I disagree with this one point in your post: he does have excellent hair. And that worked for at least one of the Cassidys (Shawn), back in the day.
With emphasis on “back in the day”.
I’d kill for hair like that, but I’m female. Maybe he can teach me to hula. I swear, he reminds me so much of my 16 year old nephew. His mannerisms are very similar. The other night, it occurred to me that he’d probably have a little crush on Sanjaya. I know he watches Idol, so I wonder…
I’ll give Carrie Underwood credit for at least not supersizing her boobies like someone we know.
The sad thing is he will probably want to quit and be pressured to stay or feel he has to stay and he seems like the type who would make himself physically ill from the stress. He seems like such a sweet guy and I’d have to see him get seriously messed up by this show.
Re:Lakisha vs. Melinda. I think they have equally good voices however Melinda has an edge over Lakisha because she is actually a professional singer. I think this makes her a lot more savvy about song choices and singing styles and Lakisha is used to church singing and probably limited in the amount of songs she knows that will show off her range. I am interested in seeing if Laskisha learns and grows in her performance skills and gives Melinda a real run for the money.
So who had the gun to Carrie Underwood’s head before she went on-stage. I realize she’s a “Ooohh GREAT BIG STAR” now but she looked like they had asked her to sing with a red hot poker in her ass. She could have at least stuck around for the “Yeah, it’s nice to revisit. Good luck you guys” stuff.
Carrie - I like some of your songs. Do you really think I’d know who the hell you are without AI?
I noticed this as well. She looked like she was just going through the motions and not even enjoying herself on the A.I. stage.
She seems to have gone to the same fake tan/cake makeup place though.
I like Lakisha because I know she’ll stay in tune and not subject me to something horrible. She’s a solid singer. But I can’t see her growing enough to be as individual and skilled as Melinda, with a real artistry to her voice beyond being technically good.
She always looked like that before.
I just loathe her as a performer. Ick.
Word. (Or should I say “Note.”?)
That’s what makes Melinda a star. She has channeled a delicate whisper of both Ella and Coco, without being a copycat. She just has a natural “relationship” with song. I don’t know exactly how to express it, but it separates her from the herd.
I think you expressed it fine.
There’s just a huge difference between someone with a good (or even great) voice, and a great singer. There are great singers with lousy voices. There are people with spectacular voices whom I hope never to hear sing again.
(cough) Joe Cocker (cough)
(cough) Whitney Houston (cough)
Yes, I think Melinda is on that top tier level. With her, it is a remarkable transformation from street to stage. When the music begins, she lets herself disappear, and what emerges from her is the song and the performance in all its perfection.
Good choices! I was going to say Janis and Celine. 
Ya know, it almost scares me that she’s in this competition. I can see the drama and bullshit and all the negative aspects of AI becoming a hindrance to her. It’s almost like she’d be better off being “slacker voted” off so she could go about the real business of a singing career. I’d just hate to see any of the Hollywood crap end up hurting her. She’s by far the best singer they’ve ever had on the show.
Excellent choices! (Ohmygod…Celine… :rolleyes: )
One clarification if someone could, please: She’s a back-up singer…but how “professional” is she? Clubs? Studio work? I never heard how extensive her experience is.
I’d agree with you except…we’ve said the same thing every season about some truly worthy contestants and while some of them might at least be working, none of them are rich and famous and riding their kajillion selling singles to the Grammy’s.
Kim Locke? We loved her, she was fabulous, last I heard she’s a spokesperson for fat chick clothing stores, right?
Trnyce? Tamyra had a guest shot on a since-cancelled television show, once. What are Amy Adams or LaToya London up to?
Lots of former contestants are working in the industry, at least tangentially. Kim Caldwell parlayed her experience into something of a career as a part-time Idol insider, for instance. Frenchie’s touring, so’s Constantine, but neither of them entered the contest just to get a leg up at Broadway cattle calls. I’d hate to see anything similar happen to Melinda.
Yeah, you’ve got a point. But after “Gloria Estefan’s” boot-off, I have no faith in the American public. Not that I ever did, but that just underscored it.
It makes you wonder how many other Melindas are out there, singing backup when they’d shine in the spotlight if they had a chance. Who gives them the chance? How does somebody get a recording contract anyway?
And another thing. I gotta admit, there’s something “generic” about Idol singers. I don’t know how to explain it, but (until Melinda anyway), buying a CD from an Idol contestant would be like buying the store brand. They might be just as good as the name brands but you’re a bit suspicious of the quality.
I just contradicted myself. I’m bitching about good singers who can’t get noticed, and then bitching about what they have to do to get noticed. I don’t make sense even to myself.
I know exactly what you mean. For starters, I do not normally listen to 95% of the songs that the Idol Kids sing. It’s just not my cup o’ tea. However, Melinda has a serious jazz sensibility about her, along with a '70s R&B flavor, which I DO like and listen to, so I may actually buy her album when (notice I didn’t say “if” 
) she records one.
Watching AI made me ruminate about this myself. As others have pointed out, it’s definitely not just the voice. You hear jingles on TV sung by people with better voices than 98% of the AI contestants have. I assume you just have to have “something” a producer is looking for, whether it’s a style, a look, or whatever. And you have to draw the notice of someone who happens to be looking for that something. That’s why I find Simon’s feedback the most interesting: That’s how he makes his living and what he’s known for. He puts his money and his reputation on the line by saying, “I think this person is going to be the next star.”