenter. He is promoting the release of his 4th album, Baptized. The album has just made its debut on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart at #6 with just over 55,000 units sold. This means that all four of his albums have made it to the Top 10 on this chart. His last album, 2011's "Break the Spell," debuted and peaked at No. 8 off a start of 129,000.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
2013 VMA's
The 2013 MTV Video Music Awards will go down in history as the night that Miley Cyris made a complete fool of herself. It was also a very big night for Justin Timberlake, but hidden in all of the drama was a couple of highlights from the American Idols.
The overriding theme of the night was the support for marriage equality. All of the artists from Lady Gaga to Katy Perry have been very outspoken that the time has come for change. The Season 8 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up, Adam Lambert, has already come out as an out and proud gay man quite a few years ago, so he was a natural to be on stage as a presenter this year.
The Moonman for best Video with a Social Message was presented to macklemore and ryan for their song Same Love. When they performed the song live, the female vocalist who sings the chorus, Mary Lambert, was on hand at the beginning, but she stepped aside when the Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson took the stage and added her amazing voice to the song.
The overriding theme of the night was the support for marriage equality. All of the artists from Lady Gaga to Katy Perry have been very outspoken that the time has come for change. The Season 8 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up, Adam Lambert, has already come out as an out and proud gay man quite a few years ago, so he was a natural to be on stage as a presenter this year.
The Moonman for best Video with a Social Message was presented to macklemore and ryan for their song Same Love. When they performed the song live, the female vocalist who sings the chorus, Mary Lambert, was on hand at the beginning, but she stepped aside when the Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson took the stage and added her amazing voice to the song.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
The Top 10 Boys take their first shot
The Top 10 Boys can sing any song of their choice to try and win your votes:
Elijah Liu started the night out with a performance of Rihanna's hit Stay that is currently in the Top 10 this week. He is young and cute and this song presented himself as a pop star who is ready to be loved by the masses.
Cortez Shaw also took on a song that is presently dominating radio airplay. The recent #1 smash from Bruno Mars, Locked Out Of Heaven, allowed him to have fun and show off his dance moves as well as sing. He is very handsome, but his voice isn't the most impressive instrument of the group.
Nick Boddington sat at the piano and performed a sincere and vulnerable rendition of Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls. He is a very nice guy who is clearly passionate about music and that comes through when he performs.
Burnell Taylor tried to recreate the magic of the showstopper I'm Here from the musical The Color Purple. Season 3 Miss American Idol winner, Fantasia, does this song and totally hits it out of the park, but Burnell just sounded like he was going through the motions. It lacked spirit, energy and left us without delivering a big powerful ending.
Paul Jolley is a tall, handsome and talented singer with a great smile. The song choice wasn't as strong as it should have been, but his personality and voice helped to compensate. He needs to lighten his style so he doesn't come off as so serious.
Lazaro Arbos has already won my heart in the past few weeks and he solidified it even more with his stellar performance of Feeling Good. The Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson has made this song her own and now we have witnessed another Idol take it for himself. Lazaro is charming, sweet, easy on the eyes and his voice will just make you melt.
Curtis Finch Jr. hoped that his gospel infused rendition of R. Kelly's I Believe I Can Fly would make us all believers. While he has the passion and the heart every time he hits the stage, the problem is that his vocals aren't that impressive.
Devin Velez delivered the pop standard It's Impossible with effortless vocal ease. He has a smooth voice with a great range that he can sing in both Spanish and English. American Idol may have found their first international superstar.
Vincent Powell attempted to tackle the huge #1 hit from 1993 End of the Road by Boyz II Men. Unfortunately the song proved to be too big for him. His vocals got lost in there, even though we know he's good. He just didn't show it tonight.
The boys were supposed to bring their A Game tonight, but many of them didn't seem to get the memo. Here's my prediction for who I think should make the Top 5: Lazaro Arbos, Paul Jolley, Devin Velez, Elijah Liu and Nick Boddington.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
American Idol is a SMASH!!!!
The auditions for Season 12 of American Idol have started and we already have a clear front-runner! Lazaro Arbos provided the most inspirational audition yet as he overcame his speech impediment with his outstanding singing voice. I wish him the best as he moves on to Hollywood week.
But that's still a few weeks away, so there's other exciting American Idol music to look forward to in the meantime.
The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood, has been announced as a performer at the Grammy Awards on February 10th. She will likely sing her latest single, Two Black Cadillacs. The long anticipated video for this great new single will make it's debut before that on January 23rd.
The Season 1 Miss American Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson, has been given the honor of singing at the Inauguration of President Obama on January 21st.
The Season 5 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up, Katharine McPhee, will be returning to weekly television as the 2nd season of Smash premieres on February 5th. We can look forward to more great singing and fantastic production numbers. I know we all can't wait to see how the Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson will be integrated into the story. We all know that Smash is the most anticipated show of the season. It recently was the cover story on an issue of Entertainment Weekly. But the REALLY EXCITING news as that we don't have to wait any longer!!!!
The premier episode of Smash is NOW available for FREE download from itunes!!! Go get it and let the entertainment begin!!!
And on top of that, the music from the show Bombshell is being released on February 12th so we can finally enjoy all the amazing original songs that were written for the show.
But that's still a few weeks away, so there's other exciting American Idol music to look forward to in the meantime.
The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood, has been announced as a performer at the Grammy Awards on February 10th. She will likely sing her latest single, Two Black Cadillacs. The long anticipated video for this great new single will make it's debut before that on January 23rd.
The Season 1 Miss American Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson, has been given the honor of singing at the Inauguration of President Obama on January 21st.
The Season 5 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up, Katharine McPhee, will be returning to weekly television as the 2nd season of Smash premieres on February 5th. We can look forward to more great singing and fantastic production numbers. I know we all can't wait to see how the Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson will be integrated into the story. We all know that Smash is the most anticipated show of the season. It recently was the cover story on an issue of Entertainment Weekly. But the REALLY EXCITING news as that we don't have to wait any longer!!!!
The premier episode of Smash is NOW available for FREE download from itunes!!! Go get it and let the entertainment begin!!!
Friday, December 28, 2012
Artists of the Year - David Guetta
This is the first in a series of entries where I will be listing my favorite artists of 2012. I hope you enjoy it!
David Guetta
You may not even know who David Guetta is and here I am putting him on the 2012 Artists of the Year list. You might not be able to recognize his face or be able to name his songs, but trust me, you have been singing along to the them and dancing to them all year long.
David is a DJ/Producer who released an album called Nothing But The Beat in 2011 and it is jam packed with hits.
The first one to have impact was Without You with lead vocals by Usher. This track actually made my Top 10 list of favorite songs of 2011. Another song on the album has lead vocals by Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson, called Night of Your Life. Both Usher and Jennifer Hudson have recent albums out, but they did not include these David Guetta productions on their final track listing. Their albums were good, but these tracks were outstanding! David has an ability to bring out the best of an artist.
The hits kept coming in 2012 starting with Turn Me On featuring Nicki Minaj. Nicki has tried to release a boat load of singles this year, but it was this hot dance floor jam that showcased her at the top of her game. If Nicki released an album of hits like Turn Me On, she might be a much more successful artist.
The crowning gem on the collection is an uplifting and empowering anthem called Titanium with lead vocals by a new artist named Sia. This song is quite simply amazing. David is transforming pop music and making it more dance floor/club friendly. At the American Music Awards this year, they actually introduced a new category called Favorite Electronic Dance Music Artist just so they could recognize David for his contribution to the music scene this year.
David Guetta
You may not even know who David Guetta is and here I am putting him on the 2012 Artists of the Year list. You might not be able to recognize his face or be able to name his songs, but trust me, you have been singing along to the them and dancing to them all year long.
David is a DJ/Producer who released an album called Nothing But The Beat in 2011 and it is jam packed with hits.
The first one to have impact was Without You with lead vocals by Usher. This track actually made my Top 10 list of favorite songs of 2011. Another song on the album has lead vocals by Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson, called Night of Your Life. Both Usher and Jennifer Hudson have recent albums out, but they did not include these David Guetta productions on their final track listing. Their albums were good, but these tracks were outstanding! David has an ability to bring out the best of an artist.
The hits kept coming in 2012 starting with Turn Me On featuring Nicki Minaj. Nicki has tried to release a boat load of singles this year, but it was this hot dance floor jam that showcased her at the top of her game. If Nicki released an album of hits like Turn Me On, she might be a much more successful artist.
The crowning gem on the collection is an uplifting and empowering anthem called Titanium with lead vocals by a new artist named Sia. This song is quite simply amazing. David is transforming pop music and making it more dance floor/club friendly. At the American Music Awards this year, they actually introduced a new category called Favorite Electronic Dance Music Artist just so they could recognize David for his contribution to the music scene this year.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
American Idol Superstar - Jennifer Hudson
Oscar winner and Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist, Jennifer Hudson, has become the text book case to illustrate how you do not have to win in order for American Idol to be a platform for leading to huge success. After getting eliminated way too early in the competition Jennifer went on to star in Dreamgirls, win an Oscar for it and then release her debut album and win a Grammy for it.Jennifer has not slowed down at all and this year was no exception.
At the unexpected death of Whitney Houston, Jennifer was called upon to sing her signature song, I Will Always Love You, at the Grammy Awards this year. She stepped in to fulfill this honor with grace and class. Jennifer is a well-respected A-List member of the music community.
In addition, Jennifer had a popular hit this year with the theme song from the #1 Box Office movie Think Like A Man.
Also, there is much anticipation and buzz looking ahead as Jennifer has joined the cast of the hit TV series, Smash. She will be putting all of her impressive talents to work every week acting, singing and dancing.
2012 has been a great year for American Idol Superstar - Jennifer Hudson!
At the unexpected death of Whitney Houston, Jennifer was called upon to sing her signature song, I Will Always Love You, at the Grammy Awards this year. She stepped in to fulfill this honor with grace and class. Jennifer is a well-respected A-List member of the music community.
In addition, Jennifer had a popular hit this year with the theme song from the #1 Box Office movie Think Like A Man.
Also, there is much anticipation and buzz looking ahead as Jennifer has joined the cast of the hit TV series, Smash. She will be putting all of her impressive talents to work every week acting, singing and dancing.
2012 has been a great year for American Idol Superstar - Jennifer Hudson!
Sunday, December 16, 2012
2012 Year End Charts
The #1 album on the Billboard charts for all of 2012 is 21 by Adele. This is quite a significant accomplishment as it was also the #1 album for all of 2011.
There were some very strong showings from the Miss American Idol finalists on the 2012 year end charts. The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood comes in at #14 with her album Blown Away. The fifth album by Season 1 Miss American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, Stronger, lands at #24. The Season 10 Miss American Idol winner, Scotty McCreery, comes in at #32 with his debut album Clear As Day. Break The Spell from Season 5 Miss American Idol 3rd Runner Up Chris Daughtry is the #53 album of the year. The Season 8 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up Adam Lambert ends the year at #188 with his album Trespassing.
The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood had the #5 Country Album of the year with Blown Away. The Season 10 Miss American Idol winner, Scotty McCreery, comes in at #8 on this chart with his debut album Clear As Day and the Season 10 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up Lauren Alaina lands at #34 with her debut album Wildflower.
The Top 5 singles for 2012 on the Billboard HOT 100 are: #1 Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye, #2 Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen, #3 We Are Young by fun., #4 Payphone by Maroon 5 and at #5 Lights by Ellie Goulding.
Just missing the top 5 is the Miss American Idol finalist who makes the highest showing on the year end singles chart, Season 1 Miss American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson is at #7 with Stronger. Also landing in the top 100 songs of the year is the reigning Miss American Idol, Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips with Home at #49. The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood is on the year end chart with two songs - at #66 with Good Girl and at #70 with Blown Away.
The Miss American Idol winners also had an impressive showing on the Billboard 2012 Top Artists of the Year chart: The Season 1 Miss American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson lands at #16 while The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood comes in at #31. The Season 10 Miss American Idol winner, Scotty McCreery, comes in at #93 and the Season 11 Miss American Idol winner, Phillip Phillips ends up at #95.
Finally, coming in at #16 on Billboard's list of the Top Soundtracks of 2012 is Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson on Think Like A Man while landing at #18 is the Season 5 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up, Katharine McPhee on the Smash soundtrack.
There were some very strong showings from the Miss American Idol finalists on the 2012 year end charts. The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood comes in at #14 with her album Blown Away. The fifth album by Season 1 Miss American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, Stronger, lands at #24. The Season 10 Miss American Idol winner, Scotty McCreery, comes in at #32 with his debut album Clear As Day. Break The Spell from Season 5 Miss American Idol 3rd Runner Up Chris Daughtry is the #53 album of the year. The Season 8 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up Adam Lambert ends the year at #188 with his album Trespassing.
The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood had the #5 Country Album of the year with Blown Away. The Season 10 Miss American Idol winner, Scotty McCreery, comes in at #8 on this chart with his debut album Clear As Day and the Season 10 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up Lauren Alaina lands at #34 with her debut album Wildflower.
The Top 5 singles for 2012 on the Billboard HOT 100 are: #1 Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye, #2 Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen, #3 We Are Young by fun., #4 Payphone by Maroon 5 and at #5 Lights by Ellie Goulding.
Just missing the top 5 is the Miss American Idol finalist who makes the highest showing on the year end singles chart, Season 1 Miss American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson is at #7 with Stronger. Also landing in the top 100 songs of the year is the reigning Miss American Idol, Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips with Home at #49. The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood is on the year end chart with two songs - at #66 with Good Girl and at #70 with Blown Away.
The Miss American Idol winners also had an impressive showing on the Billboard 2012 Top Artists of the Year chart: The Season 1 Miss American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson lands at #16 while The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood comes in at #31. The Season 10 Miss American Idol winner, Scotty McCreery, comes in at #93 and the Season 11 Miss American Idol winner, Phillip Phillips ends up at #95.
Finally, coming in at #16 on Billboard's list of the Top Soundtracks of 2012 is Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson on Think Like A Man while landing at #18 is the Season 5 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up, Katharine McPhee on the Smash soundtrack.
More Favorite Songs From 2012
I recently listed my Top 10 Favorite Songs of 2012. Just for clarification let me explain that those songs all had to meet the eligibility for that list by reaching the Top 10 on the Billboard HOT 100 during 2012. I happen to be one of those people that believes that "It's not a hit until it's a hit on Billboard". Just in case you don't know, in order to reach the top of the Billboard HOT 100, a song must get the most sales and radio airplay for any given week.
There were lots of other songs that I loved in 2012 that failed to make the top 10 on the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart. Here's a list of some of my other favorites in 2012. One thing that I can say about all of these songs is that it's a shame it didn't get more sales and airplay to do better on the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart.
In the ideal world, great songs from Country, Pop, Dance and R&B would all find their way to the upper positions of the Billboard HOT 100.
Good Girl - Carrie Underwood: This first single from the Supreme Miss American Idol's 4th album was a huge hit by all accounts topping the Country Singles Chart, winning the Video of the Year at the CMT Awards and staying at #1 on the CMT Top 20 Video Countdown for a record breaking 14 weeks. Somehow it stalled at #18 on the Billboard HOT 100.
Triumphant - Mariah Carey: All of the fans had high hopes that this would become Mariah's 19th #1 on the Billboard HOT 100, but it unfortunately fell short even though it's a great song. It did manage to hit #1 on the BET 106 & Park countdown for a few weeks and the dance remix hit #1 on the Billboard Dance/Club Play chart.
Time Is Love - Josh Turner: This is the perfect song to dance a fun two-step to. It has a great beat and Josh's voice is deep and wonderful as always.
Kissed You Goodnight - Gloriana: What an outstanding ballad that perfectly captures the longing and the yearning of new love. When it's the end of a great date, all you want to do is push that great guy up against the wall and kiss him. Just do it and have no regrets!
Celebrate - Jordin Sparks: This uplifting dance track with Whitney Houston from the Sparkle soundtrack should have been huge. It has everything that I want to hear on the radio in heavy rotation. It is crazy that it was not well-received. Oh well, I enjoyed it immensely!
5150 - Dierks Bentley: When I hear this hard driving rugged jam, I feel like a hot cowboy. It's fun and sexy and I can't get enough of it. Somebody's gonna call the po po because I am playing it too loud again. :)
Touch Me - Katharine McPhee: How exciting to see the Season 5 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up deliver this high energy dance throw down on Smash. The only thing that would have made it better was to hear it on the radio all the time.
Pontoon - Little Big Town: It is summer time and fun in the sun year round when listening to this light and easy celebration of floating and motor boating.
Love You Like A Love Song - Selena Gomez: This beautiful Disney teen queen is continuing to crank out some of the best dance pop music out there. It's too bad she just keeps falling short of crossing over into mainstream superstardom. It's surely coming soon...
Georgia Peaches - Lauren Alaina: The Season 10 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up is at her best on this toe tapping jam. Still one of my favorite new line dances of the year as well.
Trespassing - Adam Lambert: The Season 8 Miss American Idol 1st Runner Up hit #1 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart, but none of the singles connected with radio and sales. This song is sorely overlooked and I am still holding out hope that it will get the attention it deserves.
Think Like A Man - Jennifer Hudson: The Oscar winner and Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist sounds amazing on this empowering R&B piece of advice to women.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
An even bigger SMASH!!!!
The first season of Smash, starring the Season 5 Miss American Idol 1st runner up Katharine McPhee came to an end a few weeks ago. It was by far the best show on TV this season as it was packed with outstanding performances of amazing original songs. Smash easily rivals the all-around entertainment standard that has been set by Glee and I am looking forward to both of these shows coming back next season.
The anticipation for the return of Smash was recently heightened with the announcement that taking her place in the cast along side Katharine McPhee will be none other than the Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson!!!! I mean seriously, this sounds too good to be true, but it has been confirmed in Entertainment Weekly!
How exciting it will be to have these exceptional Miss American Idol talents delivering new material to us every week on Smash. There is no premiere date set for the show's return, but it is not expected until January at the earliest. I seriously cannot wait!!!!!
The anticipation for the return of Smash was recently heightened with the announcement that taking her place in the cast along side Katharine McPhee will be none other than the Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson!!!! I mean seriously, this sounds too good to be true, but it has been confirmed in Entertainment Weekly!
How exciting it will be to have these exceptional Miss American Idol talents delivering new material to us every week on Smash. There is no premiere date set for the show's return, but it is not expected until January at the earliest. I seriously cannot wait!!!!!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
The Top 4 sing California
The Top 4 finalists are singing songs in the theme California Dreamin along with a second song that they wish they had written themselves.
Phillip Phillips got the show off to a less than dreamy start with his dreary rendition of Have You Ever Seen The Rain that Credence Clearwater Revival took to #8 in 1971. John Fogerty has a strong and distinctive voice, but Phillip's vocals were completely weak and forgettable.
Journey climbed all the way up to #11 with Faithfully in 1983. Hollie Cavanagh performed this romantic power ballad with grace and confidence. Her vocals were just as outstanding as always belting out the big notes with complete purity.
You Raise Me Up delivers a climatic punch when originally performed in 2004 by Josh Groban. Even with a gospel choir backing him up, though, Joshua Ledet wasn't really able to get the song off the ground. His lead vocals were simply lacking the power and range that is necessary to really sock it to us.
The legendary blues/jazz/R&B singer Etta James was known for her honest and true interpretations of heartfelt lyrics on songs like Steal Away. Jessica Sanchez has the mature vocal range to effortless do justice to an Etta James classic.
Maroon 5 went to #5 in 2004 with This Love, but as a duet with Joshua and Phillip it felt forced and out of whack. Neither of them has the personality or vocal range to get close to the character found in the original. Then compare it to the artful vocal blending and harmonizing found when Jessica and Hollie take on the 1989 #1 smash Eternal Flame by the Bangles. They are both so talented and this song really highlighted their strengths and skills. It was beautiful. All four of the remaining finalists ended up sounding pretty good on the huge mega hit Waiting For A Girl Like You that spent 10 weeks at #2 in 1981. In a nut shell, the strength of the girls voices helped to cover up and compensate for the vocal shortcomings of the boys.
Volcano by Damien Rice is the kind of song and the kind of music that Phillip Phillips likes best. This explains a lot. It was boring and vocally flat. The musicians on stage with him and the girl singing background vocals with him were more interesting and entertaining than he was by leaps and bounds.
I Can't Make You Love Me is a #18 hit for Bonnie Raitt in 1992. Hollie Cavanagh shared a more vulnerable side of herself with this tender and expressive performance of the song. Her voice is so crystal clear and she wears her emotions all over her face for everyone to see.
It's a Man's Man's Man's World hit #8 in 1966 for the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. Joshua Ledet provided a very straightforward and predictable version of the song. It was very true to what James Brown is famous for, but there was nothing exceptional added to it.
The Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist, Jennifer Hudson, went on to win an Oscar for her earth shattering performance of And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going from the film DreamGirls. Jessica Sanchez simply has the vocal gift necessary to do this song justice. She stood still center stage and yet was able to blow the roof off the place with her voice alone.
The duet tonight between Hollie and Jessica was a sample of how exciting and entertaining the finals of Season 11 could be. They are both very talented and likeable young women and hopefully will have impressive careers ahead of them. I am very hopeful that this final face off could become a reality, so the prediction this week for the bottom two has to be Phillip and Joshua. After weeks of lackluster performances, it's finally time for Phillip to leave the competition.
Phillip Phillips got the show off to a less than dreamy start with his dreary rendition of Have You Ever Seen The Rain that Credence Clearwater Revival took to #8 in 1971. John Fogerty has a strong and distinctive voice, but Phillip's vocals were completely weak and forgettable.
Journey climbed all the way up to #11 with Faithfully in 1983. Hollie Cavanagh performed this romantic power ballad with grace and confidence. Her vocals were just as outstanding as always belting out the big notes with complete purity.
You Raise Me Up delivers a climatic punch when originally performed in 2004 by Josh Groban. Even with a gospel choir backing him up, though, Joshua Ledet wasn't really able to get the song off the ground. His lead vocals were simply lacking the power and range that is necessary to really sock it to us.
The legendary blues/jazz/R&B singer Etta James was known for her honest and true interpretations of heartfelt lyrics on songs like Steal Away. Jessica Sanchez has the mature vocal range to effortless do justice to an Etta James classic.
Maroon 5 went to #5 in 2004 with This Love, but as a duet with Joshua and Phillip it felt forced and out of whack. Neither of them has the personality or vocal range to get close to the character found in the original. Then compare it to the artful vocal blending and harmonizing found when Jessica and Hollie take on the 1989 #1 smash Eternal Flame by the Bangles. They are both so talented and this song really highlighted their strengths and skills. It was beautiful. All four of the remaining finalists ended up sounding pretty good on the huge mega hit Waiting For A Girl Like You that spent 10 weeks at #2 in 1981. In a nut shell, the strength of the girls voices helped to cover up and compensate for the vocal shortcomings of the boys.
Volcano by Damien Rice is the kind of song and the kind of music that Phillip Phillips likes best. This explains a lot. It was boring and vocally flat. The musicians on stage with him and the girl singing background vocals with him were more interesting and entertaining than he was by leaps and bounds.
I Can't Make You Love Me is a #18 hit for Bonnie Raitt in 1992. Hollie Cavanagh shared a more vulnerable side of herself with this tender and expressive performance of the song. Her voice is so crystal clear and she wears her emotions all over her face for everyone to see.
It's a Man's Man's Man's World hit #8 in 1966 for the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. Joshua Ledet provided a very straightforward and predictable version of the song. It was very true to what James Brown is famous for, but there was nothing exceptional added to it.
The Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist, Jennifer Hudson, went on to win an Oscar for her earth shattering performance of And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going from the film DreamGirls. Jessica Sanchez simply has the vocal gift necessary to do this song justice. She stood still center stage and yet was able to blow the roof off the place with her voice alone.
The duet tonight between Hollie and Jessica was a sample of how exciting and entertaining the finals of Season 11 could be. They are both very talented and likeable young women and hopefully will have impressive careers ahead of them. I am very hopeful that this final face off could become a reality, so the prediction this week for the bottom two has to be Phillip and Joshua. After weeks of lackluster performances, it's finally time for Phillip to leave the competition.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
New Music!
It's a very big day for new music from the Miss American Idols.
First and foremost, the long wait is over for a new release from the Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood. Her 4th studio album, Blown Away, hits stores and itunes today. It contains her latest single, Good Girl, that is now in it's 5th week at #1 on the CMT Top 20 Video countdown.
Also in stores today is the soundtrack to the hit TV show SMASH starring the Season 5 Miss American Idol 1st runner-up, Katherine McPhee. It contains her extremely fierce dance track Touch Me along with many other great songs like Let Me Be Your Star.
Finally, the number one movie at the box office for the past two weeks has been Think Like A Man and it includes a theme song performed by Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson. It's a great collaboration with Ne-Yo that showcases her amazing voice.
First and foremost, the long wait is over for a new release from the Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood. Her 4th studio album, Blown Away, hits stores and itunes today. It contains her latest single, Good Girl, that is now in it's 5th week at #1 on the CMT Top 20 Video countdown.
Also in stores today is the soundtrack to the hit TV show SMASH starring the Season 5 Miss American Idol 1st runner-up, Katherine McPhee. It contains her extremely fierce dance track Touch Me along with many other great songs like Let Me Be Your Star.
Finally, the number one movie at the box office for the past two weeks has been Think Like A Man and it includes a theme song performed by Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson. It's a great collaboration with Ne-Yo that showcases her amazing voice.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
The Results - Recent Hits
The Top 7 finalists started out the show with a pretty sloppy group performance of Pink's hit Raise Your Glass. The concert for the evening got better when the Season 10 Miss American Idol 3rd Runner Up, James Durbin, returned to the stage to perform his new single Higher Than Heaven. He is the same hard rocking showman that we grew to know and love last year. He delivered a high energy vocal roller coaster exactly like we would expect from him.
Ryan divided the finalists into two groups. Hollie, Phillip and Colton were in one, while Jessica, Elise and Joshua were in the other. Skylar was left to sit on her own.
The Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson, also returned to the stage to perform her latest single. It's a duet with Ne-Yo and it's also the theme song to the new movie Think Like A Man. Jennifer always looks and sounds wonderful and she is likely to have another hit on her hands after this entertaining number.
Skylar was placed in safety along with Hollie, Phillip and Colton revealing that Jessica, Elise and Joshua are this week's bottom three. In what is sure to go down in history as the biggest shock of the season, Jessica was announced as the lowest vote getter of the week and had to sing for her life. She barely got through the first lines of Nobody's Supposed To Be Here before all three judges got up on stage to stop her and announce that they would be using the SAVE for her. Jessica is easily one of the best singers the Miss American Idol competition has ever seen so now the viewers have to get their acts together and actually vote for her next week.
Because of this huge shocking surprise turn of events I only predicted one of the bottom three correctly this week with Elise once again getting close to elimination.
Ryan divided the finalists into two groups. Hollie, Phillip and Colton were in one, while Jessica, Elise and Joshua were in the other. Skylar was left to sit on her own.
The Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson, also returned to the stage to perform her latest single. It's a duet with Ne-Yo and it's also the theme song to the new movie Think Like A Man. Jennifer always looks and sounds wonderful and she is likely to have another hit on her hands after this entertaining number.
Skylar was placed in safety along with Hollie, Phillip and Colton revealing that Jessica, Elise and Joshua are this week's bottom three. In what is sure to go down in history as the biggest shock of the season, Jessica was announced as the lowest vote getter of the week and had to sing for her life. She barely got through the first lines of Nobody's Supposed To Be Here before all three judges got up on stage to stop her and announce that they would be using the SAVE for her. Jessica is easily one of the best singers the Miss American Idol competition has ever seen so now the viewers have to get their acts together and actually vote for her next week.
Because of this huge shocking surprise turn of events I only predicted one of the bottom three correctly this week with Elise once again getting close to elimination.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
The Top 12 girls take their first shot...
Tonight we get to know what the top 12 girls can really do - they can pick any song they want to present themselves to America for the first time:
The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood had a huge hit in 2009 with Cowboy Casanova that went on to win the CMT Video of the Year. Chelsea Sorrell has a very nice girl next door look and can also sing pretty well, but she doesn't even come close to how outstanding Carrie is.
Heart took What About Love to #10 in 1985. Erika Van Pelt went through the motions and did an acceptable version of the song.
Adele included One and Only on her 2012 Grammy winning Album of the Year 21. Jen Hirsh tried to make this wonderful song her own, but she ended up missing the mark.
Otis Redding took Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay to #1 in 1968. Brielle Von Hugel genuinely thinks that she is a bluesy, soulful rocker chick but it wasn't convincing from this performance at all.
Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson included Feeling Good on her 2011 album I Remember Me. Hallie Day provided a very classy and powerful vocal interpretation of this inspirational anthem. Very good.
One of Rod Stewart's earliest hits was Stay With Me in 1972. Skylar Laine was totally on fire as she served up a very convincing rendition complete with a sparkling short dress and moves to impress.
Lonestar to Amazed to #1 in 2001. Baylie Brown is an exceptionally beautiful young woman. Her looks are simply stunning and she dazzled in a lovely long gown. I don't even remember if she sang....
Christina Aguilera performed Reflections on the soundtrack to the Disney animated film, Mulan. Holly Cavanagh may appear to be small and meek, but when she opens her mouth to sing she is a giant of epic proportions. This is a song with many big notes and she was able to rise to the challenge with ease.
Eurythmics took Sweet Dreams to #1 in 1983. Haley Johnsen was totally an alterna-goth-rock grrrrrl out there showing off for the crowd. It was kinda good, but mostly all over the place.
Go Light Your World was just an all around wrong song to be performed tonight. Shannon Magrane clearly has no interest in being a real life mainstream pop superstar.
Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson performed the song Love You I Do in the film, DreamGirls. Jessica Sanchez rose above all of the competition with her completely excellent version of this song. She has everything it takes to be the next American Idol from her exceptional vocal range to her commanding stage presence.
Adele's One and Only was already performed tonight, but this time Elise Testone got it right. She sat at the piano and truly brought the song to life with her thoughtful vocal interpretation.
Now it's up to America to vote and you can go online to support your favorites at http://www.americanidol.com/.
My top 5 will be: Hallie Day, Skylar Laine, Hollie Cavanagh, Jessica Sanchez, and Elise Testone.
And Jessica Sanchez is my early favorite. :)
The Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood had a huge hit in 2009 with Cowboy Casanova that went on to win the CMT Video of the Year. Chelsea Sorrell has a very nice girl next door look and can also sing pretty well, but she doesn't even come close to how outstanding Carrie is.
Heart took What About Love to #10 in 1985. Erika Van Pelt went through the motions and did an acceptable version of the song.
Adele included One and Only on her 2012 Grammy winning Album of the Year 21. Jen Hirsh tried to make this wonderful song her own, but she ended up missing the mark.
Otis Redding took Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay to #1 in 1968. Brielle Von Hugel genuinely thinks that she is a bluesy, soulful rocker chick but it wasn't convincing from this performance at all.
Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson included Feeling Good on her 2011 album I Remember Me. Hallie Day provided a very classy and powerful vocal interpretation of this inspirational anthem. Very good.
One of Rod Stewart's earliest hits was Stay With Me in 1972. Skylar Laine was totally on fire as she served up a very convincing rendition complete with a sparkling short dress and moves to impress.
Lonestar to Amazed to #1 in 2001. Baylie Brown is an exceptionally beautiful young woman. Her looks are simply stunning and she dazzled in a lovely long gown. I don't even remember if she sang....
Christina Aguilera performed Reflections on the soundtrack to the Disney animated film, Mulan. Holly Cavanagh may appear to be small and meek, but when she opens her mouth to sing she is a giant of epic proportions. This is a song with many big notes and she was able to rise to the challenge with ease.
Eurythmics took Sweet Dreams to #1 in 1983. Haley Johnsen was totally an alterna-goth-rock grrrrrl out there showing off for the crowd. It was kinda good, but mostly all over the place.
Go Light Your World was just an all around wrong song to be performed tonight. Shannon Magrane clearly has no interest in being a real life mainstream pop superstar.
Season 3 Miss American Idol finalist and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson performed the song Love You I Do in the film, DreamGirls. Jessica Sanchez rose above all of the competition with her completely excellent version of this song. She has everything it takes to be the next American Idol from her exceptional vocal range to her commanding stage presence.
Adele's One and Only was already performed tonight, but this time Elise Testone got it right. She sat at the piano and truly brought the song to life with her thoughtful vocal interpretation.
Now it's up to America to vote and you can go online to support your favorites at http://www.americanidol.com/.
My top 5 will be: Hallie Day, Skylar Laine, Hollie Cavanagh, Jessica Sanchez, and Elise Testone.
And Jessica Sanchez is my early favorite. :)
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