Master K here, transcribing Dr. L's hieroglyphics from last nite:)
We decided to watch the performances, pause and rate them, THEN listen to the judges, so as not to be swayed by any of their babble.
Lauren: Any Man Of Mine, Shania.
K-- walking back & forth is not a performance. She did a "good" job, not great by any stretch, a fail in terms of hype. Looks like 4H County Fair Queen next to some of her competitors.
L-- good performance, of good song choice. Wardrobe fail. Didn't connect to song. Nothing special about her version vs original.
Special K Note: 13 minutes have gone by, and only one performance. No wonder this damn show is two hours long!
Casey: With A Little Help From My Friends, Cocker (Beatles)
K--this is more like a real performance. Is his vocal mix better than Lauren? Sure can hear him better. Choir? Who decides who is choir/bagpipe/lightning bolt-worthy?
L-- a bit restrained, could have jumped out a bit more, but definitely seemed like his take on that tune. Stage presence.
Ashthon: When You Tell Me You Love Me, Diana Ross
K-- 2nd half picked up from shaky start. Disconnected. Almost seemed like sabotage to put Berry Gordy out there, I'd be $hitting a brick.
L-- Weak 1st part, arrangement too fast? Powerful voice, but not best choice. Did she do it because they suggested it to her last week?
Paul: Come Pick Me Up, Ryan Adams (wha?)
K-- He does have a unique voice, OK, but it's more of a recording voice, not stage, and what a weird performance.
L-- didn't know song, venue too big for him. "I hope they get it" -- what does that mean?
Pia: All By Myself, Celine (Eric Carmen)
K-- in it to win it. Seems like she's on a different show than Lauren. Complete package.
L-- beautiful tone to her voice. Great chord progressions, in a different league.
James: Maybe I'm Amazed, Paul McCartney
K-- like an eclipse when he and Pia sang, the rest of the pack fell into shadow. Real talent. Great to show he doesn't have to blow our heads off, bodes well for later weeks/themes. Unlike some to come later...
L--clear tone, control. So obvious he should be a frontrunner.
Hailey: Blue, LeeAnn RImes (pseudo Patsy Cline)
K-- Good, authentic performance, looked the part. Seems like she was included here for fodder but might pick off a former frontrunner before she's booted.
L-- Clear yodel, she went in a different direction. interesting take on this song. Good to change it up after James, Pia, hard acts to follow. Unintelligible at times?
Jacob: I Beweave I Can Fwy (Aw Kewwey) (Just kidding, wouldn't want to piss anybody off. Get it? R Kelley and...nevermind)
K-- working too hard, not as much WOW factor as he'd like to believe. Again with the choir. This is like vocal gymnastics, not a song.
L-- could have dialed it back from 11. Would like to see a more controlled performance.
Side note: again, it is up to Randy to kind of keep it real this year.
Thia: Smile, Michael Jackson (Charlie Chaplin)
K-- poor girl, this damn song might as well have been written during the Crusades for all she knows. 1st part better, pretty voice. Way to sabotage yourself on the exit video backstage (see Stefano for how to do it right). Too young.
L-- current arrangement is a plus. Just didn't care for it.
Stefano: Stevie Wonder tune (so rocked up I didn't recognize it)
K-- good performance, better stage presence than many.
L-- loved arrangement, modern youthful sound, catch yourself being entertained by it (some of these are almost a chore to get though, not this one)
Karen: When I Fall In Love, Selena (what a shocker)
K-- that's it? "Paging Gopher to the Lido Deck" Cruise ship level performance. 1976 called, they want Gladys Knight's dresses back. She will only stay alive because of the Latina sympathy vote.
L-- "Whatev" performance. Pitchy, song never went anywhere.
Scotty: BabyLockThemDoo--oops, some Garth Brooks song
K-- Fades in and out. Come on, he has no real power to his voice, when the band came in it was like a tidal wave, buried him. One-note, how's he going to tackle ANYTHING else?
L-- More relaxed look & presence on stage. Already over the Country music thang.
Naima: Umbrella, Rihanna
K-- smart to do newer, pop performance. Tough not to be pitchy when jumping around, doing reggae riffs. Wish whole song had been reggae.
L-- crowd pleaser, being able to sing and dance, need to find a balance.
Our bottom three, as mentioned before,
Ashthon, Paul, Karen
BUT, we know there's probably no way Karen is going anywhere, or Paul, so America's bottom three:
Ashthon, Paul (shocker! style) and Thia,
Ashthon goes home
THIS is AMERICAN IDOL!
IDOL IS BACK!!!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
J's Belated Top 13 Predictions
So, I'm working at a bit of an unfair advantage because I'm writing these predictions after the first show of the Top 13 . . . however, I haven't really seen these folks much, if at all, before last night. So, here it goes.
13. Ashton - That performance last night just wreaked of elimination. Her voice just doesn't seem quite strong enough to pull of the diva she wants to be.
12. Karen - Another weak voice . . . mixed with bad outfits . . . equals you will not be going on the tour.
11. Stefano - I think he has a strong voice, but he kind of reminds me of . . . what was his name . . . stripper boy who was eliminated first two seasons ago . . . I can see him producing a really subpar performance one night when he is slated to go third or fourth . . . just a gut instinct on this one.
10. Thia - This pick was a coin toss between Thia and Haley. I think which ever one isn't eliminated will actually make it a few week further . . . if that makes any sense. I think both of them have lovely voices, but are bound for Jasmine Trias land.
9. Naima - She brings an interesting flavor to the competition; however, the only other show I have watched all the way through was the wildcard show . . . and she should not have made it to the Top 13. . . big nose boy was robbed. Anyway, I think the Naima novelty will have worn thin by week 5.
8. Haley - I realize that I have picked a bunch of the girls to go first, but they kind of all sound the same to me with the exception of two. I agree with Rubbertoe that Haley is kind of Kristy Lee Cook in nature . . . with the face of Haley S. (from Jordin Sparks' season. . . the girl who wore the short shorts). Anyway, I can see her making it this far and impressing us once or twice, but . . . her Idol ride will end.
7. Jacob - It pains me to think that Jacob will last this far into the competition and I will have to withstand that Mariah like, upper register assault. I seriously find him painful to hear. However, the Idol audience likes a screaming, soulful male . . . think George what's his name from a few seasons back (Hercules guy) . . . I hope I'm wrong and he goes earlier, but I just don't think so . . .
6. Scotty - This boy has no worries. He is going to get signed to a recording contract from Nashville the minute he is done with Idol. At some point, a theme night is going to trip him up, and I think he is destined for a mid-competition elimination. I think America will get tired of the same George Jones rendition week in and week out.
5. Casey - I think Casey has amazing chops. . . and I originally had him in my Top 3 . . . and he might get there, but I'm smelling an upset. For me, this is upset #1. If he trims that beard up, I think Casey could find a niche in the music industry. I think he has an exceptionally strong voice . . . he just needs to figure out who he is
4. Paul - Based on last night's performance, I would not be surprised if he went home tonight. However, I think this boy has some swagga ... and he is one of the view I have heard sing before. He has a quirky voice and I think it could keep him around for a while . . . I could be very wrong about this one . . . but you gotta go out on a limb every once in a while :)
3. Lauren - Based on last night's performance . . . much like Paul . . . she should be much lower on this list. However, I've also heard her sing before, and I'm attributing last night's performance to nerves and a poor song choice. I think this girl could win the whole thing, but that whole sulky, whiney, crap from last night got under my skin. . . I think it could wear thin and hurt her in the end.
2. James - He definitely channels Adam Lambert in his performances. He is a really cute boy with a really big voice. That alone can carry him into the Top 5. I think his stage presence will carry him into the Top 2. This boy has a career ahead of him, but I don't think he'll quite make it to the top. . .
1. Pia - This girl's voice is infreakingcredible . . . I cringed when she said she was singing Celine Dion... however, she proved my cringe to have been unnecessary. She knocked it out of the park. I can see how she could stumble a bit, and she will need to mix up the ballads with some upbeat music, BUT, Idol is a due a female winner. Crystal was ROBBED last year and we have to go all the way back to Season 6 to find our last female winner - Jordin Sparks. For all of these reasons, and because as of right now, I think she is the most talented.
So, there are my rankings . . . we'll see how the season plays out.
13. Ashton - That performance last night just wreaked of elimination. Her voice just doesn't seem quite strong enough to pull of the diva she wants to be.
12. Karen - Another weak voice . . . mixed with bad outfits . . . equals you will not be going on the tour.
11. Stefano - I think he has a strong voice, but he kind of reminds me of . . . what was his name . . . stripper boy who was eliminated first two seasons ago . . . I can see him producing a really subpar performance one night when he is slated to go third or fourth . . . just a gut instinct on this one.
10. Thia - This pick was a coin toss between Thia and Haley. I think which ever one isn't eliminated will actually make it a few week further . . . if that makes any sense. I think both of them have lovely voices, but are bound for Jasmine Trias land.
9. Naima - She brings an interesting flavor to the competition; however, the only other show I have watched all the way through was the wildcard show . . . and she should not have made it to the Top 13. . . big nose boy was robbed. Anyway, I think the Naima novelty will have worn thin by week 5.
8. Haley - I realize that I have picked a bunch of the girls to go first, but they kind of all sound the same to me with the exception of two. I agree with Rubbertoe that Haley is kind of Kristy Lee Cook in nature . . . with the face of Haley S. (from Jordin Sparks' season. . . the girl who wore the short shorts). Anyway, I can see her making it this far and impressing us once or twice, but . . . her Idol ride will end.
7. Jacob - It pains me to think that Jacob will last this far into the competition and I will have to withstand that Mariah like, upper register assault. I seriously find him painful to hear. However, the Idol audience likes a screaming, soulful male . . . think George what's his name from a few seasons back (Hercules guy) . . . I hope I'm wrong and he goes earlier, but I just don't think so . . .
6. Scotty - This boy has no worries. He is going to get signed to a recording contract from Nashville the minute he is done with Idol. At some point, a theme night is going to trip him up, and I think he is destined for a mid-competition elimination. I think America will get tired of the same George Jones rendition week in and week out.
5. Casey - I think Casey has amazing chops. . . and I originally had him in my Top 3 . . . and he might get there, but I'm smelling an upset. For me, this is upset #1. If he trims that beard up, I think Casey could find a niche in the music industry. I think he has an exceptionally strong voice . . . he just needs to figure out who he is
4. Paul - Based on last night's performance, I would not be surprised if he went home tonight. However, I think this boy has some swagga ... and he is one of the view I have heard sing before. He has a quirky voice and I think it could keep him around for a while . . . I could be very wrong about this one . . . but you gotta go out on a limb every once in a while :)
3. Lauren - Based on last night's performance . . . much like Paul . . . she should be much lower on this list. However, I've also heard her sing before, and I'm attributing last night's performance to nerves and a poor song choice. I think this girl could win the whole thing, but that whole sulky, whiney, crap from last night got under my skin. . . I think it could wear thin and hurt her in the end.
2. James - He definitely channels Adam Lambert in his performances. He is a really cute boy with a really big voice. That alone can carry him into the Top 5. I think his stage presence will carry him into the Top 2. This boy has a career ahead of him, but I don't think he'll quite make it to the top. . .
1. Pia - This girl's voice is infreakingcredible . . . I cringed when she said she was singing Celine Dion... however, she proved my cringe to have been unnecessary. She knocked it out of the park. I can see how she could stumble a bit, and she will need to mix up the ballads with some upbeat music, BUT, Idol is a due a female winner. Crystal was ROBBED last year and we have to go all the way back to Season 6 to find our last female winner - Jordin Sparks. For all of these reasons, and because as of right now, I think she is the most talented.
So, there are my rankings . . . we'll see how the season plays out.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Lucky 13: Idols Performance Night
Hey y'all! We will post our detailed review tomorrow - long day and too tired tonight! But great show and... WELCOME BACK J!! :)
DrL&K's Rankings
1. Pia
2. James
3. Casey
4. Stefano
5. Naima
6. Jacob
7. Haley
8. Thia
9. Scotty
10. Lauren Alaina
11. Ashthon
12. Paul
13. Karen
DrL&K's Rankings
1. Pia
2. James
3. Casey
4. Stefano
5. Naima
6. Jacob
7. Haley
8. Thia
9. Scotty
10. Lauren Alaina
11. Ashthon
12. Paul
13. Karen
Idols do their idols
The Top 13:
Songs by their personal idol -
1. First up - Lauren (Shania Twain) - Came out sounding a little flat. This performance is not up to Lauren's level. Intensity level was way done. Not a great start.
2. Casey (Joe Cocker) - I Can't stand this guy...but he sang it well...probably one of his better performances...and his fans will appreciate this.
3. Ashton (Diana Ross) - Makes me wonder if she is singing Dianna because she really is one of her idols or because thats what the judges told her they wanted to hear from her. I would predict the latter. She's beautiful...but her voice is no Diana Ross. Her voice is too small to do someone like Diana Ross. (As I said before Ashton....you can't tell you that we love you...because we don't).
4. Paul (Ryan Adams - WHO?) - If Casey is a Freak...this guy is a SUPER Freak. I still say that he sounds like Kermit the Frog. He's singing a song that no one knows...and he sounds horrible doing it. There's no way this guy is going to last for very long.
Now a little Idol pimping....Why does Pia get a personal interview?..Answer...AI pimpage.
5. Pia (Celine Dion) - She's not great in the lower range, but she can belt it out in the higher register. Although...I don't think she hit the high notes that well...she kinda screamed them. I Liked it...I didn't LOVE it. JLo thinks she topped last week....not even close.
6. James Durbin (Paul McCartney) - James is hot tonight. I like that he is showing that he can do more than the total cream. Nicely done.
7. Haley (Leeann Rimes) - She sang well...but the performance came off very Kareoke. Shes a mediocre singer. She'll stick around for a few more weeks ala Kristy Lee Cook...but she won't go far.
8. Jacob (Art Kelly) - He sounds totally sharp to me....another over the top performance. Even more over the top that usual. He's good, but it would have been better a little more subdued.
9. This (Michael Jackson) - She doesn't even know who Charlie Chaplin is. She is much better than last week...but when it goes upbeat..it sounded really bad...problem with Thia is that she is just plain boring.
10. Stefano (Stevie Wonder) - He shows moments of brillance...and he's got a performance ability that many others lack. But his tone was off tonight....like he was trying too hard. I'm glad he's on the show though...and he'll stick around for a while
11. Karen Rodriguez (Selena) - Started off really weak. No lower register. I want to like her...but she keeps disappointing. She's going to be gone very soon.
12. Scotty (Garth Brooks) - wow...Scotty cannot do Garth. The song was too big for him and it lacked any real heart. It was like he was just going through the motions.
13. Naima (Rhianna) -
Best of the Night - James Durbin, Pia, Casey, Naima
Middle of the Road - Lauren, Haley, Jacob, Thia, Stefano, Scotty
Worst of the Night - Ashton, Paul
Rubbertoe's bottom 3: Ashton, Paul, Haley
America's bottom 3: Ashton, Paul, Karen
Going Home: Ashton
Songs by their personal idol -
1. First up - Lauren (Shania Twain) - Came out sounding a little flat. This performance is not up to Lauren's level. Intensity level was way done. Not a great start.
2. Casey (Joe Cocker) - I Can't stand this guy...but he sang it well...probably one of his better performances...and his fans will appreciate this.
3. Ashton (Diana Ross) - Makes me wonder if she is singing Dianna because she really is one of her idols or because thats what the judges told her they wanted to hear from her. I would predict the latter. She's beautiful...but her voice is no Diana Ross. Her voice is too small to do someone like Diana Ross. (As I said before Ashton....you can't tell you that we love you...because we don't).
4. Paul (Ryan Adams - WHO?) - If Casey is a Freak...this guy is a SUPER Freak. I still say that he sounds like Kermit the Frog. He's singing a song that no one knows...and he sounds horrible doing it. There's no way this guy is going to last for very long.
Now a little Idol pimping....Why does Pia get a personal interview?..Answer...AI pimpage.
5. Pia (Celine Dion) - She's not great in the lower range, but she can belt it out in the higher register. Although...I don't think she hit the high notes that well...she kinda screamed them. I Liked it...I didn't LOVE it. JLo thinks she topped last week....not even close.
6. James Durbin (Paul McCartney) - James is hot tonight. I like that he is showing that he can do more than the total cream. Nicely done.
7. Haley (Leeann Rimes) - She sang well...but the performance came off very Kareoke. Shes a mediocre singer. She'll stick around for a few more weeks ala Kristy Lee Cook...but she won't go far.
8. Jacob (Art Kelly) - He sounds totally sharp to me....another over the top performance. Even more over the top that usual. He's good, but it would have been better a little more subdued.
9. This (Michael Jackson) - She doesn't even know who Charlie Chaplin is. She is much better than last week...but when it goes upbeat..it sounded really bad...problem with Thia is that she is just plain boring.
10. Stefano (Stevie Wonder) - He shows moments of brillance...and he's got a performance ability that many others lack. But his tone was off tonight....like he was trying too hard. I'm glad he's on the show though...and he'll stick around for a while
11. Karen Rodriguez (Selena) - Started off really weak. No lower register. I want to like her...but she keeps disappointing. She's going to be gone very soon.
12. Scotty (Garth Brooks) - wow...Scotty cannot do Garth. The song was too big for him and it lacked any real heart. It was like he was just going through the motions.
13. Naima (Rhianna) -
Best of the Night - James Durbin, Pia, Casey, Naima
Middle of the Road - Lauren, Haley, Jacob, Thia, Stefano, Scotty
Worst of the Night - Ashton, Paul
Rubbertoe's bottom 3: Ashton, Paul, Haley
America's bottom 3: Ashton, Paul, Karen
Going Home: Ashton
The Top 13: The Return of J!
Alright little tasters, it's been a rough few months for J. I have only been able to check in sporadically with Idol, but I am back. I watched a bit last week. I have missed you guys. I'm so excited to be back! :)
Here we go with our Top 13!
Tonight they are singing a song by their personal Idol.
1. Lauren - Her Idol is Shania Twain, and she is singing "Any Man of Mine". This song is risky because it is so fast . . . she's gonna have to keep up with the beat. She's got a good connection with the camera, and she's working the stage well. I think her vocals are on the good side. As Simon would have said, "I'm not jumping out of my chair". . . but she did a respectable job.
Steven - wanted to be a bit more kick ass
JLo - wants her to kick it into high gear
Randy - wants her to be that girl they first saw
2. Casey - His Idol is Joe Cocker, and he is singing "With a Little Help from My Friends". I wonder if he will do the Cocker physicality in his performance. . . Casey wants to be "felt". Oh no, here comes the choir . . . I always think the choir is an unfair adavantage. . . but damn this boy sounds good. He is really turning this song out! Casey? Yes, please!
JLo - Thinks she is watching somebody important
Randy - Thinks he is unbelievable
Steven - Thinks Casey is a rainbow of talent and a plethora of passion
3. Ashton - Her Idol is Diana Ross, and she is singing "When You Tell Me That You Love Me". This song is huge. Her opening is a very nervous sounding. She isn't quite getting up to the notes. Good for her, she hit the big note. The back half of the song was definitely better than the front half. However, thus far, neither girl even approaches Casey.
Randy - Thought it might be a safe song, but she did herself some good
Steven - Thinks there is a lot more in her than she is showing
JLo - Thinks there were moments when she went astray, but that she got it together well.
4. Paul - His Idol is Ryan Adams, and he is singing "Come Pick Me Up". Somewhere Allison has developed a case of the vapors. Not a good beginning for my boy . . . but I love this guys voice. It's kind of quirky and awkward. Y'all know how I am. The back half of the song was much better than the front.
Steven - Thought it was a little pitchy, but loves the character of his voice
JLo - Hopes America gets it
Randy - Loves who Paul is
5. Pia - Her Idol is Celine Dion, and she is singing "All By Myself". Yikes! Do not choose Celine people . . . my fingers are crossed for her. She's making some changes without going outside the boundaries of the original. WOW! I literally just got chills. STUNNING! Nothing more to say.
JLo - Got a little teary eyed and thinks it was beautiful
Randy - Thinks she has that quality of Celine, Mariah, and Whitney (pre-crack)
Steven - Thinks that she slammed it
6. James - His Idol is Paul McCartney from the Beatles, and he is singing "Maybe I'm Amazed". Hello cuteness. :) He is kind of Adam Lambert lite. He's got nice stage presence and connection with the camera. He's got a lovely voice . . . impressed.
Randy - James is one of his favorites. Yo, this dude can do anything.
Steven - Thinks he took everything he had and kicked it into the middle of next week.
JLo - Thinks he has a melodic quality to his voice
7. Haley - Her Idol is LeAnn Rimes, and she is singing "Blue". James is going to be a tough act to follow. This song has the potential to send her to the bottom three . . . we'll see. The twangy voice isn't my personal favorite, but she has a lovely voice and she is spot on with her pitch. However, I think it is a boring song choice and could cause her some trouble come tomorrow night.
Steven - Thinks she did a very good job.
JLo - Thinks she does things with her voice that are so diverse and unique
Randy - Thinks it was a little boring and sleepy
8. Jacob - His Idol is R. Kelly (Yikes!), and he's singing "I Believe I Can Fly". I don't love this guy. He just hit a really bum note. I think he is out of control. He's got a very strong voice, but it is certainly not among my favorites.
Steven - Thinks he can't even judge it . . . that's how good he is.
JLo - Thinks he is at the top of the list
Randy - Thinks he has a signature sound . . . thought he fell off a bit in the middle, but brought it back in the end.
9. Thia - Her Idol is Michael Jackson, and she is singing "Smile". She had better work this out because this performance could be very boring . . . lovely voice . . . she is mesmerizing me a bit. She has surprised me here. She has perfect pitch and is making this song entertainig for me. I think if she had done it acapella it would have been stunning.
Randy - Liked the first half, but didn't love the second half.
Steven - Liked the first half more than the end
JLo - Again, liked the first half better
10. Stefano - His Idol is Stevie Wonder, and he is singing "Lately". For those vintage Idol folks, he is bringing back a little R.J. Helton from Idol Season One. Bum note at the beginning . . . Oh Sweet Jesus . . . this mix is horrid. He is so much better when he just sings. His voice is quite good, but this mix is, in my opinion, butchering this song. I think I might be on the island of unpopular opinion . . .
Steven - Thinks he pulled it off
JLo - Thought it was really him, and he sounded great
Randy - Thought it started out rocky, but thinks Stevie would be proud.
11. Karen - Her Idol is Selena, and she is singing "I Could Fall in Love". This song is GORGEOUS! If she doesn't put her own spin on it she could go to the boring side of the Top 13. The opening is a little off . . . It is a little low for her range. She has a very pretty voice, but it is coming off on the really good end of karaoke. I did not love that performance . . .
JLo - Thought she was a little bit uncomfortable with some of the notes
Randy - Thought she was fighting the song, and it was a little sleepy
Steven - Thought it was lacking a bit
12. Scotty - I missed the beginning of this song . . . so I have no idea who Scotty's Idol is, nor do I know this song. The song is a bit boring, but he definitely has an amazing country voice. He will get a country recording contract, but he will not win this competition. I can see him having some difficulty with some of the theme nights. However, this performance was strong.
Randy - If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Ahhh, Garth Brooks!
Steven - Thinks he did the Garth justice
JLo - Thinks he is "taking us on the ride with him"
13. Naima - Her Idol is Rihanna, and she is singing "Umberella". She's gonna need to bring something new to the arrangement. She's a wee bit sharp . . . pitchy . . . ok, I kind of like this middle part . . . but when she goes back to singing she is still a little pitchy . . . I like her, but I'm not sure about the vocals.
Steven - Think she was a little pitchy, but brought flavor
JLo - Doesn't care about the pitchy because she brought the fire
Randy - Thinks she was a little rough but loved the reggae thing
I thought this was a really good night. I'm impressed with the first night of the Top 13. Here are my rankings:
Pia
(HUGE SPACE)
James
Casey
(HUGE SPACE)
Scotty
(SPACE)
Jacob
Thia
Stefano
Paul
Haley
Ashton
Naima
Lauren
Karen
My bottom three: Ashton, Lauren, Karen
America's bottom three: Karen, Haley, Ashton
Going Home: Ashton
Here we go with our Top 13!
Tonight they are singing a song by their personal Idol.
1. Lauren - Her Idol is Shania Twain, and she is singing "Any Man of Mine". This song is risky because it is so fast . . . she's gonna have to keep up with the beat. She's got a good connection with the camera, and she's working the stage well. I think her vocals are on the good side. As Simon would have said, "I'm not jumping out of my chair". . . but she did a respectable job.
Steven - wanted to be a bit more kick ass
JLo - wants her to kick it into high gear
Randy - wants her to be that girl they first saw
2. Casey - His Idol is Joe Cocker, and he is singing "With a Little Help from My Friends". I wonder if he will do the Cocker physicality in his performance. . . Casey wants to be "felt". Oh no, here comes the choir . . . I always think the choir is an unfair adavantage. . . but damn this boy sounds good. He is really turning this song out! Casey? Yes, please!
JLo - Thinks she is watching somebody important
Randy - Thinks he is unbelievable
Steven - Thinks Casey is a rainbow of talent and a plethora of passion
3. Ashton - Her Idol is Diana Ross, and she is singing "When You Tell Me That You Love Me". This song is huge. Her opening is a very nervous sounding. She isn't quite getting up to the notes. Good for her, she hit the big note. The back half of the song was definitely better than the front half. However, thus far, neither girl even approaches Casey.
Randy - Thought it might be a safe song, but she did herself some good
Steven - Thinks there is a lot more in her than she is showing
JLo - Thinks there were moments when she went astray, but that she got it together well.
4. Paul - His Idol is Ryan Adams, and he is singing "Come Pick Me Up". Somewhere Allison has developed a case of the vapors. Not a good beginning for my boy . . . but I love this guys voice. It's kind of quirky and awkward. Y'all know how I am. The back half of the song was much better than the front.
Steven - Thought it was a little pitchy, but loves the character of his voice
JLo - Hopes America gets it
Randy - Loves who Paul is
5. Pia - Her Idol is Celine Dion, and she is singing "All By Myself". Yikes! Do not choose Celine people . . . my fingers are crossed for her. She's making some changes without going outside the boundaries of the original. WOW! I literally just got chills. STUNNING! Nothing more to say.
JLo - Got a little teary eyed and thinks it was beautiful
Randy - Thinks she has that quality of Celine, Mariah, and Whitney (pre-crack)
Steven - Thinks that she slammed it
6. James - His Idol is Paul McCartney from the Beatles, and he is singing "Maybe I'm Amazed". Hello cuteness. :) He is kind of Adam Lambert lite. He's got nice stage presence and connection with the camera. He's got a lovely voice . . . impressed.
Randy - James is one of his favorites. Yo, this dude can do anything.
Steven - Thinks he took everything he had and kicked it into the middle of next week.
JLo - Thinks he has a melodic quality to his voice
7. Haley - Her Idol is LeAnn Rimes, and she is singing "Blue". James is going to be a tough act to follow. This song has the potential to send her to the bottom three . . . we'll see. The twangy voice isn't my personal favorite, but she has a lovely voice and she is spot on with her pitch. However, I think it is a boring song choice and could cause her some trouble come tomorrow night.
Steven - Thinks she did a very good job.
JLo - Thinks she does things with her voice that are so diverse and unique
Randy - Thinks it was a little boring and sleepy
8. Jacob - His Idol is R. Kelly (Yikes!), and he's singing "I Believe I Can Fly". I don't love this guy. He just hit a really bum note. I think he is out of control. He's got a very strong voice, but it is certainly not among my favorites.
Steven - Thinks he can't even judge it . . . that's how good he is.
JLo - Thinks he is at the top of the list
Randy - Thinks he has a signature sound . . . thought he fell off a bit in the middle, but brought it back in the end.
9. Thia - Her Idol is Michael Jackson, and she is singing "Smile". She had better work this out because this performance could be very boring . . . lovely voice . . . she is mesmerizing me a bit. She has surprised me here. She has perfect pitch and is making this song entertainig for me. I think if she had done it acapella it would have been stunning.
Randy - Liked the first half, but didn't love the second half.
Steven - Liked the first half more than the end
JLo - Again, liked the first half better
10. Stefano - His Idol is Stevie Wonder, and he is singing "Lately". For those vintage Idol folks, he is bringing back a little R.J. Helton from Idol Season One. Bum note at the beginning . . . Oh Sweet Jesus . . . this mix is horrid. He is so much better when he just sings. His voice is quite good, but this mix is, in my opinion, butchering this song. I think I might be on the island of unpopular opinion . . .
Steven - Thinks he pulled it off
JLo - Thought it was really him, and he sounded great
Randy - Thought it started out rocky, but thinks Stevie would be proud.
11. Karen - Her Idol is Selena, and she is singing "I Could Fall in Love". This song is GORGEOUS! If she doesn't put her own spin on it she could go to the boring side of the Top 13. The opening is a little off . . . It is a little low for her range. She has a very pretty voice, but it is coming off on the really good end of karaoke. I did not love that performance . . .
JLo - Thought she was a little bit uncomfortable with some of the notes
Randy - Thought she was fighting the song, and it was a little sleepy
Steven - Thought it was lacking a bit
12. Scotty - I missed the beginning of this song . . . so I have no idea who Scotty's Idol is, nor do I know this song. The song is a bit boring, but he definitely has an amazing country voice. He will get a country recording contract, but he will not win this competition. I can see him having some difficulty with some of the theme nights. However, this performance was strong.
Randy - If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Ahhh, Garth Brooks!
Steven - Thinks he did the Garth justice
JLo - Thinks he is "taking us on the ride with him"
13. Naima - Her Idol is Rihanna, and she is singing "Umberella". She's gonna need to bring something new to the arrangement. She's a wee bit sharp . . . pitchy . . . ok, I kind of like this middle part . . . but when she goes back to singing she is still a little pitchy . . . I like her, but I'm not sure about the vocals.
Steven - Think she was a little pitchy, but brought flavor
JLo - Doesn't care about the pitchy because she brought the fire
Randy - Thinks she was a little rough but loved the reggae thing
I thought this was a really good night. I'm impressed with the first night of the Top 13. Here are my rankings:
Pia
(HUGE SPACE)
James
Casey
(HUGE SPACE)
Scotty
(SPACE)
Jacob
Thia
Stefano
Paul
Haley
Ashton
Naima
Lauren
Karen
My bottom three: Ashton, Lauren, Karen
America's bottom three: Karen, Haley, Ashton
Going Home: Ashton
Livin Large
Hey Gang,
Check out the Idol Contestants' new crib!
If you click on the link above, you can check out the full photo spread at TMZ. Looks like the Idols are going to have some nice acoustics when they sing in the shower...
Check out the Idol Contestants' new crib!
If you click on the link above, you can check out the full photo spread at TMZ. Looks like the Idols are going to have some nice acoustics when they sing in the shower...
Friday, March 4, 2011
You're a neo maxi zoom dweebie!!!
If you can decode what the f that statement means, then you are as old as dirt, like me, and can remember the classic yet incredibly EIGHTIES film that quote (and the new Idol exit song) came from. Way to keep it current, Idol.
Thanks, Rubbertoe for giving us the news on the new song. And even though Cookie does a good job on the update, I can never think of it without seeing Bender (Judd Nelson) in this picture.

NO WAIT! I meant this one:

The Breakfast Club lives.
-- K
Thanks, Rubbertoe for giving us the news on the new song. And even though Cookie does a good job on the update, I can never think of it without seeing Bender (Judd Nelson) in this picture.

NO WAIT! I meant this one:

The Breakfast Club lives.
-- K
Countdown Graphic Has Begun!
Hey Guys,
just wanted to let you know there is a new graphic WAY at the bottom of the page to
just wanted to let you know there is a new graphic WAY at the bottom of the page to
a) remind you who these knuckleheads are
b) keep track of who gets the boot every week
We'll follow Rubbertoe's lead in the next couple days and post our Pre-Season Idol predictions; and when we hear from J
(Earth to J! We miss you!) I'll list them over on the right side, so we can see who is the best Nostradamus this season :)
-- K
Time to Rank and Predict the Top 13
OK Guys....Time to make our predictions
(BTW...what happened to J...he dropped off the face of the earth right before the finale last year..come back J, I miss your input. As well as TTown...and whatever happened to my friend Alison?)
13 Naima - I don't think America is going to embrace her. She was one of the better singers in the last round, however, she doesn't have the youthfulness that AI demands. She comes across too mature to be around for very long. She might go a little farther, but probably not much.
12 Ashton - She lived to see another day, however, he doesn't seem to have the ability to kick it up to the Diva level that her style requires. She couldn't even do when she was singing for her life. She stole the spot that Robbie Rosen should have gotten. The judges made the wrong choice in the wildcard here, but America won't keep her around for long.
11 Karen Rodriguez - It will be interesting to see whether the Latino community and America in general is going to embrace this latina. My guess is that she probably won't last much longer than this spot and could go sooner.
10 Paul - I'm afraid America that we are going to be subjected to a few more weeks of this spastic freaky guy. Get ready to be creeped out for a little while longer. He's got enough people that will probably propel him into the top ten...and you know what that means? America will be subjected to him during the tour (I know...frightening). America...do us a favor....please vote him off sooner!
9 Haley - There is nothing interesting or great about her. She's just another pretty face with an ok voice...aka...Kristy Lee Cook. She'll get the guys vote and the young girls vote for a few weeks, but ultimately her voice will sabotage her.
8 Stefano - Scotty and Stefano could flip-flop here...but I think Scotty's voting bloc will probably be just a little stronger than Stefanos. Stefanos boyband good looks will propel him to the #8 spot. He's actually got a good enough voice to go further, if he can be consistent. He hasn't been and probably won't.
7 Scotty - He's got the country/mid-America vote to himself. I actually like his throwback old country style, I just need to see if he can take it further than he has been able to. He's shown glimmers, but ultimately I don't think he'll fo much further than #7. However, he will quickly be signed and will be playing on country stations by late summer. He'll be on the County Fair circuit fer shure!
6 Thia - This is a hard one to call. America and the judges seem to love her, more than er talent would dictate. AI pimpage and the young vote might propel her into the top 5 and possibly even further. She doesn't have the stage presence/charisma in my mind to go much further than #6 and I don't think she has the confidence either.
5 Jacob Lusk - Another difficult one. His smugness and his ability to do anything other than take it completely over the top could do him in sooner. I think he has a great voice, but he's kinda weird...in a "gay christian" kinda way...do you know what I mean...like those guys who have gone through gay therapy and have been "Cured"...I'm just sayin....
4 Casey - God forbid that America gives us another Taylor Hicks. I hope that the Taylor Hicks voting bloc has moved on, because they are the ones that subjected us to him week after week...and could subject us to Casey winning it all.
He's a shoo-in for the top 5 and could win it. Will his momentum falter? Will people tire of his antics? I'm being optimistic that America will get it right and not put him further. But America has gotten it soooo wrong so many times before.
3 James Durbin - James could leave much earlier than this, if he proves that all he can do is the more rock/metal genre. People will continue to make comparisons to Adam Lambert...Adam was 1000% better and proved that he could mix it up. I'm not so sure that James can do this. I suspect that I have him ranked too high...but I'm sticking with it.
2 Pia Toscano - AI really wants it to be a woman this year. It's been a guy for the last 2 years. I suspect that a combination of AI Pimpage, talent, young girl voting block and the quirkiness of some of the other contestants will make it an all girl finale. ultimately Pia is one of the stronger women...and she's got incredible looks as well.
And who is going to win it all:
#1 -Lauren Alaina - She's already showing the polish that AI wants. After lackluster winners - Jordan, Chris and Lee...AI desperately wants another Carrie, Kelly...even going as far as to coming right out and saying that Lauren is a combination of Carrie and Kelly (even though I think it is true). We've seen clearly in years past the manipulation that AI plays and I think that THIS as well as the fact that Lauren is actually probably one of the most, if not THE most talented of the group...that will bring her the crown. Steven Tyler said, "We've found the one" during the auditions..and I think he was correct.
(BTW...what happened to J...he dropped off the face of the earth right before the finale last year..come back J, I miss your input. As well as TTown...and whatever happened to my friend Alison?)
13 Naima - I don't think America is going to embrace her. She was one of the better singers in the last round, however, she doesn't have the youthfulness that AI demands. She comes across too mature to be around for very long. She might go a little farther, but probably not much.
12 Ashton - She lived to see another day, however, he doesn't seem to have the ability to kick it up to the Diva level that her style requires. She couldn't even do when she was singing for her life. She stole the spot that Robbie Rosen should have gotten. The judges made the wrong choice in the wildcard here, but America won't keep her around for long.
11 Karen Rodriguez - It will be interesting to see whether the Latino community and America in general is going to embrace this latina. My guess is that she probably won't last much longer than this spot and could go sooner.
10 Paul - I'm afraid America that we are going to be subjected to a few more weeks of this spastic freaky guy. Get ready to be creeped out for a little while longer. He's got enough people that will probably propel him into the top ten...and you know what that means? America will be subjected to him during the tour (I know...frightening). America...do us a favor....please vote him off sooner!
9 Haley - There is nothing interesting or great about her. She's just another pretty face with an ok voice...aka...Kristy Lee Cook. She'll get the guys vote and the young girls vote for a few weeks, but ultimately her voice will sabotage her.
8 Stefano - Scotty and Stefano could flip-flop here...but I think Scotty's voting bloc will probably be just a little stronger than Stefanos. Stefanos boyband good looks will propel him to the #8 spot. He's actually got a good enough voice to go further, if he can be consistent. He hasn't been and probably won't.
7 Scotty - He's got the country/mid-America vote to himself. I actually like his throwback old country style, I just need to see if he can take it further than he has been able to. He's shown glimmers, but ultimately I don't think he'll fo much further than #7. However, he will quickly be signed and will be playing on country stations by late summer. He'll be on the County Fair circuit fer shure!
6 Thia - This is a hard one to call. America and the judges seem to love her, more than er talent would dictate. AI pimpage and the young vote might propel her into the top 5 and possibly even further. She doesn't have the stage presence/charisma in my mind to go much further than #6 and I don't think she has the confidence either.
5 Jacob Lusk - Another difficult one. His smugness and his ability to do anything other than take it completely over the top could do him in sooner. I think he has a great voice, but he's kinda weird...in a "gay christian" kinda way...do you know what I mean...like those guys who have gone through gay therapy and have been "Cured"...I'm just sayin....
4 Casey - God forbid that America gives us another Taylor Hicks. I hope that the Taylor Hicks voting bloc has moved on, because they are the ones that subjected us to him week after week...and could subject us to Casey winning it all.
He's a shoo-in for the top 5 and could win it. Will his momentum falter? Will people tire of his antics? I'm being optimistic that America will get it right and not put him further. But America has gotten it soooo wrong so many times before.
3 James Durbin - James could leave much earlier than this, if he proves that all he can do is the more rock/metal genre. People will continue to make comparisons to Adam Lambert...Adam was 1000% better and proved that he could mix it up. I'm not so sure that James can do this. I suspect that I have him ranked too high...but I'm sticking with it.
2 Pia Toscano - AI really wants it to be a woman this year. It's been a guy for the last 2 years. I suspect that a combination of AI Pimpage, talent, young girl voting block and the quirkiness of some of the other contestants will make it an all girl finale. ultimately Pia is one of the stronger women...and she's got incredible looks as well.
And who is going to win it all:
#1 -Lauren Alaina - She's already showing the polish that AI wants. After lackluster winners - Jordan, Chris and Lee...AI desperately wants another Carrie, Kelly...even going as far as to coming right out and saying that Lauren is a combination of Carrie and Kelly (even though I think it is true). We've seen clearly in years past the manipulation that AI plays and I think that THIS as well as the fact that Lauren is actually probably one of the most, if not THE most talented of the group...that will bring her the crown. Steven Tyler said, "We've found the one" during the auditions..and I think he was correct.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
The top 12 are picked
Ryan promises a lot of "twists and turns"....
Drama like you've never seen before is about to unfold.
Dim the Lights...here we go:
Scotty and Robbie - Center Stage - Scotty is in the top 10
Clint and Jordan and Jovanny - None of these guys should go through. None of them do.
Switch to the ladies:
Pia and Lauren A. - I'm certain that they are both through....and they are.
Tatynisa and Julie - My guess is Julie is in Tatynisa is out....neither is in.
Kendra, Ashton and Karen - Karen should go through..the others no. Karen makes it in..I'm surprized...America got it right
Jacob, Casey and Tim. I expect Jacob and Casey to go through. Jacob is in. Casey is in...Tim is not
Naima, Thia and Lauren T -...They all three should go through. I suspect that Naima won't. Ryan says only 1 is in. Naima isn't the one but she'll come back as a wildcard. Thia is in...Lauren T is not.
Brett and Paul - Paul is in...Brett is not (Yuck...we have to watch Paul for another week).
Haley and Rachel - Haley is likely in...Rachel is definitely out. Haley is in.
Stefano and James- James is definitely in.
Not a single surprise in the bunch.
Wildcards
Ashton - not good....guess what girl...you are going....we just don't love you.
Stefano - I love the quality of his voice. I definitely think the competition would be better with him there.
Kendra - She's not going to mae it on the basis of this performance
Jovanny - Seriously? They gave him another chance?
Naima and Robbie Rosen both did great.
But I think the Judges are going to choose Stefano and Kendra
The Wildcards.....after....the break.....
So Ashton and Stefano are in
and they surprise us with one more....Naima.
Drama like you've never seen before is about to unfold.
Dim the Lights...here we go:
Scotty and Robbie - Center Stage - Scotty is in the top 10
Clint and Jordan and Jovanny - None of these guys should go through. None of them do.
Switch to the ladies:
Pia and Lauren A. - I'm certain that they are both through....and they are.
Tatynisa and Julie - My guess is Julie is in Tatynisa is out....neither is in.
Kendra, Ashton and Karen - Karen should go through..the others no. Karen makes it in..I'm surprized...America got it right
Jacob, Casey and Tim. I expect Jacob and Casey to go through. Jacob is in. Casey is in...Tim is not
Naima, Thia and Lauren T -...They all three should go through. I suspect that Naima won't. Ryan says only 1 is in. Naima isn't the one but she'll come back as a wildcard. Thia is in...Lauren T is not.
Brett and Paul - Paul is in...Brett is not (Yuck...we have to watch Paul for another week).
Haley and Rachel - Haley is likely in...Rachel is definitely out. Haley is in.
Stefano and James- James is definitely in.
Not a single surprise in the bunch.
Wildcards
Ashton - not good....guess what girl...you are going....we just don't love you.
Stefano - I love the quality of his voice. I definitely think the competition would be better with him there.
Kendra - She's not going to mae it on the basis of this performance
Jovanny - Seriously? They gave him another chance?
Naima and Robbie Rosen both did great.
But I think the Judges are going to choose Stefano and Kendra
The Wildcards.....after....the break.....
So Ashton and Stefano are in
and they surprise us with one more....Naima.
Rubbertoe's Top 10 and wildcard predictions
I've heard rumors that next week the contestants not in the top 10 are going to sing for two wildcard spots.
However, on last night's show, it sounded as if they are going to pick 2 wildcards tonight (I wish they would pick 3 and give each judge their own wildcard)....so I'm going to post my predictions:
So here is Rubbertoe’s guesses for the top 10 and 2 wildcards
Lauren A.
Lauren (the other one)
Pia Toscano
Thia
Julie Zorrilla
Casey
James Durbin
Jacob Lusk
Scotty
Paul
Naima (Wildcard)
Stefano (Wildcard)
Other possible wildcards: Brett Lowenstern/Robbie Rosen for the guys. Karen Rodriguez, Haley or Kendra from the girls.
Definite OUTS: Rachel, Tatynisa, Junbug, Jordan, Jovanny, Tim
However, on last night's show, it sounded as if they are going to pick 2 wildcards tonight (I wish they would pick 3 and give each judge their own wildcard)....so I'm going to post my predictions:
So here is Rubbertoe’s guesses for the top 10 and 2 wildcards
Lauren A.
Lauren (the other one)
Pia Toscano
Thia
Julie Zorrilla
Casey
James Durbin
Jacob Lusk
Scotty
Paul
Naima (Wildcard)
Stefano (Wildcard)
Other possible wildcards: Brett Lowenstern/Robbie Rosen for the guys. Karen Rodriguez, Haley or Kendra from the girls.
Definite OUTS: Rachel, Tatynisa, Junbug, Jordan, Jovanny, Tim
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Ladies night: Great outfits, so-so songs
The women looked great tonight! I was surprised how dressed-up they were compared to the the men on Tuesday night. Here are our peformance notes:
Tatynysia - screechy, off key, and just straight-up awful. Weak during the verses and just painful during the chorus.
Naima - clear, strong voice, great arrangement to a song that is a bit overdone on Idol. Great that she designed her own dress.
Kendra - good performance, but a bit sharp. Looked great - really working it.
Rachel - off key, and a bit out of breath with all that running around. I love the original of this song - so not impressed with the song. Seems confident and she worked the stage - but did not love it at all. Uhh, what was with the cape??
Karen R. - so pretty, loved the dress! a bit ahead of the music at times. Loved the bilingual performance. Loved that she acknowledged her mom at the end :)
Lauren T. - big, soulful voice. not sure if it is current enough for Idol viewers.
Ashthon - very confident performance, great stage presence. song choice was a bit off - but overall very good.
Julie - she looked really cute - she has that princess look down. Song was way off - not sure what she was going for with that song choice, too big for her. Miss Kelly's song should be off limits! Didn't seem like she could hear the music?
Hailey - not sure about the melisma going on - what was that oohhwhooowhoo at the end? Doesn't seem authentic - doesn't seem connected to the song.
Thia - WOW! Was not expecting that from her - but she dropped a bomb on the rest of the girls - that was truly impressive.
Lauren Alaina - good, big fun song! K noted that it sounded a bit over-produced. Did she get lost in the song a bit? She didn't have a moment like she could have with the right song.
Pia - beautiful - got a standing ovation! Not sure I loved the song as much as the judges were lovin' it, but she does seem to have the total package. Good control in her vocals.
DrL&K's Post-Performance Ranking:
1. Thia
2. Ashthon
3. Pia
4. Lauren Alaina
5. Naima
6. Karen
7. Kendra
8. Lauren T.
9. Haley
10. Julie
11. Rachel
12. Tatanysia
Can't wait for tomorrow's results show!
Tatynysia - screechy, off key, and just straight-up awful. Weak during the verses and just painful during the chorus.
Naima - clear, strong voice, great arrangement to a song that is a bit overdone on Idol. Great that she designed her own dress.
Kendra - good performance, but a bit sharp. Looked great - really working it.
Rachel - off key, and a bit out of breath with all that running around. I love the original of this song - so not impressed with the song. Seems confident and she worked the stage - but did not love it at all. Uhh, what was with the cape??
Karen R. - so pretty, loved the dress! a bit ahead of the music at times. Loved the bilingual performance. Loved that she acknowledged her mom at the end :)
Lauren T. - big, soulful voice. not sure if it is current enough for Idol viewers.
Ashthon - very confident performance, great stage presence. song choice was a bit off - but overall very good.
Julie - she looked really cute - she has that princess look down. Song was way off - not sure what she was going for with that song choice, too big for her. Miss Kelly's song should be off limits! Didn't seem like she could hear the music?
Hailey - not sure about the melisma going on - what was that oohhwhooowhoo at the end? Doesn't seem authentic - doesn't seem connected to the song.
Thia - WOW! Was not expecting that from her - but she dropped a bomb on the rest of the girls - that was truly impressive.
Lauren Alaina - good, big fun song! K noted that it sounded a bit over-produced. Did she get lost in the song a bit? She didn't have a moment like she could have with the right song.
Pia - beautiful - got a standing ovation! Not sure I loved the song as much as the judges were lovin' it, but she does seem to have the total package. Good control in her vocals.
DrL&K's Post-Performance Ranking:
1. Thia
2. Ashthon
3. Pia
4. Lauren Alaina
5. Naima
6. Karen
7. Kendra
8. Lauren T.
9. Haley
10. Julie
11. Rachel
12. Tatanysia
Can't wait for tomorrow's results show!
What happened to the women?
Wow...the Ladies look beautiful toinght...it looks like the stylists have alrady gotten to them. It will be interesting to see what they do for the guys.
First up Tatynisa - I haven't been a fan of hers since Hollywood week. She looks great, but sounds flat. She doesn't have a strong enough voice to pull off this type of song. Completely forgettable performance. (3)
Randy got it right...What is it with JLo and Steven....they are WAAAAAAAY too nice.
#2 - Naima - Love the outfit. Singing summertime...this will be interesting. Fantasia kinda owns this song on the idol stage. She sounds great, but is this going to appeal to the younger voters...I don't think so. Shes a bit over theatrical
(7) I don't think she is going to be in the top 10, but will be a wildcard choice
#3 - Kendra - Weak in the low register....though she sounds great in the mid-range...also weak in the higher range. Overall...very weak. She's got the looks, but not the voice. (4)
#4 - Rachel - This years Cinnabon. Wow...she sounds horrible. Another overly dramatic performance. Her perfornacce is absolutely horrendous. Probably one of the worst I've seen at this stage. Sorry but this is a (1)
#5 - Karen Rodriguez - I love that she is singing bi-lingual...very cool...but the performance isn't wowing me. Even in the dramatic build...it was good, but she didn't take it to where it needed to be. (6)
#6 - Lauren (the OTHER Lauren...not the good one). I like the way she sang the song. She needs to work on stage presence though. Overall though...she was actually pretty good. (7). JLO's comments about getting in the camera's face with that type of song...is exactly what I was talking about.
#7 - Ashton - She has a nice voice. I wanna see her take a little more up tempo though. She's a little off on some of the long high notes. Not a solid performance, but it was aiiiiight. (5)
#8 - Julie Zorilla - Its always dangerous to do a signature song of a previous idol. ..and Julie showed that she isn't even close to Kelly Clarkson. Not a smart song for her at all....not horrible, but certainly not good (4)
#9 - Hailey - She looks extremely HOT!...and she's got a good ear for the bluesly style..and she certainly has the power behind her voice...but I wanted more. Overall though she was solid (6)
#10 - Thia -Singing one of my favorite songs from Fame. I absolute hate how she started it. The low key approach did nothing to showcase her voice. Irene Cara is 1 million times better. Second weakest performance of the night (2)
Wow...I heard this one completely different from the judges..
#11 - Lauren Alaina - Shes got the stage precense that the others lack. I felt that her voice was overpowered by the band...but overall, she is the first one that I could actually see making a CD. For perfomance a 10, for voice 7. Overall (8)
Exactly what Randy said...Kelly meets Carrie.
#12 - Pia Toscano - Beautiful girl...with a beautiful voice. She also sang it very smart. Powerful where it needed to be without overdoing it. A solid 8.
I thought her voice was vetter than Laurens, but Lauren had a better performance.
Rubbertoes Rankings:
1. Lauren Alaina
2. Pia Toscano
3. Lauren Turner
4. Naima
5. Karen Rodiguez
6. Haley
7. Ashton
8. Kendra
9. Julie Zorilla
10. Tataynisa
11. Thia
12. Rachel
America's rankings:
Lauren, Lauren and Pia are the shoo ins
I think America will also side with the judges on Thia...although I didn't see it
The final slot..although Naima and Karen should both be there, I'm going to guess that either Haley's looks or Kendra's looks push them through. I'm guessing Haley.
First up Tatynisa - I haven't been a fan of hers since Hollywood week. She looks great, but sounds flat. She doesn't have a strong enough voice to pull off this type of song. Completely forgettable performance. (3)
Randy got it right...What is it with JLo and Steven....they are WAAAAAAAY too nice.
#2 - Naima - Love the outfit. Singing summertime...this will be interesting. Fantasia kinda owns this song on the idol stage. She sounds great, but is this going to appeal to the younger voters...I don't think so. Shes a bit over theatrical
(7) I don't think she is going to be in the top 10, but will be a wildcard choice
#3 - Kendra - Weak in the low register....though she sounds great in the mid-range...also weak in the higher range. Overall...very weak. She's got the looks, but not the voice. (4)
#4 - Rachel - This years Cinnabon. Wow...she sounds horrible. Another overly dramatic performance. Her perfornacce is absolutely horrendous. Probably one of the worst I've seen at this stage. Sorry but this is a (1)
#5 - Karen Rodriguez - I love that she is singing bi-lingual...very cool...but the performance isn't wowing me. Even in the dramatic build...it was good, but she didn't take it to where it needed to be. (6)
#6 - Lauren (the OTHER Lauren...not the good one). I like the way she sang the song. She needs to work on stage presence though. Overall though...she was actually pretty good. (7). JLO's comments about getting in the camera's face with that type of song...is exactly what I was talking about.
#7 - Ashton - She has a nice voice. I wanna see her take a little more up tempo though. She's a little off on some of the long high notes. Not a solid performance, but it was aiiiiight. (5)
#8 - Julie Zorilla - Its always dangerous to do a signature song of a previous idol. ..and Julie showed that she isn't even close to Kelly Clarkson. Not a smart song for her at all....not horrible, but certainly not good (4)
#9 - Hailey - She looks extremely HOT!...and she's got a good ear for the bluesly style..and she certainly has the power behind her voice...but I wanted more. Overall though she was solid (6)
#10 - Thia -Singing one of my favorite songs from Fame. I absolute hate how she started it. The low key approach did nothing to showcase her voice. Irene Cara is 1 million times better. Second weakest performance of the night (2)
Wow...I heard this one completely different from the judges..
#11 - Lauren Alaina - Shes got the stage precense that the others lack. I felt that her voice was overpowered by the band...but overall, she is the first one that I could actually see making a CD. For perfomance a 10, for voice 7. Overall (8)
Exactly what Randy said...Kelly meets Carrie.
#12 - Pia Toscano - Beautiful girl...with a beautiful voice. She also sang it very smart. Powerful where it needed to be without overdoing it. A solid 8.
I thought her voice was vetter than Laurens, but Lauren had a better performance.
Rubbertoes Rankings:
1. Lauren Alaina
2. Pia Toscano
3. Lauren Turner
4. Naima
5. Karen Rodiguez
6. Haley
7. Ashton
8. Kendra
9. Julie Zorilla
10. Tataynisa
11. Thia
12. Rachel
America's rankings:
Lauren, Lauren and Pia are the shoo ins
I think America will also side with the judges on Thia...although I didn't see it
The final slot..although Naima and Karen should both be there, I'm going to guess that either Haley's looks or Kendra's looks push them through. I'm guessing Haley.
DrL&K's Top 12 Girl Predictions
DrL&K's Top 12 Girl Predictions
Hey y'all! Here are our quick guesses of how the Top 12 Girls might do (haven't watched performances yet). We will do a performance re-cap after the show!
1. Lauren Alaina
2. Naima
3. Ashthon
4. Pia T.
5. Tatanysia
6. Thia M.
7. Rachel Z.
8. Julia Z.
9. Karen R.
10. Lauren T.
11. Kendra C.
12. Haley R.
Hey y'all! Here are our quick guesses of how the Top 12 Girls might do (haven't watched performances yet). We will do a performance re-cap after the show!
1. Lauren Alaina
2. Naima
3. Ashthon
4. Pia T.
5. Tatanysia
6. Thia M.
7. Rachel Z.
8. Julia Z.
9. Karen R.
10. Lauren T.
11. Kendra C.
12. Haley R.
You Know That I Would Be A LIGH-YERRR
Boy's Top 24 Rundown:
1. Clint: Kiss of death spot. Superstition, seems like a safe Idol standby. Fun stage presence, good energy, a little pitchy. Harry Potter Glasses -- K wonders if Clint sticks around if this will be another Gokey Lenscrafter parade. But he probably won't.
Side note: along with the new director, the idol production has improved IMMENSELY so far. No weird camera angles, no sound flubs. Could it actually look like a professional broadcast this season?
2. Jovany: pretty song, blandly solid but 2nd half much better. Nice runs. Is it memorable enough to escape being buried this low, though? I don't think so. Looks like the Dawg is taking over the Voice of Truth role vacated by Simon.
3. Jordan: off key throughout? Said he agreed with JLo, this was not his type of music. Is this a case of the dread Idol Song Sabotage, i.e. Idol declares a song a performer has been practicing "off limits" at the last second, forcing them to half-ass a song suggested by TPTB? You know that this has happened many times, Taylor Hicks was the first to really mention it but it's one of Idols dirty little secrets. K says he doesn't really have much sympathy for this guy, seems douche-y.
4. Tim H: overpowered by the music in many spots. Song choice? He's probably history.
5. Brett: K says with those dance moves, he's one set of white platforms away from dancing on a bar in pee Wee's Big Adventure. He felt like he was being Punk'd. Definitely original, but is that good or bad? "FI-YERRRR!"
6. James: RAWKED, like he was expected to. Probably a shoo-in to go far of his facial tics don't alienate America.
7. Robbie: Just okay. Did a good job, pretty song, but...Kind of over-melismatic and bashed us over the head with the falsetto. K says the kid reminds him of Fonzie; will tweentards or housefraus keep him in?
8. Scotty: did a great job by completely staying in his wheelhouse. How long can he keep that up? I probably doesn't matter: with that performance (even though he was about to keel off the side of the stool) he satisfied the Country crowd, the Military families and the Christians (had that Big Old Cross on his neck). So, he got a shitload of votes.
9. Stefano: pitchy, right key? He's one of those "package" contestants the judges always talk about, and he's closer to the pimp spot, so he'll stand a better chance of being remembered. At least he was smart to pick a song that builds to a crescendo, voters seem to equate that with singing well.
10. Paul: interesting voice, strange stage moves. Thom Yorke Dance Academy? Kind of a weird song choice; he should probably pick something from the Kenny Loggins playlist every week ("I'm All Right" could be his "Baby Lock Them Doors") instead. Like Scotty, it is hard to imagine him branching out. Then again, this season is supposed to be different...
11. Jacob: looking like he'll be predictable (in a good way) week in/out: he seems like he's going to bring the "big ol' voice" that dominates Idol in most seasons until the Top 3. Great job, and he appears to pick songs that are just right. We agreed with Rubbertoe that he's verging on smug; K had a flashback to someone (Daughtry maybe? Cookie?) that always seemed to be "acting" humble during the judge's praise because they knew they had to.
12. Casey: I can see how he might strike some listeners with a Taylor Hicks Drunken Uncle vibe, but I liked Tay-Tay, and Casey, too. He's another weirdo in what seems to be a theme this season at Idol, but I think he pulls it off, very entertaining. He won't necessarily advance, but if he does, it will probably be more like 60% performance, 40% voice. But a lot of Idols have made it a hell of a long way on less :)
Dr. L & K's ranking:
1. James Durbin
2. Jacob Lusk
3. Casey
4. Scotty
5. Paul
6. Stefano
7. Jovanny
8. Clint Gamboa
9. Brett
10. Robbie
11. Tim Halperin
12. Jordan
K's note: This is probably wildly divergent from America's vote, and based solely on if I would ever want to hear that performance again. Dr. L trusted me to pick, and even she would probably disagree. The only ones I was pretty sure on were James, Jacob, Casey and then Jordan and Tim. And as much as I sort of despise Scotty, he did OK on the night. The rest ???
1. Clint: Kiss of death spot. Superstition, seems like a safe Idol standby. Fun stage presence, good energy, a little pitchy. Harry Potter Glasses -- K wonders if Clint sticks around if this will be another Gokey Lenscrafter parade. But he probably won't.
Side note: along with the new director, the idol production has improved IMMENSELY so far. No weird camera angles, no sound flubs. Could it actually look like a professional broadcast this season?
2. Jovany: pretty song, blandly solid but 2nd half much better. Nice runs. Is it memorable enough to escape being buried this low, though? I don't think so. Looks like the Dawg is taking over the Voice of Truth role vacated by Simon.
3. Jordan: off key throughout? Said he agreed with JLo, this was not his type of music. Is this a case of the dread Idol Song Sabotage, i.e. Idol declares a song a performer has been practicing "off limits" at the last second, forcing them to half-ass a song suggested by TPTB? You know that this has happened many times, Taylor Hicks was the first to really mention it but it's one of Idols dirty little secrets. K says he doesn't really have much sympathy for this guy, seems douche-y.
4. Tim H: overpowered by the music in many spots. Song choice? He's probably history.
5. Brett: K says with those dance moves, he's one set of white platforms away from dancing on a bar in pee Wee's Big Adventure. He felt like he was being Punk'd. Definitely original, but is that good or bad? "FI-YERRRR!"
6. James: RAWKED, like he was expected to. Probably a shoo-in to go far of his facial tics don't alienate America.
7. Robbie: Just okay. Did a good job, pretty song, but...Kind of over-melismatic and bashed us over the head with the falsetto. K says the kid reminds him of Fonzie; will tweentards or housefraus keep him in?
8. Scotty: did a great job by completely staying in his wheelhouse. How long can he keep that up? I probably doesn't matter: with that performance (even though he was about to keel off the side of the stool) he satisfied the Country crowd, the Military families and the Christians (had that Big Old Cross on his neck). So, he got a shitload of votes.
9. Stefano: pitchy, right key? He's one of those "package" contestants the judges always talk about, and he's closer to the pimp spot, so he'll stand a better chance of being remembered. At least he was smart to pick a song that builds to a crescendo, voters seem to equate that with singing well.
10. Paul: interesting voice, strange stage moves. Thom Yorke Dance Academy? Kind of a weird song choice; he should probably pick something from the Kenny Loggins playlist every week ("I'm All Right" could be his "Baby Lock Them Doors") instead. Like Scotty, it is hard to imagine him branching out. Then again, this season is supposed to be different...
11. Jacob: looking like he'll be predictable (in a good way) week in/out: he seems like he's going to bring the "big ol' voice" that dominates Idol in most seasons until the Top 3. Great job, and he appears to pick songs that are just right. We agreed with Rubbertoe that he's verging on smug; K had a flashback to someone (Daughtry maybe? Cookie?) that always seemed to be "acting" humble during the judge's praise because they knew they had to.
12. Casey: I can see how he might strike some listeners with a Taylor Hicks Drunken Uncle vibe, but I liked Tay-Tay, and Casey, too. He's another weirdo in what seems to be a theme this season at Idol, but I think he pulls it off, very entertaining. He won't necessarily advance, but if he does, it will probably be more like 60% performance, 40% voice. But a lot of Idols have made it a hell of a long way on less :)
Dr. L & K's ranking:
1. James Durbin
2. Jacob Lusk
3. Casey
4. Scotty
5. Paul
6. Stefano
7. Jovanny
8. Clint Gamboa
9. Brett
10. Robbie
11. Tim Halperin
12. Jordan
K's note: This is probably wildly divergent from America's vote, and based solely on if I would ever want to hear that performance again. Dr. L trusted me to pick, and even she would probably disagree. The only ones I was pretty sure on were James, Jacob, Casey and then Jordan and Tim. And as much as I sort of despise Scotty, he did OK on the night. The rest ???
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
New Stage: I'm not sure that I love it. I miss the pit and I don't like the seats behind the stage.
First up - Clint Junebug Gamboa - Superstitious. Starting off really weak. Seems the wrong range for him. The band is overpowering him. He's good when he hits the high notes but overall performance on a scale of 1-10 (5)
(I'm surprized that the judges liked it)
#2 - Jovanny - one word.....meh....nothing there. Bland, flat and just plain boring.
This guy has the charisma of a turnip. rating (4)
Randy is the only one who got it right.
#3 - Jordan - He's definitely no usher. Started off out of his range. He's a cute guy and he has some stage precense and charisma. But weak voice. This is so far the worst performance of the night. I'm giving him for stage presence a 6, voice 2. total (4).
Strange - he admits right away that it wasn't him...that its not his thing...so WHY pick that song? poor judgmenet dude.
#4 - Tim Halperin - another weak start. He sounds off key...better during the chorus. Overall...not horrible, but nothing great (5)
#5 - Brett - Good luck for him. Again...very weak start. Sounds like he's singing out of range. Once it goes uo tempo...MUCH MUCH better. Overall - pretty good. Not great..but the best of the night so far. (7)
Once again...Randy was the one that was right on with his comments.
#6 - James Durbin - Wow...very strong start. Awesome stage presence. He's great in his upper range. Some of the lower notes were a little off. Absolutely the best performance of the night (9) I would even go as far to say the best performance by anyone at this stage of AI in the history of AI.
Randy was right on..about him not overusing the high range.
(He looks like a giant next to Ryan)
#7 - Robbie Rosen - Strong start. Song is perfect his range. He actually has one of the more beautiful voices of the guys. Some of the falsetto is a little strange. Needs to work on stage presence though (6)
#8 - Scotty McCreery - He's smart to pick a song that is in his range. I have to hand it to him for that...and the way he infused a little humor into the performance. I still say that his only gimmick is singing in the low voice. (7)
#9 - Stefano - weak weak start. He picks it up and now he's delivering it. However, his performance makes me think he would make a better lead singer of a boyband than a solo performer. He picked a song with high range...perhaps a bit too high. I liked it....didn't Love it...(7)
#10 - Paul. He's smart for picking a rod stewart song. It suits him well....but this guy is a total freak. I can't stand to watch him...but he's definitely going to win over those who like him based on that I'm going to give him a 7...personally I would give him a 5.
#11 - Jacob - He's great...but his performance has a little bit of smugness that could become very grating very quickly. (8)
#12 = Casey - Not a particularly strong start, but then he hits his element. However, he comes across like one of my mentally ill clients. Voice isn't particularly spectacular...not in the same level as James, Jacob or even Brett.
Seems like he screamed more than he sang tonight. (6)
Rubbertoe's rankings tonight
1. James Durbin
2. Jacob Lusk
3. Brett Lowenstern
4. Stefano
5. Scotty
6. Casey
7. Paul
8. Robbie Rosen
9. Clint Gamboa
10. Tim Halperin
11. Jovanny
12. Jordan
America's Top Five:
James Durbin and Jacob are shoo-ins
Casey is probably in due to the AI pimpage
The final 2 will be either Stefano, Scotty, Brett or Paul. I think Scotty is definitely in due to his unique voting block. The big question will be whether Stefano, Brett or Paul gets in. I'm going to go against my own judgement and say that Paul grabs the fifth spot.
Overall...not a bad first night for the guys...
First up - Clint Junebug Gamboa - Superstitious. Starting off really weak. Seems the wrong range for him. The band is overpowering him. He's good when he hits the high notes but overall performance on a scale of 1-10 (5)
(I'm surprized that the judges liked it)
#2 - Jovanny - one word.....meh....nothing there. Bland, flat and just plain boring.
This guy has the charisma of a turnip. rating (4)
Randy is the only one who got it right.
#3 - Jordan - He's definitely no usher. Started off out of his range. He's a cute guy and he has some stage precense and charisma. But weak voice. This is so far the worst performance of the night. I'm giving him for stage presence a 6, voice 2. total (4).
Strange - he admits right away that it wasn't him...that its not his thing...so WHY pick that song? poor judgmenet dude.
#4 - Tim Halperin - another weak start. He sounds off key...better during the chorus. Overall...not horrible, but nothing great (5)
#5 - Brett - Good luck for him. Again...very weak start. Sounds like he's singing out of range. Once it goes uo tempo...MUCH MUCH better. Overall - pretty good. Not great..but the best of the night so far. (7)
Once again...Randy was the one that was right on with his comments.
#6 - James Durbin - Wow...very strong start. Awesome stage presence. He's great in his upper range. Some of the lower notes were a little off. Absolutely the best performance of the night (9) I would even go as far to say the best performance by anyone at this stage of AI in the history of AI.
Randy was right on..about him not overusing the high range.
(He looks like a giant next to Ryan)
#7 - Robbie Rosen - Strong start. Song is perfect his range. He actually has one of the more beautiful voices of the guys. Some of the falsetto is a little strange. Needs to work on stage presence though (6)
#8 - Scotty McCreery - He's smart to pick a song that is in his range. I have to hand it to him for that...and the way he infused a little humor into the performance. I still say that his only gimmick is singing in the low voice. (7)
#9 - Stefano - weak weak start. He picks it up and now he's delivering it. However, his performance makes me think he would make a better lead singer of a boyband than a solo performer. He picked a song with high range...perhaps a bit too high. I liked it....didn't Love it...(7)
#10 - Paul. He's smart for picking a rod stewart song. It suits him well....but this guy is a total freak. I can't stand to watch him...but he's definitely going to win over those who like him based on that I'm going to give him a 7...personally I would give him a 5.
#11 - Jacob - He's great...but his performance has a little bit of smugness that could become very grating very quickly. (8)
#12 = Casey - Not a particularly strong start, but then he hits his element. However, he comes across like one of my mentally ill clients. Voice isn't particularly spectacular...not in the same level as James, Jacob or even Brett.
Seems like he screamed more than he sang tonight. (6)
Rubbertoe's rankings tonight
1. James Durbin
2. Jacob Lusk
3. Brett Lowenstern
4. Stefano
5. Scotty
6. Casey
7. Paul
8. Robbie Rosen
9. Clint Gamboa
10. Tim Halperin
11. Jovanny
12. Jordan
America's Top Five:
James Durbin and Jacob are shoo-ins
Casey is probably in due to the AI pimpage
The final 2 will be either Stefano, Scotty, Brett or Paul. I think Scotty is definitely in due to his unique voting block. The big question will be whether Stefano, Brett or Paul gets in. I'm going to go against my own judgement and say that Paul grabs the fifth spot.
Overall...not a bad first night for the guys...
DrL&K's Top 12 Guys
DrL & K's Predictions for Top 12: Guys
Here's our picks for the rankings for the Top 12 guys. We had to say that it was hard to pick among this group, because we didn't really remember some of them. It's a shame that some of these guys have been cast as 'villains' so early in the competition - it makes it difficult to overlook the personality issues and think about the singing!
1. James Durbin - he's this year's Adam Lambert - so he's gotta be here! Strong voice - hopefully he will be able to keep it all together during the performances each week.
2. Jacob Lusk - soulful, pleasant personality, one of the few 'big' voices in the competition. Expecting good performances from him!
3. Casey Abrams - quirky, good personality, sings and plays instruments
4. Robbie Rosen - cute, sort of a young 'Fonzie' - meets the criteria for the young demographic that Idol is looking for.
5. Paul McDonald - been getting some pimple - and nice voice. Will make the Top 12, but will drop out early - gets lost in the crowd.
6. Stefano - looks like a good one for the Top 12.
7. Brett L - Dr. L thinks Brett is Top 12 material without a doubt, and K doubts it - so we put him on the cusp of not.
8. Tim H. - great voice, could make it to the Top 12 - but could just be in the competition only a brief time. He will probably quickly disappear.
9. Clint (JunBug) Gamboa - presented as too annoying and he has been cast as a villain so far…so not in.
10. Jovany - not a lot of exposure. Beautiful voice - he could go either way for us.
11. Jordan Dorsey - also has been portrayed heavily as a villain. He has a great voice when he is on his game - but that could be overshadowed by personality issues or 'team player' problems.
12. Scott McCreery - Baby lock em doors while a tornado's ripping through the trailer park and he is outside! No disagreement here at all - he is at the bottom of the pack.
Looking forward to a fun week of performances! We will post our Top 12 girl rankings before Wednesdays' performances.
Cheers,
DrL&K
Here's our picks for the rankings for the Top 12 guys. We had to say that it was hard to pick among this group, because we didn't really remember some of them. It's a shame that some of these guys have been cast as 'villains' so early in the competition - it makes it difficult to overlook the personality issues and think about the singing!
1. James Durbin - he's this year's Adam Lambert - so he's gotta be here! Strong voice - hopefully he will be able to keep it all together during the performances each week.
2. Jacob Lusk - soulful, pleasant personality, one of the few 'big' voices in the competition. Expecting good performances from him!
3. Casey Abrams - quirky, good personality, sings and plays instruments
4. Robbie Rosen - cute, sort of a young 'Fonzie' - meets the criteria for the young demographic that Idol is looking for.
5. Paul McDonald - been getting some pimple - and nice voice. Will make the Top 12, but will drop out early - gets lost in the crowd.
6. Stefano - looks like a good one for the Top 12.
7. Brett L - Dr. L thinks Brett is Top 12 material without a doubt, and K doubts it - so we put him on the cusp of not.
8. Tim H. - great voice, could make it to the Top 12 - but could just be in the competition only a brief time. He will probably quickly disappear.
9. Clint (JunBug) Gamboa - presented as too annoying and he has been cast as a villain so far…so not in.
10. Jovany - not a lot of exposure. Beautiful voice - he could go either way for us.
11. Jordan Dorsey - also has been portrayed heavily as a villain. He has a great voice when he is on his game - but that could be overshadowed by personality issues or 'team player' problems.
12. Scott McCreery - Baby lock em doors while a tornado's ripping through the trailer park and he is outside! No disagreement here at all - he is at the bottom of the pack.
Looking forward to a fun week of performances! We will post our Top 12 girl rankings before Wednesdays' performances.
Cheers,
DrL&K
Monday, February 28, 2011
Rubbertoe's top 12 girls
As per usual....the top 12 girls are much more difficult to pick...those that stand out really stand out, but there are a number that just blend in..in the middle.
Lauren Alaina - Shoo in for the top 12. She's my pick to win it all at this point. However, she might end up the Didi of this year (who I picked to win it all at this point last year..and then fizzled once she got into the top 12).
Julie Zorrilla - She's in for sure. She has been the recipient of a great deal of AI pimpage. They aren't about to let her not be in the top 12. She's got a decent voice and is pleasant to look at (which never hurts). I don't think she can win it all, but she's in the top 12.
Naima Adepo - She's unique and stands out. I think she gets in on that alone.
Tatynisa Wilson - She should definitely not be in the top 12. She was horrible in Hollywood week and in the Vegas show. I still cannot understand how she got into the top 24.
Pia Toscano - She's in. Beautiful girl and a good voice.
Rachel Zavita - She's the wildcard of the bunch. Some people love her, others hate her. Is she this years Cinnabon aka Siobhan or whatever he name was from last year?
She's kind of a freak show. I don't like her and don't think she should be in the top 24, let alone the top 12....but America often disagrees.
Thia Megia - Cute girl...young....voice not that strong. She might get in based on AI pimpage, wanting to attract the younger crowd. They are REALLY making a push for that this year (I think they are afraid of losing the support of that demographic...they have really pimped the 15 year old boundary line this year). Ashton Jones - She's out. I don't understand how she got this spot over people like Lakeisha...but I'm certain that absent a stellar performance this week, she's not in the top 12.
Karen Rodriguez - Don't remember much about her, other than I thought that she wasn't that great.
Lauren Turner - Don't remember anything about her other than she's not Lauren Alaina. Not a good sign
Haley Rinehart - The only thing I remember out her is that I didn't like her that much...hmmmmmm
Kendra Chantelle - Pretty girl....weak voice.
So...here are Rubbertoe's top 12 girl predictions
1. Lauren Alaina
2. Julie Zorilla
3. Pia Toscano
4. Naima Adepo
5. Thia Megia (based on age pimpage)
6. Kendra Chantelle (based on looks....AI always has to have the one pretty girl in the top 12 that can't sing all that well...like...what was that country girl from a couple years ago that I think made it all the way to #7? I can't remember her name..something Cook I think.
Lauren Alaina - Shoo in for the top 12. She's my pick to win it all at this point. However, she might end up the Didi of this year (who I picked to win it all at this point last year..and then fizzled once she got into the top 12).
Julie Zorrilla - She's in for sure. She has been the recipient of a great deal of AI pimpage. They aren't about to let her not be in the top 12. She's got a decent voice and is pleasant to look at (which never hurts). I don't think she can win it all, but she's in the top 12.
Naima Adepo - She's unique and stands out. I think she gets in on that alone.
Tatynisa Wilson - She should definitely not be in the top 12. She was horrible in Hollywood week and in the Vegas show. I still cannot understand how she got into the top 24.
Pia Toscano - She's in. Beautiful girl and a good voice.
Rachel Zavita - She's the wildcard of the bunch. Some people love her, others hate her. Is she this years Cinnabon aka Siobhan or whatever he name was from last year?
She's kind of a freak show. I don't like her and don't think she should be in the top 24, let alone the top 12....but America often disagrees.
Thia Megia - Cute girl...young....voice not that strong. She might get in based on AI pimpage, wanting to attract the younger crowd. They are REALLY making a push for that this year (I think they are afraid of losing the support of that demographic...they have really pimped the 15 year old boundary line this year). Ashton Jones - She's out. I don't understand how she got this spot over people like Lakeisha...but I'm certain that absent a stellar performance this week, she's not in the top 12.
Karen Rodriguez - Don't remember much about her, other than I thought that she wasn't that great.
Lauren Turner - Don't remember anything about her other than she's not Lauren Alaina. Not a good sign
Haley Rinehart - The only thing I remember out her is that I didn't like her that much...hmmmmmm
Kendra Chantelle - Pretty girl....weak voice.
So...here are Rubbertoe's top 12 girl predictions
1. Lauren Alaina
2. Julie Zorilla
3. Pia Toscano
4. Naima Adepo
5. Thia Megia (based on age pimpage)
6. Kendra Chantelle (based on looks....AI always has to have the one pretty girl in the top 12 that can't sing all that well...like...what was that country girl from a couple years ago that I think made it all the way to #7? I can't remember her name..something Cook I think.
Rubbertoe's rundown of the top 24 (first, the guys)
Ok...so lets take a look at the top 12 guys and girls and predict the top 12
Brett Lowenstern - This guy has gone as far as he will. He was lucky to make the top 24...his luck will run out.
Casey Adams - I don't love this guy. I see him as another Taylor Hicks. People seem to like him (like they liked Taylor Hicks)...he's an ok musician (like Taylor Hicks)...and I suspect that he will go further in the competition than he should (like Taylor Hicks)...although I don't think he'll win it.
Clint Gamboa - another top 12 guy. He's weird and I don't love the overall package, but he's got the pipes to make it into the top 12.
Jacob Lusk - A shoo-in for the top 12. This guy has incredible range and a beautiful voice.
James Durbin - #4 to go into the top 12. He's no Adam Lambert, personality-wise, voice-wise, stage presence-wise. But he's got one of the better range and better voices in the group and a great story to go with it.
Jordan Dorsey - Cute guy...but lacks the voice. He makes it into the top 12 only if he gets there on looks....or does something incredible in the next performance.
Jovany Barretto - Goner. Second weakest of the top 24. He thinks he's so much hotter and better than he is....and lets face it....he isn't.
Paul MacDonald - I can't imagine that he is going to make the top 12, but he's one of those wildcards that you just can't judge. To me, he sounds like Kermit the frog and his performance style verges on the spastic. People either love him or hate him. I don't think he'll make it
Robbie Rosen - He's another cusper. He has a weird mouth..but a good voice. I'm going to say he is in, but it depends on his performance.
Stefano Langone - He may not have the best overall voice, but he has the package. He's got the boyband good looks and a nice stage presence. I think he is in the top 12
Tim Halperin - Suffers from the lack of AI pimping. Honestly, I recognize the guy, but can't remember much about him. He'll need a knockout punch to get into the top 12.
Scotty McCreery- Lock the doors and turn the lights OUT. This guy shouldn't be in the top 24. I can't believe they picked him and left other's out. The guy is a freak show novelty act. I swear to GOD, if he sings "Turn the lights down low" this week...I'm going to leap through the TV and personally kick him off the stage.
So....Rubbertoe's guy picks for the top 12
1. Jacob Lusk
2. Stefano Langone
3. James Durbin
4. Casey Adams
5. Clint Gamboa
6. Robbie Rosen
or Paul MacDonald
Brett Lowenstern - This guy has gone as far as he will. He was lucky to make the top 24...his luck will run out.
Casey Adams - I don't love this guy. I see him as another Taylor Hicks. People seem to like him (like they liked Taylor Hicks)...he's an ok musician (like Taylor Hicks)...and I suspect that he will go further in the competition than he should (like Taylor Hicks)...although I don't think he'll win it.
Clint Gamboa - another top 12 guy. He's weird and I don't love the overall package, but he's got the pipes to make it into the top 12.
Jacob Lusk - A shoo-in for the top 12. This guy has incredible range and a beautiful voice.
James Durbin - #4 to go into the top 12. He's no Adam Lambert, personality-wise, voice-wise, stage presence-wise. But he's got one of the better range and better voices in the group and a great story to go with it.
Jordan Dorsey - Cute guy...but lacks the voice. He makes it into the top 12 only if he gets there on looks....or does something incredible in the next performance.
Jovany Barretto - Goner. Second weakest of the top 24. He thinks he's so much hotter and better than he is....and lets face it....he isn't.
Paul MacDonald - I can't imagine that he is going to make the top 12, but he's one of those wildcards that you just can't judge. To me, he sounds like Kermit the frog and his performance style verges on the spastic. People either love him or hate him. I don't think he'll make it
Robbie Rosen - He's another cusper. He has a weird mouth..but a good voice. I'm going to say he is in, but it depends on his performance.
Stefano Langone - He may not have the best overall voice, but he has the package. He's got the boyband good looks and a nice stage presence. I think he is in the top 12
Tim Halperin - Suffers from the lack of AI pimping. Honestly, I recognize the guy, but can't remember much about him. He'll need a knockout punch to get into the top 12.
Scotty McCreery- Lock the doors and turn the lights OUT. This guy shouldn't be in the top 24. I can't believe they picked him and left other's out. The guy is a freak show novelty act. I swear to GOD, if he sings "Turn the lights down low" this week...I'm going to leap through the TV and personally kick him off the stage.
So....Rubbertoe's guy picks for the top 12
1. Jacob Lusk
2. Stefano Langone
3. James Durbin
4. Casey Adams
5. Clint Gamboa
6. Robbie Rosen
or Paul MacDonald
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