It was a wipeout in IDOL LIVE's 2010 edition of the poll of the week champion series, as readers were asked which 12th (or 13th)-place finalist is their favorite of all nine seasons.
It was most likely due to lack of participation that David Hernandez garnered 72% of all votes cast, which equates to 13 of the 18 votes. No other finalist managed to get more than one vote (5%), which suggests no 12th/13th-place finisher has a solid fan base.
Regardless, David will advance to the final round of the champion series, which we will revisit once all other placements are decided. In the next round, readers will be asked which 11th-place finalist is their favorite of all nine seasons. Voting will be open for exactly one week.
Vanessa Olivarez 1 (5%)
Leah LaBelle 0 (0%)
Lindsey Cardinale 0 (0%)
Melissa McGhee 1 (5%)
Brandon Rogers 0 (0%)
David Hernandez 13 (72%)
Jasmine Murray 1 (5%)
Jorge Nunez 1 (5%)
Lacey Brown 1 (5%)
Votes so far: 18
Showing posts with label jasmine murray. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jasmine murray. Show all posts
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Poll of the week: David Hernandez favorite 12th/13th-place finalist
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
IDOL LIVE Blog - Top 6 Results (4/28/10)
Last night was nice mostly because it didn't run over, but there were also a few decent performances. Maybe it's because we're getting down to the wire and the majority of the cannon fodder are gone? Or maybe it's just the standards have been lowered so much that they have nowhere to go but up? Either way, I'll refrain from complaining.
Tonight we surprisingly cannot expect a performance from this week's mentor, Shania Twain, however Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts and...Shakira...will all be there to perform. To see who I predict will be leaving tonight, see here.
Please feel free to add your two cents throughout the one-hour blogcast, with coverage starting just prior to 9 p.m. ET.
Tonight's blogcast features the music of Daughtry, Jasmine Murray, Katharine McPhee, Kristy Lee Cook, Matt Giraud.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
IDOL LIVE Blog - Top 8 Girls Perform (3/9/10)
Tonight we blog during the Top 8 female semifinalists' performance episode, which is the final step before six girls become finalists and join the Top 12. The theme is once again songs that have charted on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. If all goes according to plan, there will be less drama compared to there was one week ago.
Please feel free to add your input throughout the one-hour blogcast, with coverage starting just prior to 8 p.m. ET.
Tonight's blogcast features the music of Haley Scarnato, Jasmine Murray, Kelly Clarkson, Paris Bennett and Syesha Mercado.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Poll of the week: David Hernandez kicks off champion series with a win
For the first installment of the second annual IDOL LIVE poll of the week champion series, David Hernandez was the recipient of the title of favorite 13/12th-place finalist of all eight seasons (or all seven seasons that had a Top 12/13).
The seventh season's 12-place finisher scored 21 votes, good for 39% of the 53 votes cast. The next closest finalist was Jorge Nunez of Season 8, as the Puerto Rican contestant garnered 13 votes (24%). Right behind him was his season mate Jasmine Murray, who took in a total of seven votes (13%).
As the winner of this round, David will be back in a few months to vie for the finals of the champion poll series where he will take on much tougher competition.
In the next installment of IDOL LIVE's poll of the week champion series, readers are asked which 11th-place finalist is their favorite of all eight seasons. Voting will be open for exactly one week.
Vanessa Olivarez 1 (1%)
Leah LaBelle 2 (3%)
Lindsey Cardinale 3 (5%)
Melissa McGhee 2 (3%)
Brandon Rogers 4 (7%)
David Hernandez 21 (39%)
Jasmine Murray 7 (13%)
Jorge Nunez 13 (24%)
Total votes: 53
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
IDOL LIVE Blog: Top 11 Results (3/18/09)
After last night's interesting performance selection, we see which finalist just couldn't tackle what the Grand Ole Opry had to offer. Fortunately, we have Carrie Underwood's performance with Randy Travis to look forward to, as well as Brad Paisley's solo performance of his new single "Then." The blogcast will begin at 9 p.m. ET and will last one hour.
Tonight's blogcast will feature music from Carrie Underwood, Elliott Yamin, Jasmine Murray, Jorge Nunez and Syesha Mercado.
IDOL LIVE predix: Top 11 Results
Grand Ole Opry night has come and gone, but the perforamnces first seen during the spectacle have left a lasting impression (not all of them good). Regardless of what happened onstage last night, tonight's elimination will be more about who does not have a shot at winning this whole thing and would be better served exiting now than it is about which finalist delivered the worst performance.
With that said, read my predictions for how tonight will go below:
Here is how tonight will go:
Bottom 3
>Allison, Alexis, Michael
Bottom 2
>Alexis, Michael
Eliminated
>Michael
Even though DialIdol has Michael in the clear (and above Scott), it will not be right this week. That does not mean Alexis will escape tonight unscathed, as her Idol hopes will be hanging by a thread. She will be granted one more shot at making an impression on America and will merely be a member of the bottom 2.
Allison will make an appearance as a wake up call of sorts to her fanbase, prompting it to vote even harder next week to ensure she sticks around a little bit longer. But Alexis being in the bottom 2 would be a little more believable than Allison in the tricky situation.
Michael is an easy option to send home this week. He gave a lackluster performance, received lukewarm comments and was left forgettable after an onslaught of generally more highly-praised performances. This will be a carbon copy of Season 3's Top 11 results show, when Matt Rogers was sent home. If Michael does not leave now, he will lag along until mid-season, knocking out a few front runners while he's at it.
Even though it may not matter in the end because there are only three "front runners" in total, the producers don't want to send any red flags this early in the season. And losing two girls in two weeks would leave the male/female ratio at 7/3 for the Top 10, which would be the reverse of Season 3, and we all know that cannot (and should not) happen again.
My original predictions for the 11th-place finisher was Jasmine, but we all know how that turned out. Still, Michael was my prediction to go home 12th, so him leaving 11th would not be that far off. Needless to say, the judges would never in a million years waste the immunity privilege on him.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Jasmine, Jorge perform on 'Ellen'
Following their ousters last Wednesday on Idol, 13th- and 12th-place finalists Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nunez, respectively, yesterday made post-Idol appearances on Ellen. Watch their interview with host Ellend Degeneres and their performances below:
As she did last season, Ellen will be having each eliminated finalist on her show the week following his or her elinination to chat and perform.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Analysis: So that was the "secret," eh?
Now that the top secret twist is out in plain view, it's time we take a look at the repercussions (if any) that will be felt as a result. First of all, it's not nearly as bad as many suspected. The rampant rumor was that the judges would get to have the bottom two finalists have a "sing-off" and then they would decide who would go home each week. That would have been downright awful.
In the actual scenario, the judges will only get grant immunity to one finalist once during the entire season, and the option expires Top 5 week. What's important to stress is that the next-lowest vote-getter would not be eliminated, rather there would be a double elimination the following week. That is doable I guess, but it's a little pointless. The only thing it will be held onto for is the possibility of an Adam/Danny/Lil pre-Top 5 exit, which is just not going to happen anyway. So we'll see if there's any valid reason for this threat being brought into the judges' arsenal.
Oh, and Ryan - under this system, Chris Daughtry and Tamyra Gray would not have been able to be saved, as they were both eliminated during Top 4 week. So next time maybe you should have your aide(s) do your homework for you.
Now, back to the actual results. It was no surprise that a combination of Jorge/Megan/Jasmine were going to be eliminated last night, so they did their best to hype up the suspense. Putting Megan with Jasmine for the first "bottom 2" was a good idea, as she was probably really in the bottom 3 or just outside it. Putting Anoop with Jorge was deceiving, though, as he in fact received much more votes than they made it seem like he did. Allison Iraheta most likely should have been standing down there but to make it seem more believable, they decided to place someone who delivered a not so great performance in synthetic peril.
Jasmine's elimination proved that wild card picks don't always work out. Plus, there were a half-dozen girls that belonged in the Top 13 over her, but the judges had to find out they made a mistake the hard way. Doesn't matter, they won't learn regardless. Jasmine did the best she could do with "I'll Be There," but it did come across as being very pageanty and usually doing ballads sandwiched in between better and more memorable performances will lead to an exit. She did her best to control her emotions but keeping in mind that she's still only 17, she should not be ashamed of anything about her time on Idol. Ryan was actually useful last night as he comforted her.
Then there was Jorge, who would have been out early regardless of what he sang Tuesday and only got into the finals thanks to a fluke of a performance in Group 3. But picking a song with "Goodbye" in the title is never a good idea, so that just added to the Peurto Rican's problems. Simon might have been a little too blunt when he said "No. Sorry." after being asked by Ryan if the judges were going to exercise their saving grace on Jorge. But that's just Simon for you.
Kanye West performed his single "Heartless," which pretty much described the performance itself. The fact that it was pretaped was extremely noticeable and took away from what little excitement there was.
The highlight of the night was without a doubt Kelly Clarkson's return to the Idol stage to perform "My Life Would Suck Without You." She was her very own self in her pre-performance chat with old pal Ryan, giggling and joking about herself. The fact that she did her performance live added to the energy, as opposed to that other guy who was just used as filler. It goes without saying that Kelly is just in a league of her own in comparison to the current batch of hopefuls. There's just no way to say any of them match up to her at the moment, performance or vocals-wise.
Next week's theme, Grand Ol' Opry, should be fun for most, not for some (I mean you, Megan). Wonder if Adam will pick a Dolly song? Maybe Danny will do a hoe down to further show off his awesome dancing skills? It all remains to be seen. Plus Carrie Underwood will perform "I Told You So." You can't go wrong with that, now can you?
IDOL LIVE's predictions so far are not going too hot. For my original predictions, I incorrectly predicted Megan leaving 13th and Michael departing 12th, so I'm 0-2 in that respect. As for my pre-results predictions, I got the two eliminated finalists right, but the order wrong (predicted Jorge 13th, Jasmine 12th). So I'm also 0-2 in that department. It should be easier from here on out because we (hopefully) won't have to deal with any more of these ridiculous double elimination.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
IDOL LIVE predix: Top 13 Results
Just as I was starting to get into the swing of things the judges have to go and invoke their "special privelege" of being able to decide which lucky bottom 3 barnacle receives a get out of jail free pass. At least that's what everyone is under the impression will happen. Under the old regime, one person would most definitely be going home, but this time around it appears they will in fact be saved.
Read my predictions below (if you dare).
Here are tonight's possible bottom 3 scenarios:
Scenario 1:
Bottom 3
>Jorge, Megan, Jasmine
After the three perform one more time for the judges, Megan is given immunity.
Eliminated:
>Jorge (13th), Jasmine (12th)
Scenario 2:
Bottom 3
>Jasmine, Megan, Jorge
Jasmine is sent back to the couches.
Eliminated:
>Jorge (13th), Megan (12th)
So scenario #1 is looking to be the best bet to happen tonight, and it is not surprising that Megan will ultimately be the one given safety because the judges are in love with her (and her tattoo) despite the good possibility that she had the lowest vote totals of the bunch. There's no way of getting around the fact that Jorge was the worst last night, so he has to be out, and Jasmine will be lumped in with the "forgotten" category so the judges won't bother giving her a third chance at staying in the competition.
And nevermind what DialIdol is predicting this week because finalists 13-6 are all way too close together, so no need to worry about Allison or Kris leaving tonight.
Hopefully scenario #2 happens, but it doesn't look promising. My original predictions for the 13th- and 12th-place finishers were Megan and Michael, respectively, and one of those will most definitely not be going home. The other has a slight chance but probably won't thanks to the new X-Factor judges' manipulation tool.
Monday, March 9, 2009
IDOL LIVE predix: How the Top 13 will place (and who will win)
After correctly predicting eight out of 13 finalists from the Top 36 before any of them took the stage for America to make its judgments and predicting 10 of 13 for the finalists after each group of finalists performed, including Thursday's wild card.
Now it's time to get down to business, as the much trickier task of pegging how each finalist will finish in the Idol horse race must be performed. There are a few good possibilities to consider in making this forecast, but one wrong placing and the whole prediction could be derailed.
After giving the scenarios careful thought, you can read my predictions below.
The Top 13 of American Idol: Season 8 (ordered by predicted place of elimination)
13th-place finalist:
>Megan Corkrey
Megan (is her last name now Joy?) has all the makings of a Melissa McGhee run on Idol. She gets into the Top 13 by a hair on a less than stellar performance (at the hands of the judges, mind you) and she has a unique voice that is pretty polarizing. Couple these facts with handing Megan the tough task of tackling the music of Michael Jackson this week and we have a carbon copy of Melissa's elimination in Season 5.
12th-place finalist:
>Michael Sarver
Assuming this week is a double elimination to get the show back on schedule (unless they're gunning for a dreaful Top 3 finale this time around), this should be the last time we hear from Michael until the finale. Michael is one of those finalists that would not have made the Top 13 had he been placed in a more competitive group, or maybe if he had been just placed in one of the two later groups. He is unfortunately stuck in the finals now, and will be handed a heavy amount of criticism until he is sent packing. Michael's a nice oil rigger, but he's not right for this show. If this week does not see two contestants being given their plane tickets home, expect to see a departure next Wednesday.
11th-place finalist:
>Jasmine Murray
Another wild card pick that many could not explain, Jasmine will skate by the first week or two thanks to the fact that there are weaker competitors, but her time will run up quick because she just does not have the likability factor that many others have. Not to mention she's not nearly the best vocalist, and that fact will remain the same no matter how many times Kara uses the c-word (commercial) to describe her.
10th-place finalist
>Jorge Nunez
Thanks to a surprisingly strong performance Jorge was able to secure a spot in the Top 13 over more probable (and more deserving) contestants, which is a great testament to his ability to connect with audiences. That said, now that he has got the go-ahead to bring his accent back, Jorge's singing will be affected (whether or not this is a positive thing is up to the voting public). Not to mention Grand Ole Opry week is going to be a mess for him.
9th-place finalist:
>Kris Allen
Kris has a lot of things going for him. Ask the girls and they'll most likely say they like him for his looks (or they'll do a good job trying to deny that's the real reason they like him), he gave a great performance in the semifinals and has been able to overcome the tough task of impacting audiences after little to no air time before reaching the Top 36. The one thing going against him, however, is that he's on a battlefield with stronger performers, which will allow him to go only so far. It is entirely possible that Kris could be a dark horse and make it farther, but I wouldn't bet on it. Still, a ninth-place finish is nothing to sneeze at.
8th-place finalist:
>Alexis Grace
Alexis is caught between a rock and a hard place. She came out strong amid an extremely weak group of girls and made it through in the same way Michael did, whereas if she had been in any other group she probably would not have advanced. She has a nice soulful voice but lacks universal appeal, and could be described as very forgettable. Unless she can muster a showstopper that could elevate her stature for a few more weeks, she will exit the show in eighth place.
7th-place finalist:
>Matt Giraud
Despite Simon's comments about his outfit last Thursday, Matt appeals to the core demographic of this show. He has a style similar to Elliott Yamin's and proved that he can play a mean piano back in Hollywood when he sang "Georgia" by Ray Charles. This will only give him a leg up on other finalists, but it will not be enough to send him past seventh place. Matt will begin to be seen as bland and will suffer from lukewarm critiques from the judges with the exception of Simon, who will lay it on him the second he goes off key.
6th-place finalist:
>Scott MacIntyre
Scott is a really nice guy with an average voice. He is not winning material, and will cause a lot of controversy by making it further than some of the "stronger" vocalists (Kris, Matt). Although it is not fair to compare him to Season 3's John Stevens, Scott will see a similar run, eating up the granny vote and delivering a lot of slow ballads week after week. Still, Scott's ability to finally show off his piano skills onstage will bring a different weapon to his arsenal, which should be enough to propel him into the upper half of the Top 13.
5th-place finalist:
>Allison Iraheta
Allison is different. She's young. And she's got a lot of spunk. These three characteristics alone will be enough to launch her through the first half of the finals. Once things get down to business, though, her distinct vocals will begin to wear and tear after being subjected to "Olivia Newton John week" or "Reggaeton week" (not real themes, just wild guesses) and she will be seen as a two- to three-trick pony. It always helps to have Miley Cyrus' endorsement, but unless Miley sends MySpace bulletins to her fans reminding them to vote for Allison, it probably won't matter much past the Top 5. She will make a name for herself while on the show, but things will come to a close at this point.
4th-place finalist:
>Anoop Desai
Anoop is the one wild card pick that will stand the test of time, making it into the coveted Top 4 thanks to a combination of his soulful vocals and personality (and maybe just because it's fun to hear Ryan and the judges say his name, dog). Despite this, he is really not the stuff winners are made of, and so things will catch up with him when he's left standing next to three performers that are out of his league. Still, this is an excellent showing for a geeky guy from Chapel Hill, and he will take away a lot from his experience, whether or not he decides to pursue music as a career.
3rd-place finalist:
>Adam Lambert
One word that describes Adam quite well is "unique." That is usually a good trait to have when competing on this show, but in his case he is just too unique to win the whole shebang. Adam will deliver spectacles through his performances on a weekly basis, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty, he will not win over enough of the voting public because of his counterculture status. He still should have a successful career on Broadway when all is said and done.
Runner-up:
>Lil Rounds
The much hyped, much talked about Lil would win this show if it were Season 3 or maybe even Season 6, but she can't win Season 8. As already stated by the judges and co., a guy will take the title this season. That rules Lil out, no matter how poised and how consistent she may be. It will still be an exciting finale with her in it, and the judges will love it because they love her. Besides, the finales are always a little more interesting when there are two members of the opposite sex competing against each other. The only thing that could ruin this finale, though, would be if a Top 3 finale was installed to make up for choosing a baker's dozen to represent the finalists, and in that case Lil would have even less of a chance to win it.
Winner:
>Danny Gokey
And then we're left with Danny Gokey. If he can weather the ridiculous "using his dead wife to advance" complaint that's being sloshed around the net at the moment, he will surely fit the bill of an Idol winner. Who can't picture Danny on the stage at the Kodak/Nokia singing an ultra cheesy power ballad with multicolored confetti showering down on a screaming audience? Things that will help Danny make it to this point are overpraise from judges, his knack for choosing the right song and great vocals. Not to mention all the other finalists seem to be saying great things about him as a person. If he does not win, it would not be the biggest surprise, but it really does seem like this is the year of the Gokey, whether we like it or not.
And there we have it. Each week I will compare my original predictions with how things turn out in reality in addition to making revised predictions depending on the circumstances each week. Hopefully things go better than my Top 12 and Top 36 predictions. (Photos courtesy of AmericanIdol.com).
Friday, March 6, 2009
Top 13 week theme: Michael Jackson
Ryan had Megan, Anoop, Jasmine and Matt on his radio show on KIIS-FM today to discuss last night's wild card extravaganza. Megan confirmed that the theme for Tuesday is in fact the music from Michael Jackson's catalog.
In the mini interview with Ryan, Anoops said he was "Punk'd" really bad last night when he thought he was cut, while Jasmine said she was "so thankful" to have accomplished so much at such a young age. megan said she hasn't chosen a song yet, but she'll get on it and hopefully have one by tonight.
Although most of the Top 13 will predictably go for some of his sappier ballads ("I'll Be There"), 10 bucks Adam goes ahead and pulls a "Thriller." That would be worth having the theme right there just for the spectacle.
Analysis: They're casting the show, alright
Simon probably said it best last night when he exclaimed during the midddle of his critique of Anoop Desai that the judges "have to cast the next stage" of the show and that "we gotta put some personality through, not just the boring singers."
Yes, it's only taken eight seasons for him to admit it live on national television that it's not just about singing, but he finally did it so that's all that counts. Of course everyone has known and acknowledged this for years, but the judges have never been this blunt about the topic. Simon gets props for those few lines last night.
As for how the wild card round went, there were probably three deserving contenders (Anoop Ricky Braddy and Matt Giraud), but only two made it through. Megan Corkrey's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" was only a smidgen better than her last performance, and Jasmine Murray's "Reflection" was just average. Jesse Langseth wasn't much better, though, and Tatiana del Toro was as good as she was the first round, meaning she probably should have made it over either of those girls.
But of course, the producers don't want Sanjaya Pt. 2 plaguing this already disappointing season, so she was left to weep at the feet of the four judges (p.s. does anyone think Tatiana would have been perfect for the lead female role on FOX's new show Glee? When I saw that commercial last night, all I could think of was Tatiana playing the part).
Another thing that didn't help Tatiana's cause was her BS answers to Paula about her accent and to Simon about why she sang the same song three times. It's not like she was going to go through anyway, but really, she just had a case of clueless, sloppy diharrea of the mouth.
The show itself was rushed, rambled and rattled, with the only "exciting" part being when Anoop was told he'd be the 13th finalist this season. The only problem is the rumor of a Top 13 had been circling since early January, so many were not all that surprised. Besides, when Jasmine made it in first we knew something was up because the judges had been raving over Megan, Matt and Anoop the whole night.
Simon seemed to be in an especially good mood last night, something that isn't found very often, which makes me wonder if he actually was listening to the performances or if I was just running his preconceived critiques through his head. Paula was especially flighty, while Randy seemed to copy everything Simon said. Kara was just...there.
IDOL LIVE's predictions for the Top 36 finished 10-13 thanks to a perfect prediction for last night. For my original Top 12 prediction before even hearing a single semifinals performance, I finished at 8-12 (the unforseen 13th spot will count as Megan, since I did have Jasmine, Anoop and Matt in my original Top 12). Not too shabby if I do say so myself.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
IDOL LIVE predix: Wild card selections
These predictions should be the easiest ones for the whole season. It could not be more apparent by the judges' inclusion of such cannon fodder as Jesse Langseth and Ricky Braddy in their selections as to whom they already chose for the final three spots of the Top 12. Tonight's pointless episode is nothing more than an hourlong, 20-million-viewer-attracting bottle of Elmer's for commercials. But hey, what else are we to expect from this show?
Read my predictions below.
Here are you preconceived wild card finalists:
>Megan Corkrey
>Anoop Desai
>Matt Giraud
If necessary...
>Jasmine Murray
Megan making it is a 100% lock. She has everything the judges (especially Simon) want in a female contestant, and if they could languish her with praise after her sputtering, awkward version of "Put Your Records On," they will put her through regardless of what she sings tonight.
Anoop should have made it over Michael Sarver in Group 1, so this will be a way for the judges to cancel out that embarassment. His name alone should have got him in the first time based on how this season has been going.
Matt Giraud will pick the right song, which will grant him the spot because they all loved him in Hollywood Week. Unless he sings "Viva la Vida" again, he's going nowhere but the finals.
The reason Jasmine is listed above as a possible pick is if they follow through on what has been a rumor circling for months now that the "big twist" we are all awaiting for the Top 12 is that there will not be a Top 12, rather there will be a Top 13. This would be a first in the series' history and probably should not be a possibility because it would screw everything up. But if in fact they do follow through on the threat, Jasmine will get it so long as she sings something by Rihanna. If she does not do this one simple thing, she can kiss her spot in a theoretical Top 13 goodbye.
How's that for a wild card showdown?
I am 6-9 in picking the Top 12 advancees after last night's predictions, so it doesn't really matter anymore whether or not I'm right in terms of reaching for an A. Looks like I'll have to settle for a C-.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Analysis: "Predictable" doesn't begin to describe...
Who really thought Nick Mitchell would take the "final" spot last night over Adam Lambert? Do the producers think the audience is that stupid, that it would be more susprised that Adam made it over Nick than it would Kris Allen making it over Matt Giraud or Megan Corkrey?
Although the show did improve format-wise this week (i.e. the elimination of the parent/loved ones segment), it failed to capitalize on what would have made for a more interesting final reveal for the third spot. I wouldn't be surprised if a third of the audience just stopped watching after Kris was handed the second spot in the Top 12, as everyone and their mother knew Adam would make it since it was crystal clear he got the Gokey treatment on Wednesday.
Even Allison Iraheta's Top 12 spot could be spotted a mile away, so the whole hour was kind of useless in the whole results department, which is kind of a problem. And did we really have to see that montage set to "What a Wonderful World" again? If that doesn't scream "filler," I don't know what does.
And then there was the 12 semifinalists' pre-recorded sounding rendition of Ne-Yo's "Closer." If the performance is any indication of how this season will turn out, it gives the notion that it will be a guy-dominated season much more support, as the six girls sang about a total of three and a half lines.
Despite these blemishes, the show was otherwise pretty entertaining. Simon and Paula got into their normal spats, and Kara even engaged Simon head on, which I suspect we will begin to see more of as the season goes on.
The highlight of the show, however, was Brooke White's return to the Idol stage to perform her new single, "Hold Up My Heart." Brooke was refreshing both vocally and personality-wise, as her advice to the semifinalists of not "googling yourself" beckoned back to the same quirky Brooke that audiences fell in love with last season.
So far this Top 12 is a mixed bag. It's definitely strong on diversity of singing style and personality but it's short on diversity overall, which makes me think Lil Rounds is all but guaranteed a spot and Ju'Not Joyner could also be a great bet next week.
Possible wild card selections from this bunch are most likely Matt G. and Megan, but it's doubtful the judges would waste a few other spots on semifinalists from this group with the exception of Jasmine Murray, whom they all seem to like because she's "very commercial." Expect the majority of the picks to come from Group 3.
As for IDOL LIVE's predictions, we're 4-6 in the semifinals and 3-6 in the Top 12, so it's not looking all that great so far.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
About last night: Can anyone choose the right song?
If there's one thing Group 3 better not screw up on next week, it's song choice. That seems to be the judges' go-to negative critique of choice this season, as almost everyone last night heard the phrase in some form.
In fact, some of the choices were just plain out there, like Mishavonna Henson's take on Train's "Drops of Jupiter." What's the sense in picking one of the most overplayed songs on radio in the past decade? I mean, it's not like she was near the worst of the night, but c'mon, pick a song that will actually show off your vocals.
Another odd choice of song was Matt Giraud's decision to tackle Coldplay's epic (and I don't throw that word around lightly) "Viva la Vida." It's the furthest thing away from what he should be singing, and although it wasn't the complete mess Simon & crew made it out to be, it was definitely puzzling.
There were a lot of competitors for the title of "worst of the night," such as Nick/Norman/Normund/whatever he wants to be called's overdramatic, borderline blasphemous performance of "And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going)" and Kai Kalama's dull throwback pick of "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted." But the title has to go to that "bartender from D.C." (thanks Ryan for that introduction).
We caught our first glimpse of one that has managed to elude us this whole time called Jeanine Vailes, and what we saw was not pretty (sans her Haley Scarnato legs). Many had fears that Jeanine would be the next Juanita Barber rather than the next Jennifer Hudson, and those fears came true after she took on Maroon 5's "This Love." Kara got it 100% right when she called it "overdone," and Jeanine's incessant begging and pleading by trying to make the case that she received no airtime prior to last night as a reason for her to advance to have another shot at proving herself didn't help matters. Although she was sort of right about that, she had to make the best of what she was given and she couldn't. Sorry Jeanine, at least you've got great legs (and lips, according to Simon).
There were some unexpected positive comments after a few performances, like Megan Corkrey's "Put Your Records On." Her awkwards swaying and inescapable tattoo that swamped her right upper arm and shoulder completely took away from any semi-good vocals that came from her, yet the judges ate it up. There were also some unexpected negative comments, like the lukewarm reception Jesse Langseth received for her unique performance of "Bette Davis Eyes." Maybe it has to do with the fact that Jesse never was really in consideration for the Top 12, especially following Simon's comments about her having "no shot" at winning after she made the Top 36?
As for the two most overpraised performers of the night, the judges had a field day with Allison Iraheta's shoutfest on "Alone" and Adam Lambert's screechfest on "Satisfaction." Although Allison had some bright spots on her song, she had to really reach on a few notes but seemed comfortable moving about the stage, so it wasn't so bad. But the judges were totally in love with her for some strange reason, even after she appeared as dumb as a doornail in her pre-performance sit-down with Ryan.
As for Adam, it's quite apparent that he will get the Danny Gokey treatment this season, as his overdramatic performance was hailed as the second coming of Danny's "Hero." Adam seems like he would be a very good technical singer if he could just tone it down a notch...or two...or three. I know he's used to performing in theatre but it's a completely different ball game on this show, and the sooner he figures that out the better. It is funny, though, how Kara wrote off the overdramatic stuff automatically and went straight to the pimpage.
More song choice problems were found with Jasmine Murray's "Love Song" and Kris Allen's "Man In the Mirror." Jasmine was once a front runner and widely believed to be the favorite to advance as the top female vote getter tonight, but it looks like that won't happen. She should have gone with a Rihanna song (according to Randy at least). Kris did well, but he will be forgotten relatively easily.
And then there's that welder, Matt Breitzke. He pretty much had no chance as soon as Michael Sarver advanced, but his blah performance of Tonic's "If You Could Only See" was the second-to-last nail in the crypt for his chances. His backtalking with Simon was the final nail, to be sure. Still he should get props for attempting that song.
Well, it looks like Group 2 actually managed to be worse than Group 1, which puts pressure on Group 3 to deliver like never before. Odds are it won't, though, save for a few unknowns that could pull through. At least we have Brooke White's performance to look forward to tonight. Maybe she'll show this year's batch how it's really done.
P.S. has anyone noticed how many mothers/fathers/single mothers there are this season? Not sure why that is, but it's just an interesting observation.
Poll of the week: Adam is top dog in Group 2
Judging from the results of last week's poll of the week and the conventional wisdom from tonight's performances, it looks like IDOL LIVE's readers correctly chose for the two guys that will advance to the Top 12 tomorrow night, but was a little less sure when it came to the girl that will advance.
Adam Lambert scored 37 votes, good for 37% of the 99 total votes cast, in addition to scoring big time with the judges tonight after his performance of "Satisfaction." Next up was Matt Giraud, who despite flailing through his take on Coldplay's "Viva La Vida," should be a very good bet to make the Top 12 tomorrow. He took in 19 votes (19%).
A wild card in this mix is Kris Allen, who finished third overall with 15 votes (15%) and would not be a surprise if he in fact makes it in over Matt. As for the girls, it was Jasmine Murray who stole the top votes among their gender, though it was a rather pitiful take of nine votes (9%). The likely female representative in the Top 12 of Group 2, Allison Iraheta, was only able to manage four votes (4%).
In this week's poll of the week, IDOL LIVE readers are asked to choose their favorite semifinalist from Group 3. You will have exactly one week to vote.
Kris Allen 15 (15%)
Matt Breitzke 1 (1%)
Megan Corkrey 7 (7%)
Matt Giraud 19 (19%)
Mishavonna Henson 2 (2%)
Allison Iraheta 4 (4%)
Kai Kalama 2 (2%)
Adam Lambert 37 (37%)
Jesse Langseth 0 (0%)
Nick Mitchell 3 (3%)
Jasmine Murray 9 (9%)
Jeanine Vailes 0 (0%)
Total votes: 99
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Group 2 *possible* song choices
Although they are almost always fake nowadays unless they appear on the net 30 minutes prior to showtime, a list of possible song choices for the twelve semifinalists of Group 2 has been making the rounds since last night. What makes this list a little more convincing is that it seems to fit in with the few hints that found their way onto JoesPlace's blog. See the list below:
Kris Allen, "How You Remind Me" by Nickelback
Matt Breitzke, "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" by Michael Bolton
Megan Corkrey, "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinéad O'Connor
Matt Giraud, "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay
Mishavonna Henson, "With or Without You" by U2
Allison Iraheta, "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler
Kai Kalama, "Lean on Me" by Club Nouveau
Adam Lambert, "All By Myself" by Eric Carmen
Jesse Langseth, "You Needed Me" by Anne Murray
Nick Mitchell, "Crying" by Roy Orbison
Jasmine Murray, "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles
Jeanine Vailles, "Love Will Lead You Back" by Taylor Dayne
*IF* these are indeed true, it looks like this will be a half very boring, half very exciting performance episode. One thing for sure is that Jeanine will be toast if she sings that song (but she pretty much already is, so it probably won't make a difference).
Saturday, February 14, 2009
IDOL LIVE predix: Top 12 of Season 8
Now that the Top 36 has been chosen and barring any other Joanna-like swaps, it seems like now would be a good time for IDOL LIVE to post predictions for the Top 12 of Season 8. Although the other two groups have yet to be revealed, it is safe to assume that anyone that does not advance on their first go-round would be a viable candidate for a wild card slot. So without further ado, here is how we think the Top 12 will materialize:
The Top 12 of American Idol: Season 8
Felicia Barton
Felicia has been on a wild ride for the past few days. She had no idea she would be named as a replacement following Wednesday night's ouster of future Top 12 contestant Joanna Pacitti, and so she will put more effort into her song choice, appearance, stage presence and showcasing her personality when TV time comes. Felicia has more buzz surrounding her than any other Top 36 contestant at the moment thanks to the hundreds of news articles, blog entries and other mentions in the media as part of the Joanna disqualification story. If she does not make it the first time, odds are pretty good she will be a wild card pick to keep the guys from completely dominating the Top 12 this season.
Ann Marie Boskovich
Not only did she get a great shot to display her winning personality during her odd audition experience (being asked by the judges to come back and audition after changing up her look and song choice), but she also was heavily featured throughout Hollywood Week. Add to that the fact that she's beautiful and has experience in the music industry and you've got yourself a spot in the Top 36. She will be the only girl to advance from Group 1.
Anoop Desai
Anoop has a lot of things going in his favor. First, he his genre is R&B/Soul, so he should be able to shore up a good amount of those fans. He also is very likable in a geeky way, and as Clay Aiken has shown, Idol viewers love geeky guys. Add to this the fact that he is the first Indian-American contestant to reach the semifinals (and the sweeping popularity of Slumdog Millionaire in this country at the moment), and it looks like Anoop has more than a great shot at making the coveted Top 12. He will receive the second-most votes from Group 1, which will earn him one of the three spots from the group.
Matt Giraud
Another soulful R&B crooner, Matt has been compared to Elliott Yamin for his singing style. He has not been featured as prominently as some of the other guys, but his solo in Hollywood Week won him a lot of praise and he definitely has originality written all over him. He should make it into the Top 12 on his first try no matter which group he ends up in. Oh, and Matt's from Michigan. When's the last time there's been a semifinalist from the mitten state, LaKisha Jones? Yeah, that's a good enough reason to put him through (especially since he's from Kalamazoo).
Danny Gokey
Danny is probably the surest of sure bets to make the Top 12. He has progressed beyond his "story" that initially drew the ire of many viewers, as the sob stories were out in full force during this season's auditions. Danny was featured heavily in Hollywood Week along with his friend Jamar, whose failing to make the Top 36 came as a shock to many and will undoubtedly earn Danny some votes. He can also sing really well and has a unique quality to his voice, which is never a negative characteristic for an Idol finalist. Danny will be the first one sent through to the Top 12, as he will receive the highest amount of votes come Tuesday.
Ju'Not Joyner
Since there has to be at least one black male finalist, it will go to Ju'Not, though it should have been reserved for his major competition, Stephen Fowler, as he would have been known as the eighth season's "comeback kid" after rebounding from his botched stab at David Cook's "The Time of My Life" in Hollywood Week. Ju'Not has received less airtime and has a weaker voice, but since he will not be stuck in the strongest group like Stephen, he will make it instead.
Adam Lambert
Despite his puzzling solo of Cher's "Believe" in the final round of Hollywood Week, Adam has a lot of buzz surrounding him. Add in an existing fan base and initial universal support from the judges (although something tells us Simon Cowell might not be on the Adam train for very long) and the whole "goth-lite" look and it seems that he will define a whole new style of music that will be performed on the show (maybe it will be called "Male Diva Goth Rock"?).
Scott MacIntyre
He may not be the strongest singer among the guys, but something just tells us Scott will squeak into the Top 12. Although it sounds harsh to say that the "pity vote" from the grandmas and others might help him out a bit on his Idol journey, it would be a disservice to deny this notion. He's a great musician, as he plays the piano wonderfully, which will help compensate for what he's lacking in vocals.
Kristen McNamara
Kristen will be this year's Carrie Underwood / Kellie Pickler / Kristy Lee Cook, as there's an unwritten rule that a female country singer needs to be in the Top 12. She will beat out the other blonde country girl, Kendall Beard, primarily because she has received the most screen time and was seen as the victim in her Hollywood Week group's meltdown. Plus, it's a necessity to have a finalist that for whatever reason irks Simon, so Kristen will be that finalist.
Jasmine Murray
Incorporating Jasmine in the Top 12 will kill two birds with one stone, as she will be the commercial cute teenager in addition to being one of the African-American female singers. It also doesn't hurt that she has an extremely radio-friendly voice, and her voice's chances at making it into a recording studio would only be helped if she were allowed to make it semi-far in the competition. Jasmine also seems to be a favorite of the producers, which is never a bad thing.
Lil Rounds
If you haven't been following Idol up to this point, you never would have known the amount of praise has been lobbed Lil's way by the judges. She's being hailed as "the next Fantasia," and not many people agreed with the judges' over enthusiastic reactions to her first Hollywood solo performance. Regardless, she will get a spot in the Top 12 one way or another. Just you wait and see.
Michael Sarver
Idol desperately wants a male country winner. Since they apparently inexplicably swapped his slot in the first group with Matt Breitzke, it is even more obvious because Michael would hardly have a shot if he were to remain in that ultra competitive group. Even if it means the judges will have to waste a wild card pick on him because he might not make it in on America's vote alone, they will do so without thinking twice in order to keep him in the mix. Although he won't win, the producers will do their best to present him in a favorable light.
What do you think? Is this the Top 12 of Season 8 or what? (All photos courtesy of AmericanIdol.com).
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