American Idol: Week Three; The Top 10 Compete

It doesn’t always happen, but for one of the first times this season, I found myself agreeing with the judges (especially Simon) on almost every contestant last night.

This week, we go into an American Idol staple; Motown Week. This usually turns out to be a disaster week for almost half the contestants, but last night, maybe due to the caliber of the contestants this year, was really not as bad as previous seasons. There were two, possibly three really bad performances, (which easily fill our bottom three), but no one who really messed up that badly. I was pleasantly surprised by some (Matt), bored by others (Danny, Anoop), and genuinely horrified by a few (Megan, Michael).

The great Smokey Robinson was the Top Ten’s mentor this week, and as is usual with most mentors this season, they really didn’t have anything to add or constructive to add. I’m not sure if that’s because the contestants this season are too good, or it’s because these mentors are just there for their star power. (most likely the latter). As a side note, do Smokey’s eyes freak out anyone else? I never realized how bright green they are. Weird.

I’ll only mention this briefly, but I was HIGHLY disappointed at Alexis Grace’s departure last week. She really did not deserve to go before Megan or Michael, but if we need to be honest, she really hadn’t been making very good song choices. As we learned time and time again on this show, song choice is almost equally as important as how well it’s sung.

Nick’s Broken Record Moment This Week: Haven’t joined as a follower to this blog? Do it already! I want to see names people!

As usual, my rating system will remain the same: IN THE BOTTOM, POSSIBLY IN BOTTOM, or SAFE.

Shall we get to work? Let’s begin with a surprise of the night;

1) Matt Giraud – sung "Let's Get it On” – This song has been done to death and this could have been a disaster for Matt...but it wasn’t. I have never heard such a soulful rendition of this song before, and Matt proved he has vocals so strong that he can spring to the forefront of the competition in the coming weeks. The judges agreed, saying that Matt is starting to show how much he’s in it to win it. His voice sounded smooth, and, dare I say it, sexy. All he needs to do is come out of his shell a little more, and he will surpass most of the frontrunners in the Top Ten. Truly worth a couple of listens, and he looked great. Prediction: SAFE





2) Kris Allen - sung "How Sweet It Is” - Sigh. I’m starting to develop a crush on this season’s resident heartthrob. Not only that, he can really sing. This is yet another song that has been done to death, but somehow, it sounded different. He made it his own, making an often heard song sound original and new again. I was surprised at Kris' vocals, and his versatility is starting to make me a fan. Having learned the main lesson of Idol, he is starting to choose just the right songs for his range and style. Smart choices are going to take Kris pretty far, though I’m not sure at this stage he has the chops to actually win. (though who knows, he is surprising me week to week)
Prediction: SAFE

3) Scott MacIntyre – sung "You Can't Hurry Love” – Oh, Scott. I think Simon was the one who said it last night; I don’t know who is advising you on song choices, but he/she should be fired immediately. For three weeks now, we get one bad song choice after the other. This week, though Scott chose a relatively well-known song, but it was a very bad rendition. It didn’t suit his voice, and it actually sounded as if the song was getting away from him at times. I don’t care if he changed things up by having the backup singers stand by his piano; it wasn’t a good performance period. I just don’t understand it. Scott has a great voice, and he was one of my favorites as early as the audition rounds. But ever since making the Top 13, he has been making one bad song choice after the other, and as a fan I’m getting frustrated. He’s so much better then this, and I can see him rallying to the top of the heap if he just picks the right song. The only thing still keeping him in the competition is there are worse singers (for now) and his fans are still sticking to him. However, as the lesser singers are eliminated, will his fans stick around if he continues to choose bad songs? Time will tell, but for last night’s performance is going to put him in danger tonight.
Prediction: IN THE BOTTOM

4) Megan Joy Corkrey - sung "For Once in My Life" – Oh god, this one hurt. It hurt in a way that hasn’t occurred since Sanjaya mangled that No Doubt song years ago. Megan has a unique sound, I will give you that. It’s this bluesy weird, sort of soul voice, but this had to be the worst song choice in the history of song choices. Not only was she off key, the song wound up being unlistenable and downright excruciating. Last week, Megan got the sympathy votes because she had the flu, but this week there are no excuses. I know some of my readers read my blog before watching the performances (thanks to DVRs), and sometimes use my reviews as a guide to what to skip over. Do yourself a favor and listen to Megan’s performance. Why? If I was in pain, so should you.
Prediction: IN THE BOTTOM

5) Anoop Desai – sung "Ooh, Baby Baby” – Anoop dawg kind of bored me this week. I still think he had an amazing vocal, considering the difficulty of his song choice. But...I was bored. I think Randy said it best; I want to see the fun side of Anoop again. We’ve heard ballads for two weeks now, so we know he can do them. Let me hear something more up beat. That said, his rendition of this classic song was heartfelt and soulful, which I fully come to expect from him. He hit every note and not only did justice to Smokey, but made the song his own in some sense. Still, I want to see the fun Anoop again, so I hope next week he brings an upbeat tune again. (just please don’t attempt anything on the “Beat It” scale again). Prediction: SAFE

6) Michael Sarver - sung "Ain't Too Proud To Beg” – I could be wrong, but this song has been done in some form almost every season on American Idol. It is a song that should be banned because of its over use, but yet we continue to hear it season after season. Michael couldn’t have picked a worse song for his style. It lacked musicality, and not only did glaringly show that this song was way too big for him, it also showed his lack of star quality. Believe it or not, I understood what Simon was trying to say; at this stage in the competition, Michael is simply in the competition, but has no chance of winning it. And it’s a shame, because with the right song choices, Michael could have been a frontrunner. Coupled with last week’s bottom rating, his disappointing performance this week will definitely send him into the danger zone.
Prediction: IN THE BOTTOM

7) Lil Rounds - sung "Heatwave” – Speaking of disappointments, we get a person who should have outshone everyone else during Motown week, but left me wanting more. Lil was greatly moved by her visit to Hitsville U.S.A., so you’d think she would have chosen a song that made her stand out more then anyone else. This song just kind of left me feeling blah, when I should have been feeling “WOW!”. It’s not that Lil didn’t sound good, because she still has one of the strongest voices and ranges in the entire Top Ten. It just sort of left me bummed, thinking, “that was it?” I wanted more, and Lil failed to deliver it. The performance had me torn, and maybe I need to rewatch it to get a more concrete opinion. First impression though, it was good, but not great. What gets me is it should have been great. I don’t think she’s in any danger of going home, but I think she may get a scare by taking a bottom spot.
Prediction: POSSIBLY IN BOTTOM

8) Adam Lambert – sung "Tracks of My Tears” – I was pleasantly surprised by Adam tonight. I know what some people have been saying; that he’s a bit over the top, a bit too dramatic in his singing, relies too much on his falsetto, etc. But you know what? Whatever he did last night, worked perfectly. Singing mostly in falsetto, this could have been a nightmare, but it worked. It worked amazingly well. I’ve heard the original version of this song many times, and I have never heard it performed with such passion, tenderness and emotion that Adam did last night. It reminded a bit of last season, when David Cook put himself ahead of the pack by doing an incredible version of Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby”. (which I still have on my iPod, thank you very much). I was actually leaning towards downloading Adam’s performance. (still am) It was that good. Safety is not even questioned for Adam this week as he breezes through to next week.
Prediction: SAFE

9) Danny Gokey – sung "Get Ready” – The luster is really starting to wear off for me for Danny. I think his arrogance is beginning to show, and it was proven to me last night when Danny chose to ignore Smokey’s advice. (Smokey told him to sing the backup lines too, to make the song more his own; he chose not to). Beyond the rose colored glasses the other three judges were wearing, I agreed with Simon’s view of Danny’s performance; it was clumsy and the song was over done. I admit, Danny did sing it well, but some parts were just plain over sang, and it made it awkward to hear. Also, the corny dancing just adds to the whole “clumsy” effect of it all. I’m know for a fact Danny is safe, because I’m most likely in the minority when it comes to what I heard, even though I’m right. (and Simon agrees with me!) No need to worry Gokey fans, your corny hero will be back next week. Prediction: SAFE

10) Allison Iraheta – sung "Papa Was a Rolling Stone” – Holy cow, now THIS is singing! Not only did Allison just about out sing almost all of the other female contestants tonight, but she showed maturity and range that you cannot believe is coming out of a 16 year old. Her voice is infectious and has such a sultry tone, you find yourself enamored like a sailor listening to a Siren’s call. Not only did this performance rank as one of the best of the night, but it showcased Allison enough to probably keep her out of the Bottom three for a long time. This was yet another song I was close to downloading, so it should tell you how much it impressed me. Do not skip this one readers, because the phrase “saving the best for last” was never truer with Allison’s performance. Prediction: SAFE

That’s it for this week everyone! What did you guys think?
Who had the best performance of the night? I wouldn’t be surprised if there are multiple answers for this question! Was Megan as bad as I made her out to be? Was Michael? Who disappointed you? Amazingly enough, my predictions are exactly the same as last week. Weird, or is it a precursor to who goes home in the next couple of weeks?

My predictions:

IN THE BOTTOM: Michael Sarver, Scott Macintyre and Megan Joy Corkrey.

My pick to go home tonight: Megan Joy Corkrey. (or easily replaced by Michael Sarver – they were both equally bad.)

How did I do? Think I’m crazy? Am I right on the nose about my predictions? Let me know in the comments! Let’s chat it up!

Until next week, faithful readers, I’m out for now!

American Idol: Week Two; The Top 11 Compete

Country week.

In American Idol terms, this is the one week every season that almost everyone bombs. Last night, Idol once again visited this season staple, and the results were a bit more surprising than previous years. Perhaps it’s the quality of competitors this year, or the choices in song…but most actually sounded very good. Song choices improved on some contestants, while others are still making the same boring song choices. (looking at you Scott...second week of disappointment this week.)

Randy Travis may be a country legend, but damn, doesn’t this man look like the Cryptkeeper? Is it just me? He was there to mentor the contestants, but from what I was shown, he really did not contribute much at all to “mentor” anyone. I suppose Idol does need its guest artists every season, but it would help if they were there more to help then just stand there and say “that was good”.

A quick word about the new “Judges’ Save” rule, that was just announced at last week’s results show; I’m on the fence about it. Part of me sees the reasoning behind it, because Jennifer Hudson and Chris Daughtry were definitely voted off waaaaay before they should have been. But part of me says that they were voted off for a reason.
Think about it this way; if this rule was in effect from the start, and they “saved” Chris or Jennifer from elimination, would they have gone on to succeed even half as much as they have today? Would Hudson even have been considered for a part in Dreamgirls if she had won her season of Idol? Or Daughtry, who has gone on to form a very successful career and band, and is making the type of music he was born to sing? If he had won Idol that year, would he have had a quarter of the success he has enjoyed if he was labeled as the American Idol winner?
Then of course, there is the flip side; look at the success of Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson. It’s a gray area, so who’s to say this new rule won’t be a good thing? Bottom line is, so long as the judges save someone who truly deserves to still be in, and not just their favorite, I think the rule will work. Let’s see what happens as the season progresses in the coming weeks.

I still only see 7 followers, so I know a lot of you haven’t joined up yet. I’m coming close to using bribes people, so please join! I can’t afford to bribe you in this economy!

Like I explained last week, my rating system will still follow the same format I set up from last week; IN THE BOTTOM, POSSIBLY IN BOTTOM, or SAFE.

We have a lot to cover, so let’s get down to it;

1) Michael Sarver – sung "Ain't Goin' Down Til the Sun Comes Up” – This should have been a genre that suited Michael perfectly. He not only has that country look, but his voice lends itself perfectly to a country ballad. So he should have done well, but I think he didn’t. Maybe it was because it was such a fast paced song, but I am leaning towards agreeing with Simon. I didn’t understand a lot of what he was saying, and believe me, I was listening! Simon called his performance clumsy, and I think that is the best way to describe his performance. It almost seemed like he was rushing through it, despite his vocals being on pitch and perfect. It just sounded like a whole bunch of jumbled words to me, so it came off disappointing. Not sure how the fans will react, but I think his clumsy performance put him in danger.
Prediction: IN THE BOTTOM

2) Allison Iraheta - sung "Blame It On Your Heart” - I’m getting more and more impressed with Allison, mostly because her voice is so rich and subtly powerful, it captivates you. Of the judges’ comments, I found myself agreeing with Kara, when she said that Allison could probably sing the alphabet, and it would sound like a hit. I am starting to see what the judges had originally said about her now; she has such raw potential and is growing in experience so quickly, she can easily over take some of the other singers. But alas, we come to Simon, who thinks that her performance was tuneless, and that she was struggling to remember the words. I will disagree with Simon on the tuneless comment, but I am leaning towards agreeing with his sense that Allison was trying hard to remember the words. As much as I loved the performance, I did sense there was something off about it. Once Simon said it, (and Allison’s hesitation at denying it) I think that’s what was bothering me about her performance. Though I don’t think it’s her time to go, I think that her performance, though sung beautifully and powerful, will possibly put her in the danger zone.
Prediction: POSSIBLY IN BOTTOM

3) Kris Allen – sung "To Make You Feel My Love” – I was shocked that this turned out to be as good as it was. No really! As much as I think Kris is a cutie, and could get far on his looks, he actually could really sing too. This performance proved it to me (and Simon) that this guy could actually do well and get pretty far in the season. His ballad was heartfelt, and he gave me the occasional smoldering looks to the camera to cement his “dreamboat” status. Kris has a beautiful soft voice which lent itself perfectly to the tone and emotion of the song. I believe Randy Travis pointed out that Kris’ strong suit is ballads, and in doing so, he went with his strengths. The only thing I worry about it repetition. I hope we’re not going to start to see ballad after ballad every week. For this week at least, I think Kris impressed me and fans enough to make it to next week. Prediction: SAFE

4) Lil Rounds - sung "Independence Day" – Ah, Lil you needed an off week, and my gut instinct was telling me country week was it. First off, song choice; wow, she couldn’t have possibly picked a worst song to sing. This song has been done to death almost every season of Idol. It did not fit Lil’s voice or tone at all. It felt out of place and most of the judges agreed. There are so many other songs she could have chosen to better highlight the amazing range of her vocals. She only saved herself during the chorus of the song, when her powerful pipes got a chance to stretch there legs. The rest of the song was so odd and out of place, I had to agree with Simon’s analogy of Lil’s performance, saying it sounded like a person who was forced to sing a song she didn’t like at a wedding. Weird way to put it, but I get what he was trying to say. I understand trying to keep it fresh, but this is one time Lil should have stuck to what makes her Lil. Despite all this, I don’t think this will put her directly in harm’s way and sent home, but I think it will, at the very least, put her on notice. Prediction: POSSIBLY IN BOTTOM

5) Adam Lambert – sung "Ring of Fire” – Complete and utter confusion. This had to be one of the strangest renditions of this song I’ve ever heard. I’m not sure I liked it, but I didn’t hate it either. I can say this though, and a few of the judges agreed; he stayed true to himself. Bad or good, the song just fit into the type of artist he is, though I wouldn’t go so far as Simon did and say it was terrible. It was, however, very different. Adam himself admitted he wasn’t planning on getting into the Grand Ole Opry, so this was the best he could do under the circumstances. He sounded very good, though like I mentioned before, the rendition of this classic just put me off a little. I don’t know, I walked away very much like Kara did; confused and not knowing whether I liked it or hated it. Still I think the praise Adam received from the rest of the judges, plus his popularity will get Adam a pass to next week. Prediction: SAFE

6) Scott Macintyre - sung "Wild Angels" – I’ve been disappointed with Scott for the last 2 weeks. I’m not sure what makes him choose the songs he does, but this left me pretty much “blah”. I couldn’t say I hated it, because his vocals were, while not extraordinary, were very good. Paula and Simon got into a tiff over Paula’s ridiculous suggestion that Scott not use the piano as a crutch, and he should consider not using the piano a few times. Simon thought that was stupid advice and I couldn’t agree more. Where does Paula get her logic? The man is blind! It’s not like he could do a jig around the stage while he sings. And you know the one night he decides to sing without a piano, the judges will be all over him as to how much better he would have sounded with it. It’s times like this that I wish Paula would just keep things to herself, because this had to be one of the most ill-informed suggestions she’s ever had. Hey Paula, let me name some artists for you; Elton John; Billy Joel; Stevie freakin’ Wonder!! See a pattern here? Regardless of Paula’s insanity, Simon hit it on the nose when he called Scott’s song choice forgettable. He’s right, it was boring and really didn’t spotlight him at all, despite his great vocals. This plus last week’s mediocre performance will land him in the danger zone tonight.
Prediction: IN THE BOTTOM

7) Alexis Grace - sung "Jolene” – This is one of my favorite Dolly Parton songs, and I walk away from Alexis’ performance last night thinking...she didn’t do it justice. I will say up front, I am a huge Alexis fan, and she’s quickly becoming one of my favorites. In saying that, I expected a lot more from her. She didn’t really make the song her own, and though she sung it with the same spirit of the original, that was the problem. She didn’t put her own spin on it, so what could have been unique, became what Simon calls “copycat”. Even when this song was performed by Brooke White last season during their Dolly Parton week, though it wasn’t great, Brooke changed it up enough for it to sound different and unique to her style. Alexis didn’t do that so, popular as she is with me and many fans, this week could possibly place her in danger.
Prediction: POSSIBLY IN BOTTOM

8) Danny Gokey – sung "Jesus Take the Wheel” – I guessed what song Danny was going to sing even before they went into his pre-performance clip. My logic? This guy was a church music director and he said in one of his interviews that all he really sung were church songs. It was only logical it would be this song. I actually really like this song, but it was the completely wrong choice for Danny. I don’t care what the rest of the judges say, Randy got it right; the first half of that song was sung so pitchy, it was all over the place. I don’t think the song suited his voice at all. The only time his really stuck out was when he got to the chorus. But it doesn’t matter what I think, because Danny’s popularity is growing. Add to that the high praise the judges gave him, and you can rest assured you’ll see him next week. Prediction: SAFE

9) Anoop Desai – sung "Always On My Mind" – What a complete turnaround from last week! Not only did Anoop pick the absolute best song for his voice, but it gave him depth, emotion and vocal range we haven’t seen since Hollywood week. I was so impressed with his performance, I actually think it put him ahead of the pack. Simon said Matt (Giraud) out sang Danny, but I disagree; I think Anoop out sang Danny, and Matt out sang them both. (more on that later). It’s the truth, because not only did Anoop sound better, but he showed a completely new level of vocal skill; controlled range, and a connection to the song. I was impressed and completely surprised. Because of this one performance, it has elevated Anoop from the bottom to one of the top places. I have no doubts he made it to next week. Prediction: SAFE

10) Megan Joy Corkrey – sung "Walkin' After Midnight” – I just don’t know about Megan. She is different, I will say that much. But her weird bluesy, soul thing just gets me confused. Not as confused as Adam’s performance left me, but still, her performance sort of out there. I don’t think I hated it, because her voice sounded good. She added a lot of her own inflections which brought the song closer to the type of quirky performer she is. All this, and she had the flu too? I won’t fault her for a mediocre performance, especially since she was super sick (and didn’t look it). But I’m not so sure the television audience is as forgiving. When I place this performance on the same basis as last week’s, I think Megan might be in danger. I hope not, but I can only think that she didn’t impress enough for her to make it to next week. Prediction: IN THE BOTTOM

11) Matt Giraud – sung "So Small" – I’m finally starting to see the type of artist Matt will turn out to be. Simon said Matt reminded him of Michael Buble, and I tend to agree. I can also see him as a Billy Joel type performer. His vocals last night were perfect, on pitch, and completely smooth, and showed great range. I mentioned that Simon said Matt out sung Danny and he couldn’t have been more right. Matt needed to find his comfort zone, and I think singing these types of songs are where he really shines. (and it doesn’t hurt he has a sort of Justin Timberlake-ish look to him. Yes, I know, I mentioned that many times before. Sue me!) At the rate he’s going, he could be that sneaky dark horse that will get to the Top five before you even realize it. Will we see Matt next week? Answers point to yes. Prediction: SAFE

And with that, the Top 11 are done.

What did we think? The competition finally unveils tonight as to who goes on tour. (remember, only the Top ten gets to go on the tour). Was last night what you thought it would be? Were you as surprised as I was? Who was the best of the night?

My predictions:
IN THE BOTTOM: Michael Sarver, Scott Macintyre and Megan Joy Corkrey.

My pick to go home tonight: Megan Joy Corkrey

Am I nuts? Could it be? Or will the judges pull out their “Judges’ Save” tonight, if one of their favorites get put up for the elimination? What do you guys think? Let’s chat it up!

Until next week, faithful readers, I’m out for now!

American Idol: Week One; The Top 13 Compete

When I first heard that Idol was going to be doing a Michael Jackson night, I found it to be a bit surprising. Michael is one of those artists who the judges always spout about being “untouchable”. Then again, I remember last season’s Mariah Carey night, so I guess this shouldn’t be too surprising.

For the most part, I would say a good deal of the performances were very good, which lets the deciding factor of who goes home tonight of who was memorable. A couple of people really disappointed me (looking at you, Anoop-dawg) and a couple of people surprised me, (Matt!). All in all a very solid night, with little or no out right disasters.

As a side note to last week’s Wild Card round, I think I would have thrown my remote at the TV if Tatiana would have gotten through. Thankfully the producers perhaps rethought putting her through any further. Seriously, this girl has obvious mental problems. She is such an attention/fame whore (sorry for the crassness of that word, but it fits, doesn’t it?) that any further disappointment she would have went through she might have done something to herself or to others. Goodbye Tatiana.
Over all though, I was pretty satisfied with the 4 people they chose to push through to complete the final 13. And I called that one didn’t I? I read rumors, but no one knew for sure. I suspected it was going to happen when it came down to Anoop and Matt. But I guess we should move on, we have a lot to cover.

This week, though everyone sang well for the most part, but some of their song choices made me scratch my head. Some of the choices just didn’t suit the contestant at all, and considering what a huge song book Michael has, it was pretty disappointing to hear some of the song choices made. Saying that, however, I will admit, almost everyone stepped it up, as the judges would say. Before I begin, I want to say, did it seem to anyone else that Paula was more drunk then usual? Was it just me?

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I have gotten really good feedback on the rating system I came up with that I used to assess each contestant’s chances to advance to the next round, (NO CHANCE, SLIM, GOOD, EXCELLENT.) Since it worked, and since I am a slave to my reader’s wishes, I came up with a similar system, based on my assessments and predictions for them to advance; IN THE BOTTOM, POSSIBLY IN BOTTOM, or SAFE.
IN THE BOTTOM are my predictions to who will definitely be in the bottom; POSSIBLY IN BOTTOM will be those that could be swapped out with any of the choices I made from IN THE BOTTOM; and finally, the obvious choice of SAFE, means they are moving on to the next round.

Time is a wasting, so let’s get to the performances, shall we?

1) Lil Rounds – sung "The Way You Make Me Feel” – Starting off as the first contestant to sing is never easy, but I think Lil did a decent job. I wasn’t crazy about her song choice, but she didn’t have a bad vocal. She’s got a very strong set of pipes, so the song itself sounded different almost immediately. I didn’t think she did that well as Paula said, so I’m leaning towards what Simon said, in that it wasn’t as good as everyone might think. Considering how well she sounded though, regardless of whether it was the best vocal, it certainly warranted her coming back for another week. Prediction: SAFE





2) Scott MacIntyre - sung "Keep the Faith” - I like Scott a lot, but this performance really disappointed me. I was expecting so much more from Scott, especially now that he has a piano in front of him. Song choice was awful, even though his vocals were amazingly good. Scott’s answer as to why he chose this particular song was that he was trying to be artistic. Simon’s response? “It's fine being artistic -- just not on this show.” Wow, he took the words right out of my mouth. Perhaps later down the competition, if Scott makes it to the final 4 or 3, he can afford to be artistic, but now? First week? Scott, you need to be memorable, and this song just wasn’t memorable. People are going to say “Hey, what did the blind guy sing last night?” instead of “Hey, you hear the blind guy’s version of ------?” I hope he stays, but based on his song choice, he might be in danger.
Prediction: POSSIBLY IN BOTTOM

3) Danny Gokey – sung "P.Y.T." – I want to start out by saying I’m a fan of Danny. I have been from the get go, but I have to say, I wasn’t really impressed with his performance tonight. His vocals were insanely spot on, so the problem doesn’t lie there. I think it’s the way he sang it. It came off very karaoke to me (though not as much as a couple of other contestants --- more on that later). Still though, he was entertaining, if not in a geek/dorky way. I’m glad his whole background with his wife passing away was not mentioned again, because I really don’t want Danny to be defined by that. Based on his performance last night, and his popularity, I think we’ll be seeing Danny next week, though I wouldn’t go so far as to agree with Paula’s prediction of him going into the finals. I think he has a better then average chance, but let’s see how the rest of the season goes. Remember, Chris Daughtry also was predicted to sail into the finals, and we all know how that turned out. Prediction: SAFE

4) Michael Sarver - sung "You Are Not Alone" – I was sooo bored during this song. I was never a fan of this song, so going in, I was already a critic. But to be fair, I gave Michael his due, I listened to his vocals and his tone, and they were very good. I don’t think he got off key once, but yet, it still left me yawning. I think, as usual, I would have to lean towards Simon’s comments, when he said that though Michael isn’t the best singer in the Top 13, (he isn’t), the guy is so likable, and has such a soulful smooth voice, you have to give him props for his passion. This guy is really trying, and isn’t taking the competition lightly. I’m not sure his performance was that memorable, so I think that’s where Michael might have reason to worry.
Prediction: IN THE BOTTOM

5) Jasmine Murray – sung "I'll Be There” – Ah Jasmine, I used to like you. Really, I did, but week after week, you just disappoint me. Your song choices each week are the most ill-advised choices I think you could have made. Not only did you pick one of Jackson’s most famous ballads, but you chose one that Mariah Carey redid back in 1992. So not only are you taking on an icon, but an established diva as well. Randy commented on how she mixed both versions, and it was a decent job; I disagree. I think the fact she didn’t stick to one version was one of her downfalls. Add to that the fact that the Mariah version has been played on the radio ad nauseam for the last 15 years, and you got a full fledged train wreck of a song on your hands. There were some good moments that outlined a good set of pipes that Jasmine is hiding, but over all, it was a very bad song choice, sung adequately, but not greatly. These factors are the basis for thinking that Jasmine might be in trouble tonight.
Prediction: IN THE BOTTOM

6) Kris Allen - sung "Remember the Time" – The guitar was not necessary, but it was a pretty decent performance. Randy pretty much personified what I was thinking when he called Kris’ performance “very Jason Mraz-y”. That makes a huge difference, being that Mraz is a current artist with a huge hit on the radio. His vocals were very good, and though a virtual unknown when he was put into the Top 36, I can see Kris as a decent contender now. Granted, I don’t see him winning this season, but I do see him getting pretty far. What is going to help is a major factor that Ryan of all people pointed out; he is very easy on the eyes. Kris is handsome, cute and adorable, and that alone will get him pretty far in the competition. (hey, remember how far Chris Richardson got? Yeah, he was a decent singer, but Top 5? Come on...) Simon may have been kidding, but I think he’s right when he said they should have kept the fact Kris is married a secret a little while longer. Hey, people can dream right? Based on his looks, and his good performance, I think Kris will be sticking around this week. Prediction: SAFE

7) Allison Iraheta - sung "Give in to Me” – I love Allison and her whole rocker/pop vibe. She reminds me so much of Kelly Clarkson, and at her age, to have the kind of voice she does, is extraordinary. But this was not a great performance unfortunately. She has such a strong voice, I think it actually over shadowed the song a bit. The judges loved her, but I don’t think her performance was memorable enough for me. Her look is unique, and thankfully, she does stand out amongst the rest of the contestants, but it was just an okay performance for me. I will say this; she looks to be the type of person that will up her game in the coming weeks, but she needs to get into the habit of picking better songs. I was debating on whether or not to make her safe of possibly in the bottom this week, and I’m going to go with the latter because of her song choice; it wasn’t memorable enough. I know, call me crazy. Personally, I hope she makes it through because I am a fan. Prediction: POSSIBLY IN BOTTOM

8) Anoop Desai – sung "Beat It” – Ah Anoop, my man, what did you do? I’ll tell you what you did; by choosing quite possibly the most popular Michael Jackson song ever (I think “Thriller” tops it), you had already secured a place in the bottom before you even got on stage last night. There is no way this could have gone well, regardless of how well Anoop tried. I think the judges were actually trying to be kind in how they described it. It was not only the most karaoke of the night, but it was also the most manic, badly sung, awkward and disjointed performance of the season so far. I was really disappointed, because I really like Anoop. He brings something different, and his voice is not half bad. I couldn’t even tell how good his voice was in his performance. It was just a bad performance, and I think what did Anoop in was that he picked a song which will forever be untouchable by anyone. I don’t even think David Cook would have touched this one. (remember last season’s “Billy Jean”?) I really like Anoop, but I think his entire performance plus the very poor song choice has put him in extreme danger tonight. I don’t want to see him go, but I think he may have messed it up for himself. Prediction: IN THE BOTTOM

9) Jorge Nunez – sung "Never Can Say Goodbye" – Speaking of disappointments, it leads us to Jorge. While I understand, there may have been a difficult choice to find a song that suits his voice, I think he could have chosen a much better song to showcase his voice. This was such a forgettable performance, and it’s a shame because Jorge brings a different style to the show. His accent makes each song he sings unique, but this particular song left me unimpressed. I was bored, and it felt disconnected. The judges mentioned how Jorge’s strength is you feel the emotion he connects with when he sings, but it was missing here. I’m worried for Jorge, because no one will remember this performance. He is in danger tonight, and if he does get through, I hope he makes better song choices in the weeks to come.
Prediction: IN THE BOTTOM

10) Megan Joy Corkrey – sung "Rockin' Robin” – If Anoop’s performance was the most karaoke of the night, this one came a close second. Not only was it corny and awful, but it made Megan come off as amateurish. I think the only thing that will save her is her beautiful voice, which didn’t hurt the song. The song lends itself too easily to a hokey performance, and my point couldn’t have been proven more with Megan’s weird dancing. I know she was trying to have fun, but this was a very bad song choice. Another thing that might save Megan is not only she likable (her back story I’m sure will help get her some sympathy votes), but she’s actually a very pretty girl. I’m on the fence about Megan, so if she makes it through to next week, I hope she steps up her game.
Prediction: POSSIBLY IN BOTTOM

11) Adam Lambert - sung "Black Or White” - Wow, now this was a performance. Adam is one of those contestants that you’re either going to love or hate. I’m starting to lean towards “like” for now, I’m not sure I’m with the love yet. That said, this was a great performance. He was the most comfortable on that stage out of all the contestants, and I will attribute that to his years doing theater. It made a major difference, because not only were his vocals spot on, but he has such a different, unique look, he’s going to be memorable. I’m glad the Idols got stylists, because someone helped him tone down the eye liner. Finally! He looked much better, and created such a dancy, hip performance, it makes me think that perhaps Paula called it right when she said he has a solid shot going into the finals. I know, I agree, we’re only the first week out, so let’s see if Adam can keep up the momentum of this stand out performance.
Prediction: SAFE

12) Matt Giraud – sung "Human Nature" - This performance really surprised me. I still can’t get over how much Matt looks like Justin Timberlake, but the guy has a great bluesy voice to go along with his looks. I thought this song suited him well, and he hit some surprising notes. He looked more comfortable then I ever saw him, mostly due to the fact that the “dueling piano player” finally was back in front of a piano. He added just enough inflection and tone to some parts of the song to make it his own. I’m still unsure as to where he will fall in this competition. I’m positive he doesn’t have the vocal chops to win the entire thing when compared to the other contestants, but I think he’s strong enough to hang in there pretty far. I look at him like a Billy Joel-ish type artist, which can do really well if he makes the right type of album. Prediction: SAFE

13) Alexis Grace – sung "Dirty Diana" - Wow, can this girl sing. I liked Alexis from the start, so I was really hoping she chose her song well, and sung it out of the park. She did not disappoint. The range that she has for such a tiny petite girl is sick. Her song choice was pretty spot on, because not only did it spotlight her range, but it was sassy enough to make her stand out even more. (oh, and a side note; her daughter? One of the most adorable kids I’ve ever seen) I’m not worried at all about Alexis, because if this performance in week one is any indication, we’re bound to see her come back each time in the coming weeks. Prediction: SAFE



And with that, we finish reviewing our Top 13 this week.

Simon mentioned in the closing minutes of Idol last night that they are adding a new dynamic involving the judges to the elimination process that will change the way Idol is decided from this point on. This has me a little worried. While the voting system was never perfect, it was still basically the fans that were deciding who was the Idol. With the judges getting involved in some aspect, I’m afraid the point of Idol might be lost. Don’t get me wrong though, because if they are going to do what I think they’re going to do, it might work. I say might. They might be trying what they do on Idol’s sister show, So You Think You Can Dance; the bottom three are chosen by the fans, and the judges choose one of the three to go home. I’m halfway on this, because I’m not sure how much in control is left with the fans in this aspect. But hey, it works for SYTYCD, it might work for Idol. We’ll see tonight.

What did you guys think? Did you think some performances were better then I thought? Tell me. Disagree? Tell me? Chat it up! Remember, there are TWO contestants voted off tonight, not one. This makes sense, considering there are 13 contestants. Who goes home tonight?

My predictions:
IN THE BOTTOM: Michael Sarver, Jasmine Murray, Anoop Desai and Jorge Nunez.
My picks to go home tonight: Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nunez.

Until next week, faithful readers, I’m out for now!

American Idol: Final 12 Compete

It coming down to the wire, fellow fans.

Last night, the final group of 12 performers gave it their all for a spot in the Top 12. Now you’d think this group had 2 weeks to prepare, see the prior groups’ performances, mistakes, etc. They should be some stand out performances shouldn’t there?

Yeah, not so much.

I just don’t understand it. What compels these contestants to choose what is obviously a wrong song choice for them? I’m sure they are told or at least advised that a song is too big, or not right for them, but almost all of them don’t listen. On top of that, they pick songs we’ve heard 1,000 times before on Idol, and the only reason to do them again is to do them differently.

On a note from last week, I did not see Kris Allen getting through at all. Talk about coming from left field! Judging by his reaction, he had no idea he was going to make it either. I’m not that unhappy with him getting through, because lack of exposure or not, he was one of the better singers from last week.

So before I get to the individual reviews, it’s time for my weekly pleading for readers to take a minute and join the blog as a follower. I need to have a certain number of subscribers or followers to my blog before I can submit it to an international TV blog site, so I need you guys to sign up! I can name names if I need to!! Okay, no more pleading this week.

Tomorrow, we actually get one extra night of Idol goodness. They are calling it the Wild Card round, but I don’t see how it’s going to work. It’s only an hour, and they still haven’t revealed how it works. Do the judges just choose the contestants they want to bring back? Do the fans? When do the fans vote? Or do they not vote this round and it’s strictly judges’ pick? I will not write an extra blog this week covering that, but I will mention and give my thoughts about it in next week’s blog.

In case you’ve forgotten, I break down my assessments of each contestant with 4 categories, based on their chances of making into the Top 12; NO CHANCE, SLIM, GOOD, EXCELLENT.

So begins another week, and we jump in, starting with:

1) Von Smith – sung "You're All I Need to Get By” – Von surprised me this week. I think I agree with what all the judges said about him; he actually listened to their advice, especially Simon’s, and toned it down. Instead of over-singing his performance, he pulled it back, and only bumped up the power of his voice when it was needed, and not just because he could. So I will give him props for that, since he was bordering on annoying during Hollywood week. Saying that, I wouldn’t go so far to say his performance was as good as the judges made it out to be. Compared to Hollywood week, it was fantastic, but it wasn’t the best song choice. Still, because of his humility, and his strong vocals, I think Von has a decent shot to get into the Top 12, though it may not happen tonight. I see him coming back during the Wild Card round, and possibly edging out a spot then. Based on last night’s performance I find his chances good at a runner-up spot, but not excellent. On a side note, Simon mentioned that Von reminds him of Clay Aiken. I see what he means. Von has that same sort of subtle, yet big booming voice that Clay made himself famous for. Chances: GOOD

2) Taylor Vaifanua - sung "If I Ain't Got You” - First off, song choice; we’ve heard this song so many times on Idol, I think it should be retired. Secondly, I agreed with Simon 100% on his comments on Taylor, when he said he didn’t have an idea who she was, and the song was very boring. I like this song normally, but somehow, Taylor sung it with little or no passion. Add to the fact that she has a serious case of “no-exposure-itis”, and you can see her chances of getting into the Top 12 disappear. I mean, I couldn't even find a picture of her from last night's performance, but I found everyone else! I don’t get it, you know you haven’t had the exposure that some of the other contestants have. Why not pick a song that would blow people away? Or at least, stand out in some way. Clearly, this was Taylor’s last performance, because I don’t really see her getting a chance in the Wild Card round either. Chances: NO CHANCE

3) Alex Wagner-Trugman – sung “I Guess That's Why They Call Them the Blues" – How adorable is Alex? As a fellow geek/dork, I need to be supportive of Alex and his attempt at stardom. But if I need to be objective, this was a pretty abysmal performance. What kills me is actually what the judges pointed out too: Alex actually has a very good voice. For some reason, his “growling” of some of the lyrics last night totally pulled down his chances for the top 12. It was distracting, because some of the parts of the song he actually sung pretty well. It was sort of like enjoying a song on the radio, only for it to be interrupted by static in-between. While I don’t think he ruined his chances completely, I think the way he performed last night has definitely made it a lot harder for him to get into the Top 12. The only thing that might save him is the fact that the judges gave him fairly positive reviews, but they were mostly about how they were entertained, and not his singing. Normun Gentle was entertaining too, and we know how he fared. Chances: SLIM

4) Arianna Afsar - sung "The Winner Takes it All” – I am a fan of this song, and it's actually one of my all time favorite ABBA songs. To hear it...ruined...like it was...irks me. How in the world did this girl think she could handle this song? It was way too big for her, and the way she changed it around made it completely unlistenable. Forget about the fact that the judges said it was dreary and depressing, I just think it was sung badly. The melody was all off, and sometimes the song got away from her. At one point it seemed as though as was struggling to keep up with the music. I was really disappointed, and considering this is another contestant suffering from “no-exposure-it is”, the chances of me seeing this girl next week are not good. Chances: NO CHANCE

5) Ju'Not Joyner – sung "Hey There Delilah" – He surprised me. He really did surprise me. I did not expect his version of this song to be very good, but I have to tell you, I really dug it. It felt eerie, and surreal. I wasn’t sure when I first heard the opening lyrics, but as he got into the meat of the song, I really started feeling a great vibe. Slowing the song down really worked for Ju’Not, whose voice has a nice smooth tone that perfectly suited the way the song was arranged. I would have easily gave him a slim chance, partially due to his non-exposure, but I think this performance made a real difference. I think he has a great shot at being the runner-up this week. Chances: GOOD

6) Kristen McNamara - sung "Give Me One Reason" – The judges and I seem to be in sync this week, because I agreed with what most of them were saying. Kristen does have a very good voice, but due to a poor song choice, it really didn’t show us how good she is. The song was sped up way too fast, and she was doing way too much with it. This was a simple song that should be sung properly, but this version kind of put me off. It’s not so much she sung it badly, because like I said, she does have a good voice; it’s just that the arrangement didn’t work, and in turn, gave her a mediocre performance at best. Compared to some of the other female singers so far, she does stand out a bit, but is no where near as good as the last singer to perform. (more on that later) Chances: SLIM

7) Nathaniel Marshall - sung “I Would Do Anything for Love" – Oh dear me, it’s the drama queen’s chance to shine. I will give him this much; he was man enough to admit he is a drama queen. His performance was a bit manic for me. I agree with Simon that some parts of his performance were excruciating. Meatloaf would not be pleased. Of all the judges, I find myself agreeing with, of all people, Paula. She called Nate’s performance a “Boy George version” of that song. And I think that’s what was wrong with it the most; it just doesn’t work in that sense. Seriously? I think Nate could actually have a serious shot if he toned down the drama, get rid of the Olivia Newton-John “Physical” headband, and get a decent hairstyle and wardrobe. Why? Listening to some parts of that song, he really does have a pretty decent voice. But then you might say, “that would take away what makes Nate, Nate”. Possibly, but cleaning up your style and a new look is not unusual in show business. A new look would also make us forget the drama queen we remember from Hollywood week. With any luck he won’t completely break down tonight, because I don’t see him having a decent shot at the Top 12. Wild card? Possibly. But he may surprise me. Perhaps he’s the “Kris Allen” of this week, and I’ll be wrong again? Chances: SLIM

8) Felicia Barton – sung “No One" – This was the girl who replaced Joanna Pacitti, the original girl who made it into the Top 36. (she got kicked out) Right from the get go, Felicia goes in with a disadvantage, since she was already eliminated, and now she has to prove herself all over again, not only to the audience, but to the judges as well. I think she tried a little too hard to impress the judges, because I think she over sang the song a bit. It wasn’t a bad performance, but it did nothing to make me remember her. It was sort of safe, and considering she didn’t impress anyone I don’t see her impressing anyone enough to vote for her. Chances: NO CHANCE



9) Scott Macintyre – sung "Mandolin Rain" – I want to say upfront, I’m definitely a Scott fan. I was rooting for him since I saw him audition. (Remember? His cute brother/friend brought him in—and hey, there he is in the audience too!) That being said, being objective as I can, I did not enjoy his performance that much tonight. I thought it was a bit boring, and his vocals weren’t that spot on. Thing is I know he’s better then this, because I heard some of his vocals from Hollywood week. Some parts were out of tune, but I will give the guy props...and even the judges pointed this out...his passion and emotion just pours out of him with every lyric he sings. You could feel emotion with each word, and you can tell how much he loves this. The judges all agreed that when Scott gets in front of a piano, the magic really happens. I think audiences will agree. Most people I talk to are rooting for Scott, so I think he’s one of the only ones tonight I can say truly has a great shot at the Top 12...and I couldn’t be happier.
Chances: EXCELLENT

10) Kendall Beard – sung "This One's For the Girls" – It wasn’t really memorable, was it? I will remember Kendall as the “country girl”, and she’s very pretty. But her performance was really a bit forgettable. It was a bit pitchy at times, and Kendall sometimes looked downright uncomfortable. I will agree with the judges, at least Kendall knows who she is, and what type of singer she wants to be. It’s strictly country for this girl, so at least she knows where her strength lies. Her performance had a lot to be desired, so I don’t think her chances of making it to the Top 12 are very good. Chances: SLIM




11) Jorge Nunez - sung “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me" - Oh my God, I want to trim those eyebrows. Sorry, but they are almost distracting to me, almost as much as Nathaniel’s headband. But putting that aside, I didn’t think Jorge was half bad. He has amazing range, a lot more that I expected. And his accent is adorable, and makes him stand out. I don’t recall Idol ever having a contestant with as much a pronounced accent as Jorge’s, but it brings something new to the show. I rather enjoyed Jorge’s performance, more then I thought I would. Add to that his sincere tearful response to the judges’ praise, and you can definitely see how Jorge will get some votes. His singing, plus the emotional, but honest reaction (see Tatiana? THAT was real.) gives him a great shot at runner-up.
Chances: GOOD

12) Lil Rounds – sung "Be Without You" - This girl impressed me all the way back in the audition round, so I’m very happy to see her blow me away in this round. I agreed with the judges, that maybe she should have picked a song that wasn’t so like her voice. Being compared to Mary J. Blige, then actually doing one of her songs doesn’t really make you stand out to much. But you know what? She really rocked it out. What an amazing range and vocal control Lil has! I know she has a big voice, since I remember her performances from Hollywood week, but she pulled back this week, and it sounded incredible. My gut was telling me this girl was bound for the Top 12, and I think after seeing last night’s performance it’s definite. Chances: EXCELLENT


Well, that’s it for the final round, my readers.

What did you guys think? Who really impressed you last night? Were you surprised as I was about Kris Allen’s advance to the Top 12 last week? How about this week? Who has a really decent shot? Am I right in my assessments, or am I waaay off? My predictions?

Guy with the most votes, going to the Top 12: Scott Macintyre
Girl with the most votes, going to the Top 12: Lil Rounds
Runner-up going to the Top 12 choices: Von Smith, Ju'Not Joyner or Jorge Nunez

My pick? Ju'Not Joyner (although I would not be surprised if it’s Jorge either)

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Until next week readers!