Monday, April 30, 2012

The Voice: The Elite Eight Battle It Out

Tony Lucca from Team Adam sang How Do You Like Me Now by The Heavy-- Blake felt it had a Robert Palmer feel and it was "badass". Christina thought it was fun and that he and Adam could start a Britney cover band. Cee Lo saw it as a pleasant surprise and became a fan. Adam was happy that Tony convinced him to do this song and said he killed it.
Great performance from Tony, he pushed it and did something different at just the right time.

Erin Willett from Team Blake sang Without You by David Guetta and Usher--  Christina thought it was bold of Erin to do this, she thought it was original, and was happy to see her emotionally involved. Blake admired the strength that she had and loved how she held it together during her performance.
I like Erin a lot, but a part of me feels like there were parts of this performance where she was screaming instead of singing. I praise her for her originality though.

Chris Mann from Team Christina sang Ave Maria-- Cee Lo said the incomparable Chris Mann, your voice is so powerful, stellar performance. Adam said you lend to the show's credibility, incredible job.
I have been waiting for a performance like this from Chris; I feel like this is the type of performance that puts you back in the running for the title.

Jamar Rogers from Team Cee Lo sang If You Don't Know Me By Now by Simply Red-- Adam said, I'm a fan of what you do. Blake appreciated the note at the end. Christina felt inspired to get up and sing. Cee Lo loves Jamar's story and thinks everyone will want to hear it to get to know him more.
Jamar pulled it out this week because he has big competition in Juliet Simms; they could go toe to toe. I've loved Jamar since American Idol Season 8 when he tried out and didn't make it. I don't say this often, but big mistake Simon, big mistake.

Jermaine Paul from Team Blake sang Open Arms by Journey-- Christina thought he killed it. Cee Lo loves hearing a strong male vocal and was impressed with him. Adam congratulated him and said he is no longer a backup singer. Blake said Jermaine is a frontrunner, he is the guy to beat, and he is peaking at the right time in this competition.
I have been a fan of Jermaine since he first came out to sing at the blind auditions. I am so thrilled that Blake has helped to develop him into the singer that was inside him all along. I hope he advances cause he deserves it.

Katrina Parker from Team Adam sang Killing Me Softly (With His Song) by The Fugees-- Blake loved her awesome tone. Christina said she has fallen in love with Katrina Parker throughout the course of the show. She urged Adam to take a look at Katrina Parker because she is a star.
I think Katrina and Ashley were the two most improved contestants on the show. Katrina is impressive; however, I actually have to agree with Christina that it was like Katrina trying to copy Lauryn Hill's version of the song.

Lindsey Pavao from Team Christina sang Skinny Love by Bon Iver--  Blake liked how Christina decided to take Lindsey back to her roots and where she came from.
This is the best I have heard Lindsey since the blind auditions. There is something so unusual and so original about her. Could she be the dark horse?

Juliet Simms from Team Cee Lo sang It's A Man's Man's Man's World by James Brown-- Adam called the performance special, unbelievable, and said that it captured all the judges. Christina said that song takes her back to when she sang it on the Grammy Awards. Cee Lo said, you killed it baby, you killed it.
I have been skeptical of Juliet for a while. I felt there was nothing that compared to her original performance of Oh Darlin'. It cemented me being a fan, but I had doubts with her performances going forward. She won me back tonight, her performance was memorable, she could have gone first and still received big votes because that's just how wonderful this vocal was.

My final four:
Team Adam Tony Lucca over Katrina Parker
Team Blake Jermaine Paul over Erin Willett
Team Cee Lo too close to call between Jamar Rogers and Juliet Simms
Team Christina Lindsey Pavao over Chris Mann





Wednesday, April 25, 2012

American Idol Season 11: The Top 6 Rock Out to Queen and The Contestant's Choice

The rumor was that Ryan wouldn't host tonight because he was under the weather with a horrible stomach bug. Last week, in a surprising turn of events, the competition didn't end for Elise Testone or Hollie Cavanagh, both of whom  were considered to be the weakest performers. The competition did end for Colton Dixon, who many thought were favored by the teenage girl population. Incidentally he is said to be co writing songs already with Idol alum Chris Daughtry.

The Top 6 Sing Queen

Jessica Sanchez sang Bohemian Rhapsody-- Steven said Freddie would have been proud. Jennifer said the vocal was beautiful, but it needed to be more rocked out at the rock parts. Randy felt that the performance had a lot of control especially since there were no runs in the performance. It impressed me that Jessica was able to pull this off, because it is truly one of the most difficult songs to sing. Score: 4.75

Skylar Laine sang The Show Must Go On-- Steven thought it was fabulous and could not believe that that voice and that interpretation comes from an 18 year old. Jennifer said she got goosebumps from the intensity of the performance. Randy called it one of her best to date, incredible, and effortless. Skylar continues to blow me away. There are a lot of nay-sayers out there saying that they don't think another country singer will or should win this year. I hope Skylar Laine proves them wrong. She is top three material for me.
Score: 5

Joshua Ledet sang Crazy Little Thing Called Love-- The judges gave Joshua a standing ovation. Randy said unbelievable, you're so ready, I love you, you remind me of Sam Cooke, a young Wilson Pickett in the making. Jennifer said, with you, I always know I'm gonna get an inspired vocal with a great performance. Steven said, it's always a surprise, we never know what we're gonna get with you; Freddie would have loved that. Joshua is another person who is top three material for me, I don't think he has had one bad week yet, he is by far, one of the most consistent performers that has ever been on American Idol.
Score: 5

Elise Testone sang I Want it All-- Steven called it great. Jennifer felt the song and the style of the song was right in her element, rock, blues, sexy. Randy said it was so right for you, brilliant, one of your best performances to date. Elise has been one of the most inconsistent contestants this year, and I think part of the issue is that she didn't understand who she wanted to be as an artist, I think she is figuring that out more and more every day. I hope she finally does continue on this path because she's talented.
Score: 4.9

Phillip Phillips sang Fat Bottomed Girls-- Steven said great choice of song, Jennifer said she loves how Phillip shows different flavors of himself. Randy was the most critical saying, I liked it, but I didn't love it. I agree with all of them. I feel like every time I see Phillip perform, it's such a pleasure to watch someone who is a true original. At the same time, this performance was one that didn't really excite me.
Score: 4.75

Hollie Cavanagh sang Save Me-- Jennifer urged Hollie not to get caught up in thinking about the audience, she wants her to let go, have fun, and be touched by the parts of the song that touch you. Randy said don't pull back with this song, and make sure with every performance you have a moment. Steven liked the way she held the simple melody all the way through. I liked Holly, and I didn't think she was in any more trouble in this round than say Jessica or Phillip. Be fair judges!
Score: 4.75

Contestant's Choice

Jessica Sanchez sang Dance with my Father by Luther Vandross-- Jen said it may have been the most beautiful that she has ever heard that song sung. Steven said I have never heard you sing badly. Randy called her a natural and said it is truly amazing to him. You know what's wrong when you get up there? Absolutely nothing. I was touched by Jessica's performance and it was beautiful because she connected to the song so sincerely.
Score: 5

Skylar Laine sang Tattoos on This Town by Jason Aldean-- Randy said Skylar is fierce and just goes up there and has the time of her life. Jen commented on how comfortable Skylar is on the stage. Steven didn't like the song much but said Skylar can do no wrong and that he is one of her biggest fans. I feel like literally this girl needs to record an album this year and release it in the fall. She is going to do so amazingly well, not just in country, but in pop.
Score: 4.9

Joshua Ledet sang Ready For Love by India Arie-- Randy said, I'm speechless, you're beyond your years in experience, vocals, and talent. Jen said, I don't know what to say to you anymore, that was transcendent, you snap us into reality, and you bring us present. Steven said I hope your record label finds you good songs and you're off to the moon. Skylar has apparently been counting, and Joshua has had twelve standing ovations including this one. This boy had me in tears, he touched me with this song. It was so sincere that I literally felt everything he was feeling.
Score: 5

Elise Testone sang Bold As Love by Jimi Hendrix-- Steven and Jen loved it. Jen thinks Elise's interpretations are getting better. Randy didn't think it was the right time for her to sing this song. Jen and Randy disagreed. I actually liked the groove of this song, I am proud of Elise for sticking to her guns and doing something so within her character.
Score: 4.9

Phillip Phillips sang The Stone by Dave Matthews Band-- Steven felt it was in his niche. Jen found it too obscure and artsy and urged Phillip to pick songs that are going to get him to the last show. Randy loves the artist in him, and said die, sink, or swim, at the end of the day, Phillip Phillips will always been Phillip Phillips. I agree with Randy, I think he has to who he is because that's the only person he can be.
Score: 5

Hollie Cavanagh sang The Climb by Miley Cyrus-- Hollie got a standing ovation! Randy said that's the Hollie we love, that was perfect. Jen said that's stepping it up! Steven said beautiful, good for you. I feel like if Hollie could sing like this every week, that would be amazing. She was so at home with this song.
Score: 5

Monday, April 23, 2012

The Voice, Oh No! It's More LIVE Eliminations

After last week's shocking live eliminations of Jesse Campbell and Jordis Unga on Monday and Ashley de la Rosa and Rae Lynn on Tuesday, I am watching tonight's episode with baited breath. I am nervous, some of my favorite people were eliminated, okay, okay, it may be fair to say that at this point in the competition, I have many favorites because the majority of these people are just top notch.

Jamar Rogers from Team Cee Lo kicked off the show by singing It's My Life by Bon Jovi-- Love Jamar, loved him since American Idol Season 8, but I feel like this song was better than he was. The judges totally sugar coated it just gushing over how wonderful Jamar is, and he is, but this performance wasn't like he was singing for his life. I'm also not sure what type of artist Jamar wants to be. Rock? R&B? Pop? Hip Hop? The ultimate question I was left asking myself was, does he deserve to be there? My answer needs to be yes. He has fought like hell to be here, but more than that, he has unfiltered talent.

Katrina Parker from Team Adam sang Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri-- Agree with Blake's comments about the rasp in her voice, it was amazing. Adam told Katrina that she was not one of his favorite people on his team, but she has evolved so much and she has one of the best voices now. Her vocals, for me, were just flawless in that performance, it's so amazing to think that the "pros" are lip synching and here's this undiscovered diamond in the rough laying it all out there for us.

Mathai from Team Adam sang I'm Like a Bird by Nelly Furtado-- Christina said it didn't sound like Mathai connected with the song, and the song sounded force fed. I feel the same way, and I haven't agreed with Christina much this season, but I did agree with that. It just did not sound comfortable. Nothing to do with Mathai, but the guy swinging overhead during performance was extremely strange.

James Massone from Team Cee Lo sang Just the Way You Are by Billy Joel-- Blake and Christina for some odd reason didn't like it. Conspiracy? I think so. James is a huge threat, draws in tons of votes from the young female persuasion. Thank goodness for Adam, he piped in and said he liked it and thought it was great. I was especially surprised to hear that Blake didn't like it cause he was all over having this kid on his team from the very beginning. I hope James gets the opportunity he deserves to move to the next round.

Tony Lucca from Team Adam sang Baby One More Time by Britney Spears-- Well he sure did show Christina! Tony Lucca is fearless. Christina proposed a Mickey Mouse Club reunion. Blake thought the performance was smart and loved it. Adam praised Tony for embracing his roots and having the courage to come out and do this. Tony is the American Dream that is destined to come true, he just goes out every week and gives it his best, we see his heart on that stage and cannot help but route for this man. I love him, and I hope Adam believes in him as much as his fans do.

Cheesa from Team Cee Lo sang I Have Nothing by Whitney Houston-- Christina applauded Cheesa's powerful performance, and Cee Lo called it exceptional. He said he is ready to look to the future power vocalist and that's why he brought Cheesa back. Cheesa is a powerful voice, I don't know that I loved all those new inflections that she injected into the song. I'm so used to hearing that song the way that Whitney Houston sang it, but I can appreciate what she did as far as taking a risk. It's really all or nothing in these kinds of competitions, and to win big you need to be willing to risk big.

Pip from Team Adam sang Somewhere Only We Know by Keane-- I liked the song choice but it kind of fell apart at the end when he tried to do those high notes. Maybe his desire to do this song just wasn't enough.

Juliet Simms from Team Cee Lo sang Cryin by Aerosmith-- I liked Juliet's performance, but I don't know, she just didn't blow me away like she normally does. I would love to think that maybe it has something to do with that blonde hair which completely just throws me off.

Anyhow, now to the part of the show that Adam calls "stupid"-- the instant elimination: Cee Lo eliminated my baby brother and yours, James Massone. I disagreed with this, I think it should have been Cheesa to go, I Am Nothing was Whitney karaoke. Adam eliminated Pip, I think I would have gone with Pip or Mathai this week, so good call on that Adam. You've been the only one to get it semi right thus far. Who will make it to the final two on each team? Only time, votes, and itunes will tell.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

American Idol Season 11: Now and Then, The Top 7 Again

Ryan began the show by paying tribute to the legendary Dick Clark who passed away today at the age of 82 from a massive heart attack.

The theme tonight is the top 7 "now" and "then". Now consists of songs from 2010 to today, and then is motown songs from back in the day.

NOW

Hollie Cavanagh sang Rolling in the Deep by Adele-- I agree with all the judges being positive about this performance from Hollie because it was much better than what she's done lately. However, Adele has been a bit overdone lately by singers on reality shows, and I wonder if that special thing about singing an Adele song has worn away. If only Hollie could approach every performance and every song the way that she sang this, she'd be all set.
Score: 4.5

Colton Dixon sang Bad Romance by Lady Gaga-- Randy compared his performance to being at a Colton Dixon concert. Both Randy and Jennifer agreed that he has consistently been in the zone. Steven loved his outfit, the band, and the arrangement. Colton said that singing "Bad Romance" was out of the box for him. I didn't love that song selection for him, but I cannot deny that it was still a strong performance.
Score: 4

Elise Testone sang No One by Alicia Keys-- Jennifer loved how she came alive with the song. Steven said she sang her "tushy" off, and Randy agreed saying it was a good performance. This was a great song choice for Elise, but I didn't necessarily like the changes she made to the arrangement. This is the type of song that you keep with the original.
Score: 3.75

Phillip Phillips sang U Got it Bad by Usher-- Praise the Lord for Phillip Phillips! This performance was magical from beginning to end. Steven said we never know what we're gonna get with you, that was great. Jennifer called the performance sexy, and said that it showed his versatility. Randy said you're a true artist, you come up and try to be original every week, but most importantly, you're always you; you're the bomb.
Score: 5

Jessica Sanchez sang Fallin by Alicia Keys-- The judges all praised this performance, calling it brilliant and everything else. But, for some reason, I didn't love that Jessica Sanchez performance, it was very nasal, and parts of it were over exaggerated. I hope she didn't put a nail in her Idol coffin.
Score: 3

Skylar Laine sang Born This Way by Lady Gaga-- Jennifer thought it was the perfect song for her and an amazing performance. Steven said you're giving the other girls in this competition a run for their money. He said she has crossover appeal. Randy agreed with Steven's comment saying that she is ready now. That to me is what you call a superstar performance. I loved it.
Score: 5

Joshua Ledet sang I Believe by Fantasia-- Joshua really got me with that performance, he had me in tears, and Randy is right, he is one of the most gifted singers that has ever been on the show. Wow! Jennifer said you leave it all on the stage every time, I feel blessed you're in this competition and we get to watch you. Steven said, you're just so good, there's nothing to say anymore.
Score: 5

THEN

Hollie Cavanagh sang Son of a Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield-- Randy said Hollie worked it out with this performance. Jen and Randy agreed that this was better than her first performance. Steven told her to push even more. I actually preferred her other performance to this one.
Score: 4.25

Colton Dixon sang September by Earth, Wind & Fire-- Steven thinks Colton's voice is more powerful than that song was. Jen liked the arrangement and felt he did make it his own, but she didn't think it came together how it usually does for him. Randy didn't think it was as exciting as it should have been. For me, it was on par with his other performance, it wasn't as good as I've seen him, but it was strong nonetheless.
Score: 4

Elise Testone sang Let's Get it On by Marvin Gaye-- Jen wants her to show more emotion, heart, and soul. Steven liked how it showed her versatility but felt that she needed to take it up a notch. Randy didn't think that was the right song for her voice. I agree with all the judges' comments, especially Jennifer's comments about vulnerability
Score: 3.5

Phillip Phillips sang Wait til the Midnight Hour by Wilson Pickett-- Randy said, we feel your emotion every week. Jennifer said she wants to go up and dance with Phillip. She likes that everything he does is spontaneous and from the soul. Steven called him brilliantly awkward and loves his character. Two awesome performances tonight by Phillip; he really tapped into a special place tonight, and I am in love all over again.
Score: 5

Jessica Sanchez sang Try a Little Tenderness by Otis Redding-- Steven likes that she has stepped out. Jen said we need to keep pushing you, cause vocally, "you it". Randy said it's about emotion, the public connects with the emotion. So, in a nutshell, this young lady has vocal talent written all over her, she's a prodigy essentially, but now where she needs to move forward is with her performance quality because right now, Phillip, Skylar, and Joshua have her beat in that area.
Score: 4.75

Skylar Laine sang I Heard it Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye-- Randy said you and Phillip have no problem just coming out and doing what you do. Jen said we love your spunky-ness. Steven said you're a wild horse that refuses to be tamed, you're something else. I love Skylar and I agree with Ryan saying she is singing like she has plans for the finale. Skylar is just all heart, and she knows fully who she is.
Score: 5

Joshua Ledet sang A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke-- Steven said he has stretched his voice to the limits of soul. Your voice climbs inside people and changes them for the moment. Jen begged America not to send Joshua home. Randy said this song was perfect for you, you held back and then you let it go. I am speechless, there are no words for what Joshua does every week, it's just amazing.
Score: 5

I think Elise and Jessica are in some trouble, I think Skylar, Phillip, and Joshua were stellar, so people need to pick up the phone and vote for those three.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Reality Show Crazy! Dancing with the Stars Edition

Last night was Latin night on Dancing with the Stars and the couples were "en fuego"' there were three dances choices last night: Salsa, Samba, and Argentine Tango. After the night was over, I made my list of favorites: Kym and Jaleel's Samba, Cheryl and William's Argentine Tango, Chelsie and Roshon's Salsa, and Peta and Donald's Argentine Tango, and texted them to my friend. She had texted me earlier in the night when she was done watching, telling me to, "vote for Roshon". She brought up the fact that all my favorite contestants were men. I can justify this by saying that the pros are contestants too, they value a win as much as any amateur. To me, my list also speaks to the fact that the women dancers have really stepped up in the past couple of years in terms of choreography. I think of years past and who my favorite was, and it has always been extremely balanced in terms of male and female.

I decided though that I was being unfair and probably doing something that many of the voting public does every week. I was overlooking a contestant because she isn't well know in the American market, Katherine Jenkins. Yes, she is British, she is an opera singer, and before this show, I had no idea who she was. Every week though, Katherine comes out, and she has this hunger inside her which in turn allows her to dance putting forth her best effort week after week. I will even go as far as saying that I believe she could be in the final three, even she doesn't become a Sabrina Bryant like casualty. She's that good that I wouldn't expect less. Katherine's Argentine Tango had as much fire at my favorite guys on the show.

The Leaderboard:

Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas-- Argentine Tango 29
William Levy and Cheryl Burke-- Argentine Tango 29
Maria Menounos and Derek Hough-- Salsa 29
Donald Driver and Peta Murgatroyd-- Argentine Tango 27
Roshon Fegan and Chelsie Hightower-- Salsa 26
Jaleel White and Kym Johnson-- Samba 24
Gladys Knight and Tristan McManus-- Samba 22
Melissa Gilbert and Maxsim Chmerkovskiy-- Salsa 21
Gavin DeGraw and Karina Smirnoff-- Samba 19

Monday, April 16, 2012

The Voice: Live Eliminations!

Rae Lynn from Team Blake once again kicked off a live show, they must have tons of faith in her. She sang She's Country by Jason Aldean in top form; it had tons of sass and she made the song her own. Christina even talked about wanting to become a country singer because the performance was so bad ass. I think Christina should stick to pop.

Jesse Campbell sang Halo by Beyonce; I didn't love this song for him but creatively he did his thing. His coach Christina naturally loved the performance, I don't think it was his best but I do think he takes risks fairly consistently and he gets points for that.

I was so touched by Jordis Unga's performance of Stronger by Sara Evans. Adam praised her connection with the song and the passion and emotion that she showed. This was a totally different side of her tonight, and I feel like the audience is going to understand her that much better.

Ashley De La Rosa sang Foolish Games by Jewel, and I will say it again, this young lady has stepped up in the competition. Adam agreed with me and said Ashley is the biggest surprise in this competition. Blake reiterated and said that smartest decision this year was Christina saving Ashley.

I always get scared when contestants take on Adele, especially right now since Adele is so white hot. Erin Willett took on Set Fire to the Rain, and she killed it. She made it a little different, and it really worked well with her voice. Adam urged her to focus on her phrasing for the future. I agree with Blake, I think she is the only person left in this who could effectively sing an Adele song.

I adore Lindsey Pavao, but I didn't care for this performance of Part of Me by Katy Perry. I just didn't find it exciting enough.

Christina praised the phenomenal Jermaine Paul; he killed Against All Odds by Phil Collins, he brought so much soul to that. Christina even said he was her favorite on Blake's team. Cee Lo and Adam both loved it and felt he did his own thing with it. Blake felt this performance was a turning point for Jermaine and that it turned him into a superstar.

I loved Chris Mann's performance of Viva La Vida by Coldplay. It was so wonderful to have someone who sings opera sing that song in that way. I really hope Christina keeps Chris on her team because I think he is going to thrill everyone.

So tonight was instant eliminations on The Voice, and I think both judges were wrong sadly Christina eliminated Jesse Campbell, I would have eliminated Lindsey Pavao (I love her but her performance was the weakest). Blake eliminated Joris Unga, and I think I would have eliminated Erin Willett.

Reality Show Crazy! Dancing with the Stars Edition

Week four was surprising, Sherri Shepherd was eliminated, completely not what I was thinking or hoping for. Then I was trying to figure out why she was eliminated, it's because the judges' scores last week were totally off. Some couples were under scored and some were over scored.

Sherri Shepherd & Val Chmerkovskiy – Tango
Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 7, Bruno- 7 for a total of 21/30
this score was on point give or take a point

Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas – Paso Doble
Carrie Ann- 8, Len- 8, Bruno- 8 for a total of 24/30
over scored

Jaleel White & Kym Johnson – Tango
Carrie Ann- 8, Len- 7, Bruno- 7 for a total of 22/30
under scored

Melissa Gilbert & Maksim Chmerkovskiy – Paso Doble
Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 8, Bruno- 7 for a total of 22/30
on point

Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd – Paso Doble
Carrie Ann- 9, Len- 9, Bruno- 9 for a total of 27/30
under scored big time

Gladys Knight & Tristan MacManus – Tango
Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 6, Bruno- 7 for a total of 20/30
on point

William Levy & Cheryl Burke – Jive
Carrie Ann- 7, Len- 7, Bruno- 8 for a total of 22/30
sorry to say, but on point

Roshon Fegan & Chelsie Hightower – Viennese Waltz
Carrie Ann- 9, Len- 8, Bruno- 9 for a total of 26/30
under scored

Maria Menounos & Derek Hough – Tango
Carrie Ann- 9, Len- 8, Bruno- 9 for a total of 26/30
over scored

Gavin DeGraw & Karina Smirnoff – Tango
Carrie Ann- 8, Len- 8, Bruno- 7 for a total of 23/30
on point

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

American Idol Season 11: The Top 7 Live in the Moment and Sing Songs from Today

This week's theme was revealed by Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe to be songs from this decade; the contestants were coached by the multi talented Akon.

01 Skylar Laine sang Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You by Kellie Pickler-- Randy said you could have a hit with a song like that. I felt you for the first time in a long time, that was crazy hot and crazy good. Jen said it was pitch perfect, and Steven said he is enamored by the women on the show this year. Skylar just blew me away with this song, it seemed like it was written and meant for her.
Score: 5

02 Colton Dixon sang Love The Way You Lie by Skylar Grey-- Jen likes that he leaves his mark on every song that he sings. Steven said, you could record that right now Colton, you always sing so good. I can't wait til you sing your own songs. Randy loved his interpretation and how he held back. One thing I can say with certainty about Colton is that he marches to his own beat, and it makes for stellar performances every week.
Score: 5

Phillip Phillips and Elise Testone sang Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye-- Steven said you guys nailed it, Jen loved what they brought to the song as a duet, and Randy wants them to do more duets together.

03 Jessica Sanchez sang Stuttering by Jazmine Sullivan-- Randy loved the arrangement and said the performance was superb to the highest degree. Jen thought it was really beautiful and wants Jessica to take the viewers on a ride with her for the final weeks. Steven said, when I hear you sing, I forget where I am. I understand Steven's comment, Jessica is so good, so talented, and so full of emotion when she sings that I get lost in her performance, in each song, in each lyric. She is just a mesmerizing performer, and I believe when everyone says she is going to be something special.
Score: 5

04 Joshua Ledet sang Runaway Baby by Bruno Mars-- Joshua got the first standing ovation of the night. All the judges praised Joshua, Jen loves that dynamic that a Joshua performance brings. Randy said in more words that Joshua is the whole package. Joshua is so powerful when he performs and his confidence is so evident from the first note to the last, every move on the stage is so deliberate and I just absolutely love watching him every week.
Score: 5

Skylar Laine and Colton Dixon sang Don't You Wanna Stay by Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson-- Steven said beautiful duet and the harmonies were so gorgeous and Jen echoed that sentiment. Randy thought the performance was just okay.

05 Hollie Cavanagh sang Perfect by Pink-- Jennifer felt that she sang beautifully tonight and she should be proud of her performance. Randy said this was better than last week. Steven said something like she wasn't perfect, but it was good. I like Hollie, and this is a definite improvement over last week, but I also recognize her insecurity when she sings and it makes her a bit weak in comparison to the other contestants.
Score: 4.5

06 Phillip Phillips sang Give A Little More by Maroon 5-- Steven praised how Phillip has evolved. Jen and Randy found the performance underwhelming and said that it wasn't as good as the Phillip performances that they are used to. I understand all sides of this, Phillip has evolved and has displayed growth which is tough for someone as good as him. I also see Jennifer and Randy's point, the performance just seemed to kind of sit and not really go anywhere. I wish he has picked a more mainstream song.
Score: 4.75

Jessica Sanchez, Hollie Cavanagh, and Joshua Ledet sang Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) by Kelly Clarkson-- The judges gave the edge in this trio to Joshua.

07 Elise Testone sang You and I by Lady Gaga-- Randy said Elise is back and the vocals were dope. Jen said no one sings like you, you let go, but you were in complete control. Steven agreed with Jen. This song choice oozed Elise, it was perfect for her. The judges comments were spot on.
Score: 5

Monday, April 9, 2012

Reality Show Crazy! The Voice Edition

So excited tonight to hear Team Cee Lo and Team Adam!

Katrina Parker from Team Adam sang Tonight Tonight by The Smashing Pumpkins-- Katrina has that great haunting voice, but this was too sleepy for me.

Cheesa from Team Cee Lo sang Don't Leave Me This Way by Thelma Houston-- I loved and agree with Blake's comment, watching this was like watching "Solid Gold", it was dramatic, and it had that Cee Lo flair, very Cee Lo-icious.

Tony Lucca from Team Adam sang In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel-- Tony has so much star power and I love this song for his voice. He has so much fire in him that he could light a place up. Christina's comment about him being one dimensional was completely off base.

Kim Yarbrough from Team Adam sang Rolling in the Deep by Adele-- First rule of singing competitions: stay away from Adele songs. Kim is a powerful singer but even she can't come close to Adele.

James Massone from Team Cee Lo sang Don't Know Why by Norah Jones-- James has my vote now and always. Didn't love this song for him, but he still sang it in his style. Girls and women across America will have his back when it comes to voting, I'm certain.

Juliet Simms from Team Cee Lo sang Roxanne by Sting-- Okay, okay, I admit it, Ms. Simms has one of the strongest female voices in the competition and one of the strongest voices overall. Her voice is raw, I love the rasp, she is a flashback to those female voices of the 80s, Pat Benatar, Heart, need I continue? I love her, and I will be shocked if she doesn't make it to the next level.

Mathai from Team Adam sang Ordinary People by John Legend-- What I loved about Mathai in the last round was her oddness, her voice is just so different. However, that being said, there is odd, and there is too odd, was this too over the top?

Tony Vincent from Team Cee Lo sang Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears-- Tony is one of the pros in this competition, he has stage presence and he knows how to work his voice to get the most out of it. I think he held back a little bit, I was waiting for this song to get bigger, I was waiting for him to put a run in there somewhere.

Karla Davis from Team Adam sang Airplanes by B.O.B.-- The idea of Karla doing this song was wonderful, and I think if she were Dia Frampton from last season, she may have pulled it off. The song has a lot of verbage in it, so it's tough to spit out all those words, and I think she ended up tripping over words and her voice was much too soft for the majority of it. I like Karla, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that this didn't end her chances.

Erin Martin from Team Cee Lo sang Walk Like An Egyptian by The Bangles-- Weirdest, most overproduced performance of the night goes to? You guessed it, Erin! I feel like, she's in this competition based on what she looks like rather than her voice. To me, this was just another train wreck.

Pip from Team Adam sang When You Were Young by The Killers-- Without question, Pip has one of the most technically sound voices in this competition, but this song wasn't believable for him. The song needed to be dirtied up a little, more grit in his voice, etc. I wouldn't count him out just yet though cause overall it was better than most.

Jamar Rogers from Team Cee Lo sang Are You Gonna Go My Way by Lenny Kravitz-- Thoughts from Adam Levine: "you embody what this competition is all about". Why did American Idol pass on this kid again? He seriously blew the roof off the place tonight.

My predictions for who is going home: From Team Adam-- Katrina Parker and Kim Yarbrough or Karla Davis and from Team Cee Lo Erin Martin and Cheesa

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

American Idol Season 11: The Top 8 Flash Back to the Big 80s

01 Deandre Brackensick sang I Like It by The DeBarge-- Jen said you were super comfortable up there, you sounded amazing, and you made it your own. Steven said you took me to another place. Randy said El DeBarge is somewhere saying Deandre has arrived, one of your best performances to date. You should make a record like this right now, and be a contemporary version of El DeBarge. I have extremely fond memories of the 80s being a child of the 80s myself, and let me tell you that Deandre has the whole vibe that DeBarge brought and it was so exciting for me to see that. I am still a gigantic fan of this kid.
Score: 5

02 Elise Testone sang I Wanna Know What Love is by Foreigner-- Steven didn't think it was the right song for her. It seemed as though Jennifer didn't want to be negative so she said she could see her passion in the performance. Randy said that is one of the best songs ever and you never quite hit the pitch so it was off for the whole performance. It was out of tune everywhere for me. I agree with Randy, listening to it back, there was something off about it, like her voice didn't sit in the right place. This is really sad because Elise has proven in the best couple weeks that she really deserves to be here, hopefully this won't lead to her demise on the show.
Score: 3.9

Colton Dixon and Skylar Laine sang Islands in the Stream by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton-- The judges all liked the performance and their partnership, they thought the melodies sounded nice.

03 Phillip Phillips sang That's All by Genesis-- Steven loved his individuality and who he is, he said it's what makes him great. Jen thought it started out tough cause the guitar was too loud, but he brought it at the end. Randy loved it and loved the song choice. Randy also gave props to Tony Kanal for telling him to stop playing at the bridge, he said it let the song breathe. Phillip knows exactly who he is and it gives him confidence and that's what makes every performance not just great, but special.
Score: 4.9

Deandre Brackensick and Hollie Cavanagh sang I'm So Excited by The Pointer Sisters-- The judges also praised this performance saying they sounded great together, very nice, very impressive. It was a fun performance, Deandre's performance value was awesome.

04 Joshua Ledet sang If You Don't Know Me By Now by Simply Red-- Jen said ask and you shall receive, that was a powerhouse performance, you held back at the beginning, but you gave it to us at the end. Steven it was over the top, outstanding, how can someone sing like you at your age? Randy said I wanted to stand up from beginning to end, you were so mature. I think Joshua's poise is beyond his 19 years, every week, I am moved and inspired by him.
Score: 5

05 Jessica Sanchez sang How Will I Know by Whitney Houston-- Jen said your vocals are so amazing, your vocals make everything go away for me. Steven said, your voice is so fantastic, everything you do is so beautiful. Randy worked with Whitney on that song and said it was so effortless and mature. It was no Whitney, but Jessica was able to put her own stamp on this and held her own with a song that was a major hit in the 80s.
Score: 4.9

Elise Testone and Phillips sang Stop Draggin' My Heart Around by Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks-- Steven said it couldn't have been better, as good as it gets. Jen imagined herself as one of the duet partners. I actually really liked this, it redeemed both of them tonight.

06 Hollie Cavanagh sang What a Feeling by Irene Cara-- Steven said the pitch was all over the place. Jen told her she was right in listening to what everyone around her says but when she gets up on stage she needs to forget all that, be in the moment, and perform. Randy agreed with Steven and Jen. It sounded like Hollie had an off night, it's almost like she's trying too hard to be technically perfect.
Score: 3.9

Jessica Sanchez and Joshua Ledet sang I Knew You Were Waiting For Me by Aretha Franklin and George Michael-- Randy said two of the greatest singers to hit this competition. He said one of the greatest performances ever on this stage. Jen said, could this be the match up for the finals, you slayed it. Steven said so over the top it defies judging, only for enjoyment.

07 Colton Dixon sang Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper-- Jen really liked the performance. Randy praised how Colton, Joshua, and Phllip took the songs and made them their own. He also complimented on the arrangement, as did Steven. Both made shout outs to the drummer. Randy also talked about how current Colton is, and I agree. This is a sound that we're hearing on the radio right now, and I just love the natural rawness of Colton's voice.
Score: 4.9

08 Skylar Laine sang Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler-- Randy thought it was her best performance on the show to date. Jen said, you made a statement with that performance and said, don't count me out, amazing. Steven said it's the beginning of a great career for you girl, perfect song for your voice. Skylar made me feel every note, every lyric with this performance. She clearly moved Jennifer.
Score: 5

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Reality Show Crazy! Dancing With The Stars Edition

Last week on Dancing With The Stars we lost Martina Navratilova and Tony Dovolani. Poor Tony always gets stuck with the duds. I like Martina very much, especially as a tennis player, but she was the right person to go home. This year's cast is very impressive; their third week dances seemed far more advanced when compared to week three of past seasons.

This was last night's leader board based out of a possible 30

Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas- 29
William Levy & Cheryl Burke- 28
Maria Menuous & Derek Hough- 27
Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd- 26
Jaleel White & Kym Johnson- 25
Roshon Fagan & Chelsie Hightower- 25
Melissa Gilbert & Maksim Chmerkovskiy- 24
Sherri Shepherd& Val Chmerkovskiy- 24
Jack Wagner & Anna Trebunskaya- 24
Gladys Knight & Tristan McManus- 24
Gavin DeGraw & Karina Smirnoff- 24

I love week three because it's the week where the contestants do a dance based on the most memorable year of their lives. As you can imagine, this round of dances was emotional for the amateurs.

Highlights for me were Maria and Derek's Rumba, it was super sexy, and I wasn't a huge fan of Maria before but if she keeps dancing like this, I certainly will be. It was so completely 80s and I loved it.

Sherri and Val's Rumba, although it wasn't the best dance of the night, but it was extremely emotional for Sherri because it was dedicated to her son, Jeffrey, who she calls her miracle baby. I think when you dance from the heart and connect with the song, the dance just flows and that's what we experienced here.

Jaleel and Kym's Rumba was just so cool because Jaleel brought back that smooth factor. There are stories circulating that he got really emotional and in fact, angry, during rehearsals this past week. It was upsetting to hear that because he has such heart and I think the only thing he should do to step it up is to get better at the quick dances so he can truly make a run for this.

William and Cheryl's Salsa was caliente. I love the chemistry between these two, William seems like a legit dancer already. There was a minor issue in the dance but this was a complete celebration, William's dance was about the year he came to America from Cuba with his family. They started a new life, and that happiness really came out in the dance.

Donald and Peta's Rumba was also a standout for me, and very unexpected too. I did not expect Donald to be this good, but he is, and he was clearly touched by the music, the dance, and the memory of his friend who died from cancer in 2010. Peta's choreography was lovely and Donald was so moved he couldn't even speak after the dance. He is someone I expect to see come the finale.


I think ultimately Gavin or Gladys is going home. Gavin has shown more growth, improving every week, so I give him the edge to stay.

Reality Show Crazy! The Voice Edition

This television season, which commenced in Fall of 2011 has been one of the best to date. I have never been so torn as to which show to watch. My latest dilemma is that The Voice on NBC is pitted against Dancing With The Stars on ABC. DWTS is one of the few shows that I actually watch on ABC, in fact, other than General Hospital, Revenge, The Bachelor, and the upcoming series, Scandal, I like to stay clear of ABC. My feelings are still hurt by the way they handled the unfortunate and uncalled for demise of All My Children and One Life to Live. Rumor has it that Katie Couric, who will be getting her own show on ABC Daytime in Fall 2012 at 3pm (GH's current time slot) is so unhappy with the performance of her would be lead in show The Revolution that she wants that show to be taken off the air and General Hospital to move to the 2pm time slot to be her lead in instead. Soap fans everywhere are praying that this scenario will happen.

The Voice is, in a way, the anti American Idol. The funny thing is, I love both and wouldn't miss an episode if I can help it. I love the judges and the fact that they are artists who are currently on the charts right now. I love how itunes is such an integral part of the show. Basically, they're testing these artists out now and saying, how will they perform on the charts next to current popular artists. Over the past few weeks, the judges, Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, and Cee Lo Green have gone through their selection process beginning with the blind auditions. The blind auditions is one of the most clever things on reality TV right now. Truly, a voice should initially be judged by only the voice, it's everything, it's what really matters. The stage presence, the look, the style, the moves--- all those things can only come if you have the voice. We're in an age where we're starting to get away from auto tune and over producing a singer and instead we're beginning to push real talent. Singers like Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey, Usher embody that pure talent and the complete package. Next, the contestants moved onto the Battle Rounds where the judges cut their teams in half by having two artists on their team square off against one another.

These are the results we were left with:

Team Adam:
Tony Lucca won over Chris Cauley
Kim Yarbrough won over Whitney Myer
Pip won over Nathan Parrett
Katrina Parker won over Angel Taylor
Mathai won over Nicole Galyon
Karla Davis won over Orlando Napier

Team Blake:
Rae Lynn won over Adley Stump
Jordis Unga won over Brian Fuente
Charlotte Sometimes won over Lex Land
Jermaine Paul won over Alyx
Erin Willett won over Gwen Sebastian
Naia Kete won over Jordan Rager

Team Cee Lo:
Cheesa won over Angie Johnson
Jamar Rogers won over Jamie Lono
Juliet Simms won over Sarah Golden
Erin Martin won over The Shields Brothers
James Massone won over WADE
Tony Vincent won over Justin Hopkins

Team Christina:
Chris Mann won over Monique Benabou
Jesse Campbell won over Anthony Evans
Sera Hill won over Geoff McBride
Lindsay Pavao won over Lee Koch
Ashley de la Rosa won over Jonathas
Moses Stone won over The Line

Last night, the winners from the battle rounds of team Blake and team Christina performed for the public's votes for the first time this season. Viewers could vote by phone, text, online on Facebook or The Voice's official website, and by purchasing a contestant's song on itunes.

The performances:
*Jermaine Paul-- Living on a Prayer by Bon Jovi, I love this guy and I do want him to advance but I think this was the wrong choice of song for him.

*Chris Mann-- Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel, How far can an opera singer go in this competition is the real question?

*Rae Lynn-- Wake Up Call by Maroon 5, She is going to be country's new star. I loved this performance and I don't understand all those people who are saying it wasn't very good. It had energy, spunk, and her vocals were very rock country.

*Moses Stone-- Stronger/ Power by Kanye West, The vocals weren't so strong but Moses is an entertainer.

*Naia Kete-- Turning Tables by Adele, I love Naia's unique style but there were lots of pitchy moments in this. Will it be enough to pull her through?

*Lindsay Pavao-- Somebody That I Used To Know by Goyet, I love her voice, her tone is awesome, this is someone who I think would record an unreal record. She and Charlotte are similar but Lindsay is the stronger vocalist.

*Jordis Unga-- Alone by Heart, Jordis has been one of my favorites from the beginning. I think we need a female vocalist like her on the market.

*Sera Hill-- Find Your Love by Drake, Sera owned this performance, I don't think it was the best of the night, but enough to move on.

*Erin Willett-- Living in The City by Stevie Wonder, Erin probably turned in the best technical performance of the night. She has a voice, and she used it beautifully tonight.

*Ashley de la Rosa-- Right Through You by Alanis Morrisette, This young lady was probably the most improved performer of the night. She stepped it up in a big way.

*Charlotte Sometimes-- Mystery Business by Paramore, I didn't like this, and it's sad cause I liked Charlotte, but I agree with Adam saying there were some pitch problems.

*Jesse Campbell-- What a Wonderful World by Louie Armstrong, This is the one to beat, at least tonight, and definitely one of the tops in the competition. Jesse is in a class by himself, his phrasing was beautiful.

my predictions to go home: Charlotte and Naia for Team Blake and Chris and Moses for Team Christina