I dug Clay, more for his cockiness lurking under his aw shucks exterior than his singing even, and Ruben was alright too, with that puppy dog thing. But even though I rooted for Clay, I was happy Ruben won, y’know? You just knew Clay would be alright no matter which way it went, he’d already secured an education and a career and was well-adjusted etc. Winning was Ruben’s only shot, at least that’s how it played out. He needed it, even though he didn’t so much succeed, but he’ll always have that victory.
I remember that now, you’re totally right. Which would make it even more Simon’s fault, and funnier if he had to try and promote him had John won. 
John Stevens was one of Simon’s favorites until the finals. John started to do poorly, especially with live bands (I think they were too loud and he wasn’t used to it, thus couldn’t hear his own voice and was out of tune). He has an album coming out in April of Sinatra-style standards, so I guess he’s doing OK. I respected the guy because he never heldup his damned number “dial this many” and he took all the criticism without sassing back or posturing.
The company isn’t Simon’s, BTW. Maybe you mean “the company he works for,” but a lot of people think, for some reason, that Simon is a producer of the show, a part-owner of 19E, or something more than a judge. Nope, he’s just a judge, like Randy and Paula.
If John had won, his would have been the first and probably only American Idol album I would have bought. I loved that kid, it was hard watching him squirm.
He would do fine promoting John singing his own style of music. If, for some reason, they tried to put out a CD of John singing Elton John covers and Latin pop, it would be a disaster (as it was on the show.)
BTW, I don’t think they do put “a ton” of money into the production values of the winner’s CD’s. That’s the biggest problem. They have crap songs, crap backup bands, and crap production values. There will never be really good AI album even if they have a really good singer.
Coming to a store near you on April 26: http://www.maverick.com/johnstevens/
Thanks for that link, but I am SO on top of it.
Even when Nadia is not so good, she is the best of the crop of girls.
Why did the judges fawn all over the “God Bless the Child” girl? I thought she was awful.
Well tonight was pretty much disappointing. Far as I can tell, the guys are far outshining the girls.
Does anyone else feel like the girls keep picking songs that start out too low for them? There have been quite a few songs where the first phrases have notes too low for the singers to even articulate. It’s really bothering me.
I actually think Mikalah was the best one tonight. I can’t put my finger on what exactly I liked but I feel like hers was the most put together.
I got annoyed at the judges over Carrie’s performance. They’re always saying how you should make the song yours and put your personality into it. Well, from what I could tell, she was putting a country spin on “Piece of My Heart” which made it more her personality. Oh well.
How old is Janay? She keeps seeming like a scared little girl. I thought she was 19 or 20 but I’m guessing she’s 16? She’s SO nervous up there and I don’t think she’s comfortable with any of this.
Celena was the first one I liked. I found no fault in her performance. I think the judges’ comments were just blatant attempts to sabotage her. I hope it’s not successful.
Mikalah sounded like she was throwing up. And it seemed pretty obvious that someone had advised her to keep her yap shut during the critique. And what KSO said.
Poor Janay. Her voice just isn’t strong enough. And I just figured out who she looks like: Kira, from Dark Crystal.
Carrie: What Dio said.
Nadia, IMHO, rules. She did just the opposite of what’s been bugging me about this year’s contestants. Anyone who can sex up one of P McC and Wings’ blandest songs like that deserves top three at least.
Jessica and Amanda both need to hold the mike closer to their mouth.
Phew, I thought I was all alone here. Haven’t any of you guys heard Billie Holiday sing this song? Mikalah’s desecration was only slightly less horrible than Carrie murdering Janis Joplin. Jesus may not have wept, but he probably whimpered some.
Hope I’m not too late. My mother was saying that the men were better than the women too. I myself am not sure either way.
Boys:
Mario–Fairly decent, but very easy to ignore. Not exceptional. But, I’m sure he’ll be okay.
Anwar–Great as always! Did I ever mention that I love him?
Joseph–Certainly very well done, but “common”. The “come on” and “woo!” was just annoying. Improved from last week though.
David–Ugh! Horrific! Gah! He just made me cringe!
Constantine–Trying to be “rock” and failing miserably. URRRGH! Stinks more than 1,000 asses. Did I mention that I, er, dislike him.
Scott–I hardly noticed him.
Travis–His voice was weak, but overall, the performance was very good. Improved from last week.
Nikko–Not bad. Not bad at all. I liked it very much.
Anthony–He sounded out of tune to me. He has some lung power, as always, but it wasn’t enough this time. I want him to stick around though.
Bo Bice–Best of the night. Love him to death! Now his “rock” is REAL!
Now for the girls:
Aloha–Decent, but too much melisma and vibrato. I agreed with Simon. She was better last week.
Lindsay–Better than last week, that’s for sure.
Jessica–Meh.
Mikalah–She looked great, but didn’t sound it. Meh
Celena–Just okay, nothing more.
Nadia–Now that is taking a song and making it your own! What a bold choice. I do, however, agree with Simon a little bit.
Amanda–Ew! Made me think of Carmen and that’s not good. Blah.
Janay–Looked great, but was nowhere near that. Possibly the weakest so far. Bah.
Carrie–She wasn’t bad, but I think she was better last week.
Vonzell–I wanted her to keep on going! Excellent! The only one of the women worth my votes. I guess the last usually tend to be the best.
I don’t think Carrie even realized she was singing a Janis Joplin song. Her version sounded just like the Faith Hill version and while I love Faith Hill, I can’t stand that version. Way too happy and upbeat, totally ruins the song.
I was pleasantly suprised that Mikalah was so subdued. I was firmly aboard the Mikalah hate train before and had just turned in my application for conductor, but tonight’s performance made me actually like her. It showed she can accept criticism and grow from it. It appears as if she realized she was alienating a big part of the audience with her half assed Babs schtick and toned it down. I hope she stays that way.
Janay still looked terrified. Simon was spot on in his comments (which I usually disagree with). It’s like she’s playing dress up. The camera panning up on her after he said that sort of drove that comment home, as well.
And what was with Randy’s constant “not your best performance”? Honestly, it’s getting old. Does he ever have anything else to say to the contestants?
I also thought the men last night kicked the women’s collective asses tonight.
They all kinda sucked, in general. Very dissapointing. I could barely hear some of them over the music.
“God Bless The Child”. It’s a golden oldie – I almost want to say that it originally was a spiritual tune, but I’m not 100% sure. Somebody like Billie Holiday might’ve done the original recording.
What I’d like to know is, who is that man and what has he done with Simon?
Speaking of Bo, I don’t know why, but I just have a feeling that he will do well with the oddball themes outside his comfort zone. I think that part of it is just his pure genuineness. When the music starts, Bo disappears into the song. What you see and hear comes out of his gut and heart. There’s something almost Joe Cockerish about him. I think his voice will sound out of place in, say, a disco song or something… BUT… I think that somehow it will make the song magically new. Different. Palatable. And when he’s finished, people will say things like, “Damn, I never realized that song could be done that way.”
My cable was out all last night. No TV or internet. Stupid Time Warner Cable.
If you had to miss one, this might well be one you would have chosen. Other than Mikalah, there was nothing really special. Her voice was rather mediocre, but her interpretation was at genius level.
Really? A genius level? So Mikalah’s song selection was on par with Einstein theory that mass becomes energy and Darwin’s stunned realization while observing birds at Galapagos?
Heavens, no. I agree on both counts. I don’t think “turning the dial on your own personal amp down from ‘overdrive’ to 9” counts as personal growth OR genius interpretation, and I wish the judges would stop treating Melekalikimaka like it is. I also think that, as the 16 year old spoiled rotten little princess that she is (“I can’t even walk my own dog,” indeed!), she has NO IDEA what this song is actually about.
And Carrie? Sweetheart? I kind of like you. But listen, the absolute LAST thing anyone should do when singing a Janis Joplin song? Is smile. Please find out who wrote the songs you are singing, not just who sang them, OK?
I do know the song, and honestly didn’t recognize it. I was out of the room, and could only sorta hear the first part. I was not blow away by what I heard. I also thought it was funny Simon liked it, since he’s always complaining that some song is “cabaret.” Mikalah was totally, intentionally, cabaret. She might as well have sung “Cabaret.”