American Idol, Top 6–Results

And…I’m shocked.

 

A little sad.

 

Tonight we say goodbye to Casey Abrams. With him gone, I’m not sure who I will vote for. He’s been through this once before, but you know? He made it far enough where I’m sure he’ll find the career he wants if he goes looking for it right now. He might not be the American Idol for 2011…but, really, looking at history…that might not be a bad thing.

 

And this boy? He is going out in  STYLE. This version of I Put a Spell on You involves kissing at least two dozen strangers on the cheek, high fiving a half a dozen more, and smiles all around. Way to go, Casey. Can’t wait to see what comes next!

American Idol, Top 6–Carol King Week!

First off, can I just say to Ryan – you are looking rather dapper tonight! Is that a new ‘do?

 

I love me some Carol King..my mom got me hooked in high school, and her music still makes me smile. I’m looking forward to tonight!

 

1. Jacob Lusk (Oh No, My Baby) – Jacob, you are letting your inner freak flag FLY. A purple striped bow-tie, a lemon yellow button down, a sky blue button-up vest, dark wash jeans…and a blue and white plaid coat. WOW. Now, outfit aside, they asked him to RIFF this week…and man, this boy can riff. He just doesn’t riff like any of the other boys. He riffs like Whitney Houston. It started out slow for me, but he really killed it at the end. He’s done it’s best, and now we just have to see a) if anyone tanks tonight and b) if he has enough fans to survive.

 

2. Lauren Alaina (Where you Follow) – She’s worried about hitting the high notes. “Have you ever tried a high note and not hit it?” “…no..” “…<crickets>…” There’s yer answer! Now, girl – go forth and rock. And rock it, she does. It’s even in her face this week. I hope it’s not too little too late…for her sake. I have no doubt that she will go as far as she wants to, but a few more weeks on the show would give her a lot more polish. (She pulled a boy up on stage – he’s either a friend, or REALLY lucky. haha) Even the judges are happy.

 

(Interim Duet – Casey and Hayley, “I Feel the Earth Move”. I love this song, I love Casey, Hayley is doing a great job…some of their harmonies are just not working for me. Unfortunately, they’re the harmonies on the chorus. Also, Hayley’s yodel-ish sound makes a lot more sense when you hear her speak. She always sounds like she has laryngitis. So..imagine singing with “no voice”…forever. No wonder she has so much fun! She sounds like a cartoon!)

 

3. Scotty McCreery (When You’re Down) – Jimmy wants him to keep it romantic. I just want him to keep his head vertical. It’s listing again. I don’t know what to say about this. It’s definitely not as affected as other weeks, and I appreciate that. I can tell that it’s hard for Scotty not to take this to the Sparkly-Elvis-Impersonator place…and he mostly succeeds.

 

4. James Durbin (Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow) – This was a request from fans on AmericanIdol.com. Heh. You know, listening to this…his voice is just as high as Jacob’s. It’s a shame, honestly, that his showmanship overshadows his voice, because he’s got a great set of pipes. I’m getting a really 50’s rock n’ roll vibe from him tonight. The end was high…but a little flat, to me. But, as Lo Gung pointed out, nobody else can do what he does…so nobody cares if it’s flat.

(Another Duet – Lauren and Scotty, “Up On the Roof”. Not loving this. I wish they had paired Casey and Lauren. Scotty doesn’t blend well.

5. Casey Abrams (Hi De Ho) – I love Casey when he’s in this space. He’s growling, he’s inspiring, he’s swinging. I would love to see him as the next Michael Buble, just a little bluesier. Mmmm.

 

6. Hayley Reinhart(Beautiful)- She’s making me miss the Sunshine girl from last season. I can’t find any fault with this! Again, just like Jacob, it’s going to come down to personal preferences. Everyone really brought their best tonight, and I can’t find fault with it. Go girl! I still don’t understand, though, what her niche in the modern market would be. She can sing anything, but I don’t hear a record in her. I can’t picture her concert.

 

(Another Duet – Jacob and James, “Something Tells Me I’m Into Something Good”. They must have read my mind! I’d love to hear these two have a sing-off. They’ve both got the top end! Oh, Jacob, PLEASE loosen up. If this was a sing-off, James just won.

 

Now, go forth and vote, y’all! Remember that you can vote at www.AmericanIdol.com

 

Good luck, kids!

American Idol, Top 7–Results!

Kicking the night off with a sweet Ford commercial, and then our three white guys (sorry!) singing some Coldplay. This is interesting – Scotty is trying NOT to sound country, Casey is trying not to sound jazzy and James is trying…well, I don’t know what he’s trying, but he sounds country. Heh.

 

(Did I get that right…seven kids, minus two girls…minus our Hispanic hero and our gospel choir boy. That leaves….the three white boys. Interesting choice – I would have put Jacob’s and Stefano’s voices in there.)

 

Time for some results. Casey, stand up. Jacob, stand up. Casey, you are safe. Jacob, you are in the bottom three.

 

Time for one of my favorite winners – David Cook is debuting his new single. This…has potential. I think it will be better on the radio, quite honestly. It’s not mixed quite right, to my ear. I’ll be looking forward to hearing this on the radio! (Go here to hear it. And, yes, it sounds better mixed in a studio.)

 

A little vid clip of the kids having some fun and getting pampered…and back to the serious stuff. Lauren, James, and Stefano, head to the center of the stage. After the nationwide vote, Stefano you are in the bottom three. Lauren, you and James are safe!

 

Scotty and Hayley, you are up. Scotty, you are safe. Hayley, you are in the bottom three.

 

(Lo Gung interjects here, it doesn’t matter what they sing – it’s these three in the bottom.)

 

Hayley, you are safe. You can head back. First, let’s listen to Katie Perry sing something! And it’s…ET. (Why is this making me miss Adam Lambert? James has his fire, but his performances have NOTHING on Adam. *sigh*)

 

Time for some news…dim the lights, and here we go. After 52 million votes, the person who is leaving us tonight is…..Stefano. Stefano, I’m sure we’ll be hearing from you, seeing as you kinda sorta live half an hour from here.

 

Good luck, kid, and we’ll see the other 6 of you next week!

American Idol, Top 7

(This is a guest post from the ever fabulous and handsome Lo Gung. That would be my husband. He blogs, occasionally, here, and is the yin to my yang. He first introduced me to American Idol, back in the day, and always has opinions on the kids’ songs, notes, and outfits. Much thanks, honey, for writing this tonight while I was off in meetings!)

 

I went through and numbered the contestants, in case anyone would like to vote tonight. Take it away, Lo Gung!

American Idol Top 7

Music from the 21st Century

All the eliminated people are singing – “So What!” by Pink.

They sounded horrible. I am glad some of them are eliminated, (sorry Aunt LoLo) including Paul. He
didn’t sing one note on key. It was sad. Not sure why they did that just to fill up time.

1. Scotty

Swinging by LeeAnn Rimes

Besides the low notes that he always hits, I don’t know if there is anything good about this song. It is
probably too “country” for my taste. The song is just too boring.

The judges aren’t in love with it either. Basically said that with all the songs you can choose from, you
picked “this”?

With all the tweeners and the country fans voting, doesn’t really matter what he sings. My prediction –
he is safe this week.

2. James

Uprising by Muse

Marching band and everything! Rough start – a little too low in his register. Good chorus though. Singing
an octave higher than it’s written, but it is right on.

Judges – loved it. It is amazing. The song is totally in his zone.

He is definitely talented. He is really good in his genre of music. I wonder if he can really carry a tune
though (meaning if he sing a song without screaming, would he be able to keep people’s interest for
more than 3 minutes). At any rate, tonight – he did well. My prediction – he’s safe.

3. Haley

Rolling in deep by Adele

Bold choice. This is probably the biggest hit right now and a dozen people are covering this song
already. Good luck.

I am surprised. She switched up her tone of voice and it worked. The emotions aren’t there though. Nice
change ups and runs. I am glad that she did well. It is not an easy song to sing. Whoa!

Judges – Happy that she picked this song and showed people what she can do. Little slow at the start,
but picked it up. There were moments that she did better than Adele (I don’t agree with that).

Again, I think she did very well. Definitely took a risk and paid off. My prediction though – she’s been
in the bottom 3 a few times. At this point in the game, I am not sure she will last in the competition
no matter how good she sings. So, I am going to put my prediction for her on hold until the show has
ended.

4. Jacob

Dance with my Father by Luther Van Dross

Resident diva of the show. Some weird cutoff at the beginning. The song fit him like a glove. He
definitely did a good job on the song. But I am not surprise that he did well. Again, I do not like his
screaming – no reason for a guy to sing higher than a high E.

Judges – great control and emotional. Vocally it was good, but it didn’t make the judges jump up and
down. He needs to go for it.

My prediction – he’s been at the bottom. He could be in the bottom 3 this week, I think he will be safe
though.

5. Casey

Harder to breathe by Maroon 5

His beard is getting shorting, which is a plus. Looking less like he’s homeless. He’s playing the guitar this
time. I like the unplugged beginning. Sounds like he is rushing the song a little bit. His attitude is a little
too angry for the song. HAHA. And sneaked a kiss on J.Lo’s forehead.

Judges – J.Lo loved it (the performance). Took a pop song made it more rock. Another good surprise.
Keep taking chances. He is “the” cult hero.

My prediction – He is safe. I really would quit idol forever if he is kicked off “again”.

6. Stefano

Closer by Ne-yo

I am excited because I think he can do well on the song. Please don’t dance and sing at the same time.

Not a lot of people can pull that off. The runs were good though. However, overall it was below my
expectation.

Judges – he did a very good job and smoothed the song out. It was a good performance.

My prediction – consistent with weeks before, he WILL be in the bottom 3. People are just not voting for
him.

Lauren

7. Born to fly by Sara Evans

Slow to start, but she recovered it nicely. A little too safe. But it is in her zone. So, I am on the fence with
this one. She is sweet though.

Judges – there is a lot of color in her voice. She is not taking chances though. Again it was too safe. She
needs to believe in herself. Needs to challenge herself.

My prediction – there are only 2 girls left and she definitely has more popularity. So, she will be safe.

Final prediction – bottom 3 – Haley, James, and Stefano with Stefano going home tomorrow.

 

Thanks, Lo Gung!! Now, who are y’all going to vote for this week???

American Idol, Top 8–Results

Well, y’all. I’m sad, but not totally surprised. Our dear friend Paul McDonald is headed home tonight.

 

Paul, good luck!! Now, go forth and wow us.

 

PS – I heard from a little birdy that my sweetheart Pia Toscano has landed a record deal this week. So…good luck to you, Pia! Go here to get the juicy details, and thanks Kim for the heads up!!

American Idol, Top 8

It’s movie week, y’all. Let’s see what the kids come up with!

 

(Oh, and excuse of the week – hubs and I were out for sushi tonight. And it was delicious. I highly recommend Genki Sushi! Yum…and cheap. My favorite combination.)

1. Paul McDonald – Not loving this. I’ve just got to be honest.  (Seeing Super Grandma, the babysitting wonder, off for the night. Heh.)

 

2. Lauren Alaina (The Climb) – A great song for her, and she is looking for more comfortable up there! Happy, even. (Looking for sippy cups and security blankets.)

 

3. Stefano Langone – The most Real I’ve seen home. (Sorry – this performance was sacrificed to bedtime!)

4. Scotty McCreery (Cross My Heart)– The only thing I can think is…I wonder if he knows he is listing whenever he sings. It’s never bothered me before, but this week especially…he’s reminding me of that little four year old he used to be, bustin’ out the Elvis in front of his Mama’s mirror with an old hairbrush. His voice, of course, is still exactly what it’s always been – good, old fashioned COUNTRY.

 

5. Casey Abrams (Nature Boy) – His mentors wanted him to do In The Air Tonight, by Phil Collins. Our boy decided to stick with Nat King Cole…and I haven’t decided yet if he was right. I appreciate that Casey wanted to be true to himself. It’s a fine line, though – the definition of “Casey Abrams” is most likely a genre, and not a particular song. That said…this was good. I felt it was pitchy but so cool, you know? Way cool. Good job, Casey. We are seeing genres this year that we’ve NEVER seen before.

 

6. Haley Reinhart (Call Me) – For me, this was an interesting one. I am not missing the yodeling, not for a moment. I’m glad she’s found another way to use her unique voice. Vocally, she’s loads better. That said, she still looks very uncomfortable when she marches up and down and around…and yet, she does insist on it. *sigh*

 

7. Jacob Lusk (Bridge Over Troubled Water) – He was counseled not to do something corny, like The Impossible Dream. So he’s doing Bridge Over Troubled Water. (Sez Lo Gung, “So…this isn’t corny?!” Heh.) Guys, this is painful. Mr. Producer/Mentor hit it on the head. Jacob was preaching to 24 million people last week (“If you don’t like this song, you can’t look yourself in the mirror.”) And now our Choir Boy is bringing laying on the Gospel Choir something fierce. He’s getting a good response from the audience, but looking at the big picture….I don’t know if there is room for a Gospel Singer in this competition for much longer.

 

8. James Durbin (Heavy Metal) – Well, America, let’s recap. We have a gospel singer. We have an old fashioned country western singer. We have a crooner with a stand up bass. And…now we have heavy metal. Unapologetic, leather-clad, desk stomping, head swinging, heavy metal. The audience is cracking me up. They have no idea what to do with this. To be fair, that was great heavy metal. Really great heavy metal. I just…don’t like heavy metal. Heh.

 

Remember, you can vote online!!

American Idol, Top 9–Results

 

First three on the stage – Lauren, Casey, Stefano. After the nationwide vote, Stefano, you are in the bottom three.

 

Now, we welcome back Constantine to sing for us. “I Need Your Love.” Can I be completely honest here? This is reminding me of a barroom karaoke performance. Ouch. Oh well – at least he has a cute new baby to flash on the screen!

 

And it turns out the girls were styled by Gwen Stefani last night. Fun little tidbit!

 

Next three in the spotlight – Paul, Pia and Scotty. Pia, you are in the bottom three. (I’m in shock…but I think there’s a bit of the Pageant Queen in her that is killing off her fan base. Which is a shame, because the girl can SING.)

 

A fun little bit of Media training for the contestants. And we have learned…Ryan Seacrest does wear platforms, Casey Abrams is dating “your mom!” and there are bibs being sold with Pia’s name on them….so she should see about getting herself a lawyer when all this is over and start protecting her image.

 

Now, James, Jacob and Haley are up for judgment. Jacob, you are in the bottom three.

 

Your bottom three, America: Jacob, Pia and Stefano.

 

Oh, folks. Right here is where I apologize to ANYONE who watched this show. See, they invited a Real Live Rock n’ Roll hall of famer tonight. And, they brought in Iggy Pop. MY EYES!!!!! Skinny jeans, lank blond hair and TOPLESS is not my idea of a good time. Oh my dear, blessed eyes…I will miss you. He is shaking his hips like a silly barmaid (do you see a theme tonight? Sorry) and..oh my. Well, that’s that, then. Iggy Pop, y’all.

 

Now, let’s get serious. It’s time to say goodbye to one of our contestants. Right now.

 

After this break.

 

Jacob, you are safe.

 

The person leaving us tonight is…..Pia Toscano.

 

The judges are ticked. Jennifer is crying, and I think Randy almost said a naughty word on air. Her first time in the bottom three. Jennifer is “shocked and angry.” Randy is “gutted” and called her one of the best singers in the competition.

 

There will be no save, as there are none left. Pia, we are looking forward to your career. This is of little consolation to her right now, but it has been my observation that contestants that do NOT win fare much better than contestants that DO (Adam Lambert vs. Taylor Hicks comes to mind).

 

Pia, get out there and sing, with no rules, with no judges, with no themes. Go do your thing, girl.

 

Ryan is going to put her on the spot, and can’t let the evening end on a sad note. She chooses to sing I’ll Stand By You. (Girl, that’s not what I would choose. When I’m close to crying, nothing but a rockin’ ballad will do!)

American Idol, Top 9–Rock and Roll!

Welcome to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame week! I’m late to the evening, because frankly…mama needed a date tonight and the siren call of hot apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, shared with my hubbie, took precedence over the first few singers tonight. (Sorry, y’all. Just keeping it real!) (Oh, and that crisp? Pretty amazing, y’all.) Unfortunately, I missed Casey while I was seeing our babysitter Wonder out (thanks, Mom!), so I’m pretty bummed about that…but judging by the standing ovation he got as I walked back into the room, he did well.

1. (added at the end of the show) – Jacob Lusk- radiant in white
2. (added at the end of the show)Haley Reinhart – rocking out instead of countrifying, and no yodeling.
3. (added at the end of the show) Casey Abrams – I’m crying because I missed this one. Grooving out with a stand up base. *sob*
4. Lauren Alaina – She wants to show her personality and her confidence…but her face isn’t selling it. The rest of her body language, though, is loads better. She even got a little hip in there! The song, vocal wise, was pretty great. (A handful of off notes, but I can forgive her that. I just need the girl to get the acting into her face, and we will have a winner on our hands.

5. James Durbin – An interesting move, but every rocker has their ballad! Loved the high note at the end! And I, for one, was grateful for the lack of fire tonight.

(Little break to tuck the kidlets into bed!)
6. Scotty McCreery – Country boy threw down with an Elvis number, and had a lot of fun doing it. He’s an interesting one for me..because he’s not fitting the mold anymore. He came in and seemed super shy and just all around sweet and wholesome. He’s still sweet and wholesome..but he’s got a bit of ego poking out now. Call it confidence if you like, but it’s throwing me off. Is that an odd thing to say?

7. Pia Toscano – Well, a ballad this is not! Awesome, it was. I don’t know what else to say. There was a husky quality to her voice tonight that I’d never heard. She can do anything.

8. Stefano Langone – I’ve got to say, this…didn’t bug me. Well, the first few notes bugged me – they were HIGH, and (dare I say?) flat. However, the rest of the song was quite nice. And didn’t feel…staged to me.

9. Paul McDonald – In his rehearsal, he was entitled to sing this song like he was out of his blinkin’ mind. I don’t think there’s anyone else in this competition that could put an order like that to good use! (And, for the record, I’ve never EVER seen anyone happier to announce they shot a man in Reno, just to watch him diiiiiiieeee. heh) Man, I’ve lovin’ this. What a way to end the show! I wouldn’t have changed a single thing. Not one note.

PS – Did you know you can vote online, at www.AmericanIdol.com? You can, and that makes me pretty happy! Go and vote for your favorites, because it’s anybody’s game at this point. Everyone rocked it.

American Idol, Top 11–Results!

Remember, two kids are going home tonight. And, because I love you, I’m here to spill the beans. So, consider yourself warned! If you don’t know which two Idol hopefuls are headed home tonight…stop reading right now. ‘

 

I only have a few observations about tonight’s show. Just a few…little thoughts.

 

So, right now, Paul, James, Casey and Stefano are up on the stage in a little “mock band” performing Band on the Run. They sound great…all except for Stefano. He sounds like he’s never learned how to mix with a group at all. Except for that sore thumb on keyboard, they sound quite nice together!

 

Next thought – Will I. Am is up with Jamie Foxx performing their song from the new animated movie “Rio”, called “Hot Wings.” There are loads of dancers all over the stage and hanging out in the audience. They have big flouncy things on their rears, with boy-short cut leotards on. I have to say, I’m impressed with how much clothing those girls have on!! Sleeves down to the elbow, and necklines that even I could pull off. Thank you, guys, for keeping it classy when debuting a song from a KID’S movie. And I mean that sincerely.

 

Our bottom three tonight are Thia Meghia, Naima Adedapo and Paul McDonald. Only one of them will “survive” the night.

 

And the one staying on to sing another week is…Paul McDonald.

 

Naima Adedapo and Thia Meghia are headed home. They’ve had a great ride, and should be proud of all they’ve accomplished. They are handling this news well, and they will be just fine.

 

Tune in next week to do this all over again! Until next time, y’all.

American Idol, Top 11. Again. (This time, with Elton John!)

Y’all, welcome to Elton John week. Bring on the bling!

 

1. Scotty McCreery (Country Comfort) – Totally country, totally Scotty, totally classic. 

2. Naima Adedapo (I’m Still Standing) Jamaican style. One thing I will say for Naima, she has chosen a niche and she’s sticking with it. She may have over-done it this week by doing the whole thing in an accent that she doesn’t have when she speaks (instead of sneaking some reggae into the middle), but only time will tell what America thinks.

 

3. Paul McDonald (Rocket Man) – Boy brought back his posie suit!! I’m not sure this is the right song for him…something about his voice reminds me of Elton John on this song, so it doesn’t sound too much like HIM, you know?

 

4. Pia Toscano (Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me) – If she was going to ignore the judge’s advice to skip the ballads for a week or two, she didn’t a great night to do it. She nailed that.

5. Stefano Langone (Tiny Dancer) – Remember, last week how they told him to reach out and touch his audience. So, he grabbed Jennifer’s hand at the end, which was more than just a little cheezy.

 

6. Lauren Alaina (Candle in the Wind) – She’s taking this pretty straight, with her little country spin on it, and it’s lovely. Just lovely.

 

7. James Durbin (Saturday Night’s Alright) – This boy is rocking it! And he’s teaching the audience a new dance. And throwing a mic stand. And standing on the red baby grand. And now…the piano is shooting flames in the air. And ending on a high note. He does know what he wants!

 

8. Thia Meghia (Daniel) – Alright, she’s winning me over. This song is spot on, non-pageant-ish, and just great. I think she’s actually going to cry!

 

9. Casey Abrams (Your Song) – Bear boy got a trim. Hair’s shorter, beard’s shorter, and he is showing some heart tonight. He just makes me so happy. Since this is my blog, I have absolutely no obligation to be unbiased. Y’all, Casey makes me smile. He is showing some range tonight, and some soul and some sort of gentle, and he’s doing it up right. No more scary lights or grimacing. No more scary, period. The grimace, honestly, is still there…but it’s not affected. It’s just how he sings, and he sings oh so well.

 

10. Jacob Lusk (Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word) – Heartfelt, grand, huge…but I wish he’d stop pulling his face around like that. But, still. So big it felt epic.

 

11. Hayley Reinhart (Benny and the Jets) – Closing out the night is Hayley, perched on the piano. And you know what, it works for her. She’s so campy that this is the most relaxed she’s looked all season. And by that, I mean this is the first performance from her I’ve really enjoyed this season. (Like I said – I’m biased and opinionated. Heh.) That was good.

 

My favorites tonight…Casey, Hayley, Tia

 

In danger…Naima, Stefano.

 

Remember – there are 11 kids tonight, and next week there will only be 9. Go vote for your favorites!

So, your turn. Who did you love, what did you think?

American Idol, Top 11–Results!

Oh, kids. Last night was ROCKIN’, was it not??! There was not a truly bad performance in the mix.

 

Let’s get this party started…with a surprise visit from Stevie Wonder. Now, Stevie will sing happy birthday to Steven Tyler and the contestants will hand him a lit birthday cake and a rather gaudy picture of…himself. Hey, whatever floats your boat, dude. He seemed to like it!

 

First group up- Lauren, Pia and Scotty. The judges all liked you last night, and you will all be packing your bags….in a few months, to go on that summer tour, because you are safe! (Phew!! I love those three.)

 

Time for another guest artist…Sugarland, with Stuck like Glue. Sweet! Even Lo Gung is singing along.

 

Dim the lights, and James and Paul please head over to the center of the stage. The nation has spoken and both of you are not safe tonight. I mean REALLY not safe tonight. (Before I go on, I have to explain that both of these guys are HUGE fans of wrestling. Remember that, alright?)

 

And, enter Hulk Hogan.

 

Seriously, guys. I couldn’t make this stuff up. Hulk Hogan is on American Idol. And he just said he has good news (both of these guys are safe and going on tour) and bad news (Ryan Seacrest just got sucker punched and landed in the audience).

 

Dim the lights again, Jacob, Thia and Stefano up at center stage. Jacob, you are safe. Congratulations. Thia, you are in the bottom three tonight. Stefano, you are also in the bottom three tonight.

 

Next up, Hayley, Naima and Casey. Naima, you are safe and are heading out on tour. Casey, you are in our bottom three. Hayley, you are safe. (Y’all, that is just WRONG. WRONG.)

 

Let’s distract ourselves from the AWFUL results this week by inviting Jennifer Hudson out on stage. The only Idol graduate with an Oscar. Top them apples, eh?!

 

Let’s shrink the Sad Group and send Thia back to the comfy couch. Leaving Casey and Stefano on the uncomfy Chairs of Shame. (Y’all, seriously. I feel ill. Please let Casey be safe, and I will NEVER skip a week of voting again.)

 

The person with the lowest number of votes is…Casey. He’ll sing for his life – I Don’t Need No Doctor. Randy stopped him three bars in. They know who he is, and they’re going to save him. He looks like he’s going to puke. On national television. Top 11 and they are using the save.

 

Y’all, I will save this right now. If Pia and Casey are not in the top 5, I will boycott.

 

FYI – Ryan just made an announcement. Two will go home next week, BUT the tour will be Top 11, not Top 10. Woot!

American Idol–Top 11 (MoTown week!)

(Oh my goodness, y’all I wrote this on Wednesday night and somehow didn’t post it. What kind of a blogger AM I?! If you can forgive me, I’ll post this right now. I’ll have the results from this week up really soon. Sorry!)

Can y’all handle it? All Motown, all night.

 

Good luck to the kids, and let’s get this party started!

 

1. Casey Abrams (Heard it Through the Grapevine, Marvin Gaye) – Oh, this boy just makes me smile. I can’t help it. I wish he’d practice with a mirror, though – he’s putting off a pretty psycho vibe tonight. His voice, though, is just gold. I can’t get over it! There hasn’t been someone who’s made me this happy since Melinda Doolittle. (Oh, how I miss that girl on this show!) That’s all I can say. His vocals are PERFECT, and his face while he’s singing is just plain scary. Boy ought to smile a bit more, is all I’m saying.

Steven – You are the perfect entertainer! Perfect pitch and perfect mix of CRAZY out of control ego.

Jennifer – There’s nobody like you out there right now. You can carve out a niche for yourself and be amazing.

Randy – You are definitely a true original. You can only do YOU…and that You is great!

 

2. Thia Meghia (Heat Wave, Martha and the Vandellas) – Oh, Thia. Girl…you’re doing great tonight. I just hope it’s not too little too late. She looks comfortable on that stage, and a ballad this is NOT. It was pretty good!!

Jennifer – It was great to see you let loose like that! Now I need you to dig a little deeper. Part of the performance is acting. I know you don’t have the life experience, but you’ve got to act it.

Randy – The reason you’re here is because we knew you had it in you. It’s about taking chances, and you can really sing, but I’m happy to see you take some chances tonight.

Steven – I’m good with it. Great.

 

3. Jacob Lusk (You’re all I Need, Marvin Gaye) – Guys, I’m torn here. Jacob can sing. There is no question about that. Problem is, I don’t usually like it when he does. To be cliché, he moves…like a girl. It totally throws me off. It’s distracting. That said, he nailed this song tonight. So, good job Jacob. Again, he’s another contestant that should take some videos of himself and STUDY. Stage presence is a little awkward for him.

Randy – Do you know what was wrong with that performance? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Steven – You held it back, you milked it, you DID it.

Jennifer – You made us BEG for those notes. You moved us. Great job.

 

4. Lauren Alaina (You Keep Me Hanging On, Diana Ross) – Love this. Love her dress, love the song for her, love her attitude. There’s just enough twang to still be Alaina, and enough soul to do Diana proud. This is great!

Steven – I don’t think you listen to anybody about anything…and I like that about you. That was beautiful.

Jennifer – You look amazing tonight. You know what I loved about this performance? You threw your head and your neck into it…so much attitude! Great job.

Randy – You have got your swagger on high. You are READY!

 

5. Stefano Langone (Hello, Lionel Richie) – Something’s off about this for me. His accent is really coming out…which confuses me, because I never noticed it before. Also, the song seems about a third too high for his voice. Hrm. Still, a good heartfelt performance.

Jennifer – You can sing like crazy, and we know that. We want you to CONNECT to the audience. I don’t want the intensity to come from you wanting to do WELL. I want it to come from your heart BREAKING.

Randy – The only thing you’re missing is that connection. You can SOAR. You have to be perfect emotionally AND vocally. You sounded good, but there was no real connection.

Steven – I agree with the other judges.

 

6. Haley Reinhart (You Really Got a Hold On Me, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles) – Not doing it for me. Sorry. (Man, I feel like I’m totally harsh tonight. Sorry! Just calling it how I see it.) Nothing about Haley seems current to me. From her wardrobe to her song style. My advice? Head to Tennessee and seek your fortune.

Randy – It started rough, but by the middle of the song that Haley that we love came ROARING back!

Steven – Beautiful! Touched my heart. You don’t look a day over fabulous.

Jennifer – You have the same effortless control in your voice as Steven here. I think you may have the most soulful voice of anybody in the competition.

 

7. Scotty McCreery (For Once in My Life, Stevie Wonder) – Ok, they hyped this up as Scotty LEAVING his comfort zone. Haha. That was funny guys. He’s still smack in his comfort zone. Only difference is, he’s countrifying a Stevie Wonder song. Sounds like country to me, and it sounds pretty good. *grin* It’s not very exciting…but Lo Gung says it’s “very smart. Totally country, no Motown in there!”

Steven – You took a big chance in doing that. Great job! And when you go down to those low notes, you tweak everybody.

Jennifer – You really made it your own. It wasn’t your strongest performance, but you always get me with those low notes.

Randy – I was smiling the whole time because you are taking chances. You are the young lady killer!

 

8. Pia Toscano (All in Love is Fair, Stevie Wonder) – This girl gives me chills, every time. I’ve never heard this song before, but I’m liking it. And you know who Pia reminds me of? Celine. She could go that direction. She’s got such a huge, great voice, it is going to need Celine-style songs to really shine.

Jennifer – So, again, you kill us with one of your killer ballads. Amazing vocals, feeling, look – CHECK. You could have a career like Celine (see! haha). Celine gets on that stage and she OWNS that stage. We’ve seen you three times stand and do a ballad and knock us over. You’re going to have to do a two hour concert someday – own that stage!

Randy – What I love is that you think of the note and hit it dead on. You incorporated more falsetto in the beginning. One criticism – give me a mid or up tempo song! No more ballads. You can’t live by ballads alone.

Steven – Right now you are the closest star in this American Idol universe. You are all that, you will be all that. If stepping out and putting your sneakers on and kicking some butt is what you need to do, according to them, then I know you will do it.

 

9. Paul McDonald (The Tracks of My Tears, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles) – Paul has such a unique sound, and it’s one that I love. I’m sorry that he’s got his guitar this week…because it means he can’t dance! This isn’t my favorite performance, but he definitely made it his own.

Randy – I like that you’re not really dancing all around. You definitely got a distinctive kind of voice, and I was really worried at the beginning…but when you sang tender at the very end…oh my GOODNESS dude. Bring more of that out!

Steven – Your voice is different and beautiful.

Jennifer – You’re the most seasoned performer we’ve got. But it’s true – you’re kind of the complete package. All you need is a good producer, and there you go!

 

10. Naima Adedapo (Dancing in the Streets, Martha and the Vandellas) – I am totally rooting for her right now. According to her intro video, she’s going to bust into African dance any moment. And that is going to be tough. So far so good..this is just pure fun! Alright, she hauled in the drummers, she busted her moves, and she nailed it. A little pitchy right in the middle, but she was getting ready to bust a move, so we can forgive that.

Steven – You came up with the drums, the dance…once again we see the whole package. Beautiful!

Jennifer – You’re an exciting performer. I love watching you, and it was my first little goose bumps of the night! You’re my mover and my shaker.

Randy – I’ve been a little rough on you the past couple of weeks, but finally tonight ALL of Naima showed up. Everything worked out. Everything was very smart tonight.

(Oh my stinkin’ funny…Nigel Lithgow is in the audience. He’s a judge on So You Think You Can Dance, my other favorite alternate reality.)

11. James Durbin (Livin’ For the City, Stevie Wonder) – James is working the crowd, and is absolutely loving it. Even dancing a little bit! He’s reminding me a little bit of Adam Lambert tonight, but more unpredictable. Great high notes…just gorgeous. Boy can rock.

Jennifer – You are serious business up there! It’s an incredible thing to watch, honestly. You leave me speechless, and that’s not easy to do. Honestly!

Randy – When it started, it was a little rough for me, but when you started hitting the high notes, you got your stride, and I loved the note you ended on.

Steven – I think sometimes it takes a little bit of crazy to make a difference in this world, and that’s what you’re all about. You nailed it.

 

Kids, that’s a wrap. Who are you voting for tonight? My favorites of the night are Pia, Casey, Thia, Lauren and Paul.  (What??! Everyone did great tonight.)

 

Picks to go home? Stefano or Hayley.

 

Tonight was FIERCE competition. Good luck to all the contestants.

American Idol, Top 12- Results

Hello, Thursday. Drama is thy name.

 

After a meeting, an emergency call home from a panicked Dad, and two cases of the flu in the 4’ and under set…I missed most of the show.

 

So, I’m phoning it in this week. We are saying goodbye to Karen Rodriguez, unless the judges decide to save her. And she is singing for her LIFE, y’all.

 

And they are not in complete agreement, and they are NOT going to use the save.

 

On the bright side, I think everyone from this season is guaranteed a record deal if they go looking for it. This is one insanely talented season.

 

Karen, we will miss you!!!

American Idol, Top 12

Alright, y’all ready to feel old? This week, the contestants are singing something that was popular the year they were born. (Just in case you hadn’t heard yet, the youngest contestant? Is 15. Ouch.)

 

1. Naima Adidapo (What’s Love Got to Do With It, 1984) – She didn’t change the vocals much at all, but the instrumentals are definitely modernized. I’m not sure if she did enough this week, but I still like her.

Steven – You opened up a can of “whoop.”

Jennifer – You’re consistently pitchy, and it’s hurting you, and I’m worried about how you’ll hold up against everyone else.

Randy – You look great, but the vocals were all over the place.

 

2. Paul  McDonald(I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues, 1984) – Everything he does looks effortless. And that’s probably because he’s wandering around the stage like my four year old. Heh. That said, I love this guy. He left the instrumentals almost entirely intact, and didn’t do too much to the vocals…other than to sing them. Which is change enough, when you’ve got a crazy unique voice like Paul does. Overall, it’s OK. I’ve never loved this song, but he did a good job of it.

Jennifer – I know you felt like you were struggling up there, but you’ve got so much soul and star quality, you really made it happen.

Randy – Some of the notes were really pitchy, especially the first half of the song. What I like, though, is that you make everything your own. You put the “Paul” on it.

Steven – You define “loose.” You have such a distinctive voice.

 

3. Thia Meghia (Colors of the Wind, 1995) – First off, yes. I feel old. Now, moving past that, I love that she is loosening up to the point where I can hear what the judges heard in her. I’m just in a picky mood tonight, though. She chose a –Disney- song. It was so, so boring. And a little flat in spots. Oy.

Randy – The vocals were ok, but the problem that I’m having is you’ve been singing ballads every week, and it was a little boring. Nothing unique about it. You’ve got the talent – dig a little deeper!

Steven – Was that song who you think you are? (I thought it fit with current events. ~Thia)

Jennifer – Your vibrato is throwing you off. Work on that, and push out of the box.

 

4. James Durbin (I’ll Be There For You, 1989) – FINALLY, something with a little pizzazz to it. And that’s really the best I can say about. Great high note, but overall a little pitchy. (An interesting side-effect of putting all the contestants into one big mansion is…they’ve all got colds. Heh.)

Steven – Do me a favor: Don’t get too poppy on me. (And Steven and James just struck a deal. If James makes it to the finale, he sings Aerosmith…and Steven will join him.)

Jennifer – You just make me happy! You’re great.

Randy – There were a couple of pitch spots, but you figured out how to make it your own. You found a way to put your high note in, but not over-do it. Very tastefully done.

 

5. Hayley Reinhart (I’m Your Baby Tonight, 1990) – I’m kinda sorta speechless. The beginning was really crazy, sung in this sort of bizarre mix of three or four different voices. She brought it together by the end, though.

Jennifer – You look great tonight. When I see you performing, your voice sounds great, but your body looks so tense. You look like you don’t know which way to go. Just do what comes naturally!

Randy – I’m a little confused. You do Alicia Keyes, then a country song…it feels like you don’t know who you are. The vocals were ok, some of the releases are a little….yeah. Just figure out who you are.

Steven – So, that was sweet and tough. We want to hear more of what we loved. More blues.

 

6. Stefano Langone (If You Don’t Know Me By Now, 1989) – Great voice on this kid, and you can see his “personality” coming through on his intro video. Heh. But, he’s doing a great job on this song. He’s making it his, and he makes me like this song a bit more. Tough break on that last note though! (He didn’t have enough breath to finish it out.)

Randy – Stefano! The best performance of the night! You slayed it.

Steven – Beautiful phrasing, man. Over the top.

Jennifer – It was a perfect, perfect song for you. Sing out, connect more.

 

7. Pia Toscano (Where Do Broken Hearts Go, 1988) – Killing it. Of course she is. She’s Pia. This is a great song to showcase her voice.

Steven – You are why this show is called American Idol. You took that retro song and you nailed it.

Jennifer – I was so glad to hear you do something up-tempo! Perfect every time you get up there.

Randy – Every week, you are producing amazing vocals. You are in it to win it!

 

8. Scottie McCreery (Can I Trust You With My Heart,1989) – Loved it. Just…loved it. This kid is Country, through and through. And he’s totally loveable.

Jennifer – You did great, keep growing, keep learning.

Randy – You did Travis Tritt proud. You are staying in your Traditional Country land, and you can stretch a little more.

Steven – You just keep knowing who you are, and you’re going to go places.

 

9. Karen Rodriguez (Love Will Lead You Back, 1989 ) – This girl has soul. You can just feel it in every note. She doesn’t sound like a pageant, or karaoke, or anything else. She’s just her, up on that stage, singing her heart out. And doing it up bi-lingual. I don’t think she should stop – it can’t possibly hurt her!

Randy – It started a little rough, but by the first chorus, you were on it. Better than last week.

Steven – I love when you break into your ethnic what-it-is-ness.

Jennifer – I could tell you were a little scared when you came out, but I could tell that you attacked it. Sing to your strengths, never let your weaknesses show.

 

10. Casey Abrams (Smells Like Teen Spirit, 1991) – Wow. First Nirvana song on Idol EVER. I’m not sure what to say about this. You know I love me some Casey, but this is kind of weird for me. He looks insane, and is a little pitchy. That said, if this song defined a generation…he just characterized that. Like a caricature, in vocal form.

Steven – You’re crazy and talented – that’s the goop that great stuff is made from.

Jennifer – Those were big shoes to fill. You got a little screechy, and I wish it had been a little more pleasant.

Randy – What I’m most impressed with you, you put art first, and then think about commerce. You are fearless, and that’s what we need!

 

11. Lauren (I’m the Only One, ) – A little rough on the low parts. Again, the ENTIRE house seems to have caught the plague. They might re-think their housing arrangements next year… Anyhow, she’s rocking it on the high parts, and she has got Confidence, y’all. Loads of it. Love it.

Jennifer – Very nice! You know, we can hear your voice in that song, and you made it your own. Very good job.

Randy – That was VERY nice, so have a cold every week!

Steven – Sometimes when somebody gets a strep throat or whatever, they sing better! (It’s true! It drove me nuts in college, but I had my best voice lessons when I had a cold. Oy.)

 

12. Jacob Lusk ( Alone, 1987) – Little rocky at the beginning. And he pulled it out in the chorus. And then he went flat. When I hear him sing, I just want to sit him down and get him some point-blank vocal lessons. He’s OBVIOUSLY got loads of talent, and soul. And passion. But it sometimes get stuck on its way out, and I understand that. Still, a good ending for the show.

Randy – Very, very nice performance. You did step out of your comfort zone. You went sharp, but you found your way right back. I loved the big notes, but I’m glad you didn’t over-power the end. Genius, dude.

Steven – Your mama may not be able to sing, but your mama gave you the moxie to sing up there.

Jennifer – I love that you give yourself to every moment of every song. So amazing.

 

So. So…wow. What a very lot of retro songs. Favorites tonight are: Paul, Pia, Scotty, Casey.

 

Least favorites: Haley, Thia.

 

What did you guys think tonight?

American Idol, Top 13–Results

Jacob, Karen and Stefano, come on down! (Folks, the storm is still RAGING outside, and my reception is spotty, at best. If I miss anything important, forgive me!)

 

Jacob and Stefano, you are safe. Karen, you are in the bottom three.

And now I am crossing my fingers. Adam Lambert is, hands down, my favorite Idol contestant of all time (don’t look at me like that! He’s talented, if a bit lacking in taste). And I’m only hearing every other measure. Sad.

 

Oh, my friends. This is silly. This is me, cheating. (Thank you, LA, for getting the results out ASAP. It helps me out!) Our bottom three this week – Karen Rodriguez, Ashton Jones and Hayley Reinhart.

 

And it’s bad news for Ashton Jones. Assuming Casey Abrams can make it back next week (in the hospital, again), we’ll hear our Top 12 perform next Wednesday.

American Idol, Top 13

America, here’s your top 13!

Same as last week, I’m writing down my impressions as I watch American Idol tonight. If that’s interesting to you, read on. If not…well, it won’t hurt my feelings. Feel free to chime in with your impressions and opinions, too!

This week, the contestants were told to choose a song by your personal idol. They were also teamed up with top producers to put the songs together.

 

And…here we go!

1. Lauren Alaina (Any Man of Mine)- She doesn’t look quite as comfortable as last week. This is just a lot of words to squeeze out, you know? A little pitchy. I don’t know…she’s trying her hardest to get the audience into it, but nobody seems to be biting. (Ming Wai just walked in. “I like that girl! She’s so beautiful!)

Steven – I like that song, but I wish it’d been a little more kicky.

Jennifer – You don’t have to try. You’re that good. But we need to hear you kicking it into high gear.

Randy – I love Shania. You sang that well. But we were hoping for that girl that we first saw. You don’t even know how talented you are. We want to see you shine beyond belief. But this was good.

 

2. Casey Abrams (Get By With a Little Help From my Friends)- Oh my goodness, his voice just kills me. It just pours out of him like gold from a paper sack.  He’s got a few spots that are a little affected…sitting on the stairs, he looked like he was shivering his head around to try and look more like the original artist. Little weird, but he (to steal the phrase) blew that one out of the box. THAT is how you do it!

Jennifer – Casey!!! You know what? I go by what I feel. At one point I grabbed Randy, and just said what am I watching right now?! Blew me away.

Randy – What Jen was watching was Idol Season 10! I’m always excited to see what you do. You make listening to you sing FUN, and I loved it.

Steven – What Randy was trying say was you are a rainbow of talent, man, and a plethora of passion.

 

3. Ashton Jones (When You Tell Me That You Love Me)- This is starting out a little slow for me, a little pitchy. I’m holding out hope that she belts it out on the chorus. And…there’s the end of the song. Oh, I am so disappointed. It was too high.

Randy – I was a little worried, seeing that song. It sounded like it was a little bit of a safe move, but I saw you grow, pulling yourself back onto pitch with your vibrato.

Steven – I agree with Randy. You’ve got a lot more than you’re showing us.

Jennifer – You look so elegant, and we’re seeing how professional you are. Now I want to see you start singing songs we can sing along with.

 

4. Paul McDonald(I Put a Smile on Your Face) – Love his voice. His dancing makes me smile, too, but for different reasons. This is interesting, because this is not a sing-along-able song…but it has something Ashton’s didn’t have. It makes you want to dance, and that makes all the difference.

Steven – I love the character in your voice, so it doesn’t matter WHO you sing. You make it yours. You were a little pitchy, though, so be careful.

Jennifer – While you were singing, I was watching the audience members…and they were smiling. There’s something about you. You DID move the crowd.

Randy – After last week’s performance, this wasn’t the most exciting thing for people, but I love who PAUL is. I get it, and I hope America gets it.

 

5. Pia Toscano (All By Myself) – Good on you, girl, for taking on Celine! And nailing it. Her voice gives me chills. Man, this season is PACKED with talent. I’m worried, though, that she didn’t make it enough HER OWN, you know? Then again, I don’t know the original that well. And the crowd? Goes wild.

Jennifer – We love you Pia. <speechless> You topped last week. There it is.

Randy – This has been a lot of years on this show. Mariah, Whitney, Celine are the big three. You have that quality. You HIT those notes dead on without even thinking about it. I love it.

Steven – That was the sum total of all your work. That was beautiful.

 

6. James Durbin (Maybe I’m Amazed)- Ok. Hrm. Yes, he’s singing this well. That said, I don’t totally see who he is through this song. The judges are all grooving, though, so maybe he’s just Classic Rock? Is that his vibe? Remind me – is this the mini Steven Tyler? And the crowd? Goes wild. Heh.

Randy – James, you are one of my favorites. I love these voices that can sing anything. You just showed that you have a sensitive side, you can do ANYTHING.

Steven – You have taken everything you ever felt, and kicked it into next week.

Jennifer – Everyone knows you have the high notes, but you also have a melodic quality. You’re everything.

 

7. Hayley Reinhart (Blue) – Well, this just isn’t my thing. She’s yodeling. And I’m not sure she’s doing it all that well. It’s not really an exact science, but you need to make it sound like it is. Didn’t do it for me.

Steven – Hayley, that was beautiful. I knew LeAnn way back when, when she recorded this. You did a great job.

Jennifer – I think America’s getting to know you now. You do special things with your voice, so unique.

Randy – Good: you’re diverse. Alicia Keyes to LeAnn Rimes. Bad: That was a little sleepy for me. 

 

8. Jacob Lusk (I Believe I Can Fly) – Ok, I’m starting to sound like a total stick in the mud, but this is weird for me. His voice sounds constricted, somehow. Fake. It hasn’t sounded this way before, so I think it’s the same issue as Hayley. If you sing a song that you have been singing to yourself for 10+ years…you’re going to sing it closer to the 9 year old version of yourself than to the current version of yourself. It’s really difficult to RElearn a song you’ve sung forever. (Go ahead – try and sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and do it well. It’s tough!)

Steve – Pure passion, pure music, I can’t even judge it. You are so good.

Jennifer – Good job.

Randy – Who found this kid? Oh, right! We did! Such a unique sound, unbelievable. I’m excited every time you hit the stage!

 

9. Thia Meghia (Smile) – Well, Thia, my dear, you’re showing me this week why the judges are so in love with you. For the first time, I don’t look at you and think, “Oh, look at the cute 15 year old!” This is a great, great job. Still not my favorite, not exciting, but she nailed it.

Randy – I loved the intro! It got a little pitchy in spots, during the jazzy parts. But you, with a mic and an instrument, is golden to me.

Steven – I gotta agree. A little pitchy in the middle, but you’re so young, and you’ve got a great future. (Again, with the “young”! Prove you can play with the big dogs, girl.)

Jennifer – The intro reminded me of last week, and obviously that’s where your strength is. You sing like an angel.

 

10. Stefano Langone (Lately) – Techno (Stevie) Wonder. At least Jennifer is loving it! I don’t really have anything else to say. Not my favorite, but he didn’t make any mistakes.

Steven -  You pulled it off. It built from the beginning to the end, double time in the middle, went off like a volcano in the end. Beautiful.

Jennifer – You had me dancing there for a minute! You did a dance remix, but it was really you. You sounded great.

Randy – It started off a little rocky for me, but Stevie would be PROUD of you!

 

11. Karen Rodriguez (I Could Fall In Love With You) – Well, Karen, you pulled out the Latina again this week (I mean, duh!), but it’s not doing it for me. This is pretty pitchy. It was ok on the high notes, though.

Jennifer – You look like a star tonight! I could tell you were a little uncomfortable on the lower and the higher end. (Turns out, Karen can’t hear her monitor speaker. Oops. that explains it a lot! Glad Jennifer said something.)

Randy – It felt like you were fighting the song. And it was a little sleepy.

Steven – The energy it took to get to the end didn’t pan out.

 

12. Scottie McCreery (The River) – Scottie has such an old fashioned “country” sound…nothing cross-over about this boy! And I love that about him. He’s doing a good job, but I think he’s hamming it up just a smidge. Good job, boy. Good job. And the crowd? Goes wild. Again.

Randy – That’s a great Garth Brooks song, and it just shows that this is exactly where you belong.

Steven – Scottie, you did the Garth justice.

Jennifer – (Sorry, we’re having some Weather, which means my reception is spotty. Which means I didn’t hear whatever Jennifer said, but I’m sure she loved it.)

 

 

13. Naima Adedapo (Umbrella) – (First off, I’m super excited. Second, this is smart to do something more current.) And now…well, it’s just alright. Same issue as Lauren Alaina – it’s a lot of words, and it’s pitchy. And now..wow. What did she do there?! A little rap in there? That was awesome. And now she’s crumping. Oh, she is unique alright. Now, what will the audience think? That was a risk, for sure!

Steven – You’re crazy good, and I love ya. A little pitchy, you brought flavor tonight that nobody else brought. I adore you for that.

Jennifer – I don’t care about all the pitchy, you got FIRE girl. You’re DOING it. Like stars do it. You need to work on the control. I’m glad you did what you did.

Randy – I differ a little from Jennifer. I care about the pitchy, but you’ve got to get the breath control in there. But I LOVED the whole reggae thing. Make a whole album!

(Has anyone noticed that the last contestant is usually one the producers feel sure about? Or is it just me?)

Overall, a great night. What did you think?

Call 1866 Idols (XX) to vote.

American Idol, Week One–Results!

Alright, y’all. Dim the lights, and…here we go.

 

Scotty and Robbie, head to the middle of the stage. America has voted, and…Scotty, congratulations! Robbie, you…are headed home.

 

Next up, Jordan,  Giovani and Clint. After America’s vote…Clint, and Jordan, you are headed home. Giovani, you are not top 10 either. Head to the stools.

 

Cut to commercials…and we’re back! Scottie is hanging out, solo, on the comfy “safe” couch. Now, let’s see if a few girls will join him!

 

Pia and Lauren Alaina, come on down! (Oh please, oh please, oh please, oh please…Pia got me voting last night. I NEVER vote when there are this many contestants.) Lauren, you are in the top 10! Pia, you are also in the top 10!!!!

 

Ta-Tanisa and Julie, come to center stage. Ta-Tanisa, you are headed home. Julie, you are not top 5 either. To the stools with you.

 

A few commercials…and welcome back! (Yes, I’m live blogging. Heh.)

 

Kendra, Ashton and Karen, come on down. After the vote, Ashton, you have not made the top 10. The person in our top 10 is…Karen! Kendra, off to the uncomfy seats with you. (Good choice, on Karen.)

 

Tim, Casey, Jacob. Jacob, you are top 10! Casey and Tim, one of you is in the top 10…congratulations, Casey! (Again, I’d be ticked if he wasn’t!)

 

Naima, Thia and Lauren Turner! One of you is in the top 10, and two are not. Naima, you are not. Thia, you have made it to the top 10. Lauren Turner, you have not. (Folks, that is just WRONG.)

 

Brett and Paul. One of you is a Yes, one of you is No. Paul, congratulations! Brett, so sad. (I agree with this one. Brett, you’re fun…but not quite what I’m looking for…)

 

More commercials…and we’re back!

 

Hayley and Rachel, join Ryan Seacrest at the center of the stage. And the final girl in the top 10 is…Hayley. (Oh, Rachel, bless your heart. She’s been trying for this for YEARS. And it finally came to America’s vote…and she lasted one night. Ouch.)

 

Stefano and James. One more spot in the top 10 for the guys, and it goes to…James! (Stefano…welcome home to Seattle. I guess. I’ve heard you have a sort of a reputation around here. Heh.)

 

And there it is. Your top 10. Scotty, Lauren Alaina, Pia, Karen, Jacob, Casey, Thia, James, Hayley and Paul.

And now for the wild-cards. Six people are brought back by the judges, 3 guys, 3 girls.

 

Ashton is up first, and she is singing I am Telling You. (This is perfect…she totally reminds me of Jennifer Hudson.) Love the cute little touches…”And you, and you, and you, You gonna love me!”, pointing right at the three judges. Cute. Powerful performance. Definitely singing for her life!

Steven? You brought it like you brought it before.

Jennifer? I felt your passion, and know you deserve to be here.

Randy? I still LOVE the attitude.

 

Next – Stefano, singing I Need You Now. Interesting song..interesting technique. This is a little weird for me. It sounds like talking, somehow. Not my favorite, but he did a great job.

Randy – I love that you chose this song, and you did it justice!

Jennifer – You guys are making me more nervous than I am for my OWN performances! When you needed to come through, you came through.

Steven – You brought it. And you brought everything I love about your voice, into one song.

 

Kendra, you’re up. With Georgia on my Mind. Wow…this starts out SUPER low. She’s much better up higher…and that’s where she takes it. A nice high note, a great growl and a big finish. Man, I would NOT like to be in the judges’ shoes tonight!!

 

Randy – It started low, and you ROCKED it at the end.

(And that’s all the feedback we have time for.)

 

Giovani, Jennifer chooses YOU to sing next. Singing “God Sent Me an Angel” (I think. I didn’t quite catch that. Fox, can you do something about that? Like posting the song titles at the bottom of the screen, along with the contestant’s names? That would really help us bloggers out!) A great voice..adding in some Spanish (taking a note from Karen’s book??), but not quite hitting it on all cylinders. The transitions between the two languages is not as seamless as Karen’s, and the whole song feels a little rushed and Frankenstein’d.

 

Jennifer – You did a good job, and did all you could do!

 

Steven, pick our next singer. Naima! That means Julie, Lauren Turner, Rachel and Ta-Tanisa are headed home. (Noooo! I loved Lauren Turner.)

 

Naima, with We’re All We Know. Hrm. She is singing this so very carefully, so very thoughtfully. Each note is carefully executed. This is definitely her, but I’m not sure if it’s the right song to keep her in the competition. If she stays, it will be because the judges love her, and her style, and what she brings…because this song just doesn’t catch me. (And now that she’s done, she is sobbing. That explains part of it. Good on her for getting through it!)

Steven – Naima, you came from deep down inside, and you brought it. Good job.

 

(BTW – my daughter is “sleeping” on the couch, and just added, “Mommy, she’s beautiful!” So cute.)

 

Randy has the last pick…and it’s Robbie. And Brett runs down to give everyone a hug goodbye. Robbie, with Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word. Oh dear. Again, low and slow. Beautiful, but not sure it’s very memorable. (Oh, but Randy is grinning…I think he’s daydreaming! He looks all nostalgic and…proud. haha) Ok, Robbie you are picking this up..and I take it back. There is not one face on camera that doesn’t look like they are about to cry. Good job, dude.

 

Randy – Robbie, VERY nice. Very tender. This is the toughest night ever.

 

And now…who gets another shot? Judges, we need your decision…after the break. (Jennifer looks like she wants to throw something. Three minutes is NOT long enough to make this decision. Nearly everyone was amazing!)

 

And to the judges – are you ready? And…no. They’re not. So, we’ll watch Jennifer’s new music video instead!

 

Judges, have you got your results now? Yes. Great! Let’s go to another commercial break.

 

We’re back! There’s your top 10 sitting over there…and here are a few more. Randy, who is in? Ashton! Good job. (Oh, the look on her face is PRICELESS.) Jennifer, how many more? Two more. Ok, second person? Stefano. (Aw well…Stefano, Seattle will see you later, I suppose.) Steven, who is the final wild card? Ryan, I wish we could do all of them, but…Naima, you’re in. Congratulations, top 13! That gives us seven girls, and six guys.

 

Final roster:

Scotty McCreery – Country boy with a DEEP voice

Lauren Alaina – 16 year old country girl with FLAIR

Pia Toscano – The whole package – gorgeous face, body and voice.

Karen Rodriguez – Lots of latin SPICE.

Jacob Lusk- Big voice, big emotions. Prone to tears. Easily excited.

Casey Abrams – Looks like a lumberjack, sings like a blues bar star. Crazy on the bass.

Thia Megia – Our “young ‘un.” 15, beautiful clear voice.

James Durbin – Unique and over the top.

Hayley Reinhart – Long gold hair, needs some work on stage, BIG voice. Blue-sy.

Paul McDonald

Ashton Jones – Big hair, big voice. Makes me think of a young Beyonce.

Stefano Langone – From Kent, Wa. Which makes him our “hometown hero.” Two of my siblings went to school with him and said that his voice, and his ego*, were legendary. Confidence aplenty in this one!

Naima Adedapo – An “exotic flower.” Very Ella Fitzgerald, in tribal dress. Judges love her.

 

See y’all next week!

*I hesitate to publish any “behind the scenes” negativity about any of the contestants. Yes, both of my siblings confirmed that he is quite the peacock. That said, it takes a certain amount of that kind of self-confidence to go on stage, week after week, and COMPETE for America’s votes. So I don’t think his Large Ego is a trait un-shared by many of his fellow contestants.

American Idol, Week 1–Girls

Again, so sorry I missed last night guys. What can I say except that I 1) don’t have a DVR and 2) didn’t have it in me to find all the performances online today, in between all today’s chores.

 

1) Ta-Tynisa Wilson (I’m the Only Girl in the World)- First off, I notice that the girl isn’t afraid of that stage at ALL. That said, she was pitchy…but determined, if that makes sense. The audience seems to love her, but I felt like the last half of the song was about a half step off. The judges aren’t saying anything, so maybe that was just me.

Steven – You did great.

Jennifer – Way to start out the show.

Randy – You look hot, but there are pitch issues. I didn’t quite get it. It was just ok.

 

2) Naima Adedapo (Summertime) - Looking good in a self-designed dress. And her singing…I’m speechless. She has such a perfectly blue-sy, jazzy voice. Because of the genre, though, I’m a little worried she’ll come off as lounge-y. That said, she got a standing O from the crowd, and her fellow contestants. This girl hit it right on the head!

Jennifer – You look like an exotic flower, and you nailed it!

Randy – I enjoyed the second more than the first half, and you NAILED the last note.

Steven – You sound like early Ella Fitzgerald. I love you a lot, and I like ya a lot.

 

3) Kendra Chantelle (Impossible) – A great blue-sy rendition, and she looks great. Confident. Are there any bad eggs this year?!

Randy – I loved that vibrato, reminds me of Lauren Hill. A few notes were sharp, but I liked it.

Steven – I always look forward to listening to what you can do to a song. Beautiful.

Jennifer – You fought your way into this top 12, and you belong here. There is MORE in you, and I hope you let everyone see that.

 

4)Rachel Zevita (I’ve Been a Bad Bad Girl) -  Oh, Rachel. If I don’t look at the screen…this is ok. You are sassy from the shoulders down. Your face looks terrified…and unfortunately, your voice comes out of your face. I don’t know what it is…the whole song is just so low. That said, she NAILED the end…which is the most important part of the song, as everybody knows!

Randy- It wasn’t great. It just didn’t work.

Steven – I loved your strut, loves your moves. A little too Broadway for me, but that could be your niche!

Jennifer – This is the first time America gets to see you. Do you want them to see you as a Broadway performer, or do you want them to see you as a recording artist now. I wish we would have seen a little more of you tonight.

 

5) Karen Rodriguez (Hero) – Well, I would say this girl is playing to her niche! She wants to bring the Latina to the competition…and she sings to the Latinas (and Latinos!) in their language. Possibly a very smart move…but it can get messy. She’s switching back and forth, but doing both very well. (But I have to say something about her outfit…she looks, to my eyes, like 40 year old Soap Opera star. Am I right??)

Randy- I like that you figured out a way to make it you. I thought the Spanish was better than the English!

Steven- A one of a kind sound, and you should get together with Jacob Lusk over there! Fantastic.

Jennifer- Wow. Wow. WowWowWow. That says it all. I love that you changed from English to Spanish and showed who you are and what your flavor is. 

 

6)Lauren Turner (Seven Day Fool)- Great voice…confident on this stage. Man, watching this just makes me happy. She’s NAILING this. A little help with the wardrobe will help, though. The hair, chunky platform shoes and huge belt are making the look weird for me.  

Randy- Yo. Listen – THAT’S HOW YOU DO IT, MAN. I love the whole power, I love the whole blue-sy, soul-sy thing in you.

Steven- Lauren, that was spectacular. Everyone reacted, that was great. Good job.

Jennifer- Obviously, your voice is undeniable. But what I need from you is to GIVE it to me. Get in the face of that camera, and let loose.

 

7) Ashton Jones ( Love Over on Me)– That was just alright for me. It lacked some sparkle, somehow. Confident, though.

Randy- I like you. You’ve got a great stage presence.

Steven- Confidence of a queen!

Jennifer- You have all the makings of a diva! Your confidence is breath-taking.

 

8) Julie Zorrilla (Breakaway) – Oh, I want to love this. Out of everyone, she LOOKS like a winner, you know? If we were casting a Disney movie, she’d be the diamond in the rough. But this song? Rough. Pitchy, no strong melody…oh painful. So sad!

Randy- You didn’t sing it as well as Kelly Clarkson. You want to show yourself in the best light! You need to figure out what will make you special and stand out.

Steven- Great chorus, but the wrong song for you. If you’d taken it up a couple of keys, it would have been better. (I agree!! The song just felt like it wasn’t sitting in her voice right.)

Jennifer- I liked it, but I didn’t feel it was the best I’ve seen from you. It didn’t feel like it was from the heart. (Bless her heart for offering HELPFUL criticism, instead of just saying, “I didn’t like it.”)

 

9) Haley Reinhart (In and Out of Love) – This is a little weird for me. Kind of like…Alicia Keys meets Brittney Spears? A little too cute-sy. But, despite all that, she’s singing it well…it’s just in a style that I don’t totally get. So, I would say she sang well…but the performance was a little young. Make sense? Old voice, young stage presence.

Randy- We loved your husky tone…but this was more like karaoke.

Steven- Just the right amount of style, just the right amount of sexy.

Jennifer- We saw a lot of different colors in your voice – the growl, the playing. You need to get out of your head. Stop thinking about where you’re going to walk and just sing!

 

10) Thia Megia (On My Own) – Some really pretty spots, and some pitchy spots, lots of quiet spots…this is not good, for me. Mostly underwhelming.

Randy- The mark of a great singer, is the quality of the tone of the voice. Your tone reminds me of Michael Jackson. Your voice is infectious. This is what hot singing is about.

Steven- Your pitch is so perfect, it doesn’t matter what you sing. Good job. (Wha..?!)

Jennifer- A quiet, beautiful moment. Captivating.

(Obviously, the judges and I don’t agree on everything.)

11) Lauren Alaina (Hear Me On the Radio) – Oh, this is a country girl if ever I heard one. I am loving this! If Thia needs to prove she’s not 15…it means everyone is still thinking it. Nobody will ever talk about how young Lauren is, because there is nothing in her performance that screams “I might not be able to do this.” That was A.Ma.Zing. 

Randy- You have a natural gift – you can sing anything. I don’t even think you know how good you are. You remind me of Kelly Clarkson meets Kerry.

Steven- You killed me. Your voice goes from here to there, and we haven’t seen the best of you yet!

Jennifer- My little Lauren! You look so beautiful! You don’t even have to try. The voice is just so effortless. It’s amazing how much of a natural you are. Amazing. (My words exactly!)

 

12)Pia Toscano (Come to Me) – Oh, first off *phew*! I mixed her up with Julie Zorilla, from earlier tonight. Pia is one of my favorites…and I thought Julie was her…and that she’d botched it up…and…yeah. Anyhow. This is a great performance! She is singing the song well, but I’m afraid she’s not differentiating herself. Who is she as an artist? Will she sing the ballads and the pop hits like Christina? (Oh, and the last note…was a little flat. Impressive, but flat. Ouch.) (Sorry – I just tell it how I hear it!)

Randy- Yo. This is our first standing ovation of our new season (really??! I saw a few others tonight..) You just put yourself in the TOP with the amazing performers from previous seasons.

Steven- Congrats. Beautiful.

Jennifer- I knew you were a standout, but you’re TRICKY! You were saving THAT for when it counts.

 

To vote, call 1 866 436-57xx (insert contestant number here).

Favorites of the night – Pia, Karen, Lauren & Lauren A.

 

Going home – Julie, Thia

 

What say ye?

American Idol, the guys

Ok, so color me stupid now...but it's Tuesday. And I forgot that Tuesday means Idol. Oops. Bad blogger!

That said, head over here to get your daily dose of opinions. I like Boo Mama, and she does a great job of laying out the standouts and the wall-flowers.

So. Head over to Boo Mama's place to see what all the fuss is about...and (theoretically) I'll get the kids in bed in time to watch Idol tomorrow. Here's hoping!

American Idol Contestants, Pt. 2 (Final List)

So, to recap, from last night:

Girls:

1. Naima Adedapo

2. Haley Reinhard

3. Ashton Jones

 

 

Boys:

1.Clint Gamboa

2. Paul McDonald

Now, let’s fill out this list!

 

WOMEN

1. Naima Adedapo (announced last night)
2. Lauren Alaina. Well, I can say this one has a personality. Great big ol’ country voice…and she showed up to Final Judgement in a Barbie Cowgirl outfit. Complete with pink rhinestone boots. (If you can believe the video footage, she wore black during the rest of the competition. So…this is quite an outfit!)
3. Kendra Chantelle. Gorgeous, soulful voice. (What is with all these soulful voices??)
4. Ashthon Jones (announced last night)
5. Thia Megia, Tiny little thing with a big voice. At just 15, she’s going in against the big dogs. She still looks scared, though…and I’m not sure how far she will make it.  
6. Haley Reinhart (announced last night)
7. Karen Rodriguez (Oops. They announced her while I was putting the kids to bed. Drat you, bedtime!)
8. Pia Toscano. Gorgeous girl. She looks familiar somehow. I don’t know too much more about her!
9. Lauren Turner. Looking for a way to end her glamorous career as a House Cleaner. Gorgeous, huge head of curly hair. Great big, soulful voice.
10. Tatynisa Wilson (Again. Bedtime.)
11. Rachel Zevita. She’s been trying for this for years, since season six. She’s got a unique sense of fashion
12. Julie Zorilla. This girl was a shoe-in for the top 24. She can sing, she can play, she’s adorable, and she’s got a great back-story (her parents fled their homeland to give their two children a better life).

MEN

1. Casey Abrams. Boy can SCAT. He has an incredible range of instrumental talent, and an even wider range of performing “hats.” A true Blues Boy.
2. Jovany Barreto. Great high voice, POWERFUL. Latin. After securing his golden ticket during auditions, he ripped off his shirt and showed off his awesome abs. But he wants to make sure that America knows he showed off AFTER he had shown he could sing. Heh. Moving on.
3. Jordan Dorsey. This guy is tricksy. During the Group Round, he held auditions with other contestants, to see who would mix with his style. On the one hand, it’s smart – he didn’t end up with great people with voices that don’t mesh with his. On the other…he held auditions. Who does that? (I would. Heh. He reminds me of me…) 
4. James Durbin. A few of his notes remind me of Adam Lambert, which is a compliment! Huge range. He has Turret's and Asperger's Syndrome. And since they brought it up…that makes him a poster child, for better or for worse.
5. Clint Jun Gamboa (announced last night)
6. Tim Halperin (Seriously?! How many did I miss???!)
7. Stefano Langone. He’s the closest we’re going to come to a Hometown Hero this season, here in Seattle. He’s a survivor who defied the odds and the experts by making a complete recovery when doctors said injuries would prevent him from walking again. Gorgeous tenor voice.  
8. Brett Loewenstern. Carrot top. If you wanted to pick him out of a line-up…just look for the huge head of red. Interesting voice, and a big heart.  
9. Jacob Lusk. Steven Tyler-esque falsetto. Emotional. Larger than life. Prone to tears when excited. (Great voice, but not a house favorite here in Casa LoLo.)
10. Scotty McCreery. The little man with the low voice. Like…we’re talking Darth Vader low. Can’t wait to see him during Rock Week!
11. Paul McDonald (announced last night)
12. Robbie Rosen (And…missed this one, too.)

And that…is your top 24, America. What do you think? Who are your favorites? Guys are up on Tuesday, girls next Wednesday, results on Thursday. Looks like I’d better get my act together and put the kids to bed on time, yeah? Good thing Ming Wai can’t read a clock yet…