Last week was all about being "thankful", who would no longer be thankful once the results show took place? It was anyone's guess. This was surprisingly a week where I believe everyone turned in a strong performance on an individual level. Many contestants turned in a performance that was their personal best thus far in the competition.
It was also a double elimination week which was unfair because everyone was just starting to get in their zones.
Touching:
How crazy was it hearing Rachel Crow's story, apparently her biological mom was a crack addict and therefore when Rachel was born she had an addiction to the drug. Rachel did a good job with her performance, but it wasn't the right song choice. Simon? What is going on?
I loved Marcus Canty singing "A Song for Mama" by Boyz II Men for his mom. I felt it was the most real emotion he has shown since he started on the show. Simon agreed saying he felt that this most connected he felt to him. Apparently viewers didn't feel that way saying Marcus was under pitch and his voice cracked. Sometimes it's more about the emotion and less about having perfect vocals. Viewers take note.
LeRoy Bell performed a sincere, stripped down version of "Angel" by Sara McLachlan in memory of his mom who passed away. Mr. Bell, your mom would be so extremely proud of you. Simon even congratulated LeRoy on a fantastic tribute to his mom. I couldn't agree more.
Last, but certainly not least, to perform on the night of giving thanks was Josh Krajcik. He absolutely stunned me with his rendition of "Wild Horses" by The Rolling Stones which he dedicated to his daughter. I literally found myself getting goosebumps in addition to tears coming to my eyes. Josh received the ultimate praise from each judge; he was without a doubt: breathtaking and powerful.
Ridiculous:
Who knew that Melanie Amaro was from The Virgin Islands and that she had that crazy sexy Rihanna accent? Is there anything that we won't like about this girl? I really don't think so. She is probably the most consistent performer in this group in terms of her voice. She never misses, even when she had laryngitis.
It was so ridiculous that Astro came up with this completely original song, and his attitude was totally 180 from last week. If he continues acting like this and continues being unique and pushing himself, he may just make it into the top three or four. I loved that his song sampled "Show Me What You Got" by Jay Z, great beat and background for his song to be built around.
This performance was amazing, but what was ridiculous was L.A.'s comments about Drew's performance. Drew sang the very poignant "Skyscraper" by young rising star Demi Lovato. L.A. tried to argue that this song was too old for the teenage Drew, well that doesn't really make sense because Lovato appeals directly to Drew's age group. Actually, I thought his comments was so strange that I need to quote M.J. from M.J.'s Big Blog: LA Reid decided to actually “critique” a performance, and what he had to say had me feeling second hand embarrassment for him. It’s hard to believe that a record executive has no idea that “Skyscraper” was recorded by a teenager for fellow teenagers. Drew, completely out of character, began arguing with LA about the song. By this time, the show was completely off the rails.LA: He tells Drew he thinks she’s a great singer but that her mentor is giving her songs for people who are 40. WHAT? Is it possible that LA has no idea that an actual teenager–Demi Lovato–recorded the song? Teenagers LOVE this song. I’m feeling second hand embarrassment for LA. Drew talks back to him, uncharacteristically angry. She’s probably as taken aback by his stupidity as everyone else.
Not So Good:
Chris Rene's rendition of "Let It Be" had a good reason behind it, but at the end of this week on competition, his vocals were all over the place. I had the impression that after this, he may be in trouble in terms of votes.
Lakoda Rayne had the right song with "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift, but their harmonies were painful at times. I am confident that in a couple of years, these ladies will be the new Dixie Chicks.
The Results:
And in the end, Lakoda Rayne was eliminated with the least number of votes, knocking Paula Abdul out of the competition as a mentor. LeRoy Bell and Marcus Canty
faced off to sing for their lives. Although the judges agreed that Leroy gave the better performance that night, Marcus was better overall. L.A. voted to send Leroy Home, Nicole voted to send Marcus home, Paula voted to send Marcus home, and the vote came down to Simon who chose to send LeRoy home bringing this decision to a deadlock. The person with the actual number of votes would be sent home and it was LeRoy.
Showing posts with label The X-Factor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The X-Factor. Show all posts
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
The X Factor Continues a Steady Course, But When Will it Dazzle Us?
The Top 12 performed this past week on The X Factor and once again I was left wanting more. Am I expecting too much from this show? Did I want it to be better than American Idol, and now I'm left disappointed?
Of course, there were some solid performances, but the majority left me wanting more. These contestants are without a doubt talented, but no one blew me away.
Ugly:
I love Rachel Crowe but I didn't love this performance. Although Rachel has more charisma than money can buy, the cheesiness of the song choice negated all that.
Lakoda Rayne's rendition of "Landslide" reminded me of girl's night out at a karaoke bar. I didn't think the harmonies worked in this, despite different thoughts by some of the judges. The outfits, which did look like prom dresses, were too mature for such young women.
I am not being a hater, but I have heard many other singers sing this song better than Stacy. She needs to keep her eye on the prize, and not act like she has won already. There is plenty more work to be done as far as I'm concerned.
Good:
For a singer who is one of the best natural talents in the competition, Nicole has really made it difficult for LeRoy Bell to do well. The only reason he hasn't been eliminated is really a testament to his voice and how well loved he is by the public. Nicole, if you're listening, please, a decent song for the man this week.
Astro needs to watch his back or he may find himself being the first boy to be eliminated from this competition. "Hip Hop Hooray" was just not the right jam for him to be taking on.
InTENsity was not the worst this round, but yet, they found themselves eliminated on Thursday night after their performance of "Kids In America" and Party Rock" fell short for America. I believe these kids actually did work hard, and I think they could do well in a setting like The Disney Company.
Better:
Stereo Hoggz are probably the strongest group left, "Rhythm Nation" was the best group performance this week, but they need to step it up or they will find themselves in the bottom two again!
Chris Rene was the most improved contestant from last week. His rendition of Superstar was solid considering that this is such a difficult song to pull off. What didn't work was the "fire" background, and I agreed with Simon saying, L.A. really sent you to hell Chris. He will have to continue to work hard because Marcus Canty is building a real fan base.
As cheesy as the song choice was, Melanie Amaro is destined for stardom. She displayed great poise and maturity for someone who hasn't had musical experience.
Best:
Josh Krajcik's version of "Jar of Hearts" was a big risk that paid off big time; it was soul stirring and Josh is so good that when he sings a song well, no one can beat him.
Probably the most interesting song choice of the week, Drew took on "Just a Dream" by Nelly. This girl is a natural born star, and I think she may be the surprise winner of this competition. She just reminds me of that singer with the great voice, and the very free spirit. Simon said, “I’m seeing a star emerge in front of me…she’s my mentor now. I shouldn’t be telling you what to do. You are doing an incredible job.”
Marcus Canty, as many say, could just be a dark horse in this competition. He is, as I said last week, the complete package who can sing, dance, and act. His vocals on "Every Little Step" were spot on, and I applaud L.A. for choosing this song for Marcus. He does have a natural charm about him that makes fans relate to him.
Corny Song Choices: Nicole choosing "I'm Already There" for LeRoy Bell, woah, way cheesy!.... Simon changing Rachel Crowe's lyrics from "I'm Walkin' on Sunshine" to "You're My Sunshine". I don't really understand what the lyric change was supposed to do.... "Landslide" was a real landslide by Lakoda Rayne who would have done better with a more contemporary country song. Paula, quit trying to turn each girl into a season, no one gets it.... "Desperado" for Melanie Amaro was a desperate attempt to make her look non Celine or Whitney when the soul part of her voice should be what's played up.... "Up to The Mountain" for Stacy Francis was just a tad too gimmicky, there are so many other people who have sang this better than her.
Bottom two who sang for survival were TheStereo Hoggz and InTENsity; InTENsity was eliminated.
Of course, there were some solid performances, but the majority left me wanting more. These contestants are without a doubt talented, but no one blew me away.
Ugly:
I love Rachel Crowe but I didn't love this performance. Although Rachel has more charisma than money can buy, the cheesiness of the song choice negated all that.
Lakoda Rayne's rendition of "Landslide" reminded me of girl's night out at a karaoke bar. I didn't think the harmonies worked in this, despite different thoughts by some of the judges. The outfits, which did look like prom dresses, were too mature for such young women.
I am not being a hater, but I have heard many other singers sing this song better than Stacy. She needs to keep her eye on the prize, and not act like she has won already. There is plenty more work to be done as far as I'm concerned.
Good:
For a singer who is one of the best natural talents in the competition, Nicole has really made it difficult for LeRoy Bell to do well. The only reason he hasn't been eliminated is really a testament to his voice and how well loved he is by the public. Nicole, if you're listening, please, a decent song for the man this week.
Astro needs to watch his back or he may find himself being the first boy to be eliminated from this competition. "Hip Hop Hooray" was just not the right jam for him to be taking on.
InTENsity was not the worst this round, but yet, they found themselves eliminated on Thursday night after their performance of "Kids In America" and Party Rock" fell short for America. I believe these kids actually did work hard, and I think they could do well in a setting like The Disney Company.
Better:
Stereo Hoggz are probably the strongest group left, "Rhythm Nation" was the best group performance this week, but they need to step it up or they will find themselves in the bottom two again!
Chris Rene was the most improved contestant from last week. His rendition of Superstar was solid considering that this is such a difficult song to pull off. What didn't work was the "fire" background, and I agreed with Simon saying, L.A. really sent you to hell Chris. He will have to continue to work hard because Marcus Canty is building a real fan base.
As cheesy as the song choice was, Melanie Amaro is destined for stardom. She displayed great poise and maturity for someone who hasn't had musical experience.
Best:
Josh Krajcik's version of "Jar of Hearts" was a big risk that paid off big time; it was soul stirring and Josh is so good that when he sings a song well, no one can beat him.
Probably the most interesting song choice of the week, Drew took on "Just a Dream" by Nelly. This girl is a natural born star, and I think she may be the surprise winner of this competition. She just reminds me of that singer with the great voice, and the very free spirit. Simon said, “I’m seeing a star emerge in front of me…she’s my mentor now. I shouldn’t be telling you what to do. You are doing an incredible job.”
Marcus Canty, as many say, could just be a dark horse in this competition. He is, as I said last week, the complete package who can sing, dance, and act. His vocals on "Every Little Step" were spot on, and I applaud L.A. for choosing this song for Marcus. He does have a natural charm about him that makes fans relate to him.
Corny Song Choices: Nicole choosing "I'm Already There" for LeRoy Bell, woah, way cheesy!.... Simon changing Rachel Crowe's lyrics from "I'm Walkin' on Sunshine" to "You're My Sunshine". I don't really understand what the lyric change was supposed to do.... "Landslide" was a real landslide by Lakoda Rayne who would have done better with a more contemporary country song. Paula, quit trying to turn each girl into a season, no one gets it.... "Desperado" for Melanie Amaro was a desperate attempt to make her look non Celine or Whitney when the soul part of her voice should be what's played up.... "Up to The Mountain" for Stacy Francis was just a tad too gimmicky, there are so many other people who have sang this better than her.
Bottom two who sang for survival were TheStereo Hoggz and InTENsity; InTENsity was eliminated.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
All the Buzz: What to Watch on TV for Fall 2011
Part 1 in a series of 4
From detectives to doctors, Pan Am Stewardesses to Playboy Bunnies, and our old favorites to the newbies we've been waiting for, this season's Fall TV schedule has a lot to offer. Every year around this time, I sit down at my computer and pull up the Fall TV schedule, and I check off the shows I want to watch, "x" out the shows I have no interest in or never have, and I question mark the shows I need to find out about. There's no concrete way of knowing about a new show until you watch it, or watch a preview, or read something about the show that gives you a synopsis of what it's all about.
For the first time in a long time, a few comedies have garnered my interest; this doesn't happen often. I am also finding that there are several dramedies: dramas that contain comedic elements sprinkled intelligently throughout the show. There is a new reality show with some familiar faces that hopes to top all reality shows (you know it's the X-Factor). There are some old faces that we haven't seen in a while trying to do what came so naturally before, like Tim Allen (new show: Last Man Standing, old show: Home Improvement). There are also some shows that have brand new faces to TV like the comedy Two Broke Girls.
This year could be a difficult one for you to plan your TV schedule until critics and the public, including you, have decided on which new shows are worth your time watching. It has already been announced that this will be the last season of ABC's successful dramedy Desperate Housewives which will close the curtains following this, the eighth season. What other shows will take their final bow? At this point, that's anyone's guess.
I like something that a few of the networks are doing this year more than ever before, which is, they are using Saturday night as a night to encore shows that aired during the course of the week. I think this is a smart way of allowing the viewer to see something they could not initially see because maybe they weren't home or they were watching another show on another network.
So here is how this is going to work, this post is going to be the first in a series of posts about the upcoming Fall TV Season. I will note this at the top of the post, for example this is part 1 of 4. This should be fun! To give you a look at what I'm working with, this is the schedule: http://www.tvguide.com/special/fall-preview/fall-schedule.aspx.
I hope you will offer your comments if you agree or disagree with my schedule and my predictions along the way. Please feel free to comment right on my blog or to join me on my Facebook page: Miss V's Voice!
Happy Fall TV Season!
From detectives to doctors, Pan Am Stewardesses to Playboy Bunnies, and our old favorites to the newbies we've been waiting for, this season's Fall TV schedule has a lot to offer. Every year around this time, I sit down at my computer and pull up the Fall TV schedule, and I check off the shows I want to watch, "x" out the shows I have no interest in or never have, and I question mark the shows I need to find out about. There's no concrete way of knowing about a new show until you watch it, or watch a preview, or read something about the show that gives you a synopsis of what it's all about.
For the first time in a long time, a few comedies have garnered my interest; this doesn't happen often. I am also finding that there are several dramedies: dramas that contain comedic elements sprinkled intelligently throughout the show. There is a new reality show with some familiar faces that hopes to top all reality shows (you know it's the X-Factor). There are some old faces that we haven't seen in a while trying to do what came so naturally before, like Tim Allen (new show: Last Man Standing, old show: Home Improvement). There are also some shows that have brand new faces to TV like the comedy Two Broke Girls.
This year could be a difficult one for you to plan your TV schedule until critics and the public, including you, have decided on which new shows are worth your time watching. It has already been announced that this will be the last season of ABC's successful dramedy Desperate Housewives which will close the curtains following this, the eighth season. What other shows will take their final bow? At this point, that's anyone's guess.
I like something that a few of the networks are doing this year more than ever before, which is, they are using Saturday night as a night to encore shows that aired during the course of the week. I think this is a smart way of allowing the viewer to see something they could not initially see because maybe they weren't home or they were watching another show on another network.
So here is how this is going to work, this post is going to be the first in a series of posts about the upcoming Fall TV Season. I will note this at the top of the post, for example this is part 1 of 4. This should be fun! To give you a look at what I'm working with, this is the schedule: http://www.tvguide.com/special/fall-preview/fall-schedule.aspx.
I hope you will offer your comments if you agree or disagree with my schedule and my predictions along the way. Please feel free to comment right on my blog or to join me on my Facebook page: Miss V's Voice!
Happy Fall TV Season!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)