The girls of American Idol didn't want the boys to outshine them. So they stepped up their game as well. The boys did good last night, and the girls did good too. True there were still some stinkers in the show, but overall they're still very excellent singers. The good get better and the bad, well they improved a bit too I suppose.
Ryan Seacrest and Randy Jackson talked about the boys performance last night, with Ryan wondering if the boys performance last night made the competition more balanced. Randy said the pressue is on the girls now. Paula Abdul said the girls look gorgeous and they're ready for the challenge. Ryan asked Simon Cowell what kind of traps the contestants fall into at this stage.
Gina Glocksen dedicated her performance to her boyfriend Joe. He's been her rock through the two year AI process. He even dyed his hair to match hers. She performed Alone by Heart. Honestly I thought Carrie Underwood did it a lot better. To me it sounded pitchy and not really all that great. Randy thought it was pitchy, but by the middle Gina got better. Paula thought she did an excellent job. Simon said it was good song choice, but it felt forced at the end. He's also confused by who she is. He didn't like her outfit though, as it confused him and didn't really match the song. Ryan clarified that Simon is trying to figure out what Gina's real personality is.
Alaina Alexander dedicated her song to her mother, who worked 4 jobs to support her kids. Alaina wants to be successful and give back to her mother. Her performance of the Dixie Chicks song "Not Ready to Make Nice" was too pitchy for me. I didn't like it at all. Randy thought it started good, but by the time the chorus came around it was pitchy and had tuning issues. Paula said it's a hard song to sing and Alaina probably couldn't hear it from where she was at, but it was off. Alaina said she had trouble hearing indeed. Simon compared it to Randy taking part in a 100 meter sprint, 3/4 of the way he'd run out of steam. The middle was where she lost it. Ryan said that Paula and Simon thought Randy was harsh. Randy said the 100 meter sprint comment was harsh.
LaKisha Jones dedicated her song to her grandma, who is almost 90. Grandma apparently loves Ryan Seacrest. Her performance of "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight and the Pips was absolutely awesome. She is just a wonder! Randy loved that she flipped it up from last week. Paula loved the performance and loves LaKisha. Simon loved the dance at the end and told LaKisha she's a phenomenally good singer. She didn't do as good as last week, as she didn't come out with that attitude like last week. He also didn't like her outfit as it was too loud and distracting. In a "I'm gay but not yet out" moment, Ryan asked if Simon has something against Salmon. Simon said it's orange.
Melinda Doolittle dedicated her song to her two best friends, who are her 'Gayles' (A reference to Oprah Winfrey). She goes to them for advice on everything. She sang "My Funny Valentine," which I never liked. She sang it good, but I just don't like the song, personally. Randy said Melinda came out to win it. Paula thought it was astounding and phrased so beautifully. Simon said it was without question the best vocal throughout the competition. Once again he mentioned how nice it is to have someone like Melinda who is not arrogant. Ryan asked her if this week was easier for her. She said it was a piece of cake (in that cute shy way of hers). Ryan wanted to know from Simon who the egos were that Simon was referring to. Simon said that he was talking about people overall in life.
Antonella Barba dedicated her song to her brother. He is a guitarist and the two of them used to have jam sessions. She sang "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion. It was pitchy and weak and she really seemed to sing it too fast. Randy started off with the positive note that Antonella is gorgeous. He said it was too big for her and pitchy. He would like to sing like Celine too, but he can't. Paula said most people can't sing like Celine (yea Paula, but most people don't have their future in a reality show riding on being able to sing like Celine!). Paula did think that it was better than last week. Simon said that most of the vocals weren't good enough and that it was worse than last week. Antonella said that she'll listen to Paula afterall Simon was wrong about Jennifer Hudson. Simon pointed out that the judges put her through, it was America that voted Jennifer Hudson off. I'd like to point out that Simon loved Jennifer Hudson, particularly praising her last performance. Antonella honey, don't tax your little brain by trying to think of witty and intelligent comebacks. It just won't work for you sweetie.
Jordin Sparks dedicated her song to her brother as well. She misses her brother because he supports her unconditionally. She hopes he gets his chance to shine soon. She sang "Reflection" by Christina Aguilera. She started off tentative and it wasn't as good as last week. But she was still really great, and it's important to remember she's this good at only 17. Randy pointed out that she was really emotional. Randy told her to be where she is at 17 now, is unbelievable. Paula said she's infectious and brilliant. Simon agreed with Randy that it wasn't her best. He also said that compared to the others it was excellent, but the dedications were getting to her. Jordin said she tried not to hear it, but couldn't manage to block it out.
Stephanie Edwards dedicated her song to her parents, who pushed her to audition for American Idol. She didn't want to, but changed her attitude once she got to Memphis. She performed Beyonce's "Dangerously In Love." Every bit as much as Blake Lewis copied Jamiroquai, Stephanie copied Beyonce. It was good though. Randy thought it was better than last week, but was a little too Beyonce. He wanted to see Stephanie. Paula thought it was brilliant and fantastic. Simon agreed with Paula. Ryan wondered what was bad about being Beyonce-ish. Randy said that he likes Beyonce. Simon said Randy should be quiet.
Leslie Hunt dedicated "Feeling Good" to her grandpa, who passed away. He was interested in everything she did when she started performing. I thought AJ Tabaldo did better last night with the same song. I also think she definitely should not be scatting. It sounded silly and forced to me. Randy loved the scatting thing though, and the acapella beginning, but it was just alright for him. Paula said it was her being her. Simon knows why Paula liked her, at the end, it sounded like Paula talking. He said he was kidding, and Paula said it was funny. Simon said the problem was that Leslie was whacked by three or four big voices in the competition and not many people will remember this. Paula said everyone likes different ice cream. Simon replied that it was like 4 raspberry ripples with Leslie being a vanilla. Ryan called Simon a sorbet.
Haley Scarnato's dedication went out to her fiance Bobby.They're apparently not good at being apart, though this is what they need to do right now. She performed Whitney's Queen of the Night, and it wasn't nearly as bad as I feared. I thought it was actually pretty good. Randy liked that the band had a good time, but it had too many background parts than leads. Simon said that is why she chose it. Paula thought it was leaps and bounds better than last week, with lots of personality. Simon gave her an A for effort, calling it manic.
Last up on the night was Sabrina Sloan with a dedication to her grandmother. She is 86 and glamorous. She thrives in church, which is where Sabrina's family got their love for music. Unfortunately Grandma has been in and out of the hospital. She sang "All the Man That I Need." I thought it was good, but not great. Randy said it had pitch problems but was overall good. Paula loves her. Simon told her to not confuse power with shouting. He added that he wouldn't have chosent he song to avoid the comparison to Whitney. He did tell her she would be back next week though.
My Top (in order):
LaKisha
Melinda
Jordin
Bottom Three (In no particular order):
Antonella Barba
Leslie Hunt
Alaina Alexander
i had to watch the performances over a few times to soak it all in. i decided to throw my opinion hat in the ring based on how many times i wanted to play each one of them back - and did.
1. lakisha - there is something about her that i just lurv. so soft on the inside and yet determined enough to actually pull this a.i. thing off. big hug and lotsa support.
2. melinda - i just liked to hear her tool over and over again. such lovely slides. are we headed for diva vote mezcla?
3. jordin - her voice moves me. listening to her makes me want the a.i. show to go on for about 6 months to give her a chance - and time - to come into her talent. i am going to enjoy listening to her for as long as she is around.
4. there is no four.....ooops.
random:
stephanie gave me the creeps - kinda like brandon did the night before. can not say why - don't know yet.
sabrina - ok she can sing and she looks purdy but she is just the type of contestant that will get kept around before someone who is more talented than she. on a positive note - she gives good camera.
leslie - u know what? i actually like her sense of style. as far as the singing goes? for now its a no. not a big no. just a no. it could happen.
gina - worst voice of the girls. play it back people - ouch. every cat on our street was scrowlin. i couldn't play it again. that may be enough entertainment value alone to keep her around.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz - haley/alaina/antonella
is it me or does it seem like it might just be difficult to say goodbye to some of these fantastic singers when the time comes? heck, usually i am so glad to see em go i could spit. maybe we will see a tie? dreams.
sabrina - ok she can sing and she looks purdy but she is just the type of contestant that will get kept around before someone who is more talented than she. on a positive note - she gives good camera.
-- toad
Froggie, wow, I had me some good camera, it was really hot, yeah baby, yeah..............Will
Probably, I'm told my lusty nature affects my hearing and judgement. For instance, I can't believe you went to the trouble to say what you did, great work. Will
Guest said: Sorry folks, I don't think there is an American Idol this year.
Lately we have seen sales for most past winners drop off with Taylor Hicks this year barely selling over 600,000 albums.
Now we have a group of contestants that are either average singers and attractive, or great singers and are unattractive.
Lakisha and Melinda may both be the best singers but neither are marketable to the masses. They also are old souls, singing for the smaller audiences ala Taylor Hicks.
Stephanie and sabrina are attractive and may be marketable but are not original, so I see them as not being big sellers either.
I think it is even harder for the guys, I doubt any of them can make the top two.
Anyway for the females i think all we have to do is look at the sales of Katharine McPhee to see how hard it is to be a big seller, she could certainly sing at the level of the top two here and her sales are not that great either.
Bottom line enjoy the show but I don't think we get a star this year. Sorry.
Probably, I'm told my lusty nature affects my hearing and judgement. For instance, I can't believe you went to the trouble to say what you did, great work. Will
Oh, no trouble at all. I can't believe no one called you on it.
"Kat can't hold a candle to Melinda or Lakisha!! "
I don't think that katharine MsPhee is the only example, you can go farther back to season three where we had the three divas competing. Fantasia, LaToya London and Jennifer Hudson.
Of those three only Fantasia sold any albums, LaToya did do an album but it barely sold and Jennifer Hudson never put an album out. I don't think the Oscar win by Jennifer Hudson changes much for her either, I doubt she will be a solo artist in the future and the latest sales for Fantasia have dropped off severely.
Winning this show isn't only about singing, it is also about presentation. Anyway I hope I am wrong but I don't see any reason to think Lakisha or melinda will ever be solo artists with multiple platinum albums. It is just too hard to complete against the others that have the voice and the look these days.
About a few earlier comments.
Yes, Taylor has "only" sold 600,000 copies. But, Doughtry is still at the top of the charts.
And, did anyone notice Kelly Pickler's first CD got her a gold record?
And that was the #4 and #5 singers from last year.
I, too, like Leslie. Not sure how far she'll go, but she's different and this year doesn't have a lot of different in it.
On the girl's side, you have a bunch of Mandisa soundalikes with Melinda being the best. But, they all are very similar. Sabrina has great potential and is consistent.
I don't see LaKisha going any farther than Mandisa last year and she has no personality.
And, Paris did that same song last year at this stage and blew away LaKashia's version of "Midnight Train."
Unless the teenage boys give An "tone deaf" ella a pass, she deserves to go with two subpar performances.
I like Alaina, but she and the internet photo queen are next. If not, unfortunately Leslie or Haley.
Top 3 are probably Melinda, LaKashia and Sabrina.
With the guys, I say Sanjaya is probably safe for a few more weeks, even though his voice is not there, being this year's Kevin Covais, a lock on the 14 year old girl vote.
Nick and Brandon are probably on the chopping block with A.J. or Jared right behind.
Chris Sligh, Sundance and Phil are the top 3. Don't see what everyone likes in Blake Lewis, but he'll be around for awhile.
Don't forget that Taylor's sales are still low due to several factors, the record company isn't worried, and is sure they'll hit the 1mil mark. One of the main reasons they list as why the sales are just above 600.000 is that his single was only out for less than 3 weeks before they released his album. Also his album was released 'late' compared to the other winners from American Idol. On a better note is that Taylor's tour is doing great, afterall no-one could deny he's a great entertainer.
The girls of American Idol didn't want the boys to outshine them. So they stepped up their game as well. The boys did good last night, and the girls did good too. True there were still some stinkers in the show, but overall they're still very excellent singers. The good get better and the bad, well they improved a bit too I suppose.
Gina Glocksen dedicated her performance to her boyfriend Joe. He's been her rock through the two year AI process. He even dyed his hair to match hers. She performed Alone by Heart. Honestly I thought Carrie Underwood did it a lot better. To me it sounded pitchy and not really all that great. Randy thought it was pitchy, but by the middle Gina got better. Paula thought she did an excellent job. Simon said it was good song choice, but it felt forced at the end. He's also confused by who she is. He didn't like her outfit though, as it confused him and didn't really match the song. Ryan clarified that Simon is trying to figure out what Gina's real personality is.
Alaina Alexander dedicated her song to her mother, who worked 4 jobs to support her kids. Alaina wants to be successful and give back to her mother. Her performance of the Dixie Chicks song "Not Ready to Make Nice" was too pitchy for me. I didn't like it at all. Randy thought it started good, but by the time the chorus came around it was pitchy and had tuning issues. Paula said it's a hard song to sing and Alaina probably couldn't hear it from where she was at, but it was off. Alaina said she had trouble hearing indeed. Simon compared it to Randy taking part in a 100 meter sprint, 3/4 of the way he'd run out of steam. The middle was where she lost it. Ryan said that Paula and Simon thought Randy was harsh. Randy said the 100 meter sprint comment was harsh.
LaKisha Jones dedicated her song to her grandma, who is almost 90. Grandma apparently loves Ryan Seacrest. Her performance of "Midnight Train to Georgia" by Gladys Knight and the Pips was absolutely awesome. She is just a wonder! Randy loved that she flipped it up from last week. Paula loved the performance and loves LaKisha. Simon loved the dance at the end and told LaKisha she's a phenomenally good singer. She didn't do as good as last week, as she didn't come out with that attitude like last week. He also didn't like her outfit as it was too loud and distracting. In a "I'm gay but not yet out" moment, Ryan asked if Simon has something against Salmon. Simon said it's orange.
Melinda Doolittle dedicated her song to her two best friends, who are her 'Gayles' (A reference to Oprah Winfrey). She goes to them for advice on everything. She sang "My Funny Valentine," which I never liked. She sang it good, but I just don't like the song, personally. Randy said Melinda came out to win it. Paula thought it was astounding and phrased so beautifully. Simon said it was without question the best vocal throughout the competition. Once again he mentioned how nice it is to have someone like Melinda who is not arrogant. Ryan asked her if this week was easier for her. She said it was a piece of cake (in that cute shy way of hers). Ryan wanted to know from Simon who the egos were that Simon was referring to. Simon said that he was talking about people overall in life.
Antonella Barba dedicated her song to her brother. He is a guitarist and the two of them used to have jam sessions. She sang "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion. It was pitchy and weak and she really seemed to sing it too fast. Randy started off with the positive note that Antonella is gorgeous. He said it was too big for her and pitchy. He would like to sing like Celine too, but he can't. Paula said most people can't sing like Celine (yea Paula, but most people don't have their future in a reality show riding on being able to sing like Celine!). Paula did think that it was better than last week. Simon said that most of the vocals weren't good enough and that it was worse than last week. Antonella said that she'll listen to Paula afterall Simon was wrong about Jennifer Hudson. Simon pointed out that the judges put her through, it was America that voted Jennifer Hudson off. I'd like to point out that Simon loved Jennifer Hudson, particularly praising her last performance. Antonella honey, don't tax your little brain by trying to think of witty and intelligent comebacks. It just won't work for you sweetie.
Jordin Sparks dedicated her song to her brother as well. She misses her brother because he supports her unconditionally. She hopes he gets his chance to shine soon. She sang "Reflection" by Christina Aguilera. She started off tentative and it wasn't as good as last week. But she was still really great, and it's important to remember she's this good at only 17. Randy pointed out that she was really emotional. Randy told her to be where she is at 17 now, is unbelievable. Paula said she's infectious and brilliant. Simon agreed with Randy that it wasn't her best. He also said that compared to the others it was excellent, but the dedications were getting to her. Jordin said she tried not to hear it, but couldn't manage to block it out.
Stephanie Edwards dedicated her song to her parents, who pushed her to audition for American Idol. She didn't want to, but changed her attitude once she got to Memphis. She performed Beyonce's "Dangerously In Love." Every bit as much as Blake Lewis copied Jamiroquai, Stephanie copied Beyonce. It was good though. Randy thought it was better than last week, but was a little too Beyonce. He wanted to see Stephanie. Paula thought it was brilliant and fantastic. Simon agreed with Paula. Ryan wondered what was bad about being Beyonce-ish. Randy said that he likes Beyonce. Simon said Randy should be quiet.
Leslie Hunt dedicated "Feeling Good" to her grandpa, who passed away. He was interested in everything she did when she started performing. I thought AJ Tabaldo did better last night with the same song. I also think she definitely should not be scatting. It sounded silly and forced to me. Randy loved the scatting thing though, and the acapella beginning, but it was just alright for him. Paula said it was her being her. Simon knows why Paula liked her, at the end, it sounded like Paula talking. He said he was kidding, and Paula said it was funny. Simon said the problem was that Leslie was whacked by three or four big voices in the competition and not many people will remember this. Paula said everyone likes different ice cream. Simon replied that it was like 4 raspberry ripples with Leslie being a vanilla. Ryan called Simon a sorbet.
Haley Scarnato's dedication went out to her fiance Bobby.They're apparently not good at being apart, though this is what they need to do right now. She performed Whitney's Queen of the Night, and it wasn't nearly as bad as I feared. I thought it was actually pretty good. Randy liked that the band had a good time, but it had too many background parts than leads. Simon said that is why she chose it. Paula thought it was leaps and bounds better than last week, with lots of personality. Simon gave her an A for effort, calling it manic.
Last up on the night was Sabrina Sloan with a dedication to her grandmother. She is 86 and glamorous. She thrives in church, which is where Sabrina's family got their love for music. Unfortunately Grandma has been in and out of the hospital. She sang "All the Man That I Need." I thought it was good, but not great. Randy said it had pitch problems but was overall good. Paula loves her. Simon told her to not confuse power with shouting. He added that he wouldn't have chosent he song to avoid the comparison to Whitney. He did tell her she would be back next week though.
My Top (in order):
