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‘American Idols’ step it up tonight!
I started watching tonight thinking, “Boy I sure hope this season gets better.” I really want the anticipation and excitement of last season and so far it’s falling short but tonight I think it went in the right direction. Not perfect, but better than the last couple week. Let us know how you feel about tonight’s performances by voting in our DDN.com American Idol Poll.
I didn’t know who Peter Noone and Lulu were but they apparently they were somehow involved in the British Invasion of the 1960s. There were some just amazing songs during this period in our musical history. Great songs. Lulu worked with the girls and Peter the guys.
By the way, before I forget… each of the contestant’s full length studio recordings of tonight’s songs will be available for download tomorrow on AmericanIdol.com. Wonder how many I’ll want?
Haley Scarnato
Haley did much better with Tell Him than she has in recent weeks. If only she didn’t have to walk in those heals. Bu as far as her performance, she did great with the audience and judge interaction this week and the perfect amount of sexiness. I really enjoyed this performance. Randy said the performance had the “Yo” factor all over it. Simon called her a bit “naughty” and commented that people would be talking about much more than her singing tonight.
Chris Richardson
Chris wants to finally nail a song so he can prove himself. So his song choice tonight was Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Cryin.’ I loved the beginning with the acoustic guitar, then the strings come in…nice. I think Chris did a really great job. It showed off his voice and nice falsetto…oh yeah, and he’s cute. The judges all had favorable comments and the crowd goes wild! BUT, there’s one thing that really bugs me about his voice. Sometimes it feels like he’s sliding into tune. It’s like when he first sings a note, it’s out of pitch just slightly so he then he slides into it. Tell me if I’m nuts, but it’s distracting to me.
Stephanie Edwards
Singing You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me was a good song choice even though she was a little pitchy tonight. Stephanie has a very strong voice and this song showed a bit of her softer side and also gave her the opportunity to showcase the bigness of her voice. But I can’t help think she she has even bigger in her. She lacks passion or she doesn’t feel the song or something I can’t quite put my finger on. Not so wonderful comments from the judges…Simon misses the passion and rawness of Stephanie’s earlier performances and he says she’s lost her “soul.”
Blake Lewis
Blake made Time of the Season from 1967 sound like it could have been written and recorded yesterday. Last week I didn’t like what he did to modernize the song but this week he got it right. I really didn’t expect to love this as much as I did. I don’t always appreciate the beatboxing being thrown into almost every song but this week it really fit. And as much as it makes me feel like a dirty old woman, I think Blake was just sexy and hot tonight. The only problem was a couple of high notes that he just didn’t quite hit. Randy loved it and said it had the “massive Yo” factor. Paula and Simon both agreed that this was the strongest performance so far. I predict Blake will be the last MAN to go! It will be a final four of Melinda, LaKisha, Jordin and Blake.
LaKisha Jones
Diamonds are Forever and You’re My World were LaKisha’s choices and LuLu wanted her to sing You’re My World but LaKisha stuck with her gut and went with Diamonds. Since I’m not familiar with either song I cannot say which one would have been better but this was good. It just didn’t knock me off my feet. I thought it sounded a little like a James Bond song and my husband shouted from the other room that it was. It was wonderful as usual but not Randy and Simon’s favorite…and it wasn’t mine either. Perhaps she should have taken LuLu’s advice.
Phil Stacey
Peter thought he had never heard Tobacco Road sung as well as Phil sang it. I wish we could have heard it the way he did. In the studio a little more relaxed. I don’t know if it’s nerves or just adding the running around to the performance, but it lost something from the rehearsal room to the stage. He did have a couple moments in the performance, but it wasn’t my favorite tonight by a long shot. Simon thought it wasn’t believable and it sounded like a 3rd rate bar performance. There was a couple boo’s from the audience but not a ton. Oh no, Phil may go tomorrow.
Jordin Sparks
LuLu thought Jordin was amazing. I Who Have Nothing was the perfect song for her huge voice. Oh my, she was incredible. With a little maturity and real life under her belt she is going to be unstoppable. The truth of the matter is that Jordin would make a better American Idol (from an image point of view) than either LaKisha or Melinda. Simon said he felt gloomy and depressed after the song - he just wanted some sunshine or something - which says to me she communicated the tone of the music and lyrics very well and with the intent that it was written.
Sanjaya Malakar
You Really Got Me is a super fun song and Sanjaya is not going anywhere this week. He worked this song with a good mix of sexy and raw. Loved the earrings and his wardrobe fwas perfect and young. In fact, I’ll bet this is he reason he is still in this thing. Randy and Paula were surprised, as was I, by this performance and Simon just didn’t comment. Like I said, he wont be in the bottom three this week.
Gina Glocksen
What a great new haircut Gina has. Short and sassy! It really suits her. She sings Paint It Black by the Rolling Stones. I think this was a great song for her but I think she struggled with the lower octave a bit. Simon thought that there were moments of torture in her performance and as much as I hate to admit it, I fear I have to agree. Gina could be in trouble tomorrow too.
Chris Sligh
She’s Not There by the Zombies is a great song for Chris although I wonder if he has enough punch and grit for it. I loved the verses but he sounded as if he were forcing it through the chorus. A little shouty for me but the kid has talent and he’ll be around another week, no problem.
Melinda Doolittle
As Long As He Needs Me was way out of her comfort zone says Melinda but you would never, never know. All I can say is “shivers.” Once again, she was magnificent. She has overtaken LaKisha in my book now and she is truly in a league of her own. But can she sell pop records?
Okay, now it’s time to vote for your favorite on our DDN.com poll. Who is going tomorrow night?
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Comments
By Kim
March 22, 2007 10:28 AM | Link to this
Well - I didn’t get to see any of it. I’m with Laura - I wouldn’t have dreamed of missing any of last season, but this year it wasn’t a big deal to me. I would have liked to see Peter Noone work with the guys though. Kelle, I see no one has replied yet - but he was the lead singer of Herman’s Hermits - very much a part of the British Invasion! :) I’m Een-er-ry the 8th I am…
By Heather
March 21, 2007 12:50 PM | Link to this
Oh, Kelle - I hope you are wrong about Sanjaya. I didn’t see anything good about it. And I totally get Simon’s comment about the young girl in the audience - that should say it all - even though we know those were tears of happiness for her - the rest of us were crying tears from the torture that was his performance! But, on to better things - Jordin. I just love her - have from the beginning - and she nailed it last night. The girl has pipes for being 17!! My other favorite is Blake. Loved his rendition of the song. Yes, there are other good singers - Lakisha (although I didn’t like her song) and Melinda. You just know from week in and week out that they’re going to be good. I guess I just think of this competition as seeing young up and coming singers and watching them grow - and I don’t think of those two ladies that way. I may be wrong to think like that - but, either one could go out now and get a deal without a problem.
By Cyberoam
March 21, 2007 12:44 PM | Link to this
Sanjaya’s best performance….he is the true underdog…americans love to see an underdog win…today his performance was good…improvement every week….he is likely to stay for a few more weeks…reality TV shows a underdog story…AWESOME
By Julie
March 21, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this
Melinda is soooo boring! Same type of songs every week. I wouldn’t buy her records or watch her perform if she won. Sanjaya is exactly what AI is about. He has good looks, a sweet personality, and a fan base with the ‘tweeners. I’m betting Stephanie or Phil are voted off tonight.
By Laura
March 21, 2007 9:34 AM | Link to this
Oh, forgot… Lulu was a great coach. Gave really good constructive criticisms and advice. I think she’s the best coach Idol’s had. Also, that little girl that was crying… how humiliated is she going to be in a few years! Poor thing! It was kinda funny, though.
By Laura
March 21, 2007 9:31 AM | Link to this
I’m still so bored with this season! I mean, I like Melinda and Jordin, but nobody is hooking me like Katharine did last season. Last year, I would NEVER DREAM of missing an episode; this year, if I did, I wouldn’t be too upset. I loved the song Stephanie sang… when Nadia Turner sang it. Anyone else remember that? I think the band made the arrangement of Tobacco Road too rocky for Phil. If they’d left it bluesy and acoustic like it was in the rehearsal, I think it would have been a ton better. I enjoyed watching Sanjaya, just not listening to him. He normally doesn’t have a bad voice, he just doesn’t do anything with it. This week, I thought his voice sounded bad - it was missing the vibrato that gives it a nice tone. I agreed with Simon about LaKisha’s look - it made me think of Drew Barrymore’s flashback prom in Never Been Kissed. Far too 80’s/90’s for me. I didn’t like the way she pronounced her vowels half the song. Loved Jordin’s performance - she’s surpassed LaKisha for me now. Melinda was good. Blake was fun Sorry for the book!
By Jamie
March 21, 2007 8:12 AM | Link to this
Sanjaya has got to go! That was horrendous! I am not sure why they keep him week to week! I really liked Jordin and Melinda as well.
By Ben
March 21, 2007 7:44 AM | Link to this
Sanjaya still should get the boot, but you know he won’t. So far he hasn’t taken out any of the ones who had a real chance to win. When he does, look out. I think Phil or Gina should go, despite the fact that I like Gina.
By Kelle
March 21, 2007 7:09 AM | Link to this
Okay, so I checked DialIdol.com this morning and they say that Sanjaya is predicted to be safe this week. They say looking at the data of people who have joined their service that Sanjaya got the 5th most votes. According to them the three in trouble would be Chris Sligh, Gina and Haley. If I were to pick the three bottom it would be Phil (although he could have the sympathy vote), Gina and Chris Sligh? It’s a tough one.
By Socialwrkr
March 21, 2007 3:35 AM | Link to this
Ok, so I loved LaKisha, Melinda, Jordin and Blake tonight. To me, they are just the tops. I HATED Sanjaya’s performance. Yes, he performed, but he didn’t sing that song, he killed it. To me, that’s a stand up and sing along song, and I actually had to mute it. And the girl in the audience, oh my. The rest all hit me pretty decently, I enjoyed most everyone tonight and if Sanjaya doesn’t go, I’ll be disappointed.