‘American Idol’ top 6 performance recap: the show must go on!
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AMERICAN IDOL: Elise Testone performs on AMERICAN IDOL airing Wednesday, April 25 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. CR: Michael Becker / FOX.
Ryan Seacrest almost skipped his very first “Idol” hosting night due to illness. But he hung in there and though he looked a little rough, was a typical pro.
This is arguably the most evenly matched final six in the history of “Idol.” When I asked the live bloggers who will go home tonight, it was split among all six contestants. I’ve never seen that before.
Overall, this was a curious night. I really enjoyed the Queen covers, perhaps because I absolutely love Queen songs period. The “personal choice” picks were more eclectic and not necessarily more successful though you have to give several of the singers credit for being gutsy and going for unfamiliar tunes. I do find it annoying that the songs are truncated so much and the judges’ (usually useless) commentary so long.
So I have no idea who is going home tomorrow. None. Zip. Nada.
Loading ...I will just throw out an almost random bottom three because I’m not sure who will be there and given what happened the last two weeks, nobody knows. I think Phil Phillips made a mistake doing an obscure Dave Matthews song so I think he’ll make his first entry into the bottom three. I am not sure Joshua Ledet’s dull cover of india.arie would draw enough votes either. He’ll join Phil. I am flummoxed which female will join them.
Two weeks ago, Jessica Sanchez had the fewest votes. Her fans last week ensured that would not happen but can they keep her up this time around? Elise Testone and Hollie Cavanagh have skated near the bottom for weeks. I cannot tell who might end up with the fewest votes tomorrow. I think only Skylar Laine is safe and even that, I’m not saying is a sure thing. Sigh. Okay, I will say Hollie will end up in the bottom three and Joshua will go home. I have to pick somebody.
- Jessica’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” – She took on a very difficult song that is six minutes long and was trimmed to less than one-third its normal length. Constantine Maroulis, Michael Johns and Kellie Pickler have also tackled this song. While I’m usually not a fan of hers, I thought she did a solid job given the limitations, even during the heavier rock portion. Grade: A-minus
- Skylar’s “The Show Must Go On” – She captured the drama and nuance of Freddie Mercury’s classic, providing an impressive amount of control and maturity. Grade: A
- Joshua’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” – He gives this his patented gospel twist while keeping it loose and fun. I enjoyed it, even when he starts screaming a bit. Grade: B-plus
- Elise’s “I Want It All”- She seldom excited me. This was a good rendition but didn’t rivet me, though I did enjoy the use of the tambourine. Grade: B-plus.
- Phillip’s “Fat Bottomed Girls”- He lacks the power in his voice to match the chorus but he stayed in key and showed off his impish side with a very impish song. Grade: B-plus
- Hollie’s “Save Me” – The judges were too rough on her, especially ramblin’ J. Lo. I thought she brought grace, power and confidence to this anthemic Queen classic. I thought she really encapsulated the words. Grade: A
- Jessica’s “Dance With My Father” (Luther Vandross) – This sentimental ode to Vandross’ late father is an odd pick, only because Jessica’s dad is still alive, just going off to Singapore as a military man. As usual, it’s pitch perfect but I didn’t quite buy it. And that wind machine was distracting. Grade: B-plus/B
- Skylar’s “Tattoos on this Town” (Jason Aldean) – She upped the twang to 11 on a so-so Aldean song. Great last note. But unlike a tattoo, this one left no permanent impression on me. Grade: B-plus
- Joshua’s “Ready For Love” (india.arie) This isn’t a case of Joshua himself and his vocals. They were fine. The melody-challenged song itself was a snooze. Yet he gets another standing ovation. Go figure! Grade: B-minus
- Elise’s “Bold as Love” (Jimi Hendrix) – My classic rock canon isn’t quite as great as Elise’s. She seemed stunned when Steven Tyler said this was not a familiar song. This rendition seemed very fussy. She seemed to be “showing off” her vocal skills more than properly interpreting the song. Is she confident or arrogant? Grade: B
- Phil’s “The Stone” (Dave Matthews Band) – I don’t generally like Dave Matthews. This is not one of his big hits and it feels kind of shapeless, even if it has some dramatic elements. I’m not sure it was smart for him to sing Matthews and remind people he is aping the guy. Grade: B
- Hollie’s “The Climb” (Miley Cyrus) This was a low-risk pick on Hollie’s part because she sang it for her audition. But unlike Joshua, Elise and Phil, she picked a familiar song and it works. She hits it on the mark. Grade: A-minus
Cover it Live polls
I suspect contingents of Jessica and Hollie fans invaded the live blog and the Joshua fans were nowhere to be found!
% who loved it, % who liked it but not voting, % who didn’t like it
Jessica’s song #1 56% 14% 30%
Hollie song #2 51% 22% 26%
Hollie song #1 50%, 18%, 32%
Jessica song #2 48% 24% 27%
Elise’s song #1 41%, 21% 38%
Phil song #1 39%, 31%, 40%
Phil’s song #2 32%, 20% 48%
Skylar’s song #1 29% 26% 44%
Elise’s song #2 21% 35% 44%
Joshua’s song #2 14%, 13%, 73%
Joshua’s song #1 11%, 20% 69%
(I forgot to post a poll for Skylar’s song #2)
Who do you think will go home? (proof that there is zero consensus!)
Skylar: 17%
Phillip: 15%
Hollie: 14%
Joshua: 17%
Elise: 21%
Jessica: 17%
Favorite tonight:
Phillip 10%
Elise 11%
Jessica 40%
Skylar 12%
Hollie 28%
Joshua 1%
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By Rodney Ho, Radio & TV Talk
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264 comments Add your comment
Deirdre
April 26th, 2012
8:15 am
Johnny, I love Elise, too and have been singing her praises on here for weeks but last night’s second performance was not that good(first was great) and people are going to remember that horrible not she hit at the end of the Queen medley.
Deirdre
April 26th, 2012
8:16 am
Note!
Donald
April 26th, 2012
8:25 am
Colton’s gone and I don’t care.
Colton’s gone and I don’t care.
Colton’s gone and I don’t care.
The best has gone away.
Baltisraul
April 26th, 2012
8:26 am
Deidre……..Skyler seems to be gaining ground and fast. jessica better watch out! Two girl race!
Deirdre
April 26th, 2012
8:33 am
I agree, Baltisraul. Hard to pick a winner with this group. They are all capable of rising to the top.
Homer the Brave
April 26th, 2012
8:34 am
I don’t know if anyone left would really have any success if they won due to the mostly lame records they are made to put out at first and especially the “winner’s song”. I think some would probably crash & burn worse than others, namely those with names starting with “J”…..
Breezy
April 26th, 2012
8:34 am
The show was a little long for me. I liked Jessica’s Dancing with My Father, nice Luther song. Phillip did ok. I can’t believe I said that, but it’s true. Something was missing, don’t know what it was, but it lacked showmanship or something. Still pulling for him though. Elise surprised me, she did well on her first song. Joshua did fantastic on both songs.
Deirdre
April 26th, 2012
8:34 am
Re Donald’s rant: all the contestants left, including Colton last week, are good. There will be a lot of unhappy people tonight no matter who is ousted.
Rickster
April 26th, 2012
8:37 am
Rickster’s Rankings:
1. Skylar: The girl just continues to get better and better each week. You can see that she genuinely loves being on the stage. Her whole face smiles. Loved her “The Show Must Go On.” (If you’ve not heard Nicole Kidman sing it in “Moulin Rouge” – you need to.) Her “Tattoos on this town” was okay. Would have rather her do “Everybody Dies Famous In A Small Town” by Miranda Lambert.
2. Holly: Finally! She gets a much deserved standing-o from the judges. I think her “Save Me” was a (not-so?) subtle hint to her fans & voters. But it was a solid performance. “The Climb” was her best of the night
After that… I pretty much don’t care.
Phillip: Screwed up on both his songs.
Joshua: I can’t stand.
Jessica: Suffers from a bad case of HSC (Horrible Song Choice) Syndrome and seems VERY full of herself. Did not like either of her songs.
Elise: I was wrong. She doesn’t need to go “rocker chick.” She just needs to go.
I think Skylar is on her way to the finals. Who joins her is a guess at the moment… but I’m leaning toward Phillip.
Real Foodie
April 26th, 2012
8:41 am
Elise is cocky and thinks she has won. Just watch her antics when she knows the camera is there – not while she is singing – but other times when she makes very inappropriate gestures. Not a Jessica fan either. I think these judges have ruined Idol for me, well except for Randy. At least he tells the truth. I don’t always agree, but who agrees with “that was wonderful” “I love your voice” “you are the best” from the other two after every single performance. And I am not even going to start about that save…
why not
April 26th, 2012
8:43 am
Let’s get real guys. It’s who can collect the most votes that’s going to win. Not who’s the best.
And for who’s going to have a career after idol. It’ll be the the person(s) that sets him/her apart from all the many singers in the world with the voice or the song or even stage presence.
Look at Katherine McPhee. I thought she’d win, but didn’t. Now she’s on TV.
I think with a great song to record, all six could make it big, but without….
idolfan
April 26th, 2012
8:53 am
Honestly I think the judges should be sent home because they don’t give honest feedback for that night’s performance. Gives new meaning to teacher favorites. All of the idolettes are very talented but they don’t always pick the best song and/or deliver it on stage. Personally, I don’t see the hype with Skyler. Too me she screams more than she sings. All of them have moments but no one is standing out consistently above all else night after night.
RxDawg
April 26th, 2012
9:02 am
I thought Skylar was top Dawg last night. She just continues to impress me, and I don’t like country music that much. Holly was great, and that was hillarious when she jumped up and down once she saw the judges giving her a standing O.
I thought Elise and Phillip were the worst. I just don’t see Phillip being in the bottom though, and I can’t see anyone but Elise going home.
RxDawg
April 26th, 2012
9:05 am
“This is arguably the most evenly matched final six in the history of “Idol.” ”
Without a doubt. Other then Elise, anyone of these could win this thing. I don’t know who to like? And I LOVE it. I always wondered if Idol goes across the nation and interviews hunderds of thousands of singers out there why doesn’t every contestant just blow us away? I mean, I swear I’m not that great, but I’m a better singer then some of the former contestants. But this year is finally the way it should of always been. And I’m loving every minute of it.
It is about time
April 26th, 2012
9:07 am
Jessica nailed Dance with My Father and proved she is the class of the group as far as vocal talent. Now others may have preference based on styles but it is no denying the girl can sing. This is the first performance that I have been replaying by a contestant this year. For the full studio version you can go here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO81Sm2ZlRw
Normally if it is a good performance I youtube the original and listen to compare but Jessica owned this song because she felt the love of her own father.
I knew during auditions this would be an evenly matched group because although I do not buy country music, I really like Skyler. My hope is Elise or Hollie leaves tonight, they have gone as far as they need to go and the next one leaves the following week.
If we have a final four of Jessica, Skyler, Joshua, and Phillip, I do not think anyone can really complain who wins. The final two will be a contrast of styles because I think the it will be Jessica/Joshua on one side and Skyler/Phillip on other side.
dancer
April 26th, 2012
9:08 am
One think I have noticed about Rickster, you always go against the minorities. Makes you wonder…….
Neg's Take
April 26th, 2012
9:10 am
Been a couple weeks since I’ve stopped by to post. Here’s to making up for lost time, and giving my rankings of last night’s performances.
1. Hollie: She’s made a believer out of me. Hollie’s simply got the biggest, best voice in the competition, and blew the roof off the joint with two stellar performances. Her resolve in the face of judicial bias against her reminds me a lot of Haley from last season. I definitely see her as a favorite to make The Finale.
2. Elise: One killer performance (Want It All), one uneven performance (Bold As Love). Story of her Idol run. I’m a big fan of her music style and taste, but how many times can she survive the Bottom 3? Probably another trip there tonight.
3. Phillip: Loved FBG, but still not sure how I feel about the 2nd song (The Stone). Never heard it before, and it never really got there for me. I dig his style, though, and as a WGWG he’s a lock for The Finale.
4. Skyler: Great performer and likable, but her performances were dull, shouty and way overpimped. I’m not liking her voice in the lower register. She’s got a 50/50 shot at finishing Top 3 overall, but that’s as far as I see her getting.
5. Jessica: My how The Pimped Golden Child has fallen. Bohemian was simply a disaster. Terrible. Dance With My Father was an improvement vocally, but way to deep of a song for her to properly connect with. She could very well be Bottom 3 tonight, and is now a long shot for Top 3 overall.
6. Joshua: The Chosen Pimped One got his meaningless Standing Ovations from the judges again, but his voice inspires very few beyond that. He was so cheesy, grating, shrieking, and annoying on Crazy Little Thing (as per usual) I had to FFW after 30 seconds. He was better, though a bit dull, on Indie. Despite the Pimped One status, he’s got no chance at the Finale and a very remote shot at Top 3.
G
April 26th, 2012
9:13 am
Seth T wrote: “People are now rallying-around their fav, and wondering why some others are deaf and can’t see or hear the amazing talent their favorite displays. But, It’s getting more toward the “personality” and identification with the artist’s “style” and “music taste”, than it is for technically correct, perfect pitch singing now.”
In other words, it’s a popularity contest. This is the main reason Simon left and I certainly understand. Idol is in true form right now, and it doesn’t matter who’s perfect pitch or spot on in a performance. People really don’t care about performances at this point. Know one is going to switch from Skyler to Phil if they are a Skylar fan. The only x-factor is where do the lost contestant votes go? Based on last week, Phil should be safe.
Bottom 3?
Joshua – If Jacob Lusk lasted til the top 5, why shouldn’t Josh last a bit longer?
Hollie – Regardless of a strong second song and a standing O, she just doesn’t have the fan base. The sympathy votes don’t last long, and they will not save her tonight. She’s in strong jeopardy of leaving.
Elise – I see she’s showing more leg, and maybe that’s getting her a bit more male votes. It’s just a matter of time before the bottom falls out for her. If not this week then the next.
Rickster
April 26th, 2012
9:15 am
@dancer…. Really? That’s the best you can come up with?
I liked two girls.
I didn’t like two girls
I didn’t like two guys
and that’s anti-minority… how?
Deirdre
April 26th, 2012
9:15 am
Seems to me this whole thing about the judges and “honest feedback” has more to do with who the listener likes the best than what the judges are saying.
If you’re a Hollie fan, you’re going to think the judges are bad. If you’re a Joshua fan, you’ll think the judges are good.
I think the judges are pretty useless this year, not because of who they like(they always pimp someone every year and pimping is often in the eye of the non-pimped fan) but because they refuse to be specific.
JLo needs to stop and think before she speaks. ST just needs to think, period and Randy has been doing this a long time and needs to stop with the superlatives and offer some help.
JT mentioned that this year’s judging borders on the negative with Hollie. I can see where he would think this but I think the problem is more that the judges are so over-the-top with the other singers that when Hollie receives mostly justified(imo) criticism, it sounds a lot more negative than it is. I don’t think they’re picking on Hollie so much as they’re giving an honest opinion to a singer who hasn’t consistently met the standards set by the other singers.
Last night a number of singers got some negative reviews but no one seemed to notice until Hollie’s first song, at which point, everyone jumped on the Poor Hollie Bandwagon(boy that thing gets a lot of use) and completely ignored the negative criticisms of Elise and Phil’s second song.
I think we need new judges. Jimmy needs to take a seat at the table to replace ST. I’m not even sure ST stays awake for the whole show.
I’d bring Paula back to replace JLo. She liked everybody but not necessarily their performances. If not Paula, then someone else…PLEASE.
I’d keep Randy but put him back in his former capacity as the judge who has little to say but says it anyway.
Woodpappy
April 26th, 2012
9:16 am
Hey Neg, thanks for your input, I’ve been waiting to hear from you. Enjoy your critiques.
Deirdre
April 26th, 2012
9:17 am
G..and the other shows aren’t popularity contests? Really?
sandy
April 26th, 2012
9:20 am
Jimi Hendrix’s song is actually “Bold As Love” NOT “Bold For Love” and it’s not so obscure since John Mayer has done it too.
Woodpappy
April 26th, 2012
9:20 am
Deirdre, I’ve been really disappointed with ST. He never says anything constructive it’s always “just beautiful”. I too believe he has a hard time staying awake and alert.
ashley
April 26th, 2012
9:21 am
Though Jessica has a great voice, she doesn’t have the charisma (or stage presence) to be an american idol. She and Hollie should have waited another year or two so as to gain more maturity before coming on the show. The only one who does show comfort and stage presence is Skylar and maybe Elise. Though I’m not crazy about their music, they are more at ease when performing than any of the others. Great six, though! They all will be successful down the road.
LA
April 26th, 2012
9:21 am
THIS IS MY VERY FIRST TIME COMMENTING ALTHOUGH I READ THE COMMENTS EVERYDAY. WHAT COMPELLED ME TO SAY SOMETHING WAS THE DISGUSTING COMMENTS ABOUT THE CONTESTANTS’ PHYSICAL APPEARANCE. IT IS A SAD BUT TRUE FACT THAT THE ENTIRE PACKAGE IS IMPORTANT IN BECOMING A SUCCESSFUL RECORDING ARTIST, BUT LET’S NOT FORGET THAT THIS IS A SINGING COMPETITION. TO CALL A 16 YEAR OLD LITTLE GIRL BUTT UGLY AND REDUCE HER TO A “MEXICAN HOUSEKEEPER” (TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE CONTEXT OF YOUR POST I ASSUME THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A BAD THING) IS UTTERLY RUDE AND DISRESPECTFUL. THIS IS SOMEONE’S CHILD AND THEY DO SOMETIMES READ THESE THINGS. IT’S VERY EASY TO HIDE BEHIND A COMPUTER AND THROW OUT SUCH RACIALLY CHARGED COMMENTS WHEN I’M ALMOST SURE THAT YOUR LIFE AMOUNTS TO A LITTLE OF NOTHING. “JDAWG” AND “ANOTHER COMMENT” YOU SHOULD BE VERY ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let's compare the two
April 26th, 2012
9:22 am
There seems to be a lot of comparison between Jessica and Hollie because they have the most similar styles. I will liken this to Mariah Carey and Celine Dion, both our great singers. However, Mariah has more range to sing different types of songs and notes, just about anything with a lean towards R&B, i.e. Jessica. Celine does what she does and is great at it, as long as she stays in her lane she great, however she cannot outsing Mariah or Whitney (RIP) and she knows it but still tries, i.e. Hollie.
Neg's Take
April 26th, 2012
9:22 am
Thanks, Woodpappy!
Woodpappy
April 26th, 2012
9:22 am
Was very disappointed in Phillip2’s second song choice. Never heard it and it really didn’t sound like a song IMO. He seems to be falling fast. He really acted like he didn’t feel good at all last night. Guess the kidney problems are working on him.
G
April 26th, 2012
9:23 am
I agree that in terms of talent, this group is the most evenly matched that I’ve seen in years (except for PP of course). PP is not as bad as off-key Lee, but he’s definitely overrated. Do you guys realize how many carbon copy, double knock-off wannabe Dave Mathews are in the Atlanta area alone? Most will sing rings around PP.
ROMEO
April 26th, 2012
9:23 am
I don’t know if it is a race thing well I take that back I know race has a lopt to do with ev erything in america. Joshua is the real,real deal he is a can’t miss as soon as he gets off of that show. I really like Jessica a lot as well was a voise. I know they keep telling us how good the other people are on this show but you can find people with voices like theres any where.Joshua ia a very rare talent it would be a shame if he does not win but we know this shoe is not all about talent .
sharon
April 26th, 2012
9:25 am
I enjoyed both of Skylar’s song; both of Joshua’s and Hollie’s 2nd song. Everything else was a snooze for me. I don’t get Elise or Phillip
David
April 26th, 2012
9:26 am
You’re as bad as the judges. No score worse than B-!! Really?
We all know AI is rigged. The voting is their way of making us watch. Joshua and Jessica have already been picked as the finalist. Both have good voices but can never be a big record making star. The judges, especially J-Lo are useless. Use this space to start a J-Lo recall rather than wasting your time handicapping a fixed race.
Deirdre
April 26th, 2012
9:30 am
LA…I agree with you but honestly, people who say things like that are looking for a response and we try not to give it to them.
Rodney Ho
April 26th, 2012
9:30 am
@David Fixed? Really? The “Idol” producers don’t really care who wins. They want an entertaining show. And this has been an entertaining season. Sure, the judges are fairly useless but such is life. I just tune them out. At this point, all the singers are good singers. It comes down to your taste, song choice and their ability to interpret the song.
Deirdre
April 26th, 2012
9:32 am
Wp, the best thing the show can do in the off-season is find different judges. IMO, they already have one in Jimmy. They just need one more.
G
April 26th, 2012
9:32 am
@Deirdre. Idol is the BIGGEST popularity show of them all.
@Romeo. I see it like this. If you had a poll involving the top Atlanta radio stations, that had the responsibility of picking a winner of the remaining top 6 Idols, You will have at least 4-5 different winners, and a multitude of the final 2. Guess what? There’s no right or wrong, it’s just based on the taste of their mainstream listeners. However, there’s only one Idol, one mainstream, and one winner.
Deirdre
April 26th, 2012
9:33 am
David, not fixed! The public is voting for who it likes the best…and it may not be your choice…or mine.
sharon
April 26th, 2012
9:33 am
I would love to see Joshua, Sklyar and Hollie as the final three
Deirdre
April 26th, 2012
9:34 am
And Rodney just touched on something I’ve been harping on for YEARS. Idol doesn’t care who wins so why would they “fix” the show? They are not really looking for the next big star. They’re are looking for a big audience. And they’ve got it.
JTesla
April 26th, 2012
9:35 am
Deirdre: if you want to address “honest feedback” last night look at someone other than Hollie, look at Elise and Phillip.
Elise was told to NEVER do a song that people don’t know. Bad bad choice Elise, shame on you.
Phillip was praised for being an artist, for doing what he wants to do, and to hell with everybody else.
Yes, that was Steven Tyler, and yes he is in the back of the clown car, but the others are still in there with him.
Rodney Ho
April 26th, 2012
9:36 am
Okay, it’s unfair to say Nigel & Co. don’t CARE who wins. But in the end, all they want to do is generate a few stars like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, whether they win or not. It’s just hard to do.
Deirdre
April 26th, 2012
9:36 am
@G: Idol is the BIGGEST popularity show of them all.
Of course it is! That’s why its ratings remain higher than any of the other copycat shows. It’s the Daddy of singing competitions.
Pitchy
April 26th, 2012
9:37 am
Coming to my desk computer, I always have to see if my key works before posting a comment.
sharon
April 26th, 2012
9:37 am
I agree with Deidre’s 9:32am post!!!!!
Neg's Take
April 26th, 2012
9:37 am
David, if the voting is fixed for Jessica than how can you explain her getting eliminated two weeks ago and needing to be saved?
RxDawg
April 26th, 2012
9:37 am
“Joshua. You may not like his style but he never falters, he never hits a bad note”
Actually, that is very much not true. Joshua hits bad notes all the time, but he quickly covers it up with his melisma. So it’s so quick and subtle most people let it slide, including me. But this kind of annoys me in singers. If they can’t hit a nice sustained note, they just go all over the place =/ Holly is the exact opposite. She does almost no runs, and hits sustained notes. Sometimes she nails it, sometimes she doesn’t. I bet you in a studio, she’s the best of the bunch. But Idol is about live performances so…
Pitchy
April 26th, 2012
9:38 am
Ok, I’m in like Flint!
sharon
April 26th, 2012
9:38 am
Neg, it was done for the drama; drama equals controversy, which equals ratings
JTesla
April 26th, 2012
9:39 am
A minor point Deirdre: they were negative a few weeks ago, and I get the impression even last night that they just don’t like Hollie. There is a different vibe when they speak to her as opposed to the slopping praise on top of for mediocre performances from Phillip, Jessica, Skylar, and Joshua.
Hollie may have deserved it, but some of the others who deserved harsh criticism didn’t receive it.