Something crazy happened on the American Idolresults show last night…. A guy went home!… Not only that, the guy who should’ve gone home, Paul McDonald, was actually the one who got the boot. Well done America! … It was a shocking dose of sanity from the show that went bats%$t bonkers last week and booted the BEST singer in the competition Pia Toscano. (Yes, I still haven’t gotten over it)…. Well, at least it seems like things are on the right track again. Hopefully, we will continue to see some guys leave as we march to what will likely be a Scotty/James/Lauren top 3… However, our other contestants will be fighting hard to make it to the upper regions. So, just how are they doing? Well, let’s take a look at my completely unscientific and sometimes totally wonky American Idol Power Rankings.
2011 American Idol Top 7 Power Rankings: 1. Scotty: even with a sleep inducing performance on Wed night, the teen heart-throb still won over audiences and remains in the pole position for a second week. I wonder if there are any chinks in his armor? He can do the same thing again and again and still get praised for it by the increasingly lazy judges and the tweens are crazy for him. However, if he does another lackluster perf like the duet on the results show with Lauren who absolutely schooled him on “American Honey”, he’ll have to step up his game. For now though, he remains the country boy wonder. (last week~ 1) 2. Lauren: with arguably the best vocal of the week, Lauren even made me enjoy a Miley Cyrus track. She remains affable, humble and full of personality. Now, she needs to holster her confidence and blow everyone out of the water like we know she can. I think she’s the only girl who wont avoid the “Female Curse” this season and soldier on to the finale…. granted I kinda thought Pia would do that too… (lw~ 3) 3. James: with an over the top metal head performance this week, James was in his zone. But was it a little too indulgent and did he rely too much on the guitarist and the pyrotechnics? Possibly… He does have a great voice and remarkable stage presence, so if he can fine tune it all and give an authentic vocal along with the fireworks, he could challenge the country teen twosome for a spot in the finale. (lw~ 2) 4. Casey: Apparently America was smokin’ whatever crack the judges were hopped up on Wednesday night because despite a horrendous performance, Fozzy Bear wasn’t even in the bottom three. I guess kudos are merited for his musicianship. That said, the growly vocals and annoying faces and indulgent song choices wont send him to the Nokia in May. He needs to get current ASAP. (lw~ 5) 5. Haley: sure she was pretty bad on Wed and she landed in the bottom three again. However, she wasn’t in the bottom two and I think people are starting to feel an underdog warmth towards her. If only she could perform like she did on the jazzy duet from the results show every week. That was her best performance and vocal to date! (lw~ 4) 6. Stefano: yes, he was in danger of leaving AGAIN. But he didn’t, and he gave the best performance of the week on Wed night. So, I think he can still keep on trucking. America just needs to pull their heads out and realize he’s a Bruno Mars in the making! Hopefully he’ll have a few more lives and make it to the top 5. (lw~ 7) 7. Jacob: now Jacob was not even in the bottom three this week, so you may wonder why he’s at the bottom of the Power list. Well, I think it’s because he is perilously close to the edge and has lost his likablitiy factor (The sulking this week was not attractive). If he bombs he’ll be headed home. But if he can reign in the attitude and posturing and give a pure contained emotional vocal (that he’s capable of), he might hang on. (lw~8)
There they are, the seven wonders in this season’s Idol world. Who would’ve thunk Haley, Jacob, and Casey would all be here but not Pia? (yeah, I didn’t mention Paul, hehe)… We will see how well they all hold up next week when the them is “Songs of the 21st Century”. I think that could bode well for Stefano and Lauren as the most contemporary of our current Idols too…. Whether any of them become as successful as Idol’s first winner, the amazing Grammy winner Kelly Clarkson remains to be seen. But you can have some Kelly right now! She returned to the Idol stage last night to perform her awesome smash duet “Don’t You Wanna Stay” with Jason Aldean and brought down the house as usual. Enjoy Kelly below and watch Idol next Wednesday on Fox.
Kelly Clarkson & Jason Aldean “Don’t You Wanna Stay” (live on American Idol)
After such a great week last week when the American Idol took on the music of the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, there was nowhere for them to go but down. However, who knew the “Music of the Movies” would send many of them crashing to the ground like all the Hollywood bombs of this season (ahem, Your Highness anyone?) It was truly a disappointing night with only 3 of the singers giving good performances and the judges clearly lost in the glow of Jennifer Lopez being named the “Most Beautiful Woman on the Planet” by People magazine because their ridiculous overpraising reached new Ellen-size heights. What’s more is I went to the live taping and then watched it back on TV and, um, neither was better. They both kinda sucked. And this comes from a huge Idol fan as ya’ll know… It also really made me miss my beloved Pia Toscano again. She would’ve slayed the competition on “Somewhere” from West Side Story. Alas, we got treated to serious metal dreckitude and jazzy junk. Oh and don’t get me started on how loosely they went with the theme tonight. Hello “Bridge Over Troubled Water” from The Pursuit of Happyness? Um, no. The song is a classic from the 60′s. That movie had nothing to do with it… In fact, only a couple of the songs were actually written for the movies they came from and one of those was the Miley track. Oy vey! … Now, before I just start complaining, let’s get to the ranking and predictions that you’re here for in the first place.
American Idol Performance Rankings 4/13/11: ~ the three good ones 1. Stefano: taking on Boyz II Men’s massive # 1 smash from 1992′s Boomerang, Stefano made a strong case for remaining in the competition. He had the best vocal of the night and a great connection to the song and the audience. It was a perfect fit and it was even better at the live studio. He also got the biggest response from the crowd and deservedly so. I think he maybe be putting his days in the bottom 3 behind him. 2. Lauren: my new favorite singer in the competition (sniff sniff Pia) did something amazing last night. She made me like a Miley Cyrus song. Heck I might even buy it. She was that good on a beautiful performance of “The Climb”, a top ten hit from the 2009′s Hannah Montana The Movie. The song fit Lauren like a glove and she clearly has the best voice left in the race. Now, if ya’ll would just vote for a girl please! 3. Jacob: ok, so his song had nothing to do with the movie it was “from”, but regardless Jacob gave a wonderful performance on Simon and Garfunkel’s iconic “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. He was restrained in parts and really imbued the song with emotion and conviction. He also seemed a bit humbled by Jimmy Iovine’s comments and his appearance in the bottom last week. All of that played into his performance tonight and hopefully will keep him more grounded if he stays around in the weeks ahead.
~two that weren’t terrible… 4. James: our resident rocker rocked the house like a crazy person on Sammy Hagar’s “Heavy Metal” from 1981′s Heavy Metal. It was a very entertaining performance, but let’s be honest. It was all about the guest guitarist and his vocals were lost on this terrible song that lacked any melody. (And that’s no diss to metal~ James just could’ve picked a better song). At least it kept us awake, unlike the next singer’s song… 5. Scotty: sure his voice sounded great on “Cross My Heart” the George Strait track from 1992′s Pure Country. However, it was such a boring and route performance that I could’ve used it instead of a Lunesta for my sleep issues. Ok, it wasn’t that bad, but Scotty is just capable of so much more. (Oh and the audience shrieks for him at the taping were big but not as big as I thought they’d be considering he’s the tween heart throb of the season).
~three for the road 6. Haley: you know it’s bad when Haley’s awkward and downright irritating performance of Blondie’s #1
“Call Me” from 1980′s American Gigolo wasn’t the worst of the night. Discarding the goodwill and forward momentum of her last two strong performances, Haley fell right back into the affected and inauthentic territory she has mined for most of the competition. And girl is gonna be in trouble because of it. 7. Paul: first let me say this~ Paul needs to eat a sandwich. OMG, he was skinnier in person than Kate Moss circa ’94! Now, aside from that, he was pretty bad. His jerky karaoke drunk uncle performance of Bob Segar’s “Old Time Rock n Roll” from Risky Business was just lame. I’ve said it before Paul is just not made for the Idol stage. 8. Casey: what on Earth was Fozzy Bear thinking doing a jazzy jaunt like “Nature Boy” which Nat King Cole performed for the film The Boy with the Green Hair from 1948? (You may know the song from Ewan MacGregor’s performance of it in the best movie ever Moulin Rouge, but I digress). Casey was all kinds of wrong with this annoying performance. It was calculated, boring and just wrong. Yes, he’s a talented musician. But he belongs in a coffee shop or at a jazz convention. This was not a song nor a performance for Idol. I have no idea what Paula juice the judges were drinking because how they loved that is beyond me. Oh and the audience in the taping really felt like they were forced to applaud so much for it… I think America just wont get it or like it and I totally understand.
Well, there are my ranking and predictions for arguably the worst performance night of the finals. While it was a lot of fun to watch it live, it was a bummer that it was such an off night. At least we got to see Katy Perry and Kanye West perform “E.T.” after the show. (That performance will air during next week’s results show)…. Anywho, I hope viewers listend to J Lo encouraging them to keep the girls and it will be finally time for a guy to go home. Hey, if they took Paul AND Casey, I’d be fine with it. (I’m sure a few of you will disagree with that, lol). But time will tell til the results tonight which will also feature a performance by Rihanna and the best Idol ever Kelly Clarkson who will sing her current country #1 smash “Don’t You Wanna Stay” with Jason Aldean that is crossing over to the pop charts as we speak… Oh and one other note~ why was Steven Tyler wearing a blouse from the Blanche Devereaux collection last night?
So, where do I even begin this post? I mean I’m still in shock and fuming with irrational anger about the WORST ELIMINATION IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN IDOL last night. The ridiculously early and incredibly wrong exit of the BEST vocalist and my opinion most talented contestant, the lovely and gracious Pia Toscano has just left me dumbfounded. And judging by the reaction of the judges, the contestants, the audience at the show and the blogosphere, everyone is pretty much in shock and upset too. How on Earth did Pia get the boot over hot messes like Haley and Paul or rising egomaniacs like Jacob and Scotty? (ok, yeah, Scotty’s as Miley would say is ”pretty cool”, but I digress)… It just makes no sense… I suppose we can chalk it up to several factors:
1. People thought she was safe
2. The Tween girl vote is out of control and will never vote for another woman
3. The people who really supported and identified with Pia are non-voters (this is a big one)
4. The judges never gave her criticism to help the viewing public know they should vote for her
5. Guys seem to only win Idol now that it seems to have become a Teen boy Idol pin-up competition (oh dear, look out for Scotty)
6. America is just stupid
I mean I could go on and on… but instead, I will try to be positive. Pia will certainly get a record deal and will outsell probably all of these other finalists. Plus, she won’t have to deal with the “Idol” winner label and possibly the constraints of an immediate contract with 19 Media. (She was even spotted at the Warner Bros/Elektra music offices today~ shopping for a deal por favor?!!) Plus, she has an incredible support system. Just head to this link for the outrage her fellow Idols and other big names associated with the show tweeted last night…. And now, she can also claim the title of the singer with the worst early elimination from American Idol. Yes, it was more distressing than Jennifer Hudson (who left in seventh and was never seen as a front-runner in her season~ though she should have been), Tamyra Gray (who everyone thought would go head to head with Kelly Clarkson for the season 1 title but ended up in 4th) and Chris Daughtry (who was unceremoniously booted at 4th position when he was clearly the one to beat in season 5)… All in all, I still want to scream and emotion eat til the end of the season… However, I will now be putting all my personal allegiance behind another lady, the person with the second best voice in the competition, Lauren Alaina. Whether she has a chance in the Idol boys club remains to be seen…. But let’s see where I deem her position in this week’s totally unscientific and likely totally wrong updated Power List…
American Idol Top 8 Power List 2011: 1. Scotty: is he just destined to become the fourth male winner in a row and the first country male winner? It seems very likely. He has the insane tween girl vote who scream at him like he’s the second coming of the Beatles (ahem, they’re that group that pretty much created popular music people). He also is very charismatic and a genuinely good singer and performer. Plus he’s a teenager and from the South~ all things that the massive Idol voting base loves. (last week~ 3) 2. James: showcasing his vulnerable side yet still maintaining his edge, James keeps looking like a strong contender to steal the crown. He’s playing the game well and he has that whole Tourette’s/I have a baby/I’m poor back story to help in his quest. Sure, that sounds petty, but it’s true. And it takes nothing away from his talent which is quite good. (lw~ 4) 3. Lauren: does she have a prayer? Well, she certainly deserves a spot in the finale with her winning personality, gorgeous vocals and imminent likability. However, she needs more standout performances to ascend to the top and take out the boys. I do think she will be the one person to benefit most from Pia’s ouster, especially if people want a girl to win. (lw~ 1) 4. Haley: she had her best week to date on Wed night and is riding some strong momentum. Sure, she’s still super annoying and awkward on stage, but apparently, people are starting to connect with her. She’s avoided the top 5 and maybe the audience will be rooting for her to hang on and represent for the girls. (lw~8) 5. Casey: he avoided the bottom three despite a rather forgettable performance. The guy who the judges wasted their save on better step it up and prove he deserves to be here over Pia dammit! Oooh, I just got angry again. Sorry Casey, that was more directed at the judges… Nonetheless, he’s a fun guy with unique talent. He just needs to wow us and soon. (lw~ 7) 6. Paul: it pains me to put this guy so high on the list, but it seems like a lot of Idol voters are smoking crack and just love them some Paul. Yes, he’s a cool guy~ I’ve said it before. BUT HE IS A CRAPPY SINGER compared to the rest of the finalists. Uh oh, looks like I’m getting moody again… Paul better wow us too or else the goodwill he grabbed from his “best yet” perf on Wed night will be gone like Pia’s gorgeous glory notes. (lw~ 9) 7. Stefano: you could see in his face that he felt he should’ve gone home instead of Pia and bless him for that honesty and vulnerability. The audience seems to constantly waver on this guy who I think has great pipes and potential. I hope he outlasts several of the other competitors, but he may be on fumes at this point. (lw~ 6) 8. Jacob: ok, first, Jacob needs to pull his head out of his you know what and shut his big trap. His interview packages are painting him in a very unflattering light and this is coming from someone (ME!) who has been a big Jacob supporter thus far. He has an incredible voice and is growing as a performer learning restraint and connecting with the audience better. But the ego is getting out of control. Don’t be drinkin your own Kool Aid just yet mister cuz if I’m starting to sour on you, you’s in trouble gurl. (lw~5)
And there you have it… That’s my brand new Power List and it still fills me with disgust that Pia is nowhere on the list. It’s just unbelievable… I don’t know how to move on really. I mean we are going to miss her singing “Somewhere” from West Side Story on next week’s show where the singers tackle the Music of the Movies. It’s such a shame, but I guess I need to get a grip. I mean Pia is handling it well. What’s wrong with me? … Ok, don’t answer that, lol… Instead, why don’t you let me know your thoughts on who still has the power in the competition. And how do you feel about Pia’s incredibly premature elimination. And do you hope the judges are feeling super guilty about wasting their save on Casey like I am? Sound off below.
Oh, and let’s just have another slice of Ms. Toscano before we go… Here’s her amazing performance of “I’ll Stand By You” that first won us over a month and a half ago.
Another two bit the dust last night with a big double elimination on American Idol and just as I predicted we lost cute but boring pageant singer Thia and exotic and interesting, but also really pitchy Naima. What may have come a surprise to some is that Paul landed in the bottom three as well, and I say “it’s about time!”… I think America has finally realized Paul is not really suited for the title of American Idol. In fact, his days are numbered and with only three women left, I think some of the boys will be biting the bullet in the next few weeks… So, who has the power to stick around to the end? Take a look at my all new utterly unscientific American Idol season ten Power rankings below.
American Idol Top 9 Power Rankings 1. Lauren: delivering on her early promise from the beginning of the season, Lauren finally stepped up to the plate this week with her gorgeous “Candle in the Wind” performance. If she keeps up with this trajectory, she may well make it to the end like the two Idols she’s most compared to: Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. (last week~ 3) 2. Pia: falling a notch out of the top spot for the first time in ages, Pia is still going strong with flawless vocals and perfect performances. Now, she really needs to shake it up and show her versatility to return to the top. (lw~ 1) 3. Scotty: the country boy survived going first on Elton John night easily and you might say there’s no stopping him from hitting the top five… or higher. (lw~ 5) 4. James: the rocker went way over the top with his performance on Wednesday as if he was already headlining an arena. Sure it was super fun, but he hasn’t quite earned those stripes yet. I wonder if he could be a shocking early elimination if people just assume his strong pipes and on stage antics will keep him safe? (lw~ 2) 5. Jacob: reigning in the diva ticks that he loves to display, Jacob gave his most emotionally resonant performance since he made the top 24 and remains a solid bet to hold on for a while in the competition. (lw~ 4) 6. Stefano: stepping up a couple of spots this week, Stefano made up some more ground with his good performance of “Tiny Dancer” that showed his strong controlled vocals. He is the most current of all our male contestants but needs another breakout performance. (lw~8) 7. Casey: giving his best performance in weeks, Casey proved why he was saved by the judges. However, it wasn’t one that will win him new fans or take him to the finals. He still has a lot to prove if you ask me. (lw~ 9) 8. Haley: Ok, this girl is determined to drive me nuts for the duration apparently because America kept her safe after the judges praised another dreadful affected and obnoxious performance this week. Seriously, when will ya’ll wake up and see she ain’t all that and a bag of chips? (lw~ 11) 9. Paul: rasping Bradley Cooper 2.0 fell hard on the chopping block last night showing some serious vulnerability in the competition that has been long overdue. If he doesn’t pull out a show stopper next week, he’s a goner. (lw~ 6)
And there ya have it~ my latest all new power rankings. Paul takes a tumble. Lauren rises to the top and Haley confounds me yet again… Where did your favorites land? And how do you think they will fare next week when the singers take on “Songs from the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame” next week? Sound off below.
And here’s a little treat for ya before you go. Enjoy Season 3 winner Fantasia, whose also a recent first time Grammy winner, with her great performance of her new single “Collared Greens and Cornbread” from last night’s result’ show below.
Holy crap, American Idol actually had a shocking and totally suspenseful results show last night. Not only did it feature the surprise ouster/save of previous front-runner Casey Abrams, but we also had amazing live performances from Jennifer Hudson, Sugarland, a surprise from Stevie Wonder and an appearance by the Hulk (Hogan, that is). I swear, the only thing that might’ve made you want to fast forward was the Ford commercial. Yes, even the opening group number (“River Deep Mountain High”) was pretty good, and hoorah, they’re still singing live on those! … I’m still a bit shocked that Casey was in the bottom three along with Stefano and Thia. The bigger surprise is that the annoying Haley made it thru before the three of them. However, when Casey was announced as the lowest vote getter (over Stefano), I nearly spit out my Diet Coke. Now, yes, I like Stefano better than Casey, but this was truly a shocker America! … I wasn’t so shocked that our illustrious judges quickly cut off his “Sing for his Life” moment and easily announced they’d save him. But it was some great television and was anyone else concerned that Casey was having a heart attack?! Thank goodness he wasn’t… And now, he can see how he ranks in my all NEW Top 11 Power Rankings. Check them out below.
My American Idol Top 11 Power Rankings (all new style) 1. Pia: my personal favorite maintains her position at the top of the list with another fantastic performance. Her vocals are simply flawless, plus she just looks and acts like a star. Now, if she shows some versatility with an upbeat number next week, she’ll continue increase her lead. (last week~ 1) 2. James: the rollicking rocker and wrestling lover sails back up to the on deck position after his fantastic “Living For the City” perf. He becomes more fun and likable every week and could be a serious challenger for the title. I certainly wasn’t thinking that a few weeks ago. (lw~ 5) 3. Lauren: the lady who we all thought was most likely to win before the top 24 started has regained that mojo and moves back up the chart a notch. She has grown vocally for the past two weeks showcasing more confidence and the sass that we loved when we first saw her. (lw~ 4) 4. Jacob: with a gigantic performance that brought the audience to its feet, Jacob ruled Motown week and moves back up the list. Could he be the next Ruben Studdard or will he end up the next George Huff ~who wound up in 5th place in season 3… but hey, he’s Jen Hud’s backup singer now! (lw~ 6) 5. Scotty: with a surprisingly good performance this week in a theme totally outside of his wheel house, Scotty acquitted himself nicely and looks a solid bet to remain in the top five or higher for the rest of the competition. (lw~ 3) 6. Paul: ok, I don’t really get the appeal of his voice, but he clearly has a following. He’s also a fun good-looking fella who I’m sure the ladies love. If he can keep giving these lackluster performances and remain safe, I’m confident he could end up midpack when all is said and done. (lw~ 9) 7. Naima: arguably the most exciting singer in this top 11, Naima continues to march to a different drummer (or drummers as she did on Wed) and give us interesting interpretations of each song. She clearly has a strong artistic voice and I’m thrilled she’s still hanging on. (lw~ 10) 8. Stefano: oh dear did my fave male singer take a tumble this week. His “Hello” apparently left viewers wanting to say “goodbye” as he barely escaped elimination. Mr. Langone needs to step it up quick next week and reclaim his former glory. (lw~ 2) 9. Casey: well, we all can see that Casey is no longer a likely contender for the crown as he was psuedo-eliminated this week. I’m glad he was saved as he deserves to hang on for a few weeks and is a unique talent. The question is how far can he go now that we know this likable yet strange guy is on shaky ground. (lw~ 7) 10. Thia: despite giving her best performance to date, Thia remains a perennial bottom three dweller. I highly doubt that will change. The question is just where will she land when all is said and done… at # 9, 10 or 11th place… (lw~8) 11. Haley: seriously, America, you didn’t even put this mess in the bottom 3 this week? What are you thinking??? Well, I still say she’s on borrowed time and will surely get the boot next week. (lw~ 11)
There you have it, my updated Idol Power Rankings! As you can see, Pia remains my pick to win (both because I want her to and because I think she will at this point) and Haley, Thia and Casey have their work cut out for them. We’ll see if any of them can turn it around next week when the singers tackle the songs of Elton John! And they better bring it because it will be a big double elimination (at least all 11 will get to tour though)… Oh and Idol contestants, if you wanna stay in the competition, just sing like J Hud below. She’s amazeballs as the kids say…
Jennifer Hudson “Where You At?” (live on American Idol 3/24/11)
The judges weren’t too proud to beg and the contestants were more than happy to give them what they wanted on last night’s American Idol as the singers took on the music of Motown. This classic genre provided just the boost that our contenders needed as nearly all of them delivered very strong performances and several front-runners proved their mettle. We also saw what will likely be the end of my least fave contestant, plus lots of cooky Ryan moments (um, Gordon Ramsey from Hell’s Kitchen dissing Stefano’s mom’s cooking~ awkward), Steven Tyler making up new English phrases again and J Lo taking center stage as the best, most coherent judge with the smartest criticism. With all that said, it’s time to rank tonight’s tributes to the golden age of Motown…
American Idol Performance Rankings 3/23/11 1. Jacob: reining in his gigantic voice for an incredibly beautiful (Steven Tyler’s favorite word) and passionate performance, Jacob nailed Marvin Gaye’s 1968 # 7 hit ”You’re All I Need to Get By” and grabbed the top of my leader board for the first time. His performance was fantastic and his vocals were perfection. He even got a standing “O” from the audience and Mr. Tyler, his mom and the whole front row ran up to condragulate, er um, congratulate him. Jenny from the block said it right that “you make us beg” as we just couldn’t get enough of that song. 2. Pia: a close second to Jacob because of her pure and perfect vocals, the best singer in the competition delivered the 1973 classic “All in Love is Fair” (later made famous by Barbra Streisand) with confidence and commitment. She also looked damn sexy and like the judges said, she can be the next Celine. However, unlike them, I could care less if she keeps singing ballads. Me likey some Pia ballads!!! 3. James: with his 3rd strong performance in a row, our resident rocker slayed Stevie Wonder’s # 8 from 1973 ”Living for the City” and made it contemporary and electric. It’s pretty shocking to me how much he has become a contender for the title when just a few weeks ago he was seen as Adam Lambert lite with a bit of an unlikable personality. Well done James! 4. Lauren: our country cutie came roaring onto the stage last night with a gorgeous, sexy and fun version of the Supreme’s # 1 from 1968 “You Keep Me Hangin’ On”. Her vocals were effortless and flawless and she finally was rocking some great style. Looks like Lauren is seriously back in the race. 5. Scotty: who knew this country kid would survive Motown night, let alone give us a shockingly good version of Stevie Wonder’s 1968 # 2 “For Once in My Life”. This is a song that has been done to death on the Idol stage, but Scotty gave us a country version that transcended the others and played right into his strengths… One note for Scotty~ I see a little cockiness and arrogance attempting to break through. Squash that now and you’ll sail into the top 5. 6. Stefano: after a couple of weeks of fantastic performances, Stefano came down to Earth with a nice if not amazing interpretation of Lionel Richie’s 1984 #1 smash “Hello”. His vocals were lovely (after a shaky start) and he remains a consummate performer. However, the judges were right that he needs to work on his connection to the audience and a stronger interpretation of the lyrics. He also might’ve done better had he not chosen a song David Cook literally slayed a few seasons back. That said, Stefano remains one of my faves in the competition. 7. Naima: arguably the most interesting singer in the competition, Naima took us to Africa with her fascinating and fun version of Martha and the Vandellas’ # 2 hit from 1964 “Dancing in the Streets”. Her vocals were a vast improvement over the previous weeks and she continues to make me excited about what she might do next. She is definitely someone who should make the tour. I just wonder if America is as intrigued by her as I am. 8. Thia: holy heck, out little teen princess broke out of her shell and gave her best performance to date on Martha and the Vandellas’ “Heatwave”. Her voice never sounded better and she showed some personality for once. However, is it too little too late? 9. Paul: well, I’ll say this~ Paul was a million times better last night on Smokey Robinson’s “The Tracks of My Tears” than the previous three weeks…. But, I’m still not drinking his Kool Aid. Yes, he’s a cool guy and has a cool voice, but this performance was just ok. I really think he just needs a band and a forum outside of Idol that would suit him better. And one more thing, as my roommate mentioned last night: “Is it me or does Paul sound like Cartman from South Park when he sings?” hehe. 10. Casey: speaking of not drinking his Kool Aid, I’m almost cancelling my tickets for the Casey caravan after his boring, forced and lackluster performance of Marvin Gaye’s # 1 from 1968 “I Heard it from the Grapevine”. Now, it wasn’t especially bad, but he can do so much better. I’m also afraid he’s veering into Taylor Hicks territory (for me) and that’s not a good thing. I look forward to him making me eat those words. 11. Haley: hooray, I think Miley Cyrus finally signed her divorce papers from Idol with this annoying affected and irritating performance of “You Really Got a Hold on Me”. She did nothing of the sort with me. It was kinda awful and who the heck told her she could wear that terrible outfit? She looked and sounded like Britney Spears auditioning on Star Search at age 8. That was cute for Brit Brit at that age, but terrrrrrrrible for Ms. Haley.
And now the predictions…. Bottom 3: Haley, Thia, and Naima (however, Stefano could be there due to middling judge comments, and we could also see Paul or Casey who deserve to be there) Bottom 2: Haley and Thia Buh Bye: Haley
As the Motown classic goes, “Oh what a night” we had last night with a great show full of strong performances. Only three singers, in my humble opinion, faltered. However, only one of them is likely to go home and if America gets it right we will finally see Miley, er Haley, go home and “that’s pretty cool”… So, place your bets before tonight and let me know who you think will get the boot. Then, tune in for the results show which will feature Oscar and Grammy winning Idol alumni Jennifer Hudson performing her new hit “Where You At?” from her just released (and wonderful) sophomore album, I Remember Me…. Oh, and one last thing~ I have a new drinking game for you. Every time Steven Tyler says “beautiful” you have to drink. If you were playing along last night, I’m pretty sure you have one massive hangover today. lol
And here’s Jacob’s incredible performance of “You’re All I Need to Get By”. Enjoy
It was adios to our Latina lady last night on American Idol as the affable singer with the poor fashion and song choices, Karen Rodriguez, got her walking papers. It wasn’t much of a surprise due to her forgettable perf of Taylor Dayne’s ballad “Love Will Lead You Back”, but it was a little sad because the girl can actually sing…. Anywho, I wish her well on her way and now I count the days til the other lady in the bottom two, Haley Miley Cyrus Reinhart, gets the boot… Hopefully, it will be before Naima who is certainly on shaky ground as the third woman in the bottom 3 (and the three I predicted would be in danger)… Also, on the show last night some guy named Lee Dewyze came back and sang his new song “Beautiful Like You”. Oh yeah, he was the winner from last year. Forgive me for forgetting him and most of last year’s dreadful season… Then, the incredibly irritating Black Eyed Peas assaulted us with a horrendous new song “Just Cant Get Enough” that I had enough of about 10 seconds in. (And this just in from my roommate~ he was like “is that Fergie or LeAnn Rimes singing with the Peas. What happened to her face?” lol) … Overall, it was a pretty uneventful results show, but what makes this post exciting is that it’s time for my new totally unscientific American Idol Top 11 Power Rankings! And away we go…
American Idol Top 11 Power Rankings (season 10)~
1. Pia: my current pic to win the whole shebang delivered her 3rd fantastic vocal in a row and even showed some spunk in her clip package. Plus the touching footage about her Grandpa will keep the older viewers happy. Pia is the total package and she holds on top of the Power List again this week. (last week~ 1) 2. Stefano: the little Italian engine that could keeps climbing up the list all the way to the runner-up spot this week. His Simply Red cover was by far the best on Wednesday and he was fantastic in the group number again tonight. He is the consumate performer and a fantastic singer. (lw~ 4) 3. Scotty: he may be missing baseball season, but I think it’s all worth it for this teen as the country crooner holds steady with another strong song on Wed night. He’s pretty much a lock for the final five. (lw~ 3) 4. Lauren: taking a few steps forward this week our teen country girl was back on track with her Melissa Etheridge tune. She has great pipes and a fun personality. Now, she needs to conquer the flu and her terrible outfit choices. (lw~ 5) 5. James: he may have held back a little on his Bon Jovi track this week, but I enjoyed the tasteful move and he continues to look solid every week. (lw~ 2) 6. Jacob: despite a little bit of a wonky turn on “Alone”, Jacob has the fans and the voice to cruise into the top ten. Plus, he has Jesus on his side! hehe (lw~ 6) 7. Casey: ok, this fun guy took a big chance with his woeful Nirvana cover the other night. However, the audience and judges have mad love for him. I just want him to wow us again and see if he can contend for the upper regions of the power list. (lw~ 7) 8. Thia: clearly somebody out there likes this robotic but cute teen as she has avoided the bottom three despite a couple of lackluster performances. She does have a cool voice, if only she knew what to do with it! (lw~ 9) 9. Paul: yes, he’s cute, funny and incredibly likable with a blinding smile, but holy hell, he was horrible on Wed night. Get it together mister! I don’t know how many “Get out of Jail Free” cards you’re gonna get. (lw~ 10) 10. Naima: after a nice surge up the list last week, our most interesting female singer took a hit after her misguided attempt at covering Tina Turner. At least she is taking the “pitchy” notes the judges are giving her to heart. Let’s see if she can regain some ground next week because she is certainly good tv. (lw~8) 11. Haley: how on Earth is this girl continuing to survive on this show? Everything about her is an affront to artistry, performance and good singing. Blech! (lw~ 12)
Oh, snap, that’s who has “The Power”! … What do you think? Are you favorites still doing well? Are you the ones voting for Miley Cyrus, oops, Haley and keeping her in the competition? Are you still loving the judges like me? Sound off below. And be sure to watch next week when Scotty may take a tumble as the singers attempt “Motown” week! … and here’s one final treat for you… Please enjoy the first actual “LIVE” singing from the Idols on a group number in ages.
Tonight, American Idol made you feel old. Admit it. I sure did as the theme for the top 12 was “The Year you were Born”. I didn’t feel too bad about myself (but I can do bad all by myself, lol) when I saw that Paul and Naima were born in ’84. However, when Thia was singing a song from when I was in college, I almost started to cry. Well, actually I think I was crying a little earlier when Paul decimated an Elton John classic. But I digress, the show is all about the “kids” and the ones text messaging en masse were probably born in the 90′s too. So, this old fuddy duddy will just do my usual and rank their performances and give you my insight on to who is likely to be bummed that the year of their birth sent them home.
American Idol Performance Rankings 3/16/11
The Good~ Yes, Baby they were Born this Way! 1. Stefano: our little Italian dark horse has stormed his way from the bottom of the pack as a wild card pick to the front of the class with his last few performances. Tonight’s gorgeous rendition of Simply Red’s # 1 hit from 1989 “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” stole the show and announced that Stefano is, in Randy’s words ya’ll, “in it to win it”. 2. Pia: another one fighting hard for the crown, Pia once again showed that she is easily the best singer of the finalists on her great interpretation of Whitney Houston’s seventh consecutive # 1 hit in a row, 1998′s “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”. The producers also added an updated dance remix to the song helping Pia to break out of her balladeer mold. This girl is still my pick to win by the way. Love her. 3. Scotty: the country kid continues to kill it with his easy Southern style and smooth vocals. And tonight may have been his best yet as he delivered Randy Jackson’s good friend Travis Tritt’s 1993 hit “Can I Trust You with my Heart” with aplomb and confidence. 4. Lauren: despite suffering from the flu, Lauren came roaring back tonight with a strong performance of Melissa Etheridge’s top ten smash from 1994 “I’m the Only One” and gave it a great country rock spin. 5. Jacob: he may have gone off the rails at the beginning of the song and on a verse here and there, but Jacob sold it like nobody’s business. And when he’s in the zone, he is fantastic. Sure, he didn’t come close to Carrie Underwood’s iconic version of this song on the Idol stage, but he should be quite satisfied with his performance. (Also, check out the recorded version on iTunes. It’s great and so current!) 6. James: falling a bit from last week’s lofty heights, our resident rocker still made a great impression on his performance of Bon Jovi’s # 1 power ballad from 1989 “I’ll Be There For You”. (Um, yes, that was the theme of one of my proms in high school… ok, I’m really showing my age now). I loved that he kept it in the Jovi vein but still showcasing his own style. I kinda wished he had chosen Skid Row’s “I Remember You” though…
~ The decent~ they were Born to Be Alive 7. Karen: this Latina lady was back on track with great vocals on Taylor Dayne’s # 1 from 1989 “Love Will Lead You Back”. However, that ridiculous leather dress and giant B 52′s hair bun did her no favors and the Spanglish thing is getting old. 8. Thia: currently attempting to win the Miss American Idol pageant, Thia gave a competent but sleepy performance of Vanessa Williams #4 Oscar-winning hit “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas. It was better than last week, but still pretty forgettable overall. 9. Casey: this crazy guy is super fun to watch but his take on Nirvana’s 1991 classic “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was a hot screechy screamy mess. (Yes, I just stole “screechy screamy” from J.Lo who was totally on target with most of her critiques tonight and gave some good advice to the singers too).
The bottom dwellers~ Will they be Born Again? 10. Haley: Miley Cyrus was up to her old affected annoying and false tricks with a wannabe sexy but utterly irritating version of Whitney Houston’s #1 from 1990 “I’m Your Baby Tonight”. Um, here are some words of advice Miley, er, Haley~ do NOT try to be sexy (you’re not) and do NOT act like you’re on a cruise ship singing at the lunch buffet…. All that said and she was still better than two other singers! 11. Naima: oh dear, how they fall! After last week’s cool interpretation of “Umbrella”, Naima faltered big time with a pitchy and lackluster take on Tina Turner’s Grammy winning #1 comeback smash “What’s Love Got to Do With It” from 1984. Poor Naima seems to only hit every 3rd note… I like the girl and hope she gets another shot, but I’m not bettin’ the bank on it. 12. Paul: ok, you have a great personality and smile and you look like Bradley Cooper. However, you’re kinda terrible when you sing. Tonight, you were simply atrocious on an out of tune, hoarse, and meandering version of Elton John’s great #4 hit from 1984 “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues”. Seriously, it was BAD. He’s just lucky he seems to have a good fan base… Oh and on a side note, I’m a little hurt personally by Paul’s perf tonight cuz that is so my fave and one of my best karaoke songs to sing!
The Predictions~ Bottom 3: Naima, Haley, Karen (but Thia and Paul could be in danger too) Bottom 2: Naima, Haley Going Home: Haley (am I just wishful thinking though?)
And there you have it, my take on tonight’s Idol. Who did you like? Was anyone Born to Be Your Baby? Or do you wish Jason Bourne had done away with those songs like he does an enemy? Let me hear it below…. Oh and remember, if you did love some of their songs (like Stefano or Pia!), pick up their recorded versions on iTunes now and some of the proceeds go to helping out with disaster relief in Japan.
Last night we had the first elimination of season 10′s delightfully entertaining and reinvigorated American Idol where we saw divalicious Ashton Jones get the ax. It wasn’t too surprising especially after her lackluster performance on Wed night. While I like Ashton and wish she had another shot, I’m certainly glad the judges didn’t waste their special “Judges Save” on her. Unfortunately, I feel as though a truly amazing singer will fall into danger in the weeks ahead and it would be better used for he or she. Now, the other two ladies in jeopardy in the bottom 3, Haley and Karen, don’t seem like they’ll last much longer either and I certainly wouldn’t “save” them. So, I think America is on the right track so far. We’ll see what happens next week when the singers tackle “Songs from the Year they were Born” which loosely translates to songs from 1984 to 1995 (Thia is the baby of the group). Will we hear more Michael Jackson and Celine or perhaps some Boyz II Men and Nirvana? I personally recommend that Naima sing some En Vogue, but I digress. We’ll find out their choices soon enough. However, right now you can find out who I think is ahead in the Idol race as I present my latest round of completely unscientific American Idol Power Rankings. Take a look at who’s up and down and all around below.
My American Idol Top 12 Power Rankings: 1. Pia Toscano: with another dynamic power ballad, this beautiful lady is bewitching America again and again. We saw a little more personality in her interview package, but we still need more. And she looked fantastic and sounded quite relevant in the group number which helps her ascend to the top dawg status this week. She could be a big pop star if you ask me. (last week~ 3) 2. James Durbin: James took the biggest leap up the list this week with a phenomenal reinvention of “Maybe I’m Amazed”. Add to that his great makeover and engaging persona and he may well be able to shed the Lambert 2.0 label in the weeks ahead. However, much like Adam, who was amazing on the results show by the way, James is showing different sides of himself and his vast talent. Is he starting to play the game? (lw~ 11) 3. Scotty McCreery: if you heard the audience howl on Wed night, and how could you not, then you know we have a front-runner on our hands. With another good performance right in his lane, Scotty is still on track to becoming the highest ranking male country singer in Idol’s history. Oh, and those tween girls are easily giving him the Archuleta power votes. (lw~5) 4. Stefano Langone: one of my two favorite male singers in the competition (along with Jacob), Stefano made a serious bid to prove his mettle and erase memories of being a wild card pick with his awesome spin on “Lately”. He has looks, the voice, abounding energy and he seems totally relevant to today’s charts. Looks like the dark horse is on the rise… (lw~ 7) 5. Lauren Alaina: so what if she was just “ok” on Wed night. The girl can still clearly sing the pants off of most of her competitors and she’s funny and endearing. So, we just need to get her the right songs and give the 16 yr old a break and she’ll head back up the leader board soon. (lw~ 1) 6. Jacob Lusk: also taking a dive this week, Jacob lost a little ground as he struggled to stay on track on “I Believe I Can Fly” the other night. Regardless, he’s a brilliant vocalist and incredibly likable. (lw~ 2) 7. Casey Abrams: poor Casey missed out on the results show and we, in turn, missed out on him “dancing” and lip synching to MJ tunes. Fortunately, it seems Casey’s health is on the mend and he’ll be back in the competition next week. The problem is: will these health (a stomach intestine thingy) issues and diminished airtime cost him votes and hurt his rehearsal time? At least, he has a strong fanbase to start with. (lw~ 4) 8. Naima Adedapo: with her cool reggae rapping interlude on “Umbrella”, Naima threw down the first notion of “personal artistry” for the season and began to win me over as a fan. Now, if she can get the breathing and sharp/flat notes under control, she could make for a surprise title contender. (lw~ 12) 9. Thia Megia: sliding a few notches this week, the teen’s half good/ half terrible performance of “Smile” left me confused and a bit trepidatious about how she’ll fare in the weeks ahead. One thing is for sure, the girl needs to get some personality asap! (lw~ 6) 10. Paul McDonald: Mr. Quirkypants evaded the bottom 3 despite his plain atrocious performance of an unknown song on Wed night. Lucky for him, he seems to have a strong fanbase too. However, I’m betting he lost a good deal of momentum and that his unique voice and style will only get him so far unless he starts appealing to the masses. (lw~ 9) 11. Karen Rodriguez: the little Latina pageant queen tripped up big this week on her weak version of Selena’s “I Could Fall in Love”. She’s clearly a good singer on the right song, but will need to focus her choices better and forgo copycat vocal interpretations and wardrobe stylings. (Hello J. Lo couldn’t really even pull off that outfit Karen attempted when she did the Selena movie!) (lw~8) 12. Haley Reinhart: little miss annoying and ungrateful Miley Cyrus look-alike lands at the bottom again. Yes, she has some talent, but her voice does not outweight the complete facade of fakery she throws at us in her performances. Plus, did you notice how bitter and shocked she was to be in the bottom 3 and then the bottom 2? Girl, your attitude will only lose you fans… if you still have any. (lw~ 13)
So, there’s my latest power rankings. James is on the rise. Lauren and Jacob took hits and Haley is still stinkin’ up the rear. What do you think of their placements? Are your favorites in danger? We’ll see next week… And speaking of burning questions, does anyone know what’s up with music industry wunderkind Jimmy Iovine always wearing those strange red headphones? Tell me if ya know below.
As the Top 13 American Idol contestants hit the stage for the first time, it quickly became clear that we have a serious competition on our hands that is anybody’s game. While previous front-runners Pia, Scotty and Jacob continued to soar, two of the wildcard picks (Stefano and Naima) made strong impressions and two of last week’s top contenders faltered (Thia, Karen). So, let’s take a look at this week’s ranking of the continued new and improved, not to mention kindler and gentler (thanks judges) Idol where they took on songs of their own singing idols tonight.
Performance Rankings 3/9/11 (Doing the safety dance…) 1. Pia: grabbing the top spot for a second week in a row, this beauty slayed Celine Dion’s # 4 hit from 1997 “All by Myself”. She was pitch perfect, confident and emotionally connected and she’s my favorite in the competition right now. It’s about time we just had a girl who could wail win this show again! 2. James: holy crap, the rocker’s new spin on Paul McCartney and Wings’ top ten hit from 1976 “Maybe I’m Amazed” was kinda awesome. James showed a softer side, got a great new makeover and displayed great vocals. He’s really growing on me and the audience clearly loves him. 3. Jacob: taking us to church again (this time with an actual choir), Jacob rose to the heavens on “I Believe I Can Fly” the # 2 smash from R. Kelly. Jacob has so much conviction in his performances I think he might explode, but in a good way. Now, I want him to take one of the divas (Celine, Mariah, Whitney) like Pia! 4. Stefano: taking Stevie Wonder’s 1982 hit “Lately” and turning it into a dance jam was a big risk, but it paid off big time for the little singer that could. Stefano was fantastic tonight especially in the second half of the song and I guarantee he’s put the dangerous “wildcard” label behind him. Remember, Clay Aiken was a wild card and got second while Jennifer Hudson was a wildcard and now has an Oscar and a Grammy! 5. Scott: keeping up his momentum, the country wonder boy gave another strong performance on his cover of Garth Brooks’ #1 country song from 1991 “The River”. The judges loved him (and the four above singers) and the audience went nuts for him. Looks like the tween girls have settled on their fave for the season.
(Still walkin’ on sunshine…) 6. Lauren: my second fave singer wound up in the middle of the pack this week with an assured version of Shania Twain’s # 1 country hit “Any Man of Mine” from 1995 (ahem the year Lauren was born!). While it wasn’t her best performance, Lauren’s pipes are undeniable and she will be a fierce contender in the weeks ahead. 7. Casey: Grizzly Adams tore through Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help from my Friends” with a ferocious hunger and we all ate it up. While, it wasn’t as good as last week, he still put on a great show. 8. Naima: showing her versatility, dance moves and an awesome reggae/rap section, Naima closed the show with a fascinating and entertaining version of Rihanna’s 2007 #1 hit “Umbrella”. While she needs to work on her pitch and breath, we saw a lot more personality and artistry from her tonight and she’s beginning to make me a fan.
(in the danger zone…) 9. Thia: modeling her prom dress, the girl who wowed us last week took a tumble on Michael Jackson’s “Smile” (the song that got Gina Glockson sent home a few seasons ago). While the quiet beginning was lovely, once she launched into the jazzy second half of the song, it began to go off the rails. It’s clear she can sing wonderfully, but now she needs to make better choices with stronger arrangements. 10. Karen: channelling judge J.Lo in the Selena movie, Karen attempted Selena’s “I Could Fall in Love”. While she hit some nice notes at the end, Karen’s singing was rather uneven and she might end up being forgotten on a night of bigger performances. 11. Haley: my least fave performer and Miley Cyrus clone, Haley yodeled her way through LeAnn Rimes debut smash “Blue” from 1996 and hit most of the notes well. However, for the second week in a row, the whole performance was calculated, annoying, cloying and, worst of all, boring. And was she going to that same prom as Thia in that dress? 12. Ashton: Miss Ross was not in the house. Instead it was Miss Jones serving up a lackluster interpretation of Ross’s “When You Tell Me that You Love Me” (previously covered by the season 4 finalists including Carrie and Bo!). She hit some notes here and there, but it was just a bit off and her silver spaceship dress and crazy arm movements did her no favors. 13. Paul: performing an obscure song by the also somewhat obscure rocker Ryan Adams was not a smart move for the likable raspy voiced singer. His unique qualities became a little annoying on this sluggish song, “Come Pick Me Up” that had little melody. Paul better hope his pearly white smile can save him from this disastrous and odd performance.
Predictions: Bottom 3: Ashton, Karen, Paul (but Haley and Thia should be worried) Bottom 2: Ashton, Paul Going Home: Ashton
So, it seems I think our resident diva Ashton may be on her way out at unlucky # 13. We’ll see tomorrow night on the results show which will also feature an awesome acoustic performance of “Aftermath” by Grammy nominated former IdolAdam Lambert. I can’t wait… But first, I want to know what you think of tonight’s show and who you think will see their Idol dreams squashed tomorrow. Sound off below.
Something crazy happened on the American Idol results show last night…. A guy went home!… Not only that, the guy who should’ve gone home, Paul McDonald, was actually the one who got the boot. Well done America! … It was a shocking dose of sanity from the show that went bats%$t bonkers last week and booted the BEST singer in the competition Pia Toscano. (Yes, I still haven’t gotten over it)…. Well, at least it seems like things are on the right track again. Hopefully, we will continue to see some guys leave as we march to what will likely be a Scotty/James/Lauren top 3… However, our other contestants will be fighting hard to make it to the upper regions. So, just how are they doing? Well, let’s take a look at my completely unscientific and sometimes totally wonky American Idol Power Rankings.
