3 posts tagged “american idol”

Let's review last night's American Idol performances.

BRANDON ROGERS

Brandon's not bad, it's just that he's not better than half the field, and he shouldn't win this competition.  Unfortunately Brandon doesn't have too much more to shoot for.  He's sang back-up for some of the best.  He may have a future in musical theater (last night was very Broadway, especially his dancing).  But he does have a great smile, that makes you want to be friends.

 

MELINDA DOOLITTLE

First off Melinda sings "Home" which is from The Wiz, which alone is awesome, but is an amazing talent.  She's clear, on key, and a joy to listen to.  What I'm worried about is that Melinda doesn't seem the type to fill stadiums.  Don't get me wrong, she's one of my favorites, and I do think she can win this, but post-Idol where does she go.  Into obsurity with Ruben?  

 

CHRIS SLIGH

I agree with Simon... I prefer the glasses on Chris.  They frame his face better.  The judges didn't seem to enjoy the arrangement, but they didn't really speak to the actual singing.   I thought it was a great performance.  I really enjoyed the arrangement, which is odd, seeing as how Coldplay is the equivilant to fingernails on a chalkboard.  I see Chris with a guitar and band to enhance his talent.  Definitely see success beyond Idol.

 

GINA GLOCKSEN

I think Gina's trapped in an identity crisis.  She's trying to act glamourous and grunge at the same.  She is not Amy Lee of Evanescence.  She seems to be trying to fit that image and it's forcing her to yell instead of sing.  I don't think her look is flattering her figure either.  She has some pipes, and I wish the image could be figured out. 

 

SANJAYA MALAKAR

Please be voted off!  Or just quit and go home.  I'm sure you're a nice kid, but your singing isn't.  Quit thinking that you should still be in this competition.

 

 

HALEY SCARNATO

Haley has a beautiful voice and is a beautiful girl.  However she needs to get beyond her nerves, fears and pressure to please the judges and just sing.  I like what Diana Ross had to say about Haley having a better studio voice than performing voice, because the way Haley is singing she will not beat some of these other ladies.

 

Phil Stacey

Phil has great tone in his voice, I just don't care for him.  There's nothing to him and his preformances that makes me sit up and pay attention.  And with his head bald his eyebrows are exaggerated and are annoying me.  The picture to the left is better because he's wearing the hat. 

 

Lakisha Jones

There's no doubt that Lakisha can sing, not one doubt.  But like Melinda, where does she go after the show.  I won't pay $20 or more to watch Lakisha stand and sing to me when I could just buy the CD.  She is however definitely more shrewd with her performances that I previously gave her credit for.  Also, who were the people in the crowd cheering her on.  I hope they were family, but I had an eeire feeling that they were leeches.

 

BLAKE LEWIS

I thought his preformance was good, however I do agree that he over produced the song.  Put your name on it, but that was too much.  The dancing was all too Justin.  I think Blake is incredibly talented, but my question is... Who is Blake Lewis?

 

 

STEPHANIE EDWARDS

They judges said that she missed the climax of the song.  Unfortunately I'm not too familiar with the song she sang, so I didn't notice what they were talking about.  I love her voice.  I can actually see her having a bigger and better career than Lakisha and Melinda. 

 

 

CHRIS RICHARDSON

Chris is good, but I don't think he's as talented as Chris Sligh or Blake Lewis.  He seems to lack the personality when he sings too.

 

 

Jordin Sparks

I wonder if Lakisha or Melinda had this girl's talent when they were her age?  Yeah the whole Land Before Time song was cheesy, but she nailed.  If the show was based on confidence, talent and potential, Jordin would have already won.

So the ladies preformed last night.  A good start overall for them.  Below is my reviews of each preformance.  By the way with all the talk about be young and giving young preformances, what is the deal with the cheesy video that goes on behind them.  It's either cheesy disco looking lights or a beach or some not to exciting.  They need to work on that.

Alaina Alexander:  "Brass in Pocket"

It wasn't a great preformance.  I can't hardly remember it.  However I did think that she and Ryan looked good together, so in light of Simon's comment about Ryan trying to get a date with her....

Amy Krebs:  "I Can't Make You Love Me"

Honestly I can't even remember her preformance.  That can't be good.

Antonella Barba:  "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing"

Horrible.  And Simon said she was lucky because she looked good, but that's all that gotten her through, and prettier girls have been voted off AI before.  She leave tonight.

Gina Glocksen:  "All By Myself"

A good preformance.  A great voice.  I want to see more from here.  He voice deserves more than this song, that's for sure.  She kinda reminds me of Lauren Graham from Gilmore Girls.

Haley Scarnato: "It's All Coming Back to Me Now"

She sang a bad song well.  I hope she finds some better material to work with.  I'm a little bias since she's from San Antonio, but all in all not bad, definitely not the worse.

Jordin Sparks: "Gimme One Reason"

I liked her.  I thought this song worked for her.  I thought she preformed it well.  Lyrically it wasn't beyond her youth.  She is going to have some great performances.

Lakisha Jones:  "And I Am Telling You, I'm Not Going"

A great performance.  I glad she didn't try the sexy dancing from the previous video tease.  She definitely has the voice and she should never go back to that bank.  However I don't think she is going to win.  I was surprised by Simon's comment last night.  She doesn't have the "whole" package that he knows will be needed to win. 

Leslie Hunt:  "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman"

I didn't really care for it.  I don't think she's got a lot of previous performance experience for that stage.  Awkward movements.  She definitely has a perky spirit though. 

Melinda Doolittle:  "Since You Been Gone"

So far...my favorite.  She is going to grow in her confidence and watch out.  And I appreciate her humble attitude.  I like that she's paid her dues just like Brandon Rogers, but Brandon needs to take some note from her.

Nicole Tranquillo:  "Stay"

First off what did they do to her hair?  I like the look she had in the previous rounds.  Not a great performance, not a great song.  She looked awkward through the whole thing.

Sabrina Sloan:  "Never Loved a Man The Way That I Love You"

She is good.  I think she can go far in the competition.  I love her range and tone and confidence. 

Stephanie Edwards:  "How Come You Don't Call Me"

A good start for her.  A passionate controlled performance from all of her 19 years.  I was impressed.

 

All in all I think we can say that Lakisha owned last night.  I don't think she can hang in there for the whole show, but last night was hers.  The judges often say that some performances belonged on Broadway, and I'm not saying hers did, but it may not make it out of Kodak Theater.  Right on her heels last night were Melinda Doolittle and Sabrina Sloan.  And Gina Glocksen, Jordin Sparks and Stephanie Edwards will be fighting for it too.

Last night on American Idol the guys sang, I thought that I'd review each preformance and give my early thoughts.

A.J. Tabaldo: "Never Too Much"

I actually enjoyed it.  I didn't have high hopes going into his preformance but was pleasantly surprised.  Now I don't think he'll win, but he sang a good song for him well.  However, I must ask, when is the whole flipped collar thing going to go out?

Blake Lewis: "Somewhere Only We Know"

Not a great preformance, but definitely a surprising one.  I didn't necessarily think he do the beat-boxing, but I asumed something high energy.  I think this guy has the chops to win it all.  When he puts it all together...watch out. 

Brandon Rogers: "Rock With You"

I love his voice.  I love that he's paid his dues.  This preformance was...eh.  He should have done something like A.J. Tabaldo, who had great background vocals working for him.  To just distinguish who he was with who he is.

Chris Richardson: "I Don't Want to Be"

Good preformance.  Should make it far.  He and Blake Lewis should be the easiest to market.  He seemed to find a place of peace when preforming and worked it out.

Chris Sligh: "Typical"

For a singing competition, this preformance didn't show off his singing.  It was a decent song, with decent singing, and a decent preformance, but nothing great.  I was disappointed.  And he better be careful when he uses his humor against Simon.

Jared Cotter: "Back at One"

Jared can sing, but I'm not overwhelmed.  It was just good.  Nothing I'd spend $15-$20 on.  Yesterday it seemed that he was relying on his looks over his talent.

Nicholas Pedro: "Now and Forever"

My favorite preformance.  I didn't think so last night, but I changed my mind.  A stripped down simple preformance, but he sang it very well.  Not a great preformance, but one of the better

Paul Kim: "Careless Whisper"

Wear shoes!  Not wearing them does not make you an artist.  I wasn't impressed.  In fact I was annoyed.

Phil Stacey: "I Could Not Ask For More"

Started rough, but ended well.  He's still working on his look, but his talent is there.  I'm not sure how marketable he is though.  The tweeny audience of A.I. may find him irrelevant.

Rudy Cardenas: "Free Ride"

A corny preformance, with corny dancing.  Tried too hard.  I'll give him a break for two reasons...#1 he was the first to preform, and #2...

Sanjaya Malakar: "Knocks Me Off My Feet"

Sundance Head: "Nights in White Satin"

...nobody was worse than these two.  These two weren't just having bad days, they were bad.  Sundance had a great first audition, and I've never been impressed with Sanjaya, but both must go.  Even if their vocals improved, they can't preform.  The comment about Sundance's arms was absolutely spot on.

If Sanjaya and Sundance don't get voted off, I may have to think about voting next week. 

I am looking forward to tonight.  So far we haven't seen the personalities of the ladies.  And those who we have seen have a (likeable) low key personality.  Some early thoughts just on the previewed dancing tease of last night....

#1  Haley Scarnato can dance.  Hopefully her singing is equally appealing.

#2  Lakisha Jones should stop liking her lips all seductive like.  Sex appeal should not be her selling point.

#3  Leslie Hunt should never dance again.