American Idol – Auditions - Week Three

Welcome back, my loyal and faithful readers!

First things first, my apologies for the late posting. Seems that the extra night of auditions set me back, but here it is!

We’re into our third week of the fateful Idol auditions, and I see a lot of promise this season. This week, we visited Jacksonville, FL, apparently the hometown (is it really?) of our favorite “dawg” judge, Randy Jackson. (either that, or they really like the fact they have the same name).

We also visited Salt Lake City, UT, hometown of last year’s runner up, and resident cutie, David Archuleta. (dammit, hard as I try, his song “Crush” will not stop playing in my head as I write this!)

And finally, we get an extra “super-sized” Idol this week, because we roll into a third night of auditions, highlighting New York City and San Juan, Puerto Rico.(I have to thank Idol producers for not subjecting us to yet another week of these auditions, and getting them out of the way in an hour’s time)

Overall, I think the possible contestants were pretty good. I have to admit, in Jacksonville, it got a little strange with all the Paula/Kara kissing, and the whole “judges sitting on each other’s laps” thing...that aside, the judges did weed out the really bad singers from the good ones. Some though, I really don’t understand how they got through. But then it occurred to me; they need the mediocre singers in Hollywood too. How else will they weed out the good ones? They need someone to send home Hollywood week, don’t they?

Before I get to the review, may I ask each of my faithful readers to join as a follower of this blog? I know you guys are out there. I know you read it! Join as a follower! Make me happy!

Alright, I know, I’ve talked too much already. You guys don’t want to hear all this, you just want me to the auditions.
Okay, here goes.
Here are the contestants that stood out for me, both good and bad:

Night One: The Jacksonville, FL Auditions

1) Joshua Ulloa – This guy says he looks and gets compared to Justin Guarini a lot. While I will he agree, he does have a slight resemblance to the season one runner-up, he sounds nothing like him. Granted, he didn’t sound that bad, but he kept adding all these beat box sounds, and different riffs, that it distracted completely from the actual singing. He made it through to Hollywood, though I really need to disagree. I think they should have made him re-sing his audition, sans the crazy sounds. But alas, they didn’t, and he’s through anyway.

2) Sharon Wilbur - Why must would-be contestants insist on a gimmick? And I know what you’re gonna say; that bringing a dog in with you is not a gimmick. I say nay-nay. It is a gimmick, because if it wasn’t for the fact that she had a cute doggie that Simon opted to hold as Sharon was singing, they judges would have noticed she wasn’t that great. I didn’t think her voice was strong enough to justify her going to Hollywood. They’ve rejected better then Sharon, but somehow she made it through. Is it cruel that I was hoping that the dog would pee on Simon?

3) Kaneswa Finnie – I will only say this about this poor girl, or more directly to the judges; if you’re going to reject someone, and tell them how terrible they are, don’t make his/her mother come in to make you hear it. That makes it go from being “honest”, as Simon often says, to just plain mean. Shame on you judges.

3) Julissa Veloz – This latina girl was pretty good, so I don’t know why she was so nervous. Of course, Paula got into a bit of huff because no one asked for her opinion on Julissa. (Personally, I think Paula was playing around, it didn’t look real) I like Julissa’s tone, but I’m not sure she’ll be able to get through Hollywood week. I don’t think her voice is strong enough.



4) Darin Darnell – Dear Lord, what a mess this one was. He was all hyper before his audition, introducing himself and mingling with all the other contestants, chatting, dancing, etc; he was like the mayor of the audition room. He made a friend, and seems that his new friend didn’t make it. That seemed to completely flatten Darin’s confidence. He began crying, became nervous, and a complete mess. He continued this sickening display during his audition, which you can guess was a disaster. He was not good, and not just because he was upset. Seriously, I was yelling at the TV for him to “man up”! I think this kid needs some therapy, because he really lost it for no real reason.



5) Naomi Sykes - Poor Naomi. This audition couldn’t have been more crazy if it was staged. First off, let’s just get this out immediately; Naomi is not good. Not good at all, despite her saying she can hit a very high note. So before this goes further, just know she did not make it. That said, she comes in and tells Randy that her friend (who was outside at the time) was a HUGE fan. Randy tells her to come in so they could meet. Long story short, (too late), Simon suggests Naomi’s friend sit on Randy’s lap for the rest of the audition. This action prompts the other judges to suddenly play “musical laps”, as Paula sits on Simon’s lap, and they call in Ryan to come and sit on Kara’s lap. Obviously, Naomi is not going to Hollywood, but we were all treated to some really weird, awkward moments, weren’t we?






6) Jasmine Murray – I thought she had a pretty good voice. She reminded a lot of Rihanna, but more humble. She was supported by a whole gaggle of her sisters, who in turn cheered when she made it to Hollywood.

7) George Ramirez - Yikes. Why, can someone explain to WHY do these types of contestants even attempt this? Not only is this guy scary (the reviewer on www.tvsquad.com described George as looking a bit like Charles Manson. I don’t disagree. I wouldn’t even call what he was doing singing. Hard to believe this kid is only 18. No big shock, he didn’t make it through.







8) T.K. Hash - T.K had tried out once before, but was rejected. Apparently, he must have gotten better, because this time he made it through to Hollywood. The only thing that I find strange is I didn’t see anything wrong with his voice. It was better then I thought, although he did over-sing his song. So why did he get rejected last year, and not this time? And what did Simon vote no this time as well? What was wrong with T.K.’s performance? Did I miss something?

9) Michael Perrelli – I felt so bad for this kid. He wanted to get in so bad. Thing is though, he would have been eaten alive in the Hollywood rounds. His little pre-audition “background” vignette talked about he doesn’t go anywhere without his guitar. He feels confidant with his guitar. Of course, you can’t audition with a musical instrument, so poor Michael was flustered. It’s just as well he didn’t make it, because as most veteran Idol watchers know, Hollywood week is also “Hell week”, in which you are judged not on many things. You must be able to sing without a musical instrument, because the judges must see whether or not you rely on it. It’s pretty obvious Michael relies on his guitar too much. But he’s young. I hope he takes the judges advice and gets a band together. With a little bit more “solo” (without guitar) work, he should be able to build enough confidence to audition again in a couple of years.

10) Anne Marie Boskovich – This poor girl had to jump through a couple of hoops to get to Hollywood. When she first walks in, she kind of freaks out because she is a apparently is a big Kara DioGuardi fan. (there’s got to be at least one, no? I kid! I kid!) She sings a few bars of a Kara song, but because of the way she looks, the judges are on the fence about her. They send her out, and tell her to change her look and audition again. Lucky for Anne, there was a make up artist outside and helped spruce her up. She sings “Bubbly”, and she sounds amazing, and gets an instant pass to Hollywood. Why the hoops judges?! Was it strictly for the TV drama? I think she had the best audition in Jacksonville.

Night Two: The Salt Lake City, UT Auditions

1) David Osmond - This guy looked like a star even before he got to the audition. David is the son of Alan Osmond, oldest member of the performing Osmonds. David dad had to quit the business because he was diagnosed and suffers from multiple sclerosis. Come to find out, David also has MD, and was in a wheelchair for a long time before he recovered and could walk again. It was touching to see his dad get choked up talking about his son. I put all this aside because when it came down to it, he had the Osmond singing talent. He was good, but for some reason, the judges (even Paula!) sort of didn’t make it easy for him. Were they trying to prove that just because you come from a singing famous family, you don’t get a break? I think David’s talent alone was enough to send him through. I could see him in the Top 12 if he gets through Hollywood week.


2) Tara Matthews - And I thought Jacksonville produced the ultimate mess with Darin Darnell. Everything was wrong with this goth girl’s audition. First off, she really didn’t wear clothes that really...compliment...her body very well. I’m all for everyone having their own style, but let’s be real here...if you’re going to an audition, you want to dress to impress, not freak people out. She honestly looks like an overweight prostitute, and she sounds just as bad as she looks. Obviously, she ain’t going to Hollywood.






3) Chris Kirkham - Why? Dear God, why do these contestants insist on these stupid gimmicks? If there was ever a prime example of a guy shooting himself in the foot because of a stupid gimmick, it’s this one. Seems that Chris thought it would be good luck if his friend got dressed up in a pink bunny costume. He came into the audition room with Chris, and was very distracting. (as Simon pointed out) The irony is, Chris really wasn’t that bad, and he perhaps would have squeezed by to Hollywood if it wasn’t for the big pink disaster distracting the judges. It made it near impossible to concentrate on Chris’ singing. Idiot.




4) Frankie Jordan - Frankie is a mother of an adorable baby, and sounds pretty good. She has sort of a retro vibe to her vocals. The TV Squad reviewer compared her to Amy Winehouse’s sound, and I tend to agree. Only difference is you probably won’t find this girl passed out in a pool of her own vomit. (yes, that was graphic, but sadly true.)



5) Megan Corkrey - I really dug this girl’s sound. She had a quality about her that made her instantly likeable. It was such a unique way of singing, it definitely made her stand out and memorable. (as Simon pointed out) I’m curious to see how far she gets in Hollywood.






6) Austin Sisneros – He was adorable. Could he be this season’s David Archuleta? Well, I don’t think he has quite the same talent, but he is likeable. (albeit a tad cocky, but the judges quickly quelched that). He picks two very unusual songs to sing, which I think contributed to why the judges were a little unsure of him. They were both little known and old songs, which sort of worked against Austin. Needless to say he made it through. Personally, I hope he makes it to the Top 12. Why? Who else is going to be the adorably cute teenager this season?

7) Taylor Vaifanua – I wasn’t crazy about this girl’s vocals. They weren’t bad, but I’m not sure they were that great either. She’s tall, so poor Ryan better use a step stool if she makes it into the finals. Randy compared her to Jordin Sparks, but I disagree. Jordin has a distinctive, very strong voice, and I didn’t hear that same strength from Taylor’s voice. Who knows, maybe she’ll prove me wrong.

8) Rose Flack - The standard heart-warming story contestant kind of topped with this poor girl’s story. Seems she lost her dad when she was 13, and then lost her mom in an auto accident 2 years later. She’s 17 now, so that is a lot of anguish in such a short time period. That aside though, Rose has a very positive attitude. She was taken in by her best friend’s family (if I understood correctly), and is hoping she makes it to Hollywood. Personally, I was rooting for her, because at the very least, this kid needed a break in her life. She not only blew her audition out of the water, she impressed all the judges and made it to Hollywood easily. I want to see this girl make it to the final 12. That’s how good she was.

Night Three: New York City & San Juan, Puerto Rico Auditions

1) Adeola Adegoke - Let me get this straight; you quit your job to audition for Idol. What?! And no one tells you how much you stink? Thankfully, Simon went out of his way to get the girl her job back, going so far as to call her boss. Remember the saying, "don't quit your day job"? This poor girl obviously wasn't listening.

2) Melinda Camille - Something about this girl just makes you feel good. She's not the prettiest girl, she's not the most talented, but she gives off such a positive aura that it is infectious. (even through the television) I'm no sure how far she's gonna go, but she definately deserved a shot in Hollywood.

3) Jackie Tohn - This was one of the few I remembered because of her voice. It was good, and she makes it through to Hollywood, despite the shades on the window behind the judges collapsing. (everyone was fine though)

4) Joel Contreras - He called himself the Human iPod. I call him a complete moron. Say what ou want, but he was strictly there to get on TV, and in no way was he taking the audition seriously. Simon saw right through him, but the idiot kept going. I wasn't even sure if he had a good voice, because he really didn't sing very long before he joked again. I would have even forgiven everything if he was funny and entertaining, but he just came off as stupid and idiotic. As Simon said, this was a complete waste of time.






5) Nick Mitchell a.k.a. Norman Gentle - Yes another gimmick. The difference? This guy actually makes it through. Why...I ask you ...why? He talks back to Simon when Simon made fun of how flaming he was. (not in those many words, but even I had say "tone it down".) I think this was a mistake to let him through. Don't tell me his voice was okay, because I don't think it was strong enough. They've turned away better then this. The only funny thing was once the contestant left, Kara says he doesn't have a "shot in hell." Too true Kara.

6) Alexis Cohen - This freakshow came back. You remember this one? She was the one who was rejected and proceeded to make a spectacle of herself by cursing up a storm, and giving Simon the finger and yelling "Take it Simon! Take it! Take it! Take it!" She claimed to be changed, and honestly it got worse. Still it gave the judges the laugh when she cursed Simon and gave him the finger on her way out. Definately not going to Hollywood.

7) Jorge Nunez - This guy had a pretty good voice. He sung his audition song in spanish, and the judges briefly discussed his heavy accent. But since they came to Puerto Rico, what did they really expect? They let him through to Hollywood, logically stating that he could be the next Marc Anthony. Not quite, but okay, he's through.

8) Jessika Baier - Nothing special about this girl, except she claims to have won about 700 singing contests. Ahem. Me thinks she exaggerates. Why? She's not that good. Her voice doesn't have good pitch and she sounds as though she's screaming the songs, not singing. In not so many words, she's told that this is not one of the contests she's going to win.

9) Monique Garcia Torres - I'm mentioning this girl, because she came in with her adorable 8 year old brother. Dear God, this kid was adorable. The girl was pretty good, though I agreed with the judges, she was choosing songs that weren't "young" enough for her. She goes to Hollywood, more because the judges (and me) could not resist that adorable little boy. I'm such a push over. (and apparently, so are the judges)

10) Patricia Lewis Roman - Last contestant of the night. She sounds great. She first attempts a Whitney song (which is never a good choice), and it doesn't go so well. (I thought she sounded pretty good though). But the second song she sang (at the judges' request) in spanish convinced the judges she's got the chops to at least make it to Hollywood.

So that's it for the auditions this year. This week starts the Hollywood rounds, or "Hell week", as it's come to be known. This is where all the drama is ramped up, surprising (and not so surprising) cuts are made, and we weed out the flossum from the shining stars.
What did you guys think? Not too many of you are commenting, so let me hear you.
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As always, my review is yours for the reading; Take it....or leave it!
(see what I did there? that's the name of my blog. Clever, no? Hello? )

See you all next week!

American Idol – Auditions - Week Two

“You’re like a donkey in a crowd of 22 horses.”

That was the way Simon described one of the auditioner’s chances of getting into Idol, let alone competing. That had to be one of the funniest (yet accurate) quotes I’ve ever heard from Simon. Truly, there are some really delusional people out there.

Part of me is sort of glad American Idol has cut down on the really bad, bizarre auditions, and is concentrating more on the potential good ones. I only have a couple of gripes about the audition process this season…does every person need a theme song playing as they exit?! If this was a common element in past seasons, I certainly never noticed it before. But this season it seems so prominent, I think it’s an added element. It over dramatizes the situation, and YES, I know it’s reality television, but come on, we’re bordering on cheesy here. Wait, we're talking Idol, so maybe it's not so unusual as I thought.
Regardless, there were some definite people I want to keep my eye on during the Hollywood “hell” rounds. Louisville, Kentucky and San Francisco produced some pretty good talent, but also some major messes that won’t be remembered for their voices. Here are some of the potential stars and some of the freaks that stood out for me over the two nights:

Night One: The San Francisco Auditions

1) Tatiana Del Toro - How in the world do they let this hot mess through? Simon, who is usually the first to comment on what a person is wearing, doesn’t even call this girl out on her skin tight dress with the awful tulle bottom!? That aside, though she didn’t have a bad voice per se, she did over sing her song choice. It was over the top, and she doesn’t have the vocal chops to pull off the type of notes she was trying to sing. I’m not trying to be mean, but I hope she crashes and burns in Hollywood, because there is no way she was strong enough to get there based on her vocal talent.

2) Dean-Anthony Bradford – If the horrendous plaid coat was any indication, you know this was going to be a failure before he even walked in to see the judges. But I could not take my eyes off him. Not because he was attractive mind you, but because I couldn’t get over how simian he looked. Seriously, take a good look. He has a monkey like face doesn’t he? Weird. Obviously he was horrible, so he will not be going to Hollywood. That’s right dude, your audition went badly because the judges focused on how bad your coat was. Whatever helps you sleep at night. Next.




3) Jesús Valenzula – You have to have at least one of these types of contestants in every audition show. You know, the family man with the cute daughter/son who urged him to go on the show, etc. It’s a story we’ve seen a hundred times, sometimes producing a true star, and other times a disaster. But Jesus seems to be of the former, because he’s not half bad. I can tell right off though, he will not win the competition should he make it to the Top 12. His kids and family will only get him so far, so I don’t even know if he’d crack the top ten. Let’s see how well he does in Hollywood.

4) Akilah Askew-Gholston – I only want to mention this contestant because she brought diagrams of lungs, etc. to teach herself how to sing. Yes, you read that correctly. Do you want me to tell you how it turned out? I thought not.

5) Adam Lambert - I have to admit, this guy had the looks, and the voice to pop into the top 24. He has been in the cast of the play Wicked, so as expected, Simon thought his performance was a bit “theatrical”. I tend to agree, but I think this guy has the chops to get out of that habit. I’m looking to see if he makes it past Hollywood week.


6) Kai Kalama – This is the standard “heart-warming” story that AI has decided to include in each audition show this season. Kai’s story is a simple one; he takes care of his ailing mother during the day, and he plays music at night. This aside, however, he really does have a good voice. I thought his voice was soulful, and had a lot of strength. The judges say he has to work on his showmanship, but I think it will be a small obstacle to overcome.





Night Two: The Louisville, Kentucky Auditions

1) Tiffany Shedd - Dear GOD, this girl was awful. She comes in acting like she has the greatest set of pipes since Aretha, and she sounds like nails on a chalkboard. What’s worse? Before the audition, she tells the camera that she is going to walk out with her head held high if she is rejected. A blind man could see this coming from a mile away. Two words: melt down. This is the contestant who some described as “a donkey in a crowd of 22 horses”. Hysterical, but also sad.

2) Joanna Pacitti - Much like Carly Smithson from last season, Joanna already had a record deal with A&M Records, but for whatever reason it didn’t work out. I’m still on the fence about contestants with prior record contracts getting onto the show. I think it’s a bit unfair. Obviously, Joanna is fabulous. Great pitch, strong voice. I think she has a very good shot at getting into the Top 24.

3) Mark Mudd – Horrible. It was just awful, but why I am mentioning him? Seems that he added some much needed “drama” to the auditions by “threatening” the judges. After Mark was turned away for a bad audition, he leaves, telling the judges “Take care, and be careful.” This was taken as a threat by the judges. Personally, in my opinion, I don’t think the guy was threatening them. The way he said it, I don’t think he meant it as a threat. But why waste the opportunity for a great Idol drama moment? The producers knew exactly what they were doing.

4) Brent Keith Smith - This guy has everything going for him. He could quite possible sail right into the Top 24. Not only did he have a very good voice, (country-ish), but he was quite the hottie. Not bad on the eyes at all. Simon didn’t think it was as good as the judges, but he made it through to Hollywood anyway.


5) Matt Giraud – Another great singer, who to me, looks a lot like Justin Timberlake, or maybe even Chris Richardson from a couple of seasons back. (however, this guy seemed a lot more talented). He’s a dueling piano player, so not only does he have that sort of comedic element to dig into, but he can obviously play the piano. As we saw from last season, the addition of the use of instruments definitely made a difference in performances. I hope to see this guy make it through.

6) Ross Plavsic – He’s a suit-wearing nerdy guy, who thinks science can teach him how to sing flawlessly. I point him out because instead of giving him a quick chop, the judges decide (well, Paula mostly) to give him another shot, after taking a sip of water. I was quite amused when the guy takes a sip from Paula’s glass, and Paula freaks out because he used her straw. Entertaining indeed!

7) Alexis Grace - This girl had a baby when she was 19, and I only mention her because she had such a huge voice coming out of such a little body. Part of me hopes she makes it through.

8) Aaron Williamson – Loud, over done and bad. He was shouting. He woke all the judges up, and prompted Ryan to pop his head in to see what the screaming was about. Needless to say, he won’t be going to Hollywood.












9) Rebecca Garcia - This girl was so bad...so awful...that Kara thought she was joking around, just to get on TV. Apparently, Rebecca noted on her entry form that she was voted “funniest female” in school. (or something like that.) This is what prompted Kara to think this was all a big joke. She was wrong, it was a serious audition, and Kara felt horrible. Awkward. What got me furious, however, was as Rebecca was walking out with her mother, she tells her not to let the judges discourage her. Umm...hello? Reality checks on both mother and daughter please?

10) Leneshe Young - The last contestant this week BLEW ME AWAY. She sounded as good as Kelly Clarkson, and I think she could be just as talented. She came from a very, very poor childhood, (homeless!), and was raised by a single mother. (if you haven’t figured it out, this was the standard “heart-warming” background story for this episode). Setting all this aside though, the girl is good. She sang an original song called “Natty”, which sounded like it could be produced and put on the radio right now. I see this girl going pretty far, and she has just the type of background that would have audiences rooting for her.

So that’s it for this week everyone.
Another audition week is gone. What does everyone think so far? Do we like Idol’s new approach to the auditions? Do you think anyone has stood out for you that weren’t mentioned above?
Make your voice heard below!
Let’s see those comments!!
Until next week, this is Nick........OUT!

American Idol – Premiere Week – Auditions

Welcome back to my faithful readers!
You’ve been waiting months for my return, anxiously awaiting my snarky comments and intelligent observations on our favorite train wreck of a show, haven’t you?
Hello?
Why do I hear crickets?

Kidding aside, the moment you’ve been waiting for since David Cook won back in May 2008 is finally here; the season premiere of American Idol. Now most of you are asking yourselves, “why is Nick starting his reviews now? Doesn’t he usually wait until the final 12 are chosen?”
Well, usually yes, but since most of you can’t wait that long, I decided to start early this year, and discuss/debate the various contestants who stand a chance of winning, and the ones that scare us how delusional they are. I’ll write my review after the second night of auditions, thereby making sure I give a thorough review of all the freaks, geeks, divas, drama queens, and breakout stars that dare stand before the judges. (much thanks to TVsquad.com for their thorough reviews, which helped me include some of the contestant names)

So as most of you already know, since the departure of executive producer Nigel Lythgoe (who is devoting his full time to So You Think You Can Dance), this season of Idol brings with it several changes, not the least of which is the addition of new fourth permanent judge, Kara DioGuardi. My first impression of Kara? I like her.
She’s got spunk. She’s got brains and gives constructive advice. (unlike idiotic Paula compliments like “first of all, you’re beautiful” – ugh)
Also, her resume is no joke. She’s collaborated on plenty of well known songs, the most recent of which was Pink’s "Sober".

Other changes include bringing back the “Wild Card” round, which is a process they used in the show’s first seasons. This process involves the judges bringing back one contestant each that was recently eliminated. (both Clay Aiken and Jennifer Hudson were wild card contestants. – makes you think, right?)
There are a couple of more changes, but those are the major ones. (although I do like that they’re going to reduce the number of theme nights.)

To kick things off, we‘re given the opportunity to view that crazy YouTube video of a bunch of little girls losing their minds crying over David Archuleta not winning last season.Is it bad that I still laugh at this video? Am I laughing because I find little girls crying amusing? Am I laughing at the sheer ridiculousness of getting that upset over a reality show? (even if they are little girls?) Or am I laughing at the fact that David Archuleta is not living in poverty or shame by coming in #2. (I tried to hate his release, “Crush”....I really did...but dammit it’s too catchy. )

The first audition night starts off in Phoenix, AZ, and if it proved anything, it’s proven it could produce just as many strange contestants as any other town. Here are some of the contestants that stood out for me, both good and bad, and my first thoughts about each:

1)Tuan Nguyen - He was the dude who was half-Vietnamese with the giant afro. But he also danced. Oh...the dancing. The fact that he actually thought he had a shot was most entertaining. ------------------>






2)Emily Hughes - This was the girl whose mother was a singer, and who got a bunch of tattoos so she would never be able to work in an office. (I have to admit, that’s not a terrible idea, but what happens when she gets older?) She sang Heart’s “Barracuda”, a song now synonymous with Guitar Hero. Overall impression? I like her. I liked her tone, and she kept pretty on key throughout the song. She made it through, but in true AI soap opera style, we’re gonna find out how she breaks it to her band. (yes, she was in a band, bound for a European tour which is no longer on their horizon)

3)Randy Madden - If this guy is 28, then Paula is a lyrical genius. How this guy made it to this point I’ll never know. Not only was he bad, but his crying didn’t just border desperation, it bled out like a neck wound. Don’t get me wrong, I still cry when I watch Beaches, or an emotional Grey’s Anatomy moment…but even I was forced to say “Dude, man up!” Yeesh.

4)Michael Gurr - Scary. And I mean both in the physical and mental sense. I couldn’t even describe to you what he sounded like, but it wasn’t singing. What captivated me was not only could you not understand what he was singing, but he had all the judges with their mouths open, wondering what they were seeing. Well, all the judges, save for Randy, who hid behind some papers cracking up. I have to admit, Randy losing it behind the papers made me laugh. Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, the guy starts to sing a second song by Kara. I don’t think I need to tell you how this ended.

5)X-Ray (Aundre Caraway)- Original songs hardly ever go over well. Do these people even watch previous seasons?

6)Arianna Afsar - this girl started a group called "Adopt a Grand-friend”. I liked her voice. It was controlled, and had almost a raspy texture to it. She’s also pretty cute, which can get you pretty far. (David Archuleta should know)

7)Elijah Scarlett - Wow. This guy has possibly the deepest voice I have ever heard in my life. My first thoughts were that he was going to be a horrible singer. But then I thought, and then Randy said it….voice actor! He has it made! He has the perfect voice for any animated feature! Seriously, there’s a gold mine in that voice, he just needs to be steered to the right place to use it.

<---8)Lea Golde - wrote over 100 songs, and is one of Kara’s biggest fans. She wasn’t very good. Judges and I both agree. Next.

9)Stevie Wright - was named after Stevie Nicks. But was she as good? I think so, because I think she was the best of the night. Big Katherine McPhee-like voice, which helps carry big notes. Keeping an eye on this one.
10) Michael Sarver – has a wife, two kids, and works on an oil rig. I really did NOT expect that voice to come out of his body. (as one of the judges pointed out as well) It will be interesting to see how far he makes it.



11)Katrina Darrell – how should you remember this girl? Well, she’s the one who decided to wear a bikini to the audition. Can you guess how this went? Let me enlighten you; Randy and Simon say yes, Kara and Paula hesitate. What makes this worse? A sing off occurs between Katrina and Kara. Personally, I think Kara was nitpicking and insulted by the fact that she wore a bikini to the audition. I don’t blame her, because it was an obvious ploy to get through. What’s ironic is I actually thought she wasn’t that bad. I truly believe she would have made it through anyway. But she makes it through…lets see how she does in Hollywood, where wearing a bikini won’t really save her.

12)Cody Sheldon – this Emo teen loves to make horror films. I didn’t expect him to be as good as he was, so I’m curious to see how far he’ll go. Far as I can remember, I don’t think there has been an Emo contestant.

13)Alex Wagner-Trugman – a fellow geek! I was rooting for him! This poor fellow taught himself to sing in his closet. As luck would have it, the closet had mold in it, so he got really sick. (umm...am I the only one who cleans out their closet periodically?) That aside, he wasn’t that bad. Good tone, and decent voice. Curious to see how well he does during the Hollywood rounds.

14)Scott McIntyre - this is the one audition that stood out for me. Why? The guy is legally blind. And, he’s GOOD. He got through, and I am definitely keeping my eyes on him. (hopefully his eye-candy brother/friend who was guiding him comes along too...but I digress). I think he would add a great dynamic to the show that’s never been seen before.

Night Two: The Kansas City Auditions

1)Ashley Anderson - Smart girl! She decides to sing a song by Leona Lewis song and co-written by Simon Cowell! Despite getting the words wrong a couple of times, she manages to sing it well enough to impress the judges and make it through. Simon can be swayed so easy by a pretty face. And now that he’s single, well...heh.

2)Von Smith - Whenever any contestant attempts to sing “Over the Rainbow" it could turn out to be a disaster. I admit, he has a distinct look, but I thought he over-sang the song. He made the song a lot bigger then it was. I didn’t think he was that good, but he was good enough to at least make it to Hollywood.

3)Michael Castro - Well, well well! A blast from last season comes back into the fold! Michael, brother of last season’s Jason Castro, decides to audition, following in his big brother’s footsteps. Surprise number one; he has a pink Mohawk thing, and looks nothing like Jason, but has that same laid back kind of charm. Number two; he only just started singing 20 days before the audition. Final surprise? He’s really good. Surprisingly good in fact. His brother made it to 4th place, so I’m curious to see how far he’ll go.

4)Matt Breitzke - Big burly family man, who’s appearance doesn’t match his voice. He’s pretty good, but I have to agree with Randy on this one. He did sound more like a bar singer then an Idol. But I could be wrong. He reminds of Matt Rogers from a few seasons ago.

5)Jessica Furney - I remember this girl distinctly because she’s the one who lives with her 93-yr-old grandmother, and sang an amazing few bars of Joplin's "Cry Baby". It was really soulful, and her voice sounded great!

6)Asia McClain - I remember thinking when I saw her walk in with her sister that this was gonna be one of the horror auditions. Turns out, only the rapping her and her sister did was the horror part. Asia has a great voice, and if she can get away from the rap, she’ll have a very good shot at the top.

7)Danny Gokey - This guy had one of the saddest back stories I’ve ever heard. Four weeks before the audition, his wife passed away from a recurring heart problem she had. This guy practically broke down just telling the camera, so right then and there, I was already rooting for the guy to be good. He was, and looks like I didn’t even need to pray. He was really good, and he goes to Hollywood. I’d like to see him go far.

8)Anoop Desai - Never, ever in a million years did I expect the soulful, beautifully toned voice to come out of this guy’s mouth! Obviously the guy was of Indian descent, but man oh man, he sounded nothing like an average Indian. He’s definitely gonna stand out. (unlike Sanjaya, who stood out for the wrong reasons)

9)Andrew Lang - Why? Dear God, why does every season have at least one dumb moron who thinks having a gimmick will get him/her through to the next round? This poor schlub decides to have two of his friends come in as cheerleaders to introduce him, and stand by him. He literally shot himself in the foot, because despite the crazy cheerleaders, Randy said YES! Until…Kara and Paula asked him to sing a few bars of a different song. Guess what? Randy changed his mind. This dude ruined it for himself. I think he would have made it through if he didn’t overdue it with the cheerleaders.

10)Michael Nicewonder - This guy said he was related to Hank Williams, Jr. Was he just as talented? Not even close. He sings an original song, which to me sounded like he was making up as he went along. What a train wreck.

11)Mia Conley - I remember this girl only because she dared…DARED to sing "Lovin' You" by Minnie Riperton. Yes, you know the one...it has that really, really high, impossible to reach unless you’re Mariah Carey note that no Idol contestant should attempt. Do you want to take a guess how it went? My cracked glasses should give you a hint.

12)Lil Rounds - What a breath of fresh air. This poor woman’s family was displaced because a tornado hit their home. They are living out of a motel. But what really makes this woman memorable was her voice. She was really good!! And even better, she doesn’t even realize how good she is. I want to see her go far, because it’s contestants like her who really appreciate what the show can do for them.

So that’s it everyone. Week one is done!
What did you guys think? What contestants stood out for you? Who was memorable?
Do you like new judge Kara DioGuardi? Let your voices be heard! Take the poll!

See you guys back here next week, where I’ll analyze the next batch of contestants!