Being the over-analytical freak that I am, I was thoroughly amused by the ploys the producers took in their attempts to make this show subdued and successful. Let me start this by saying that I think it's a great idea for Fox and American Idol to do charity work like this, and to make it so accessible to the American public (if they reach 500 million votes this week, some company will donate $.10 for every vote to their causes, totaling $5 million if you're like me and could not calculate that fast enough in your head before Ryan Seacrest clarified it). We've been seeing short clips of Ryan and Simon visiting Africa and different charities and poverty stricken areas in the U.S. all season, and hopefully after last night we can be done with them, because we watched it all YET again.
What I found so humorous is that the episode of American Idol last night should not have been dubbed Idol Gives Back, but rather Idol Gives Back Their Razors, or something to that effect. As far as I could tell, the producers decided to tone down the show by featuring an unshaved Ryan Seacrest, Chris Richardson, Blake Lewis (sans crazy-hot faux hawk too), and Simon's chest hair (hanging out of his white button down shirt in full glory). Apparently the way these fools give back is to not shave for a day and give serious smoldering looks into the camera. Stick that up with simplified lighting and orchestrations, and you've got yourself a charity show!
Being that this was the first night without Sanjaya in the competition, Simon and Randy each remarked that it felt like it was the beginning of the true competition. It was also the first night with 2#'s for each of the performer's, which always seems to up the stakes.
Chris Richardson~ It's always hard to open the show, especially the week after you were reamed by Simon for your vocal quality that is part JT part Fran Drescher. Fran's essence was still there (how could it not be?), but he also had the JT meets Jason Mraz thing going on. Singing Eric Clapton's "Change the World" was a good song choice, if anything because it showcased his mellower, toned down performance where he could still show off his riffs without over doing it. And of course, how can I argue with his great style and presence while he performs? But he'll most likely be in the bottom 3 (and he barely makes mine, simply because there's no one left to take the last spot on my list). Don't think he'll go home, though.
Melinda Dolittle~ Someone stole my slogan! There was a sign last night that said "Melinda Dolittle can do lots!" (of course, it's not the most original slogan, but I would still appreciate some credit!). This girl, I swear to God. She proved this week that she can do nothing but stand in the middle of the stage and sing, and still command a standing ovation. I thought she was the best performance of the night, and literally the only blocking she had was move from center to down center in the middle of the song. She's unhuman. And she looked gorgeous too. She sported a simple look, but that was not a simple performance. And she is starting to realize she's better than everyone else too. There's always someone who doesn't have to do the stupid finger waving when Ryan reads their phone #, and this season it's Melinda. She just looks at the camera with a smile, and BOOM! She's safe.
Blake Lewis~ If there was ever a night when Blake looked like a certain someone who keeps popping up in my life, it was last night. But I digress. Blake reached kinda high and sang "Imagine." Which on the one hand was a smart choice to tone it waaaaay down and show off his vocals rather than his VP and performance abilities. But come on now, it's "Imagine." It wasn't his best vocal of the season, and for some reason I kept thinking 'holiday album' during his performance. I guess we can look forward to an Idol follow-up from Claiken's bomb of Merry Christmas With Love. Eh, Blake was bound to have an 'ok' performance sometime. Still, his scruffy, toned down look and his relaxed but sincere performance were fitting for the night. He will never be in my bottom 3, but he has been in the bottom 3 before, and I'm afraid it could happen again this week.
Lakisha Jones~ I'm very big on taking breaths at the right moments in a song. You don't want to let me catch you taking a breath in the middle of a phrase, because I will ream your ass! Enter Lakisha, singing a song from a past Idol for the second week in a row (which I equate to singing a song from a musical you are auditioning for...you just don't do it Kiki!). After taking breaths at two inopportune moments, I tuned out. "Reach for...a star..." "Rea...lize" (not kidding about that second one. She actually took a breath in the middle of a WORD). The judges criticized her for not being comparable to the original, and it is impossible not to compare her to one of the more successful Idols (I can guarantee if she were to have sung something by Ruben Studdard or Taylor Hicks no one would have noticed). But despite Kiki hitting two of my biggest pet peves, "Believe" by Fantasia is more the style of song she should be singing in this competition, and I hope she can continue to make smart choices like that. Otherwise, she'll be gone gone gone gone gone. Which she may be this week. She's in my bottom 3, and she will be in America's, too.
On a side note: Ever noticed how short Ryan Seacrest is? Pretty sure he's only 5'6" or something. It's funny to see everyone always TOWERING over him. But last night I noticed that he was actually a head taller than Lakisha! Crazy, because I would have thought Kiki to be much taller than I guess she actually is.
Phil Stacey~ Phil has such a great quality to his voice. I almost like it when it's a little raspier (you can tell his voice is getting tired). It's like a deeper Michael Bolton with a tiny bit of country twang (which I never noticed until he sang during country week last week). His best notes come when he sings with he really opens up and relaxes (but when he does that I'm pretty sure he unhinges his jaw. Last night I was afraid he was going to swallow the microphone AND Paula Abdul in one bite!). I'm not sure if he will be able to make it as a country artist, though. He may have the sound, but country music is largely based on telling a story, and with the lack of stage presence and emotion he has when performing, I am skeptical of his ability to move an audience with his emotion and energy. He'll be in the bottom 3 and may go home by default.
Jordin Sparks~ Just when I was on the fence with this girl, she busts out some CAROUSEL! How can I not like her now? She sang "You'll Never Walk Alone," which is a very moving and haunting ballad. Poor Simon just can't get away from movie/soundtracks week that he always hates between Melinda's "Home" a few weeks ago and Jordin's choice this week. I love it! Jordin looked beautiful--her hair, dress, makeup, everything. It wasn't her strongest vocal of the season, but she still manages to pull out these crazy notes at the end of her songs. I was watching her thinking 'there's no way she is going to hit that crazy high note with the last "You'll NEVER walk ALONE!"' But she did it. And she did it well! Her voice is starting to remind me of Daphne's a lot. But Daphne has a better vibrato. She'll definitely stick around till next week, and possibly even the finals, if the Blaker Girls start to fall behind in their voting.So my bottom 3 should reflect America's bottom 3: Chris, Lakisha, and Phil, with either Phil or Lakisha going home. I don't think Chris deserves to go yet.
1 comment:
Any reference to my voice deserves a comment - how sweet are you? I'm starting to forget that I was ever a singer, and it makes me cry.
I digress - Jordin is my favorite singer. Last week's performance is my favorite of hers... she's sweet, and effortless, and not hyper-self-aware of it like McPhee was. She's the real thing.
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