I missed last year but Netflix makes the 2019 series available to us here in the UK I shall take a look and see how it progresses, reporting here on the good, the bad and the ugly. OK, not the ugly.
Three new judges came on the scene last season in the shape of Katy Perry, Lionel Ritchie and Luke Bryan. Luke may not be a familiar name in the UK but he's hit #1 on the American Billboard charts a couple of times and has written a pile of hits for several artists, although I don't believe he's made the charts here. The guy seems to know what he's talking about, though, and there are usually a pile of Country boys and girls on this show. Some even win! So a good number will certainly make the Live Shows!
Katy is pleasantly mad and unscripted. The camera likes her and she acts up for it too. She's pretty honest and you'll see that she doesn't hold back on what she likes. I'm not so sure about what she doesn't like but maybe we'll find out one day. Luke is pretty quiet and kinda goes with the flow, not exactly setting the show alight with his commentary so far. Lionel is pretty much as you'd expect the big star to be. Full of self-confidence and, with little to lose, he messes around and has some fun while seeming to like everyone but, so far, is the only judge who ever seems to say 'No.'
If you like God and all American style then you'll certainly enjoy this first show which is very clean and nice and, well, pretty much something you could have missed without affecting the rest of the series. I don't see any of the acts making much by way of the Big Time. One might make it through to the Live Shows but that's about it, I'm afraid.
Ryan Seacrest is there, as ever, doing a first class job but, for now, mostly behind the scenes. It simply wouldn't be Idol without him.
We start with Walker Burroughs. Why on Earth they chose him for the first audition we see I do not know. Maybe it was the red hair, spotty complexion and glasses - doing something to tick some minority boxes and all that jazz. He's OK. He does a more confident version of Lionel's Hello on request but really the judges are way OTT. Jeez, we're 12 minutes in already and he's taken up 8 of them.
Johanna Jones comes in and it's all about crisps and burgers. She has a nice character and could be amusing TV. A gentle song, nice enough audition but pretty forgettable if it hadn't been for the crisps.
We get a few 'No's and then meet Kai The Singer. I am not usually fond of the background reels where we hear all about grandma or someone but this one did get to me. This girl is still living in a pretty poor way and the church paid for her guitar and trip here. She gets a lot of admiration and tears flow for sure. Her song is My Girl but she switches it to Music and that sort of works. She's good TV and we'll see some more of her but I'm not convinced she'll make it that far.
Lionel and Katy lay on the God stuff a bit heavy with her but I guess that's the way this show's going to go with them in charge.
Tyler Mitchell comes on and looks about 7 foot six but is actually just 6 foot 4 and it's everyone else who is small. He is the classic good-looking All American boy and gives us a nice, gentle country number. It's not spectacular but people will like him.
Volkillz is some joke act doing nasty death voice stuff. He's one of those worrying people who give you a little black bag without any explanation. As it happened it had some pendant for Katy but it was a cringe-worthy moment I wouldn't have included in the show. Weird guy. weird singing. Not AI stuff at all.
Margie Saunders burps and is a bit mad. She's a fun person - a sort of cartoon character in many ways. Hers was a cool audition of some country style song. Her performance was a bit flawed in places but she was interesting and may make it a bit further. Entertaining, at least. But not in the league of someone like Kelly Pickler, for example, and you need to have that level of talent and personality to make a mark. or, at least, I hope so or it's going to be a dull few months.
I like the way the bad acts have been cut right down to a few shots. They used to get far too much airtime and still do on X Factor.
After a few more 'No's we meet Myra Tran who came over from Vietnam just a year ago. No-one mentions the war. She is easily the best so far, no accent at all in her rendition of a Jennifer Hudson number and which she did, in my view, just as well. An excellent singer but I am not so sure about how this young, innocent-seeming girl is going to do when it comes to getting real emotion across. There have been several youngsters I can recall from past shows who have been brilliant singers but have simply had zero experience of anything approaching relationships, love and feelings that relationships and attraction and physical contact bring. She'll be back, though, for sure.
Uché has a really long name, which includes Walter. He's a cool-looking guy. God loves him, he says, which tends to put us off, however true that may or may not be. In fact, we get told that God loves everybody anyway so that seemed a pointless thing to say but it gets the judges on his side and they reckon God loves him too. Let's get on with the talent show, OK?
He's a good performer but that's all. He'd look good on an album cover but as no-one has album covers any more that's all he had going for him and I can't him going far after Hollywood.
If i hadn't already mentioned it, yes, all the above except the death voice bloke get through to Hollywood. As do the next few.
Lacy Kaye Booth is a country singer, blonde, dark-eyed and with an interesting voice. It sounded like she was nervous but it may actually be her sound. Her parents were just 17 and 15 when she was born but no-one seems to have been arrested. Her dad appears to have gone and then returned to take her on the road when she was old enough. Odd relationship there which may not be something to think about too much. She's good and, as I said, interesting but will have to work harder to get far.
Nick Rogers is a pretty young lad - the first of the 'boyband' type and he is pleasantly modern in that he comes out with a modern song and raps too. He could do well but still is no more than average and isn't going to set the charts alight without a lot of help.
Tiffanne Lemay is a good singer and could go far with the right songs. She's still only a bit better than average, though, but gets a Lionel signature on the album cover which she brings in! Nice.
Nick Townsend is the last up in this first show and it's a pile of tears again as we get told how he lost two of his brothers at an early age. Very sad. Then we find out that Luke also had the same experience which makes you wonder just how many more we're going to here about and who, seemingly, God wasn't doing as much for as he should.Not that anybody mentioned that this time. He's an odd fellow. Nick, not God, although god probably has to be when you think about all the stuff he does. Nick sings in a strange way that I don't see having much appeal in the wider market but he's good enough to get through for now.
That was not the most exciting show I've seen, I have to say. None of the acts really showed much more than average talent, although the judges seemed to be blown away several times. No idea why. Might have been something in their contracts which requited them to be super-enthusiastic.
Showing posts with label Ryan Seacrest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ryan Seacrest. Show all posts
Thursday, 7 March 2019
Monday, 11 April 2016
The penultimate show make it Boy v Girl for the Final.
Trent kicks off the first part of the Final with what would be his 'winner's single'. Falling does suit his voice almost perfectly and flows along OK. I can't get excited about it and it seems to me the sort of track that goes up the charts but drops out pretty soon afterwards. it is missing something. But it has an instant appeal that won't do Trent any harm at all.
Trent will get middle America's vote big time. Despite Dalton's pop talent and La'Porsha's much-expected win, I still see Trent with a strong chance on the public vote there.
Dalton's song is much more impressive, as is his perfprmance. he looks and sounds like someone who wants to win, to perform and entertain. Not sure of the title. May be Cross My Heart. An excellent start but, again, it isn't something I would rush to download. Far better than Trent's performance but Dalton really will need every single teen fan to keep voting to stay in this thing.
He strikes me as the one who will get the most chart success over the years to come and I am sure he'll get a contract from someone come what may. He could also make it here in the UK with the right marketing as we haven't really got anyone like him, with the energy and appeal and genuine ability to get the lyrics across.
Oops. 4Music, the channel showing the series here this year, ahve just shown a trailer for the final to be shown here tomorrow. Who will win American Idol? the voice asks, Trent or La'Porsha? And there is a picture of the two centre screen in the ad.
That obviously wasn't intended to give the game away but it looks like Dalton's run ends here. Shame.
La'Porsha does her single. Again, I can't give you a title but it was a good commercial number and suited her well. Not particularly memorable and her performance was very 'normal'.
In what seems a mad rush to the result now, Ryan announces that La'Porsha is through. Then he follows with the news we already now know that Trent is the other one. Poor Dalton is out. An incredible artist and performer says Ryan. That's true. He was my winner. I hope he moves further on now. There will, of course, be the Idol tour where he can continue to earn and impress record people.
So now it's just the two. Trent chooses the classic If You Don't Know Me By Now for his own song. He knows this one well, you can tell. It's a good performance although I could do without the wailing. He has his work cut out to match La'Porsha, whatever she chooses.
There is little doubt that La'Porsha is the 'natural' winner but I remember Kris Allen beating Adam Lambert and this has the same feel about it. He is quite like an amalgam of several winners in the past. A sort of Mr Average Idol. We really will not get to know much about him at all, I'm afraid, over here, or, for that matter, anywhere outside the States. La'Porsha, too, is unlikely to reach out of her home nation so, in that sense either will be an 'American' idol, period.
I have sort of lost interest in the competition now. The bits about previous contestants, judges and production team etc. are interesting, though. I'll watch the final, of course, and hope for something special but suspect that the best moments will be from the guests. I wonder if Simon will be back.
La'Porsha sings A House Is Not A Home. She is very well made-up and dressed by the makeover team. Good job. That dark blue shade is perfect and may well get her a bundle of votes on its own. Her performance is a bit rambling and not one of her best. That makes several recently that have been going down rather than reaching a climax. She will need something better tomorrow or Trent will steal this thing on song choice.
Round Three. Trent finishes his night with Sia's Chandelier. Something modern for a change. Tough song but he is note perfect and really does a tremendous job with that. He is certainly making a major effort to challenge La'Porsha. The crowd is very impressed too.
La'Porsha does Diamonds, the track Rihanna made famous. I am not so sure I didn't prefer her first effort at this. This one seems a bit overdone. It's odd but just as Trent is coming to the boil, this girl seems to be cooling off quite a lot. I disagree with the judges compliments on this one. It was OK. No more.
So we'll know tomorrow how this ends. You probably know already. I haven't published any videos this time because I just know that if I go looking I'll see the result! Sorry!
Trent will get middle America's vote big time. Despite Dalton's pop talent and La'Porsha's much-expected win, I still see Trent with a strong chance on the public vote there.
Dalton's song is much more impressive, as is his perfprmance. he looks and sounds like someone who wants to win, to perform and entertain. Not sure of the title. May be Cross My Heart. An excellent start but, again, it isn't something I would rush to download. Far better than Trent's performance but Dalton really will need every single teen fan to keep voting to stay in this thing.
He strikes me as the one who will get the most chart success over the years to come and I am sure he'll get a contract from someone come what may. He could also make it here in the UK with the right marketing as we haven't really got anyone like him, with the energy and appeal and genuine ability to get the lyrics across.
Oops. 4Music, the channel showing the series here this year, ahve just shown a trailer for the final to be shown here tomorrow. Who will win American Idol? the voice asks, Trent or La'Porsha? And there is a picture of the two centre screen in the ad.
That obviously wasn't intended to give the game away but it looks like Dalton's run ends here. Shame.
La'Porsha does her single. Again, I can't give you a title but it was a good commercial number and suited her well. Not particularly memorable and her performance was very 'normal'.
In what seems a mad rush to the result now, Ryan announces that La'Porsha is through. Then he follows with the news we already now know that Trent is the other one. Poor Dalton is out. An incredible artist and performer says Ryan. That's true. He was my winner. I hope he moves further on now. There will, of course, be the Idol tour where he can continue to earn and impress record people.
So now it's just the two. Trent chooses the classic If You Don't Know Me By Now for his own song. He knows this one well, you can tell. It's a good performance although I could do without the wailing. He has his work cut out to match La'Porsha, whatever she chooses.
There is little doubt that La'Porsha is the 'natural' winner but I remember Kris Allen beating Adam Lambert and this has the same feel about it. He is quite like an amalgam of several winners in the past. A sort of Mr Average Idol. We really will not get to know much about him at all, I'm afraid, over here, or, for that matter, anywhere outside the States. La'Porsha, too, is unlikely to reach out of her home nation so, in that sense either will be an 'American' idol, period.
I have sort of lost interest in the competition now. The bits about previous contestants, judges and production team etc. are interesting, though. I'll watch the final, of course, and hope for something special but suspect that the best moments will be from the guests. I wonder if Simon will be back.
La'Porsha sings A House Is Not A Home. She is very well made-up and dressed by the makeover team. Good job. That dark blue shade is perfect and may well get her a bundle of votes on its own. Her performance is a bit rambling and not one of her best. That makes several recently that have been going down rather than reaching a climax. She will need something better tomorrow or Trent will steal this thing on song choice.
Round Three. Trent finishes his night with Sia's Chandelier. Something modern for a change. Tough song but he is note perfect and really does a tremendous job with that. He is certainly making a major effort to challenge La'Porsha. The crowd is very impressed too.
La'Porsha does Diamonds, the track Rihanna made famous. I am not so sure I didn't prefer her first effort at this. This one seems a bit overdone. It's odd but just as Trent is coming to the boil, this girl seems to be cooling off quite a lot. I disagree with the judges compliments on this one. It was OK. No more.
So we'll know tomorrow how this ends. You probably know already. I haven't published any videos this time because I just know that if I go looking I'll see the result! Sorry!
Tuesday, 5 April 2016
It's anyone's guess now as the Top 3 are announced
I have had to avoid Twitter all week. That is the problem with following this show in the UK, trying to avoid the news! Normally I fail miserably and then have to try and write reviews as if it is all a surprise. This year, I can genuinely say that I do not know who makes the final three. I am assuming that there will one more week when the Final comes and we all know who wins so that is the week I have to go into hibernation big time.
My guess is that La'Porsha, Mackenzie and Trent are the ones that make it. My personal preference would be for Dalton to be there and win the thing. So let's see.
Three rounds. First a Home Town performance. Second their own choice. Third the Judges' choices.
Mackenzie may seem to be the weakest competitor remaining but remember Phillip Phillips? American Idol seems to favour the less obvious stars on many occasions. Adam Lambert lost out to little David, of whom little has been heard of since over here! Even here on X Factor we have had some odd winners, like Leon Jackson, never to be heard of again, and The Voice is almost famous for not making winners famous in this country! He is also very original, writes his own stuff and that I admire and respect. He could be a success with some marketing support and, judging by the early tracks we heard during auditions, he may have what it takes to move into what is currently a popular folk-rock genre. So I am saying that Mackenzie needs to be there.
His song is the classic Hallelujah. Nice choice. I am never sure about this song as a soft option, though. My preference is the original and most since have been a bit soft or commercial. This is good but I didn't really feel moved by the song as others have done before. Not at all bad, though, and it hasn't been that much done in American Idol so the public may like it and I am sure it won't harm his chances. 'Nice job', as Harry says.
Dalton, as I have said, is the one I feel should win. He has a natural talent, looks good on screen and I can imagine him capturing a huge bundle of fans and enjoying his fame, reaching across the Atlantic to UK too. he really should get the whole of the teen vote. I particularly like how he understands what is going on on stage and what he needs to do and show when performing. He is bright and I do hope he makes it, however tough that will be on one of the others. He is the star in many ways and would serve the brand well in future.
His song is Calling You. It's not one I recognise. But it is 2016, modern and coms across as a real performance that enlivens the audience. He can work with the camera too and that was great, Is it his last, though? The vote has already been taken so nothing he does now will make any difference. He was good. Jennifer says it'll be interesting to see where he goes during the night. What does she know? I am sure the judges do know and I am looking for a hint. I didn't see a sign that he's going. But it will be a close call.
Trent deserves his place here but I think he would be the one I would put in 4th place. He has been really good, he hasn't put a foot or note wrong all the way through but he hasn't been, how can I put it, very interesting. He has all the 'classic' American, all American Boy stuff going for him and that has to count for something and has launched many previous winners. So it really is anybody's game this year and he stands as good a chance as anyone of making it through.
His song I didn't recognise either but it was a classic sort of ballad that suited him well. I didn't think it suited a young audience that well but many will have appreciated his superb delivery and spot-on tuning throughout. the judges were very complimentary.
Now Trent has said that his family would only come to the show if he made the Final. Ryan surprises him big time by bringing them on stage! Quite what that means I don't know. If I were Trent I'd be assuming that theyw ere brought in to make at least this show as the numbers were looking close for him. However, this might just be a bluff by Idol producers to get us to assume he hasn't made it. And, to be honest, at this stage, if I were his dad I would have insisted on coming as it really is anyone who could be going home now.
La'Porsha seems to be a shoe-in to the Final and, in many people's books, the title too. I can see torms hat. She has been pretty amazing and is certainly one hell of a good singer and she can interpret lyrics very well with all the suffering she's had in the past. I do have a doubt, though, about where she'll fit in in the modern pop world. She'll sell well amongst the over 30s for sure but unless she can bring some new flavour of soul and Motown to the 21st Century and today's charts I just see her as an album seller who will do well but just never get that well known outside a limited area. I would still put money on her winning, though!
She performs Glory very well indeed. The judges didn't want to critique her any more as she is just so good.
Ryan announces who is through.
Trent is first to be announced. And yes! Dalton makes it!! La'Porsha too. So Mackemzie goes. He's done well, though, and should get a contract anyway. He'd better.
It seems that La'Porsha may not have won the public vote and the producers must be a bit worried about that. I think there would have been a revolt had she not made the Final. I also feel she will have to make the Top 2, come what may.
So now they can relax a bit and do the mentor's choice. Bruce Springstein's great Dancing In The Dark is ideal for Dalton. Nice choice. He starts well, slowly but then burst into a really fast and spiced up version that set the stage and audience alight. Jennifer was almost uncontrollable and we learn at the end that she was almost reasy to be dragged on stage to join Dalton. Now that would have been a moment but, of course, not quite as even-handed as the panel needs to be I suppose! That was good. Too short, ending a bit weakly, but good. It won't have lost him any of his fans and may even have brought in some new ones who were supporting Mackenzie. Now he can win this thing, especially bearing mind the vulnerability of La'Porsha's support in terms of actual votes.
La'Porsha gets Stay With Me Baby which she puts her heart and soul into. An excellent cover but I wouldn't rush to see that again. She probably won't either as we discover later that she really didn't like the lyrics of a woman begging a man to stay with her. Now there is something going on here that I am not so sure all of America will appreciate. The song is fair enough, lyrically, for a girl who does love someone that much. If La'Porsha doesn't like it never mind. The judges spot that she was 'acting'. Interesting.
Oh dear, what has the mentor guy given to Trent? It's a Justin Timberlake number I Can Drink You Away. Rubbish. Not at all a pleasant noise. He did his best but I didn't like that at all. He had a guitar but no-one actually knows why. To be fair he gets a lot of credit for how he sang and worked with the band. he is good at that.
Keith Urban ings his new single Wasted Time. He's had 20 No.1s over there apparently. Gosh!
That was pretty good, with a double guitar thing that was an electric banjo as well as a guitar.
Back to the competition. For Dalton the judges choose Everybody Wants To Rule The World. Why? That was average and, as Jennifer points out, the key was low and it didn't work. There was not the energy and Dalton had droped it because he wasn't sure about hitting the notes in a higher key. The ending was dreadful, though, and I think everyone knew that so he is very much relying upon his first two (thankfully impressive) performances. The panel really didn't do him any favours there. It's an old song, stuck in the 80s and no amount of Daltonization can drag it back here and now.
La'Porsha is next and I am sure the panel will have chosen better for her. Yes, they play very safe with Adele's Hello. No problem there at all. She does that very well and you know she'll be through. If it's at Dalton's expense then he should demand a contract anyway!
Trent gets a decent track too. it isn't one I know but suits him very well. A far better performance than the others. He ought to stand a good chance and I reckon the votes could be close all round between the three. Nice choice. Keith chose it and he is talented at putting people and tracks together.
So that's it. Voters will by now have chosen the two who get to perform in the Final itself, although there'll be two shows: the Top 3 going to 2 Show and the Final itself. I wouldn't want to call this one. I am tempted to say Trent may take this after all. I would like Dalton to win. La'Porsha is the one expected to win. You choose, America.
Now to avoid Twitter and any site that may bear the news of the shows now being shown over there.
My guess is that La'Porsha, Mackenzie and Trent are the ones that make it. My personal preference would be for Dalton to be there and win the thing. So let's see.
Three rounds. First a Home Town performance. Second their own choice. Third the Judges' choices.
Mackenzie may seem to be the weakest competitor remaining but remember Phillip Phillips? American Idol seems to favour the less obvious stars on many occasions. Adam Lambert lost out to little David, of whom little has been heard of since over here! Even here on X Factor we have had some odd winners, like Leon Jackson, never to be heard of again, and The Voice is almost famous for not making winners famous in this country! He is also very original, writes his own stuff and that I admire and respect. He could be a success with some marketing support and, judging by the early tracks we heard during auditions, he may have what it takes to move into what is currently a popular folk-rock genre. So I am saying that Mackenzie needs to be there.
His song is the classic Hallelujah. Nice choice. I am never sure about this song as a soft option, though. My preference is the original and most since have been a bit soft or commercial. This is good but I didn't really feel moved by the song as others have done before. Not at all bad, though, and it hasn't been that much done in American Idol so the public may like it and I am sure it won't harm his chances. 'Nice job', as Harry says.
Dalton, as I have said, is the one I feel should win. He has a natural talent, looks good on screen and I can imagine him capturing a huge bundle of fans and enjoying his fame, reaching across the Atlantic to UK too. he really should get the whole of the teen vote. I particularly like how he understands what is going on on stage and what he needs to do and show when performing. He is bright and I do hope he makes it, however tough that will be on one of the others. He is the star in many ways and would serve the brand well in future.
His song is Calling You. It's not one I recognise. But it is 2016, modern and coms across as a real performance that enlivens the audience. He can work with the camera too and that was great, Is it his last, though? The vote has already been taken so nothing he does now will make any difference. He was good. Jennifer says it'll be interesting to see where he goes during the night. What does she know? I am sure the judges do know and I am looking for a hint. I didn't see a sign that he's going. But it will be a close call.
Trent deserves his place here but I think he would be the one I would put in 4th place. He has been really good, he hasn't put a foot or note wrong all the way through but he hasn't been, how can I put it, very interesting. He has all the 'classic' American, all American Boy stuff going for him and that has to count for something and has launched many previous winners. So it really is anybody's game this year and he stands as good a chance as anyone of making it through.
His song I didn't recognise either but it was a classic sort of ballad that suited him well. I didn't think it suited a young audience that well but many will have appreciated his superb delivery and spot-on tuning throughout. the judges were very complimentary.
Now Trent has said that his family would only come to the show if he made the Final. Ryan surprises him big time by bringing them on stage! Quite what that means I don't know. If I were Trent I'd be assuming that theyw ere brought in to make at least this show as the numbers were looking close for him. However, this might just be a bluff by Idol producers to get us to assume he hasn't made it. And, to be honest, at this stage, if I were his dad I would have insisted on coming as it really is anyone who could be going home now.
La'Porsha seems to be a shoe-in to the Final and, in many people's books, the title too. I can see torms hat. She has been pretty amazing and is certainly one hell of a good singer and she can interpret lyrics very well with all the suffering she's had in the past. I do have a doubt, though, about where she'll fit in in the modern pop world. She'll sell well amongst the over 30s for sure but unless she can bring some new flavour of soul and Motown to the 21st Century and today's charts I just see her as an album seller who will do well but just never get that well known outside a limited area. I would still put money on her winning, though!
She performs Glory very well indeed. The judges didn't want to critique her any more as she is just so good.
Ryan announces who is through.
Trent is first to be announced. And yes! Dalton makes it!! La'Porsha too. So Mackemzie goes. He's done well, though, and should get a contract anyway. He'd better.
It seems that La'Porsha may not have won the public vote and the producers must be a bit worried about that. I think there would have been a revolt had she not made the Final. I also feel she will have to make the Top 2, come what may.
So now they can relax a bit and do the mentor's choice. Bruce Springstein's great Dancing In The Dark is ideal for Dalton. Nice choice. He starts well, slowly but then burst into a really fast and spiced up version that set the stage and audience alight. Jennifer was almost uncontrollable and we learn at the end that she was almost reasy to be dragged on stage to join Dalton. Now that would have been a moment but, of course, not quite as even-handed as the panel needs to be I suppose! That was good. Too short, ending a bit weakly, but good. It won't have lost him any of his fans and may even have brought in some new ones who were supporting Mackenzie. Now he can win this thing, especially bearing mind the vulnerability of La'Porsha's support in terms of actual votes.
La'Porsha gets Stay With Me Baby which she puts her heart and soul into. An excellent cover but I wouldn't rush to see that again. She probably won't either as we discover later that she really didn't like the lyrics of a woman begging a man to stay with her. Now there is something going on here that I am not so sure all of America will appreciate. The song is fair enough, lyrically, for a girl who does love someone that much. If La'Porsha doesn't like it never mind. The judges spot that she was 'acting'. Interesting.
Oh dear, what has the mentor guy given to Trent? It's a Justin Timberlake number I Can Drink You Away. Rubbish. Not at all a pleasant noise. He did his best but I didn't like that at all. He had a guitar but no-one actually knows why. To be fair he gets a lot of credit for how he sang and worked with the band. he is good at that.
Keith Urban ings his new single Wasted Time. He's had 20 No.1s over there apparently. Gosh!
That was pretty good, with a double guitar thing that was an electric banjo as well as a guitar.
Back to the competition. For Dalton the judges choose Everybody Wants To Rule The World. Why? That was average and, as Jennifer points out, the key was low and it didn't work. There was not the energy and Dalton had droped it because he wasn't sure about hitting the notes in a higher key. The ending was dreadful, though, and I think everyone knew that so he is very much relying upon his first two (thankfully impressive) performances. The panel really didn't do him any favours there. It's an old song, stuck in the 80s and no amount of Daltonization can drag it back here and now.
La'Porsha is next and I am sure the panel will have chosen better for her. Yes, they play very safe with Adele's Hello. No problem there at all. She does that very well and you know she'll be through. If it's at Dalton's expense then he should demand a contract anyway!
Trent gets a decent track too. it isn't one I know but suits him very well. A far better performance than the others. He ought to stand a good chance and I reckon the votes could be close all round between the three. Nice choice. Keith chose it and he is talented at putting people and tracks together.
So that's it. Voters will by now have chosen the two who get to perform in the Final itself, although there'll be two shows: the Top 3 going to 2 Show and the Final itself. I wouldn't want to call this one. I am tempted to say Trent may take this after all. I would like Dalton to win. La'Porsha is the one expected to win. You choose, America.
Now to avoid Twitter and any site that may bear the news of the shows now being shown over there.
Tuesday, 29 March 2016
The Top 4
You know, this is as good as a Final in many ways. Five good contestants and I could imagine any one taking the title.
Favourite out there is probably La'Porsha who has put a foot wrong so far but I still wonder just how successful she would be as a long term record selling artist. She is superb as a singer but lacks something on stage and on camera that might hold her back and I am not so sure the Country lands would vote for her,
Next in my book and my own prediction to win is Dalton. He has something of Adam Lambert about him but, while he is not quite so perfect vocally, he has a great personality and a very individual and cool way to present material. He would also be popular across the planet with the right backing.
Then there's the remarkable Mackenzie. He writes very good songs and that should nean he deserves success in the future. He is popular and has a back story that many will appreciate. In the same way that Phillip Phillips sneaked in at the end so too might Mackenzie.
Sonika is the one who just made it to the last five. She is attractive and sings almost anything very well and I can see her going down well across the land. She lacks conviction - I don't think she's had much experience of life - and that shows sometimes in the interpretation of emotions in lyrics. I feel she is the least likely to make the Top 4 but she'll be pleased to make No.5 anyway.
The other candidate is good ol' Trent. I would not have put him in the last few based on early auditions but the guy has grown on me since and I have to admire his very good tuning and how he works with the songs. He has a great range, is more accurate than Dalton and has a lot of support out there. A good 'all American boy' too - he would be a popular choice for the last American Idol. Having said that, he just lacks that presence and magic that La'Porsha and Dalton possess and that's not something you can manufacture. I don't think he would export to places like UK or Europe either.
So, let's see how they do.
La'Porsha starts with a Bon Jovi number. I am not sure that suits her. She is most definitely not a cowboy and so the lyrics sounded odd, as did the tempo and general feel which was not what we're familiar with from this girl. I hope they have more than one track as that will not help her cause. Having said that, rumour has it that she is so far out there that it won't actually make any difference. Scott is already printing the CD covers. I didn't like that at all, though.
Mackenzie Bourg is next to make the Top 4. Cheap Trick's I Want You To Want Want Me is presented in his pleasant and easy-going style. I like the chap and this suits him. It didn't have a wow factor and may have been a bit over-produced with a lot going on in the background. I would have preferred him on his own or less heavily backed. A better job than La'Porsha and, as Harry said, it was 'all right'.
Keith says he hated the arrangement. After I'd written my bit! Nice to see I get some things right.
A past winner, David Cook, performs Heartbeat which I guess is a new single for him in the States. I liked him a lot in 2009 when he won but have heard almost nothing of him here in the UK since. He is jolly good and in this time of Mumfords and similar he could do well on this side of the Pond if his record people would bother trying. This particular track seems to be going nowhere until two-thirds the way through when it erupts and is quite impressive after all. It is one of those rare tracks that you want to play again almost before the first play ends. Nice. Come on SYCO or The Cook Record Company whoever you are, get him over here in 2016, OK.
Two places left. Who gets the first? I'm guessing Trent. Yes, although I don't agree with Ryan referring to Dalton and Sonika as the 'Bottom two'. I do hope that they weren't. Well, Sonika may have been but surely not Dalton? Anyway, Trent shows that he deserves his place in the Top 4 with a super version of ZZ Top's Sharp Dressed Man. I would never have expected that from him and he did really well, adding 'swampy' to the rock song. He 'muddied it up' and that worked well for him. Very smart, as Harry told him. A nice performance. The crowd loved it and that will do him proud. Unexpected and may see him through further than I might have thought. Good move. Best so far.
Dalton is the one that makes the last place. And he was in the Bottom Two with Sonika. Sad to see her go but it makes sense, looking at the talent she is competing with.
Dalton's song is God Only Knows, the great Beach Boys number. He 'Daltonizes' it, of course, slowing it right down and trying hard to pull in the audience. However, it was a bit weak. He should have attracted all his fans with that and he seemed genuinely emotional so maybe that will bring in a few much-needed votes for next week. His arrangement was good. He is a natural performer. He said he was 'a bit shook up' when Ryan questioned him afterwards and you can tell that he will be really disappointed not to make the Final. He has made the Final 4, though and that counts.
Very nice to see Katharine McPhee on stage singing Somewhere Over The Rainbow. The microphone was catching some noise as she sang which spoilt it a bit. She has done very well since with a career in film and TV series which is probably earning her far more than even winning would have brought. She is gorgeous in Scorpion.
I seem to remember that Sia was to act as a mentor in a programme and we did see a glimpse of her with Sonika. Ah, as I write this she is appearing and we see that she is working with each of the four to do one of her own songs. Sia has a remarkable skill and has written so many tracks for top acts across the world. She is good. I dislike the wigs but that's just a thing.
La'Porsha sings Elastic Heart. She does it well - pretty much as Sia would have presented it, but that is no bad thing. Nice job and I imagine she'll sail through to the Top 3.
Mackenzie chooses Titanium. Not my favourite song as so many seem to do it and usually finish up wailing annoyingly. His version is one of the better ones. I still don't think it suits him and I'm not sure he didn't decide not to risk some notes along the way. Quite good but I do feel he could have done a lot better and he needs to beat Dalton and Trent.
Dalton really should do Sia well. I can imagine him interpreting her stuff exactly as both she and he would like and he ought to be more confident too.
Sia performs what I think was Cheap Thrills. Brilliant, brilliant dancers and set design. I am tired of her face-hiding stuff now. It seems more a gimmick than a statement. She is superbly talented and really needs to forget all that. I am sure the way she actually looks will not affect anything. I think she initially didn't want to be successful just because she was a pretty Australian blonde but judged on her music instead. Interestingly, though, she has used the device of an attractive and very sexy dancer in most videos I've seen which I am sure has increased the initial impact of the early tracks. I remember being enthralled by a couple of videos and may not have noticed her otherwise. I even though she was the girl dancing for a while!
OK, back to people with faces. Trent is singing Chandelier, which Sia says is her favourite song. Trent does an amazingly good version of this and my guess is that he seals his own Top 3 place ther and then. He really does show Mackenzie just what was required. One of the Season's 'moments' I feel. Well done, Trent. Every single note was right and that was not an easy song by any stretch of the imagination. The timbre and timing were just, as Harry said, phenomenal. Very difficult but he gave it 100/100 and, from Harry, that's one hell of a complement.
Dalton is closing the show with Bird Set Free. Another damn difficult track and not as commercial as the others have been. They won't be as well remembered, perhaps. I was genuinely moved watching this. he really did mean thse lyrics - every word and he chose so well a less than famous track. He moved the audience too and may just have knocked some of the sparkle off Trent's performance. He will be remembered.
I do hope he makes it through. So many people say they 'need this'. He genuinely does. Keith tells us how he is up against some insane talent and yet he has that conviction and inspires us all. Keith would rather hear Dalton's inspiring efforts than someone else's perfection. He doesn't say whose perfection he was thinking about, of course!
This is one hell of a competition and a great way to end the series. There will be tears.
Favourite out there is probably La'Porsha who has put a foot wrong so far but I still wonder just how successful she would be as a long term record selling artist. She is superb as a singer but lacks something on stage and on camera that might hold her back and I am not so sure the Country lands would vote for her,
Next in my book and my own prediction to win is Dalton. He has something of Adam Lambert about him but, while he is not quite so perfect vocally, he has a great personality and a very individual and cool way to present material. He would also be popular across the planet with the right backing.
Then there's the remarkable Mackenzie. He writes very good songs and that should nean he deserves success in the future. He is popular and has a back story that many will appreciate. In the same way that Phillip Phillips sneaked in at the end so too might Mackenzie.
Sonika is the one who just made it to the last five. She is attractive and sings almost anything very well and I can see her going down well across the land. She lacks conviction - I don't think she's had much experience of life - and that shows sometimes in the interpretation of emotions in lyrics. I feel she is the least likely to make the Top 4 but she'll be pleased to make No.5 anyway.
The other candidate is good ol' Trent. I would not have put him in the last few based on early auditions but the guy has grown on me since and I have to admire his very good tuning and how he works with the songs. He has a great range, is more accurate than Dalton and has a lot of support out there. A good 'all American boy' too - he would be a popular choice for the last American Idol. Having said that, he just lacks that presence and magic that La'Porsha and Dalton possess and that's not something you can manufacture. I don't think he would export to places like UK or Europe either.
So, let's see how they do.
La'Porsha starts with a Bon Jovi number. I am not sure that suits her. She is most definitely not a cowboy and so the lyrics sounded odd, as did the tempo and general feel which was not what we're familiar with from this girl. I hope they have more than one track as that will not help her cause. Having said that, rumour has it that she is so far out there that it won't actually make any difference. Scott is already printing the CD covers. I didn't like that at all, though.
Mackenzie Bourg is next to make the Top 4. Cheap Trick's I Want You To Want Want Me is presented in his pleasant and easy-going style. I like the chap and this suits him. It didn't have a wow factor and may have been a bit over-produced with a lot going on in the background. I would have preferred him on his own or less heavily backed. A better job than La'Porsha and, as Harry said, it was 'all right'.
Keith says he hated the arrangement. After I'd written my bit! Nice to see I get some things right.
A past winner, David Cook, performs Heartbeat which I guess is a new single for him in the States. I liked him a lot in 2009 when he won but have heard almost nothing of him here in the UK since. He is jolly good and in this time of Mumfords and similar he could do well on this side of the Pond if his record people would bother trying. This particular track seems to be going nowhere until two-thirds the way through when it erupts and is quite impressive after all. It is one of those rare tracks that you want to play again almost before the first play ends. Nice. Come on SYCO or The Cook Record Company whoever you are, get him over here in 2016, OK.
Two places left. Who gets the first? I'm guessing Trent. Yes, although I don't agree with Ryan referring to Dalton and Sonika as the 'Bottom two'. I do hope that they weren't. Well, Sonika may have been but surely not Dalton? Anyway, Trent shows that he deserves his place in the Top 4 with a super version of ZZ Top's Sharp Dressed Man. I would never have expected that from him and he did really well, adding 'swampy' to the rock song. He 'muddied it up' and that worked well for him. Very smart, as Harry told him. A nice performance. The crowd loved it and that will do him proud. Unexpected and may see him through further than I might have thought. Good move. Best so far.
Dalton is the one that makes the last place. And he was in the Bottom Two with Sonika. Sad to see her go but it makes sense, looking at the talent she is competing with.
Dalton's song is God Only Knows, the great Beach Boys number. He 'Daltonizes' it, of course, slowing it right down and trying hard to pull in the audience. However, it was a bit weak. He should have attracted all his fans with that and he seemed genuinely emotional so maybe that will bring in a few much-needed votes for next week. His arrangement was good. He is a natural performer. He said he was 'a bit shook up' when Ryan questioned him afterwards and you can tell that he will be really disappointed not to make the Final. He has made the Final 4, though and that counts.
Very nice to see Katharine McPhee on stage singing Somewhere Over The Rainbow. The microphone was catching some noise as she sang which spoilt it a bit. She has done very well since with a career in film and TV series which is probably earning her far more than even winning would have brought. She is gorgeous in Scorpion.
I seem to remember that Sia was to act as a mentor in a programme and we did see a glimpse of her with Sonika. Ah, as I write this she is appearing and we see that she is working with each of the four to do one of her own songs. Sia has a remarkable skill and has written so many tracks for top acts across the world. She is good. I dislike the wigs but that's just a thing.
La'Porsha sings Elastic Heart. She does it well - pretty much as Sia would have presented it, but that is no bad thing. Nice job and I imagine she'll sail through to the Top 3.
Mackenzie chooses Titanium. Not my favourite song as so many seem to do it and usually finish up wailing annoyingly. His version is one of the better ones. I still don't think it suits him and I'm not sure he didn't decide not to risk some notes along the way. Quite good but I do feel he could have done a lot better and he needs to beat Dalton and Trent.
Dalton really should do Sia well. I can imagine him interpreting her stuff exactly as both she and he would like and he ought to be more confident too.
Sia performs what I think was Cheap Thrills. Brilliant, brilliant dancers and set design. I am tired of her face-hiding stuff now. It seems more a gimmick than a statement. She is superbly talented and really needs to forget all that. I am sure the way she actually looks will not affect anything. I think she initially didn't want to be successful just because she was a pretty Australian blonde but judged on her music instead. Interestingly, though, she has used the device of an attractive and very sexy dancer in most videos I've seen which I am sure has increased the initial impact of the early tracks. I remember being enthralled by a couple of videos and may not have noticed her otherwise. I even though she was the girl dancing for a while!
OK, back to people with faces. Trent is singing Chandelier, which Sia says is her favourite song. Trent does an amazingly good version of this and my guess is that he seals his own Top 3 place ther and then. He really does show Mackenzie just what was required. One of the Season's 'moments' I feel. Well done, Trent. Every single note was right and that was not an easy song by any stretch of the imagination. The timbre and timing were just, as Harry said, phenomenal. Very difficult but he gave it 100/100 and, from Harry, that's one hell of a complement.
Dalton is closing the show with Bird Set Free. Another damn difficult track and not as commercial as the others have been. They won't be as well remembered, perhaps. I was genuinely moved watching this. he really did mean thse lyrics - every word and he chose so well a less than famous track. He moved the audience too and may just have knocked some of the sparkle off Trent's performance. He will be remembered.
I do hope he makes it through. So many people say they 'need this'. He genuinely does. Keith tells us how he is up against some insane talent and yet he has that conviction and inspires us all. Keith would rather hear Dalton's inspiring efforts than someone else's perfection. He doesn't say whose perfection he was thinking about, of course!
This is one hell of a competition and a great way to end the series. There will be tears.
Tuesday, 23 February 2016
Top 24 Idol Duets Pt 2
By the end of this session we will know the Top 14. Five more go tonight. Joining then on stage will be some great folk from the past Seasons. I am really pleased to see Haley Reinhart, someone who ought to have won. Kelly Pickler, one the stars who only came 6th but did brilliantly afterwards, with a cool and fun personaility which has kept her in demand for presenting as well as singing. Chris Daughtry came 4th and has been a very solid and successful artist since then. A chap called Constantinos didn't do very well at all - maybe 7th at best, I think, but he somehow is still doing well! And then there's Jordin Sparks who won. Nice group of helpers.
Amelia Eisenhauer joins Kelly for Suds In The Bucket. Should be fun! Real ol' Country style. They were superb together! Great fun to watch and listen to, even if you aren't bothered about that sort of stuff. Kelly is just one cool girl. Amelia is through to the Live Shows. Done deal.
That puts pressure on the others as still five to go.
Haley Reinhard and Kory Wheeler do Benny And The Jets which each of them have done in their own Seasons. Haley is a total natural. Kory is new to all this. Bit of a mismatch and she will dominate. I mean, just look at this girl. Beautiful. And her voice and timing is fabulous. Kory does his best but his days may be numbered. He doesn't share the stage with her. He never looks at her although she keeps looking his way to no avail. The lighting does not do Kory any favours. He looks pale, ill and sweaty. The job of the makeover team is to stop that happening. Or maybe it is the lighting team? Kory gets good reviews from the panel. We'll see.
Lee Jean is paired with Chris Daughtry. Lee is star struck. The song is Home which Chris wrote. Lee is super nervous but Chris works hard to relax him and is a great mentor. Chris dominates the song which is quite understandable I suppose and Lee doesn't get much of a look in really. For all that, I still expect to see him get through.
Oh, David Cook is there too. I hadn't realised. He's with CJ Johnson. They are a good pair. David is a winner and a great mentor too. He understands music in depth and is almost analytic but it works. CJ gets to sing first in the duet. Nice touch, David. Well done. When David does come in, though, it is rather noriceable and could this mean curtains for CJ? I don't see both Kory and CJ making it somehow.
These duets are so much better than the last ones and so far everyone is getting good reviews. Of all this was the least in the rave review listing but not bad.
Jordin is singing with Manny Perez. She may get him to stop smiling in sad songs. No Air requires emotion and if he can produce that it could even help him reach the Top 14. He has the voice. I had to smile as Jordin has lots of curls in rehearsals and then comes out with dead straight hair this evening and looking quite different!
Constantine and Jen are both pretty quirky. My Funny Valentine could work well for them but it is a risk. Jen has a superb attitude and tremendous talent. Whether it is really an 'Idol' talent I am not totally sure but she is really really good and ought to be included in the Live Shows. That actually worked very well and Constantine has become quite an accomplished performer. Harry didn't like the way it went but Keith was totally opposite and gave Jen a standing ovation. She will be through then, or he'll be disappointed.
Kelly is back with Tristan McIntosh doing a song that Kelly wrote with Taylor Swift. Tristan is becoming one of my favourites. i do hope she gets through, despite her youth and comparative lack of understanding the lyrics. Great performance by both but I am not so sure Tristan didn't outdo Kelly out there! Interesting. neither were brilliantly in tune and the band were terrible, banging away sort of in time in the background.
David is very complimentary about Olivia Rox and she gets excellent reviews. If she can find the right songs then she'll be around. Harry says that Idol is lucky to have her and so we can be sure that she's through!
Haley Reinhart is singing the classic Can't Help Falling In Love With You with Adam Lasher. Haley starts and that voice is just mesmerising. Amazing. Adam tries to match her and he does have a great husky tone but he is nt quite as believable and he looks a bit nervous. Understandably! Not a bad job and they did try so hard. Somewhat deadpan review. Maybe that's his end of run.
Dalton Rapattoni is pretty star struck by Chris Daughtry. They go very well together. Chris takes some keeping up with but Dalton manages, quite easily. he is certainly a potential winner in my book. The best of the boys and I see him in the Finale.
Jordin is singing To Love Somebody with Trent Harmon. Now that's one great song but I can't watch these two. Trent's shirt is hanging out and with short jacket he looks like a squaddie fresh off the battlefield. A complete mess. which is a shame as he can sing very well indeed. Awful hair cut and clothes. Just what are the makeover people doing this Season? Dreadful. But good singing. Harry was very complimentary which is a good sign for Trent.
Shelbie Z gets Constantine. Bohemian Rhapsody is a tough call but if she makes a reasonable stab at it it could do her no harm. It is likely to be a memorable moment. It sure was. Nice job. She handled that well. The reviews were not good, though. Surprising and a bit tough on the girl, I reckon. Even though I am not a Shelbie fan I thought she worked hard there. Does she deserve to get through? Maybe not as there have been some better efforts overall.
Results!
First safe is Lee.
Next is Olivia.
Next is Jen.
Next is Dalton.
Next is Manny. That's the first I was not sure about.
Next is Tristan.
One left. That's Trent.
Sad to see the end of the road for Amelia but the others I had predicted.
Now we know who the public can vote for. There will be four more to go next week and then the Live Shows start with a Top Ten.
This is proving to be a great show.
Amelia Eisenhauer joins Kelly for Suds In The Bucket. Should be fun! Real ol' Country style. They were superb together! Great fun to watch and listen to, even if you aren't bothered about that sort of stuff. Kelly is just one cool girl. Amelia is through to the Live Shows. Done deal.
That puts pressure on the others as still five to go.
Haley Reinhard and Kory Wheeler do Benny And The Jets which each of them have done in their own Seasons. Haley is a total natural. Kory is new to all this. Bit of a mismatch and she will dominate. I mean, just look at this girl. Beautiful. And her voice and timing is fabulous. Kory does his best but his days may be numbered. He doesn't share the stage with her. He never looks at her although she keeps looking his way to no avail. The lighting does not do Kory any favours. He looks pale, ill and sweaty. The job of the makeover team is to stop that happening. Or maybe it is the lighting team? Kory gets good reviews from the panel. We'll see.
Lee Jean is paired with Chris Daughtry. Lee is star struck. The song is Home which Chris wrote. Lee is super nervous but Chris works hard to relax him and is a great mentor. Chris dominates the song which is quite understandable I suppose and Lee doesn't get much of a look in really. For all that, I still expect to see him get through.
Oh, David Cook is there too. I hadn't realised. He's with CJ Johnson. They are a good pair. David is a winner and a great mentor too. He understands music in depth and is almost analytic but it works. CJ gets to sing first in the duet. Nice touch, David. Well done. When David does come in, though, it is rather noriceable and could this mean curtains for CJ? I don't see both Kory and CJ making it somehow.
These duets are so much better than the last ones and so far everyone is getting good reviews. Of all this was the least in the rave review listing but not bad.
Jordin is singing with Manny Perez. She may get him to stop smiling in sad songs. No Air requires emotion and if he can produce that it could even help him reach the Top 14. He has the voice. I had to smile as Jordin has lots of curls in rehearsals and then comes out with dead straight hair this evening and looking quite different!
Constantine and Jen are both pretty quirky. My Funny Valentine could work well for them but it is a risk. Jen has a superb attitude and tremendous talent. Whether it is really an 'Idol' talent I am not totally sure but she is really really good and ought to be included in the Live Shows. That actually worked very well and Constantine has become quite an accomplished performer. Harry didn't like the way it went but Keith was totally opposite and gave Jen a standing ovation. She will be through then, or he'll be disappointed.
Kelly is back with Tristan McIntosh doing a song that Kelly wrote with Taylor Swift. Tristan is becoming one of my favourites. i do hope she gets through, despite her youth and comparative lack of understanding the lyrics. Great performance by both but I am not so sure Tristan didn't outdo Kelly out there! Interesting. neither were brilliantly in tune and the band were terrible, banging away sort of in time in the background.
David is very complimentary about Olivia Rox and she gets excellent reviews. If she can find the right songs then she'll be around. Harry says that Idol is lucky to have her and so we can be sure that she's through!
Haley Reinhart is singing the classic Can't Help Falling In Love With You with Adam Lasher. Haley starts and that voice is just mesmerising. Amazing. Adam tries to match her and he does have a great husky tone but he is nt quite as believable and he looks a bit nervous. Understandably! Not a bad job and they did try so hard. Somewhat deadpan review. Maybe that's his end of run.
Dalton Rapattoni is pretty star struck by Chris Daughtry. They go very well together. Chris takes some keeping up with but Dalton manages, quite easily. he is certainly a potential winner in my book. The best of the boys and I see him in the Finale.
Jordin is singing To Love Somebody with Trent Harmon. Now that's one great song but I can't watch these two. Trent's shirt is hanging out and with short jacket he looks like a squaddie fresh off the battlefield. A complete mess. which is a shame as he can sing very well indeed. Awful hair cut and clothes. Just what are the makeover people doing this Season? Dreadful. But good singing. Harry was very complimentary which is a good sign for Trent.
Shelbie Z gets Constantine. Bohemian Rhapsody is a tough call but if she makes a reasonable stab at it it could do her no harm. It is likely to be a memorable moment. It sure was. Nice job. She handled that well. The reviews were not good, though. Surprising and a bit tough on the girl, I reckon. Even though I am not a Shelbie fan I thought she worked hard there. Does she deserve to get through? Maybe not as there have been some better efforts overall.
Results!
First safe is Lee.
Next is Olivia.
Next is Jen.
Next is Dalton.
Next is Manny. That's the first I was not sure about.
Next is Tristan.
One left. That's Trent.
Sad to see the end of the road for Amelia but the others I had predicted.
Now we know who the public can vote for. There will be four more to go next week and then the Live Shows start with a Top Ten.
This is proving to be a great show.
Monday, 18 January 2016
Philadelphia auditions. Everyone's a bit different.
This week sees the Philadelphia auditions. They seem quite a markedly different bunch to what ahs gone before. Almost everyone is quite memorable.
Gianna Isabella has a mum who shared a studio with Jennifer Lopez and had connections with Mariah Carey. She auditions with House Of The Rising Sun which is sort of OK but not exactly spectacular. Nevertheless she deserves a place at Boot Camp as she may have some hidden abilities.
We see a pile of successes as more people go through but we'll have to wait a while before knowing who they are.
Derek Huffman fails on three counts. First he says he's a major Idol fan but can't get any of Clay Aitken's questions right. It was pity because all the answers were actually Clay! Quite amusing, although I do find Clay a little odd. Secondly, he brings on a little CD player and plays a Shaggy track background as he tries to sing along. Thirdly he can't sing.
Country boy Isaac Cole is a real country boy and has a haircut that looks like a coconut. The panel seem to like him. He is nearly good enough and gets through. It looks as though his parents were really surprised. He certainly had a day to remember as his own 'idol', Keith Urban signs his guitar case. Nice. I doubt if we'll see much more of the lad though.
Sarah Sturm works in an egg restaurant. Cheerful lass and she chose a good song with Your Lips Are Moving and is such a plain-looking girl that I actually hope she'll do well and get the benefit of the makeover team's work for a few weeks.
Ellis Spanks is weird. He comes in with what he calls a Jesus hairpiece and not a great deal else. Very odd. He tries to sing Lady Gaga's Born This Way but he can't really sing. He makes us laugh but that's all.
Quirky describes the next girl. Jenn Blosil is quite strange but also endearing. You sort of want her to do well but don't know what she'll do. As it happens, she does a great job of Imagine Dragons' Radioactive. I quite like her. No idea how she'll get on from here but she could do well if she gets some support and chooses the right tracks. No-one there to meet her afterwards. That was a shame. Maybe there ws someone hiding outside.
Harry Cohen has his grandad with him who fancies just about every girl he sees. Some might think him a bit pervy but I think he's OK. Anyway, his grandson, Harry or Harrison sings a song he has written himself and it's pretty good. The lad's a bit odd but he can sing and can write from what we hear.
John Greene has a sad back story and that might explain why he has a big passion in his voice. He is currently in Matilda on Broadway and that puts him in a particular category. Harry says no, unsure whether he can be made to appeal in other genres but Keith and Jennifer get him through.
Next auditions in Denver.
Gianna Isabella has a mum who shared a studio with Jennifer Lopez and had connections with Mariah Carey. She auditions with House Of The Rising Sun which is sort of OK but not exactly spectacular. Nevertheless she deserves a place at Boot Camp as she may have some hidden abilities.
We see a pile of successes as more people go through but we'll have to wait a while before knowing who they are.
Derek Huffman fails on three counts. First he says he's a major Idol fan but can't get any of Clay Aitken's questions right. It was pity because all the answers were actually Clay! Quite amusing, although I do find Clay a little odd. Secondly, he brings on a little CD player and plays a Shaggy track background as he tries to sing along. Thirdly he can't sing.
Country boy Isaac Cole is a real country boy and has a haircut that looks like a coconut. The panel seem to like him. He is nearly good enough and gets through. It looks as though his parents were really surprised. He certainly had a day to remember as his own 'idol', Keith Urban signs his guitar case. Nice. I doubt if we'll see much more of the lad though.
Sarah Sturm works in an egg restaurant. Cheerful lass and she chose a good song with Your Lips Are Moving and is such a plain-looking girl that I actually hope she'll do well and get the benefit of the makeover team's work for a few weeks.
Ellis Spanks is weird. He comes in with what he calls a Jesus hairpiece and not a great deal else. Very odd. He tries to sing Lady Gaga's Born This Way but he can't really sing. He makes us laugh but that's all.
Quirky describes the next girl. Jenn Blosil is quite strange but also endearing. You sort of want her to do well but don't know what she'll do. As it happens, she does a great job of Imagine Dragons' Radioactive. I quite like her. No idea how she'll get on from here but she could do well if she gets some support and chooses the right tracks. No-one there to meet her afterwards. That was a shame. Maybe there ws someone hiding outside.
Harry Cohen has his grandad with him who fancies just about every girl he sees. Some might think him a bit pervy but I think he's OK. Anyway, his grandson, Harry or Harrison sings a song he has written himself and it's pretty good. The lad's a bit odd but he can sing and can write from what we hear.
John Greene has a sad back story and that might explain why he has a big passion in his voice. He is currently in Matilda on Broadway and that puts him in a particular category. Harry says no, unsure whether he can be made to appeal in other genres but Keith and Jennifer get him through.
Next auditions in Denver.
Tuesday, 12 January 2016
So many good people. How will they ever choose just 12?
Down in Little Rock and they kick off with a little rocker in shorts. After a few minutes of him chatting with Harry about the Louisiana accent he gets to Give Me Love, the Ed Sheeran song. And, despite seeming to be about 13 years old he sings that really really well. I don't know what to make of this fellow Cameron. He just looks so young and seems out of place. He's though to Boot Camp but will be one of those contestants who really will wish American Idol could return next year.
Daniel Farmer sings nicely. Good voice but a bit ordinary and occasionally a strange octave lower note emerges that sounds weird. then he goes off an octave higher which may show some great range but I really don't think I can see him in the charts or selling albums to more than a few specialists.
Dalton Rappotoni has a very good audition. He sings Phantom Of the Opera accompanying himself on a guitar. Amazingly good. Reminded me of Adam Lambert, one of the best ever guys on AI. Superb and interesting tone. He is one to watch and throws several others we've seen so far way out of the game. Nice.
La Porsha Danae gets a big intro so I guess we'll be seeing more of her. She has big and slightly unflattering hair. She comes on with her baby with Jennifer has to hold. She sings Creep well and with some passion. Quite a talent and easily through. I have some doubts but the panel reckon she could be capable of shutting down quite a lot of the competition if she continues to perform that well. We'll see. I am not so sure.
One things is certain and that is there is plenty of interesting talent coming along in just these first two sets of auditions. Now, I know they will have been edited and saved us from being dragged through a pile of rubbish but, in comparison to some years, things are looking good. So far Dalton, in my view, is the one that will take some beating.
I have just noticed that we're not seeing much of Ryan. Kris Allen is making a good job, though.
Maddie McAllister is a country girl from Arkansas. She comes in with a chicken. Her chickens have the biggest breasts in Arkansas!! Oh boy. Nice girl but she's off key. So many of the contestants here are working on farms and coming in with this or that animal but few more seem to impress until the next lad appears. 'Do you have any creatures with you?' asks Harry.
Trent Harmon maybe a real Country boy but he redoes one track into a totally different thing that is more soul than anything. All a bit weird. The guy gets a great compliment from Harry as one of the favourite auditions so far. I don't quite see that but he's through and may have to leave the 3000 cattle ranch and restaurant for a while. I like the sound of his family's restaurant where the cows are grazing just a few yards from where the steaks are served.
Ah! Ryan's back, welcoming us to San Francisco. Hopefully we'll see some people with flowers in their hair and a few less tractor drivers and chicken-carrying girls.
We get a slightly annoying waste of time with an otherwise nice girl saying sorry a lot in some practice filming to promote the show. Brook Sample is a waitress. I like this girl. she does a Dixie Chicks number and that's not an easy one to cover with just a piano. I like the fact that she was genuinely surprised at getting through. She could do well but they'll need to help her and stop her saying sorry so often!
Olivia Rox performs the lovely Bruno Mars When I Was Your Man and she is super talented. A very gentle but natural, quite spell-binding audition. I like her a lot and surely she has to go far.
Melanie Tierce is another great singer. San Francisco is producing some really good girl auditions. All of them could make the Live Shows. harry says people would pay to watch her audition and says she's the best so far! That makes about five he's said that too! But he does genuinely mean what he says. They could make a show with just the girls. Well, the girls and Dalton.
Miss Alalska next!! 'Oh Jesus!' she says as she comes in. 'No, I'm Harry. Jesus couldn't make it'. says Harry. This is Maylie Deroado or something like that. Yet another very interesting girl. She looks good but just has a great personality and isn't the cheerleader type that Miss Wherevers often can be. How on Earth can they choose between all these girls?
Brandyn Burnette sings a song he wrote himself called Lost. It's pretty good and he puts a lot into this audition. Very good indeed and that's one for the boys. He deserves his spot in Hollywood. Ryan took a seat in Harry's place for no reason other than something that just happens when Harry starts messing around. Brandyn gets four yesses!
The Chavez family seem to be the biggest AI fans ever, with all the series on old VHS tapes. Kirstie is the daughter that is performing. To be honest she's not very good, losing the notes and screaming tinnily a lot. I think I might well just send her to Hollywood for the sake of her parents! And that's what they do but I doubt if she'll get much further as she really is not very good at all. Sorry, nice people but she's not a singer for this show.
Sarah Hayes talks herself right out of a ticket. She comes in all confident and sassy but throws it away. She shows signs of talent in what little she does and Harry thinks that they're goofing around may have put her off but Jennifer and Keith say no. She probably offended Keith with her attempt to define Country too. that didn't help and I think she'll be a bit less 'confident' in her next audition, wherever that may be. Odd.
Tristan McIntosh is 15. Great look and great personality. her mum is in the army in the Middle East somewhere. She missed her but carries on regardless. Also confident but this was a far better audition. Why Baby, Why? was a good choice and she sits at a piano and really seems to know what the song is all about. Nice job. She's good and definitely needs to be in Hollywood. Next comes a very emotional moment when, even to her family's surprise, the AI team have arranged to get her mother home from the Far East. Huge moment and well set up. All very genuine. Good ending, and I don't usually like that sort of thing.
Daniel Farmer sings nicely. Good voice but a bit ordinary and occasionally a strange octave lower note emerges that sounds weird. then he goes off an octave higher which may show some great range but I really don't think I can see him in the charts or selling albums to more than a few specialists.
Dalton Rappotoni has a very good audition. He sings Phantom Of the Opera accompanying himself on a guitar. Amazingly good. Reminded me of Adam Lambert, one of the best ever guys on AI. Superb and interesting tone. He is one to watch and throws several others we've seen so far way out of the game. Nice.
La Porsha Danae gets a big intro so I guess we'll be seeing more of her. She has big and slightly unflattering hair. She comes on with her baby with Jennifer has to hold. She sings Creep well and with some passion. Quite a talent and easily through. I have some doubts but the panel reckon she could be capable of shutting down quite a lot of the competition if she continues to perform that well. We'll see. I am not so sure.
One things is certain and that is there is plenty of interesting talent coming along in just these first two sets of auditions. Now, I know they will have been edited and saved us from being dragged through a pile of rubbish but, in comparison to some years, things are looking good. So far Dalton, in my view, is the one that will take some beating.
I have just noticed that we're not seeing much of Ryan. Kris Allen is making a good job, though.
Maddie McAllister is a country girl from Arkansas. She comes in with a chicken. Her chickens have the biggest breasts in Arkansas!! Oh boy. Nice girl but she's off key. So many of the contestants here are working on farms and coming in with this or that animal but few more seem to impress until the next lad appears. 'Do you have any creatures with you?' asks Harry.
Trent Harmon maybe a real Country boy but he redoes one track into a totally different thing that is more soul than anything. All a bit weird. The guy gets a great compliment from Harry as one of the favourite auditions so far. I don't quite see that but he's through and may have to leave the 3000 cattle ranch and restaurant for a while. I like the sound of his family's restaurant where the cows are grazing just a few yards from where the steaks are served.
Ah! Ryan's back, welcoming us to San Francisco. Hopefully we'll see some people with flowers in their hair and a few less tractor drivers and chicken-carrying girls.
We get a slightly annoying waste of time with an otherwise nice girl saying sorry a lot in some practice filming to promote the show. Brook Sample is a waitress. I like this girl. she does a Dixie Chicks number and that's not an easy one to cover with just a piano. I like the fact that she was genuinely surprised at getting through. She could do well but they'll need to help her and stop her saying sorry so often!
Olivia Rox performs the lovely Bruno Mars When I Was Your Man and she is super talented. A very gentle but natural, quite spell-binding audition. I like her a lot and surely she has to go far.
Melanie Tierce is another great singer. San Francisco is producing some really good girl auditions. All of them could make the Live Shows. harry says people would pay to watch her audition and says she's the best so far! That makes about five he's said that too! But he does genuinely mean what he says. They could make a show with just the girls. Well, the girls and Dalton.
Miss Alalska next!! 'Oh Jesus!' she says as she comes in. 'No, I'm Harry. Jesus couldn't make it'. says Harry. This is Maylie Deroado or something like that. Yet another very interesting girl. She looks good but just has a great personality and isn't the cheerleader type that Miss Wherevers often can be. How on Earth can they choose between all these girls?
Brandyn Burnette sings a song he wrote himself called Lost. It's pretty good and he puts a lot into this audition. Very good indeed and that's one for the boys. He deserves his spot in Hollywood. Ryan took a seat in Harry's place for no reason other than something that just happens when Harry starts messing around. Brandyn gets four yesses!
The Chavez family seem to be the biggest AI fans ever, with all the series on old VHS tapes. Kirstie is the daughter that is performing. To be honest she's not very good, losing the notes and screaming tinnily a lot. I think I might well just send her to Hollywood for the sake of her parents! And that's what they do but I doubt if she'll get much further as she really is not very good at all. Sorry, nice people but she's not a singer for this show.
Sarah Hayes talks herself right out of a ticket. She comes in all confident and sassy but throws it away. She shows signs of talent in what little she does and Harry thinks that they're goofing around may have put her off but Jennifer and Keith say no. She probably offended Keith with her attempt to define Country too. that didn't help and I think she'll be a bit less 'confident' in her next audition, wherever that may be. Odd.
Tristan McIntosh is 15. Great look and great personality. her mum is in the army in the Middle East somewhere. She missed her but carries on regardless. Also confident but this was a far better audition. Why Baby, Why? was a good choice and she sits at a piano and really seems to know what the song is all about. Nice job. She's good and definitely needs to be in Hollywood. Next comes a very emotional moment when, even to her family's surprise, the AI team have arranged to get her mother home from the Far East. Huge moment and well set up. All very genuine. Good ending, and I don't usually like that sort of thing.
Monday, 11 January 2016
This is... the Farewell Season
Harry Connick Jnr, Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez have been three excellent judges and mentors and I feel they will guide us through the series to end in a good way, assisted as ever by Ryan Seacrest, not looking that much older than he did at the outset.
There is a rapid run through of previous winners. It was interesting to see whether I remembered each one and whether any were still making good music now. A few are.
Michelle Marie gets the honour of kicking us off. At the age of 15 she can sing well, although most of it is at full volume and lacking any real emotion. Good notes and sound but she is a bit too much and over excited and when the audition room gets invaded by several (quite odd looking but probably very nice) people I do wonder whether the panel were wondering what they'd done! Just as I write this, Harry says that the people coming in had scared the sh#t out of him!
I don't think she's going to get much further and I'm not totally sure she was the best audition to start this series off with but it may have been the sort of thing that American production team people think their viewers will like.
In Atlanta they have winners Rubin and Lee and possibly Kris, I'm not sure, to greet some of the contestants.
The next one up is Josiah Siska, a totally Country & Western guy with a superbly low voice. He is a nice fellow and Ghost Riders In The Sky may be a 1950s number but he does a great job. Nice audition, although he doesn't strike me as modern that really doesn't seem to matter on this programme. He's through.
Third up is a powerful girl with It's A Man's World and a lot of runs that were pretty pointless. She's through too. I don't recall her name but I don't see her making any Live Shows.
Fourth up is Billy Bob who is a Honky Tonky man. He is gigantic. You can listen to him talk all day. Great character. Some of his sentences were classic out of some Western film. He doesn't sing too well, though, which is a shame.
Lee Jean is another 15 year old but nothing like the girl at the start. He just strikes you straightaway as more mature and 'normal'. I don't know the song he sang but there was something special about this young man that, despite some notes going astray, showed talent. he has to go through and we'll see more of him. Nice job.
Off to Denver and we meet Jeneve Rose Mitchell who lives somewhere with no electricity. She uses a generator to watch TV and spends most of her time with horses. She is genuinely from the outback! Off the grid on 'Saddle Mountain'. Amazing. she is very original, playing a cello and singing. Fascinating. I don't know where she fits in but she is through and should be good to watch as she must surely progress.
Sonika Viad is a very pretty girl with parents from India and the first almost typical 'pop star' of the evening to audition. Nice voice, a simple look but all the more attractive for that. Harry says that she could win, she just sang, no runs or fancy bits.
Next comes a lad called Joseph who sings semi-operatically as if he is in pain. He looks like he is suffering too. Big voice but he's all over the place. Everyone's saying 'Let's go Jo' and they look as if they had really not expected anything other than a Golden Ticket.
Next we have a nice girl police officer. Reanna Molinaro has a nice name and attitude too. Once she had handcuffed Harry she does a lovely job of a Patsy Cline number. She'll be through.
Sylvia yodels. Oh dear. She is a cool lady but really she gets a bit annoying after a while. Lovely character and she hardly stops talking.
Shevonne has auditioned five times before. she looks a lot better than before. Laurel Wright too has been here before and, from last year a guy whose name I missed returns and did Benny & The Jets. All three sounded like they should go through and they do.
We see Nick Fradiani briefly who has an album coming out soon.
Joshua next and he has a good voice and nice personality. One of the better guys so far, after Lee Jean. Possibly the first to have made me stop and listen and you get the feeling he really means what he sings. He is easily through and I'd like to see him.
Jordan Sasser and his wife Alex are both entering the competition. He looks a prat with the mini pony tail. Alex sings Bruno Mars and plays a ukelele. It is neither one thing nor the other. Nice enough girl but it's all a bit sweet. No passion, all on the surface. So she gets a 'no'. In quite substantial contrast Jordan does a pretty good job of Celine Dion's It's All Coming Back. He is a bit over the top but he could be helped to control that. He gets through and certainly can perform although whether he'll stand out isn't s clear. He might be a bit 'ordinary'.
Kerry Courtney is a solid singer but a bit heavy on the guitar. He has quite a lot of emotion going on in this slightly off beat number and it doesn't really show off whatever talent he may have as well as it might at the start. As he progresses, however, he gets in to it and he is interesting. Quirky, as Harry says. Idol material I am not sure about. Jenny says he gets dark and even a bit scary at times. He goes through, deservedly so. It was interesting also to see that he was on his own - no-one to shout and jump up and down when emerging with the Golden Ticket.
Shelbie Z is a powerful Country South singer. She delivers a Carrie Underwood number well and flies through to Hollywood round. She could be a competitor although i don't know how she'll g down with the voters if she gets that far. She can be a bit over the top after a while. She was a Voice contestant.
Kanye West closes the first show of this Final Season by doing an audition himself. Quite funny, especially with his mum chatting with Ryan outside.
A good start. Quite a classy show in comparison to X Factor at the same stage. Far fewer bum auditions, indeed only one or two that I recall. The panel seem settled in their skins and just enjoy life. The small audition room with no instruments other than an occasional piano accompaniment or the auditionees own guitars works well for me.
There is a rapid run through of previous winners. It was interesting to see whether I remembered each one and whether any were still making good music now. A few are.
Michelle Marie gets the honour of kicking us off. At the age of 15 she can sing well, although most of it is at full volume and lacking any real emotion. Good notes and sound but she is a bit too much and over excited and when the audition room gets invaded by several (quite odd looking but probably very nice) people I do wonder whether the panel were wondering what they'd done! Just as I write this, Harry says that the people coming in had scared the sh#t out of him!
I don't think she's going to get much further and I'm not totally sure she was the best audition to start this series off with but it may have been the sort of thing that American production team people think their viewers will like.
In Atlanta they have winners Rubin and Lee and possibly Kris, I'm not sure, to greet some of the contestants.
The next one up is Josiah Siska, a totally Country & Western guy with a superbly low voice. He is a nice fellow and Ghost Riders In The Sky may be a 1950s number but he does a great job. Nice audition, although he doesn't strike me as modern that really doesn't seem to matter on this programme. He's through.
Third up is a powerful girl with It's A Man's World and a lot of runs that were pretty pointless. She's through too. I don't recall her name but I don't see her making any Live Shows.
Fourth up is Billy Bob who is a Honky Tonky man. He is gigantic. You can listen to him talk all day. Great character. Some of his sentences were classic out of some Western film. He doesn't sing too well, though, which is a shame.
Lee Jean is another 15 year old but nothing like the girl at the start. He just strikes you straightaway as more mature and 'normal'. I don't know the song he sang but there was something special about this young man that, despite some notes going astray, showed talent. he has to go through and we'll see more of him. Nice job.
Off to Denver and we meet Jeneve Rose Mitchell who lives somewhere with no electricity. She uses a generator to watch TV and spends most of her time with horses. She is genuinely from the outback! Off the grid on 'Saddle Mountain'. Amazing. she is very original, playing a cello and singing. Fascinating. I don't know where she fits in but she is through and should be good to watch as she must surely progress.
Sonika Viad is a very pretty girl with parents from India and the first almost typical 'pop star' of the evening to audition. Nice voice, a simple look but all the more attractive for that. Harry says that she could win, she just sang, no runs or fancy bits.
Next comes a lad called Joseph who sings semi-operatically as if he is in pain. He looks like he is suffering too. Big voice but he's all over the place. Everyone's saying 'Let's go Jo' and they look as if they had really not expected anything other than a Golden Ticket.
Next we have a nice girl police officer. Reanna Molinaro has a nice name and attitude too. Once she had handcuffed Harry she does a lovely job of a Patsy Cline number. She'll be through.
Sylvia yodels. Oh dear. She is a cool lady but really she gets a bit annoying after a while. Lovely character and she hardly stops talking.
Shevonne has auditioned five times before. she looks a lot better than before. Laurel Wright too has been here before and, from last year a guy whose name I missed returns and did Benny & The Jets. All three sounded like they should go through and they do.
We see Nick Fradiani briefly who has an album coming out soon.
Joshua next and he has a good voice and nice personality. One of the better guys so far, after Lee Jean. Possibly the first to have made me stop and listen and you get the feeling he really means what he sings. He is easily through and I'd like to see him.
Jordan Sasser and his wife Alex are both entering the competition. He looks a prat with the mini pony tail. Alex sings Bruno Mars and plays a ukelele. It is neither one thing nor the other. Nice enough girl but it's all a bit sweet. No passion, all on the surface. So she gets a 'no'. In quite substantial contrast Jordan does a pretty good job of Celine Dion's It's All Coming Back. He is a bit over the top but he could be helped to control that. He gets through and certainly can perform although whether he'll stand out isn't s clear. He might be a bit 'ordinary'.
Kerry Courtney is a solid singer but a bit heavy on the guitar. He has quite a lot of emotion going on in this slightly off beat number and it doesn't really show off whatever talent he may have as well as it might at the start. As he progresses, however, he gets in to it and he is interesting. Quirky, as Harry says. Idol material I am not sure about. Jenny says he gets dark and even a bit scary at times. He goes through, deservedly so. It was interesting also to see that he was on his own - no-one to shout and jump up and down when emerging with the Golden Ticket.
Shelbie Z is a powerful Country South singer. She delivers a Carrie Underwood number well and flies through to Hollywood round. She could be a competitor although i don't know how she'll g down with the voters if she gets that far. She can be a bit over the top after a while. She was a Voice contestant.
Kanye West closes the first show of this Final Season by doing an audition himself. Quite funny, especially with his mum chatting with Ryan outside.
A good start. Quite a classy show in comparison to X Factor at the same stage. Far fewer bum auditions, indeed only one or two that I recall. The panel seem settled in their skins and just enjoy life. The small audition room with no instruments other than an occasional piano accompaniment or the auditionees own guitars works well for me.
Friday, 2 May 2014
The Top 5 decide to make it 4
Ryan starts off by telling us there'll be a twist, whatever that may mean. Harry gives a short speech to congratulate the five people who were unheard of a few months ago and who have all done pretty well and each will be remembered for some time. One for longer.
Keith Urban performs and this time we get it included in the video. That was something that could have easily have come from the 70s, a Bryan Adams release perhaps, except his voice needed to be stronger in the lower segments. Nice fellow but that wasn't particularly impressive, just OK. What was interesting was the way I couldn't help looking for all the things that he and Harry had been telling the contestants to do. Sure, most were there, all right.
I am sure Ryan claps the wrong way round.
The 'twist' is whether the person with the lowest votes goes home as usual or they all get to stay another week and then two would go. I would have expected them to vote to stay but although it was 3-2 in favour of staying together, it must have required a unanimous vote for that. I missed that bit. Anyway, that meant someone did have to go and it is Sam who comes 5th this year.
That was not what I had predicted - I did feel he had developed enough of a fan base to reach the final three at least. He and Jena seem the most 'today'. So, Alex, Caleb, Jena and Jessica make the Fab Four.
I expect we'll find out who voted which way in due course. Logically, anyone who thought they were not bottom would vote for someone to go. My guess is that Caleb would be pretty confident. Maybe Jessica or Jena too. But I would imagine Sam and Alex being dubious about their chances.
Anyway, that's it for another week as this Season draws closer to its conclusion. I am still waiting to hear another Phillip Phillips track since Home a year ago and struggling to recall having heard anything at all of Scotty from the year before. I still think Adam Lambert should have won some years back. This year there is a chance that someone will win who will be heard but there is also still the chance of a nice person just drifting along and ultimately away and not making much impact at all after all.
Friday, 25 April 2014
The One With The Grumpy Cat. The Top 5 Revealed.
This is the Top 6 for American Idol Season XIII.
It seems a much more exciting start than we've seen for a while. I'm not sure quite why but Harry nd Keith seem particularly popular. Ryan tells us that this week it'll be a little bit Country and a little bit Rock 'n Roll. So that's CJ stuffed then.
Jena starts with Barracuda, sharing the vocals very briefly with someone who I presume did it first. That was a strong performance but lacked something to remember her by other than the trousers which really should have been black leather and not black and white check. That wasn't as good as last week but it was competent.
Luckily they get two shots tonight.
Sam's next up and does soem track that suits him pretty well about Never Changing Who I Am. He is forgetting Harry's advice about looking at the girls and seemed to be so well-occupied with remembering what he is supposed to be doing that he didn't communicate that well. That's a pity because he is singing remarkably well and has built up a huge amount of support with lots of pretty teens in the audience clearly in love with the chap. He really has the looks and that will help him along no doubt. He is good too. But he must let go. Like the panel said to Jena, they're all holding back too much.
I don't know if that was Rock or Country.
CJ is on third. Nice chap. Doing American Woman. That's a good track from long ago and definitely Rock. But no, that didn't look right. He had a good vocal but that was boring. He held a guitar and occasionally did a riff or two but they were pretty useless efforts in the Rock vein. Keith gets it in one: he says how it's a badass song but he sang it without any meaning at all. CJ needs a good Country performance or he's out. No way can a potential American Idol deliver such a dodgy performance at this stage of the competition. If they don't make us sit up and take notice for the right reasons then they're not going to make the final. So far, interestingly, I would say only Sam has approached making me sit up and take notice but even he didn't hold my attention for long.
Alex, maybe, can do himself some good here by putting on something special. He should be able to pick something special - that is a talent he's shown to date that he has in spades so I'm expecting something good and something authentic. Animal by Neon Trees? Who? What? OK, let's find out. Er. I don't know what to say about that. Bits showed how good he can be but other bits showed some bad sides, like little communication of any meaning. It seems a commercial number that people could sing along with but that's about it. He was not really there and he looked very uncomfortable. Just like CJ. So he's in trouble and needs a good Country song as well.
Caleb is in his element with the Rock number and performs a frantic Black Crowes number. It's like he knew it by heart whereas the others have had to rehearse and try to remember the words and moves. The best by far so far - totally annihilating the others' efforts which looked pathetic in comparison. Very good indeed, even if the song didn't mean a great deal. Harry congratulates him. I liked the bit where he was on his knees and one of the backing singers ruffled his hair!
Jessica has to follow that? I guess if anyone can she can. Tonight she needs to get some points back from Jena too. And she does so in style. I have always seen Grace Slick in some of her performances and now she does Somebody To Love by Jefferson Airplane. Excellent. It ends a bit suddenly which is a shame as I was enjoying that.
I still think she could have expressed the lyrics better and I would love to see her continue as she has so much going for her - we just need that 'release' as Keith calls it. I want to see her doing something that she is totally comfortable with and that she doesn't have to think about. Get me the lyrics. I need her to speak to me.
Ryan shows us how they're doing with the votes at the half-way stage. Jena is out in front. That's interesting after such a good Caleb job.
Now for the Country shots. Sam's first. A familiar tune - Still The One but he looks so worried, almost as if he is scared of forgetting the words. He goes to the audeience but you feel that he's doing that on a cue and it's not as natural as it ought to be. The guy is just 18 today and is really having to cope with his new-found appeal. Relax, Keith advises. That's so necessary. The song was OK.
Caleb next. He's doing a Carrie Underwood number. I'd simply love to see him do Blown Away but it's Undo It. It sounds like something from a similar vein anyway and suits him fine. Unlike all the others so far, this guy does try to connect and seems to comprehend just what he is singing about. He has a birthday too today. 23. Still pretty young. That was OK and he surely has to fly through to the Top 5.
Alex says he's doing Always On My Mind which is a superb song. This fits him like a glove. I hear Paul Simon in his voice and also some more modern influences. That was good. Quite a brave performance of such a classic. That lifted him to #2 after Caleb tonight. You do feel that he cares about the song he sings and the way he delivers it. Keith makes a fair point that he didn't quite get the power across of the meaning but then few have tonight.
I worry a bit about his popularity with voters as evidenced by the half-time placings. That should have helped him.
Now it's Jena. She has also chosen Carrie Underwood and sings So Small. For me that could be the best performance of the night. She sang that almost perfectly and all the feelings came across which so many of the others have failed to do. Very very good job. She has to move through. She also had the leather trousers, strangely enough. The make-over team have done an excellent job with her, Harry isn't that impressed which is surprising. She is very natural and she takes #1 for me tonight. If only Jessica could get the same passion out there.
CJ now doing a Zack Brown Band number Whatever It Is. That seems much more like his kinda number. Nice job and he won't have done any harm with that. He hasn't had the best of nights and needed to make a mark tonight with at least one track. Nice chap but I can see him going because Alex has probably saved himself, Sam has so many fans now and did well both times and Jena and Caleb should romp home. Just Jessica left to compete with.
But Jessica plays a trump card with Dolly Parton's Jolene. I do wish she'd moved a bit but she sang it very well and she did communicate it well. This was a good job and will have blown CJ's chances of staying. Two super songs. I put her Top 3 this week, that should appeal sufficiently to enough people for her to be safe.
And, yes, the results confirm what I'd expected. Caleb, Sam, Alex and Jena take the Top 4. Jessica is 5th and we say farewell to CJ in 6th place. As has so often been the case this series, people have been doing their very best performances as they go! Until he lost it emotionally, CJ was doing a superb job of his farewell number. Maybe had he chosen similar tracks for his earlier performances he would ahve stayed a lot longer.
Thursday, 10 April 2014
Top 8 Take 2
Sam was saved last week so there are still eight contestants left. Ryan looked more delighted than Sam at the news! I guess that, after being in the lower part of the voting results list since the start of the Live Shows, he must be getting resigned to the fact that others are more popular.
I would not have put him at the bottom but it is so difficult to tell with this show. So many Country fans out there tend to dominate the voting and make it difficult for anyone not in that genre. They also keep some people in who really are not likely to score heavily in the main Billboard charts or break into Europe. Anyway, let's see how they get on this week on 'Eighties Night'. That's music from before when all of them were born!
David Cook comes in to mentor them. My God, he looks old. I suppose it was a long time ago when he won - one of the few, in fact, who won without playing the Country card. He should be able to give them good guidance as he was brilliant in his choices and interpretation.
First up is Jena with I Love Rock And Roll. She looks like someone who would sing this well and certainly has the right attitude. Can she transmit that on stage? Great start, slowing it right, right down. When she gets up and moves around, though, the mike seems a bit quiet. I know she would have been wanting to start quietly and build up but it still needed to be louder. Eventually it seems to have more volume but by then she has started to sound a bit urgent or desperate. A good try and, with some more rehearsal and a bit more control, that could be good. Something was missing - it needed more 'roar' from someone who can 'roar'.
Dexter next. He has another good ol' boy song Keep Your Hands To Yourself with lyrics that are more like something from the 40s than the 80s but that's his good' ol boy style. He did a good job of this, neither fantastic nor bad, just good ol' boy average and I still don't see him filling halls or arenas. Pubs, village halls and clubs maybe. He's a nice, likeable fellow, probably missing his tractor now. I would have thought he'd have been back on it by now but no, the voters are right behind him in a big way. I have no idea how he's going to do.
Alex and Sam get a nice track to perform as a duo. The Girl Is Mine. This is a gentle sing-a-long sort of track that not even Paul McCartney or Michael Jackson could do a great deal with. It starts and stops. They blend well but that's not going to be replayed a great deal.
Malaya has a Chaka Khan number. That should suit her. Through The Fire was not a huge hit so there is an element of risk with this not being a Dexter anthem or classic 80s number. She doesn't seem as comfortable at all with this. The notes are slightly off and her tone is getting tinny and, surprisingly, her timing is poor. This was quite painful to listen to. She has done much better and we all expected a lot more from her. Keith says she should not try so hard - it's like she wasn't being natural and when she is then that's when she is at her best. Jennifer also starts by saying 'We know how talented you are' which basically means that she isn't going to comment adversely. Harry also remarks that she was over-conscious of what she was doing but she didn't think she was. Anyway, that was pretty awful but I wouldn't be surprised to see her make it to next week, regardless.
Jena & Caleb are the second duo with It's Only Love, full rocks socks on. Jena looked much better for this performance and was great, as was Caleb. They worked really well together.
Harry walks into the audience and joins a bunch of teenagers while Jena and Caleb perform. He gets one of them sitting on his shoulders and she's still there when he returns to his seat. It's a bit odd and the girl does look a bit uncomfortable after a while. Keith's off the cuff remark, which I won't repeat, and Harry's reply have already been commented on by a reader and I have to agree with her - something went wrong there but I don't think any offence was intended and Harry is just unpredictable anyway.
Jessica took on Blondie's Call Me. She's good. She looks fabulous, getting better each week. This ought to have been an ideal number for her but she wasn't sexy enough in how she delivered it. Jennifer says the same and wisely suggests that if Jessica doesn't feel comfortable doing sexy then she should pick different tracks. My guess is that Jessica will carry on. I hope she stays. She deserves to and I reckon she delivered the most commercial track of the night so far.
Sam must be really worried. It doesn't show, though. He performs Time After Time really well. I like his pacing with some youngsters around and just the one backing singer to remind us of Cyndi Lauper. That was an excellent job and if that doesn't get his fans voting then nothing will. Good job, Sam. It may be that many of his fans just thought he'd be safe and didn't bother but last week's shock may now have made them sit up and take notice. I had him down as a potential winner. Harry tells him to look at a Ricky Nelson video on YouTube. We should check that out and see what he has in mind.
Malaya & CJ are #3. That should be interesting - one desperate to hit those big notes and one so laid back he's almost asleep. George Michael and Aretha's classic I Knew You Were Waiting is a great track. Malaya doesn't start terribly well but soon picks up the thread and she makes up for her previous efforts, virtually taking the whole song over! CJ is more like a backing singer. A pleasant performance. Not stunning or memorable and it'll just get an average number of downloads but really nothing very spectacular. That is a bit worrying from a quarter of the set for this Season.
Alex has the Police number Every Breath You Take. He and David Cook will have understood each other well. Now that was the performance of the night. Fabulous version of the song - quite diverse from Sting and how great that was. Alex's voice is crystal clear and the contrast with people like Malaya's tinniness or strained tones tells a big story and hopefully, for him, will take him a long way further through this show. Harry distinguishes between him being a performer (brilliant) and entertainer (not so good). That's a fair point but Alex reminds me of someone like Paul Simon who was no entertainer either. I think he can get away without entertaining. Jennifer didn't like it that much - she missed the insistent beat of the original which was a class song but Alex totally transformed it. The lyric was originally sinister - Alex cleverly brought it round.
Jessica & Dexter play the Dolly & Kenny act. I wonder if Dexter will ever sing anything other than some huge Country classic?! Islands In The Stream is one of The Biggest Songs. They do a good job with this but it is just a karaoke sort of performance really. It pleases the crowd so I suppose they have the 'entertaining' factor! Harry would be pleased but he has disappeared into the crowd again. Keith too this time! Probably hoping to divert attention from their earlier remarks.
CJ goes for Free Fall by Tom Petty. This is a cool song. He ought to deliver this really well. It's his style and the sort of track I would expect to see him doing in the world outside. Some important notes at the very start aren't quite there but he will probably get away with that. It was OK, nothing like as good as I had hoped he would be. He ends very well, though, and will not have done himself any harm with that. I don't know how much support he has out there, though. I think he may be vulnerable - he needs a moment. As Harry, says, though, he does make a connection with the audience. Harry And Keith also spot the tuning mistakes. Not something we reckoned on for this guy.
Finally, we have Caleb. Expecting something a bit special to close the show. Ryan teases us before the break - a Journey classic. I'd forgotten that Randy Jackson was part of Journey. Faithfully, as David Cook says, is a major 80s anthem for anyone from those days. He can't afford to mess it up. He will, though, give him a chance to show how he can be gentle and handle lyrics not just belt out heavy stuff at pace. He does the track proud. Another fine performance from this unlikely looking Idol. Standing ovation from the judges and crew.
CJ and Malaya may need some extra fan votes to survive this week, against such excellent competition. Jena may be the one to go.
Friday, 4 April 2014
The Top 8 Perform
I have yet to see this group as 'memorable'. Just two, CJ and Jessica, stand out as artists, the others being competent but not really spectacular. Alex has a great talent and I can see him working well in the industry albeit not in the limelight. Sam could get a good amount of teen support and might be able to sell a few albums with the right packaging. But really I see just the two potential stars.
Let's see if they can all show us a bit more to remember in years to come. I didn't know but the two I back are actually on first.
Jessica starts an sings her own composition. That's quite a brave thing to do at this stage. It is a good number and she certainly presents it with passion. I quite light the span between rock and Country too which won't do her any harm at all. Good job. Keith sees the Grace Slick connection. Whoever chose her clothes needs his or her head examining. The red dress stopped at just the wrong place looking more light those shorts that men wore in the 90s and looked stupid.
CJ comes on with Soul Shine. not a track I knew. He did a reasonable job with that. Nothing wild, though, but all the notes were right and he was a lot more confident. Well staged with great lighting. He does get through to people.
It looks like they're redoing their first audition numbers. That's quite a good idea - unless, of course, they had a poor initial choice.I did like the chance Ryan took when bringing two girls on stage to meet CJ. Maybe it was staged, maybe it just happened.
A duet next. Jena & Alex. Pink's Just Give Me A Reason works well at the start for both of them. It drifts in the middle, Jena seeming to miss the key and timing but it is Jena again who brings it back and gets it right. Alex never really gets noticed.
Sam is redoing Lego House. I like his choice of tunes and he is modern in many ways that some others aren't. It's OK but, again, lacks anything to make us want to rush to play it again. In fact, I very much doubt that many will do so at all. That may also mean he hits the Bottom 3 again. He ought to have lots and lots of teen fans dialling, though, and that was a competent and accurate performance that should mean he survives.
Harry has some great advice for him. Good reviews from the panel.
Jessica & Caleb make good pairing for Stevie Nicks' Stop Draggin' My Heart Around. Not really the best of tunes but it works for Jessica pretty well and doesn't hurt Caleb's chances either.
Malaya had an Aretha Franklin soulful number, Ain't No Way and I have to say that she absolutely won that over and won everyone there over with it too. A very, very good performance of a track that suited her exactly. She has to make it through. I still don't see her as a star, mainly because I just see her as another version of several people out there already. That doesn't mean she is not exceptionally good, though. Very impressive. Jennifer says, perhaps unguardedly, that she will 'run away with this competition'.
Ryan shows a glimpse of Facebook votes and we see Jessica leading the over 21s and Sam the under 21s. Malaya, surprisingly, was 4th with the over 21s and 2nd with the under 21s.
Dexter and One Mississippi. He is one act I thought would have departed by now. This was a competent performance but I can't see that getting votes outside the farming belt. That may well be enough, though, for him. Alison Irahitra (sorry about the spelling) from Season 8 is his backing singer. Nice to see people from previous Seasons having success.
Malaya & Sam comprise duet #3. That'll be odd. The duet was really poor. Malaya tries to make it work, all credit to her, but Sam is just out of it. Useless. That might affect both their votes.
Jena does Adele's Rolling In The Deep. The start is a bit tedious but she pulls it together well and ended very well. In a sense she was totally disconnected from the band and I felt that she was maybe trying too hard. She is a good singer and performer but I would have preferred to see her singing something lese. She did make the song her own and she deserves credit for that. Will she survive this evening? Maybe, but I think she is vulnerable.
Dexter & CJ are duet #4. They get on well as it happens, coming from the same place. So this should work well for them and it starts to but is a bit dodgy in places. Dexter takes the lead and CJ sort of sings along. "I've got a roof over my head and a woman I love lying in my bed'. Now that's a lyric.
Caleb has another Aretha track. Chain Of Fools. I didn't like this at all. It just went on and on. All the notes and timing and stuff were just about as spot-on as they needed to be but it's just a track I don't feel gets anywhere. He has done some great tracks and has a super voice. Hopefully he will get another chance to do something great. He is big and loud but he's not going to win.
Alex also does an original song. Fairytales is a good song. His performance is excellent. Naturally, he is completely in touch with the lyrics, and that helps so much. He is someone you can listen to easily and I have a great deal of respect for this guy. He is the classic American Idol 4th place fellow. Really talented and deserves to win but I don't see that happening. Just the type of people voting.
Let's see if they can all show us a bit more to remember in years to come. I didn't know but the two I back are actually on first.
Jessica starts an sings her own composition. That's quite a brave thing to do at this stage. It is a good number and she certainly presents it with passion. I quite light the span between rock and Country too which won't do her any harm at all. Good job. Keith sees the Grace Slick connection. Whoever chose her clothes needs his or her head examining. The red dress stopped at just the wrong place looking more light those shorts that men wore in the 90s and looked stupid.
CJ comes on with Soul Shine. not a track I knew. He did a reasonable job with that. Nothing wild, though, but all the notes were right and he was a lot more confident. Well staged with great lighting. He does get through to people.
It looks like they're redoing their first audition numbers. That's quite a good idea - unless, of course, they had a poor initial choice.I did like the chance Ryan took when bringing two girls on stage to meet CJ. Maybe it was staged, maybe it just happened.
A duet next. Jena & Alex. Pink's Just Give Me A Reason works well at the start for both of them. It drifts in the middle, Jena seeming to miss the key and timing but it is Jena again who brings it back and gets it right. Alex never really gets noticed.
Sam is redoing Lego House. I like his choice of tunes and he is modern in many ways that some others aren't. It's OK but, again, lacks anything to make us want to rush to play it again. In fact, I very much doubt that many will do so at all. That may also mean he hits the Bottom 3 again. He ought to have lots and lots of teen fans dialling, though, and that was a competent and accurate performance that should mean he survives.
Harry has some great advice for him. Good reviews from the panel.
Jessica & Caleb make good pairing for Stevie Nicks' Stop Draggin' My Heart Around. Not really the best of tunes but it works for Jessica pretty well and doesn't hurt Caleb's chances either.
Malaya had an Aretha Franklin soulful number, Ain't No Way and I have to say that she absolutely won that over and won everyone there over with it too. A very, very good performance of a track that suited her exactly. She has to make it through. I still don't see her as a star, mainly because I just see her as another version of several people out there already. That doesn't mean she is not exceptionally good, though. Very impressive. Jennifer says, perhaps unguardedly, that she will 'run away with this competition'.
Ryan shows a glimpse of Facebook votes and we see Jessica leading the over 21s and Sam the under 21s. Malaya, surprisingly, was 4th with the over 21s and 2nd with the under 21s.
Dexter and One Mississippi. He is one act I thought would have departed by now. This was a competent performance but I can't see that getting votes outside the farming belt. That may well be enough, though, for him. Alison Irahitra (sorry about the spelling) from Season 8 is his backing singer. Nice to see people from previous Seasons having success.
Malaya & Sam comprise duet #3. That'll be odd. The duet was really poor. Malaya tries to make it work, all credit to her, but Sam is just out of it. Useless. That might affect both their votes.
Jena does Adele's Rolling In The Deep. The start is a bit tedious but she pulls it together well and ended very well. In a sense she was totally disconnected from the band and I felt that she was maybe trying too hard. She is a good singer and performer but I would have preferred to see her singing something lese. She did make the song her own and she deserves credit for that. Will she survive this evening? Maybe, but I think she is vulnerable.
Dexter & CJ are duet #4. They get on well as it happens, coming from the same place. So this should work well for them and it starts to but is a bit dodgy in places. Dexter takes the lead and CJ sort of sings along. "I've got a roof over my head and a woman I love lying in my bed'. Now that's a lyric.
Caleb has another Aretha track. Chain Of Fools. I didn't like this at all. It just went on and on. All the notes and timing and stuff were just about as spot-on as they needed to be but it's just a track I don't feel gets anywhere. He has done some great tracks and has a super voice. Hopefully he will get another chance to do something great. He is big and loud but he's not going to win.
Alex also does an original song. Fairytales is a good song. His performance is excellent. Naturally, he is completely in touch with the lyrics, and that helps so much. He is someone you can listen to easily and I have a great deal of respect for this guy. He is the classic American Idol 4th place fellow. Really talented and deserves to win but I don't see that happening. Just the type of people voting.
Sunday, 30 March 2014
The Top 9 Perform
This week they're 'with the band'. At first I thought that this was going to be an old-style Big Band show, which does happen at some stage sometimes, but no, this is much better - basically getting them to perform with the band on stage.
This should suit several like Jesse and Caleb better than others.
Alex starts with more of a solo with his guitar, much as usual, doing Don't Speak by No Doubt. He made a good job of it and he certainly has a talent and bags of support from the crowd. He doesn't change though, and we need to get just something to remember. Keith got it right - we need an 'edge'. That song didn't have any edge at all. It was nice but he needs to be a bit nastier.
Majesty needs a good week and doesn't deserve to be in the bottom two again. She does Florence & The Machine's Shake It Out - well, she tries but she could be in trouble again after all as that was not right for her. It was a brave effort but all over the place and the track just doesn't suit her. I would be worried that this may be her week to go if the others choose better. Harry is so right in saying how people can't latch on to who she is as she has such a vast range and may not appeal to enough people at the right time. She would have been my choice to make the final this year but it'll take some good fortune and much more careful song selection.
Boondocks by Little Big Town is another bit of a cheat by Dexter who stands there with his guitar singing a goof ol' boy Country song. Was there a band anywhere? He suggests we 'give it up for the band guys' but I think they'd given up and gone for a smoke anyway while he was on. To be honest, he was not very interesting and that was terrible forgettable. Harry hits him hard with the same point. It may be that Majesty gets saved by Dexter. For several minutes the conversation is about gummy bears and it's like the production team had actually forgotten him.
Malaya has lots of energy, you have to give her that. In the sing-a-long-rock at the start she was obvious, maybe too obvious, but at least she was making an effort and getting excited. I have always thought she tried to hard so far. The Long And Winding Road from The Beatles, mostly Paul, is her choice. Not exactly a 'band performance' but what a good choice to show us what she can do. The glasses are a hundred times better and she holds herself back, not doing the screech and trying over hard like before. Nice job. She ought to be safe after that. Best performance of the night so far and she'll be around a bit longer. I just hope she stays in control and doesn't revert to rubbish.
Sam is slowly growing in confidence and he has a great chance tonight. Hey There Delilah by the White Ts is simple but quite effective for him. He looks good, very comfortable - maybe just a bit too comfortable perhaps - and I reckon he's the act whose time has come. That's his style and I can see him surviving if he can keep the girls voting in big numbers.
Jessica talks about how she likes hunting again. She may actually win some votes over there with that! Rhiannon is a wonderful track but it is a tough thing - Stevie Nicks has burned that song into my brain. I hoped she would do more with it. This was the track that someone else I admire - Didi Benami - sang at about this stage in the competition, only to be voted out. She was spot on with the lyrics, tune and all that but nothing that grabbed us and she is suffering from the comparison. I like Jessica a lot and she really should have a chance to win this thing. She would be my choice to win and I would look forward to her album too.
CJ is another serious contender in my view. Such a natural talent. You can't imagine him doing much else really. If It Hadn't Been For Love is a track from the Steel Drivers that few seem to know. Good though and ideal for CJ. He should be through easily for another week. Nice job. Complicated review from Keith this time, matching Harry. The audience have to pause for a moment to try and figure out what on earth he meant before applauding! CJ just listens and looks increasingly confused. Harry tells him he has to work on his pitch. I can't really tell you what Keith said as I didn't understand him myself. Poor CJ just wants to sings tunes.
Caleb really should make the most of tonight. This is most definitely his theme. He has had a rock band for some years but hasn't done well with them. In a way you wonder why and what is now going to be any different. He chooses Led Zeppelin's Dazed And Confused. Not a number that many will know and not the band's best known track either. Caleb does, of course, belt out the lyrics and does so in tune and in time. he knows what he's doing but much of the track's success is from the band. Remarkable performance as he does get hos vocal chords screaming out eventually in an impressive ending. The audience were well in support which I was a bit surprised about, bearing in mind all the Country folk that I thought would have been there. It will be interesting to see whether people who liked that are also people who vote on these programmes.
Jena closes the show. Following Caleb isn't easy. I would have expected him to have been the last act. Jena should also be at home with this theme and has the Evanescence classic Bring Me To Life. Not the simplest of songs as it maybe shouldn't be hit so hard at teh start as most people are inclined to do. She chews up the lyrics a bit. Nice to watch her on stage but this was a messy performance and had a touch of desperation about it. Possibly the second worst of the night and I would put her and Dexter in the danger zone. Joining them might be Majesty. I also fear a little for the lovely Jessica, purely because Rhiannon is very risky.
Saturday, 22 March 2014
Someone has to come 10th. And we meet Royal Teeth.
The production team give us a nice glimpse of the Top 10 after the show eating some food and joking around. For all their weirdness, they do seem to get on pretty well although one or two were noticeably not involved.
Randy is working pretty hard in the background and seems to be doing a lot of what Jimmy Iovine used to do. He guides all of them well and summarises well, too. Obviously he doesn't talk of anything being pitchy any more and Harry Connick Jnr has totally taken over the technical accuracy.
Dexter is the first in the Bottom Three. That's as I expected. Jessica, I am pleased to report, is the first person saved and Malaya joins her. Oh well. Majesty is in the Bottom Three again. Caleb gets through. I would have put them the other way round. So that leaves Jena, MK, Sam and CJ. I should think that CJ will be safe and Sam ought to have appealed as the only young, good-looking boy. So if MK survives she's done very well indeed. Jena was a bit heavy-handed but I reckon she'll still beat MK. If she doesn't it'll be like several similar artists who have bitten the dust at this stage in X Factor USA and last year's Idol.
Royal Teeth do the stage performance. A band I haven't heard of before who are pretty infectious with a number that grows really well. Nice job, introduced and promoted by Harry Connick Jnr. They're worth listening to again and are in the video below.
Yes, it's MK with Majesty and Dexter in the Bottom Three. Majesty does get to survive - that's good - and it's Dexter who came 9th, leaving MK to have to sing to be saved.
She does a superb job of All Of Me and the crowd sounds desperate to save her. The panel seem to be close to agreeing but one says no. I can only imagine that they're holding out to save someone else if necessary. So she goes. Sad because I think she had a chance of giving the others a good run for their money and had a chance to get to the Top 3. Still, she's in the Summer Tour and will be well remunerated come what may.
Randy is working pretty hard in the background and seems to be doing a lot of what Jimmy Iovine used to do. He guides all of them well and summarises well, too. Obviously he doesn't talk of anything being pitchy any more and Harry Connick Jnr has totally taken over the technical accuracy.
Dexter is the first in the Bottom Three. That's as I expected. Jessica, I am pleased to report, is the first person saved and Malaya joins her. Oh well. Majesty is in the Bottom Three again. Caleb gets through. I would have put them the other way round. So that leaves Jena, MK, Sam and CJ. I should think that CJ will be safe and Sam ought to have appealed as the only young, good-looking boy. So if MK survives she's done very well indeed. Jena was a bit heavy-handed but I reckon she'll still beat MK. If she doesn't it'll be like several similar artists who have bitten the dust at this stage in X Factor USA and last year's Idol.
Royal Teeth do the stage performance. A band I haven't heard of before who are pretty infectious with a number that grows really well. Nice job, introduced and promoted by Harry Connick Jnr. They're worth listening to again and are in the video below.
Yes, it's MK with Majesty and Dexter in the Bottom Three. Majesty does get to survive - that's good - and it's Dexter who came 9th, leaving MK to have to sing to be saved.
She does a superb job of All Of Me and the crowd sounds desperate to save her. The panel seem to be close to agreeing but one says no. I can only imagine that they're holding out to save someone else if necessary. So she goes. Sad because I think she had a chance of giving the others a good run for their money and had a chance to get to the Top 3. Still, she's in the Summer Tour and will be well remunerated come what may.
The Top 10 Perform
The full show is included in this post. Ryan Seacrest starts us off with a terrible 'selfie' - the track from The Chainsmokers being the link to all that stuff and that is taking off here too.
MK has chosen Perfect, the Pink song that may not quite reach as many votes as she needs. It was competent but I feel she yet has to let herself go, If she were to do that then I think we would have a moment and there would be someone to watch grow. As it is, she's good but that special star quality isn't coming across on screen. She has a nice solid fan base and is looking good too so I think she might survive - unless everyone else does really really well. I like this girl and wish her well.
Long, long comments from the panel. All sensible stuff, though. Harry is pretty intense but very accurate.
Dexter I am surprised to find still there. He just is Country and only Country. They're picking tracks from 2011 on which got to the top something. Pink's track made No.2. For Dexter's the camera had to pan the billboard charts to the Country section but I did actually recognise it - the one about windows down. Good song but surely this guy isn't going to win this thing? I suppose Taylor did. It was a very lazy performance. I guess that's to his credit that he didn't appear nervous or anything and all the notes were in the right place. Not something we're going to remember much, nor will everyone be downloading it. They might as well just get the real thing and, to some extent, the same could be said for MK's.
So far neither has shone nor messed up so le's see how it goes from here. It's an opportunity for someone to mark their mark.
Jena is going Clarity by Zedd and Foxes. No, nor had I. It suits her and she has quite a bundle of personality that comes across. Otherwise, though, this was neither one thing or the other. She sort of stopped to ask the audience to wave their glowsticks in the air. That didn't sound right. I don't know how you're suppose to shout out in tune but she didn't quite get that right. She does look good and has benefitted greatly from the makeover teams efforts. I don't see her getting many votes. So we're still waiting for something special.
Alex is the odd one in this Season. He is very talented and smart - not mainstream but he is so natural. He's doing a 1 Direction song! Now that's brave and good luck to him, being completely out of his normal zone. However you can never know what he'll do with songs. The Story Of My Life is a good example - he strips it down nicely and I think that worked well. It needed every note in place and they were there and he even got some emotions across. He just doesn't look like a star but he is most definitely an artiste. The audience loved it and the panel give him some great reviews. So what will the voters think? I hope they go for him and keep him around a bit longer.
Ryan tells us as they go to a break that there is a limit of 50 votes per method. That's interesting. I was going to say that would prevent any major fan buying a place by just voting all the time but I suppose if they are that rich they can just get a load of others to vote 50 times.
Malaya hasn't yet managed to get through to me. She is a bit too loud and 'in yer face' for my taste without really showing any talent. Bruno Mars' If I Were Your Man is a great song and she starts well, softly and very much in the right tone too. As it grows, though, she starts to wail and the tinniness in her voice at the top end and the masculinity at the bottom end both annoy. In the middle, and at the very end, she was impressive, though. At 16, and seemingly no experience of a relationship at all by her own admission, her lyrics were simply not credible. Harry says she was sincere and I go along with that in that she tried. She is pretty good and gets great reviews. So I shouldn't be too hard, I suppose. X Factor USA had 14 year-olds.
She gives a little away about her level of confidence when Ryan gibes her some flowers and when reading the note attached she is totally in control, including getting everyone to wait while she read a last bit. Interesting.
Caleb is singing Lady Gaga. That should be good. We need something to enliven this show. He chooses Edge Of Glory which is a super track. He can sing really strongly and in tune too. This was good but it just sort of started and stopped. He set off in top gear and stayed there. Not that interesting or as memorable as I had hoped. I still think he was better than all but Alex tonight so he ought to be safe. Keith was spot-on with his comments about how he is absolutely in tune vocally but there was no variation in feeling. The song is huge and he did just seem to be showing off vocally, as JLo said.
CJ chooses Hunter Hayes' Invisible. Do I know this? I should. It's a lovely song. CJ has surely taken the favourite spot after this performance. That was a quality act indeed. I felt that there were a couple of places where he missed something and wobbled. Keith said he was shaky, despite being perfect in rehearsals and blowing everyone away. I agree. But I have a feeling that he'll be well safe for all that. He was really the first to bring emotion across properly. (Alex probably could have done as well but not with a 1D song!)
Three to go: Jessica, Sam and Majesty.
Jessica has Pumped Up Kicks which brings out her Country style well and this is a very commercial track that she does well. That was excellent and she has a tone that is just right. She looks lovely, a great job from the makeover team and she is establishing herself as a genuine future star. It was a little easy-going and Harry does call her a bit one-dimensional, she was smiling when she perhaps should have been serious. He was right but she has a certain style that appeals to me. Keith calls it 60s style pop, ignoring the lyric. Hope she survives.
Majesty was in the Bottom Three last week - or even the Bottom Two. I had her down as a potential winner so that was a surprise and I am not too sure what she did wrong. This week she has chosen really well with Avicii's Wake Me Up, a tremendously commercial track. She sounds a bit nervous but hits the notes and has some clear emotion that I never noticed in this song before, She made me listen to the lyrics and all credit to her for that. For me, this was almost the best of the night, it could have been a lot better but I still think she was that good and could be even better. Harry calls her 'complex' - a good word for her as she has that sort of talent to work with what she has and do something interesting with it. She has a good look too, less doll-like and more like a performer. Nice.
Sam winds up the show tonight. Another Bottom Three person. He chooses We Are Young by Fun. This could drag a bit if he's not careful. It is a popular song, for sure, but he needs to do it well. I like his style and his voice is great. He does try hard to make this a bit special and he succeeds in places when he doing the slow, quieter part. He might have been better transforming it and keeping those quiet parts. The panel is rushed to comment so they don't get much chance! After the lengthy ramblings for all the others that was quite odd. I liked it but the 'Toni-i-ight' bit wasn't as strong as it should be.
Predictions? Hmmm. I think Dexter and Malaya and CJ may be at risk.
MK has chosen Perfect, the Pink song that may not quite reach as many votes as she needs. It was competent but I feel she yet has to let herself go, If she were to do that then I think we would have a moment and there would be someone to watch grow. As it is, she's good but that special star quality isn't coming across on screen. She has a nice solid fan base and is looking good too so I think she might survive - unless everyone else does really really well. I like this girl and wish her well.
Long, long comments from the panel. All sensible stuff, though. Harry is pretty intense but very accurate.
Dexter I am surprised to find still there. He just is Country and only Country. They're picking tracks from 2011 on which got to the top something. Pink's track made No.2. For Dexter's the camera had to pan the billboard charts to the Country section but I did actually recognise it - the one about windows down. Good song but surely this guy isn't going to win this thing? I suppose Taylor did. It was a very lazy performance. I guess that's to his credit that he didn't appear nervous or anything and all the notes were in the right place. Not something we're going to remember much, nor will everyone be downloading it. They might as well just get the real thing and, to some extent, the same could be said for MK's.
So far neither has shone nor messed up so le's see how it goes from here. It's an opportunity for someone to mark their mark.
Jena is going Clarity by Zedd and Foxes. No, nor had I. It suits her and she has quite a bundle of personality that comes across. Otherwise, though, this was neither one thing or the other. She sort of stopped to ask the audience to wave their glowsticks in the air. That didn't sound right. I don't know how you're suppose to shout out in tune but she didn't quite get that right. She does look good and has benefitted greatly from the makeover teams efforts. I don't see her getting many votes. So we're still waiting for something special.
Alex is the odd one in this Season. He is very talented and smart - not mainstream but he is so natural. He's doing a 1 Direction song! Now that's brave and good luck to him, being completely out of his normal zone. However you can never know what he'll do with songs. The Story Of My Life is a good example - he strips it down nicely and I think that worked well. It needed every note in place and they were there and he even got some emotions across. He just doesn't look like a star but he is most definitely an artiste. The audience loved it and the panel give him some great reviews. So what will the voters think? I hope they go for him and keep him around a bit longer.
Ryan tells us as they go to a break that there is a limit of 50 votes per method. That's interesting. I was going to say that would prevent any major fan buying a place by just voting all the time but I suppose if they are that rich they can just get a load of others to vote 50 times.
Malaya hasn't yet managed to get through to me. She is a bit too loud and 'in yer face' for my taste without really showing any talent. Bruno Mars' If I Were Your Man is a great song and she starts well, softly and very much in the right tone too. As it grows, though, she starts to wail and the tinniness in her voice at the top end and the masculinity at the bottom end both annoy. In the middle, and at the very end, she was impressive, though. At 16, and seemingly no experience of a relationship at all by her own admission, her lyrics were simply not credible. Harry says she was sincere and I go along with that in that she tried. She is pretty good and gets great reviews. So I shouldn't be too hard, I suppose. X Factor USA had 14 year-olds.
She gives a little away about her level of confidence when Ryan gibes her some flowers and when reading the note attached she is totally in control, including getting everyone to wait while she read a last bit. Interesting.
Caleb is singing Lady Gaga. That should be good. We need something to enliven this show. He chooses Edge Of Glory which is a super track. He can sing really strongly and in tune too. This was good but it just sort of started and stopped. He set off in top gear and stayed there. Not that interesting or as memorable as I had hoped. I still think he was better than all but Alex tonight so he ought to be safe. Keith was spot-on with his comments about how he is absolutely in tune vocally but there was no variation in feeling. The song is huge and he did just seem to be showing off vocally, as JLo said.
CJ chooses Hunter Hayes' Invisible. Do I know this? I should. It's a lovely song. CJ has surely taken the favourite spot after this performance. That was a quality act indeed. I felt that there were a couple of places where he missed something and wobbled. Keith said he was shaky, despite being perfect in rehearsals and blowing everyone away. I agree. But I have a feeling that he'll be well safe for all that. He was really the first to bring emotion across properly. (Alex probably could have done as well but not with a 1D song!)
Three to go: Jessica, Sam and Majesty.
Jessica has Pumped Up Kicks which brings out her Country style well and this is a very commercial track that she does well. That was excellent and she has a tone that is just right. She looks lovely, a great job from the makeover team and she is establishing herself as a genuine future star. It was a little easy-going and Harry does call her a bit one-dimensional, she was smiling when she perhaps should have been serious. He was right but she has a certain style that appeals to me. Keith calls it 60s style pop, ignoring the lyric. Hope she survives.
Majesty was in the Bottom Three last week - or even the Bottom Two. I had her down as a potential winner so that was a surprise and I am not too sure what she did wrong. This week she has chosen really well with Avicii's Wake Me Up, a tremendously commercial track. She sounds a bit nervous but hits the notes and has some clear emotion that I never noticed in this song before, She made me listen to the lyrics and all credit to her for that. For me, this was almost the best of the night, it could have been a lot better but I still think she was that good and could be even better. Harry calls her 'complex' - a good word for her as she has that sort of talent to work with what she has and do something interesting with it. She has a good look too, less doll-like and more like a performer. Nice.
Sam winds up the show tonight. Another Bottom Three person. He chooses We Are Young by Fun. This could drag a bit if he's not careful. It is a popular song, for sure, but he needs to do it well. I like his style and his voice is great. He does try hard to make this a bit special and he succeeds in places when he doing the slow, quieter part. He might have been better transforming it and keeping those quiet parts. The panel is rushed to comment so they don't get much chance! After the lengthy ramblings for all the others that was quite odd. I liked it but the 'Toni-i-ight' bit wasn't as strong as it should be.
Predictions? Hmmm. I think Dexter and Malaya and CJ may be at risk.
Thursday, 20 March 2014
The Top Ten - and who makes the Summer Idol Tour
I found the Results Show!
This determines the ten people who make the Summer Tour - and that is worth a decent amount of monthly income as well, of course, as plenty of good publicity for career progression those who didn't win but still did well. So for the one person missing out tonight this is a particularly rough deal - worse really than coming 8th, 9th 10th.
Ben and Majesty are the first two declared as in a bottom three this week. I would not have put Majesty there. We also learn that MK had been in the bottom two twice running so she must have not been as popular before as I'd expected. Having said that, she has clearly redeemed herself now, coming at least 7th. I must be missing something about Malaya who seems to be through pretty easily. After a timing problem with the band Jessica still makes it which I'm glad about as she has something special about her.
The Bottom Three this week are Sam, Majesty and Ben. Surely Majesty must be safe. But no, it's Sam who gets 8th place. Majesty gets 9th and that leaves Ben to sing for what is an option for the panel to save him. Quite what that means about making the tour I don't know. Maybe if they don't save him it won't arise anyway.
I think coming 11th is about right and still a damn fine achievement so well done, Ben, but no, there's not going to be any save.
Just a thought as I watch these shows with more of Ryan Seacrest than the auditions showed. he is looking decidedly older, or something has changed about his face that makes him look a bit odd now. Perhaps the makeover team need to sort him out a little. A fine host, though.
This determines the ten people who make the Summer Tour - and that is worth a decent amount of monthly income as well, of course, as plenty of good publicity for career progression those who didn't win but still did well. So for the one person missing out tonight this is a particularly rough deal - worse really than coming 8th, 9th 10th.
Ben and Majesty are the first two declared as in a bottom three this week. I would not have put Majesty there. We also learn that MK had been in the bottom two twice running so she must have not been as popular before as I'd expected. Having said that, she has clearly redeemed herself now, coming at least 7th. I must be missing something about Malaya who seems to be through pretty easily. After a timing problem with the band Jessica still makes it which I'm glad about as she has something special about her.
The Bottom Three this week are Sam, Majesty and Ben. Surely Majesty must be safe. But no, it's Sam who gets 8th place. Majesty gets 9th and that leaves Ben to sing for what is an option for the panel to save him. Quite what that means about making the tour I don't know. Maybe if they don't save him it won't arise anyway.
I think coming 11th is about right and still a damn fine achievement so well done, Ben, but no, there's not going to be any save.
Just a thought as I watch these shows with more of Ryan Seacrest than the auditions showed. he is looking decidedly older, or something has changed about his face that makes him look a bit odd now. Perhaps the makeover team need to sort him out a little. A fine host, though.
Saturday, 15 February 2014
Utah auditions. There must be something in the genes.
There's an intro this week but it's a gentle affair and sort of rolls along instead of shouting at us. Ryan Seacrest has to earn his money, I guess, and narrates us around Utah's hopefuls.
First up is a pretty girl called Austin Wolfe. Everyone likes her name. Once she starts singing they like her singing too. She seems pretty 'normal' with just a simple denim dress.
Next is another pretty girl and I had to look two or three times to check it wasn't Austin's older sister. I am sure she had exactly the same genes. Her name is Kylee Adamson and she's a limberjack! You just want her to get through for that alone but she can sing too.
Tessa Norman and some guys sing next and are sort of OK. They're through but I wouldn't expect to see too much more of them.
Alex Preston writes songs and plays guitar a lot. He sings something he's written himself and it develops pretty well into something quite impressive. I wasn't sure when he started and thought he might be a reject as we'd had a few just before but he's through easily and really does seem to have some talent. I don't see him making the Live Shows but a nice guy and wishing him luck.
'Rocking a fanny pack' is not an expression I'd heard before. Harry Connick Jnr comes out with it as soon as Samantha Calmes walks in. She had been nervous but, after that intro, she seems fine and sings something she's written herself. That's an odd tune and style and they get gher to do something else. She comes in with soem jefferson show theme which was new to me too. I'm learning a lot this week. She's through. Not sure how long we'll see her though.
That's the theme so far. Lots of decent singers but I am not convinced there's been any real star talent yet.
Julie Offal was found on the Idol bus. Small towns have talent too and not everyone can get to the main places. We don't get to know whether she made it.
Labryant Crew. Preacher. Performer. Confident and good singer.
Laurel Wright. Nice, Gentle. Lovable girl.
DJ Bradley. I like him and his simple style, playing guitar and sounding quirky but getting messages across. Modern. Not sure how he's manage some of the Live Show rounds but he would be popular and could be the first really good act we've seem in Utah.
Ah, Ryan reminds us that we hadn't heard about Julie. She sings sweetly and just gets in.
Yet another pretty girl! This is crazy. Kenzie Hall has bags of personality and pays beautifully with the words. She has to be in. 16. Super girl. Something about her. We will see her again, for sure.
Interesting story, with Say Something playing in the background for Paisley Van Patten who was a star with a contract at 15 but only lasted a year before drink and stuff took over. So she's trying again. Yes, she has a great voice and confidence. She has to be through but I wonder if she's not still living a bit in the past and whether she has appeal for today's buyers.
Haydn Olsen is another attractive girl with an unusual name. She doesn't make it but wasn't bad.
Then we get some more who didn't make it. Jocelyn Baker and Blake Branscorn do, not that we see much of them! We get a back story about CJ Harris so I expect he'll be good. He's from Jasper, Alabama, a long way away. Nice voice and approach. Not the usual gospel wailing. Heartfelt stuff but he has a nice character and comes across pretty well. The guitar was almost unnecessary and got in the way but a good talent here. He was one of the most appreciative at getting through I have seen.
Day 2 in Salt Lake City.
It looks chilly up there.
Oh dear. A large and loud woman called Tequila comes along. You sort of feel sorry for the panel. She belts out an Adele number. You can just see her on the stage in church screeching out the gospel songs. She is massive. Very noisy. Very annoying. That will, hopefully, be as far as she goes. Please.
Chase Thornton is a male model. OK. So there are good looking blokes in Utah too. He can't sing.
Jessica Bassett is lovely and has an amazing voice. Unbelievably she doesn't get through. We don't get to see why as it's a very short extract and Jennifer does make a comment about missing someone special. Interesting.
Girl with mustard colour tights. I love the way she doesn't seem to like the colour but says it matches her dress! Simple things have great appeal. Emily Rottier is lovely and is, I swear, another twin of some family in Utah that has a hundred identical children. She sings well and is easily through.
Dexter Robinson is a fram hand and trains dogs to hunt ducks. That's lose him a few votes! Nice good ol' Country guy. We haven't had many like him and he is authentic. He gets through and may have an easy run through for a while in the absence of anyone quite like him. Fast Country with some rock in there. It sort of works.
Ally Roundy. A girl with long curly hair and emotion. I am surprised again that she desn;t get through.
Briston Maroney is young buy exceptional. 15. Vintage Gibson as observed by Harry. Great grandfather owned the guitar. He does You Can't Always Get What You Want! Remarkable. What an audition. That will be replayed a good few times, I think, and I see him on the Live Shows. He looks good and has a powerful voice and is different. Cool young guy. You have to smile at Yes, sir, No sir. Great to see someone so polite.
Carson Henline was voted most likely to get on but doesn't make it. Sabrina Lentini, also just 15 does and seemed quite good but it was over very quickly. Fish sings The A Team and has 50 supporters. He was a bit ordinary but gets through.
Johnny Newcomb has an amazing voice. He looks so young. Rasping, deep Country stuff which sounds great and just doesn't seem to be what he ought to be singing. He deserves to get through. Nice.
Carmen Delgina has a dad who sang something we all know but I can't recall it now. Wonder Mike? Well, she had to get through. Not very good.
Kassandra Caseneda has a long name. Nice delivery of Chasing Pavements. Not sure though.
Kenneth Gaddie is huge and sings very very slowly.
We get a long intro and back story for holding a baby almost all the time. So we know he'll be through. Now, is he worth all the promo? Casey Thrasher is a nice guy. Sings Believe - one of the few ballads we've had from guys. He has plenty of emotion and comes over well. He's a must to get through and viewers will like him so here's another Live Show candidate.
30 more. There's now 193 at Hollywood!
Last auditions coming up tomorrow. Will Cannel 5* here in UK ever catch up I wonder?
First up is a pretty girl called Austin Wolfe. Everyone likes her name. Once she starts singing they like her singing too. She seems pretty 'normal' with just a simple denim dress.
Next is another pretty girl and I had to look two or three times to check it wasn't Austin's older sister. I am sure she had exactly the same genes. Her name is Kylee Adamson and she's a limberjack! You just want her to get through for that alone but she can sing too.
Tessa Norman and some guys sing next and are sort of OK. They're through but I wouldn't expect to see too much more of them.
Alex Preston writes songs and plays guitar a lot. He sings something he's written himself and it develops pretty well into something quite impressive. I wasn't sure when he started and thought he might be a reject as we'd had a few just before but he's through easily and really does seem to have some talent. I don't see him making the Live Shows but a nice guy and wishing him luck.
'Rocking a fanny pack' is not an expression I'd heard before. Harry Connick Jnr comes out with it as soon as Samantha Calmes walks in. She had been nervous but, after that intro, she seems fine and sings something she's written herself. That's an odd tune and style and they get gher to do something else. She comes in with soem jefferson show theme which was new to me too. I'm learning a lot this week. She's through. Not sure how long we'll see her though.
That's the theme so far. Lots of decent singers but I am not convinced there's been any real star talent yet.
Julie Offal was found on the Idol bus. Small towns have talent too and not everyone can get to the main places. We don't get to know whether she made it.
Labryant Crew. Preacher. Performer. Confident and good singer.
Laurel Wright. Nice, Gentle. Lovable girl.
DJ Bradley. I like him and his simple style, playing guitar and sounding quirky but getting messages across. Modern. Not sure how he's manage some of the Live Show rounds but he would be popular and could be the first really good act we've seem in Utah.
Ah, Ryan reminds us that we hadn't heard about Julie. She sings sweetly and just gets in.
Yet another pretty girl! This is crazy. Kenzie Hall has bags of personality and pays beautifully with the words. She has to be in. 16. Super girl. Something about her. We will see her again, for sure.
Interesting story, with Say Something playing in the background for Paisley Van Patten who was a star with a contract at 15 but only lasted a year before drink and stuff took over. So she's trying again. Yes, she has a great voice and confidence. She has to be through but I wonder if she's not still living a bit in the past and whether she has appeal for today's buyers.
Haydn Olsen is another attractive girl with an unusual name. She doesn't make it but wasn't bad.
Then we get some more who didn't make it. Jocelyn Baker and Blake Branscorn do, not that we see much of them! We get a back story about CJ Harris so I expect he'll be good. He's from Jasper, Alabama, a long way away. Nice voice and approach. Not the usual gospel wailing. Heartfelt stuff but he has a nice character and comes across pretty well. The guitar was almost unnecessary and got in the way but a good talent here. He was one of the most appreciative at getting through I have seen.
Day 2 in Salt Lake City.
It looks chilly up there.
Oh dear. A large and loud woman called Tequila comes along. You sort of feel sorry for the panel. She belts out an Adele number. You can just see her on the stage in church screeching out the gospel songs. She is massive. Very noisy. Very annoying. That will, hopefully, be as far as she goes. Please.
Chase Thornton is a male model. OK. So there are good looking blokes in Utah too. He can't sing.
Jessica Bassett is lovely and has an amazing voice. Unbelievably she doesn't get through. We don't get to see why as it's a very short extract and Jennifer does make a comment about missing someone special. Interesting.
Girl with mustard colour tights. I love the way she doesn't seem to like the colour but says it matches her dress! Simple things have great appeal. Emily Rottier is lovely and is, I swear, another twin of some family in Utah that has a hundred identical children. She sings well and is easily through.
Dexter Robinson is a fram hand and trains dogs to hunt ducks. That's lose him a few votes! Nice good ol' Country guy. We haven't had many like him and he is authentic. He gets through and may have an easy run through for a while in the absence of anyone quite like him. Fast Country with some rock in there. It sort of works.
Ally Roundy. A girl with long curly hair and emotion. I am surprised again that she desn;t get through.
Briston Maroney is young buy exceptional. 15. Vintage Gibson as observed by Harry. Great grandfather owned the guitar. He does You Can't Always Get What You Want! Remarkable. What an audition. That will be replayed a good few times, I think, and I see him on the Live Shows. He looks good and has a powerful voice and is different. Cool young guy. You have to smile at Yes, sir, No sir. Great to see someone so polite.
Carson Henline was voted most likely to get on but doesn't make it. Sabrina Lentini, also just 15 does and seemed quite good but it was over very quickly. Fish sings The A Team and has 50 supporters. He was a bit ordinary but gets through.
Johnny Newcomb has an amazing voice. He looks so young. Rasping, deep Country stuff which sounds great and just doesn't seem to be what he ought to be singing. He deserves to get through. Nice.
Carmen Delgina has a dad who sang something we all know but I can't recall it now. Wonder Mike? Well, she had to get through. Not very good.
Kassandra Caseneda has a long name. Nice delivery of Chasing Pavements. Not sure though.
Kenneth Gaddie is huge and sings very very slowly.
We get a long intro and back story for holding a baby almost all the time. So we know he'll be through. Now, is he worth all the promo? Casey Thrasher is a nice guy. Sings Believe - one of the few ballads we've had from guys. He has plenty of emotion and comes over well. He's a must to get through and viewers will like him so here's another Live Show candidate.
30 more. There's now 193 at Hollywood!
Last auditions coming up tomorrow. Will Cannel 5* here in UK ever catch up I wonder?
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