Oh, and skutir: I must nitpick. Simon told Leah, “I’d pack your suitcase”, as in “If I were you…” Sorry, but it kinda grates on me: the recurring inability for anyone to translate Simon’s perfectly comprehensible speech that just happens not to be American slang. It must bother Ryan too (I still think that the sniping between him and Simon is a ‘work’, not for real), because he told the audience that “‘You lot’ means ‘You all watching at home’.” Get with the program, people. He’s not talking Aramaic; you don’t need subtitles.
Not a fan, checking in. I’ll tell you what I disliked about tonight’s performance. First of all, yes, it was quite a moving rendition – for a Broadway musical. For all the criticism that Clay got last year for sounding “too Broadway” (whatever the hell that means), here was an actual Broadway performance and they lap all over her. I was offended that she sat on her ass through the whole song. Yes, I understand it was a “statement” and it projected the attitude of the song. But again, this is not “Broadway Idol.” Get. Up!
As for her voice; Hmmm, that’s a tough one. I do think she did a great job with that song, because it’s kindof OK to shrieky-whine many of the notes in it, as that technique projects the emotion of the lyrics. But I hate that high-pitched whiny sound and don’t think I could stand listening to an entire CD filled with it. But at least she changed it up and threw the “yeah yeah yeahs” into the middle, instead of at the end, like she does every single solitary other thing she shings. (Holy smokes – that’s actually a typo, but shimply too funny to go back and correct. Sorry. That’s mean, I know. Sorry.)
So yes, it was a beatiful song. And yes it was beautifully and emotionally rendered. I’m serious – I was also moved to near tears at the end. But it was completely inappropriate for this venue.
I swear, I do not, for the life of me, hear what so many other people seem to hear when they listen to John Stevens. He is FLAT, OFF KEY and he has more vibrato in his voice than Carmen. He almost manages to sing 3 different notes in every song. He’s BORING as hell and that damn snapping Has. Got. To. Stop. It’s driving me insane. Agh!
JPL needs to find a guitarist, a keyboardist, a bassist and a drummer and become a rock singer. Not that there was much “rock” going on in that song, but his inability to carry a tune and mostly scream his songs would be much better suited to the rock genre, where actual singing ability is less of a necessity. I think he would be really good at it. Honestly.
George didn’t pick the greatest song, but like Quentin said, he made me forget I hated it.
Jennifer did hit that song out of the ballpark. But she really must lose those scary faces.
Latoya is drop dead gorgeous. Damn. And she did do extremely well with that song. So why was I not overly impressed? Can’t put my finger on it. She is fantastic, though.
I thought Diana actually did quite well. But Simon’s got a point, in that she’s just too young and isn’t connecting with the audience for whatever reason. And Jasmine is just out of her league (but not nearly as much as the Jo(h)ns).
My bottom 3 are:
Jasmine, Jon and John, with John going home (PLEASE!)
Shayna, I think we’re just going to have to disagree about John Stevens. Where you hear flat and off-key, I hear a pretty good voice. I agree that he doesn’t have much of a stange prescence (if any at all), but his voice is quite nice. I will also agree that he has a vibrato, but it’s not even close to Carmen’s (aka Goat Girl). She did it all the time.
As far as Latoya is concerned, she is beautiful and has an amazing voice…probably one of the best singers this season. The problem I have with her is she’s so laid back and pleasant that she comes across as not having any personality at all. At least there’s no in between with John Stephens. You either love him or hate him. With Latoya, I find myself on the fence and not caring enough to really root for her each week.
I don’t mind agreeing to disagree on style preferences and I can certainly see where people think he’s cute and stuff (and you know I adore Robbie Williams and Harry Conick Jr., so it’s not his “style” I hate). But in all honesty, “flat” and “off-key” aren’t subjective. One either is, or isn’t. And John is flat and off-key. And he also has every bit as much vibrato as Carmen, though admittedly it’s not nearly as offensive. The thing is, he’s so mousy and quiet, it’s a bit harder to pick up. But it’s there, every bit as often as hers.
What he has is the potential to have a pretty good voice. He just needs a good vocal coach and a few years of training under his belt, that’s all.
Yeah, I know what he said, I just typed it wrong.
Okay. Sorry I included you in my rant.
I actually used to live in England. So I find Simon far more intelligible than Randy.
BTW, I’m disappointed Quentin didn’t once call Simon “Ringo.”
I’m still waiting for some of these people to add some control to their voices. As much as I dislike her, Fantasia seemed almost to achieve this last night. I thought George was better than the judges did, and I’m not a fan of his either. I’ve been wanting to see him do something that would not involve his Candy Man grin for the whole song. He finally did, and I thought it was a big improvement in presentation. Now that JPL’s torso has been exposed (in the group piece), I’m afraid that removing him will be next to impossible — too many teenage girls dialing in. QT was great. Paula is superfluous. Instead of asking her opinion, they should just ask the kids’ parents instead. It’s time for Jasmine to go. She will never rise above wedding singer.
George: Just when I was starting to like him, he picks a bad song, then slaughters it.
Jennifer: I think I’m one of the few that actually likes her, but Celine and Whitney are off-limits. Was this the one where Quentin said something like “That song places a wall between us”?
JPL: He’s really not good enough to still be in, but at least that was a fun and interesting performance. If you can’t sing, dance like a goof, that’s what I always say.
Diana: I can’t even remember it, but I do remember thinking she wasn’t doing as well as she’s done previously.
Fantasia: It was just a’ight for me. Maybe I’d have been more moved if I were familiar with Porgy & Bess.
Jasmine: I want to smash her flower with a hammer. If she wants to take it off first, OK, I’m leaving it up to her. Wouldn’t it be easier to tattoo “I’m Hawaiian” on your forehead? And Lilo & Stitch? Give me a freakin break.
John Stevens: I’m glad he finally got a chance to sing the right song. And he did a good job. Now he can go.
Latoya: I think I want her to win. But only because the rest of them are so undependable. She’s reliable, but not really special. This season just sucks overall.
Dude, pick up the Louis Armstrong/Ella Fitzgerald CD if you can. It’s great. One of my all-time favorite albums.
Whew… I thought this was the best night of performances so far. Not a one in the bunch that I truly hated, and at least three or four that had me grinning. Let’s see here:
George: Still good, just… I don’t know… middling. He was under pitch on a few of the more difficult jumps up to a high note (ie, “and you coming BACK to me”). He did sing the song with honest emotion, though, which is why I think people like him so much.
Jennifer: Wait - wait. Jennifer sang something loud and belted high notes? Alert the press! Seriously, Jennifer’s dial doesn’t just go to eleven; it’s permanently set at eleven. She has no control at all, jumps from a lighter tone to a darker tone with no transition between them so it sounds like two (or possible more) different women are singing her songs. I am tired of people figuring that high and loud = good, and devaluing the more subtle performers in favor of Jennifer screaming. It’s not bad, it’s just… well, it’s just more of the same thing we’ve gotten from this girl for weeks.
Jon Peter: Strong performance, in my mind, and not at all deserving of a boot. When he tries to sing softly, he sounds ridiculous, but when he rocks out, it works. He doesn’t have the same kinds of pitch problems. I agree with whoever suggested that he form himself a rock band; he’d be a better fit there.
Diana: I’ve been a fan of hers, and she really wasn’t bad. Some of those higher notes represented the best pure singing we’ve heard. But she’s out of her depth now, and it’s time for her to go (but hopefully not tonight; more on that later).
Fantasia: Her best performance so far, I thought. Picked a great song, sang it the way it was intended to be sung but made it her own. I still couldn’t listen to an entire CD full of her, but on the basis of tonight’s performance, she’s proven she belongs.
Jasmine: Worst performer tonight, in my opinion. Simon nailed it perfectly when he talked about how Jasmine and Diana are too young to try to be so old. “When I Fall in Love” should not be pounded so mercilessly; it’s a sweet and easy song that needs a controlled performance. Both Jasmine and Diana would be more successsful, I think, if they actually sang things appropriate to their age and level of experience. If I had been Jasmine’s advisor, I would have suggested “Colors of the Wind” from POCAHONTAS; I think she might have been better with it. Her last note - dear Lord, she sang every note in creation trying to find the pitch. Ugh. I hope she goes.
John S: OK, like his voice, don’t like his voice, whatever, can we please stop describing his singing as “flat” or “off-key?” It’s driving me crazy. I watch the show with my wife and a good friend, both professional musicians, the latter with perfect pitch. He hates John’s singing; she loves it. Both agree that he is almost always singing the right notes (he goes flat on higher notes sometimes). “Flat” and “off-key” do not mean the same thing as “I don’t like his voice.” Mini-rant aside, I thought he was terrific tonight. Picked a song he could nail and nailed it. I’d rather listen to that than to Jennifer wailing her way through another power ballad that Whitney Houston sang better.
LaToya: In my opinion, hers, and not Fantasia’s, was the best performance on this show that I’ve ever seen. She picked an incredible song - showed some taste and a willingness to take on a really difficult composer. Then she sang it better than I’ve ever heard it sung, transitioning effortlessly from soft head voice to power belting and giving more variety in one song than Jennifer, Diana, or Jasmine have managed in the whole competition.
To sum up for the week:
- LaToya
- Fantasia
- John S.
- George
- Jon Peter
- Jennifer
- Diana
- Jasmine
What I wish would happen: Jennifer, Diana, Jasmine in bottom three, Jasmine goes home.
What I think will happen: Jon Peter, Diana, Jasmine in bottom three, Diana goes home.
May I just say I didn’t think Teen Martin did such a great job even on that song. What happens on this show is there are some contestants that can knock one or two songs out of the park and that it. He’s one of those people, just as Julia D’Amato was one of those people. It’s a sin that Amy Adams is gone and he’s still here.
I was a little disappointed in George, but even Clay and Ruben didn’t always pick the best songs for themselves. He’s still my favorite.
I run hot and cold with Fantasia, but she was great last night.
LaToya is always perfect.
JPL made me giggle.
If you add “thin” to your list of negative qualities, I will agree with you completely about John Stevens! And he’s very, very pale.
Well, actually, no, “we” can’t stop describing reality, whether you like it or not. Especially when you admit yourself that the boy goes flat on occasion. He’ll sing a few bars with all the right notes and then he hits ones that literally make me cringe they’re so freaking bad. “Almost always singing the right notes” does not a good singer make. You’re certainly welcome to enjoy him all you want, but please refrain from suggesting that if I’m not a “professional musician” (which, btw, you have no idea that I’m not – and I have, in fact, taken professional music training (from a former First Violinist with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, as a matter of fact)) and that I merely “don’t like his voice.” I’d like his voice just fine if he’d sing the right notes consistently. Sadly, he assaults my ears every time he opens his mouth. And whether it’s throughout the entire song or not is irrelevant. Thanks for sharing your opinion, though. Always interesting to hear an opposing point of view.
First, I’m sorry to have (apparently) offended… I didn’t intend to be obnoxious and I apologize if I was.
I’d maintain, though, that there is not a single singer remaining in this competition - and, indeed, precious few singers in the world - who don’t ever hit a sour note or two in live performance. Jasmine’s closing note on “When I Fall in Love” was a country mile from correct, George went flat on a few notes in his song, Diana had some ugly, ugly moments, Jon Peter has been flat for entire verses of songs (though I guess he was solid last night). LaToya, Jennifer, and Fantasia have been pretty consistent pitch-wise, but even they have periodic notes where you wince and move on. I mean, geez, I saw The Phantom of the Opera when Michael Crawford was in it, and in the middle of his big solo he just totally gacked the high note… not even close. It was absolutely, unquestionably, flatter than a pancake.
John S. hits the occassional flat note, sure, but to imply that he is consistently off-key, throughout every performance, is I think unfair to him. He’s certainly no more so than most of the singers left in the show. And perhaps you, personally, are not using “off-key” as a synonym for “don’t like his voice,” but a lot of people I know do - especially here in my office, where someone just said this morning that Fantasia is “always off-key.” So that’s where the pet peeve comes from. But again, I’m sorry to have offended.
Hey, so is John S. the most polarizing performer in the history of this show, or what? I can’t remember having one singer that so many people just loathe while others just love him.
I love this show.
He’s right up there. Fantasia is in that class. So was Trenyce. Justin Guarini. . . well, he may have a class of his own.
I think Clay Aikins was more divisive than the slavery issue in the 19th Century.
I happen to like John. I acknowledge his failings, but I don’t hate him personally, and as I said before, the show is more interesting for having him. And, as Grace said, there is nothing special about LaToya. She’s a wedding singer, nothing more.
The show is not about finding a boring pop singer. It’s about ratings. A stable of professional wedding singers doing predictable jobs on predictable songs would not get ratings.
Fantasia owns me.
(George and LaToya rent me out on occasion, but they always have to give me back.)
Storyteller, I happen to think John has a nice tone to his voice when he’s on key, but he does have more pitch problems than most of the others (Camille was about as bad). It’s not every song but n at least one song (“My Girl”) he was out of key from beginning to end. He also missed the falsetto notes on “Crocodile Rock.” He has no upper range which is why he goes flat.
If he sings lower register songs without a lot of range I think he does foine. I liked his rendition of “Always a Woman” as well as “King of the Road,” but let’s not pretend the kid doesn’t have problems.
I also have to say I don’t understand how you can trash Jennifer, who is probably the strongest pure singer in the contest and give kudos to JPL who isn’t even in her league.
Accepted, and likewise.
You’ll get no argument from me there.
Agree, agree, agree and agree. However, with the possible exception of Jasmine, who I think is as consistently mediocre as John S, every other performer left in this competition is primarily good, most of the time, with an occasional bad note, and certainly not in every performance.
Again, true. But LaToya, Fantasia and Michael Crawford do it so rarely that it’s an anomaly. John S. cannot get through a single, solitary performance without wince-inducing flat or sharp notes, and not always just one at a time, they’re frequently strung together (though, as I admitted above, not throughout entire songs, for the most part (Crockodile Rock perhaps being an exception)).
Didn’t mean to imply that – see above.
We’ll have to differ here. I think he’s far more so flat or sour than most of the singers left on the show.
Agreement again! Fantasia is never off-key. She’s shrieky. She sometimes whines her notes instead of singing them, but she certainly always hits them. She’s got an annoying speech impediment with her sibilant ‘S’ sound. But she’s far from off-key.
Methinks you must be blocking out last year’s top 2, particularly The Aiken. He was (and still is) either loated or worshipped. There’s very little middle ground when it comes to Clay.
Hear! Hear!