After months of grueling competition, we all can finally sit back and revel in our memories of the most recent season of Idol. Although Season 8 was a disappointment, there were a good amount of performances that were able to shine through the problems that clouded the competition from a production point of view.
In this two-part series, IDOL LIVE has selected the 10 best performances that occurred on the Idol stage this past season.
10) Anoop Desai, "Ooo Baby Baby"
The likable guy with an unusual name from Chapel Hill was hit or miss in the finals, and inconsistency is probably what landed him in sixth place. Fortunately he was able to deliver his rendition of The Miracles' "Ooo Baby Baby" during Motown Week as a member of the Top 10. Watch the performance below:
This performance really showed that Anoop's crooning was not just a fluke, and for the second week in a row he took on a ballad and showed range. Paula commented on his falsetto being "sweet and spot-on," while Simon said the vocals was great but he "looked half asleep." Asleep or no, Anoop showed that he was more than just a guy with a prerogative with this showing.
09) Matt Giraud, "So Small"
Matt took a big risk Top 11 week when he chose to sing Carrie Underwood's "So Small" for the challenging theme of selections from the Grand Ole Opry. Since country is hardly his style, Matt took a different approach to the uplifting #1 hit. Refresh your memory on the performance below:
Matt's use of the piano to heighten the emotional impact on "So Small" was genius, as he also seemed relaxed and comfortable behind the keys. His husky vocals blended nicely with the instrumentation and helped him prove that he could put his own touch on very familiar songs. Randy called it his "favorite performance of the night" and Simon told Matt he out-sang Danny and that he did not get enough credit up to that point. "So Small" was the moment when Matt really emerged as a contender.
08) Adam Lambert, "Whole Lotta Love"
Adam was no stranger to blowing the roof off the house with his performances by Top 4 week, but his take on Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" was one for the Idol history books. Revisit Adam's rock 'n roll week offering below:
Simon summed up the sentiment of this performance perfectly when he told Adam "no one can top that," which was a bold statement considering Adam kicked off the show with "Whole Lotta Love." He looked like he was having more fun than ever before, and showed naysayers that he could do Led Zeppelin proud. Paula was succinct when she said Adam was "a whole lotta perfect," which is a huge overstatement, but showed the kind of effect Adam had on the audience.
07) Danny Gokey, "Come Rain Or Come Shine"
Over the course of the season, Danny was a dependable performer who could do both upbeat and slowed down numbers. When it came time for music of the Rat Pack standards, he was ready to belt out Harold Arlen's "Come Rain or Come Shine" to the best of his ability. Remind yourselves of how the performance went below:
Danny's vocals on "Come Rain or Come Shine" were extra smooth and as Kara pointed out, he had a "rat pack swagger" going on. The use of his chest voice and growling aspect of his voice were done so in the optimal ear-pleasing manner, and Simon loved the arrangement. The performance could not have come at a better time for Danny.
06) Kris Allen, "Ain't No Sunshine"
When Kris was unexpectedly awarded the pimp spot for Top 9 week, he was sure not to waste the opportunity despite having a cornucopia of songs to choose from for the top downloads theme and went with an oldie but a goodie with Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine." Watch the unforgettable performance below:
Even though he probably sang it a little better on the reprise for the Top 2 performance show, Kris' first take had that special something to go along with it. The whole use of the keyboard with minimal instrumentation to accompany him provided for an ideal setting for Kris to show off his vocal sensitivity. Simon and Paula agreed that it was Kris' best performance to date, and Kara bestowed upon him her most prized compliment: "that was artistry!"
Alright, so we're halfway through the countdown of IDOL LIVE's Top 10 performances of Season 8. If you have yet to see your favorite performance of the season, it's most likely because we have not yet reached the top tier of this season's crop. Stay tuned for the Top 5 performances of the season, which will be posted tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment