Oh dear, I am officially invested in this season of The Voice. I even voted last week and earlier tonight. Someone help me! … With that said, this season has some great vocalists and tonight’s episode was a million times better than last week. So, let’s take a look at my rankings and predictions for the Top Ten…
The Voice Performance Rankings 11/19/12
1. Amanda “Stars”: her vocals were flawless and the song choice inspired and authentic. She’s back ya’ll! 2. Cassadee “Over You”: I have to say I was shocked at how much I liked this. It was easily her best performance and it was the first time I was buying the kool aid they’ve been selling over her. 3. Dez “Feelin’ Good”: Seriously, he’s totally going to the final four… And this was his best yet. 4. Cody “Crazy in Love”: sure the staging out shown his singing. However, it was the most fun and memorable moment of the night and he remains my personal favorite male singer in the race. 5. Nicholas “Lean on Me”: No, I wasn’t as enthused as the judges, but it was another solid performance from the one contestant who actually exemplifies the title of the show. 6. Sylvia “Girl on Fire”: this poor girl can’t catch a break. I feel like the producers think she’s cannon fodder and they made her go first. However, she served them on of her best performances to date. I hope she can make it another week. 7. Terry “Summer of 69″: his vocals are fantastic as always, but this was actually a bit rote and forgettable. And let’s be honest, he really just should be in a band… 8. Bryan “New York State of Mind”: um, can you say boring? Yes, he hit all the notes quite nicely, but this guy is blah central and less likable each week. 9. Trevin “Scream”: that’s precisely what I wanted to do throughout this performance. Trevin, NO!!!! Pitchy, awkward and by far his worst performance to date. 10. Melanie “Seven Nation Army”: Why is two toned hair girl still here? That may have been her best, but it was still terrible.
In danger of going home: Trevin, Melanie, Sylvia, Bryan, Cody
Going home: Sylvia and either Melanie or Bryan
So, there’s my quick two cents on tonight’s show. Sorry for the brevity, but I have to get up real early in the morning. But hey, now you can tell me your thoughts below… Oh and one more thing~ Carson Daly, do some homework. You clearly know nothing about music (um, “Summer of 69″ is a classic American song? No, it’s by Bryan Adams, a Canadian. Hello!). You are way too stressed out and pushy and have all the finesse of a mack truck in your line delivery or you’re just plain checked out. You, sir, are no Seacrest... Ok, rant concluded… Until tomorrow night’s results show that is…
And here’s Cassadee’s shockingly good performance of “Over You”
After months of speculation, rumors, hype and insanity, American Idol has finally settled on a new judging panel for season 12. Returning is veteran Randy Jackson (who many thought might transition to a mentor role but didn’t), plus Grammy nominated rapper/headline maker Nicki Minaj, multiple Grammy winning country superstar Keith Urban and iconic Grammy winning pop superstar Mariah Carey. The first picture of the judges along with Emmy nominated host Ryan Seacrest is below. They already started working together this past Sunday with the taping of the first open auditions. I have no doubt it will be a juicy fun season. Here’s why…
Randy Jackson: is the veteran who will represent stability on the panel and grew as a type of moderator on the panel last year. It will also be fun to see how he works with Carey who he also manages and has been friends with forever. Mariah Carey: she clearly knows music with more # 1 singles than anyone in history except The Beatles, has sold over 200 million records worldwide and has an incredible voice. She actually knows how to sing (hello Paula and J Lo!) and she’s a great songwriter, so she has the background and the insight needed for critical judgement. She’s also a little loopy so that will be fun. Keith Urban: he’s an accomplished singer and songwriter and brings the country fan base that the show has been riding high on for the past few years. (Hello, Carrie Underwood is a huge star while Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina, Josh Gracin, Bucky Covington, Casey James and Kellie Pickler have all found post-Idol success on the country charts.) Urban also seems like the most “sane” and intelligent of the judges and that’s a good thing. Nicki Minaj: this firecracker is a wild card. She’s all kinds of fun and crazy and she brings the youth vote. Most importantly, the girl is very honest and outspoken. She’s surely gonna read a girl if need be.
So, there are your new judges. I’m actually very excited for this panel. It’s fresh and fun and should continue Idol‘s success as the best and foremost singing competition show and the ONLY show to actually and continually produce multiple viable pop stars. (Yes, Phillip Phillips‘ is the latest and his song “Home” is an undeniable smash selling over 1.5 million copies and a hit in four different airplay formats: Pop, Hot AC, AC and AAA)…. So, what do you think of the new judges? Are you excited for the new American Idol? Let me hear it below.
After watching tonight’s first live competition show of American Idol season 11, I have to say I am very excited for this year. This is arguably one of the best top 13′s in the show’s history. It’s full of variety, personality and immense talent. In fact, as the boys took on the songs of Stevie Wonder and the girls sang the recently and dearly departed Whitney Houston‘s greatest, practically everyone did a decent job. Several singers soared to new heights (Hollie, Joshua, Skylar), one absolutely destroyed everyone (Jessica) and only one really tanked (that annoying pageant girl)…. So, just who did the best and who will be in danger tonight when the judges eliminate one person? (In a twist, the bottom girl and boy with these least votes will be revealed and the judges will choose who actually goes home). Well, let’s take a look at my rankings and predictions below.
American Idol Rankings 3/7/12: ~ the great ones 1. Jessica: holy crap, she attempted Whitney’s biggest and most iconic # 1 smash “I Will Always Love You” and absolutely nailed it. This girl has skills. She’s also humble and a great performer. She is the one to beat at this point and deservedly so. Love her! 2. Hollie: is Hollie the dark horse for the title? Well if the little girl with the big voice keeps blowing the roof off the joint with huge performances like tonight’s “All The Man That I Need”, she certainly will be a big threat to Jessica. And she’s so darn cute. Plus, she sang this audacious # 1 hit form 1990 with aplomb and I think she’s only going to grow each week. How awesome would a Jessica v. Hollie finale be by the way? 3. Skylar: well, hello country girl! I was worried when I heard Skylar was gonna sing Whitney’s big # 1 ballad “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” from 1988, but she put my fears aside very quickly. And then she surpassed all my expectations with a glorious second half to the song fusing wonderful emotion and fantastic notes. This girl is a big threat too. 4. Erika: my second favorite singer in the competition (after Jessica, but she is rising!) gave us a wonderful interpretation of Whitney’s # 4 hit from 1994 “I Believe in You and Me”. She took the song in a rock direction for the second half and it suited her sexy rasp incredibly well. I just love this girl and I highly recommend you check out the iTunes studio version of Erika’s performance. It is even better than her live one and by far the best of this week’s crop (even Jessica’s!) 5. Joshua: faring the best for the men tonight was Mantasia with a glorious take on Stevie’s “I Wish”. Joshua tore up the stage and took us to the heavens with his gospel meets rock performance. Who knew he could throw down like that? Well done! ~ the good ones 6. Colton: I was kinda shocked at how good Colton was on Stevie’s classic “Lately”. He really made the song his own and performed with true emotion and artistry. The second half was incredible. 7. Deandre: this kid is just plain cool. Hello, he did Stevie Wonder’s “Master Blaster” as a reggae R&B joint and it not only worked, but was great. He is so unique and has so much potential. I hope America gets him. 8. Phillip: bringing the house down with a rocking version of Wonder’s “Superstition”, Phillips gave another rousing performance that had the audience on its feet. He also impressed me more than he has all season. I’m still not a big fan of this talented guy (all the screaming and yelling and affectation are not my thing), but he is certainly trying to turn me around. Good job. ~ the ok ones 9. Heejun: this funny guy has a lovely voice as he proved yet again on Stevie’s “All is Fair in Love”. However, it was all kinds of boring. But he’s a fan favorite and could get better with different songs. How about something upbeat next time mister? … And one more note, this version paled in comparison to the amazing one Pia Toscano delivered last year… Just sayin’…. 10. Elise: I really like Elise and her sexy growly voice. However, despite some good moments, she was definitely “boxing” with her song tonight as Randy said. Doing Whitney’s # 1 from 1990 “I’m Your Baby Tonight”, Elise never quite got in the rhythm of the track, but she still sang it pretty well. I wish she had chosen 1999′s “My Love is Your Love”. It would’ve been a perfect fit for her voice… Alas, she is in danger tonight… 11. Jeremy: while he sang better than Elise on “Ribbon in the Sky”, he was just soooo boring. This guy is a great guy with a lovely tone to his voice… but he’s just such a lackluster performer (when he’s not singing for his life that is… which he will probably do tonight). 12. Jermaine: this gentle giant delivered a nice but somewhat forgettable version of Stevie’s “Knocks Me off My Feet” which certainly didn’t knock me off my feet or my chair for that matter. His vocals were very good, but wow I think it was more boring than Jeremy! And that’s saying something. ~ the bad 13. Shannon: the pageant singer should’ve summoned some help from her precious Jesus because she plain stunk up the joint with a flat and off-key version of Houston’s # 4 from 1993 “I Have Nothing”. Sure, Shannon hit some notes ok, but overall, she got swallowed up by the big song and had absolutely no stage presence. Plus, she had no emotional connection to the song. She should’ve chose something she might relate to like “How Will I Know” and she wouldn’t be facing elimination like she deserves to on Thursday night.
Predictions~ Bottom 2 guys: Jeremy and Jermaine Bottom 2 girls: Elise and Shannon
Bottom girl & guy: Jermaine & Shannon Going home: Jermaine (unless Jeremy is the lowest male vote getter, then the judges will send him packing).
There are my rankings and predictions. What are yours? Do you think a guy has a chance of surviving another week? I sure don’t… And how great was it to see the judges actually doling out good critiques?And wasn’t Mary J. Blige a wonderful mentor? And how great is Ryan Seacrest’s hair this year? This season is shaping up to be so good!
Before I go, please enjoy Jessica Sanchez just killing it on “I Will Always Love You”
It’s back and I’m back… I’m talking about American Idoland my fabulous recaps of course… I’m so happy Idol is finally getting down to business showcasing the good singers and tonight we begin with the top 12 guys…. Er, make that top 13 as the judges decided to bring back a surprise thirteenth contender in bass R&B singer and mama’s boy Jermaine Jones. He was a nice choice and clearly a fan favorite, but how did he measure up with the previously selected top 12? And who soared on the fancy new stage tonight? And who bombed their big shot? Well, let’s take a look at my rankings for the first night of competition of American Idol Season 11 below.
Idol Rankings~ The Top 13 Guys (2/28/12)
1. Creighton Fraker: holy heck can he wail. Arising as the second coming of Sam Harris (hello the original Star Search winner from the 80′s turned Broadway star), Fraker gave an emotional and beautiful performance on Cyndi Lauper’s # 1 smash from 1986 “True Colors”. The judges rightfully praised his impressive pipes and his individuality in this glorious interpretation of her inclusive self affirming ballad. Seriously loved him and I really hope this unique and powerful singer makes it through on Thursday. 2. Joshua Ledet: taking us to church, “Mandisa” rose the roof with his version of Jennifer Hudson’s anthemic hit “You Pulled Me Through”. Despite an odd musical arrangement at the beginning, he absolutely slayed the song and got a deserving standing ovation. He’s in. 3. Aaron Marcellus: with arguably the best technical vocal of the night, Aaron tore through Jackson 5′s classic hit “Never Can Say Goodbye”. He has looks, charm and performance ability to spare. I just hope his polished performance doesn’t get overlooked by showier contestants. He is really good ya’ll. 4. Colton Dixon: our sexy rocker gave an ebullient performance of Paramore’s hit “Decode” even ending the song stomping on the piano. He’s a showman and has chops. He’s not going anywhere. 5. Deandre Brackensick: he’s really pretty to look at, now isn’t he. But this boy is no Milli Vanilli poseur. He has a wonderful voice with a gorgeous falsetto and boy can he whip that hair as he proved tonight on a very strong version of Earth Wind & Fire’s “Reasons”. I hope he gets the chance to take on a better song, cuz he is one to watch and has a ton of star quality to go along with his impressive singular voice. 6. Jermaine Jones: his velvety smooth bass fit Luther Vandross’s “Dance With My Father” like a glove. It was a winning if somewhat safe performance. I really like this affable guy and his voice, but I wonder how far he can go in the competition. And he needs to lose the nerves stat. 7. Heejun Hahn: he’s probably the most popular contestant, but he’s certainly not the best singer. While I love his voice and he has such great potential, he was incredibly nervous and a little boring on stage. I hope his great and funny personality come through as he continues his Idol journey. Cuz seriously, he’s totally going through. 8. Jeremy Rosado: I like this guy too. He seems like such a great guy with a big heart. However, despite a good voice, he was rather forgettable tonight as he covered one of my favorite songs of all time, Sara Bareilles’s heartbreaking “Gravity”. Unfortunately, he didn’t give it the emotional heft it needed. He did, at least, hit some nice notes. But it’s probably not enough to stay on the show… 9. Chase Lydon: with a perfectly passable version of Hunter Hayes’ current country hit “Storm Warning”, Lydon looked like the latest country star. I think he could go far, but he needs to leave a stronger impression next time. And pick better songs… I’m not sure what will happen with him. 10. Phillip Phillips: I know I’m probably in the minority, but I really don’t like Phillips’ voice. Why does he growl and yell at me? Why is he so odd and maudlin in his delivery? Why did his take on Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” make me feel so dirty, and not in a good way? It was all just a weird, sleepy, creepy Dave Matthews Band morphing moment…. That said, he’s clearly talented and really attractive. So, he could be moving forward. 11. Eben Frankowitz: ok, pretty much everything about this sweet 15 year old’s performance of Adele’s recent # 1 smash “Set Fire to the Rain” was just wrong. He was sharp, then flat and he had no emotional connection to the song. It was such a bad choice for him. That said, he can sing and could improve quickly. He’s also a very likable kid and the tween girls will enjoy him. But I think it may be too late for him. I wish he had waited a few years and got more experience. 12. Adam Brock: wow, this was really irritating. It was like a drunk uncle cruise ship karaoke performance. And it’s sad, because Brock has a decent voice. He just has no business doing using it on television every week. And his cover of Aretha Franklin’s “Think” was all kinds of wrong too. Looks like Hokey Gokey 2.0 should’ve “thought” more about his song choice. 13. Reed Grimm: all I can say is that was one grimm performance. (Yes, big pun intended). Sorry but everything about Grimm’s take on last year’s ubiquitous # 1 hit “Moves Like Jagger” from Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera was just atrocious. He was awful. End of story.
So, there are my rankings, but what does any of that mean? Well, it may mean nothing, because we all know America doesn’t exactly agree with me at times. (If they did, it would’ve been a Haley v. Pia finale last season)… All I can do now is guess which men will make the final five on Thursday night. Luckily, several of them will be given a second chance “Wild Card” performance opportunity for the judges to add them to the overall top 13… Now, let’s take a look at my guesses, er um, predictions…
My Predictions~
Who’s In: Joshua, Phillip, Heejun, Colton
Fighting for 5th spot: Creighton, Jermaine, Aaron
(All will likely be up for Wild Card spots if not automatically in)
Spoilers who could be up for Wild Card: Chase, Deandre
Who’s Out: Eben, Adam, Reed, Jeremy
There you have my two cents… What are your thoughts? Who did you love? Who do you think will make it in?
And finally, some Idol Thoughts: wasn’t Ryan looking dapper this evening with his nice suit and new hair? ….Also, did you notice both Reed and Steven swore? I’m sure Fox was not happy about that… What the heck was Randy’s shirt? … And is it me or did J Lo get more “Bronxy” tonight than usual? … Sound off below and check back here tomorrow night for my take on the ladies.
And here’s my fave from tonight~ Creighton Fraker’s “True Colors”
Ok, yes, that is perhaps the worst title of a blog entry in the history of my blog. However, it’s pretty apt and completely hilarious. As is the clip I’m referring to…. So , let me explain…. On today’s red carpet for the Oscars, E! host Ryan Seacrest was interviewing Sacha Baron Cohen who was in character as The Dictatorfrom his upcoming comedy of the same name. “The Dictator” was carrying what appeared to be an urn with the supposed remains of Kim Jong Il (the horrible North Korean leader) and he “accidentally” spilled them all over Seacrest. It was so uncomfortable and totally hysterical. In fact Seacrest’s outrage was the funniest part. He must surely thank his E! counterparts Giuliana Ransic and Kelly Osbourne for diffusing the situation or he might have flown into an outright hissy-fit. Anywho, enough of me trying to explain it… just watch and enjoy.
Oh and The Dictator hits theaters this summer while you can see Seacrest hosting three nights of American Idol this week and every daydaily on E!
Last night on American Idol, we said goodbye to the powerhouse diva-esque church belting boy from Compton, Jacob Lusk as he was sent packing. That left a frightened and tearful Lauren Alaina safe despite her first appearance in the bottom two. I think most of us were relieve that Lusk warbled his last tune because after a great start, this talented guy wore out his welcome with some very inconsistent and sometimes overwrought performances. That said, I think he can have a great career ahead in the Contemporary Christian or Adult R&B fields… But enough about Jacob, what about our Fab Four? Just which one has the power to make it all the way to the finals? And who may fall apart next week when they attempt the songs of legendary tunesmiths Leiber & Stoeller (known for their massive catalog of songs from the 50′s & 60′s and many of Elvis’s big hits)? … Well, we will see, but here’s my completely unscientific and possibly totally wonky latest Idol power rankings.
My 2011 Top 4 American Idol Power Rankings~ 1. Scotty: with one incredibly triumphant performance (“Gone”) and another quite credible one (“Always on My Mind”), the teen titan charges back up to the top of my list. It was also revealed that he has never been in the bottom two despite last week’s shenanigans from Ryan. As long as he keeps consistent, he seems the most obvious lock for the finals… Or does he have an Achilles heel in that maybe it’s just the South and the tween girls voting for him? Regardless, I think that’s certainly enough. (last week~ 4) 2. Haley: holy heck, Haley is in second place! I would never have thunk it just a few months ago. I mean I was the guy who almost despised her and now I’m rooting for her like a proud uncle, er, um older brother… Anywho, I love her attitude that she doesn’t take the insults and criticism negatively. She’s having fun, and oh yeah, she has been killing it in the last few weeks. On top of that, she owned everyone on Wed night. I have to say she’s actually the one I’m most excited to see each week now showing incredible growth, great pipes and interesting bold song choices. (lw~ 3) 3. James: the rocker had a reaaaaaaaaaaaally bad week on Wed night and he still didn’t come in danger of elimination. He obviously has a strong and committed fan base (who one could say are easily manipulated by tears, but my frozen heart digresses…) If he can get back on track, showcase his distinct voice and compose himself, he could make it another two guy finale. (lw~ 1) 4. Lauren: well, it makes me sad to place my favorite singer left in the competition (oh how I still miss Pia) in last place. Unfortunately, despite two strong vocals and renewed confidence (at least for her “Flat on the Floor” number), Lauren landed in jeopardy this week. And she took it hard. It seems like the stress and her emotions are really getting to her. She needs to focus, get it together and realize she has arguably the best voice in the competition and people love her. At least her fan base will be motivated after having witnessed her almost elimination. (lw~ 2)
So, that’s the latest. Scotty is back on top and Lauren is lagging behind. Can she leap back into the race? Will there be another boys club finale? Could my hopeful dream of a Haley v. Lauren finale happen? I just don’t know… So, let’s all watch next week and see what happens…. Now before I go, please enjoy Idol judge Jennifer Lopez with her pretty damn great live performance from the results show of her current top ten smash “On the Floor”… And yes, she actually sang live!
Jennifer Lopez w/Pibull “On the Floor” (live at American Idol)
Ok, I seriously have to surgically remove the foot from my mouth after all the smack I talked about Haley early this season on American Idol. I didn’t care for her awkward forced performances despite her good voice and I certainly gave her some harsh critiques… Well, all I have to say is the girl sure does know how to make me eat my words. For the last few weeks, she has been coming on incredibly strong with authentic performances and great vocals, and tonight, she was simply flawless stealing the show on two incredible numbers. And something even more shocking happened, I picked up the phone and voted for her. Had you asked me if I would’ve done that a month ago, I would’ve said you’re crazy. Well, apparently I was cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs because last night I was dialing for Haley like a crazy person. So, to recap. Haley: 1, Jason: 0. Well played Ms. Reinhart.
Now, the story wasn’t all about Haley last night on Idol as the singers tackled songs from “Then and Now” (ie: one song from this decade and a track from the 60′s or 70′s). The other stories were the implosion of James and the stank bomb Jacob left on what is likely his final night in the competition. So, take a look at my official rankings and predictions for this week as we dissect the final five…
American Idol Recap Rankings 5/4/11: ~ The Fast Five 1. Haley- “House of the Rising Sun”: dare I say, Haley had an Idol ”moment” last night on this 1964 # 1 hit from the Animals? Um, yes, I think she did. She opened the song a cappella (at the great mentor Sheryl Crow’s suggestion) and it was stunningly beautiful. Then, she let us have it with an aggressive, mysterious, emotional vocal that was perfection. I’d say the underdog made an incredible case to make it to the top 4 with this one. Simply fantastic. 2. Lauren- “Flat on the Floor”: tackling Carrie Underwood’s 2007 song from her smash Carnival Ride album was a gamble, but it paid off in spades for Lauren as she soared on the perfect song for her country twang. She sold it from beginning to end, had fun and was pitch perfect. This could be a hit for her and she made Carrie proud. 3. Haley- “You and I”: I don’t know what the judges were smoking complaining about this song choice of an unreleased Lady Gaga track. They thought it was a gamble and a mistake, and I think they’re nuts. Haley nailed it, made it her own and probably gave herself a big iTunes hit. It fit her like a glove and Haley’s vocals were fantastic throughout. Again, I have to applaud Haley tonight. 4. Scotty- “Gone”: speaking of applause, the crowd (and, um, I) went nuts with Scotty’s tremendous version of Montgomery Gentry’s #3 country hit from 2004 “Gone”. It was a wonderful choice that showed what a great performer and singer he is as Scotty gave his best performance in several weeks. 5. Lauren- “Unchained Melody”: with a lush and beautiful vocal on the Righteous Brothers classic from 1965 (made even more popular in the 1990 film Ghost), Lauren sealed her place in the top four. She had so much more confidence on both her songs tonight and it showed. I loved this!
And the rest of the performances… 6. Scotty- “Always on My Mind”: with another good vocal, Scotty delivered a good if not great take on the Elvis Presley/Willie Nelson hit from 1972/1982. His voice showed some nice color and he was sincere tonight with none of his cocky affectations. However, if ya’ll remember Fantasia doing this in season 3, you know he paled in comparison. 7. Jacob- ”Love Hurts”: with a lovely restrained opening on Nazareth’s 1975 # 8 hit, Jacob started off very strong. However, he went a little nuts as the song moved forward taking us to church and hitting a few wonky notes on the way. It wasn’t bad, but he needed to hit it out of the park and it was just a double. (Yes, I made a sports reference, hehe) 8. James- “Closer to the Edge”: I don’t know if it was the weird vocal v. music ratio coming through on my tv or it was just a bad performance, but James was a huge disappointment on this track from 30 Seconds to Mars. It should’ve been a perfect fit for him, but he was flat and off throughout the song. 9. Jacob- “No Air”: Um, Jacob you don’t do a duet. And you don’t do former Idol songs unless you slay them (ie: Lauren’s “Flat on the Floor”). So, that’s two strikes. The third strike was the fact that you missed practically every note on Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown’s # 3 hit from 2008. Um, you’re out. (OMG, the sports references keep coming!) 10. James ”Without You”: I didn’t think anything could be worse thank Jacob’s “No Air”, but James overly emotional and utterly dreadful version of the Harry Nillson 1971 # 1 hit was muuuuuuuuuuch worse. Sure, it was nice to see him honestly connect to the sentiment of the song. However, he could’ve hit maybe one note along the way. Instead, he was flat, pitchy and screechy throughout on his worst performance in the competition to date. And um, hello, don’t do a song that Kelly Clarkson and Carly Smithson both took to glorious heights in their seasons. Big mistake James.
Predictions… Bottom 2: James, Jacob Going Home: Jacob (no question)
So, it looks like our Gospel wailing boy from Compton is on his way home. However, will there be a shocking elimination? Does Haley still not have a fan base like her peers? Will Scotty, James or Lauren land in the bottom 2 for the first time? Can you believe I voted for Haley?… What on Earth was J Lo wearing last night (her Grandma’s wedding dress?) Did you want to punch Randy every time he said “in it to win it”? Or did you want to punch Steven every time he said “that’s a beautiful thing?” And are you enjoying Seacrest’s “side part”? Sound off below.
Last night, Fozzy Bear left the building on American Idol… Oh, I’m sorry, I mean Crazy Abrams… oops I did it again, I mean Casey Abrams…. Now, now, don’t get mad at me for the nicknames because he fit them to a tee. However, I do have to admit, despite my gripes about his growling annoying performances, Casey was a great musician and has some seriously talented chops… as a musician. Sure, he can sing well and when he’s in a jazzy bluesy place, he’s often golden. Unfortunately, that doesn’t play well on the Idol stage and neither did his strange forays into scatting rock (“Hi-De-Ho”) or deranged grunge (“Smells Like Teen Spirit”). So, I bid Casey a fond farewell and I wouldn’t worry about his future. He has a great career ahead in the jazz world and luckily we have avoided another Taylor Hicks disaster on Idol… So, who else was in danger last night? We actually don’t know because sneaky Ryan with the new hairdo and snarky attitude (back from season 9 after a welcome respite) only mentioned the result for each contestant, not a bottom 2 or 3 singers. So, I can only guess that it was Jacob and… Haley? Lauren? Scotty? Yeah, I’m not too sure… So, I’m gonna go ahead and play another guessing game right now and give you my latest completely unscientific and possibly wonky American Idol Power Rankings going into the top Five.
My Top 5 American Idol 2011 Top 5 Power Rankings: 1. James: giving what I consider the best male vocal of the entire season this week, James continues to roll over the competition. He’s shown versatility (whether I liked it or not~ ahem “Heavy Metal”), showmanship, and great pipes. He also seems to be the Idol who’s enjoying the experience the most and the one who could be ready to go out on his own tour right out of the gate. This week he holds tight to the top spot and now seems like a very good lock for the finals. (last week~ 1) 2. Lauren: she’s never been in the bottom 3 and I doubt she was this week. She has an incredible voice and gained a little confidence this week. She also literally crushed Scotty in their duet demolishing his vocals and overpowering his usually strong charisma. She still needs to have a breakout performance to push her into the stratosphere and with only a few weeks left, this week is the time to do it. (lw~ 3) 3. Haley: I gotta say I’m very proud of Haley. The girl with Mariah Carey hair circa 1990 and a powerful set of pipes has grown on me for the past few weeks and I’m kind of rooting for her like a little schoolgirl. She’s clearly the one singer continuing to build a fan base and the dark horse to land in the finals. It would also be a nice slap in the face to the judges for constantly giving her negative or conflicting advice when they just praise the crap out of most everybody else. And, week to week, I’m now excited to see what she might do next. (lw~ 4) 4. Scotty: oh how the golden boy has fallen. Now, I wouldn’t say he’s in jeopardy of leaving next week, but he’s certainly on shaky ground compared to the previous months of the competition. I doubt he’s winning over any new fans with his blah and rote performances. He does have the South and the tweens firmly in his pocket on the other hand. I just want him to do something new and emote in a song. I’m sorry this week was a forced insincere and snoozy performance followed by his first bad vocal in the duet. I’m sure this likable lad can come back blazing. He just better do it asap as James has stolen his thunder as the man to beat lately. (lw~ 2) 5. Jacob: dressed like the Eddie Murphy’sNutty Professor headin’ to church, Jacob was super entertaining on Wed night and clearly he did enough to stick around another week. The question is, just how much longer can he hang on. He’s the most polarizing person left in the competition and his vocal antics are an acquired taste. He does seem to have been humbled a bit and the attitude has dissipated. So, he’s on the right path, but is it a short one? (lw~ 6)
And then there were five… Can you believe I have Haley above Scotty? Am I smoking whatever Steven Tyler has for breakfast? Are you on board with these rankings? And how do you think they’ll do next week when they tackle the theme “Songs from Then and Now” (which is translated as songs from the 60′s and today)… Let me know your thoughts below.
And before you go, please enjoy the lady who should’ve won it all last year~ Crystal Bowersox~ as she performed “Ridin’ with the Radio” live on the results show last night.
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
After a pretty strong showing last night by the American Idol top 12 guys, the girls clearly had their work cut out for them to make a mark. But oh, they did. Much like the guys, there were 5 clear standouts who should sail through to the finals and then there will be 3-4 fighting for a wild card spot. I can also guarantee 2 going home for sure. In fact, you’ll get all my predictions at the bottom of this recap, but first let’s rank the ladies!
Idol Rankings 3/2/11~ The Girls
1. Pia Toscano: in an incredibly tight race, Toscano just barely grabbed my top placement with her gorgeous and powerful version of The Pretenders 1994 hit “I’ll Stand By You”. And I’m going to say something shocking: this beautiful lady even outsang Carrie Underwood on this song when she performed it at Idol Gives Back a few years ago. Whew, I didn’t know that would ever happen. Pia has now gone from a dark horse “wait who is she?” contestant, to a front-runner. 2. Thia Megia: from the first amazing a capella note of “Out Here on My Own” from Fame, Thia had me wrapped up in her tiny little hands. Her big voice was glorious throughout and she connected to all of the emotion of the song wonderfully. The judges loved her too (as they did Toscano, but without the standing ovation) and Megia looks certain to go far in the Idol race. 3. Lauren Turner: this Bette Midler meets Pink belter turned out Etta James “Seven Day Fool” with incredible confidence and flawless vocals. I’m really starting to root for her and can’t wait to see what she does next. 4. Lauren Alaina: my favorite contestant of the season (so far, and it’s early) took on Reba McEntire’s recent country smash “Turn on the Radio” and gave it a country pop spin that easily improved on the original. The judges were wowed and even compared her to former winners Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. Thus, I now dub Lauren “Kelly Underwood”! …. and how cute was she calling Ryan “Peaches”. Love it. 5. Karen Rodriguez: going the Spanglish route on Mariah Carey’s # 1 hit from 1994 “Hero”, Rodriguez commanded the stage. Her vocals were wonderful and I, like Randy, even preferred the Spanish verses. She’s another one to watch. 6. Ashton Jones: this season’s diva in training picked a lackluster song in Monica’s R&B hit from last year “Love Over Me”. However, she sold it like nobody’s business and has personality and looks for days to go with her strong pipes. 7. Naima Adedapo: when I heard she was doing Fantasia‘s signature song “Summertime”, I was rather worried. Luckily, Naima took it in a completely different jazzy direction and made it her own. Loved the glory notes at the end too. Unfortunately, in a night with several good performances, might she get overlooked? 8. Kendra Chantelle: this blonde beauty rendered a lovely version of Christina Aguilera’s 2002 song “Impossible” and continues to show great promise. On the other hand, she may end up being overshadowed by bigger voices and personalities. I hope she has a shot. 9. Haley Reinhart: ok, I have to say it. I can’t stand this girl. I find her incredibly annoying and affected and her performance of Alicia Keyes’ # 1 hit from 2001 “Fallin’” was severely lacking authenticity and full of forced sexiness that was actually just plain icky. That said, she certainly sang it well…. but, um, no thank you! 10. Julie Zorilla: much like Robbie Rozen yesterday, this youngster had been one of my faves. So, why on Earth did she choose Kelly’s massive 2005 smash “Breakaway” as her song tonight? As Randy said, she paled in comparison to the original and looked as if she was in a pageant competition the whole time. Unfortunately, she’s in danger for sure. 11. Rachel Zevita: in the runner-up position for most annoying finalist this season, Zevita made the dubious choice of turning Fiona Apple’s “Criminal” into a number from the musical “Chicago”. NOTHING about it worked and her irritable personality during judging did her no favors either. 12. Ta-Tynisa Wilson: Oh girl, why oh why would you pick a song that Rihanna even needs auto-tune to sing right? Poor Ta-Tynisa laid the big stink bomb of the evening with the # 1 hit from last year “Only Girl in the World” and it looks like it will be her dubious swan song.
Predictions~
The 5 Ladies Going thru: Pia Toscano, Lauren Alaina, Thia Megia, Lauren Turner, and Ashton Jones Likely to get the Wild card: Karen Rodriguez Fighting for another Wild card: Julie Zorilla, Naima Adedapo, Kendra Chantelle Going Home for sure: Ta-Tynisa Wilson, Rachel Zevita, Haley Reinhart
There you have it. The ladies have left it all on the stage and I’ve finished dialing for my faves. Did you? And just who do you think will make it through? Sound off below.
Oh dear, I am officially invested in this season of The Voice. I even voted last week and earlier tonight. Someone help me! … With that said, this season has some great vocalists and tonight’s episode was a million times better than last week. So, let’s take a look at my rankings and predictions for the Top Ten…
