American Idol 12- The Top 10

So the top 10 finalists got to pick from songs done by previous winners on and after the show. This'll be interesting. So let's go straight to my thoughts on the contestants. :)

The Great

Candice Glover "I Who Have Nothing" (previously done by Jordin Sparks)- Amazing vocals; such controlled runs; there's not much I can say about this girl...

Amber Holcomb "A Moment Like This" (Kelly Clarkson)- There's something really special about her voice. I would have to agree with Nicki on this one...she reminds me of a young Whitney Houston. Dark Horse!

Kree Harrison "Crying" (previously done by Carrie Underwood)- Kree has such a special tone and voice quality; so rich...her range is impeccable. I think she can sing anything...She is definitely NOT limited to country.

Angie Miller "I Surrender" (previously done by Kelly Clarkson)- Angie can probably sing anything and be on point. Now, i don't think this was the best song choice...but she nailed it :)


The Good


Burnell Taylor "Flying Without Wings" (Ruben Studdard)- He connects so well...probably my fave guy contestant this year.

Devin Velez "Temporary Home" (Carrie Underwood)- I don't know...I don't completely agree with the judges..i would side more with Nicki on this one. I actually enjoyed this performance.. I know it is one of Devin's more subtle performances, but i really felt it. He may be in danger though :(

Paul Jolley "Amazed" (previously done by Scotty McCreery)- Hmmm.. I think this is probably the best he's sounded...but...he's really at his best when he's overly theatrical..i don't think there's anything wrong with being theatrical..but it just doesn't sell at the end of the day..I think Paul will be safe anyway...

The Ok

Janelle Arthur "Gone" (previously done by Scotty McCreer)- I think Janelle is wise enough to stick to traditional country because i think that's her niche..the problem is she's not vocally as strong as any of the other girls... She might be in trouble, but her charm may save her.

Curtis Finch, Jr. "I Believe" (Fantasia)- He's a good vocalist, but that's pretty much just it...i didn't feel anything.

The Meh...

Lazaro Arbos "Breakaway" (Kelly Clarkson)- Ugh... :( I don't like this at all. It doesn't soothe his voice...I think Burnell's song choice would've actually been better for Lazaro..I don't think he's in any danger though..people might actually vote him through because of his story.

Prediction- I think Janelle, Curtis and maybe Devin are in danger of being in the bottom 3...i'm kinda scared for Amber and Burnell because i'm not sure about their fanbases....i want Lazaro to leave..

American Idol Top 20: First Impressions with Rankings

Hello! As you can see….American Idol has been on since January…and I do not have a single entry on the show. This is because I wanted to sit back and observe this new format. It’s kinda strange because the girls and guys are basically not competing against each other…not until the top 10. Well, this may work in favor of the girls this year…..anyway, so let’s get started.

So, I’m going to jumpstart my American Idol blog entries with my first impressions of the top 20 finalists. I’m also going to be revealing my faves and ultimate faves in the process.

Girls.

1.  Kree Harrison- Probably my ultimate favorite of the season. There’s just something special about her voice…pierces the soul..her voice is sooo reminiscent of Carrie Underwood’s, which is probably what captured my attention in the first place.
2. Angela Miller- Angela is the first contestant that gave me goosebumps in the competition with her Hollywood solo performance of original song, Set Me Free. I can see her going really far in the competition. Her voice has this quality that reminds me of Kelly Clarkson..very effortless. I’m kinda hoping for a Kree-Angela finale. :))
3. Amber Holcomb- Goodness!! Vocal Control!!!! This girl is an excellent technical singer. I’m really feeling this dark horse vibe from her…she can probably take the whooole competition if she continues picking the right songs…she can earn more fans in the process….
4. Candice Glover- Coming off of last year…I really expected Candice to do pretty well and I think that so far she’s been delivering. My only problem is that I really need a goosebump moment from her…she needs to take liberties with that big ol’ voice she possesses… I’m a bit worried that people will eventually get bored of her.
5. Adriana Latonio- Yay for a Filipina contestant this year!! :) She gave a solid performance during the Sudden Death round, which resulted in standing ovations from Keith Urban and Randy Jackson. I’m a bit worried because she had noooo airtime before the Sudden Death round….but I'm confident that the Filipinos will back her up… I have no idea how consistent she is though…she might pull a Jasmine Trias who was stellar in one performance and mediocre in the next..or she might be a Jessica Sanchez who was stellar throughout ..well, let’s just watch and see!
6.  Breanna Steer- This girl really surprised me because I didn’t really know how she would sound. I honestly thought she was just cannon fodder…However, she has this gorgeous tone. I’m not sure about the likability factor..but I think she’s very marketable.
7.   Zoanette Johnson- I’m starting to really like Zoanette!! I think it was the Circle of Life performance, which gave me goosebumps!! :)) Lion King has a very special place in my heart! If she continues delivering these performances, she might be a threat to the crown!! My only concern is that she has the tendency to go all over the place…a Hot Mess!! Hahah
8. Aubrey Cleland- Now, I like Aubrey… I think she has a great image and a very current sounding voice. My only problem is that I think the judges overrated her performance of sweet dreams. I think that it was totally the wrong song for her voice.. :( she has a sweet sounding voice, which could go really well with folk-motown type songs…she was struggling with the Beyonce song especially with the high notes…the lower notes on the other hand were gorgeous. :) I waaaaant Aubrey to do good in the semi finals..because I actually want her in my top 10.
9. Janelle Arthur- Janelle is a sweet country singer with a pretty face…but that’s just it.. her voice is not so impressive. I mean..she’s no Carrie Underwood…I don’t think she’s a Lauren Alaina either. She has the potential to get into the top 10, but I don’t think she’ll be going very far. What she has going for her is that likability factor.
10.  Tenna Torres- I don’t think that Tenna should’ve made the top 20 in the first place….she picked a really really good song, which I think tricked the judges into thinking she had a good performance…her high notes were irritating and she was struggling a lot..but this is not to say that she has such a gorgeous tone…very Mariah-esque.

Guys.

1. Vincent Powell- I’m in the mood for a gospel singer! :) Love Vincent’s voice and tone!!!
2.  Burnell Taylor- I didn’t like Burnell at first but he’s starting to grow on me. He’s got a lot of stage presence..and I think his voice is really solid.
3. Curtis Finch Jr.- Now, I prefer Vincent to Curtis..and it’s totally a personality thing.. I think that Curtis is as strong a singer (if not stronger) as Vincent…but his personality just rubs me off the wrong way.
4. Devin Velez- Another great voice here. What worries me is that he might lose his stride and start picking the wrong songs…He might get eaten up by the big gospel singers.
5. Charlie Askew- Not the greatest singer on the show, but he’s very entertaining to watch. He has a very unique voice as well. He may be the novelty act among the guys this year. :))
6. Nick Boddington- Honestly, Nick would’ve been in my top 3 after his performance of Stars back in Hollywood. His performance during the Sudden Death rounds however was very disappointing :( I honestly thought that he didn’t deserve to make it to the top 20 (would’ve preferred David Willis, Josh Holiday, Bryant Tadeo to him). But I’m hoping that he makes a come back.. (maybe he could sing Stars again..heheh)
7. Elijah Liu- I know there’s been a lot of Elijah hate. I honestly think that it was just the song choice last week… I watched some of his youtube vids and I think that he’s worthy of his place in the top 20.. I think he has to prove his worth on the show though.
8. Cortez Shaw- Ridiculous range….great image…He has the tendency to over-sing. I think he has to pull back a little and pick better songs. If he has these small issues fixed I think that he could sail through.
9. Paul Jolley- I know a lot of people like Paul…I mean..i think his voice is powerful…it’s just that I think that he thinks he’s a country singer…he’s not…and his cover of Tonight I Wanna Cry was incredibly awkward..the phrasing was not good..he should stick to Clay Aiken stuff..He’s a balladeer and not a country singer.
10. Lazaro Arbos- :((( I think his performance was terrible….and I totally feel for Lazaro and his story..but I think at this point being objective is very important…I tried watching the performance back to see if there were any redeeming factors… :( the only redeeming factor I found was his story..but this is not Oprah..it’s American Idol, a singing competition. 

Back from probably the longest hiatus ever

Sup Everyone (assuming that i actually have any readers),

So it's been years since my last post of randomness... Well, a lot has happened since then. I was a graduate student back then struggling to get my thesis done and graduate. Now, I'm happy to say that I did survive that academic phase. I got a job, which kept me preoccupied for about a little more than a year. Loads of traveling and research writing kept me away from the blogosphere. Well, I have a lil' more control over my time now, as i'm currently helping out with the family business. I'm still as busy as ever, and i get headaches once in a while, but sneaking in a post or two more occasionally won't be that of a problem for me now. Well, setting reintroductions aside, let's see what randomness might (i say might because i might flake this blog once again; i'm really sorry for the disclaimer..hehehe) be in store.

American Idol is back with a whole new set of judges!! I'm pretty excited about it, especially with all the buzz that's been surrounding the show. I'm so stoked about writing my week by week reviews of performances. A whole lotta fearless forecasts/ predictions are also in store for my lucky readers (LOL).  Let's hope I still have my ear for good talent after my loooong hiatus.

I've also been discovering (and rediscovering) good music. I hope to share the treasures I unearth in my so-called musical treasure hunts.  I also have a huge back log of TV shows, which i hope to write about when I find anything worthy to write about. [Oh..and you might not know that i'm currently quite obsessed with Doctor Who...proud Whovian here :)] Movie reviews are also something I might consider doing if my brain finds itself being creative & over-analytical critical,.

Anyhow, I really do hope I manage to keep this blog alive. 2013 is an exciting year...let's see what it brings :)

JUDE

American Idol Season 9 Review #5: Top 8 Girls

The night can be all summed up in Alex Lambert's face. Lol.

Individual performance critiques and ratings:

Katie Stevens (Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson) First of all, I thought Katie looked beautiful tonight. The performance, however, wasn't very good. I thought the song was too big for her. Her voice was a bit shaky at parts. :( I just don't think she knows who she is as an artist. She has a great voice, and was praised earlier in the competition by Kara, as the potential winner...However, this might be the end of the road for Katie :(((..and I'm very sad as well...I'm still keepin' my fingers crossed that she makes it. Save Katie, she has so much potential, she just needs time to grow!! Rating: 7/10


Siobhan Magnus (House of the Rising Sun - The Animals) This was another solid performance by Siobhan. Nevertheless, I think she's starting to be a bit old-fashioned. I think she needs to show her edgier side more often. Siobhan, please do something like "Living for the City"! :D She's sailing through to the Top 12! :D Rating: 8.5/10


Lacey Brown (The Story - Brandi Carlile) I absolutely LOOOOVE Brandi Carlile and this song!! :D I thought this was a great song choice for Lacey! And I agree with the judges, I could totally hear her voice in the radio right now. I'm not sure though if peaking this late in the competition will grant her a spot in the top 12. Let's just wait and see. Rating: 8/10


Katelyn Epperly (I Feel the Earth Move - Carole King) When I heard that she was doing Carole King, I was hoping that she was going to do the song "So Far Away." However, she ended up doing Carole's uptempo track. I thought she did OK, but this performance paled in comparison to her earlier performances. The judges are right, she did seem nonchalant. I couldn't see the determination in her, during the performance, that she wanted to make it into the Top 12. Nevertheless, I don't think the performance was as bad as the judges made it seem. It seemed that the judges were doing everything in their power to give her bad comments..Personally, she may also be in danger...I hope America sees beyond the judges' views, and realize that she is worthy of a spot in the Top 12! Not her best performance. Save Katelyn! Rating: 7.5/10


Didi Benami (Rhiannon- Fleetwood Mac) Didi finally gets praised by the judges. I thought this was indeed her element. However, I'm starting not to like her. I don't like how she tends to cry and everything.....and seem vulnerable. This was a good performance. I just hope that she faces criticisms with more strength. Rating: 8/10


Paige Miles (Smile- Charlie Chaplin) What happened to Paige?! She finally sings a ballad, but her voice sounded soooo bad. I didn't get it? Where's the "best voice" that Simon was always referring to? I thought she was going to be an underdog. She has officially sealed her fate. Bye Paige. Rating: 5.5/10


Crystal Bowersox (Give Me One More Reason- Tracy Chapman) I really liked this performance! I commend Crystal for her consistency...and her voice is just increadible! This was another solid and effortless performance from Crystal! She is obviously going to make it! However, I do wish starts coming out of her comfort zone..and perform without the guitar once in a while. Rating: 9.5/10


Lilly Scott (I Fall to Pieces - Patsy Cline) She indeed made another song current. However, to me, she's starting to sound the same every week??? It's like she's singing the same song. This was a good performance, but, like Crystal, she needs to step out of her comfort zone. Rating: 7.7/10

Ranking based on ratings:

1. Crystal Bowersox
2. Siobhan Magnus
3. Lacey Brown
4. Didi Benami
5. Lilly Scott (eliminated)
6. Katelyn Epperly (eliminated)
7. Katie Stevens
8. Paige Miles

Performance-wise, Katie and Paige are going home. I also think that Katelyn, Lilly and Lacey (despite her good performance) are in danger. Please save Katie and Katelyn!! :(

American Idol Season 9 Review #3: Top 10 Boys

Supposedly the girls night to perform, the boys took the stage instead due to Crystal Bowersox’s health condition. Going straight to the point, most of the performances tonight were leagues better than last week’s. Below are my individual performance critiques.

Michael Lynche (It’s A Man’s World)- He actually did really well tonight. He was in his element. The song was quite bland, but was a great song choice for him, I believe. He displayed showmanship. Contrary to being an “opening” performer last week (according to Simon), tonight he seemed to be more like the lead. Good way start off the show. Rating: 8/10

John Park (Gravity by John Mayer)- This was a better song choice for John Park. He was ok, but he didn’t bring much. He didn’t add anything new to the song. He wanted to be genuine and authentic. Unfortunately, I could not believe it. Quite bland, sad to say, but miles better than last week’s performance. Rating: 6.5/10

Casey James (I Don’t Want to Be by Gavin DeGraw)- It was a good song choice. I could totally see him doing music like this on a future album. However, like John Park, I feel that he didn’t add anything new. Well, he did all the cool guitar tricks and stuff, however I think this is a big step back from his last performance. He created such a high for himself with “Heaven” that he failed going up from there. It was just ok. Rating: 7.5/10

Alex Lambert (Everybody Knows by John Legend)- Way better now. He seemed more confident and relaxed (probably because he had his guitar). Nevertheless, he really performed it tonight. Once again, he has a great and unique tone to his voice that I really like. He clearly stepped it up tonight! It was legit! My favorite performance of the night. :D Rating: 9/10

Todrick Hall (What’s Love Got to Do With It by Tina Turner)- STOP making song unrecognizable!!! Just sing!! Todrick clearly has a great voice, he just does not showcase it. I suggest, if he gets through to next week, that he just sing a simple song, not doing anything to the arrangement. I think he’s in danger though. :/ 5/10

Jermaine Sellers (What’s Going On by Marvine Gaye)- Jermaine has really really gone downhill from his audition. He tends to be screechy and boring now. I think he’s in danger as well. Pick the right song and don’t over sing. Rating: 5/10

Andrew Garcia (You Give Me Something by James Morrison)- Sorry to say, Andrew just couldn’t live up to the hype that the show built for him. I think he’s going to be like Ramiele Malubay in season 7, who started off really great, and went downhill starting top 24. This song showed the limits and weaknesses of Andrew’s voice. I guess his frontrunner status is fading. Love the song though! Rating: 7.5/10

Aaron Kelly (My Girl by the Temptations)-I honestly did not like this song choice for him. Although he brought something new to it and made it his own, I thought that the performance was a bit off and all over the place. He is good, and I personally see him going far in the competition, but he has to know what kind of music he wants to do and this song won’t help him. The song seemed old for him as well. I think he should’ve just done something more current in the Pop Country genre (something by Carrie Underwood or Lady Antebellum??). Rating: 7/5/10

Tim Urban (C’mon Get Higher by Matt Nathanson)- I liked the song choice, but I just didn’t feel the performance in general. He added nothing new to the song, but it was not a bad performance. I personally think he should’ve left last week. I fear that he will be staying for a while courtesy of the teen fan girl vote. Rating: 6/10

Lee DeWyze (Lips of an Angel by Hinder)- I thought Lee was overrated last week. However, tonight I do see the potential in Lee. This song by Hinder was a great choice for him. He even tried going out of his comfort zone by stepping out without a guitar …props to him for doing that! This performance felt real. I think he’s a dark horse, personally. Rating: 8/5/10

Here’s my ranking of the Top 10 boys based on the individual ratings:

1. Alex Lambert

2. Lee DeWyze

3. Michael Lynche

4. Aaron Kelly

5. Casey James

6. Andrew Garcia

7. John Park (eliminated)

8. Tim Urban

9. Jermaine Sellers (eliminated)

10. Todrick Hall

Based on my ratings, Jermaine and Todrick are goners. I personally think that John Park is in danger as well. I absolutely want Tim Urban to just go, but I think he’ll be saved by the “cute” vote or something.