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Marty, you're right: dreadlocks are not blonde locks wink . Definitely a finger slip or a "duh!" moment.

There were some interesting comments on the AI site last night about Kristy's "seat marker" joke. Some people felt it wasn't appropriate; others thought it was a joke that wasn't funny. However, my respect for Kristy went up a notch when she said that being in the bottom three was better than not being there at all. I thought that was a very mature statement and it seemed to be genuine.

Another interesting set of opinions was brooding about Brooke always talking back to the judges and interrupting them. Quite a few people thought it was inappropriate for her to talk back to Simon about his comments to the violin player and to Carly. Personally, I thought it was kind of tacky for her to bring up. Most of the contestants just nod or simply thank the judges for their opinions without getting cocky, correcting them, or otherwise justifying their performance. I think Brooke lost her "sweet and innocent" affectations last night - and no doubt some fans. She did not seem to handle being in the bottom 3 very well at all.

Next week is "Inspirational Songs".

This was posted by the moderator on the AI site regarding next week (3 nights next week):

TOP 8 FINALISTS PERFORM TUESDAY, APRIL 8
On Tuesday, April 8 (8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed), the Top 8 finalists (Brooke White, Carly Smithson, David Archuleta, David Cook, Jason Castro, Kristy Lee Cook, Michael Johns and Syesha Mercado) will return to the Idol stage for a special performance show that features inspirational songs.

"IDOL GIVES BACK" AIRS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9
The following night, Wednesday, April 9 (7:30-10:00 PM ET/PT), the Emmy Award-winning IDOL GIVES BACK returns with an illustrious group of celebrity participants to help raise awareness and funds to benefit various U.S. and international charities. The one-of-a-kind philanthropic special will feature appearances by incredible international artists and sports figures including Bono, Brad Pitt, Reese Witherspoon, Miley Cyrus, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Mariah Carey, Robin Williams, Celine Dion, Forest Whitaker, Billy Crystal, Dane Cook, Kiefer Sutherland, Fergie, Chris Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Annie Lennox, John Legend, Snoop Dogg, Maroon 5, Heart, Gloria Estefan, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Jennifer Connolly, Elliott Yamin, Fantasia and Amy Adams.

THURSDAY, APRIL 10th: RESULTS SHOW!
One more finalist will go home and IDOL winner Jordin Sparks and recording sensation Chris Brown will perform "No Air" on a special results show, Thursday, April 10 (8:00-9:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed).



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I was just so frustrated watching Ramiele sing. She was my early favorite of the girls. She has such a great voice, but as mentioned, she didn't move people with the way she sang. That's what separates them...gotta make that connection.


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Apr 2nd - Top Nine

BROOK WHITE (Jolene) - I'm afraid I am still not a fan of Brook's singing. The song seemed set too low, meaning there was no life in the voice until the very end. Sitting down with the guitar (like sitting at the piano) put her in a physically awkward position. Her shoulders were up, head forward, and mic placed slightly too low so she was curving down into it. You can hear the lack of support in the way she breaths, and the breathiness of the tone. Because she doesn't connect to the core, her vocal tone lacks energy and yet at the same time loses energy. Either she is, week to week, too nervous, or too distracted by playing an instrument, but she always seems vocally uncomfortable to me. I'd like to see her stand, perferably with a hand held mike that allows some physical movement, as that might help her get into her body more.

DAVID COOK (Little Sparrow) - Note how David holds his guitar - standing up, shoulders straight, not curved over, neck well positioned. He definitely knows his voice, knows how to use it, with confidence.

REMIELLE (Do I ever Cross Your Mind) - I thought it was an odd song choice, or an odd arrangement, as there seemed to be no clear chorus. She was pitchy, and I didn't think she performed it very well. She is a sweet girl, and she has a big voice, but I don't think she has the knowledge to use it well - yet.

JASON CASTRO (Travel Thru) - I thought Jason picked a good song that worked for him, because of the lightness & folkiness of the piece. Vocally I think he's very tight and needs development. But I wonder, is an okay folk singer good enough to win AI? I hope not. More talented people have been voted off, or in the bottom 3. Seems strange he's made it thru this far.

CARLY (Here You Come Again) - She's definitely the strongest female voice, she's a very confident performer, has good tone. She still sings a little wide on the vowels but I felt she was more grounded when going up this week. Kinda a safe song but good.

DAVID A (Smokey Mtn Memories) - Good tone, a little lifting of the head on high notes. Definitely has a voice. I felt he picked a good song with a good chorus and sang it well.

KRISTY LEE (Coat of Many Colours) - Kristy actually sang better than Brook this week. She had some tone in her voice, the song sat in the right tessatura for her voice... until she went up - then she pushed/tried - and the voice got tight & pitchy. Good example of what happens when we don't understand how to support the voice effectively. I still find that her performance is stiff, and I wonder if she has the capactity to go much further.

SYESHA (I will always love you) - I was waiting for someone to do this one. I hoped Syesha would pull it off as she definitely has the range & depth to do it. I felt it was a great song choice for her, and that it did show off her range, tone and power... she drew you in. She pushed a tad at the end, but managed to pull it out - she needed to trust that a sweet tone is enough, instead of trying to create something more.

MICHAEL J - see how he lifts his head when he's going up the scale? And at the same time, his mouth goes flat & wide. This places the voice in the back of the throat. You could hear this dullness clearly on words like "love", which sounds like "ugh" instead of "ah". By placing the voice back there you lose energy and bright tone. I thought it was a wierd arrangement, but vocally I thought he did well, despite his need for technical skill.


APR 3rd - RESULTS

Remielle went home. I know it was very difficult for her to leave the show, but I think the experience of being on the show, and touring with the top ten, will do a lot to help her with performance skills. She is very young. She definitely has a great voice but needs some help in understanding how it works. Some solid, technically based vocal coaching would help her achieve more vocal confidence and that would create a better foundation for performance. I'd also recommend some dance lessons for a sense of grace and fluidity.


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I'm curious...what does this mean?

"...a little wide on the vowels..."


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Vowel shape. Most untrained singers sing with wide, flat shapes.

This is what I said in my Mar 25th review:

"REMIELE: According to what was said, she is not sick, but she lost her voice. This doesn't surprise me. These kids have been singing more in the last month than they have in a year. Besides the pressure of being in the public eye, consistently learning new music & choreography, there is also a lot of pressure to be "big". In Remiele's case, the strain showed. She has a lovely voice, but she pushed it. It was very tight. I felt that she yelled some of the song. She sings with wide, big vowels, which is very hard on the vocal chords. She would do better to sing with round shapes, and if she needs space, to go long (tall). In particular, on the big wide vowels, she was off pitch. I am concerned for her vocal health."

I have no doubt that a lack of technical instruction led to her vocal fatigue & this week's result.


Vikki Flawith: Songwriter/Composer, Singer/Voice Teacher

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Hey everyone,

I know rumors are abounding about "The Call" coming in for Top 20 status, but I sort of remembered last year hearing about someone who had to pull over on the side of the rode on the Friday before? Wasn't that someone from here?

Anyhoo, in lurking around today, stumbled upon this post over on Spinme.com:

BTW - I received an email earlier in the week from one of the Top 20 from last year who basically confirmed that the "calls" went out about 5 days before the songs were posted on Idol's website last year. They had to sign an additional royalty and usage agreement (which 19Entertainment eventually released 19 of them from once the contest was over).

Again, this could just be adding fuel to the fire, but thought I'd pass it along, for those keeping tabs....

Should be interesting!!

Ciao for now,
Beth


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Post deleted by Beth G. Williams


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Tuesday, April 8 2008

Jason and Kristie Lee Cook were impressive. I am going to look like a bloody genius if Kristie is the last girl standing- I said that in a post when everybody wanted her out. Her song "Anyway", originally done by Martina McBride, was the best "song" of the night followed by Jason's "Over the rainbow" Everything else was forgettable. How do I know? Because my wife will only rewind the hard drive to watch something if it moves her and she watched Kristie twice and Jason three times. I liked Jason's version but the "Hawaiian guy's" song Jason mentioned is on my daughters wedding video and that guy tore up that song good- amazing recording.

Right now, my top three are Jason, Kristie and David A. The bottom three are- the rest of the girls. I think the judges nailed the problem. Two of the girl at the bottom are technically superior singers but they are trying to impress instead of "feel". Brook's problem is that she "feels" too much and sings too weakly.

I saw the judges and Ryan on the Larry King show. Simon said something very interesting about Kriste Lee Cook. He said she "has less than one chance in a million of being the next American Idol". But when asked who he would sign to a record deal, he said Kristie Lee Cook. My question is: How can he be sure she is going to lose unless they also rig the voting like they do the song contest?


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Top This Week:

Syesha Mercado: She was the only truly good one of the night in what has to be the worst week of idol performances I can remember.

Kristi Lee Cook: She seemed a lot better than she actually was for 2 reasons-1 it was a horrible night and 2-she was better than most of her other performances and thus it seemed even greater

Michael Johns: When he first went, I thought he'd be at the bottom this week. But sometimes when you're the 3rd smartest kid in a really dumb class, you do well.

Worst 3: This was competitive.. because everyone sucked so bad

David Cook: He gets it for doing one of the most awkward performances I've ever seen by someone who otherwise can actually sing well. What the hell was he thinking? It was putrid!

David Archuletta: He sang worse than anyone, but he picked the best song, so he gets a boost over David Cook. But come on.. this kid gets worse every week. The emperor has no clothes.

Brooke White: She took the easiest song of the night to sing and sang it poorly.. not much else to say.. other than she also looked awkward doing it.

Also Rans:

Carly Smithson: She can sing.. someday she'll find a good song and do it well.. or maybe not..

Jason Castro: Only because he was reasonably in key was he out of the bottom 3. But his lame ass rip off of Over The Rainbow was a travesty. It was like putting ketchup on white bread and calling it gourmet pizza. And he has zero range. Ack.

All I can say about this week is thank god it's over.

I also remember last year their Idol Gives Back performances were bad. Annie Lennox, one of my all time favorites, was horrible. Hopefully this will be better.

Brian


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You know Brian, you and I are tracking pretty closely on this one. I thought this was the worst overall night in at least several weeks.

I loved your comment: "Worst 3: This was competitive.. because everyone sucked so bad"

The only stand-out performance was by Syesha and I think the judges had cotton in their ears tonight. I disagreed strongly with a couple of their comments. How they can lay into David Cook because he had one bad song choice, but let yet another boring and geeky-looking performance by Brooke slip by with hardly a negative comment. It simply shows who they're trying to push. Here's my blow by blow:

1. Michael Johns - one of the better (least sucky?) performances of the night. I do agree with the judges on this one: he has an "authenticity" issue. Although he sang the notes and walked the walk, he just didn't seem genuine to me. He simply wasn't believable. I think he needs to look directly at the camera more or something...

2. Syesha Mercato - my fave of the night. The judges just don't like her and thought she was pitchy - but totally missed David A.'s pitchiness tonight? I thought she did a very good job and only heard one or two notes that were slightly pitchy.

3. Jason Castro - I actually thought this was one of HIS best performances. However, since I don't think he's got much of a range and hardly any dynamics, it only means that he did a decent job. I will say that he has a pretty good sense of pitch, but I don't see him as an Idol.

4. Kristy Lee Cook - everyone's favorite underdog. She is very nice to look at, and with autotune, she could sound pretty good on a record. She's been pitchy on every single song I've heard her do live except for Amazing Grace. She's the only performer left that has that "cringe" factor with pitch - especially in her lower register.

5. David Cook - probably his worst performance in several weeks (maybe since the auditions). It was simply not a good song for him.

6. Carly Smithson - she took Simon's advice and improved her wardrobe and had good makeup tonight. Unfortunately, she forgot to smile at all during her Queen song and it came off as angry, not as inspirational. She also had some big pitch problems in the middle - probably the worst I've heard her sound since the auditions. She still won't cover her tats. It may cost her dearly this week.

7. David Archuletta - This was so boring I wanted to get up and get a snack in the middle of it. Usually it takes Brooke to get me that bored. He also had some pitch problems. It was obvious to me that playing the piano distracts him from concentrating on his voice. He should stick to singing without an instrument.

8. Brooke White - She picked the "sing-along" song of the evening, "You've got a Friend". She still is pitchy and looks awkward on stage. I just don't get her. She's sweet, but has zip, zero, na-da stage presence. I hear better performers than her every time I go into a local singer/songwriter cafe or pub.

There will be a plethora of superstars on Idol Gives Back tomorrow. We'll see...

I think either Carly or Syesha will go home this week. Syesha has been low on the polls for several weeks even though she's one of the best singers, and Carly has been losing ground over the past several weeks. I find it curious that the two best TECHNICAL singers (Syesha & Carly) are not getting higher ratings and mediocre (at best) singers like Kristy, Brooke and Jason get better poll scores.


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Kristi has gotten to do a country song all but 1 week this season and she's still terrible. Imagine if she was forced out of her genre a few times? She should go. But AI voting is rarely fair until the end.

Brian


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Anybody watch Idol Gives Back? I did, and donated as well.

Memorable performances:

1. An amazing performance by Fergie with Ann Wilson and Heart doing "Barracuda". Fergie rocked out! Ann can still wail!

2. I have to admit, Miley Cyrus is a heck of an entertainer. She's not a virtuoso singer (she's only 15), but the gal has more charisma in her left hand...She has a LONG career ahead of her.

3. Terri Hatcher actually did a decent job on "Before He Cheats".

4. Loved Gloria Estefan's "Get On Your Feet"

5. Annie Lennox's "Many Rivers To Cross". I don't like how serious she always seems, but it was a fine performance.

6. Carrie Underwood's "Praying for Time". This was the absolute best I have ever heard Carrie sing. I was really knocked out.

I did not like Mariah Carey's song or performance of "Fly Like a Bird". As Simon probably would have said, it was self-indulgent and pompous. I have heard stories that she is not the nicest person to work with and she didn't come across as someone particularly warm and/or caring. However, Randy sounded great on bass... wink

I was very surprised to have the finale song be a gospel arrangement of a Christian Rock song called "Shout to the Lord" - where all the Idol contestants sang it.

By the way, if you download any of the "Idol Gives Back" performances from iTunes, the money goes to a charity. "Barracuda" was the only one I didn't see there. It will probably be on youtube in a day or so.



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I agree.. that performance by Heart and Fergie was the best thing I've ever seen on American Idol. It wasn't that Heart was their best ever, I've seen them a dozen times live, but Fergie blew the entire roof off the place and you frankly couldn't tell she wasn't Ann Wilson in her prime. I have an entirely new respect for Fergie.. that girls can sing her ass off.. and ROCK no less.. she should re-release that as a duo with Ann. Heart's always been my favorite group (Bruce Hornsby is my favorite solo artist) so it was a thrill to see them in such good form.

The rest of the show was surprisingly well done and I agree 100% that the only real let down was Mariah Carey... the song was horrible.. her performance was limp and she even looked terrible. It was also nice to see Annie Lennox back in true form after her disastrous performance last year.

Brian


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Well, after seeing 3 of the 4 best singers left in the bottom 3, I think any question about singing having much to do with this seasons eventual winner is answered. If you added up the entire season's performances Syesha has been the best most consistently. But everyone is waiting for David A. coronation.. yawn. It seems even when he's exposed for lying on TV (He's sung that "inspirational song" many times before, it wasn't a tough decision or a discovery for him) and sings with the same breathy lameness week after week, little girls and grandmas can't get enough of him. At least with Michael John's gone, Cook will get all his votes most likely. Perhaps generic college rock will beat out generic disney pop still...

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As you might have guessed, I am pulling for "generic college rock"!!!

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TOP 8 - 8APR08 - Overall I think everyone tried too hard this week, and the voices are giving a little under the strain. No one really blew me away.

DAVID A (Angels) - what I liked best about David's performance is I felt that overall he did not stress his voice in order to deliver the song. We lost him a little on the low notes, but he negotiated it well & sang it easily, with feeling.

SYESHA (When You Believe) Overall, good performance & good vocal. However, a little bit pushed in some notes. The top note was a bit weak. Still I thought she sang it smoothly and she has good stage presence.

MICHAEL J (Dream On) - I felt Michael did better with the not-so-great vocal habits this week. He kept his head down more. I thought he sang it pretty well but I was a little worried about the falsetto shouting, that could cause nodes or even permanent damage. He's got such a lovely voice but really needs some technical instruction.

DAVID COOK (We are all innocent) - I'm afraid the song didn't thrill me. Still, I thought it was an okay performance with nice vocals.

CARLY (Show Must Go On) - Great song choice, good tessatura for her, the beginning was powerfully done. Again, she tends to sing very wide on the upper notes, which causes a lot of strain. Think of it like this. If you are watering the lawn, and you want more power, you put your finger over the end of the hose to make the stream more powerful. If you take your finger away, the water falls out more slowly. Apply that to singing. If you sing an upper note very wide, you lose focus, you lose power, and therefore you are tempted to push to get more sound. Make the right kind of shape for the vowel you are singing, smaller, rounder and you focus the sound. You get more power with less effort. And it's healthier.

JASON CASTRO (Somewhere Over the Rainbow) - I do get disappointed when I hear what I think is a new arrangement of a song by an Idol contestant, and find out later they borrowed it from someone else. This is the case here. I thought Jason did a nice job, his whispy folky sound suited the song. to me I think he'd be a great children's entertainer. IMO he really can't sing like an "Idol" but he knows how to entertain.

KRISTY (Anyway) - bad song choice, IMO. Martina can sing the heck out of this, Kristy can't. Very low and pitchy on the bottom, which is what happens when you choose a song with a high tessatura you can't support & therefore set the key too low. I did hear more good tone in the middle voice, and I thought it was the best performance I've heard from Kristy to date. However, I really don't think she will be in the top 4 or 5.

BROOK -- I find that Brook sings with the vowels far back in the throat, which makes the tone dull & also kind of strangles the voice a little since there is no flow out the aperature. She also tends to sing hunched over - I mentioned that last week, but attributed it to her playing of the guitar. But even standing with a mic her posture is not great. I found the song pitchy but I thought she pulled it out at the end.

--------------

TOP 8 - 10APR08 - RESULTS

Okay, so the worst singers get voted through. Uh huh.

Bottom three:
Syesha
Carly
Michael J

Pretty shocking result. As I said before, this is obviously not a singing competition. However, I think Michael will be okay career wise, if he gets some technical help to fully develop the great voice he has.




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I think if Michael gets some training on stage presence, he's got a decent enough voice to continue his career. I still think his failing was that his performances often seemed contrived and not genuine. He seemed a bit too introverted rather than reaching out to people. Whether that is true or not, managing that perception is part of the job.

It WAS a big surprise. If you caught Carly's expression when she was told she was safe, you can tell she fully expected to go home.


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Next week will be interesting...Mariah Carey week. Hmmm, guys singing Mariah songs? What will the gals who can't sing do?

I guess this is as close to an "R&B" night as AI has.

Here are her #1 pop hits over the years:

1990 - "Vision Of Love"
1990 - "Love Takes Time"
1991 - "Someday"
1991 - "I Don't Wanna Cry"
1991 - "Emotions"
1992 - "I'll Be There"
1993 - "Hero"
1993 - "Dream Lover"
1995 - "Fantasy"
1995 - "One Sweet Day" (w/ Boyz II Men)
1996 - "Always Be My Baby"
1997 - "Honey"
1998 - "My All"
1999 - "Heartbreaker"
1999 - "Thank God I Found You"
2005 - "We Belong Together"
2005 - "Don't Forget About Us"
2008 - "Touch My Body"

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Just to remind all the experts out there, this contest is called American "Idol". Of course it's going to be about popularity! Why would you expect anything else? I, apparently just like all the unwashed masses, enjoyed "Anyway" and I think if Kristi is still singing when she is Martina's age, she will sound as good. I know Israel does it better but I liked what Jason did with Over the Rainbow too. I think the three last standing will be Jason, Kristi and David A. They are all fun to watch, cute as puppies and guess what, they are "Idol" material. It isn't an audience of voice coaches who are voting but people like my 14 year old boy who happens to be in choir and has watched High School Musical so may times, I thought it was a series.


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Big surprise....I thought Michael Johns would have at least made the top 4.....wow....but again, the best singer didn't win last year either. I can't really even see any of them in that #1 slot...maybe over the next few weeks we'll see more depth in some of them....who knows...

Btw, yes, I agree, Fergie, she can SING...Heart is great..I also enjoyed Annie Lennox and Gloria Estefan. smile

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I am ruding for David Archuelleta. He's a really talented musician and singer.

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Originally Posted by Samuel (joe) Harris
Just to remind all the experts out there, this contest is called American "Idol". Of course it's going to be about popularity! Why would you expect anything else? I, apparently just like all the unwashed masses, enjoyed "Anyway" and I think if Kristi is still singing when she is Martina's age, she will sound as good. I know Israel does it better but I liked what Jason did with Over the Rainbow too. I think the three last standing will be Jason, Kristi and David A. They are all fun to watch, cute as puppies and guess what, they are "Idol" material. It isn't an audience of voice coaches who are voting but people like my 14 year old boy who happens to be in choir and has watched High School Musical so may times, I thought it was a series.


I am using the performances of the contestants as a sort of 'master class' in talking about the human voice and how it works best. David A will likely take it because he has both ease in singing and appeal to the masses.


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Vikki:

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on each performance at AI's last vocal session. You've given us some food for thought as some of us attempt to sing our demos.

I was shocked at Michael's rude departure but Kristi and Joe have spoken yards of truth... it's a popularity contest and most of the phone-line-cloggers are teeny boppers. I predict that Carly will be one of the next to go... merely because of her age.
Kristi's precisely correct (IMHO) in stating that the best performer did not win last year, either.

Last year, I stated that I would not endure this show again this year... however, my "Better-Half" has threatened to remove my "clicker-finger" if I "engage" to another channel. LOL!

Dave

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...and well she SHOULD! wink

Remember, it's JUST entertainment. Musically related, of course, but entertainment nontheless.

I don't know if you also watched Idol Gives Back, but c'mon, wasn't Jimmy Kimmel roasting Simon funny? Wasn't it funny when Robin Williams hugged Simon? Simon DID turn 4 shades of scarlet.

Yeah, there's been a big stink on the AI site about how they led Michael on a bit before clarifying that he was going home.

There was also a big controversy over whether it was appropriate to have all the contestants sing the Christian song, "Shout to the Lord", as a finale to Idol Gives Back, and then again as the show opener on Thursday.

It does seem like there are more songs of faith on Idol this year than any previous year. Maybe it has to do with the economy?




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Fergie not only sang her tail off, but did you see her do those back to back cartwheels on ONE HAND holding the mike in the other????? Are you kidding me, she blew us away !! Michael Johns sang better than alot of people still standing. I can't even imagine most of the remaining idol wannabes trying to sing Mariah...should be humorous.


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Who came up with the idea of singing Mariah Carey songs? That has got to be an ignorant idea, unless the goal is to humiliate the male contestants. It may be humorous for the listeners, but...?

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David Cook will do a college rock version.. I think Brooke and Jason might be the two who will be most exposed.. they better do very different arrangements or ultra low energy ballads. The Mariah thing is simply a promotional opp for her and the show.. it has little to do with whether the kids can sing it or not.

This should play into Syesha's hads as well as Carly's. They can both handle that type of song at least. And I guess we'll get to hear what a Mariah song sounds like in a limited range breathy style when David A does it.

Brian


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On the AI site, they've been calling him "Cookie" (David Cook). If he does a rocked out version of one of her R&B tunes, he will own the night.

I agree that this will be Syesha and Carly's night to shine as well. I think the guys even more so than the gals have an opportunity to do something totally different with Mariah's songs arrangement-wise. If they were smart, they'd change them all around instead of trying to sound like a low-pitched Mariah.

I'm just waiting for Randy to state the obvious: "Yo dawg, you're doin' a Mariah song and you aren't Mariah." wink

On a related note, I saw the 3 judges and Ryan on Larry King Live. They were doing a plug for Idol Gives Back. Larry asked Simon if he really didn't like Ryan. He said sometimes he likes him and sometimes he doesn't - and said especially on the show he gets "irritating". He said it wasn't a matter of "liking", he was like a mosquito that you just wanted to swat. Ryan said he was glad he was thick-skinned and turned around and complimented Simon on Simon being very good at what he does. He handled it pretty well, I thought. Then Randy asked Ryan what about "all those magazine covers?". Apparently, there is a bit of jealously there with Ryan doing magazine articles and getting fashion magazines to put him on the cover. He's probably been in People mag more than the judges, too. Anyway, he's a wiz at marketing himself, no doubt about that. He's already begun replacing Dick Clark on New Years....

I think it will be an interesting Tuesday...

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I don't have high hopes for this years Idol
Particularly because they won't have a strong single
Can't wait to see a lot of people screw up though this week!
Been waiting to see whats his name go past few weeks?
Hey I even forget his name LOL, he had a lot of fans though
Michael Johns

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Have you listened to the top 20 songs? Did you know you can vote for the single yourself from their top 20 songs?


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We have at least 3 JPF members in that top 20 song list. Noel Cohen, Perry Smith and Fran Lucci.

Brian


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I've listened to all the top 20 songs, best I heard was overcome the rest either dont fit the requirement or are garbage

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The difference is that one of those songwriters is likely going to have a high charting Billboard hit and probably make well over a million bucks... and you'll still be here without the hit, without the money and only left with your opinion of them.

It's easy to take shots at people actually doing something with their talent, but a lot harder to actually compete and take their place.

Brian


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I just watched AI for the first time this season. I know nothing of the past events, but it seems to me that almost everyone has some problem at one point or another with their pitches.

Doing Mariah songs, I thought the guys (ALL OF THEM) did fantastic, and I wasn't impressed with any of the women.

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David Cook was the best, how can anyone beat this guy?
I'm tired of the same old sound from archuleta
What was with all those runs (nails on a chalkboard)


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Was a better show than I thought it might be. Nobody was really really awful.

DAVID COOK (Always Be My Baby) - I thought David really put himself out there and proved once again what a great musician & singer he is. Songwise - and it's hard to judge a song in 1.50 minutes, but I kept waiting for it to go somewhere. But when it did, he nailed it.

SYESHA (Vanishing) - Syesha proved once again that she has a great voice. I thought she negotiated the song well and did a good job. She's not scared to challenge herself.

CARLY (All By Myself) - I really appreciated that Carly did not oversing this week. I thought she negotiated it well. Still I think her issue is not understanding how to support the big notes and the top notes. You don't do it by going wide and pushing. Unfortunately I don't think she's going to last much longer - she may even go this week - she looks 'mature' and probably doesn't have the same appeal as David A & Jason & Kristy.

DAVID A (When You Believe) - I certainly did NOT like the breathy wispy falsetto and I would recommend that David NOT sing in falsetto at all at this point. Otherwise, it was a heartfelt rendition and yes, he does all those runs that thrill the tweenies.

KRISTY (Forever) - Kristy really surprised me this week, this was the best I ever heard her sing, she had some clear tone and her top notes were solid. I liked how she opened more and sang with less twang. She actually SANG.

JASON (I Don't Wanna Cry) - well, Jason, the least talented singer, actually managed to kinda survive Maria Carey week. I liked the Latin-folk vibe of the song and I thought he sang it fairly okay.

BROOK (Hero) - unfortunately for Brook I think her nerves continue to get the better of her. I thought her breathing was slightly better this week, but she really needs to work with a good technical voice teacher so she begins to understand how to breathe effectively for singing. Shallow breathing makes us feel off balance and creates insecurity. She was very pitchy on the bridge, up til then I thought it was okay. However, she does sing from the heart.


Although Brook didn't sing her song as well as the others, I predict that Carly will go this week. There's something about her energy, I think she is tired, and I think that the pressure of trying to prove herself is getting to her. IMO she needs to stop thinking 'this is my last chance' cause that's BS. I do think she needs a) some rest, and b) some good vocal coaching to help her break free of where she is.

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It was an okay week.

Top 3:

Syesha: She's in a league of her own this week. The judges clearly have been told to trash her no matter what happens and so of course even though it was clear she was really good, they had to qualify their compliments. It's blatant manipulation of the voting because they obviously don't want another R&B style winner.

Jason: It was nice to hear him not simply rip off someone elses arrangement this week. He had the most enjoyable performance, though he didn't sing particularly well, he did manage to make it work with his limited voice.

David Cook: I though the end of his song, when he went into typical college rock mode was good as expected.. the start was very weak for me and awkward... his lower register just didn't feel right at all.

3 Worst:

Brooke: She was clearly the worst of the night. And she's got an attitude that gets more annoying each week.

Carly: Sad but true. She's likely gone this week. Though she can sing well, she really seems out of her realm somehow and rarely connects with the songs or the audience. I saw her video for her major label album where she performed some of the all time worst songs I've ever heard from a major artist... and she was overbearing and unlikable. She's not making much headway on AI either.

Kristy: She was okay and totally forgettable. Yawn.

Also Ran:

David A.: His same old breathy boring cheezy performance. He has 1 gear and 1 dimension and even that is limited. But it's clear the PR machine is out in full force to make sure he wins. The only possible alternative is David Cook. Let's hope he pulls it out somehow.

Most Likely to Go: Carly. Likely bottom 3: Carly, Brooke, Syesha. Most deserves to go: Kristy.


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I think Simon hit the nail on the head when he said the guys would have an easier time than the girls this week. Its much too easy to feel the girls fall short by comparing their voice to Mariah. The guys out of necessity are doing a much different version of each of the songs.

I'd put Jason, Brooke and David A in the bottom three this week but I'm sure that's not where the voting will go. I'm guessing that they'll send Syesha home because she took on the tune that required perfect pitch gymnastics over a very wide range to sell. Degree of difficulty bonus points don't exist in this competition.

I'm not as cynical as Brian in thinking they are intentionally trashing Syesha's performances. I do think she keeps picking diva songs that have an incredibly high comparison bar. Yes she has the voice to sing tunes Whitney, Celine, and Mariah have done. but the judges and the audience seem to react better to a performance that shoots for 70 and hits 75 than one that shoots for 100 and hits 98.

Last edited by Marty Helly; 04/16/08 11:59 AM.

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David A: Missed his performance, but watched the video. I disagreed with Brian in the beginning (really enjoyed that Imagine performance), but he's right: breathy, one-dimensional. Was a decent performance (video wasn't the best).

Seyesha: I thought she had a very solid performance. Was surprised the judges seem to dislike her. She may have the best singing voice of the top 12. But, my wife mentioned we still haven't had a Fantasia, Melinda or even Jordin Sparks type "moment" yet.

David Cook: Stumbled along in the beginning, but found his range in the 2nd half. I have to assume he is the favorite.

Carly: One of our early favorites that just hasn't bought into the AI thing. Just seems like she is ready to go home. I noticed that she (finally) covered up her tattoos, so they showed her husband (the Maori warrior) a couple of times to make up for it. Those tattoos should have been covered up 100% since day 1, you have to know your audience.

Kristy: I thought she had a very good performance tonight -- my wife and daughter gave her the majority of our phone call votes tonight.

Brook: She has got to be the one to go this week. Someone must have told them to be feisty with the judges in the beginning and then forgot to tell that to win that you gotta go with the flow. My wife said she looked super nervous and missed an entire chord in the chorus (or bridge?). She should have let the band do the playing and concentrate on singing.

Jason: I was getting bored by this time, so I didn't pay too much attention. But I guess he did OK. hard to believe he made it into the top 12.

Overall: When the top 12 was announced, I thought that this was the strongest top 12 from top to bottom in any season that I have watched. Unfortunately, they all seemed bunched in the middle. I can't see any stars popping through. David Cook can be a front man in a rock band, though. After that, not much happening for me.

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It was a much better night than I expected. The guys had an easier time since it was harder to directly compare them to Mariah.

David A - One of his better performances. He's still a favorite with the younger girls even though he's not an incredible singer. His falsetto was kind of weird - too whispery.

Carly - She finally covered her tats! I also noticed she smiled a LOT more than usual. It may be too little, too late for her, though. Decent performance, but I didn't like the liberties she took with the melody.

Syesha - I don't think the judges are "told" to vote a certain way, but I think they're all in cahoots as far as AGREEING that another above-average R&B singer won't sell CDs like someone who is more unique. For that reason, they continue to undermine this pretty girl who can sing AND work the camera.

Brooke - Wow, was this a trainwreck of the season or what? Once the bridge started, the tempo jumped about 10 bpm, her pitch went from bad to worse, and after she missed a couple of chords on the piano near the end, she was literally shaking. She knew how badly she messed up. She is only capable of getting the sympathy vote at this point and is out of her league. Let her go home, please.

Kristy - I have not been a Kristy fan and still am not, BUT she did a way better job this week than Brooke. She didn't take any chances, but had a "safe" performance. She'll last another week - she's a VERY smart girl in her planning. I would not want to play chess against her... wink

David Cook - Although he had some seriously pitchy moments during the first 1/3 of the song, the 2nd half made up for it. It was a cool arrangement. The guy deserves a record deal even if he ends up as #2. He's my current fave.

Jason - I can't think of a single performance of his where I wasn't bored. This didn't change my mind at all. I agreed with Randy in that it was a "campfire" performance - not idol-worthy. I thought the musicians over-played the arrangment. They should have played a bit sparser and it would have been more effective.

Best: David C and Syesha

Bottom 3 (prediction): Brooke, Carly, Syesha

My guess is that Carly will go home this week. The AI site still has a few detractors that think someone who doesn't speak with an accent should win (that prejudice may also have affected MJ). I think she is coming around both with her smiling and covering her tats, but she hasn't got the fan base that Brooke does and Syesha is prettier and at least as good a singer. The producers clearly want Carly off the show: Even though SHE's now covering up her tats, they got the cameras on her totally-tatted hubby to make sure nobody forgot.


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Well, Syesha did really well I thought. I liked Jason’s performance also, something sincere there… I judge it by whether or not I am entertained or feel anything throughout the performance. David Cook’s took a long while to go anywhere, but when it did, it did.

I can’t believe Simon said David A. is the one to beat! What?! Why do they want him to win so much? I just don’t get that at all...or him (David's appeal), I should say...

I miss Melinda Doolittle... frown


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Originally Posted by Lwilliam
It was a much better night than I expected. The guys had an easier time since it was harder to directly compare them to Mariah.

David A - One of his better performances. He's still a favorite with the younger girls even though he's not an incredible singer. His falsetto was kind of weird - too whispery.

Carly - She finally covered her tats! I also noticed she smiled a LOT more than usual. It may be too little, too late for her, though. Decent performance, but I didn't like the liberties she took with the melody.

Syesha - I don't think the judges are "told" to vote a certain way, but I think they're all in cahoots as far as AGREEING that another above-average R&B singer won't sell CDs like someone who is more unique. For that reason, they continue to undermine this pretty girl who can sing AND work the camera.

Brooke - Wow, was this a trainwreck of the season or what? Once the bridge started, the tempo jumped about 10 bpm, her pitch went from bad to worse, and after she missed a couple of chords on the piano near the end, she was literally shaking. She knew how badly she messed up. She is only capable of getting the sympathy vote at this point and is out of her league. Let her go home, please.

Kristy - I have not been a Kristy fan and still am not, BUT she did a way better job this week than Brooke. She didn't take any chances, but had a "safe" performance. She'll last another week - she's a VERY smart girl in her planning. I would not want to play chess against her... wink

David Cook - Although he had some seriously pitchy moments during the first 1/3 of the song, the 2nd half made up for it. It was a cool arrangement. The guy deserves a record deal even if he ends up as #2. He's my current fave.

Jason - I can't think of a single performance of his where I wasn't bored. This didn't change my mind at all. I agreed with Randy in that it was a "campfire" performance - not idol-worthy. I thought the musicians over-played the arrangment. They should have played a bit sparser and it would have been more effective.

Best: David C and Syesha

Bottom 3 (prediction): Brooke, Carly, Syesha

My guess is that Carly will go home this week. The AI site still has a few detractors that think someone who doesn't speak with an accent should win (that prejudice may also have affected MJ). I think she is coming around both with her smiling and covering her tats, but she hasn't got the fan base that Brooke does and Syesha is prettier and at least as good a singer. The producers clearly want Carly off the show: Even though SHE's now covering up her tats, they got the cameras on her totally-tatted hubby to make sure nobody forgot.



Yep, I pretty much agree with your assessment. The best SINGER is Syesha, the best ROCKER is David C, the get-the-tweenie-hearts-with-my-heart is David A, and the get-the-teen-hearts-but-can't-sing is Jason.


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16Apr08 - Results

Bottom 3:
Syesha
Brooke
Kristy


I do recall saying almost every week that I felt Kristy & Jason were the weakest singers. However, I thought Kristy did a credible job this week. I think Brook was lucky to stay, given that she kinda fell apart at the end of her song. Kristy at least sang on key this week. It must be very tough, because someone is going to go home, no matter how talented, and as a contestant one must be torn between wanting desperately to stay and feeling bad because if you're the one who stays, someone else you care about, goes. I do agree with Carly's comments that the judges have been very tough on her. And I don't know why on earth Syesha would be rated lower than Jason as a singer, people. But I do understand that he is cute - I used to be a teenage girl myself with crushes on various young men & papered my bedroom with their pictures.

I've read a lot of comments about AI this year, and I have to say one thing. I am singer, I've been training for 18 years & teaching for 11, and while I have tried to use this season's singing as a way to perhaps offer some enlightenment about the act of singing, I hope that I haven't dispensed a large amount of negative energy. These kids are working harder at singing & being in the public eye than they ever have before in their lives. They spend every day rehearsing, recording, with media, etc. And they are expected, no matter what, to pick the right song and pull out all the stops and perform brilliantly in front of 30 million or more people every week knowing that if they blow it, they will go home. Knowing that whatever they do or say will be broadcast around the world and discussed ad nauseum by everyone. It ain't that easy folks. It's not that easy at all.


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Ugly people don't become idols. I like ugly people music.

Most ugly bands are wise enough not to put their photos on the covers of their projects. I'm thinking Pink Floyd, Yes, Robin Trower the music that was really creative years ago.

OK, sorry for the diversion - back to the cute world of AI.

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Originally Posted by Hummingbird
16Apr08 - Results

I've been training for 18 years & teaching for 11, and while I have tried to use this season's singing as a way to perhaps offer some enlightenment about the act of singing, I hope that I haven't dispensed a large amount of negative energy.


Not at all Vikki. In fact, I enjoy reading your comments. I'm not a singer, so it's very interesting reading your take on performance/singing skills. Keep 'em coming! smile



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No surprise that the three girls Syesha, Brook and Kristy were in the bottom 3. Also no surprise they gave David A the center stage for the elimination. Having David C and Syesha switch places after the split was obnoxious - but it's television. Simon got to be the bad boy telling Kristy it was her time, then she got to sit in front of him and sing "Forever". Seemed like Brook took it harder staying than Kristy did being the one to go.

Somebody's going to take Kristy and run with her. She has a good voice and her minor vocal issues can be worked out. She's got the looks. She's now gotten the exposure and name recognition. The biggest thing I noticed on the show over the last few weeks is how much poise she's developed. The girl is already a pro at standing in front of a national TV audience repeatedly in a make or break situation and handles it well.

So will Syesha or Carly do the love theme from Cats next week?

At this point I'm just hoping we don't get a David A vs Jason finale.

And Tom - I love the ugly people music you mentioned.

And Vicki - please keep the comments coming.


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Oh well...If they can make Taylor Swift sound good in the studio, they can make Kristy sound good in the studio. Not to diverge TOO much, but I was cringing at the pitchiness of Taylor on the CMT awards Monday. Kristy could also have a career as a model or actress...and I hope the guy will sell the horse back to her. wink

Whether it was true or not, they sure positioned Brooke as "next to lowest". Unfortunately, I don't know what she can do since all she can sing is 1 1/2 octave singer-songwriter songs.

I was hoping she'd go before Kristy mainly because just about every week I've seen Kristy improve and just about every week I've seen Brooke get worse.

I love all the comments...

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Originally Posted by Tom Tracy
Ugly people don't become idols. I like ugly people music.

Most ugly bands are wise enough not to put their photos on the covers of their projects. I'm thinking Pink Floyd, Yes, Robin Trower the music that was really creative years ago.

OK, sorry for the diversion - back to the cute world of AI.


I'd put the Stones in that group myself - but they all put their ugly mugs on the covers. Go figure...

That was mentioned early in the auditions - it's incredibly difficult to believe that there weren't fat and/or ugly people who could sing better than, say Alaina or Kady.

I've heard that if TV had been more popular at the time, Franklin D Roosevelt would not have been elected president - or Abe Lincoln. I tend to believe that. Celebrity status is usually reserved for the "beautiful people".

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People with ugly mugs have had major careers. they usually play the bad guys.


Vikki Flawith: Songwriter/Composer, Singer/Voice Teacher

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smile


Next week - Songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber. I will probably not know as many of these songs although I played guitar in a production called "A Tribute to Broadway" that included several songs from "Phantom of the Opera" and "Jesus Christ Superstar".

Here's a blurb from the AI site:

Andrew Lloyd Webber is the composer of "The Likes of Us," "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," "Jesus Christ Superstar," "By Jeeves," "Evita," "Variations" and "Tell Me On A Sunday", "Cats," "Starlight Express," "The Phantom of the Opera," "Aspects of Love," "Sunset Boulevard," "Whistle Down the Wind," "The Beautiful Game" and "The Woman in White."

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