Sorry for the delay on my post about the biggest hits in music this week, but I’ve been dealing with some “real” work stuff as my short comedy Dirty Talkcontinues across the festival circuit. (We just played Boston and won the Audience Award at the Miami LGBT Film Fest!!) … But back to the music world, Grammy winner Michael Buble nabs his fourth # 1 album as To Be Loved debuts atop the Billboard200 Albums chart. He holds off fellow Grammy winner and American Idol winner Fantasia who lands at # 2 with Side Effects of You, her third top ten album and second # 1 R&B Album. Also debuting in the top ten are alt-rockers Phoenix, metal head Rob Zombie and Will.I.Am with a slightly disappointing #9 debut for his latest. Take a look at the full top ten below and head to Billboard for more on all the Albums charts.
Top Ten Albums on the Billboard 200:
1. To Be Loved- Michael Buble (debut)
2. Side Effects of You- Fantasia (debut)
3. The 20/20 Experience- Justin Timberlake (last week~ 3)
4. Bankrupt!- Phoenix (debut)
5. Save Rock and Roll- Fall Out Boy (lw~ 1)
6. Based on a True Story- Blake Shelton (lw~ 4)
7. Venemous Rat Regeneration- Rob Zombie (debut)
8. Indicud- Kid Cudi (lw~ 2)
9. #willpower- Will.I.Am (debut)
10. The Truth About Love- P!nk (lw~ 10)
You saw P!nk‘s long running hit album hanging on for another week in the top ten above, and a big reason why is the third top ten smash from the album “Just Give Me A Reason” featuring Nate Ruess which holds on to the top spot of the Hot 100 Singles Chart for a third week. She fends off a strong charge by Macklmore & Ryan Lewis and will have to face some new competition by Swedish dance duo Icona Pop who charge into the top ten with their fist top ten hit “I Love It”. Take a gander at the new top ten below and head to Billboard for all the singles genre charts here.
Top Ten Singles on the Hot 100:
1. “Just Give Me A Reason”- P!nk w/ Nate Reuss (lw~ 1)
2. “Can’t Hold Us Down”- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (lw~ 2)
3. “Stay”- Rihanna w/ Mikkey Ekko (lw~ 6)
4. “Thrift Shop”- Macklmore & Ryan Lewis (lw~ 3)
5. “Mirrors”- Justin Timberlake (lw~ 7)
6. “When I Was Your Man”- Bruno Mars (lw~ 4)
7. “Suit & Tie”- Justin Timberlake w/ Jay Z (lw~8)
8. “Feel this Moment”- Pitbull w/ Christina Aguilera (lw~ 9)
9. “I Love It”- Icona Pop (lw~ 13)
10. “Radioactive”- Imagine Dragons (lw~ 12)
And here’s Michael Buble’s new single “It’s A Beautiful Day” from his new chart topping album To Be Loved.
Last week American Idolvoters kicked my favorite male contestant, the delightful big voiced yet genre confused Paul Jolley, to the curb. Unfortunately, he was the victim of sympathy votes and misguided fans who kept the woefully out of his league Lazaro in the game (and not even in the bottom three for that matter). I was sad to see Paul go, but we knew his days along with all the guys days are numbered on Idol this season. So, can any of them break thru the ladies stranglehold of the American Idol buzz? … Take a look at my all new unscientific but totally on point buzz rankings for the top 8 below and see who they fare with Motown night tomorrow on American Idol.
American Idol Season 12 Top 8 Buzz Rankings~
1. Candice: holding on top for a third week in a row, Candice continues to deliver killer vocals and fantastic performances. Her “Come Together” was glorious and funky last week and she should remain at the front of the heap this week as Motown plays right into her R&B wheelhouse… Could she really become the first R&B diva winner since Fantasia in season 3… Yes, she could! (last week~ 1) 2. Kree: also staying put in the runner-up position is Kree and I highly doubt Kree or Candice will ever fall out of my top three (and hopefully they will be the final two when all is said and done). She was fantastic again last week and looks poised to do something interesting with her song this week as she veers out of the country lane. Can she finally overtake Candice and outside of her signature genre? (lw~ 2) 3. Angie: holding steady as well is Angie who had another good, but not great week. I find some of her performances, especially last week, inauthentic and calculated. That said, she has a great voice and can deliver some nice artistry. Now, she just has to stop trying so hard. This week could actually cause her to falter a little though. We’ll see. (lw~ 3) 4. Burnell: uh oh, a boy has cracked my top four and obviously it’s Burnell. He is the only guy with any hope of making the top five and he will if he keeps turning in winning performances week to week. And Motown could even push him to the top for the week… ok well maybe the top three. (lw~8) 5. Janelle: she turned in a surprisingly restrained yet memorable take on a little known Beatles tune and it totally worked in her favor. She rose in the viewer rankings and continues to display her funny and charming personality. This week may cause her some trouble but for now she’s on the rebound. (lw~ 6) 6. Amber: oh America, what is wrong with you? How on Earth could you put this amazing singer in the bottom three last week? That was a tragedy. I hope it was just the odd song choice. This week she should turn it around as Motown will totally play to her strengths. I sure hope so cuz this girl is fantastic! 7. Lazaro: argh I totally wanted to put him last, but since he escaped the bottom three despite a dreadful performance last week, he just misses last place. I have to say I rooted for Lazaro for many weeks and was proud of him for his Idol journey, but let’s be honest, he should’ve gone home before the top ten. He clearly can’t handle the pressure and is now becoming annoying. He’s constantly playing the victim and placing the blame elsewhere for his poor performance which is also pulling down his likablity. He better get it together or he’s a goner and sorry I am no longer a fan. (lw~ 5) 8. Devin: it’s too bad this kid is constantly in the bottom 3. He has an amazing voice and great potential. However, he’s also rather forgettable. He needs a wow moment ASAP if he doesn’t want to fly home on Thursday night. (lw~ 9)
And there you have it. Candice and Kree remain on top while Lazaro and Devin are deep in the danger zone. I know who I’d like to see go home on that “Midnight Train to Georgia” Thursday night. Do you? Sound off below and watch American Idol on Fox tomorrow night.
Sorry for the late recap post today, but I had a crazy busy night and morning with auditions. So, I just caught up on the first live top ten show of this season’s American Idol.And while I’m a little behind, it was all worth it for the brilliance of one Candice Glover. She schooled the competition by a mile despite a few other very strong performances and a couple serious clunkers. Since this is a quick wrap and East coasters will get the results show pretty darn soon, let’s just charge on thru my rankings and predictions for last night. Oh and PS~ loved the new theme of songs by former Idol winners. I just wish these contestants would’ve actually picked better and more interesting songs by those winners. Oy vey!
American Idol Rankings 3/13/13 ~ the great 1. Candice Glover- “I Who Have Nothing”: absolute brilliance. I was on my feet. She slayed Jordin Sparks’ (and Hayley Reinhart’s) fantastic version giving us full on Shirley Bassey meets Tina Turner and Mary J. Blige. A-mah-zing! 2. Amber- “A Moment Like This”: I have to say I was a little scared she took on Kelly’s classic winner song. However, Amber turned it out and did a fantastic job. Oh and I agree with Nicki (for once)~ I totally got an early Whitney Houston vibe. I’m telling you, Amber is the dark horse to win people. 3. Kree- “Cryin”: with another flawless, beautiful and emotional vocal, Kree actually out sang the wonderful Carrie Underwood and that is no small feat. ~ the good 4. Paul- “Amazed”: with a lovely restrained vocal and his most resonant connection yet, Paul stood above the rest of the guys for me this week and even Angie! 5. Angie- “I Surrender”: yes, I was not as enthusiastic as the judges or many of the fans out there with this performance. Sure, it was vocally on point and Angie is certainly a star. However, it paled in comparison to Kelly Clarkson’s take on this plaintiff Celine Dion ballad. I mean, Kelly sang the hell out of it while sick and still sounded a million times better than Angie (who still sounded good mind you.) ~ the decent 6. Burnell- “Flying Without Wings”: singing Ruben’s coronation song was a seriously lame choice. Sure, Burnell sounded great and I like his vocal style. However, he really needs to step up his song choices, styling and emotional connection. 7. Janelle- “Gone”: Janelle gets big points for being the only one not to do a ballad this week and I enjoyed her take on the Montgomery Gentry song Scotty sang two years ago. It was fun.. But was it a little forgettable too? Um, yes. ~ the eh 8. Devin- “Temporary Home”: um, Devin may find himself temporarily in the bottom three after this boring and disconnected performance. Hello, this song should be heartbreaking~ just ask Carrie… Devin just sounded pretty and sadly, a little bored. ~ the BAD 9. Lazaro- “Breakaway”: oh dear lord, that was kinda a train wreck. Look I really like this guy and I do applaud his chutzpah. However, he needs to get some musicality, music knowledge, stay on pitch and pick better song choices for his voice. Not good. Sorry. 10. Curtis- “I Believe”: assaulting Fantasia’s coronation song, Curtis imploded or um, exploded on stage. I don’t know what he was doing flying off pitch, never once coming across as sincere, and generally sucking big time.
Predictions~ Bottom 3: Janelle, Devin, Curtis (but Lazaro should be here) Bottom 2: Devin, Curtis Going Home: Curtis (and I’m thrilled with that)
So, the ladies continue to kick ass and most of the guys really struggled this week. But just who will be in the bottom three? Will there be a shocker like Burnell in the bottom 3? I really think the only guy who is safe is Paul and Lazaro certainly should be in danger, but he has a real big fan base. We’ll see… Check out the results tonight plus the “Sing Off” between the 6th place contestants and a performance from last year’s rather successful winner Phillip Phillips tonight on Idol on Fox.
Well, last week, American Idol revealed the top ten finalists for season 12 and I pretty much predicted all of them. What I didn’t predict is that the producers held on to their promise of no “wild card” contestants. While the next-closest vote getters (i.e.: the 6th place girl and guy) will have a sing off this week to join the tour, it looks like our top ten is just that~ a top ten. And it’s a pretty good one. All five women are strong contenders and should hopefully help the “season of the girls” to the first female winner since Jordin Sparks in 2006. As for the guys, I really don’t think any of them can win, but a couple could go pretty far…. So, just who has the buzz going into the first week of the finals? Check out my all new unscientific yet surely correct American Idol Buzz Rankings below.
American Idol Season 12 Top Ten Buzz Rankings~
1. Candice: this big voiced diva has simply slayed it every week and she remains the best hope of a R&B Idol winner since Fantasia. She also is very good with her strong song choices and reinterpreting them while still being true to the original melodies. Her voice is incredible and she has great confidence. My only question is~ will being to “R&B” actually hurt her in the end? 2. Kree: this country blues girl has an amazing voice, quiet confidence and wonderful artistry. her unassuming personality is also very pleasing and she exhibits great humility. She could go the country, rock or pop route in the end and I have a feeling her vocal adaptability will help her go far in the game (much like one Kelly Clarkson in the first season). 3. Angie: you may wonder why she is not at the top of the list after all the producer and judges pimping plus some great performances. The reason is two-fold. First, her great performances plant her squarely at the piano on very similar yet great songs and second, she may end up skewing a little “too Christian” much like last season’s Colton Dixon who she covered last week. I don’t know if that’s type of artist she wants to be because she has the looks, talent, voice and personality to go all the way. We’ll see how she presents herself in the weeks ahead but arguably she’s the smart money choice as the season 12 winner. (But hey, I’m not always betting on smart money) 4. Amber: I think this beautiful girl has incredible untapped potential and could be the true dark horse to win. She has a great voice with a big range, is young, fun and relatable. Now, if she can just expand her song choices beyond Whitney and trust in her performances, she will be a true threat. 5. Burnell: he’s got the voice, the backstory (Katrina survivor! Weight loss!), and an infectious personality which will all help him in his quest to stop the ladies this season. If he does, he’d be the first African-American male winner since Ruben Studdard in season 2!!! … Now Burnell, please be smart about your song choices as you continue. More John Legend type songs, less female diva songs. Those will be sung by all your competitors anyway. 6. Paul: yes, he’s my favorite guy in the competition and yes, he’s had some shaky performances. However, he’s still incredibly likable, humble and possesses a very good voice. He’s also the only cute white guy in the race which will help him. And yes, it is time for a male-Carrie Underwood in the country pop world. So, as long as he believes in himself, relaxes and lets out true emotion in his performances, he could make the top five or more. 7. Devin: while I think he has easily the best male voice among the finalists, his personality hasn’t really popped yet. We know he has a beautiful vocal instrument and can shift seamlessly between English and Spanish. But what else can he do? 8. Janelle: the country girl we all thought would be assured a spot in the finals had a shaky road the last few weeks. However, her 3 season journey to get here, her lovely voice and affable demeanor have pushed her through. Now, if she can just pick the right song, stay away from the Carrie catalog, and nail a few performances, she could crack the top five. 9. Lazaro: ok, he is undeniably the most popular male in the race right now with a good story (He’s cute. He’s Cuban. He stutters and was bullied but has overcome!) However, he doesn’t seem like a true “artist” yet. He’s just singing well and doing songs that have been covered numerous times on Idol before. So, he needs to define who he wants to be as a pop star, embrace his special qualities, harness his confidence and really show us he’s a contender. Or else, he may be the front-runner who quickly becomes an also-ran (sniff sniff I miss you Pia!) 10. Curtis: let’s see how to I put this nicely? … Um, he has a really good voice… Yeah, that’s about it… This guy is obnoxious, arrogant, and entitled. We’ve seen his shtick many times before and done better, but with humility and grace (hello Joshua Ledet!)… I don’t think this worship leader has a prayer of winning in the competition.
And there you have it. The ladies have most of the buzz, but a few boys could be a surprise buzz kill. I can’t wait to see how they all hold up tomorrow night when they tackle the songs of former American Idol winners (both their post-Idol catalogs and any song they sang on the show). We’ll probably see a lot of Kelly, Carrie and Fantasia. But you Taylor Hicks and Lee Dewyze lovers (who?) are certainly going to be left wanting…. Now, tell me who your favorites are in the comments below and watch American Idol tomorrow night on Fox.
Grammy winner John Mayer and newly crowned American Idol winner Phillip Phillips share a lot in common. Both are attractive, guitar strumming, raspy voiced white guys, and now they’re both making waves on the Billboard Charts... Mayer lands his third # 1 album with his latest, Born and Raised, which sells 219,000 copies. Phillip’s compilation album from season 11 of American Idol debuts at # 11 while the combo-album from the season finale episode, American Idol Season 11: Top 2 Season Finale EP, featuring his competition (and the girl who should’ve won) Jessica Sanchez also debuts at # 21. Sanchez’s season competition album debuts way down at #126. Two other Idol contenders also hit the charts as season 10′s third place finisher Haley Reinhart barrels in at # 17 while season 8 champ Kris Allen disappoints with a # 27 debut for his sophomore album. He may have won that season but he has been upstaged time and again by that season’s runner-up Adam Lambert who hit # 1 with his sophomore album, Trespassing, last week…. For more on all these albums and the Billboard 200, head here and check out the new top ten below.
Top Ten Albums on the Billboard 200:
1. Born & Raised- John Mayer (debut)
2. 21- Adele (last week~ 2)
3. Blown Away- Carrie Underwood (lw~ 3)
4. Apocalyptic Love- Slash (debut)
5. Up All Night- One Direction (lw~ 10)
6. Tuskegee- Lionel Richie (lw~ 9)
7. The Hurt & the Healer- Mercy Me (debut)
8. Once Upon Another Time EP- Sara Bareilles (debut)
9. Now 42 Compilation- Various Artists (lw~ 6)
10. Little Broken Hearts- Norah Jones (lw~ 5)
And other American Idol contenders on the BB200 (along with Carrie Underwood above) ….
11. Journey to the Finale- Phillip Phillips (debut)
12. Trespassing- Adam Lambert (lw~ 1)
17. Listen Up! – Haley Reinhart (debut)
21. American Idol Season 11: Top 2 Season Finale EP- Phillip Phillps & Jessica Sanchez (debut)
27. Thank You Camellia- Kris Allen (debut)
33, Stronger- Kelly Clarkson * a former # 2 album that just passed 800,000 copies
73. Clear as Day- Scotty McCreery * a former # 1 album that has sold over 1 million copies
126. Journey to the Finale- Jessica Sanchez (debut)
Back on the Hot 100 SinglesChart, Philips also makes an auspicious debut as his coronation single “Home” hits the top ten debuting at # 10. This makes him the first Idol winner to hit the Hot 100 top ten with their coronation single since season 7′s David Cook. He also becomes the 13th Idol alum to hit the top ten on this chart following Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, Bo Bice, Taylor Hicks, Chris Daughtry, Jordin Sparks, David Cook,David Archuleta, and Adam Lambert…. Perhaps, I may have to eat my words about Phillips but I am still very skeptical that he will ever have any real pop hits with his upcoming debut album. That said, he’s off to a nice start. We’ll see how things turn out…. Holding onto # 1 is Gotye while Carly Rae Jepsen fights hard in the runner-up spot. For more on this chart, head to Billboard here.
Top Ten Singles on the Billboard Hot 100:
1. “Somebody that I Used to Know”- Gotye w/Kimbra (last week~ 1) * 7 weeks at # 1, the longest chart topper of 2012
2. “Call Me Maybe”- Carly Rae Jepsen (lw~ 2)
3. “Payphone”- Maroon 5 w/ Wiz Khalifa (lw~ 3)
4. “We Are Young”- fun. w/Janelle Monae (lw~ 4)
5. “Starships”- Nicki Minaj (lw~ 5)
6. “Wild Ones”- Flo Rida w/Sia (lw~ 6)
7. “What Makes You Beautiful”- One Direction (lw~ 7)
8. “Glad You Came”- The Wanted (lw~8)
9. “Boyfriend”- Justin Bieber (lw~ 9)
10. “Home”- Phillip Phillips (debut)
And here’s the lead off single from Mayer’s new album, “Shadow Days”
All the roof-raising, hootin’ and a-hollerin’, and heavenly wailing couldn’t save Joshua Ledet in a somewhat surprising elimination on last week’s American Idol. This talented singer who could burp and get a standing ovation from the judges, gave strong and often fantastic performances throughout season 11 and seemed like a shoo-in for the finale according to most prognosticators. Alas, it was not meant to be and Mantasia just missed the cut. But don’t fret Joshua fans, I’m sure Jimmy Iovine will give him a contract and he will carve out a nice little R&B and gospel career in time. I could see him have the latter-day success of both Idol winners Fantasia and Ruben Studdard who have maintained decent sales throughout their careers in the R&B field netting Grammy nominations (and 1 win for Fantasia) along the way. However, there was no way he was going to crossover and become a big pop star. Instead one of the two finalists might actually do that. One, Jessica Sanchez, clearly has giant pop star written all over her, while the other, Phillip Phillips, could whittle out a nice John Mayer-esque niche in the music world. So, just which one of these talented finalist has the big buzz going into this week’s finale? Well, just take a look at my final all new American Idol Buzz Rankings for Season 11 below.
American Idol Season 11 Top Two Buzz Rankings~
1. Phillip: while his growly singing style and his penchant for turning every song into a Dave Matthews tribute is not my cup of tea, he clearly has a giant fan base. He has never been in the bottom 2 vote-getters and he has tons of charisma. He also is a white guy with a guitar and those people (David Cook, Kris Allen, Lee Dewyze, Scotty McCreery) tend to win this program. He also had a standout performance last week with “We’ve Got Tonight” that pushed him outside of his boundaries and was lovely to behold. So, he may have picked up a few more fans because of that… Oh and he’s ridiculously hot. So, he has the edge going into the finale. However, will his performance be more of the same and thus cause voter inertia? … What am I thinking those tween girls and their moms will be mass texting like crazy. (last week~ 2) 2. Jessica: I was so thrilled and excited when she made the finals I let out a big yelp that scared my dog. I just couldn’t contain myself that the season’s best singer was actually going all the way to the finale. I was also thrilled that the girl many thought had the best chance for a female to win since season 6′s Jordin Sparks might break the boy curse. I still think she can do it. She has the vocal prowess and showmanship. She’s cute, likable and relatable. So, she just needs the right songs. Something current (Rihanna’s “Only Girl in the World” perhaps) to go with her favorite of the season (please do “I Will Always Love You”) and the winner’s single. I have such high hopes for her and know she will knock it out of the park. Plus, she makes history as the only person to have been “Saved” by the judges to make it this far. One other thing in her favor is that she will likely grab Joshua’s votes because I can’t see any of his fans preferring Phillip over her. (last week~ 1)
So, it’s all come down to the two singers I predicted would be in the finale back at the start of the Top 13. Jessica v. Phillip. I am pulling for Jessica as you know, but she does feel like the underdog. So, I will keep my expectations low and enjoy the show on Tuesday night… Who are you pulling for?
Before I leave, I thought I would leave Joshua a consolation prize… I have officially declared him the most talented third place finisher in the history of American Idol. Congrats Mantasia! … Herewith is my list of the third place Idol finishers according to their talent, vocal abilities, and performances.
Ranking the American Idol 3rd Place Finishers:
1. Joshua Ledet (season 11)
2. Melinda Doolittle (season 6)
3. Elliott Yamin (season 5)
4. Kimberley Locke (season 3)
5. Haley Reinhart (season 10)
~ all of the above five were fantastic… the next six… well… not so much
6. Syesha Mercado (season 7)
7. Casey James (season 9)
8. Vonzell Soloman (season 4)
9. Danny Gokey (season 8)
10. Jasmine Trias (season 3)
11. Nikki McKibbon (season 1)
And here’s Joshua’s standout vocal of the season, “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World”
After last week’s shocker almost-elimination of the season’s best vocalist and my favorite, Jessica Sanchez, it was clear tonight that all bets are off. Practically all the contestants stepped up their game or stepped out of their boxes. Luckily only one of them stepped in “it”, but it’s clear he ain’t goin’ home anytime soon. (More on Colton later…) So, it’s time to count down this week’s double dose of American Idol performances as the singers took on # 1 hits from the last decade and “Soul Classics”. Let’s see who did what and who just might hang on another week…
American Idol Season 11 Top 7 Performance Rankings 4/18/12
# 1 Hits from the Last Decade: ~ the great 1. Hollie: Um, hello, Hollie took on the Adele beast and she actually slayed it. Not only did she give her best performance to date on last year’s Grammy winning smash “Rolling in the Deep”, but she also made it her own. The opening a capella was brilliant and she was confident and composed throughout. She also finally let go. Great performance! 2. Skylar: maybe some people thought Lady Gaga’s country version of her 2010 # 1 “Born This Way” was a little odd, but in Skylar Laine’s capable hands, it was simply fantastic. This girl is a born performer and she owned this number. Plus, let’s be honest, she brings so much energy, joy and ferocious presence to the stage you can’t help but love her every time. It’s hard not to think of the finale without her at this point. 3. Joshua: Mantasia was totally inhabiting Fantasia on her chart topping Idol coronation song from 2004, and I loved it. The song fit him like a glove and his gospel-riffic performance was roof-raising without being cloying or copycat. Another good one from Mr. Ledet. 4. Jessica: taking on the song that has probably been sung more on Idol than any other, our new underdog fought hard and gave what I consider the best performance of the song on this show to date. Singing Alicia Keyes’ 2000 # 1 “Fallin’”, Jessica’s vocals were predictably glorious, but she also dug deep and really interpreted the song. This girl really should never have even been in the bottom three. I mean come on America! ~ the really good 5. Elise: it’s crazy that Elise’s lovely, charismatic and beautiful interpretation of Keyes’ 2007 Grammy winning chart topper is all the way down in 5th place. That just goes to show how good the top five songs in this genre were tonight. Elise’s vocals were great and she really communicated the song like the seasoned pro she is. Well done. ~ and now for the two clunkers 6. Colton: sorry, this rocking re-interpretation of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” from 2009 was just kind of weird. He was a little pitchy in parts and the arrangement never quite felt right. What was worse was that Colton was never convincing for one moment throughout the song. It was a bad way for him to start the night… and it only got worse for him from there… 7. Phillip: I have no idea why the judges gave that piece of crap performance a standing ovation. Poor Phillip utterly decimated Usher’s “U Got It Bad” from 2001. He stripped it of any meaning, growled like usual and just turned it into another unnecessary Dave Matthews Band knockoff. Blech.
Soul Classics ~ the great 1. Jessica: holy crap was that a fantastic interpretation of Otis Redding’s 1966 hit “Try a Little Tenderness”. Jessica sang the you know what out of it, had fun doing it and really fought for her place in this race. Outstanding.
~ the good 2. Phillip: ok, on this number I could see what ya’ll love about Mr. Growly Pants. When he smiles and the song fits him and he’s not screaming, he is incredibly charming. This performance of Wilson Pickett’s 1965 classic “In the Midnight Hour” was sublimely entertaining and the song fit his limited vocal range perfectly. It was his best effort in ages. 3. Hollie: um, hello Hollie delivered on both of her numbers this evening This little belter was letting us have it tonight and I loved it. She totally won me over on Dusty Springfield’s # 10 hit from 1968 “Son of a Preacher Man.” 4. Skylar: while it wasn’t a perfect fit for her, Skylar, none the less, sold the heck out of her version of Marvin Gaye’s # 1 smash from 1968 “I Heard it through the Grapevine”. She’s so good and so genuine that she can pretty much sing anything and make it feel like a Skylar Laine original. Another solid effort.
~the pretty good 5. Joshua: while nowhere near the brilliant version Adam Lambert did in season 8, Joshua’s take on Sam Cooke’s civil rights anthem from 1965 “A Change is Gonna Come” was quite assured. His voice sounded wonderful as usual, but did it feel like more of the same from Mr. Ledet or was it me? ~ the ok 6. Elise: unfortunately Elise’s perfectly passable version of Marvin Gaye’s 1973 # 1 classic “Let’s Get it On” fell short in comparison to her competitors other efforts tonight. Her vocals were fine and she seemed to be having a pretty good time singing it. However, it was a tad forgettable when all was said and done. ~ the atrocious 7. Colton: sorry even Colton’s precious Jesus would’ve hated skinny leg boy’s awful reinvention of Earth Wind and Fire’s # 8 hit from 1978 “September”. He basically turned the soul song into an anemic, pitchy and tuneless mess version of One Republic’s “Apologize” and completely stripped it of any soul whatsoever . While I give the guy credit for taking a page out of the David Cook/Adam Lambert playbook by taking serious risk, unfortunately this one tanked…. And it tanked big time.
Predictions~ Bottom 3: Elise, Joshua, Hollie (but Jessica and Colton might show up here too… things are getting crazy this season!) Bottom 2: Elise, Joshua Going Home: Elise
So according to my crazy tea leaves, it looks like Elise Testone’s roller coaster American Idol journey may finally be coming to an end tomorrow. But as you might guess, my predictions haven’t been to spot on this season, lol. So, will she last another week? Will Colton finally make a (very deserving) appearance in the bottom three? Did Jessica galvanize her fan base or did Hollie steal her voters? Find out tomorrow night on American Idol.
Well, thank goodness Uncle Nigel (Idol Exec. Producer Nigel Lythgoe) listened to the fans and gave us a current theme for once because tonight American Idol took on the songs from this decade and it was fantastic. With only 2 and 1/3 years of material to choose from, it could have gone either way. However, this years incredibly talented top 7 (the best top 7 ever???) did a wonderful job on these modern hits. (Well most of them anyway). It was perhaps the best performance show ever, and definitely of the season. So, just who stood out the most and who fell short? Take a look at my rankings and predictions below.
American Idol Season 11 Top 7 Performance Rankings~ 4/11/12
~ The Great 1. Jessica: our youngest competitor is also perhaps our most savvy. She knocks it out of the park every week no matter the genre (hello shades of Kelly Clarkson). And this week, she does a song that was a minor R&B hit for Jazmine Sullivan, but damn if she didn’t make me run to iTunes and buy her version of “Stuttering” as soon as the show ended. This girl is a superstar, a hit maker, and a brilliant vocalist. And how about that outfit? Girl better win this thing! 2. Joshua: Mantasia got a shout out from Fantasia even before he performed Bruno Mars’ “Runaway Baby, but he certainly earned it. It was another flawless vocal and an incredibly enthusiastic and energetic performance. He is a born entertainer and the best guy in the competition by a mile. 3. Skylar: keeping up her momentum from last week, our country spitfire gave a blazing performance on former IdolKellie Pickler’s hit ballad from 2010 “Didn’t You Know How Much I Love You”. I dare say it improved on the original. Her emotion and intonation were perfect, and hello, she played the guitar too! Skylar is a fierce competitor, not to mention a great singer. She is soooo getting a record deal regardless of where she places when all is said and done this season. 4. Elise: improving ten fold from last week, Elise delivered a soaring version of Lady Gaga’s top ten smash from last year, “You and I”. While it wasn’t as good as Haley Reinhart’s incredible performance of the song from last year, it was still fantastic. I especially loved the beginning with just Elise and the piano. I sure hope the audience embraces her again and keeps her in the race.
~ the good 5. Hollie: I don’t know what the judges were babbling about because Hollie did a wonderful job on Pink’s Grammy nominated top ten smash from last year “Perfect”. It was her best performance since Whitney Houston week when the finals began. Her vocals sounded wonderful and she had more confidence than she’s had in ages. I just wish she had connected a tad more to the lyrics. All in all, it was a job well done. But was it enough to keep her in the game? I’m not sure. 6. Colton: I’m a little surprised I have him ranked so low because I really liked his performance of Skylar Grey’s “Love the Way You Lie”. (You probably know the Grammy winning # 1 hit version of the song by Rihanna and Eminem by the way). He was vulnerable and gave a really strong spin on the song. In fact, it probably would be a great recording for him. The only drawback is that it became a little forgettable compared to the others tonight.
~ the blah 7. Phillip: oh dear, sweet Southern charmer Phillip… Why oh why must you turn every song into a Dave Matthews track? J Lo was dead on when she said she’d seen that performance before. Um, hello, because he does pretty much the same thing week after week. And his take on Maroon 5′s “Give A Little More” was nothing new and far inferior to the original. If there was any justice, his growling on the show would come to an end tomorrow night. Sorry people, he’s a great guy, but that aint gonna cut it anymore.
The Duets/Group Numbers:
1. Joshua/Jessica/Hollie: despite a little shaky start, this trio sold the crap out of Kelly Clarkson’s recent # 1 smash “Stronger”. Their big powerhouse vocals fit the song well, and I wasn’t sure if Joshua could do a pop anthem. However, he totally did. In fact, I agree with Randy that he may have stolen the number from the ladies. 2. Colton/Skylar: I’m not sure why the judges didn’t love this. It was a wonderful interpretation of Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean’s ACM and CMA Award winning, Grammy nominated, # 1 country smash “Don’t You Wanna Stay”… No, it wasn’t as good as the original, but it was still pretty darn good. (It was also a whole lot better than the version Lauren and Scotty did last year). 3. Elise/Phillip: taking on Gotye & Kimbra’s current # 2 hit “Somebody that I Used to Know”, this duo did an admirable job. But let’s be honest, Elise did all the heavy lifting and totally served Phillip on the number. In his defense, it was out of his wheelhouse, but he didn’t need to look so uncomfortable throughout. That said, I kinda liked their spooky chemistry. Unfortunately, it paled compared to their great collaboration from last week.
Predicitions~
Bottom 3: Hollie, Elise, Phillip (but Skylar and Colton might show up too) Bottom 2: Hollie, Phillip Going Home: Hollie (but it really should be Philip)
So, Idol producers, you better have taken notes tonight. Doing a current theme can work wonders for your show! And I bet your Idol download sales are probably soaring this week too…. Now, the question is how will America vote? Despite an improved performance, I still think Hollie is in big trouble. But will we see a surprise elimination instead? Or will the judges finally use their “Save”? Are we heading to a Joshua v. Jessica finale? Can Colton or Skylar break into the top two? Did Phillip finally make a misstep that could cost him big? Watch the results show tomorrow night and find out. And let me know your thoughts below.
Tonight, American Idol really gets down to business as the Top 12 boys (well, 13 because apparently there’s going to be a surprise wild card pick) perform live for the first time. Tomorrow, the top 12 girls sing and Thursday we will have our first results show. This is when the show really gets good if you ask me, and the talent looks very strong this year. My early favorites are Jessica Sanchez and Creighton Fraker. For more on all of this year’s contenders, head to mjsbigbloghere.… Now, looking back at the best American Idol contestants of all time, my favorites are in order:
1. Kelly Clarkson
2. Carrie Underwood
3. Adam Lambert
4. Jennifer Hudson
5. Carly Smithson
Each of them has had great success, (Ok, Carly is just the lead singer of the Evanescence left over band We Are the Fallen, but hey she’s had a top 40 album with them!) and won or been nominated for big awards. With that said, Billboard is counting down the most successful Idol alumni according to sales, radio airplay, download track sales, and streaming plays etc which make up their charts. (Remember this is only for domestic tracking, so the worldwide success of Lambert, Clarkson, and David Arhculeta doesn’t count here). And I’ve got the list for you below. For all the stats, head to Billboard here. Take a look and let me know who your faves are as well.
Billboard’s Top 24 American Idols of All Time:
24. Crystal Bowersox (2nd place, season 9)
23. Kimberley Locke (3rd place, season 2)
22. Lauren Alaina (2nd place, season 10)
21. Blake Lewis (2nd place, season 6)
20. Bucky Covington (8th place, season 5)
19. Katharine McPhee (2nd place, season 5…. but hey she’s a TV and movie star now. Hello, I love Smash!)
18. Bo Bice (2nd place, season 4)
17. Taylor Hicks (winner, season 5)
16. Josh Gracin (4th place, season 2)
15. Scotty McCreery (winner, season 10)
14. Kellie Pickler (6th place, season 5)
13. Elliott Yamin (3rd place, season 5)
12. Kris Allen (winner, season 8)
11. David Archuleta (2nd place, season 7)
10. Jennifer Hudson (7th place, season 3…. but um, she has an Oscar, a Grammy, a Golden Globe, a SAG Award, BET, Image Awards, the list goes on and on…. So there!)
9. Adam lambert (2nd place, season 8)
8. Ruben Studdard (winner, season 2)
7. David Cook (winner, season 7)
6. Fantasia (winner, season 3)
5. Clay Aiken (2nd place, season 2)
4. Jordin Sparks (winner, season 6… and soon to be seen in Sparkle, her film debut starring the late great Whitney Houston)
3. Chris Daughtry (4th place, season 5)
2. Carrie Underwood (winner, season 4)
1. Kelly Clarkson (winner, season 1)
And just because she’s amazing, please enjoy Kelly’s current # 1 smash “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”
Is Kris Allen the next big dance club star???? I know it sounds like a silly question, but it could happen. With the just released remix of his new single, “Vision of Love”, we could see him flying up the dance charts alongside Madonna and Rihanna. He wouldn’t be the first American Idol to scale this chart as Jennifer Hudson, Kimberly Caldwell, Fantasia and Adam Lambert have all had big club hits while season 2′s Kimberley Locke has become an official club diva with # 1 dance hits like “Change” and “Fall”. Our first Idol, Kelly Clarkson, has also had tons of dance hits with remixes of her pop smashes and is currently in the top 15 of the dance chart with “Stronger”. So, Allen would fit in nicely. It’s just a strange fit for this soulful rocker whose music leans more towards John Mayer than Kylie Minogue. But take a listen to this awesome remix below and I doubt you can deny his grooves. If this is a taste of his new music, he may have a second chance at success with his sophomore album due this spring. (And yes, that pits him against Lambert again whose second disc is due in March. We’ll see if he can better his last showing which had his debut selling around 300,000 copies compared to Lambert’s 800,000 copies). For more on Allen’s new music, head to his site hereand let me know if you love his dance mix below.
Kris Allen “Vision of Love” (Maison & Dragen emac edit)
