Wednesday 10 April 2019

The Top 20 Perform

Ryan Seacrest is doing his proper job as host on the big stage now. It's nice to see two substantial rounds now for those who have made it this far - with tonight's full-length solo performances and then duets with some stars next. Such an important feature which I cried out for with X Factor who made the mistake of cutting way to quickly at these stages. This is when those who may be new to all this get a chance to learn and they need more opportunity to get themselves across to the voting audience.

I have ranked these performances, purely in my own judgement as to how they might fare in the overall competition. I have yet to see the duet rounds and so that may well affect the final order. I understand that 14 will make it through out of this group after the duet round and, I think, that will be the people who finally have made it to the all-important Live Shows.

Madison VanDenberg
Domino
I am still not sure about this girl. Is she that much different or just good at doing this type of number? She does have great singing ability although, performing here n the big stage, she did seem a little breathless and the notes were not all as spot-on as they had seemed before. As usual, though, she gets huge compliments from the judges.

Shawn Robinson
Jealous
Great vocals and a pretty good performance but he is a bit stiff and robotic to watch. He's talented but I still don't see this guy moving on much further in the competition.

Laine Hardy
Bring It On Home To Me
I'd forgotten that this guy hadn't actually planned to audition! He is very good and seems totally in control and aware of what he needs to do. Whilst he is a bit retro, he can get away with it and it does make him stand out from the crowd. He looks the part. He also steps up the show half-way through. A good move. That worked well.

Uché
Figures
Not a track I know at all. Whatever! It works for him! Marvellous performance and if he keeps this standard up then he could well be The One. I can see him in the Final for sure. Fabulous guy and he'll have to go seriously wrong somewhere not to make it.

Eddie Island
I Belong With You
He's almost the complete opposite to the previous guy in terms of stage presence! He does a nice job and has a great voice and gets a good response from the audience too. He's a popular guy. I just don't see him winning.

Evelyn Cormier
Leaving On  A Jet Plane
It's a lovely number but I felt she treated it a bit more heavily than I would have wanted. More her phrasing was hard work and she ought to be more gentle. A nice girl, unusual and very talented but this may have been her at her peak. She'll need to find something special to bring in the votes to advance further.

Alyssa Ragou
Ain't It Fun
One of the best 'pop stars' and if they gave her some Latin stuff to do then I reckon she'd stand a better chance still. She was cut last year at this stage and is liable to fall again. It was an average track and she didn't show as much presence as I'd expected.

Ryan Hammond
You Say
A lovely ballad, well sung and he's mature enough to mean the words too. But this could be as far as I would expect him to go. A nice chap but unlikely to win.

Raquel Trinidad
Lovefool
A nice Cardigans' number which suits her voice and style. But she just comes, performs and goes and doesn't leave me with any real desire to vote for her. I'd be surprised if she gets further.

Logan Johnson
Love Don't Live Here Any More
This chap could be a very popular young star. He's a nice singer, super youthful look. But this was not a great performance. It was a bit of a cruise but I'd still give him another chance.

Demetrius Graham
Hello
A weird start to the Adele number! He is a superb singer but when he opens up it doesn't quite work for him. I'd love to see him progress, although he'd never match Uché with whom he'd get compared. He may get dropped at this point.

Riley Thomson
Jolene
Wow. Here's someone who really should get dropped yet. She's taken on the classic number and is the youngest in the competition too.She has a brilliant voice and seems totally natural, even at 16, on the big stage. I don't know how she can produce any meaning from the track's lyrics at just that age, though, which is hardly criticism as she can do little about that. She is a star, for sure, and has little direct competition in this genre. She ought to make Top 5 and is the #1 girl.

Walker Burroughs
How Deep Is Your Love?
Virtually a capella at the start. Very good. He's a likeable guy, great voice and tone but i just don't see him breaking through into the Big Time. It's a bit of a tedious performance for me. All good, but that's about it, really.

Bumbly
Vision Of Love
Lionel says that she "brings a bit of professionalism to the competition". She's got a great voice but seems to have worn a dress that does not allow much movement on the big stage, as she stays more or less attached to the microphone stand. With the right track, she could go far and sell well. However, she gets some of the poorest reviews of all from the judges. Luckily I think it's the public who choose who moves on. I think she deserves to get to the Top 10.

Ashley Hess
Dreaming With A Broken Heart
She's at the piano and comes across as very cool and different. It's not an easy song to do or put across at all but I felt she did a good job apart from missing some high notes. That spoilt things a bit and may well have lost her votes. She needs rescuing in the next round.


Alejandro Aranda
I Fall Apart
I love this guy. He brings so much emotion to every performance. He just stands there with his guitar - which he plays magnificently and totally naturally as if he had been born holding it. It's a gentle number but that's how it should be with this fellow. As the judges say - he's special. He is still the potential winner of this show.

Kate Barnette
Sunday Morning
I don't really know what to make of her. She's good but I don't know where she fits in. There's a nice jazzy feel to this number and not an easy task to perform this either but she does do a first class job. I just wonder how commercial she would be and whether that will attract support from the public.

Jeremiah Harman
Make You Feel My Love
He's at the piano too. A super voice and nice personality. You can tell he means all the lyrics so really has to beat the likes of Walter and Eddie, for instance. This is a super performance with little else other than his own voice and his piano accompaniment. He'll come close in this competition.

Laci Kaye Booth
I Want You To Want Me
This girl stands with her guitar, looking a star from head to toe. She is totally natural and Country, but not in a dated way. She gives a lot of character in this performance - spot-on notes and just sounds great. She pulls us in for sure. An excellent performance and she is a real contender - she could push Riley out of the ~1 girl spot. Brilliant but - will she appeal to the voters? She is still just a little 'manufactured' in some respects.

Wade Cota
All I Want
Someone who most definitely is not manufactured is Wade. He has a very husky start and is the complete opposite in just about all respects to Laci! He breaks his voice open then and is like all the Mumfords in one. A really good choice of track - a perfect song for this guy. I can see him making it big time with this style. A super audition!

My Ranking so far:
  1. Alejandro
  2. Uché
  3. Laine
  4. Laci
  5. Riley
  6. Jeremiah
  7. Wade
  8. Eddie
  9. Bumbly
  10. Shawn
  11. Madison
  12. Logan
  13. Evelyn
  14. Alyssa

  15. Demitrius
  16. Walker
  17. Kate
  18. Ryan
  19. Ashley
  20. Raquel






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