American Idol: 3/27/2007
Another great show. This time Gwen Stefani was the coach, which is unusual. More often they get singers way past their prime like Barry Manilow or Kenny Rogers as coaches. Stefani is current and still making hit records. But the show has become such a CD seller for guest coaches, many artists are clamoring to be on it now.
Here’s a run down of the performances.
Lakisa Jones did Donna Summer’s Last Dance, one of my favorite disco songs. She did it real justice, though no one can touch Summer at her game. The judges loved it, and praised her all over. However, I think it wasn’t great, just really good. She’ll be safe. It certainly made people forget Breena Gethers version last season.
Chris Sligh sang the Police’s “Every Little Thing”. His voice was great. But he was off track with the band. The judges tore him up. Simon made it sound like Chris is all but gone and I suspect he may be tonight.
Gina Glockson sang “I’ll stand by you” beautifully. It was her best performance to date. The judges thought so. Safe. This is a song more suited to her voice than some of the ones she did before. She doesn’t have a lot of range. But she can sing.
Sanjaya Malakar sang “Bathwater” by No Doubt. What can I say? Someone once stated that youth is wasted on the young. Based on the kids voting to keep Sanjaya in this show, I’d say, damn straight. It was really-freaking-bad. But not nearly as bad as his hairdo. W-T-F was that? A faux-hawk? The dude is fast becoming the show’s clown, without meaning to. And watch, he’ll be safe again. The judges gave up on judging him since nothing they say seems to matter. Last season people were complaining about 16 year old Kevin Kovais, but he’s Frank Sinatra in comparison. I just hope Sanjaya is gone in a week or two. It’s hard watching talented people like Stephanie Edwards go so this dufus can stay.
Haley Scarnato sang True Colors by Cyndi Lauper. She tried to make it a power ballad. Not a good move. I suspect she’ll be gone if Chris isn’t. But as the remaining (semi) hot chick on the show, she might stay another week. As long as she keeps showing off her legs.
Phil Stacy sang another Police song. “Every Breat You Take”. And he did, I think, his best performance to date. And a really good version of the song. Stefani must be a Police (and Donna Summer) fan because she chose the songs list tonight that they had to pick from. In Stacy’s hands, Sting should be proud. It was excellent.
Melinda was next and she picked Donna Summer’s Heaven Knows (which was a duet with her husband at the time). Great song and Melinda nailed it again, flawlessly. She doesn’t even need to be on this show except the music business is too stupid to hire people like her unless they go on Idol. She’s in a class by herself. Simon knocked her for the first time, but all he could complain about was her outfit. I think Melinda is coming in #1 each week, so he is probably trying to knock her down a peg. Won’t work. Super-safe.
Blake Lewis did an almost Sade-like version of I will Always Love You by the Cure. No beat box or rapping this time. No funky dance moves. I thought it was very nice. It’s one of my favorite Cure songs. I think they would have liked this. Anyway, safe. The judges loved it. Simon said he was the #1 guy in the show right now. I pretty much guessed that from the get go with him.
Jordin Sparks sang Hey, Baby by Stafani. Stafani liked it, but it wasn’t that great of a singing example. A decent performance. I’m not sure if it will help her. She might be in the bottom three tonight, even though she did good. We’ll see.
Finally, Chris Richardson in the pimp spot, did Don’t Speak by No Doubt. I think he did a nice job. Not earth shattering, but very good. He’s probably safe even though he was in the bottom two last week.
As far as judges go, Stefani seemed ok. She’s apparently a fan of the show since she was familiar with all the singers. Unfortunately, none of the singers seemed to listen to her advice when given.
UPDATE: I was right. Too obvious. Next week it will be either Phil or Haley, I suspect. It should be Sanjaya but he seems bullet proof so far.
BTW: Elliot Yamin’s new CD debuted at #2 on the Billboard top 200. Daughtry is #4.
Every time Stephani talked about the singers, all I could think about was how much she looked and sounded like Hugh Hefner’s main girlfriend.
Posted by on 03/28 at 04:36 AMSadly, I think Chris Sligh will probably go tonight, too. I think his insecurity got the best of him last night.
Posted by joy on 03/28 at 07:03 AMMy inside source tells me that they are given 2 songs to chose from, not a list.
I’m tired of Kiki and Melinda, they sound exactly the same on every song and they pick the ‘same song’ over and over. They are given a choice of the 2 songs and apparently fought over who was going to sing which one. They won’t be big sellers if either wins.
As for Blake, I really liked him at first, but now, he’s like the girls, BORING same sound over and over. I muted Chris Richardson. I usually like him but the beginning was so painful I couldn’t listen anymore.
As for Sanjaya, REMEMBER, the Judges put him through to the 24 over some other very talented people, so they can’t say a damn thing now. They started him on his train wreck.
Gina was fabulous, I got chills. And Phil really did a great job. I fear for Chris Sligh.
Posted by on 03/28 at 07:28 AMI think Sligh is more suited to be the lead singer of an indy band than a solo artist, anyway.
Posted by James Hudnall on 03/28 at 07:30 AMJames,
I agree about Sligh.Have you seen this article on VFTW?
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/312727,CST-FTR-elf26.article
Pretty funny stuff.
Posted by on 03/28 at 07:36 AMI like Melinda because she reminds me of a classic singer, like the kind we don’t see anymore. Lakisha, however, I agree with. She’s good, but she seems the same everytime. Melinda however, really seems to feel it.
I do think there may be a Melinda backlash at somepoint. Maybe.
Posted by on 03/28 at 07:42 AMI think my biggest problem with Melinda is her “good golly, you mean I’m good” forced expressions. She is trying way too hard to be humble. I’m not bying it. She travels with a stylist and a vocal coach, so give me a break.
The judges, the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Man, picked her to be the frontrunner, just like you said. And it is just like Fantasia. They picked Fantasia at the beginning and pushed her along the entire way. My fav that year was LaToya. She had the look, the lungs, and the stage presence. OH WELL!
Everyone has their own favorites for whatever reasons. I was voting for Phil because of my best friends, until last night. Last night he was great. I told my friends who was with his relative over the past weekend, Phil needed to dress better and cover up that head. I hope he keeps up with his more improved style. I don’t think he will win (unless he continues to improve) but I’m hoping he makes it to top 5 at least.
I think my other problem with Melinda (and I’m being very shallow here) is the no-neck, short-waisted, big-head thing. If I close my eyes...Sorry, but I just don’t see her as an AI. Perhaps she’ll follow Fantasia and Diana to Broadway. Or become a torch singer in Vegas. You’d like that.
Did you see that Drudge has the Saturn Hexagon on front page today?
A day late Mr. Drudge.Posted by on 03/28 at 07:55 AMI beat Drudge occasionally.
I understand what you’re saying about Melinda, but I think she’s good. In an earlier age, those physical attributes wouldn’t be an issue. The music business is too focused on looks these days. Some of the big singers of the past weren’t great looking: Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Mel Torme. But they were very talented and did very well.
Posted by on 03/28 at 08:01 AMJames,
Ella, Mel, and Dinah were not competing with the pop crowd of today.I love them all, singing their genre. I think Melinda would do well in the nightclub setting. I just don’t see her as an American Idol of today. Just don’t think she can pull off a pop song. I’m looking forward to hearing her sing anything other than an oldie.
Posted by on 03/28 at 08:45 AMRE: Melinda’s Gosh Wow act:
A lot of people online said that about Taylor, how his humble, nice guy act was all a put on. That he wasn’t so pure. Then after the show he was dropping F-bombs and so on (not that much, though. Not as much as I do.
)
So she probably is putting on somewhat of an act, which is why I think Simon keeps asking her if she’s that nice. And from his expression last night, I think he no longer believes she is. Who knows.
I do think the pop artists of today are famous because that’s what the media made them. All these hot chick singers, they are a dime a dozen. It’s getting old, like the boy bands were.
I think it’s possible for Melinda to do well. After all, Celine Dion isn’t that hot either (though she looks better than Melinda) and she is a huge star. I don’t think Kelly Clarkson is all that hot, but she’s also huge.
I think it’s all about the music in the end. And sure, i would like to hear her do something recent, but I enjoy having her do old stuff the way I enjoyed hearing Taylor do the same thing. Both of them appreciate the older music, and why not? It’s classic stuff.
Melinda could so well in the R&B;sector because they are not concerned with how skinny someone is.
Posted by on 03/28 at 09:00 AMI see your points.
I’m not a fan of most of the girl singers out their today. I like Clarkson, because she can sing and she has a great personable presence. I think she is pretty, I liked her as a blonde best.
I’m a fan of Clay Aiken, and I think he is not that ‘attractive’. I do like the geek to chic transformation. Taylor hooked me the minute I saw his audition when he was chubby and shaggy. Clay hooked me the first time I heard him sing. I had not watched the show and was channel surfing when I heard his voice and I was hooked.
Melinda has a great voice, but I can’t get behind her. Taylor got bashed by Simon enough so that when he did get a compliment he was shocked. As for the F-bomb, Good for him for sticking up for his art. I like that word, it is very utilitarian. See Lenny Bruce’s take on the F-word. Really funny.
I’m crazed this morning, fighting with another leftwing friend. I hate to lose this one, he’s been a friend for many, many years but I’m ready to get rid of all toxic people.
Posted by on 03/28 at 09:16 AMIt’s not worth arguing politics with people if they don’t agree. I just talk about something else. Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda were great friends even though they were on opposite political sides. (Stewart was a conservative, Fonda a liberal). They kept their friendship by not talking politics with each other.
I have a bunch of friends who would be in serious arguments if we talked politics. Life’s too short. Why lose a friend over stuff neither of you can rewally control anyway.
Posted by on 03/28 at 10:33 AMI’ve been afraid for Chris Sligh a couple weeks now. I have said he is my favorite male voice in the competition, but his performances are just not quite there. My next favorite it Phil. When Chris goes (yeah unfortunately I have to say when and not if) I’ll be rooting for Phil. Jordin really interests me. Yes, Melinda and Lakisha are power houses and excellent but predictable. Jordin really has done a wider variety of music and she does it very well. She also really interprets the music with her expressions and performance.
Posted by Laurie on 03/28 at 01:47 PMI forgot to mention that I didn’t think Gwen added anything of value to the coaching. I prefer when they have the oldies on there, they have the experience to actually teach something and give good advice.
Posted by Laurie on 03/28 at 01:49 PMYeah, Gwen didn’t add much that e saw. As far as Jordin goes, I agree. She has the potential to win if she keeps on the way she is going. However, she was in the bottom 3 on Dialidol this week.
I don’t think Blake will win. He is never that high on DI. individually in the middle. Melinda is always #1
I think Melinda does need to show herself in other styles. But I have to say, she took that boring song Home and made it good. That’s real talent, even Diana Ross failed in that regard.
Posted by on 03/28 at 02:01 PMRE: Sanjaya And What On Earth He’s Still Doing There—Um, where are the American Idol phone bank services located?
Just curious.
HmMMmMMM. :-D
Posted by Brin McLaughlin on 03/28 at 07:26 PMIt seems like they’ve gone downhill since the auditions. The spark that caught my attention then has disappeared. Melinda is great, but predictable. Last year I was voting my fingers off for Taylor. This year, Blake is the most interesting to me, but not enough to make me vote.
It doesn’t matter how bad or outrageous Sanjaya is now. He knows he won’t win, but he’ll be on the tour and get that paycheck.
Just for fun, here a video of Leona Lewis from the X Factor, from last summer. Don’t miss Simon and Sharon Osborne at the end.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCOn4Gmj4T0
Posted by on 03/28 at 07:43 PMWow, she’s good!
Posted by on 03/28 at 08:33 PMReally good! She won.
Posted by on 03/28 at 08:56 PM
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