The Top 10 Girls can sing any song of their choice to try and win your votes:
Zoanette Johnson went first with an attempt at Tina Turner's #1 hit from 1984 What's Love Got To Do With It. The expectations were high as the judges gushed about her, but she failed miserably. Zoanette could hardly remember the lyrics and she looked like a complete mess.
Breanna Steer stood center stage and let her vocal range be the focus. She looked very classy and poised performing Beyonce's 2007 R and B slow jam Flaws and All. It was tender, emotional and presented Breanna as a star of the future.
Aubrey Cleland chose to sing Big Girls Don't Cry that Fergie took to #1 in 2007. She is a strikingly beautiful young woman who is completely ready for starring in videos. Vocally it is evident that her range has its limitations, but this song did not challenge her too much.
Janelle Arthur is the definition of a classic country girl. She is sweet, genuine and lovely and with her vocals tonight she saved it all for the end. She belted out a superbly pure final note that was thoroughly impressive.
Tenna Torres served up a cover of a Faith Hill song twisting it up with a soulful and impeccable vocal. She clearly has a the range to hit the highs and the lows and everything in between. And along with all of this, Tenna is just a very nice girl as well.
Angie Miller sat at the piano, sang an outstanding vocal and thoroughly brought the house down. She carries herself like a seasoned professional who is quite simply a true artist. She performed a brand new song that can be found on the debut album from Season 11 Miss American Idol finalist Colton Dixon. He needs to thank her for helping to raise the profile of his album. I see a spike in sales after this.
Amber Holcomb took on the 1996 hit from Whitney Houston and the Preacher's Wife soundtrack, I Believe In You And Me. She could definitely rise to the challenge and pull it off and make it look effortless. Great job.
Kree Harrison struggled and strained vocally to hit the notes. She sounded weak and forced as she tried to sing the song. The judges seemed to like her, but I just didn't see it. She seems to totally lack stage presence, personality or any style whatsoever.
Adriana Latonio did her best to provide a showstopper, but her youth and inexperience didn't quite allow her to measure up. She has a very nice voice and a sweet personality, but that's not enough to carry her through.
Candice Glover added some passion and energy to John Legend's Ordinary People. It was an outstanding interpretation of a great song that she was able to make even better.
There was some great talent to be found in the top 10 girls tonight but only 5 can make it through. Here's my prediction: Aubrey Cleland, Janelle Arthur, Angie Miller, Amber Holcomb and Candice Glover.
Showing posts with label Tina Turner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tina Turner. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
The Top 5 sing the 60's
The Top 5 finalists performed music from the 60's and the British Invasion.
Sweet, lovely and talented Hollie Cavanagh got the night off to an outstanding start with a fun and fabulous performance of the Phil Spector standard, River Deep Mountain High. She looked fantastic as she completely broke out of her shell and worked the stage to perfection. Her vocals were just as pure and flawless as always. It was amazing then, that she was able to raise the bar even higher with her next song, the #1 hit by Leona Lewis from 2008, Bleeding Love. This rendition was so vulnerable and raw that every lyric went directly to each and every listener's heart on a genuine and personal level. Hollie stole the show even further when she sang Jackie Wilson's #6 hit from 1967, Higher and Higher, with Jessica and Skylar as her back-up singers.
Phillip Phillips was a complete mess for the entire night. First he completely sucked the life out of the 1967 #1 smash, The Letter by the Boxtops by forcing it into his safety zone of screaming with no melody. On a duet with Joshua, Phillip exposed that he has no vocal range at all when he destroyed You've Lost That Lovin Feeling that was a #1 hit for the Rightgeous Brothers in 1967. And just to prove that he is completely incapable of learning his lesson, he tried to hit high notes once again on a dreadful version of the Zombies #3 song from 1969, Time Of The Season. It was sad and embarrassing to see him sitting there painfully straining to hit notes that were so far and away out of his range.
Country girl Skylar Laine brought her big voice and big personality to the #14 hit from 1969, Fortunate Son, by Credence Clearwater Revival. She clearly loves to be on stage and has a great time giving her fans what they expect. She followed that up with Dusty Springfield's #4 it from 1966, You Don't Have To Say You Love Me. It was really great at the beginning showcasing an impressive vocal range, but it got pretty sloppy and unfocused by the end.
The Temptations #13 song from 1966, Ain't Too Proud To Beg was the first selection to get the Joshua Ledet treatment. It was pretty close to the original and his vocals didn't really add anything exceptional to the mix. His second song choice was To Love Somebody, that the Bee Gees took to #17 in 1967. It was good once again, but it's hard to imagine what he can bring to new material.
Jessica Sanchez looked wonderful as she took the stage to sing Tina Turner's signature song that peaked at #4 in 1971, Proud Mary. While it lacked the over the top showmanship that Tina is famous for, Jessica delivered the vocals necessary to make it work. But that was just a taste of her exceptional vocals. When she sat center stage to interpret You Are So Beautiful (#5 in 1975 by Joe Cocker) it was exactly what this show is all about. She sounded simply beautiful hitting a full range of pure notes so effortlessly.
Making a prediction for the bottom three this week is very easy because the top two are so clearly far ahead of them. Hollie and Jessica are wonderful singers and performers who have so much potential to be releasing hit singles and be getting loads of radio airplay. That leaves Skylar, Joshua and Phillip to be in the bottom three. The one who should be going home this week is the one who has zero potential to release a hit single and get any radio airplay. Phillip should just get out of the competition now.
Sweet, lovely and talented Hollie Cavanagh got the night off to an outstanding start with a fun and fabulous performance of the Phil Spector standard, River Deep Mountain High. She looked fantastic as she completely broke out of her shell and worked the stage to perfection. Her vocals were just as pure and flawless as always. It was amazing then, that she was able to raise the bar even higher with her next song, the #1 hit by Leona Lewis from 2008, Bleeding Love. This rendition was so vulnerable and raw that every lyric went directly to each and every listener's heart on a genuine and personal level. Hollie stole the show even further when she sang Jackie Wilson's #6 hit from 1967, Higher and Higher, with Jessica and Skylar as her back-up singers.
Phillip Phillips was a complete mess for the entire night. First he completely sucked the life out of the 1967 #1 smash, The Letter by the Boxtops by forcing it into his safety zone of screaming with no melody. On a duet with Joshua, Phillip exposed that he has no vocal range at all when he destroyed You've Lost That Lovin Feeling that was a #1 hit for the Rightgeous Brothers in 1967. And just to prove that he is completely incapable of learning his lesson, he tried to hit high notes once again on a dreadful version of the Zombies #3 song from 1969, Time Of The Season. It was sad and embarrassing to see him sitting there painfully straining to hit notes that were so far and away out of his range.
Country girl Skylar Laine brought her big voice and big personality to the #14 hit from 1969, Fortunate Son, by Credence Clearwater Revival. She clearly loves to be on stage and has a great time giving her fans what they expect. She followed that up with Dusty Springfield's #4 it from 1966, You Don't Have To Say You Love Me. It was really great at the beginning showcasing an impressive vocal range, but it got pretty sloppy and unfocused by the end.
The Temptations #13 song from 1966, Ain't Too Proud To Beg was the first selection to get the Joshua Ledet treatment. It was pretty close to the original and his vocals didn't really add anything exceptional to the mix. His second song choice was To Love Somebody, that the Bee Gees took to #17 in 1967. It was good once again, but it's hard to imagine what he can bring to new material.
Jessica Sanchez looked wonderful as she took the stage to sing Tina Turner's signature song that peaked at #4 in 1971, Proud Mary. While it lacked the over the top showmanship that Tina is famous for, Jessica delivered the vocals necessary to make it work. But that was just a taste of her exceptional vocals. When she sat center stage to interpret You Are So Beautiful (#5 in 1975 by Joe Cocker) it was exactly what this show is all about. She sounded simply beautiful hitting a full range of pure notes so effortlessly.
Making a prediction for the bottom three this week is very easy because the top two are so clearly far ahead of them. Hollie and Jessica are wonderful singers and performers who have so much potential to be releasing hit singles and be getting loads of radio airplay. That leaves Skylar, Joshua and Phillip to be in the bottom three. The one who should be going home this week is the one who has zero potential to release a hit single and get any radio airplay. Phillip should just get out of the competition now.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
The Top 11 sing their beginnings
Tonight the top 11 finalists will sing a song from the year they were born. That's right, I said 11 and not 12. Jermaine Jones has been disqualified from the competition because he failed to disclose FOUR criminal warrants out for his arrest! it doesn't really matter because he had no chance at getting very far anyway.
1990 is the year the Phillip Phillips was born and also the year that The Black Crowes had a hit with Hard To Handle. Phillip sounded like he was trying to pass a kidney stone while he was screaming out the lyrics to this song.
1995 is the year that Jessica Sanchez was born and also the year that Gloria Estefan had a hit with Turn The Beat Around. Jessica has already proven that her amazing voice sounds pitch perfect on a dramatic ballad, but tonight she wanted to show she can do a disco dance jam as well. While this may not be her ideal style, she was still fantastic. And she looked absolutely fabulous in is sparkly silver pants!
1989 is the year that Heejun Han was born and also the year that Richard Marx spent three weeks at #1 with Right Here Waiting. This performance was completely dreary and boring.
1983 is the year that Elise Testone was born and also the year that Tina Turner started her big comeback with Let's Stay Together. This was a wonderful song choice to showcase her unique voice and really highlight her talents at their best.
1994 is the year that Deandre Brackensick was born and also the year that Mariah Carey and Luther Vandross hit #2 with Endless Love. Deandre's vocal skills can easily handle the multiple layers in this duet all by himself. His range is outstanding and he sounds awesome.
1995 is the year that Shannon Magrane was born and also the year that Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men spent 16 weeks at #1 with One Sweet Day. Shannon is completely out of her league in this competition and with this song. She was totally unable to handle the complex vocal demands of this song because of her limited breath control.
1991 is the year that Colton Dixon was born and also the year that White Lion released Broken Heart. Colton completely made this song his own with his passionate vocals and captivating stage presence.
1985 is the year that Erika Van Pelt was born and also the year that Bryan Adams spent one week at #1 with Heaven. Erika was able to make the power ballad even bigger with her big voice and a big dramatic arrangement.
1994 is the year that Skylar Laine was born and also the year that Bonnie Raitt had a hit with Love Sneaking Up On You. While Skylar has been able to really shine on other songs, tonight she was pretty "by the book", but for her that's still very good.
1992 is the year that Joshua Ledet was born and also the year that Michael Bolton hit #1 for one week with When a Man Loves A Woman. Joshua put out all the stops with his soulful and over the top performance of this R&B classic. He worked the stage and brought the house down.
1993 is the year the Hollie Cavanagh was born and also the year that Celine Dion spent four weeks at #1 with The Power of Love. Hollie was up there in her red carpet ready long gown and made it look easy to sing notes with crystal clear perfection. She was completely lovely on stage as the best was obviously saved for last.
My prediction for the bottom three this week is Phillip, Heejun and Shannon. If any of them went home this week they wouldn't be missed at all, but I think that it's going to be Shannon.
1990 is the year the Phillip Phillips was born and also the year that The Black Crowes had a hit with Hard To Handle. Phillip sounded like he was trying to pass a kidney stone while he was screaming out the lyrics to this song.
1995 is the year that Jessica Sanchez was born and also the year that Gloria Estefan had a hit with Turn The Beat Around. Jessica has already proven that her amazing voice sounds pitch perfect on a dramatic ballad, but tonight she wanted to show she can do a disco dance jam as well. While this may not be her ideal style, she was still fantastic. And she looked absolutely fabulous in is sparkly silver pants!
1989 is the year that Heejun Han was born and also the year that Richard Marx spent three weeks at #1 with Right Here Waiting. This performance was completely dreary and boring.
1983 is the year that Elise Testone was born and also the year that Tina Turner started her big comeback with Let's Stay Together. This was a wonderful song choice to showcase her unique voice and really highlight her talents at their best.
1994 is the year that Deandre Brackensick was born and also the year that Mariah Carey and Luther Vandross hit #2 with Endless Love. Deandre's vocal skills can easily handle the multiple layers in this duet all by himself. His range is outstanding and he sounds awesome.
1995 is the year that Shannon Magrane was born and also the year that Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men spent 16 weeks at #1 with One Sweet Day. Shannon is completely out of her league in this competition and with this song. She was totally unable to handle the complex vocal demands of this song because of her limited breath control.
1991 is the year that Colton Dixon was born and also the year that White Lion released Broken Heart. Colton completely made this song his own with his passionate vocals and captivating stage presence.
1985 is the year that Erika Van Pelt was born and also the year that Bryan Adams spent one week at #1 with Heaven. Erika was able to make the power ballad even bigger with her big voice and a big dramatic arrangement.
1994 is the year that Skylar Laine was born and also the year that Bonnie Raitt had a hit with Love Sneaking Up On You. While Skylar has been able to really shine on other songs, tonight she was pretty "by the book", but for her that's still very good.
1992 is the year that Joshua Ledet was born and also the year that Michael Bolton hit #1 for one week with When a Man Loves A Woman. Joshua put out all the stops with his soulful and over the top performance of this R&B classic. He worked the stage and brought the house down.
1993 is the year the Hollie Cavanagh was born and also the year that Celine Dion spent four weeks at #1 with The Power of Love. Hollie was up there in her red carpet ready long gown and made it look easy to sing notes with crystal clear perfection. She was completely lovely on stage as the best was obviously saved for last.
My prediction for the bottom three this week is Phillip, Heejun and Shannon. If any of them went home this week they wouldn't be missed at all, but I think that it's going to be Shannon.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
The Top 9 sing Rock&Roll Hall of Fame
Tonight the top 9 finalists had to make a selection from the inductees of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Michael Jackson was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. Jacob Lusk showed that he doesn't have any star quality remotely close to that of the King of Pop as he butchered Man In The Mirror (#1 for 2 weeks in 1988). He really should have switched places with the wonderfully talented singer and songwriter, Siedah Garrett, who was on stage with him doing background vocals. Jacob does not belong front and center.
Janis Joplin was inducted in 1995 and Haley Reinhart performed her classic Piece of my Heart. Haley is taking her game of playing dress up as a pop star way too far. She must be the niece of some high powered record executive to have gotten this far in the competition because she has no likable or desirable vocal talent at all. This was just comical screaming.
Creedence Clearwater Revival was inducted in 1993. Have You Ever Seen The Rain hit #8 in 1971 and Casey Abrams got back up on stage with his upright bass and showed that he's much more of a musician than a singer. His vocals simply aren't that good.
The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, was inducted in 1987. Lauren Alaina took one of the greatest songs of all time, A Natural Woman (#8 - 1967) and made it very emotionless and boring. And the outfit she had on was not flattering at all.
George Harrison has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: once with the Beatles in 1988 and then again as a solo artist in 2004. His power ballad While My Guitar Gently Weeps is the perfect showcase for James Durbin's dynamic musical and vocal range. This was a spectacular, powerful and emotional performance.
The King of Rock-n-Roll, Elvis Presley, was inducted in 1986. Elvis could successfully perform Rock, Soul, Country and Gospel where Scotty McCreery isn't quite as convincing when he steps out of his comfort zone. This was a respectable effort but he really needs to polish things up a lot more before he's ready for the big leagues.
Tina Turner was inducted in 1991 and one of her signature hits is River Deep, Mountain High. This song has a dramatic production value that is an exciting compliment to the outstanding vocals of Pia Toscano. She sounded even better than last week!
Percy Sledge was inducted in 2005 and he is most well-known for his fantastic smash When A Man Loves A Woman that hit #1 for two weeks in 1966. Stefano Langone once again showed that he has all the ingredients necessary to be a huge pop idol. His vocals were over the top amazing as he belted out every lyric with passion and conviction.
Johnny Cash was inducted in 1992 and he is probably the coolest cowboy ever. Paul McDonald is more like the cool cowboy's crazy cousin, but he definitely made Folsom Prison Blues his own. It was the same quirky Paul that we've seen every week.
The division between the good finalists with pop music potential and the other finalists is getting wider and wider. It's very clear that the talented front-runners are Pia, Stefano and James.
Then there's the not-so great ones who should be going home. My prediction for the bottom three vote getters this week is Jacob, Haley and Casey with Haley finally going home this week. Haley has absolutely no star quality or charisma and her performance style is so embarrassing and amateurish. We can only hope that we won't have to see her again.
Michael Jackson was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. Jacob Lusk showed that he doesn't have any star quality remotely close to that of the King of Pop as he butchered Man In The Mirror (#1 for 2 weeks in 1988). He really should have switched places with the wonderfully talented singer and songwriter, Siedah Garrett, who was on stage with him doing background vocals. Jacob does not belong front and center.
Janis Joplin was inducted in 1995 and Haley Reinhart performed her classic Piece of my Heart. Haley is taking her game of playing dress up as a pop star way too far. She must be the niece of some high powered record executive to have gotten this far in the competition because she has no likable or desirable vocal talent at all. This was just comical screaming.
Creedence Clearwater Revival was inducted in 1993. Have You Ever Seen The Rain hit #8 in 1971 and Casey Abrams got back up on stage with his upright bass and showed that he's much more of a musician than a singer. His vocals simply aren't that good.
The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, was inducted in 1987. Lauren Alaina took one of the greatest songs of all time, A Natural Woman (#8 - 1967) and made it very emotionless and boring. And the outfit she had on was not flattering at all.
George Harrison has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: once with the Beatles in 1988 and then again as a solo artist in 2004. His power ballad While My Guitar Gently Weeps is the perfect showcase for James Durbin's dynamic musical and vocal range. This was a spectacular, powerful and emotional performance.
The King of Rock-n-Roll, Elvis Presley, was inducted in 1986. Elvis could successfully perform Rock, Soul, Country and Gospel where Scotty McCreery isn't quite as convincing when he steps out of his comfort zone. This was a respectable effort but he really needs to polish things up a lot more before he's ready for the big leagues.
Tina Turner was inducted in 1991 and one of her signature hits is River Deep, Mountain High. This song has a dramatic production value that is an exciting compliment to the outstanding vocals of Pia Toscano. She sounded even better than last week!
Percy Sledge was inducted in 2005 and he is most well-known for his fantastic smash When A Man Loves A Woman that hit #1 for two weeks in 1966. Stefano Langone once again showed that he has all the ingredients necessary to be a huge pop idol. His vocals were over the top amazing as he belted out every lyric with passion and conviction.
Johnny Cash was inducted in 1992 and he is probably the coolest cowboy ever. Paul McDonald is more like the cool cowboy's crazy cousin, but he definitely made Folsom Prison Blues his own. It was the same quirky Paul that we've seen every week.
The division between the good finalists with pop music potential and the other finalists is getting wider and wider. It's very clear that the talented front-runners are Pia, Stefano and James.
Then there's the not-so great ones who should be going home. My prediction for the bottom three vote getters this week is Jacob, Haley and Casey with Haley finally going home this week. Haley has absolutely no star quality or charisma and her performance style is so embarrassing and amateurish. We can only hope that we won't have to see her again.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
The Top 12 sing their beginnings....
This week the top 12 finalists were to select a song that came out the year they were born:
Naima Adedepo was born in 1984 and she performed Tina Turner's comeback smash hit that spent three weeks at #1 and Grammy winning Record of the Year, What's Love Got To Do With It. Tina's classic version was all about the image being a perfect match for the unique vocals, but Naima seemed to pay more attention to her image and less to her vocals. She's very talented, but still needs to work on combining her great style with her wonderful voice.
Paul McDonald was also born in 1984 and he performed Elton John's hit that peaked at #4, I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues. Paul does best when he finds the right song to match his quirky style and this was not it. He's cute and distinctive, but let's hope he never puts his stamp on this one again.
Thia Megia was born in 1995 and she performed the Oscar winning theme song from the film Pocahontas that Vanessa Williams took to #4. Thia was a stunning and beautiful princess as she performed this inspirational ballad with total vocal perfection. She is a young woman with limitless potential.
James Durbin was born in 1989 and he performed Bon Jovi's hit that spent one week at #1, I'll Be There For You. James served up more of his classic rock singing for this power ballad without going over the top as usual. From what we've come to expect from James, this was pretty tame.
Haley Reinhart was born in 1990 and she performed Whitney Houston's pop smash that spent one week at #1, I'm Your Baby Tonight. This version will definitely not become a pop smash as Haley turned it into a dreadful big band mis-step. She has tried to show herself as a vocal chameleon with previous performances, but this week the vocals were simply not good.
Stefano Langone was born in 1989 and he performed Simply Red's fantastic cover of the Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes classic that spent one week at #1, If You Don't Know Me By Now. With Stefano's charming good looks and flawless vocal interpretation, this song could be a hit all over again.
Pia Toscano was born in 1988 and she performed Whitney Houston's hit that spent two weeks at #1, Where Do Broken Hearts Go. Pia was able to lift this lovely ballad to new heights with an exciting uptempo arrangement that showcased her amazing voice even more than usual.
Scotty McCreery was born in 1993 and he performed Can I Trust You With My Heart by Travis Tritt. We already know he's got a nice deep voice, but he's not showing much range or personality. He's the type of artist where the song is more interesting than he is.
Karen Rodriguez was born in 1989 and she performed Taylor Dayne's biggest hit that spent one week at #1, Love Will Lead You Back. First can we say, WOW! what a cute outfit! the go-go boots and mini dress are fierce with the big hair and huge hoop earrings!!! And her voice was just perfect also.
Casey Abrams was born in 1991 and he performed Nirvana's huge cross-over smash that peaked at #6, Smells Like Teen Spirit. He seemed to be going for respectful as he performed a very safe version of this song that defined a generation. And, of course, he provided his signature screaming.
Lauren Alaina was born in 1994 and she performed a song that peaked at #8 for Melissa Etheridge, I'm The Only One. Lauren has successfully earned herself the title of the most over-rated finalist of the season. The judges rave about her, but she never seems to deliver on stage and tonight was no exception.
Jacob Lusk was born in 1987 and he performed Heart's rocking power ballad that spent three weeks at #1, Alone. He should stick to gospel, but he is also a contender for the most over-rated finalist of the season. The judges don't know what they are talking about.
The most clear shoe-in for one of the bottom three vote getters is Haley. It's gonna be a toss up for who will be joining her so I'm just gonna take a random guess and predict Naima and Paul will be in there also. But Haley should definitely be the one going home.
Naima Adedepo was born in 1984 and she performed Tina Turner's comeback smash hit that spent three weeks at #1 and Grammy winning Record of the Year, What's Love Got To Do With It. Tina's classic version was all about the image being a perfect match for the unique vocals, but Naima seemed to pay more attention to her image and less to her vocals. She's very talented, but still needs to work on combining her great style with her wonderful voice.
Paul McDonald was also born in 1984 and he performed Elton John's hit that peaked at #4, I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues. Paul does best when he finds the right song to match his quirky style and this was not it. He's cute and distinctive, but let's hope he never puts his stamp on this one again.
Thia Megia was born in 1995 and she performed the Oscar winning theme song from the film Pocahontas that Vanessa Williams took to #4. Thia was a stunning and beautiful princess as she performed this inspirational ballad with total vocal perfection. She is a young woman with limitless potential.
James Durbin was born in 1989 and he performed Bon Jovi's hit that spent one week at #1, I'll Be There For You. James served up more of his classic rock singing for this power ballad without going over the top as usual. From what we've come to expect from James, this was pretty tame.
Haley Reinhart was born in 1990 and she performed Whitney Houston's pop smash that spent one week at #1, I'm Your Baby Tonight. This version will definitely not become a pop smash as Haley turned it into a dreadful big band mis-step. She has tried to show herself as a vocal chameleon with previous performances, but this week the vocals were simply not good.
Stefano Langone was born in 1989 and he performed Simply Red's fantastic cover of the Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes classic that spent one week at #1, If You Don't Know Me By Now. With Stefano's charming good looks and flawless vocal interpretation, this song could be a hit all over again.
Pia Toscano was born in 1988 and she performed Whitney Houston's hit that spent two weeks at #1, Where Do Broken Hearts Go. Pia was able to lift this lovely ballad to new heights with an exciting uptempo arrangement that showcased her amazing voice even more than usual.
Scotty McCreery was born in 1993 and he performed Can I Trust You With My Heart by Travis Tritt. We already know he's got a nice deep voice, but he's not showing much range or personality. He's the type of artist where the song is more interesting than he is.
Karen Rodriguez was born in 1989 and she performed Taylor Dayne's biggest hit that spent one week at #1, Love Will Lead You Back. First can we say, WOW! what a cute outfit! the go-go boots and mini dress are fierce with the big hair and huge hoop earrings!!! And her voice was just perfect also.
Casey Abrams was born in 1991 and he performed Nirvana's huge cross-over smash that peaked at #6, Smells Like Teen Spirit. He seemed to be going for respectful as he performed a very safe version of this song that defined a generation. And, of course, he provided his signature screaming.
Lauren Alaina was born in 1994 and she performed a song that peaked at #8 for Melissa Etheridge, I'm The Only One. Lauren has successfully earned herself the title of the most over-rated finalist of the season. The judges rave about her, but she never seems to deliver on stage and tonight was no exception.
Jacob Lusk was born in 1987 and he performed Heart's rocking power ballad that spent three weeks at #1, Alone. He should stick to gospel, but he is also a contender for the most over-rated finalist of the season. The judges don't know what they are talking about.
The most clear shoe-in for one of the bottom three vote getters is Haley. It's gonna be a toss up for who will be joining her so I'm just gonna take a random guess and predict Naima and Paul will be in there also. But Haley should definitely be the one going home.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
The Top 10 boys try again....
Last week the boys were less than impressive and hopefully after two were sent home they are more motivated to rise to the occasion. Here's what they did:
James Brown took It's a Man's Man's Man's World to #8 in 1966 and Michael Lynche used this R&B jam to try and take him to the next level. His vocals were just right but he depended too much on his extra large size to be his stage presence rather than actually having any special style.
John Mayer put Gravity on his 2008 album Continuum and John Park tried to re-invent himself with this performance. The fact is that John is a good singer, but this was an unfamiliar song that was totally bland, boring and forgettable.
Gavin DeGraw had a hit in 2003 with I Don't Want To Be and Casey James did his best to electrify the crowd with this attempt. It was unfortunately more about him playing his electric guitar instead of showing off what a great singer he is.
John Legend won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 2005 by singing songs like Everybody Knows and Alex Lambert easily won the award for Most Improved with this rendition. He sat on stage, strummed his guitar and let his great vocals come out into the spotlight.
Tina Turner spent three weeks at #1 in 1984 with What's Love Got To Do With It and Todrick Hall clearly has his eyes on the prize with his version of it. He once again went for changing the arrangement in an effort to make it his own and most of this worked in his favor this time around.
Marvin Gaye took What's Going On all the way up to #2 in 1971 and Jermaine Sellers took this song through every vocal note imaginable. He is doing a great job showing off his vocal range as well as his fabulous personal style.
James Morrison is a bland singer song writer who has never charted on the Billboard HOT 100 and Andrew Garcia wasn't able to make any improvements to this poor song choice. This performance was very plain with weak vocals and absolutely no stage presence.
The Temptations spent one week at #1 in 1965 with My Girl and Aaron Kelly over sang this hit to the max in an effort to make it his own. The sad fact is that his over confidence showed off the fact that his voice isn't that great. He should have tried acting his age.
Matt Nathanson had a minor hit in 2007 with Come On Get Higher and Tim Urban took it right to the coffee shop with his guitar to try and breath some life into this folksy song. Tim is a very handsome young man but his vocal skills are sorely lacking. Truth be told, though, it was nice to see someone acting his age.
Hinder took Lips of an Angel up to #3 in 2006 and Lee Dewyze was totally in his element with this performance. He's a stereotypical rocker with a limited vocal range and this song did not challenge him at all. Good, but very safe.
I am happy to report that with this second chance most of the boys got a little better. My prediction for the two boys to be going home this week are the ones who were the most boring. We should be saying goodbye to John Park and Andrew Garcia.
James Brown took It's a Man's Man's Man's World to #8 in 1966 and Michael Lynche used this R&B jam to try and take him to the next level. His vocals were just right but he depended too much on his extra large size to be his stage presence rather than actually having any special style.
John Mayer put Gravity on his 2008 album Continuum and John Park tried to re-invent himself with this performance. The fact is that John is a good singer, but this was an unfamiliar song that was totally bland, boring and forgettable.
Gavin DeGraw had a hit in 2003 with I Don't Want To Be and Casey James did his best to electrify the crowd with this attempt. It was unfortunately more about him playing his electric guitar instead of showing off what a great singer he is.
John Legend won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 2005 by singing songs like Everybody Knows and Alex Lambert easily won the award for Most Improved with this rendition. He sat on stage, strummed his guitar and let his great vocals come out into the spotlight.
Tina Turner spent three weeks at #1 in 1984 with What's Love Got To Do With It and Todrick Hall clearly has his eyes on the prize with his version of it. He once again went for changing the arrangement in an effort to make it his own and most of this worked in his favor this time around.
Marvin Gaye took What's Going On all the way up to #2 in 1971 and Jermaine Sellers took this song through every vocal note imaginable. He is doing a great job showing off his vocal range as well as his fabulous personal style.
James Morrison is a bland singer song writer who has never charted on the Billboard HOT 100 and Andrew Garcia wasn't able to make any improvements to this poor song choice. This performance was very plain with weak vocals and absolutely no stage presence.
The Temptations spent one week at #1 in 1965 with My Girl and Aaron Kelly over sang this hit to the max in an effort to make it his own. The sad fact is that his over confidence showed off the fact that his voice isn't that great. He should have tried acting his age.
Matt Nathanson had a minor hit in 2007 with Come On Get Higher and Tim Urban took it right to the coffee shop with his guitar to try and breath some life into this folksy song. Tim is a very handsome young man but his vocal skills are sorely lacking. Truth be told, though, it was nice to see someone acting his age.
Hinder took Lips of an Angel up to #3 in 2006 and Lee Dewyze was totally in his element with this performance. He's a stereotypical rocker with a limited vocal range and this song did not challenge him at all. Good, but very safe.
I am happy to report that with this second chance most of the boys got a little better. My prediction for the two boys to be going home this week are the ones who were the most boring. We should be saying goodbye to John Park and Andrew Garcia.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
The Top 8 sing their Beginnings
The finalists will all sing a song from the year they were born:
Danny Gokey is 28 years old and was born in 1980. Country singer Mickey Gilley became famous when his nightclub, Gilley's, was featured in the movie Urban Cowboy. His version of Stand By Me, which was also in the movie peaked at #22 in 1980. Danny did his best with his limited vocals to make an impression. The best I can say is that he didn't scream the whole song like he usually does.
Kris Allen is 23 years old and was born in 1985. Don Henley continued his solo success from the Eagles in 1985 when he peaked at #9 with All She Wants To Do Is Dance. Don Henley's version was always kinda bland even though it's a song about dancing. Kris did a great job mixing things up and making the song so much more vibrant and energetic than it ever was before. Combine the jazzy horns with his handsome face and smooth vocals and we are left with a great performance.
Lil Rounds is 24 years old and was born in 1984. Tina Turner enjoyed one of the best comebacks of all time when she won the Grammy for Record of the Year and spent three weeks at #1 with What's Love Got To Do With It in 1984. Lil has once again demonstrated that she has a wonderful voice and that she can sing anything exceptionally. But at the same time while proving herself as a gifted musical chameleon, she is missing out on her remaining chances to step away from the crowd as a unique artist. Still one of the best in the competition, though.
Anoop Desai is 22 years old and was born in 1986. Cyndi Lauper spent two weeks at #1 in 1986 with True Colors. Anoop Desai has been struggling every week to decide what his true colors are. Sometimes he's a complete hot mess trying to be an uptempo soul singer, but he's usually better when he does a simple ballad. But when he does a simple ballad, like he did tonight, he is so boring he puts everyone to sleep. He has yet to learn how to do a ballad with any style or personality.
Scott MacIntyre is 23 years old and was born in 1985. When I was in high school concert choir I was required to take voice lessons and perform a solo for the rest of the choir. The song I chose was the #4 smash by Survivor, The Search Is Over. Scott stepped away from his piano, picked up his electric guitar and did this song a million times better than I did. This different setting exposed some vocal limitations but nothing can take away this young man's genuine sincerity he brings to everything he does.
Allison Iraheta is 16 years old and was born in 1992. Bonnie Raitt took I Can't Make You Love Me to #18 in 1992. While Allison is the youngest finalist in the competition she was able to take this very mature song and be completely convincing. Ignore the pink hair and the youthful fashion sense so that you're not distracted from the great voice that lies beneath.
Matt Giraud is 23 years old and was born in 1985. Stevie Wonder continued his decades long hit making streak when he hit #1 for one week in 1985 with Part Time Lover. Matt took this fun and bouncy dance jam and completely sucked the life out of it. His vocals were totally generic and the beat felt slow and cumbersome.
Adam Lambert is 27 years old and was born in 1982. Before Tears For Fears became chart topping hit makers in 1985, they were a totally cool alternative band that released a song called Mad World in 1982. Adam Lambert took this new wave synth pop song and performed it as a haunting ballad with his flawless silky tenor voice. He needed nothing but a spotlight on him and he commanded the stage with a completely showstopping rendition.
Adam has very clearly stepped WAY ahead of the others as the only stand out finalist and he is the clear and obvious front runner. He is the only one who is completely safe and on a clear path to the finals. All of the others are at risk of ending up in the bottom three. As I have stated in previous weeks, I don't really expect to get any of my predictions right any more. The ones who are falling completely flat to me are getting high praise from the judges. It makes no sense to me. So going completely against the judges, I think the bottom three will be Matt Giraud, Anoop Desai and Danny Gokey. This should finally be the week that Anoop goes home.
Danny Gokey is 28 years old and was born in 1980. Country singer Mickey Gilley became famous when his nightclub, Gilley's, was featured in the movie Urban Cowboy. His version of Stand By Me, which was also in the movie peaked at #22 in 1980. Danny did his best with his limited vocals to make an impression. The best I can say is that he didn't scream the whole song like he usually does.
Kris Allen is 23 years old and was born in 1985. Don Henley continued his solo success from the Eagles in 1985 when he peaked at #9 with All She Wants To Do Is Dance. Don Henley's version was always kinda bland even though it's a song about dancing. Kris did a great job mixing things up and making the song so much more vibrant and energetic than it ever was before. Combine the jazzy horns with his handsome face and smooth vocals and we are left with a great performance.
Lil Rounds is 24 years old and was born in 1984. Tina Turner enjoyed one of the best comebacks of all time when she won the Grammy for Record of the Year and spent three weeks at #1 with What's Love Got To Do With It in 1984. Lil has once again demonstrated that she has a wonderful voice and that she can sing anything exceptionally. But at the same time while proving herself as a gifted musical chameleon, she is missing out on her remaining chances to step away from the crowd as a unique artist. Still one of the best in the competition, though.
Anoop Desai is 22 years old and was born in 1986. Cyndi Lauper spent two weeks at #1 in 1986 with True Colors. Anoop Desai has been struggling every week to decide what his true colors are. Sometimes he's a complete hot mess trying to be an uptempo soul singer, but he's usually better when he does a simple ballad. But when he does a simple ballad, like he did tonight, he is so boring he puts everyone to sleep. He has yet to learn how to do a ballad with any style or personality.
Scott MacIntyre is 23 years old and was born in 1985. When I was in high school concert choir I was required to take voice lessons and perform a solo for the rest of the choir. The song I chose was the #4 smash by Survivor, The Search Is Over. Scott stepped away from his piano, picked up his electric guitar and did this song a million times better than I did. This different setting exposed some vocal limitations but nothing can take away this young man's genuine sincerity he brings to everything he does.
Allison Iraheta is 16 years old and was born in 1992. Bonnie Raitt took I Can't Make You Love Me to #18 in 1992. While Allison is the youngest finalist in the competition she was able to take this very mature song and be completely convincing. Ignore the pink hair and the youthful fashion sense so that you're not distracted from the great voice that lies beneath.
Matt Giraud is 23 years old and was born in 1985. Stevie Wonder continued his decades long hit making streak when he hit #1 for one week in 1985 with Part Time Lover. Matt took this fun and bouncy dance jam and completely sucked the life out of it. His vocals were totally generic and the beat felt slow and cumbersome.
Adam Lambert is 27 years old and was born in 1982. Before Tears For Fears became chart topping hit makers in 1985, they were a totally cool alternative band that released a song called Mad World in 1982. Adam Lambert took this new wave synth pop song and performed it as a haunting ballad with his flawless silky tenor voice. He needed nothing but a spotlight on him and he commanded the stage with a completely showstopping rendition.
Adam has very clearly stepped WAY ahead of the others as the only stand out finalist and he is the clear and obvious front runner. He is the only one who is completely safe and on a clear path to the finals. All of the others are at risk of ending up in the bottom three. As I have stated in previous weeks, I don't really expect to get any of my predictions right any more. The ones who are falling completely flat to me are getting high praise from the judges. It makes no sense to me. So going completely against the judges, I think the bottom three will be Matt Giraud, Anoop Desai and Danny Gokey. This should finally be the week that Anoop goes home.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
The Final Four - Rock - n - Roll Hall of Fame
Tonight the remaining four finalists had the opportunity to select songs from artists who have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
David Cook opened the show with his take on the very first song Duran Duran charted with in 1983, Hungry Like The Wolf. Their era defining original went all the way to #3, but David didn't seem very sure about what he wanted to with it. He didn't add anything extra special to this performance so it was pretty straightforward while still strong. For his second song David decided to leave his mark on the Who's classic anthem Baba O'reilly (commonly referred to as Teenage Wasteland). This classic rock album track is legendary so David took on a big challenge when he decided to play with the arrangement. He did a very good job stripping it down and re-working it to the kind of teenage angst that is being sung about on current rock radio. He lived up to the Final Four expectations.
Syesha Mercado is proving once again that she is not one to shy away from a fight. As the only girl left in the competition she stepped up with her entire arsenal ready for action. Her first weapon of choice was the Tina Turner staple Proud Mary. While it peaked at #4 in 1971, this song is the showstopper every time Tina performs live. Syesha looked and sounded amazing as she recreated the incredibly athletic dance choreography. It was quite a work out, but it was worth it. Syesha's line of attack came from another direction for her second song. She selected Sam Cooke's A Change Is Gonna Come which cracked the top 40 in 1965. This time she stood center stage in a glamorous long gown and let her emotional vocals out shine all of the boys. She is getting better and better each week proving that it is no mistake that she is still here.
Jason Castro quit trying weeks ago. He's still all wide-eyed and surprised that he made it this far and he's finally starting to be afraid because he has no other tricks up his sleeve or hidden in his dreads. He took what should have been the perfect match for him, Eric Clapton's 1974 #1 smash, I Shot The Sheriff, and squandered yet another opportunity. He seemed completely disconnected and off of the beat. For his second song, he made another selection that should have been a breeze for him, The Byrd's 1965 #1 hit Mr. Tambourine Man, but his lack of commitment showed through again. Jason does not put any time into rehearsing the songs and it is evident in how he forgets the lyrics. His vocals are completely bland and unimpressive and he shows no passion or energy in the performance.
Thankfully we have David Archuleta, who is still taking the competition seriously. He chose to perform one of the most beloved songs of all time, Ben E. King's Stand By Me. Two generations of fans brought this song to the top 10. It hit #4 in 1961 and then it came back again 25 years later to hit #9 in 1986. David's pure vocals reminded the audience of this treasured song. But that was just a small taste of what David had to present. For his second song, David pushed every button that he has to push. He sat center stage to sing Love Me Tender. Elvis kept this song at #1 for 5 weeks in 1956 and David used everything he had to relate this love song to his fans. His sweet voice pleaded to them to love him tender and when he made eye contact there was no resisting him.
This Final Four is pretty much a joke. It's clear that Jason Castro does not belong there. The other three finalists are genuinely putting their hearts and efforts into this and he clearly doesn't even care. Keeping my fingers crossed for no surprises, my prediction is that Jason will finally be sent packing tomorrow night.
David Cook opened the show with his take on the very first song Duran Duran charted with in 1983, Hungry Like The Wolf. Their era defining original went all the way to #3, but David didn't seem very sure about what he wanted to with it. He didn't add anything extra special to this performance so it was pretty straightforward while still strong. For his second song David decided to leave his mark on the Who's classic anthem Baba O'reilly (commonly referred to as Teenage Wasteland). This classic rock album track is legendary so David took on a big challenge when he decided to play with the arrangement. He did a very good job stripping it down and re-working it to the kind of teenage angst that is being sung about on current rock radio. He lived up to the Final Four expectations.
Syesha Mercado is proving once again that she is not one to shy away from a fight. As the only girl left in the competition she stepped up with her entire arsenal ready for action. Her first weapon of choice was the Tina Turner staple Proud Mary. While it peaked at #4 in 1971, this song is the showstopper every time Tina performs live. Syesha looked and sounded amazing as she recreated the incredibly athletic dance choreography. It was quite a work out, but it was worth it. Syesha's line of attack came from another direction for her second song. She selected Sam Cooke's A Change Is Gonna Come which cracked the top 40 in 1965. This time she stood center stage in a glamorous long gown and let her emotional vocals out shine all of the boys. She is getting better and better each week proving that it is no mistake that she is still here.
Jason Castro quit trying weeks ago. He's still all wide-eyed and surprised that he made it this far and he's finally starting to be afraid because he has no other tricks up his sleeve or hidden in his dreads. He took what should have been the perfect match for him, Eric Clapton's 1974 #1 smash, I Shot The Sheriff, and squandered yet another opportunity. He seemed completely disconnected and off of the beat. For his second song, he made another selection that should have been a breeze for him, The Byrd's 1965 #1 hit Mr. Tambourine Man, but his lack of commitment showed through again. Jason does not put any time into rehearsing the songs and it is evident in how he forgets the lyrics. His vocals are completely bland and unimpressive and he shows no passion or energy in the performance.
Thankfully we have David Archuleta, who is still taking the competition seriously. He chose to perform one of the most beloved songs of all time, Ben E. King's Stand By Me. Two generations of fans brought this song to the top 10. It hit #4 in 1961 and then it came back again 25 years later to hit #9 in 1986. David's pure vocals reminded the audience of this treasured song. But that was just a small taste of what David had to present. For his second song, David pushed every button that he has to push. He sat center stage to sing Love Me Tender. Elvis kept this song at #1 for 5 weeks in 1956 and David used everything he had to relate this love song to his fans. His sweet voice pleaded to them to love him tender and when he made eye contact there was no resisting him.
This Final Four is pretty much a joke. It's clear that Jason Castro does not belong there. The other three finalists are genuinely putting their hearts and efforts into this and he clearly doesn't even care. Keeping my fingers crossed for no surprises, my prediction is that Jason will finally be sent packing tomorrow night.
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