JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum American Idol Finals

After watching the American Idol finals determination,
I walked away with few surprises.
Here's my take on the public vote:

Scott Mc. He brought his best when it counted most.
If you're an AI fan who wants to see another country artist,
we was your only choice.
Paul Mc. I think he has the “IT” for attracting fans. I was
concerned that he jeopardized his making the finals with
what I thought was a bad song choice in the semis.
James D. If you wanted a rocker, he was your only choice.
He's not in the top 5 men – nor top 10 for that matter in
talent. But does he really need to be? He's at the level he
needs to be for what he does.
Jacob L. Da best. Yeh, people are saying he'll go contemporary
Christian if he wins. But really - that's AI issue not the fan's.
Just enjoy him for heaven's sake. Actually I think he has a
future in musical theatre.
Casey A. People want to hear what he has to offer next.
That's what creativity does for him. He's an entertainer -
not just a singer. No surprise here.

Haley R. Even in a contest as big as AI a street team can help.
She wasn't even in the top 8 IMHO based on performances.
Ahead of Ashton & Naima – get real? Now that the contestant
pool is diminished, any street team effect shall be less. I noticed
that when asked what she liked most about the experience of
being there in the semis her answer was “the photo shoot”. No
more needs to be said.
Thia M. Not surprised because IMHO many AI voters 15 and under
voted for her. And they vote with their hearts not their heads. Is she
an entertainer or just a singer? To make my point – who's more of an
entertainer, Ashton or Thia. Who needs AI most the break into a music
career, Ashton or Thia?
Karen R. Talent and the Spanish vote combined to land her in the top 5.
Lauren A. If America didn't vote her in, Steven would've. Can she avoid
making a mistake that would derail her ride to the top?
Pia T. Earned it with great performances.

Here's my take on the wild cards:
Ashton Clearly should have been in the top 5. Randy knows she'll help
the tour.
Stefano Jenifer's pet choice. Better singer for the tour than some of
the other male contestants.
Naima A. She earned it with talent. She'll benefit the tour and AI
still wants her Cinderella story.

Hi Greg:

A pretty good summation. Not sure I agree completely... but not enough to "argue" in either direction... LOL! Idol is certainly alot more entertaining this year. Thanks for your thoughts on this year's show. (Wonder when Beth is gonna "chime in" with her take on things?)

Dave

It's much better than last year's karaoke contest. Beth might be disppointed that Julie Z. didn't make it because she didn't do her best in her semifinal performance. With the competition this year, few contestants can recover from an average or flawed performance. James is still there, but I doubt his fan base is greater than some of his competition's.

Jacob has an amazing gift but his over the top style may wear thin.
I'll go with Paul, James and Casey and Naima, Lauren and Thia.

I agree about Jacob. But I think he's safe to make the tour. I've listened to some of Paul's pre-AI songs. He already had something going before AI and may be in the competition for a while. Do you think Lauren (16yr) and Thia (15yr)will split the puberty vote?

I think Lauren has more charisma, (without trying) then Thia.
Likability factor is big when it comes to dialing for hollars....

It appears that no one needed to tell the guys that
there's a tight competition going on. Some of the
women though don't seem to get it. For example:

Lauren A. Definitely should be in the bottom 3.
Does she think she can coast through the finals?
Is her fan base large enough to keep her out of
the bottom 3? And at this point, will Steven protect
her if she's in the bottom 3 to save face?
Casey A. He's taking risks. It was interesting – but
not his best performance.
Ashton J. Deserves to move on. She's defining
herself as an artist.
Paul Mc. I get him. Does America – Or will America?
Pia T. Okay. How many times are we going to see her
stand there like a wind up doll and hear her nail a
well chosen song and strut her stuff – so to speak.
Who is Pia? She needs to tell America if she wants
to do more than just win a popularity-talent contest.
James D. The best performance. And now that he
has a coach, he'll only get better. Watch out!
Haley R. KS(Karaoke singer) Who is Haley? She'll
continue to be a bottom dweller in this competition
if she doesn't bring more.
Jacob L. He's human! Sadly only the last judge to
comment (Randy) pointed out the errors with the
“B verse” - and it was so obvious. However Jacob
recovered with the chorus and soared from there on.
I don't think it merits a placement in the bottom 3
-but will AI voters?
Thia M. KS. Is she giving up? She certainly wasn't
bad. But she portrayed herself as defeated with her
post performance interview. How will that affect
her votes? She may have put herself in the bottom 3.
Stefano He's focused and competing. A top performer.
Karen R. KS. I wouldn't be surprised to see her in the
bottom 3. Do AI fans or AI want a tribute artist? Her
obsession with Selena will not help her win.
Scotty Mc. Pure country. If he continues to deliver
flawless performances, AI's country contingent may
put him on top.
Naima A. She doesn't have Pia's talent – but I rated
her above Pia because she's defining herself as an
artist. Her problem was basically due to her lack of
experience with singing and moving on the stage.
With the coaching AI is providing, she'll handle this.
Balancing breathing with physically demanding stage
movement and singing is tricky. I had such a challenge
with one of my songs, Up For Hanky Panky.
www.theorchard.com/release/80368030297/summeoyo/dont-judge-song-its-title

It is a fast paced song with lots of words and my stage
routine was demanding. It's the rare artist who'll have
that down with one week's preparation – when they're
not used to doing it on a regular basis.

This week's performances showed why the wild cards
are good for this competition. All the wild cards were in
the top 6 IMHO. AI needs to protect its interests for the
tour. The addition of Jimmy Iovine has benefited James
and Naima the most – as these two with rough edges
initially are being shaped into the stars they can be.

Lauren Alaina: Shania Twain’s “Any Man of Mine”
She's better than that song. Shes my favorite. Unspoiled, charming, gifted and natural. She has everything Kelly Clarkson has.

Casey Abrams: Joe Cocker’s “With A Little Help From My Friends” (originally recorded by The Beatles)
This guy is such a complete musician, he makes everything comfortable and fun. Hes not in the "idol" mode but he may be the best musician on stage including the band and the judges.

Ashthon Jones: Diana Ross’ “When You Tell Me That You Love Me”
What is she still doing in this competition? Is she suppose to be filling some kind of "Diva" slot? I don't get it.

Paul McDonald: Ryan Adams’ “Come Pick Me Up”
goodbye Paul- your voice disappeared in this song

Pia Toscano: Celine Dion’s “All By Myself” (originally recorded by Eric Carmen)
She will probably win because she looks like Miss America and sings great. I got so bored with the hook it sounded like a vocal exercise. But she will stay and probably win. She may even deserve to win. I wish the show would let them sing the whole song.


James Durbin: Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed”
Maybe I'm amazed? No I am amazed. This guy is is talented and getting stronger

Haley Reinhart: LeAnn Rimes’ “Blue”
This song will keep her in the competition. It was a technically perfect performance. She will stay and will have her blue moment in a couple of weeks.

Jacob Lusk: R. Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly”
This was a really big disappointment because the guy is knock a down powerful singer. But I kind of hated the song. Jacob, why don't you wait until the competition is over and then bring out the 100 choir chorus line- cause it kind of buried you.

Thia Megia: Michael Jackson’s “Smile” (originally recorded by Charlie Chaplin)
Put this girl on the next Disney Princess DVD. She could teach Randy something about "pitch" so Randy shut up about "it was a little pitchy". She won't win but she will stick around for awhile with a smile.

Stefano Langone: Stevie Wonder’s “Lately”
It probably isn't enough to keep you around for another week or two big guy- nice try. I think you have shown us about every thing you have.

Karen Rodriguez: Selena’s “I Could Fall In Love”
She's a sweet girl but her days are numbered. Will she be able to hang on long enough to build a career? If not, it's been a good ride.

Scott McCreery: Garth Brooks’ “The River”
The question is: Will Scott learn enough about singing fast enough to stay in the competition? None of the judges mentioned that he was struggling with some of the notes. He has the gift but will he be able to apply it in a real challenge. He is one bad song choice from dropping off the map. But I am rooting for him.

Naima Adedapo: Rihanna’s “Umbrella”
speaking of rooting for someone- this is the girl! I want a nobody who was scrubbing toilets a few months ago to take it all the way to the bank. The judges all gave her the right feedback. Like Scott, can she learn all she needs in time to win it all? Maybe. Amaze me Naima.

Well, I was disappointed to see Ashton dropped. I thought she had soul, sweetness, a wonderful voice, & charisma. I think Thia is a robot in the guise of singer. She has perfect pitch, perfect phrasing (except for last night) and the passion of a pebble on some beach. I think Scott is stiff, someone who has a range with a country twang to his voice -- but again, the same personality as Thia. They should do a duet when they both get bounced the same evening.
Ott

I agree with your observations on the personalities. Thia must have a loyal fan base that will vote for her no matter what as do other contestants such as Lauren A. who continues to underachieve. Ashthon has what I would consider one of the best personalities of the finalists. Part of Scotty and Thia's personality issue though is immaturity - they're both still teenagers and haven't fully developed in that area yet. Two of my bottom 4 were in AI's bottom 3. Jimmy Iovine gets Berry Gordy to visit AI to scope Ashthon and she gets the boot? What's America thinking? It's all perspective and motives. I get the feeling that alot of the voting now isn't dependent on performance - but on popularity. Having said that, I also think the objective voter who may vary his vote each week is the swing vote that makes the difference. But any way you cut it, it's still a populaity contest. But then, the music business is too and that's why marketing is so much a part of it. Speaking of marketing, P. Diddy makes his annual visit to AI to feature another slumber tune.

Was there one performance where you HAD to call your friends and say watch this? I don't think so. "Amazed" was sung well, but I like that song so I may be biased.
The sound quality and mix of the show is not good to my ears.
Too much karaoke.
Hayley seems to have a roll your eyes, whatever, talk over the judges attitude that they're letting go. (for now)
I'm stayin' with my picks, (Paul, James and Casey and Naima, Lauren and Thia.) but I think Stefano is workin' the crowd and he's on the rise.

P.S. Thought I might listen to "Up For...." but no deal...

My AI Picks:

(I just watched the AI shows from this week. Before I even saw the performances, I correctly chose who would go. Ashton didn't deserve to make the top 13. Once she performed, I didn't change my mind, though she was not the worst of the night by any stretch. I read some of the comments above and had to laugh. But that's what these posts are for right? A good laugh).

5 Best of the night: (This has nothing to do with where I think they will finish)

1. James Durbin: This guy put in a performance that shocked me because I thought Casey would walk all over everyone nearly every week. Play it back if you have it, it was an excellent performance filled with nuances and great vocal choices with a feeling that he was in the song, not just singing words on a page.

2. Casey Abrams: This guy is head and shoulders over the rest, which means he'll likely finish second right? Since that's what often happens with AI (certainly the last 2 years and many others). But seriously... he'll pull the bass out if anyone starts giving him serious competition sparingly, but it doesn't matter, he's a man among mostly little boys and girls, literally and figuratively.

3. Stefano Langone: He's the most commercial R&B male singer they've ever had in any season. Terrible song choice and his vocals were far from perfect, but after the top two, all the other singers had serious flaws, so I'll go with realistic commercial viability.

4. Scott McCreery: Not because he's great. But he was in key more than any that follow. But he has no charisma and he was singing words off a page, and was not in the song at all. Watch Garth do it then go back and see how much of a dead fish he was. But, with field this bad this week, ya gotta pick someone.

5. Naima Adedapo: I am not a believer in this girl at all. I haven't heard a good performance yet. The reggae breakdown was the only thing that saved her (as well as the favorable set up that Idol so predictably does by placing her last, giving her special lighting, giving her the same producer of the original hit (I mean, seriously, this girl doing Rhianna is a joke... she's not even in her universe). But because she had a good 20 seconds, she finished 5th.

In a year where I was actually impressed by the early rounds, this was a typical HORRIBLE first show with nearly everyone singing flat, with little charisma and not in any sort of real level good enough to win (though with some of the weak winners of past years, anything is possible). I think there are a few good singers in this batch, let's hope that Jimmy Iovine doesn't ruin them all with his endless ego and self promotion of his production team and himself. I mean seriously, what does it add seeing him in every segment? (Don Was is a great producer though as are some of the others, but there were some terrible musical backing choices through most of the songs).

The WORST of the night: (Again, nothing to do with my predictions of their eventual finishes)

1. Pia Toscano: I feel she will rebound and become perhaps the last girl standing, but let's be real, that performance was a nightmare of off key screaching. I was embarrassed for her and horrified at the same time.

2. Paul McDonald: Seriously? It took a world class terrible performance to beat him, but it was still close. Yuck. He obviously has lots of fans so perhaps he'll choose something he can sing other than hacking through Maggie May (which I felt was awful as well).

3. Ashton Jones: She didn't deserve to be in the finals and proved it here. It wasn't that she sang "most" off key (she didn't) but she had no energy and nothing but a faint whiff of faux charisma holding her up as she pretended to be Diana Ross like a little girl playing dress up. It sucked. She was totally forgettable.

4. Karen Rodriguez: Another horrible horrible horrible "artist" who makes my skin crawl for some reason every time I hear her. Like Ashton, her pretend Selena dress up is just sad. She's not Selena and no one else ever will be. How about having a personality of your own? Or ANY for that matter.

5. Haley Reinhart: Patsy Cline is SOOO happy from the grave that she didn't record this to avoid any possible connection to this sad excuse for a performance. LeeAnn Rhimes would be turning over in her grave if she were dead, and if forced to hear that dreck a few times it might kill her.

I didn't include Thia Megia in the bottom 5 only because she had the worst arrangement in AI history. No one could have made that disaster sound good, so I am giving her a complete pass on that one even though she was flat and sharp often, it was the arrangement that ruined that one.

This is the worst set of female singer performances ever in the first round of the finals. The few I didn't mention were nothing to remember either. I expect Lauren and Pia to improve greatly from week 1 (they can't do much other than improve) and Naima will be exposed for the insider set/up that she appears to be. (She's clearly been dragged along every round, featured to death, given hugely preferential treatment and brought back from the dead in the wild card when the second best female singer (the dark haired girl that had a rock edge to her) wasn't even allowed a shot to sing and PROVE how much she deserved to be in the finals). Jimmy and the Producers want her to get exposure and like other sham finalists, they'll use every trick they can to drag her along as far as they can. Even if she improves, she never deserved a spot to start with. Dozens of others were FAR more deserving. Cleaning toilets for a living does not qualify you or make you deserve a shot a more talented singer deserved.

My Pick to go was Ashton, and not because she deserved it. But AI is predicatable. The voters have a habit of kicking out more qualified African American singers and keeping other races in the early rounds, especially when they don't do much to make a fan (unlike Naima did with the Reggae Break). It's sad but a reality. I knew before the performances that they'd protect Naima in some way, so that left Ashton. Based on her weak performances all the way up to the faux "Wild Card" round which was merely an excuse to get their inside picks back in the running instead of letting fans choose. But let's face it, she was cannon fodder anyway and had zero chance of contending.

My Top 5 Based on the Entire Season So Far:

1. Casey Abrams. He's the Adam Lambert of this season, without the baggage that scared off the bigots. Head and shoulders superior to all others.

2. James Durbin. He didn't start in my top 5 and had some brutal Hollywood week performances, but his last two has lifted him up into reality. If he nails it again next week Casey may get nervous.

3. Jacob Lusk. I think he could "Fly" or die just as easily, but the guy can sing when he's on.

4. Pia Toscano. She'll need to fix her disastrous start quickly after the cannon fodder is gone or she won't have the fan base built to contend. But if she hits at least a double next week, people will forget "All By Myself" screeching and all.

4. Lauren Alaina. She's the young cute girl who will outlast the other remaining girls. But I think Pia has a bit more in the tank, though they're really tied in my mind in general and well above the other gals in the running.

Who SHOULD go next week? Paul McDonald. Who WILL go? Stay tuned!

Let the screaming outrage begin!

Brian

Of all the remaining contestants, Paul McDonald seems to have polarized the audience more than any other. People love him or hate him. At this point AI is protecting its interest in the tour. Ashthon was expendable so the save wasn't used. AI wants that save available for the contestants they consider non-expendable. Right now the expendable artists appear to include: Karen, Haley, and Paul. Paul is out of his element when performing the montage type shows - but so is Scotty. Karen and Haley are basically karaoke singers who aren't as good as the other female contestants- except Naima. After the final 10, AI would use the save on Casey if he's lowest in an early round. Naima's good to make the final 10 because her story would be good for the brochure. I think once the final 10 is determined, it'll be fan choice for the most part.

Casey has serious health problems so he may not last the season which would really be sad. Much like the gal who won Best New Artist in the Grammy's this year, this guy is what I'd love to see exposed and promoted to the world.

Summeoyo: I am totally baffled by your support of Naima? I mean, if you really think she's a brilliant talent I am fine with that, but I just don't understand it at all. As far as the tour, I think that's the least of their concerns. Remember, Naima didn't even have enough support to make it to the finals based on what the fans liked, so why would she draw anyone? And unless you're a "social justice" kind of guy who feels entire classes of people deserve success regardless of merit versus an "individual justice" where every is treated fairly of all classes and succeed based solely on their talent and nothing else, including cleaning toilets. (My mom raised me doing that, but I wouldn't put her in the Top 13 of American Idol because of it, though I certainly wish her life had been easier when we were growing up).

So what's the scoop?

Also, I think I heard that this year contestants will be allowed to remain in their own genre of music so that the feature weeks won't be based on genres (like Country Week, Disco Week etc.) but I could be wrong. I just thought I heard that and think it would be a really smart move. Why make people do what they aren't good at? It's not Diversity Idol really... I don't want Casey dancing to a cheesy disco track (though he'd probably pull it off anyway). Let's let the country kid sing country all season until he's off, which should be about the top 7-top 5 ish area.

Brian

4. Pia Toscano. She'll need to fix her disastrous start quickly after the cannon fodder is gone or she won't have the fan base built to contend. But if she hits at least a double next week, people will forget "All By Myself" screeching and all.
_________________------------------------------------------

I totally disagree with you Brian ... My wife and I both thought she sang it beautifully.... AND I think that James Durbin is the Lambert of this season ...he even resembles him ! Casey in NOT a pretty boy like Adam, you're WAY off on that one ... Casey is more similar to Kris Allen (but funner)

Brian. I don't think Naima is the most talented nor do I think she should get a "social justice" type break. I do think she's improving in her abilities in bigger steps than most of the others - and that's because she likely started further behind them because of a lack of training. I also think that the marketing tool known as AI also benefits by the mirage it creates with the success of such a person because it promotes the illusion that a person from her circumstances has a shot at going all the way to the top without putting in a lot of time honing their skills. Having said that, I disagree that AI should be just about being the most talented. AI is about creating a celebrity - hence the name American Idol. And we all know being a celebrity doesn't equal talent. Actually, I'm leaning toward Casey or James because I do love music. I really don't care who wins. Nor will I buy their CDS, downloads, or whatever unless I like their original song(s) - because I'm more interested in the song than the artist. Most of my commentary is based on what I perceive as AI's strategy of getting the most marketable tour and winning artist for their money. The risk AI takes is that the voters don't buy the releases of the artists that win or attend the shows that follow this season - and with the economy being what it is, that risk is getting greater.

My favorite is Casey Abrams. Does anyone know what's wrong with him? I hope he can continue to compete. Also, I like the rocker. I don't know his name. What do you think about the judges?

Steven is funny. I think the show's still good without Simon.

James is the rocker. I saw ulcerative colitus mentioned in the news on Casey's hospital stay.

He has a version of ulcers.

I think when your reason to watch a music/artist show is because you care about the business plan success of those holding the contest, it must be quite a bummer and pretty joylous. I'd also think there would have to be quite a few things to do with that time in my life more worthy, even in a purely selfish entertainment sort of way, than root for a business plan. Yikes.

I look for artist that move me. Only 2 have in week 1. Others demonstrated some potential. Many did not. I also noted a repeating pattern of manipulation which is also used on other shows like Survivor, which make results appear equal but prove anything but. Performance order alone has a huge impact and they know those numbers from 10 years of doing this as to which positions in every round benefit or are hurt by positioning. Same can be said for who they chat with or give special lighting to or great arrangements verses horribles to. Also, we've all seen the pre-written judging responses, which have zero to do with what actually happened on screen. That's because the show has a writing staff to write those words based on the practice version and then they come out and sing way better or worse but are stuck with those earlier evaluations, not even considering favoritism. Like the year Paula was allowed (along with Randy) to highly praise the guy she was sleeping with DURING the run of the show who couldn't sing and who only got kicked off when his police record was exposed. With the long history, I am not "moved" by their business plan or rooting they'll succeed on some tour that the same little girls will drag their parents or grandparents too no matter who they feature. The show is cast, based on looks/race/back story, that is undeniable. But we didn't cast our JPF awards and I bet we had just as diverse people through natural selection of the talented rather than assessment by committee and demographics. And then when certain races under perform, cries of racism scream out. But had they picked the RIGHT artists, it's been proven people are happy to vote for ANY race as long as they can sing.

Only a few of the Idol winners around the globe have gone on to successful sustained careers. But the show is still a great chance for deserving artists, once we get rid of the cannon fodder fake ones they force on us for "business plan reasons."

I agree with Sylvia, we don't miss Simon. He did more often tell the obvious truth, but it didn't take brain surgery to make honest comments. Now Randy gets to do that more often and occassionally even Steven. But most of the time it's just reading the comments written for them as it always was. I wish the judges were silent and just voted.

Brian

You have to keep in mind American Idol is a CONTEST. All contests are the same. There is short term interest, in this case almost rabid interest. It is huge during the veiwing season, then a short period, around 3-6 months afterward, then it is OVER. Most people's attention span don't allow them to even last that long.

Over the ten years, how many have achieved any tangible success? Probably less than a per cent. Which is actually very much like the music industry.

So enjoy the show while you can. There is always another one on the way.

MAB

Brian. I think you're spot on with AI's manipulation of their voting audience with the cuts they choose to show. Steven's comments about Lauren A after her audition have been continually shown throughout the contest in order to influence the voters.
As far as you're assessment about why I watch AI, you're not even close. I just get cozy with my wife on the couch after putting the kids to bed and listen and enjoy the entertainment. It's not until some time after the show that I analyze what happened.
Your assessment may be better applied as to why I post this thread. As creative people, many of us who'd like to have more success in the business of music fail to see how business decisions are made and the reasons why. Marketing does interest me and I've been involved in creating strategies to sell products to distributors and to the public. It's all a crap shoot anyway - but the better strategies improve your odds of success. As songwriters and songwriter/performers we view AI from a different perspective than most people. We should be able to judge talent more accurately than the average AI voter. With my experience in sales, I bring a perspective from one with a background in creating music, performing music, marketing, and selling a product and am sharing that with others.

This week's performances have shown that some
contestants have the drive to win and others don't.
Naima A. Doesn't have the drive to win. While her
performances have been establishing an identity,
she's also established her weakness – which didn't
bode well for her on a night that others stepped up
and started to compete. From a marketing standpoint,
her weakness may be more of a liability than her
Cinderella story value to the AI.
Paul Mc. I don't think his less-than-best performance
would've hurt Paul as much if the other contestants
who had illnesses hadn't performed so well. Will
his fan base keep him safe?
Thia. She needs to get away from karaoke style singing.
It was good to see her warm up and actually talk to us
during her interview.
James D. Very entertaining. One of the best of the night.
Pia T. Finally she's decided to graduate from singer to
entertainer. We know she can sing. She made the song
her own this week and gave notice she's in it to win it.
Haley R. The verses in the Whitney H. song were
challenging because of the tempo and she delivered.
I agreed with the judges advice. If she follows it and
Naima continues to falter, she should make the top ten.
Karen R. Her outfit got more of my attention than her
performance. Still KS.
Casey A. His strongest asset is that he has us waiting
to see what he has to offer next. It's working for this
competition. But will it work once he's doing originals?
He's having fun and including us – which is one way to
become a successful entertainer.
Scott Mc. Good song choice and performance. He's safe.
Lauren A. Someone must have given her a wake-up call.
Despite having the flu, she delivers one of the best
performances.
Jacob L. He's back and sang it smart.
Stefano He's holding his own. However I disagreed that
the song was a good choice. I enjoy the song story which
was really hurt by the chopping that needed to be done
to meet AI's time constraints. So it wasn't as moving as
it should've been – but not due to any fault with Stefano.

My bottom 3 are Naima, Paul, & Karen. I think Karen's
gone

I agree with you all. My favorites are Pia, Durgin, and Casey. I think the blond with the long hair and Naimi (whatever her name is)may be out this week. The one who has the flashy smile, I think he's good, but not that entertaining. He could be out this week also. So I agree with Summeoyo.

I think Jennifer's a bit boring. When she feels sorry for them, she calls them BABY. That doesn't appeal to me.

Steven is a funny guy. He's very different and sometimes entertaining.

Naima Adedapo – "What's Love Got To Do With It" by Tina Turner
Tina is better. You can't stay in the competition unless you are as good or better than the songs you cover.


Paul McDonald – "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues" by Elton John. There is something very interesting about this guys voice- he was struggling with a cold. He is hard to classify. I don't think there is any way he could win it all.


Thia Megia – "Colors Of The Wind" by Vanessa Williams
Why do the judges keep asking her to be herself? Disney princess IS what she is.

James Durbin – "I'll Be There For You" by Bon Jovi
Rock on James- you will be the big hit on the tour.


Haley Reinhart – "I'm Your Baby Tonight" by Whitney Houston
I don't think so Haley. Go join you Dad's band. It's pretty good.

Stefano Langone – "If You Don't Know Me By Now" by Simply Red
Wow, this guy is better than I gave him credit for last week!

Pia Toscano – "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" by Whitney Houston
Just OK. I barely can recall the performance.

Scotty McCreery – "Can I Trust You With My Heart" by Travis Tritt
Good song choice. I think he lacks experience and it might catch up with him. He seemed to struggle with some high notes but he hit the last one perfectly. He's a contender unless he flat out blunders- which always seems possible.

Karen Rodriguez – "Love Will Lead You Back" by Taylor Dayne
Have mercy on her and let her go this week.

Casey Abrams – "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana
I never cared for Nirvana- but this was good. This guy is C R A Z Y!

Lauren Alaina – "I'm The Only One" by Melissa Etheridge
I barely remember it. I think it was OK. I thought she would win it all a few weeks ago. Now I'm not so sure.

Jacob Lusk – "Alone" by Heart
Two weeks in a row I have hated his performance. He screams out of his range. What happened? Is he trying too hard?

I'm agreeing with you Joe.. for the most part...
I'v been a fan of Stefano for a while now...and thought his performance last night was great.
I was... a fan of Jacob Lusk a few weeks ago. (didn't get to hear last week's show) but this week ... Who in the world was Randy listening to when he said that the guy started a bit pitchy but got over it? Almost to the last note it was painfully pitchy! I love that song he sang...but his version could change that. ooooo so bad!

Stefano!!!

No surprises here seeing who was in the bottom three and seeing Karen let go. I saw someone mention in a thread on another site that some of the contestants were wearing earphones during Wed. performance. Naima's problems may be occurring because she isn't hearing the notes during her performances. She hasn't used them to this point and probably should. Anyway it's looking like the next to go is either Naima or Haley. It appears that everyone else has enough of a voting block to keep them safe - ei. Paul at this point. Which brings me to a pertinent question: What percentage of the AI voters are street teamers (defined as those who are dedicated to only one contestant no matter how they perform any given week)? And if said street teamers' contestant is dismissed, do they continue to vote - and do they become swing voters at that point? What do you think?

This week's AI performances showed why all
the male finalists are still there. They were all
entertaining. Whereas the females produced
one entertainer IMHO – Naima.

Casey A. I liked the arrangement and creative
twist that Casey adds to a song.
Thia. Uptempo song but still a KS.
Jacob L. Whow!
Lauren A. Back to underachieving. KS.
Haley R. Her outfit got more of my attention
than her performance. (See last week's
critique of Karen) I think we have a pattern
here.
Pia T. Back to KS.
Paul Mc. Excellent performance. The guitar
kept Paul anchored to the stage. So we missed
the Capt. Jack Sparrow stage walk.
Scotty Mc. Excellent arrangement again. Smart
singing. He looks comfortable sitting on the
stage stairs giving us his Alfred E. Newman smile.
Stefano. Great singing. Worst stage presence of
the guys. His eye closing is causing a disconnect.
Naima. Now that she's wearing an earphone,
Randy isn't complaining about her pitchiness.
Adding the dance rounded out an
entertaining performance.
James D. I think he wants to give Jacob a run
for the top spot. Great song choice.

My bottom 3 are all female:

Thia

Lauren

Haley – who based on past trends shall probably
be exiting the competition. Modeling is more her
niche – maybe even singing in a sultry beer or
other alcoholic beverage ad

American Idol March 23

Casey Abrams -- "Heard it Through the Grapevine," Smokey Robinson and the Miracles; Marvin Gaye.

I like the original better. I think he hammed it up too much. This is one he could have sang straight and it would have been great. tonight is was just weird.

Thia Megia -- "Heat Wave," Martha and the Vandellas.
I thought this girl could sing anything but just perferred to sing Disney classics pitch perfect. Now I see she is really limited. and she is a little conceited. Bottom 3 for sure.

Jacob Lusk -- "All I Need to Get By," Marvin Gaye.
He has been terrible for two weeks but tonight he was "back". I knew he reminded me of someone and now I know who. Louis Armstrong.

Lauren Alaina -- "You Keep Me Hangin' On," Supremes.
I thought it was a terrible song choice until I heard her sing it. Top 3 for sure.

Stefano Langone -- "Hello," Lionel Ritchie
I actually learned something from the judges this week. I could not put my finger on his problem until they commented. Here is what they said:

•Steven Tyler: "Pull back a little bit, and you'll be fine."
•Jennifer Lopez: "Let's talk." She wants the intensity to come from his heart breaking (per the lyrics of the song) not because he wants to do well. Needs to connect more with the song and the audience.
•Randy Jackson: "The only thing you're missing is connection."


Haley Reinhart -- "You've Got a Hold on Me," Smokey Robinson and the Miracles

The middle part when she started growling was cool but she is just shaking her cute little butt around like Eve with forbidden fruit behind her back- I don't think she will go this week but definately bottom 3.

Scotty McCreery -- "For Once in My Life," Stevie Wonder
I didn't know they were going to make this kid sing out of his genre. I thought it was going to be the disaster I feared was coming; but they all get to work with good producers at this stage of the competition and he pulled it off- actually did a country version of this classic. Again. I'll say that this kid is learning every week and if he can just stay ahead of the challenge, he could go very far. He doesn't have a great range or maby his range is just scaled way down there in the lower register.

Pia Toscano – All In Love Is Fair- Stevie Wonder
The judges have it right. She just stands there like Roy Orbison belting out a perfect ballad. What's not to like? But this song contest is looking for someone to idolize i guess so she better start wiggling around the stage a little.

Paul McDonald – The Tracks Of My Tears Smoking Robinson
I don't know what else to say about him. I think he sounds the same no matter what he sings. i don't think he has much upper register especially if you compare him to almost anyone else except Scottie.

Naima Adepapo – Dancing In The Street
good song choice. She sang it great- she and James Durbin will keep the tour bus wheels spinning. She was once botton 3 but I wouldn't put her there this week but then I don't vote either.

James Durbin -- "Livin' for the City," Stevie Wonder
Wow! This kid is ready to tour right now. Great voice, great range, great musical personality. Top 3 easily.


My top 3 are James Durban, Jacob Lusk and Lauren Alaina
Bottom 3 are really bottom 4 in any order: Thia Megia, Paul McDonald and Haley Reinhart and Stefano Langone.
I have to put Stefano in there because I think he may not be able to overcome his habit of getting to the top note just because he can and then forget to "interpret" the song. He's technically good but I don't really enjoy listening to him.

Whow! I thought the judges would use the save for Casey - but not this soon. Since "America" didn't give AI what they considered an expendable contestant for the low vote, they had to use the save early. If Stefano would've been lowest, he would've been gone - with a split vote. If Thia, she would've been gone with a unanimous vote.
I've noticed some negative threads on AI's forums about Casey. I know a lot of us here at JPF appreciate originality and therefore have been more favorable to Casey than the others. However, it seems a lot of AI voters are from the karaoke crowd and want to hear singers who try to imitate the popular artist who performed the original song or the best selling cover as the case may be. Karaoke people like pop and country. Casey got a lot of criticism from that crowd after doing Nirvana's song. So now that the tour is set. It's a popularity contest. I just wonder what percent of the votes are free versus the unlimited pay per vote via text. That would be an eye opener as to the validity of this contest being "America's choice".

I was baffled that Casey was at the very bottom of the bottom three. But I think I know what happened. He is clearly the most unique of all the AI contestants; but his type of singer doesn't really have a large fan base, like say Scottie or Lauren who connect with Country fans, or like Lusk who connects with the Rap, Rhythm an Blues and Hip Hop fans; or just the African American community in general. James Durbin gets his fan base from the Rock and Roll concert group, with a few screaming groupies thrown in.

So when Casey turns in a weird version of a great song (Heard it through the Grapevine) he is in trouble. Had he just sang it like it was recorded, he would have been fine. The AI voters are only voting FOR someone, not against someone. So that's what happened- he was ignored. He is not the handsome heart-throb so he really has no identifiable fan base, thus no chance to win it all even if he is the best most complete musician in the contest.

Casey's reaction when Randy stopped his "sing for your live" performance was a first in AL drama. He almost passed out. He went from total humiliation (thinking that the judges hated his performance) to stunned gratitude when he realized that the judges only stopped him because they had already decided he was saved. I thought the AI producers were cruel to scrip that little piece of drama. What if he had a heart condition? Didn't they consider that had been hospitalized recently? The producers also created a little false crisis for James Durbin and McDonald when they were told that neither were "safe". Then they bring on Hulk Hogan who pretends to menace them. Ha Ha, very funny- let's traumatize the kid with Tourette syndrome.

It was the right decision to save Casey because this group goes on tour and it would be a mistake to leave such a unique talent out of that gig.

I agree with most of your assessments. I don't think AI hurts themselves with any of their tour members, they're all excellent karaoke singers. With a little coaching Stefano can learn to open his eyes, Naima's learning to use the earphones, and Haley should have time enough to learn how to move about on stage.
I don't think Jacob Lusk is supported by the rap and hip-hop crowd - and doubt that crowd even supports AI because AI doesn't pick rap artists to compete. I think Jacob's fan base support is pop, R&B, and Cont. Christian. I don't think you'll hear Jacob cover any rap songs or song's like Prince's "Pussy Control".

Summeoyo, you are probably right about Lusk not appealing to the Rap crowd. But I can see how people who like Rap, will either (like you said) not be interested in the contest at all or, if they are watching, supporting Lusk. By the way, I think he could really make Rap interesting if he did the right song. Oh, wait a minute- Rap isn't really music is it?

I have a question: Who knows who is #1 each week and who is out? Someone counts the votes but do the judges know before the live show? And here is something I am sure the AI producers know but will never share. They will know weeks in advance who will win it all because they will have seen the "trend"- for instance that a single person always gets the most votes. And it might be even an order of magnitude margin but they will never let that information leak out.

I saw Casey's performance and I thought he was going to be in trouble. It really wasn't that great of a rendition of a classic Marvin Gaye tune. Casey is a big talent, but he just didn't do a good arrangement of that song.

Sam. Everytime a contestant is eliminated, is creates additional swing voters for the remaining contestants. So that makes it unpredictable unless there's such a huge voting block for one contestant. For example, if there's consistantly about 30 million votes each week and over 15 million are always for one particular contestant. That's a significant indicator as to who will win. However I don't believe that's the case. Also some voters may stop voting if their favorite is eliminated. So there are too many variables to predict the winner accurately weeks in advance.
Kevin. I agree about Casey. While still IMO the most original musically, I think he's in danger of letting the hype about himself go to his head. He's no musical genius. So if he's thinking he can do anything and come off looking good, he may have had a wake up call this week.

American Idol style programs are banned in my house as they the work of the Devil! lol

Terrible suffocating nonsense, nothing to do with music, all to do with money for the people who make the program.

That's just my opinion, of course.

Dan

Dan, a lot of folks here must feel the same way because not many are following this thread.

We have three teenagers at home: one writes rap music, one is in the school choir and love "Glee", and one just loves old rock classics which he learned playing Guitar Hero. American Idol will happen here.

Kevin,

It's interesting how folks often seem to "know" something very surprising ahead of time, but don't speak out about it until after the fact. The human mind has a lot of revisionist thinking in it.. just saying... if you're going to suggest you saw the biggest surprise in AI history coming in advance, you should post it BEFORE the show airs.

I haven't been posting because I have to wait and watch the show with my wife which usually happens a couple days later. (Somehow we've both manager to avoid seeing results so far, which I think is a sign far less folks are talking about it, even if they are watching... just an interesting observation). I think part of the Casey issue might have been everyone's assumption that he was 100% safe. I'd be surprised if he's in the bottom 3 for the next few weeks. If he isn't, then we know it was a fluke. But if he shows up in the next 3 weeks in the bottom 3, then we'll know for sure the low votes are because folks don't like him. I will be the first to admit I didn't see it coming at all, and I am rarely that surprised or off. The save assures most likely Casey is on tour and even if he doesn't win, he needs about 4 more weeks to really sink into to the nations memory and then he can build a great singer-songwriter career from that. There are so few ways to build a career of any kind today that AI seems more like a shot worth taking than ever before. I wish some of our older award winners would try out for X Factor as I think some would do quite well.. but there's such a stigma around TV shows. I say try out, say nothing about it unless you make it on the show. JPF members have done well on these shows including AI the last several years such as last year's winner (who even as a JPF member I frankly did not feel was better than Adam who isn't a JPF member). I want to see the most deserving person win.

Every year in the JPF awards we'll come across a song or album by an artist we think is beyond amazing, but they don't connect with voters and it's always a mystery. I can predict most of the nominees (I'd say about 2 out of 3) early on and the winners about 1 out of 2 times. But now and then something totally unexpected happens and since I see the votes pouring in each round, I know it's fair. One thing is that the voters are not the same week to week. Sure, there's a core, but as much as 50% can change week to week which makes things very unpredictable. I agree they know the final 4-5 very early on and often try to manipulate their insider picks to get those 4th-5th place finishes. If there's actually a close call near the top, they go all out to fix the voting via manipulations and they have so much data to know what works and what doesn't all the way down to clothing and the color of the lighting to improve or hurt votes when it is close.

I won't see this weeks performances or results until a least the weekend, so I won't be reading this after tonight until after I see it. I might post my evaluations, but you'd have to trust my predictions if I make any that I didn't change them based on results.

If Casey was really the bottom dweller, he should be back in the bottom 3 2 week from now and no later than 4 weeks. This week he'll likely get a bounce in votes no matter what he does.

Brian

I'll admit to some naivete' here. How does the voting really work? Can one "voter" throw out more than one vote? Can they throw out thousands of votes, by voting continuously?
Ott

As the competition moves on this week, I find
myself enjoying the performances – but getting
very picky with the critiques. And that's good
because that means that the level of performance
has risen.
Scotty Mc. Didn't move me. Good country arrangement.
Solid performance. He's getting comfortable on
stage – but I fear for the wrong reason – he stays
in the safe zone. He's not selling the song, he's
selling himself. That doesn't sit well with me.
Naima A. Also is losing focus. It was a good reggae
arrangement. She's selling her style, not the song.
I think the judges were wrong with the point of their
critique. I suspect now that Naima's on the tour, the
powers that be have determined that she wouldn't sell
CDs like her competition. So she'll
receive criticism until she's voted off.
Paul Mc. I think he's made a contest decision to play
the guitar because it prevents him from doing his
Capt. Jack Sparrow stage walk.
Stefano Didn't connect any better this week than the
last. He'll be good for the tour, but I'm thinking JLo's
comments were meant to sway votes to Stefano.
Pia T. Intelligent, talented singer. Again.
Laura A. Showed up this week. If the song means
something to her, she can shine. Best of the night.
James D. My wife thought his performance looked
like a cheesy 80's concert. He sang well.
Thia M. Like Lauren, she can shine when the song
means something to her. But it's too little too late.
Jacob L. Learning not to oversing – but still overacting.
His facial expressions seem affected. That's starting to
get on my nerves.
Casey A. A more subdued, but smart performance here.
A good song choice for a humbled contestant.
Haley R. Does making changes according to the judge's
advice outweigh one's performance? Her song was
arranged well for the recommended style. But she
overdid the “rough vocals” and was pitchy. Best
performance of the night, Randy? I know one would
be more favorable to a contestant who just took
your good advice to heart, but really? Did Haley
have such a huge gain in votes the week before
that the producers want more positive spins for her?

My Bottom 3: Stefano, Haley, and Scotty
Who's leaving: Naima & Thia Neither gained with this week's
performance and neither has the voting block to save them.

Critique for AI March 30, 2011 Elton John Songs

Scotty McCreery, "Country Comfort" He picked the song because it had the word "Country" in it. When he sang it, you could believe it was an Alan Jackson song not an Elton John song. The kid is, so far, learning just enough to stay in there. He is the most disadvantaged contestant left because his song choices are limited as long as the rules are that he has to sing a particular artist songs, or a partucilar genre. He only does country- that's it. He would be doomed if it were not for the fact that previous AI winner Carrie Underwood is so successful in Country.


Naima Adedapo, "I'm Still Standing" She knew she was taking a chance because it is not a Reggae number but she made the verses work perfectly with Reggae but the chorus, especially the hook line "I'm still standing" was very weak. She is good enough to stay around and she is comfortable and easy to watch.


Paul McDonald, "Rocket Man" This was embarrassingly pitiful. Paul has been using his unique vocal characteristic to conceal the fact that he has absolutely no range what-so-ever. He and Thia should finally depart tonight.

Pia Toscano, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"She is the real deal and if there is anything wrong with the girl it is that there is nothing wrong with her. What do I mean by that? She has no personality quirks which may relate to "no personality" in some minds.

Stefano Langone, "Tiny Dancer" A very good song choice for him and he sang it very well. He stayed very close to the original and did it justice. He doesn't generate a lot of excitement but he is very good and belongs in the top 10.

Lauren Alaina, "Candle in the Wind" I love the fact that she doesn't know how good she is. She hates to lose and is stubborn but even still, she does not know what she is "channeling". She sings with the emotional maturity of Aretha Franklin, and then when she stops singing she giggles like a school girl (which is what she is) like she just pulled one over on us. Her natural talent is just a beautiful thing to behold. She will still be here when the top 3 are announced.

James Durbin, "Saturday Night's All Right" I hope this kid doesn't break his leg when he jumps off the stage, on to the piano, off the piano etc. Personally I didn't care for the song but it doesn't matter, he was in his element and I pick him to be in the top 3 when they are announced.

"Thia Meg "Daniel" Please, please send her home tonight. I love the song Daniel but she didn't even come close to nailing it. Well, at the very end, she delivered a very touching refrain but I don't think she is emotionally sincere when she sings compared to Lauren who always appears to be.

Casey Abrams, "Your Song" He could sing this song so perfectly he could put goose bumps on us, but he cannot stop himself from messing around. He is like Willy Nelson in concert who gets bored with his stuff and is compelled to change it up until you wonder what he is singing. Well Casey did dial it down and trimmed his beard so he is safe this week. But he still messed around too much. If he goes early, it won't be because he lacks talent, it will be because he can't help tampering with the song. The last note (a major 9th apparently) was a little shocking to the ear at first until you see that he knew exactly what he was doing. this kid will probably end up a composer or producer as well as a recording artist. But he will never be the American Idol winner. Yeah, I think the shaggy beard did him in last week.

Jacob Lusk, "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word" When I watch him sing, I feel sometimes like he is on the verge of breaking down emotionally. He gets way too far into his songs I think. But he is good and belongs where is. I wish he had picked another song. Maybe he should have sung Rocket man- I would have liked to hear him slide his voice up two octaves!

Haley Reinhart, "Bennie and the Jets" Biggest surprise for me. I think her producer deserves a lot of credit for recognizing here vocal "tricks" and applying all of them to this song. She growls, she slide easily into falsetto (her yodel skills) and slithers around until Steven Tyler is panting. In short, she was very intertaining. She wants to win really really bad- so who knows what she will pull out of the box to get what she wants.

My favorite performances: the girls take it tonight

1 Lauren Alaina, "Candle in the Wind"
2 Haley Reinhart, "Bennie and the Jets"
3 Pia Toscano, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
4 Casey Abrams, "Your Song"
5 James Durbin, "Saturday Night's All Right"

Hi Gang:

Ya know, compared to previous years, this has been a fun "Idol" season to watch as well as listen. Much more talent on such a broad front. The judges are generally pleasant and compassionate as well as being downright funny at times. My only negative comment involves the array of no-talent artists they book for "kick off" nights. (I know, it's just me... but most of those cabbage heads require all manner of distractions such as fireworks and peculiar props to add pizzazz to their miserable acts.)

As it now stands, it will be difficult to pick the winner but talent wise, Pia and Casey are most talented in my humble opinion. She may not win but Haley is gonna be a super-star someday if she really wants to pursue a career in entertainment. Beauty, brains, talent and personality. Seems like the "girl next door" type.

for me, Stefano, Thia, and Paul are the bottom three, with Stefano and Thia going home ... I love Jacob, James, and Pia !

I don't get the appeal of "Scottie" any more than I get the appeal of Justin beaver. I'd feel really out of it, if it weren't for the fact my fifteen year old daughter agrees with me.
Ott

American Idol Finals...does this mean it is ending soon? .....WHOOPPEE

Ott. Could Scotty's appeal be due to his resemblence to Alfred E. Newman(Mad Magazine)- a sort of subconscious think working here?

OK, the most pitiful performance was turned in by Paul McDonald (Rocket Man) and he still survived. I guess that is the power of a smile.
Thia is gone, mercifully, but unfortunately so is Naima Adedapo. Naima would still be here except she miscalculated and was not able to pull off a Reggae version of "I'm still standing". She got it half right (the verses) but like the judges pointed out, the song itself doesn't lend itself to Reggae.

Summeyo: My wife pointed out the Mad magazine resemblance. But that's not what turned me off. I think Scottie has the charisma of a potted plant. When he went to the low note at the end of his last song, I wanted to gag. The judges all went ga-ga. So he's got a bass note? Big whoop. The kid should have been out long before this.
Ott

This week's AI provided some great performances.
There were however three contestants who distinguished
themselves from the rest – but not in a positive way.
Although I couldn't pick a winner, the bottom three were
obvious – despite the judge's attempt to color coat the
performances of those contestants.

Jacob L. Excellent song choice, flawless delivery.
Haley R. Heeding the judge's advice should not
give one a free pass on the performance. She
overdoes the growls. I'm just expecting her to break out
a tiger or leopard print outfit. My wife questioned whether
she messed up some words. Her ending was weak
when compared to her competition.
Casey A. What he lacks in vocal ability, he makes up
in his creative arrangements and actually surpasses the
competition in overall entertainment value.
Lauren A. She's back on track and competing with Pia.
James D. My wife is an extreme Beatles fan. Her favorite
Beatles are Paul and George. She was very skeptical when
she heard what song James choose – expecting the worse.
James came through with one of his best performances.
Pia. Uptempo, Ballad, Whatever, Miss Perfect delivers.
Scotty Mc He ain't nothing but a hound dog – that can
perform.
Stefano JLo's gushing over this guy is starting to get annoying.
He's good. But his disconnecting habits are still there and the
judges aren't calling it.
Paul Mc. What can I say? He sang Folsom Prison with the
demeanor of Boy Named Sue. Johnny Cash sang a remorseful
lyric that made us believe. When an artist doesn't capture the
emotion of the song, it's basically a failure. Not one judge had
the guts to end what was a night of high level performances with
a critique of this obvious flaw. Can you say “Credibility”?

Bottom 3: Haley, Stefano, Paul. These are probably the next
three to go anyway – unless one of the other contestants really
blows a performance. But then the judges probably won't call
it anyway. Goodbye this week to Paul.

This is the first year I watched much of AI in a looonnggg
time, and the first time I have ever been inspired to comment on it. And what inspired this change?

Pia is gone?...And all I can say is YES YES YES!!! Good heavens above, she bored the crap outta me. If you wanna know why, then you need look no further than Brian A. Whitney's advice, the one that goes something like this: "Sometimes, when you're on stage, entertaining well is more important than performing well"

And Pia never entertained at all. Not once. Not ever. Even though even Big Jim wouldn't label her voice as "crap", she did absolutely nothing for me, except help aleviate my insomnia.

And yes, the voting is whacked...But the writing was on the wall when Steven T. said "In America right now, a million guys in a million bars are falling in love with you"...DRUNK DUDES DON'T TEXT! Ya know who DOES text? 15 year old girls who missed the boy band era and think Stefano is cute...But I won't feel sorry for Play it safe Pia, she has a long, successful future ahead of her playing cruise ships.

My only regret, is that they couldn't toss Jacob off too. Yes, Jacob, I would have voted you off, and no, I'm not afraid of looking in the mirror. I much prefer my craggly face in the mirror than watching close ups of your facial contortions in HD. What a way to wins fans and influence people.

Dang, that felt good....I should also add that I put $20 down last week on Haley winning it all as my dark horse.

Hope ya don't mind Summeoyo, but I've edited my observations in with yours...

Jacob L. Excellent song choice, flawless delivery.....
....Idiotically insulting every viewer who was listening.

Haley R. Heeding the judge's advice should not
give one a free pass on the performance...
....Free pass nothing. She has experimented, fallen short a few times, faced down the stools twice, and keeps coming back. She's my dark horse because Lauren's young cute & country bumpkiness won't see her through and the guys might just cancel each other out.


Casey A. What he lacks in vocal ability, he makes up
in his creative arrangements and actually surpasses the
competition in overall entertainment value.....
....Yeap. Yeap & yeap.

Lauren A. She's back on track and competing with Pia...
....Speaking of Pia...Hopefully no one will ever let Gloria(?) Stefani(?) dress them again...Both Lauren & Pia's outfits were atrocious.

James D. My wife is an extreme Beatles fan...
....Best version of "While my guitar gently weeps" since Jake(with the impossible last name) played it on the ukelele while sitting in Strawberry Fields....Google it if ya don't believe me..


Pia. Uptempo, Ballad, Whatever, Miss Perfect delivers...
...She might have even won the bathing suit contest in a Miss America Pageant, but "perfect" is soooo booooring.

Scotty Mc He ain't nothing but a hound dog – that can
perform....
...I live just outside of Scotty's hometown....Please send him home so they'll take down all the road signs selling his tee-shirts.

Stefano JLo's gushing over this guy is starting to get annoying.
He's good. But his disconnecting habits are still there...
...But he'll be gone soon, so let's not lose too much sleep over it.....Loved his expression when Pia was sent packing


Paul Mc. What can I say? He sang Folsom Prison with the
demeanor of Boy Named Sue...
...DUDE, that might be the best line EVER!!!...Hey everyone, we're in Folsom for life, let's par-tay!!....Gimme a break...With apologies to Mr. Cash, I'm lookin forward to Paul making it to the casino circuit so I can sing "I shot Paul in Reno, just to watch him..."...Jes' kiddin'...Sorta...

Midnite