It’s down to the wire with the last two American Idols battling it out for the crown. Before the night even began I was rooting for Crystal. She’s so unique. Lee is a great singer but he isn’t different. I made the mistake of reading what others are saying around the ‘net and it got me kinda riled. General consensus is that the judges are pushing for a Lee win. Simon even predicted it and made a point of saying how Lee is what the show is all about, the little guy who needs a break. Ditto for Crystal or didn’t anybody notice? She also came from total obscurity needing a break. Win or not, both can probably bank on a career at this point so I shouldn’t be so invested in the actual winner. Tonight’s show began with me slanted toward Crystal.

When she came out Ryan asked how she was feeling. Crystal answered, “This is a lot of people!” The cameras followed Crystal and Lee as they walked the aisles toward the stage, connecting with the crowds as they went. For Crystal, they showed every flaw on her journey: dropping the microphone and not being able to find the spot she was supposed to stand in. Either Lee’s journey was smooth sailing or they chose to show only the smooth moments, because he glided thru the crowds. Were they attempting to steer us away from Crystal? I’d never been so cynical as I was tonight. In the end it didn’t matter. Their singing said it all and if an effort was made to steer the ship toward a specific star, the rudder must have broken because the ship didn’t head in that direction.

Each contestant sang three songs: their own choice, the Executive Producer’s choice, and the song they will release if they win.

Lee Dewyze

Lee’s choice was “The Boxer” by Simon and Garfunkle. This was one of his all time best performances and he got a vote from me. My girl was going to really need to send it home to beat this. Randy called it a great way to start the night but told Lee he needed to pick it up and get more energy going. Ellen said, “I couldn’t be prouder if I’d birthed you myself.” Kara agreed with Randy, and Simon said he expected a lot more passion and excitement on such a big night. He compared it to a kiss on the cheek when he wanted a kiss on the lips.

Lee’s second song was “Everybody Hurts”. I’m not familiar with the song so it was harder to get into. I noticed that the song had a choir and I’d never given much thought to that until reading on the ‘net where people claimed they used the choir to bolster a contestant. Was this another nudge for Lee? If it was, it didn’t work for him because Randy called it pitchy. Ellen noticed he was off a couple times. Kara liked that he was emotionally accessible but said it wasn’t a perfect vocal. Simon thought it was a brilliant song choice for Lee but that he’d gone off melody in some parts. Simon attributed it to nerves and told Lee that his last performance needed to be a 10 out of 10.

The last of Lee’s songs was “Beautiful Day.” It didn’t really move me and it didn’t feel like a 10 out of 10. Randy said he ended with the Lee we remembered. Ellen said he was fully present for that song and she was proud of him. Kara thought he got swallowed up but added that he’d grown the most on this show and had one of the most commercial voices. Simon repeated what he’d said prior to the show. He said this competition was designed for someone who needs a break and he genuinely wished the best for Lee. Ryan called him a “class act.”

Crystal Bowersox

Crystal chose the song “Bobby McGee” which was a great choice to remind us what we loved about her. A well known, highly popular song and an excellent way to start. Crystal came back to her roots and her core audience. She made me smile and though there was a moment where she screamed a bit, overall it was aweseome. Randy hoped she’d make a record like that. Ellen thought she was compelling on stage and called it “stunning.” Kara said she had fire in her belly and Simon said this was Crystal back at her best.

Her next song was “Black Velvet”, another well known, popular song and she sang it with more soul than the original. Crystal’s was a bluesy version. While there were a couple of pitchy moments I thought she knocked it out of the ballpark. By the producers choosing this song for her, they actually gave her a fighting chance to beat Simon’s prediction. Randy said that Mama Sox is in it to win it. Ellen felt like she was at a Cher concert with the changes in wardrobe. She said it was fantastic and gave Crystal a standing ovation. Kara said that tonight was the night to give it your all and Crystal did that. Simon said he was almost allergic to that song as he’d heard it so many times at auditions, but that Crystal took that song and absolutely nailed it. Simon added with emphasis, “I’m really impressed.”

Crystal’s first two songs were home runs. Her third song was “Up To The Mountain.” I have no idea how it was supposed to sound but Crystal sang it with a bluesy gospelly sort of sound. The song itself wasn’t my favorite but she aced it. Randy said this is what the show is all about and called it one of the greatest performances on this show. He called it “incredible.” Ellen said Crystal was unique and in a league of her own, adding that there was no artist like her right now and that her voice was clear. Ellen said, “If you make an album, I’ll buy it. If you go on tour, I’ll follow you. If you make a salad, I’ll eat it.” Ellen said we were witnessing the rise of her career. Kara said she’d finally let all the walls down and that she’d really blossomed. She called it “amazing.” Simon joined the lovefest and said it was by far the best performance of the night. He called it “outstanding.” The judges may have been on the Lee train up until now but they jumped ship tonight and were all riding the Crystal Cruiser.

Ryan hinted at the many surprises that would be on the show tomorrow for Simon’s farewell. Simon has been the cornerstone of the judging panel for nine seasons and it’s hard to imagine American Idol without Simon. They showed flashes of the other Idols of this season and I was reminded of Lilly Scott, one of my favorites of the Idols who didn’t make it into the top ten. I really hope to hear her commercially. I really liked her sound. I don’t know if she made it far enough in to actually catch a break but I sure do hope so!

Tags: american idol, bowersox, cowell, crystal bowersox, degeneres, dewyze, ellen, ellen degeneres, kara dioguardi, lee dewyze, lilly scott, lily scott, ryan, ryan seacrest, seacrest, season 9, simon, simon cowell

Category: American Idol 2010

Week 1 of the battle for America’s vote for the ultimate American Idol payed tribute to the Rolling Stones, one of the greatest Rock and Roll bands of all time. Can this group of idols rock it out to such legendary songs?

Michael Lynche

Michael opened the show with Rolling Stone’s song “Miss You”. Big Mike definitely showed his pipes on this song, adding a good bit of falsetto and totally changing the dynamics of the song. My favorite so far of all of Mike’s performances. Randy thought he slayed it. Ellen said, “At some point I’m going to be disappointed but not yet.” Kara thought he delivered the swagger and attitude of Mick Jagger. Mike definitely delivered, but I wouldn’t compare it to Mick Jagger. Their styles are radically different. Simon poked a hole in Mike’s balloon, agreeing that he “sang it well” but added that the dancing was a little bit corny and overall the performance was “a tiny bit desparate”. Leave it to Simon to end with such a positive note.

Didi Benami

Didi was next up. For me she’s been struggling through the weeks, never quite making herself believable as a pop singer. As with all the Idols they showed childhood mug shots and family clips including “Mommy Benami” in tears saying she couldn’t bear to watch her Didi get judged so she turned down the volume when the judge’s started to talk. Didi sang the Rolling Stone’s song “Play With Fire”. She definitely lost her innocence with this performance attempting to show her bad boy side but for me, it didn’t work. The song was sleepy. The judges didn’t agree. Randy said she was on fire for the first time in weeks. Ellen noticed that she made the word “fire” into two syllables. Kara thought that the sweetness of Didi’s voice coupled with the eerieness of the song was a good combo, adding that Didi took two steps in the right direction. Simon called it a “solid performance”.

Casey James

According to Casey’s mother, he could hum before he could talk. Casey wasn’t humming for this song, however, giving us a country version of the Rolling Stone’s song “It’s All Over Now”. I’m not a country fan but I absolutely loved it. I believe Casey would make a great country singer if he wanted to go down that road. He hasn’t quite offered up his chosen direction but then, most of the Idol’s haven’t. The few exceptions really stand out. Randy called it “bluesy, stonesy, rocky” and thought he could make a career out of it. Ellen called it fantastic. Kara said it was his best performance since they day he auditioned and called him a “rock star”. Simon, however, thought it was more like an audition performance and said he didn’t use the stage. For the most part, the Idol’s aren’t owning the stage which is something they really need to do. The exceptions stand out. Casey, who played his guitar, expected the judges to eat him up for his guitar. They didn’t.

Lacey Brown

Lacey followed Casey with the Rolling Stone’s song “Ruby Tuesday”. She definitely sported a dangerous look but the song came out more like a sweet lullabye to the string quartet that accompanied her. So far, her voice has lacked the power needed to grab my ears. She has such a beautiful voice but she sounds like a little kid singing, getting lost in the background. She needs to belt them out a little harder. For Randy, there wasn’t a wow moment but he was pleasantly surprised and called her “the most interesting one of the night”. With so many contestant’s left to perform we couldn’t know if he still thought that by night’s end. Ellen noticed that Lacey liked to sit on the edge of things and offered up the advice that Lacey shouldn’t ever go to the Grand Canyon. Kara liked the drama but said she didn’t hit the notes quite right. Simon thought she performed more like an actress than a singer and said she was in danger of doing the same thing week after week.

Andrew Garcia

Andrew came out with Rolling Stone’s song “Gimme Shelter”. Interesting that 8 of the 12 songs chosen were off the Hot Rocks double CD. (I caught that as I happen to own the CD set. They missed my favorite song from the set, “Mother’s Little Helper”.) While it was one of Andrew’s better performances I couldn’t connect with it. I can’t put my finger on what was wrong but I just felt totally disconnected from both Andrew and the song. Randy thought it was pitchy everywhere. Ellen thought it was one of his better performances. Kara and I were on the same page. She said it was missing the connection and that she just didn’t feel it. Simon said it was obvious that Andrew had given it 100% and hoped he’d stick around another week, but thought he’d done much better with the song in rehearsal. Maybe Andrew is battling nerves. I tried Karaoke once totally expecting to nail it but when I got up there, it was HARD singing in front of the people. My friends could only say that I had “picked a hard song”… gentle speak for “you suck, man!”

Katie Stevens

As you all know, I’m not a Katie fan but if she’d nailed it, I’d tell you that. Katie came out dressed like a little girl in a lacy dress getting ready to perform at a children’s recital to sing a Rolling Stones song. The combo was a complete failure for me. Katie has a good voice but it’s really hard to take her seriously. She sang “Wild Horses” sitting on a stool. I could hear echoes of Simon’s comment last week about the boring songs sung by contestants sitting on stools. The judges were a little softer. Randy thought she “sang it well” and that it was a “strong performance”. Ellen thought that once Katie got into it that it sounded great. Kara said that it was never technically perfect but that she’d done better than last week. Simon said that this was the only week where she’d chosen a “really strong song”.

Tim Urban

Our favorite underdog Tim Urban sang the Rolling Stone’s song “Under My Thumb”. Not that I’m rooting for him to win because that spot should be for Crystal or Siobhan, but there’s an appeal for this fellow who Simon thought was a mistake. Tim has fought hard to earn his right to be on the stage and he’s made incredible progress. This week he reminded me of the teenage heartthrob’s of the 70s such as David Cassidy of the Partridge Family, Davy Jones of the Monkees, Leif Garrett and others. His style, voice and hair were totally reminiscent of the look and songs of that day. He offered us a great pop version of the song with a bit of a reggae twist. I thought it was interesting and I enjoyed it.

For Randy it didn’t work, he didn’t get it. Ellen felt like she was at a resort drinking a pina colada on the beach, relaxing to a cool song. I’m not sure this was intended as a compliment. Kara applauded him for doing something different with the song but she wasn’t gushing with the praise, either. Simon said it didn’t work and that Stone’s fans would be turning the TV off. I’m a Stone’s fan and I wanted to hear more. Isn’t it all about changing up a song so that it appeals to different people? Wasn’t that part of Adam’s winning strategy last year? (Yes, Adam didn’t actually win but his fame far surpassed that of the actual winner.) Tim’s defense was that he knew he couldn’t be a Rolling Stone so he played it to his own abilities.

Siobhan Magnus

Siobhan offered one of the most interesting performances of the night. She brought an actual stage set to the mix with a long staircase as her backdrop. Siobhan treated us to an usual version of the Rolling Stone’s song “Paint It Black”. Instead of making the song dark as you would expect, she started out with a sweet, almost Tinkerbell sound like a music box. While there were a couple of pitchy notes here and there, she took a song that’s hard to change and she really changed it up. I loved the changes. She ended with the screechy note that got everyone’s attention last week followed by a soft, sweet ending.

Randy said she brought drama to the night and called it “hot”. Ellen said that she rises above “like Snookie’s poof”. Apparently Snookie is a soap opera character with very big hair. For Ellen, she stands out. Siobhan gave Kara flashbacks of Adam Lambert. Simon called it the “stand out peformance of the night”. He said people would either love it or hate it and that was a good thing, because it was far better than indifference.

Lee Dewyze

Lee sang the Rolling Stone’s song “Beast of Burden”. He added more believability to the song than the Stones themselves had. I totally felt the song. Lee didn’t offer much activity on stage and if you were watching him, you’d lose sight of the song itself. You had to close your eyes and hear the song as you would on the radio and this way, he totally nailed it. Randy thought he “came home” with this song and compared him to Rob Thomas and Dave Matthews, calling it one of his better performances. Ellen was expecting more from him, and said the song didn’t quite come together, sort of like a hospital gown. Kara thought he was growing faster than any other contestant. Simon noted that Lee’s personality (or lack of) didn’t shine through but that he had an incredibly good voice. Simon hoped he’d be back next week.

Paige Miles

Paige sang the Rolling Stone’s song “Honky Tonk Woman”. She was obviously having a lot of fun with it but there was a lot of pitchiness. Paige added a country twist and for some reason, the song sounded off. So far, Siobhan was the only contestant to own the stage with only two left to perform. Randy wished Paige had shown more energy. Ellen thought she had “star quality” and made sure we all knew that Paige had voice issues this week. Apparently she was suffering from laryingitis so voter’s should take that into account. Kara said this was the Paige we originally fell in love with. Simon said she still hasn’t connected but that there were moments of the big voice we loved in Hollywood.

Aaron Kelly

Aaron sang the Rolling Stone’s song “Angie”, taking more ownership of the stage as Siobhan had done with the rising staircase as his backdrop. By far this was his best performance yet. I thought it was better than the original version. He totally connected with the song and sang it with so much emotion that I forgot how young he was. For the first time ever, I saw genuine talent in him. For the first time, I actually hope he comes back. Randy said he was “born to sing”. Ellen said that he and Siobhan were the two stand out performances of the night so far. Kara commented on her earlier negative opinions of Aaron and said, “You showed me!” She called it “very powerful”. Simon had originally feared for him, not believing he could handle a Rolling Stones song. Aaron “cleverly” pulled it off and had chosen the “100% right song” according to Simon, who called it one of his strongest performances so far.

Crystal Bowersox

Crystal closed out the show with the Rolling Stone’s song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”. She was my favorite of the night which was pretty amazing since I’d totally loved several of the previous contestants. It’s refreshing that Crystal doesn’t scream songs like so many singers with powerful voices. She lets the power of her voice flow naturally. I’d buy the song exactly as she sang it. For me, she had the wow factor. The judges however, were sailing on a different boat.

Randy said it wasn’t her best but that even so, she didn’t disappoint. Ellen echoed Randy that it wasn’t her best but added that Crystal was born to be on stage. Ellen noted that for the first time, Crystal showed her personality. I agree. Crystal really shined this week actually smiling as she sang it and appearing to have fun. Kara said it was good to see her “let loose” but made a pretty big deal that previously, it felt like Crystal had the attitude that she was already the winner. I never felt that from Crystal. I always felt like she didn’t care whether she won or not until later in the competition. I believe she was protecting herself from an expected rejection but once she thought she actually had a chance, she could start opening up and let loose. Crystal defended herself to Kara by saying she never believed that she owned the competition but thanked Kara for saying it. Simon said the song didn’t have the drama and for the first time, Siobhan beat her. He’s right that the performance wasn’t as dramatic as Siobhan’s performance, but drama isn’t Crystal’s style or strength. She’s more down to earth and I truly believe she has a bright future regardless of the outcome of American Idol.

Who’s in danger? None of the judges really made a prediction. However, I believe that the weakest singers are: Didi Benami, Lacey Brown, Andrew Garcia and Katie Stevens. I expect the bottom three to come from this group and that Andrew will be voted off.

Tags: aaron, aaron kelly, alex lambert, american idol, andrew, andrew garcia, benami, bowersox, brown, casey, casey james, cowell, crystal bowersox, degeneres, dewyze, didi benami, ellen, ellen degeneres, epperly, kara dioguardi, katelyn epperly, katie stevens, lacey brown, lambert, lee dewyze, lilly scott, lynche, magnus, michael lynche, miles, paige miles, rolling stones, ryan, ryan seacrest, scott, seacrest, season 9, simon, simon cowell, siobhan magnus, stevens, tim urban, todrick, todrick hall, urban

Category: American Idol 2010

Who is out: Katelyn Epperly, Todrick Hall, Alex Lambert, Lilly Scott

Who is in: Didi Benami, Siobhan Magnus, Paige Miles, Casey James, Tim Urban, Lee Dewyze, Crystal Bowersox, Michael Lynche, Lacey Brown, Aaron Kelly, Andrew Garcia, Katie Stevens

If you’re looking for mainstream opinion on American Idol, you won’t find it here. I, for one, am glad that none of the current contestants appear to be Whitney Houston or Celine Dion wannabes. I’m not a big fan of that. This year we’ve got different and I like different. Didi, Siobhan, Crystal and Lacey, they promise to entertain us with unusual song choices in a unique voice. Lilly should have been among them. I liked her style. Mainstream thinking voted her out.

The boys aren’t really in the race yet. Now that they’re faced with this gangbuster group of girls, they’re in trouble. The boys are going to have to seriously turn up their game.

Does anybody ever wonder how the final choices are made? Of the tens of thousands who try out, only a few make it to Hollywood and you know that so many others had the talent. How do they pick which talent to support? I’m sure looks are a factor. The person has to either be very likeable, very sellable visually or entertaining in some other way. But what else?

I believe that names are a factor. Consider the year that Jason Castro and Danny Noriega both made it to the finals. Castro and Noriega? As in Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and South American dictator Manuel Noriega? While there was not likely an actual connection to the dictators, it seemed unlikely that the choice to include the two was coincidental. Perhaps it just simply amused the judges who hoped to spark some sort of controversy.

This year it was Alex Lambert. C’mon, are you serious? No way this is a coincidence. Sure, Alex can sing but no doubt others could sing better. In some way American Idol was riding the coattails of Adam Lambert with this choice. Alex Lambert didn’t make it to the top 12 in spite of his name and I genuinely felt bad for him. Like Alex, Danny Noriega from Season 7 didn’t make it to the top 12 either. I’m sure if Ellen had been a judge back then she’d have called Danny a “cocky banana”. He definitely had the attitude.

That brings me to Ellen. I’ve grown quite fond of her as a judge in spite of my earlier misgivings about her lack of musical background. However, there is something I worry about. Ellen’s fans. She’s a powerhouse of fans and if she says “I hope you’ll stick around another week” I fear that her fans will intentionally make it so. That really tips the scale with the voting and could cause a lot of upsets this season. She appears to have a soft heart and if she feels sorry for a contestant, even if they should be outed, and accidentally says those magic words, they could end up like Chicken Little of Season 5.

Chicken Little (Kevin Covais) was the nerdy, little boy contestant who couldn’t sing very well but all the grandmas wanted to pinch his cheeks and somehow, he hung in week after week. While he didn’t last long once he made it to the top 12 he did prevent other, more talented singers from making it to the top 12 such as Stevie Scott and Gedeon McKinney. Ellen has the power to catapult the weaker singers just by feeling sorry for them.

With a new judge and several singers bringing styles we haven’t heard on American Idol before, it promises to be an interesting season. The question is, will you vote? Or will you let your phone sit idle while your favorite gets voted off, like what happened to Lilly?

Tags: aaron, aaron kelly, adam lambert, alex lambert, american idol, andrew, andrew garcia, benami, bowersox, brown, casey, casey james, chicken little, cowell, crystal bowersox, danny noriega, degeneres, dewyze, didi benami, ellen, ellen degeneres, epperly, jason castro, kara dioguardi, katelyn epperly, katie stevens, kevin covais, lacey brown, lambert, lee dewyze, lilly scott, lynche, magnus, michael lynche, miles, paige miles, ryan, ryan seacrest, scott, seacrest, season 9, simon, simon cowell, siobhan magnus, stevens, tim urban, todrick, todrick hall, urban

Category: American Idol 2010