The top 8 finalists are singing the music of Motown/Detroit:
I Heard It Through the Grapevine was a huge hit for both Gladys Knight and Marvin Gaye with very different versions. Candice Glover opened the show with a third completely different arrangement of this great song. It was jazzy and sultry and she sounded wonderful.
Madonna hit #1 in 1989 with Like A Prayer. Kree Harrison did a really good job serving as a background singer for Janelle Arthur. Where Kree was bland, boring and almost not even noticeable, Janelle was vibrant and showcasing big star quality.
For Once In My Life was a signature hit song by Stevie Wonder that peaked at #2 in 1968. Lazaro Arbos once again lit up the stage with his radiant smile, outstanding fashion sense and sweet personality. This song allowed him to deliver another crystal clear vocal performance. He can do no wrong!
You Keep Me Hanging On was one of the 12 #1 hit songs by Diana Ross and The Supremes. Janelle Arthur completely exuded even more star quality with her stripped down acoustic version of this classic. She played guitar and her vocals were emotionally heartfelt and she told the story in the lyrics better than anyone ever has.
The Tracks of My Tears was a hit in 1965 for Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. Devin Velez settled nicely in his comfort zone with this wonderful song. It was simple, straightforward and nothing distracted from his voice.
I'm Gonna Make You Love Me was a huge Motown collaboration by the Supremes and the Temptations that hit #2 in 1968. Tonight the Miss American Idol huge collaboration was delivered by Angie Miller, Candice Glover and Amber Holcomb. Candice and Amber were the ones relegated to back-up singers because they were simply overshadowed by Angie's stellar stage presence and superior vocals.
My Cherie Amour hit #4 in 1969 by Stevie Wonder. Burnell Taylor should just pack his bags and go home now. It was strained, clumsy and awkward. He looks like he's asleep up there.
Shop Around was a #2 smash hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles in 1961. Angie Miller completely owned the stage with a hard rock, guitar driven arrangement of this fun song. You couldn't take your eyes off of her because she looked fantastic as she totally worked it out and entertained the crowd.
Lately by Stevie Wonder didn't actually become a hit until 1993 when Jodeci hit #4 with it. Amber Holcomb belted it out exactly how it needs to be done. She has a powerful voice and this song let her show it off.
I Can't Help Myself was a #1 hit for the Four Tops in 1965. Devin, Burnell and Lazaro, unfortunately, struggled to remember the lyrics on the pop classic. At least Devin and Lazaro looked great, but Burnell has a strange eye contact problem. He doesn't seem to be present because he is looking off into space.
Don't Play That Song was a hit for Aretha Franklin in 1970. Kree Harrison served up the most bland stereotypical white girl effort of trying to take on the Queen of Soul. It was pretty embarrassing. Kree has absolutely zero stage presence and no personality.
My prediction for the bottom three is Amber, Kree and Burnell with Burnell finally going home.
Showing posts with label Madonna. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Madonna. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
The Top 9 - Sing Heroes
The Top 9 finalists received some professional advice from Stevie Nicks and they were able to select a song from their personal music heroes:
Colton Dixon chose to sing a song by Lifehouse. It was an emotional and heartfelt ballad that allowed him to convey the substance and the meaning of the song. You could tell that this inspirational song of worship truly means something to him.
Skyar Laine chose to sing a song by Miranda Lambert, Gunpowder and Lead. This is the kind of tough girl anthem that is perfect for her. The vocals were strong, but she wasn't quite putting the genuine punch in the lyrics like she knew what she was singing about.
Colton, Elise, and Phillip came together to perform the Fleetwood Mac classic, Landslide with Colton on lead vocals. It was flawless. Elise took the mic to sing Stevie's signature hit Edge of Seventeen. It was a perfect match for her sound and look. Then Phillip took lead vocals on Don't Stop and it was no big surprise that he butchered it.
Heejun Han chose to sing A Song For You by Donnie Hathaway. He claimed he was going to take things more seriously, but he's still a big fake and a phoney. There wasn't a shred of sincerity in a single note that he sang. Boring and forgettable.
Hollie Cavanagh chose to sing the debut single from the Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood, Jesus Take The Wheel. Hollie served up the real deal with her outstanding and impressive vocal range along with an emotional connection that was completely convincing and true.
Deandre Brackensick chose to sing Sometimes I Cry by Eric Benet. This was a heartbreaking R&B ballad that was interpreted by Deandre like a seasoned professional. He has a smooth and sultry falsetto that is made to make a man melt! Mmmm Mmmmm Good!
Jessica Sanchez chose to sing Sweet Dreams by Beyonce. AMAZING! Beyonce may be her hero, but Jessica did this song even better than Beyonce ever did! She slowed it down to be a ballad and seriously showcased that could seriously become a bigger star than her hero.
Deandrea, Joshua and Heejun performed a medley of Michael Jackson hits including The Lady in my Life, Rock With You and P.Y.T. This a was perfect fit for Deandre to completely shine and put Joshua and Heejun in the place of back-up singers where they are a better fit.
Phillip Phillips chose to sing a song by Johnny Lang. This allowed him to show the world who is and what he can do. And this is all he can do. He openly admits that he has no range, versatility or ability to appropriately interpret a musical theme or adapt to a different style.
Joshua Ledet chose to sing Without You that was a world wide smash hit for Mariah Carey in 1993. His voice couldn't be more different than Mariah's, so he was totally able to make it his own and he jam-packed it with an over the top emotional punch.
Jessica, Hollie and Skylar performed a medley of Madonna songs including Like A Prayer, Borderline and Express Yourself. These popular hits sounded better with the wonderful voices of these three young girls than Madonna could have ever lip-synced on her own.
Elise Testone chose to sing Whole Lotta Love by Led Zepplin. Elise is an all out ROCK STAR. She exuded some full on credibility as she tore the roof off the place. HOT HOT HOT!
It was a great night of live music entertainment, but it's still easy to make my prediction for the bottom three. It has to be Skylar, Heejun and Phillip. But the one certain to be going home has to be Heejun. That sappy drivel he served us tonight was unbearable and a complete insult to the memory of Donnie Hathaway. It's best to get rid of Heejun now so he won't be disrespectful to anyone else.
Colton Dixon chose to sing a song by Lifehouse. It was an emotional and heartfelt ballad that allowed him to convey the substance and the meaning of the song. You could tell that this inspirational song of worship truly means something to him.
Skyar Laine chose to sing a song by Miranda Lambert, Gunpowder and Lead. This is the kind of tough girl anthem that is perfect for her. The vocals were strong, but she wasn't quite putting the genuine punch in the lyrics like she knew what she was singing about.
Colton, Elise, and Phillip came together to perform the Fleetwood Mac classic, Landslide with Colton on lead vocals. It was flawless. Elise took the mic to sing Stevie's signature hit Edge of Seventeen. It was a perfect match for her sound and look. Then Phillip took lead vocals on Don't Stop and it was no big surprise that he butchered it.
Heejun Han chose to sing A Song For You by Donnie Hathaway. He claimed he was going to take things more seriously, but he's still a big fake and a phoney. There wasn't a shred of sincerity in a single note that he sang. Boring and forgettable.
Hollie Cavanagh chose to sing the debut single from the Supreme Miss American Idol, Season 4 winner, Carrie Underwood, Jesus Take The Wheel. Hollie served up the real deal with her outstanding and impressive vocal range along with an emotional connection that was completely convincing and true.
Deandre Brackensick chose to sing Sometimes I Cry by Eric Benet. This was a heartbreaking R&B ballad that was interpreted by Deandre like a seasoned professional. He has a smooth and sultry falsetto that is made to make a man melt! Mmmm Mmmmm Good!
Jessica Sanchez chose to sing Sweet Dreams by Beyonce. AMAZING! Beyonce may be her hero, but Jessica did this song even better than Beyonce ever did! She slowed it down to be a ballad and seriously showcased that could seriously become a bigger star than her hero.
Deandrea, Joshua and Heejun performed a medley of Michael Jackson hits including The Lady in my Life, Rock With You and P.Y.T. This a was perfect fit for Deandre to completely shine and put Joshua and Heejun in the place of back-up singers where they are a better fit.
Phillip Phillips chose to sing a song by Johnny Lang. This allowed him to show the world who is and what he can do. And this is all he can do. He openly admits that he has no range, versatility or ability to appropriately interpret a musical theme or adapt to a different style.
Joshua Ledet chose to sing Without You that was a world wide smash hit for Mariah Carey in 1993. His voice couldn't be more different than Mariah's, so he was totally able to make it his own and he jam-packed it with an over the top emotional punch.
Jessica, Hollie and Skylar performed a medley of Madonna songs including Like A Prayer, Borderline and Express Yourself. These popular hits sounded better with the wonderful voices of these three young girls than Madonna could have ever lip-synced on her own.
Elise Testone chose to sing Whole Lotta Love by Led Zepplin. Elise is an all out ROCK STAR. She exuded some full on credibility as she tore the roof off the place. HOT HOT HOT!
It was a great night of live music entertainment, but it's still easy to make my prediction for the bottom three. It has to be Skylar, Heejun and Phillip. But the one certain to be going home has to be Heejun. That sappy drivel he served us tonight was unbearable and a complete insult to the memory of Donnie Hathaway. It's best to get rid of Heejun now so he won't be disrespectful to anyone else.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The top 6 sing Andrew Lloyd Webber
Some of the most memorable songs from the Broadway stage in the past 40 years have been composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Tonight the top 6 finalists had to prove their ability to interpret these amazing songs.
When it comes to naming one's favorite show tunes, few people immediately think of those catchy songs from Starlight Express. That did not stop Syesha Mercado from selecting One Rock and Roll Too Many and truly making it work. While it may not have been familiar to most listeners, she proved herself as a very talented live stage performer. Her voice sounded even stronger than ever and she exuded a vibrant and fun personality that was the perfect match for the song. This was the best she has done so far.
One of the favorite show tunes that just about everyone mentions is Memory from Cats. People have loved hearing Betty Buckley, Barbra Streisand and Barry Manilow elevate these lyrics with their powerful and impressive vocal ranges. As we have learned so far in the competition Jason Castro has never impressed with his vocal range. This young man knew nothing about what he was doing when he selected this song. It is a complete mis-match for his folk singing, acoustic guitar driven style. The final performance was a complete mess.
Just when we thought one finalist making a complete mess was tragic enough, we are given another. Brooke White messed up pretty bad last week when she had to rise to the Mariah standard and failed and now she has to go out of her element again with a show tune. When Andrew Lloyd Webber created an original song for Madonna in the movie version of Evita, You Must Love Me ended up winning the Oscar for Best Original Song. The song tells of the overwhelming sadness as Eva Perron realizes that she is close to death. In Brooke's hands the song was just plain sad. She couldn't remember the lyrics and the trembling in her voice was not from getting into character, it was from her acceptance that she is completely out classed by the other finalists.
David Archuleta chose to sing Think of Me from Phantom of the Opera. He has demonstrated once again that he can sing anything and make it sound like an inspirational adult contemporary hit. He has a very effortless vocal range that expresses the sentiment of the lyrics exactly as they should be every time. He is already a star whether he wins the Miss American Idol crown or not, but if he keeps on winning over fans with songs like this....
Carly Smithson has one of the best voices in the competition this year, but each week she has struggled with everything from song choice, to expressing the emotions appropriately and deciding what to wear. Tonight, as she performed Jesus Christ Superstar, she did everything exactly as she should have. All of the pieces fell into place so that she could showcase her talents at their best. Very entertaining.
The Music of The Night is a haunting love song from Phantom of the Opera performed as the monster tries to seduce his captive young diva. Rather than needing to rework the song into his rock style, David Cook genuinely brought the song to life because he skillfully knows how to work the lyrics. His voice was the perfect match for the intensity and drama that needs to be conveyed with every syllable. The Davids could be in a serious wrestling match for the Miss American Idol crown.
Predicting the bottom three is going to be very difficult this week. While it is a no-brainer that Jason Castro and Brooke White should have never made the top 12, much less be here in the top 6. The difficult question comes when trying to predict which of the remaining far-superior finalists must join them in the bottom three. Unfortunately, both Syesha and Carly have struggled to find a fan-base and have ended up in the bottom three before. Even though Syesha clearly gave her best performance of the season so far, I fear she will end up in the bottom three for two reasons: She performed first and may be forgotten and she performed a song that was unfamiliar to most of the listening audience. I predicted that Brooke White was going to go home last week, but now it has to finally be her time.
When it comes to naming one's favorite show tunes, few people immediately think of those catchy songs from Starlight Express. That did not stop Syesha Mercado from selecting One Rock and Roll Too Many and truly making it work. While it may not have been familiar to most listeners, she proved herself as a very talented live stage performer. Her voice sounded even stronger than ever and she exuded a vibrant and fun personality that was the perfect match for the song. This was the best she has done so far.
One of the favorite show tunes that just about everyone mentions is Memory from Cats. People have loved hearing Betty Buckley, Barbra Streisand and Barry Manilow elevate these lyrics with their powerful and impressive vocal ranges. As we have learned so far in the competition Jason Castro has never impressed with his vocal range. This young man knew nothing about what he was doing when he selected this song. It is a complete mis-match for his folk singing, acoustic guitar driven style. The final performance was a complete mess.
Just when we thought one finalist making a complete mess was tragic enough, we are given another. Brooke White messed up pretty bad last week when she had to rise to the Mariah standard and failed and now she has to go out of her element again with a show tune. When Andrew Lloyd Webber created an original song for Madonna in the movie version of Evita, You Must Love Me ended up winning the Oscar for Best Original Song. The song tells of the overwhelming sadness as Eva Perron realizes that she is close to death. In Brooke's hands the song was just plain sad. She couldn't remember the lyrics and the trembling in her voice was not from getting into character, it was from her acceptance that she is completely out classed by the other finalists.
David Archuleta chose to sing Think of Me from Phantom of the Opera. He has demonstrated once again that he can sing anything and make it sound like an inspirational adult contemporary hit. He has a very effortless vocal range that expresses the sentiment of the lyrics exactly as they should be every time. He is already a star whether he wins the Miss American Idol crown or not, but if he keeps on winning over fans with songs like this....
Carly Smithson has one of the best voices in the competition this year, but each week she has struggled with everything from song choice, to expressing the emotions appropriately and deciding what to wear. Tonight, as she performed Jesus Christ Superstar, she did everything exactly as she should have. All of the pieces fell into place so that she could showcase her talents at their best. Very entertaining.
The Music of The Night is a haunting love song from Phantom of the Opera performed as the monster tries to seduce his captive young diva. Rather than needing to rework the song into his rock style, David Cook genuinely brought the song to life because he skillfully knows how to work the lyrics. His voice was the perfect match for the intensity and drama that needs to be conveyed with every syllable. The Davids could be in a serious wrestling match for the Miss American Idol crown.
Predicting the bottom three is going to be very difficult this week. While it is a no-brainer that Jason Castro and Brooke White should have never made the top 12, much less be here in the top 6. The difficult question comes when trying to predict which of the remaining far-superior finalists must join them in the bottom three. Unfortunately, both Syesha and Carly have struggled to find a fan-base and have ended up in the bottom three before. Even though Syesha clearly gave her best performance of the season so far, I fear she will end up in the bottom three for two reasons: She performed first and may be forgotten and she performed a song that was unfamiliar to most of the listening audience. I predicted that Brooke White was going to go home last week, but now it has to finally be her time.
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