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I received an e-mail from Fox Broadcasting Company with the subject line: "Important Message About Your Request to Receive Information from THE X FACTOR." Back when the auditions were first announced, I signed up to their e-mail list to receive audition information. This e-mail reveals that "computer hackers illegally accessed information you and others submitted to us." Below is the entire message from FOX (click on the image for the full-size version):
Some excerpts from the message:
"We are writing with regard to your registration on Fox.com to receive audition information about THE X FACTOR. This week, we learned that computer hackers illegally accessed information you and others submitted to us to receive information about THE X FACTOR auditions. As you may recall, the information you provided to us did not include your Social Security number or any financial information (such as bank account or credit card information), and you were not required to enter a user name or password to access our site. As a result, no financial information, Social Security numbers, or passwords were accessed by this unauthorized party. It is possible, however, that the information you did provide to us, which included your name, email address, zip code, phone number (which was optional), date of birth, and gender, may have been accessed.
"We are taking this matter very seriously and took immediate steps to stop the illegal intrusion. We are also working with federal law enforcement authorities to investigate this illegal action.
...
"...If you receive an email that appears to be from Fox.com or THE X FACTOR asking for personal information, please forward it to askfox@fox.com and then delete it, as it did not come from us. You can also send an e-mail to askfox@fox.com if you have any questions or concerns."
If you are on the e-mail list for information about The X Factor auditions, you most likely received this e-mail. I thought I would share this with you all so that everyone is aware of the situation and knows how to handle any suspicious activity.
Incidents like this should always be taken seriously, so if you do have any questions or concerns (or information regarding the hackers), I urge you to e-mail FOX at the address above.
American Idol 10: Top 6 Results Show
Air Date: Thursday, April 28, 2011 [8-9pm]
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| Source: @CAbramsAI10 |
At the start of the episode, Ryan Seacrest says, "A lot of fans are going to be disappointed with tonight's results." I didn't quite know what to make of this statement. Whenever there's a shocking or semi-shocking outcome, Ryan usually teases it right from the get-go. Whenever he does this, I try to pick up on key words he throws into that teaser. You notice he didn't say it would be a shocking elimination, but rather that a lot of people would be disappointed. If it was shocking, it would have been either Scotty or James. Using the word 'disappointed' tells me that it could be Casey Abrams or possibly Lauren Alaina. And then it wouldn't really be a shocker if Jacob or Haley got the boot. And when I was sifting through the names in this way, Casey's name kept coming back to me. And, unfortunately, I was right.
You know, Casey might not have always been consistently great (some were great and there were a few okay ones thrown in there as well), but he certainly brought a lot of energy to the show and we never knew what kind of style he would bring to the stage. Ever since the judges saved him, I never thought he had a chance of winning after that moment. But unlike someone like Pia, who while really talented, never brought the excitement or stage presence that Casey almost always did. I thought he would at least make it to the Top four or five. But I can't wait to see him on tour!
Video: Top 6 at the British Consulate for Brit Week. Just when I think I can escape from the beyond annoying royal wedding coverage and gossip for an hour by watching American Idol, think again!
Top 6 perform a medley of Carole King songs.
Ford Music Video: "Our House"
Crystal Bowersox performs "Ridin' on the Radio." She's bringing the total Crystal flavor with her signature funky mike stand and the huge rug covering the stage. Loved it!
Ryan asks the Top 6 questions provided by fans.
When Ryan calls up each of the contestants to face the results, we are shown a video with a performance recap as well as Jimmy Iovine's blunt and honest commentary on each of the performances. Not everyone may be on board with Jimmy yet, but I find it refreshing to have those brutally honest critiques on Idol. Steven, Jennifer and Randy have for the most part acted as if almost every performance is great and "beautiful," to quote Steven Tyler.
Haley Reinhart is called up first. After her video, the audio is gone for a moment, as we realize that Haley must have been bleeped after reacting to Jimmy's comments. But no matter, Haley is safe!
Scotty McCreery: Ryan tells Scotty to hang tight and sit back on the couch for a moment.
Lauren Alaina: Lauren also is asked to sit back down and wait out her results as well.
Casey Abrams: Ryan says the results will be coming soon...
James Durbin is rightly safe!
We're left with Jacob Lusk, Casey, Lauren and Scotty. Lauren is safe, which means that Jacob Casey and Scotty are in danger of going home. But never does Ryan say they are in the Bottom 3. I wonder if this is just something Nigel is trying out to mess with our heads, or if someone like Scotty or James was in the bottom and he didn't want us to see that. I doubt James was there, but still, I wonder why they did it this way. By making it seem as if Scotty's in danger, you know darn well that Nigel has now put that thought in his fan's heads to ramp up the voting even more to ensure Scotty wins.
Bruno Mars performs "Lazy Song."
Ryan wants to reiterate that the results are in random order, meaning the two safe people in this group may or may not have been in the Bottom 3. Jacob is safe. What!? I could understand it better if someone like Haley went home instead of Jacob, but to have him safe as a result of someone like Casey or Scotty going home? I don't get it.
Casey Abrams - Eliminated
Scotty's safe.
After the goodbye video, Casey performs "I Put a Spell on You." During the song, he gives hugs and kisses to each of the judges as well as many audience members. When he's back on stage and singing the final line, "You're mine," he's facing Haley and singing it to her. Well, I think that pretty much confirms they're together. I was actually expecting the song to end with him kissing her, but oh well.
Next Wednesday, the Top 5 will be performing two songs each, with the theme being Now & Then. Then on Thursday, Jennifer Lopez will take to the stage for "On the Floor" with Pitbull, and Lady Antebellum singing as well. And while I don't think it's confirmed, I thought I remember reading that Lady Gaga will premiere her "Judas" music video during the show also. See ya then...
American Idol 10: Top 6
Air Date: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 [8-9:30pm]
Theme: Carole King
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| Source: @mjsbigblog.com |
Kenny "Babyface" Edmund joins Jimmy Iovine as a mentor for the Top 6.
The American Idols Live! Tour 2011 has been announced. Tickets will go on sale May 13; visit americanidol.com for all the information. Can't wait for this year's tour!
Each contestant will have two phone lines this week to help with voting.
Click on each of the below links to open up those studio performances in iTunes. You will not be charged for clicking on these links, unless you click 'buy' in the iTunes Store.
1. Jacob Lusk - "Oh No Not My Baby"
Out of everybody, Jacob has been most at risk of going home (and I'm glad Jimmy said as much). He needed to come out and give it his all. And you know what? He did. There were a few notes that were off, but you could tell he had a lot of fun and I had fun watching. Going first will hurt him, but if he goes, at least he would have gone out on a high.
2. Lauren Alaina - "Where You Lead"
She's starting to get back to her normal self again. That confidence showed through when she worked the stage and interacted with that one audience member. There were a few moments that bored me a tad (mainly at the start), but moments like the chorus were great. Did she plan to pull a random audience member up to the stage?
Haley Reinhart & Casey Abrams - "I Feel the Earth Move"
In the intro video, it was obvious that they're an item - they have great chemistry. And after their genius jazz duet two weeks ago, I think we were all wanting more from them. As far as the performance went, they put their chemistry to good use with beautiful harmony together. They had fun up there.
3. Scotty McCreery - "You've Got a Friend"
If you look at my past comments, you'll know I'm not the biggest fan of Scotty's. But tonight, he surprised me. Usually his slower songs bore me, but it wasn't so much that way this time. The arrangement, though, was interesting; there were times I didn't recognize the song. But if he can continue to be as good as he was here, then maybe I'll be more on board with him.
4. James Durbin - "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"
Lately, we've had the rock and theatrical from James. This time, he changed it up and showed us another side of him. There were a few sharp notes in there, but it didn't distract me from how he performed it. The a capella at the start was brilliant, and I would've loved to hear him sing an entire song that way. I loved it!
Scotty McCreery & Lauren Alaina - "Up on the Roof"
I guess it seems obvious that they would pair the two country crooners together. This slow song allowed their voices to really come through, and I thought their voices really played off each other really well.
5. Casey Abrams - "Hi De Ho"
When they said the song title, did anyone think of Wilson from Home Improvement? Anyway...I haven't been that on board with his past couple songs, but I got really into this one. I liked the way he went around the stage, from the pianist to the guitarist to the backup singers. I loved the beat of the song - Casey's getting back to being Casey.
6. Haley Reinhart - "Beautiful"
Instead of going straight into the song after the intro video, we got Ryan and Haley on stage explaining a technical snafu. After Ryan left, did anyone notice him dancing next to the musicians? And did anyone feel like this could have been an ode to Steven Tyler's most over-used word: beautiful? But with Haley - I loved the ending more than the start; the vocals weren't perfect. But her voice is still great, regardless.
Jacob Lusk & James Durbin - "I'm Into Something Good"
I'm not sure if I was completely in love with this. James was definitely the star of the performance; I could hear the warble back in Jacob's voice. And what is the deal with singers and Jennifer Lopez lately? First Iggy Pop getting up in her face. Then Casey did pretty much the same thing and then kissed her. And now Jacob and James come up behind her and slide her chair away from the desk. That really caught her off guard. But they had fun together, working off each other really well.
Compilation Album: Top 6 Season 10: Click on this link to see the compilation album in iTunes of all of the above songs.
Favorite Performances: James Durbin / Casey Abrams / Scotty McCreery
My Votes: James Durbin - 80 votes
Bottom 3 Prediction: Jacob Lusk / Lauren Alaina / Haley Reinhart
Elimination Prediction: Jacob Lusk
Below is the latest Idol social media stats (the combination of Twitter, Facebook and MySpace). These stats were compiled on 4/27/11 at 5:05pm.
1. Scotty McCreery - 180,903
2. Casey Abrams - 134,858
3. James Durbin - 120,014
4. Lauren Alaina - 114,486
5. Haley Reinhart - 78,038
6. Jacob Lusk - 52,578
The names in blue haven't changed their positions from last week to this week. James had finally inched up from four to third place. And I expected him to stay there when Paul left, but Lauren took Paul's place, leaving James to head back to fourth. But now Lauren and James have switched places for the second time, and James is in third. It seems like James is slowly closing the gap with Casey. I would love to see a switch there pretty soon.
I have to say, this was a pretty solid and strong night of performances. There really weren't any terrible sets at all, which is refreshing for a change.
This week, it seems pretty obvious that Jacob will be the one heading home. While he did better than he normally does, he's been at the end of his run for a while now, and he sang first. And as usual, Haley will also return to the Bottom 3. What could help her beat Jacob is the fact that she performed last (not counting the final duet). I enjoyed her song, but she was a little off at times. Since we're at the point where half of the singers will be in the Bottom 3 this week, I don't think there's any way Haley can be anywhere other than in the bottom group. So, Jacob and Haley are obvious choices. But for that final spot, it could either be Lauren or Casey. Scotty and James will be safe, and rightly so, which leaves either Lauren or Casey. I could easily see either one being there. Some people might not have been completely on board with the style that Casey brought to his song, which could put him in danger. Lately, Lauren's fanbase has gotten stronger and stronger (based on her social media stats), which could help her. But voters may have forgotten about her by the end of the night.
Tonight, the competition will be narrowed down to the Top 5 (8-9pm). After Lee Dewyze returned this year earlier in the season, I was hoping that Crystal would be invited back as well. And here we go: Crystal Bowersox will perform tonight during the results show; I believe she will be performing "Ridin' with the Radio." Bruno Mars will also take to the Idol stage to perform. And Jennifer Lopez will perform her new single, "On the Floor," featuring Pit Bull, in a pre-taped performance. See ya then...
American Idol 10: Top 7 Results Show
Air Date: Thursday, April 21, 2011 [8-9pm]
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| Source: @SLangoneAI10 |
Over 52 million votes were cast on Wednesday night.
Lauren Alaina, Haley Reinhart, Stefano Langone and Jacob Lusk perform "Hey, Soul Sister."
Ford Music Video: "World."
Casey Abrams, Scotty McCreery and James Durbin perform "Viva La Vida."
During Ryan's couch chat with the contestants, Casey shows a piece of art he received from a fan.
Casey and Jacob are up first to face the results:
Casey is safe!
Jacob Lusk - Bottom 3 (Correct Prediction)
David Cook performs "The Last Goodbye."
Video: The Top 7 go to a Dodgers game, then bowling and finally to the spa.
Lauren, James and Stefano are next:
Stefano Langone - Bottom 3 (Correct Prediction)
Lauren and James are safe!
Finally, only Haley and Scotty are left:
Scotty's safe.
Haley Reinhart - Bottom 3 (Correct Prediction)
Immediately, Ryan tells Haley that she's safe.
Katy Perry becomes a Lady Gaga-wannabe and performs "E.T" featuring Kanye West. It was oh so obvious that she was lip-syncing. Near the start of the song when she began walking towards the front of the stage, you could hear her voice singing but her lips weren't moving. Then, when she did start to move her lips, they weren't matching with the vocal. So, she tries to imitate Lady Gaga by dressing outlandishly. But Katy, if you're going to emulate her, you should try singing live. Gaga doesn't lip-sync.
The final results:
Stefano Langone - Eliminated (Correct Prediction)
Jacob's safe.
Stefano performs "Lately." James is visibly upset over Stefano going home. Based on that and their interaction after the song, they must have become close friends.
Now that Stefano's gone, none of the judge's Wild Card picks are left. This goes to show that the Wild Card round doesn't really impact the final outcome. The only exception to that was Clay Aiken, who made it to second place. But even with him, it was America's Wild Card pick and not by the judges. Another choice that made an impact post-Idol, though not on who won, was Jennifer Hudson (chosen by Randy).
Next Wednesday, the Top 7 will perform Songs of Carole King. And I can't, can't, can't wait for Crystal Bowersox to perform on Thursday! See ya then...
American Idol 10: Top 7
Air Date: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 [8-9:30pm]
Theme: Songs from the 21st Century
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| Source: mjsbigblog.com |
At the top of the show, the Top 13 contestants that have been eliminated so far (Ashthon Jones, Karen Rodriguez, Naima Adedapo, Thia Megia, Pia Toscano, Paul McDonald) perform Pink's "So What." Paul sounded terrible against the girl's voices. Since Idol has made most of this year's episodes 90 minutes long, they're getting to that point now where they need filler. Enter: "So What." With only six next week, what will they do to fill the time then? Bring them back again? I doubt they'll have time for the Top 6 to do two songs each, so who knows.
After the song, the camera cuts to Mark Ballas (and his father Corky) from Dancing with the Stars, who is supposedly dating Pia. The two shows are on different networks, so it's obvious both are playing this up as much as they can: having Mark on Idol this week (Ryan even trying to get him to say something about it), and Pia will be on Dancing next week.
Click on each of the below links to open up those studio performances in iTunes. You will not be charged for clicking on these links, unless you click 'buy' in the iTunes Store.
1. Scotty McCreery - LeAnn Rimes' "Swingin'"
Another pretty solid vocal from Scotty. I actually really enjoyed it as it started. But he lost me at the chorus; that's when it started to feel pretty much the same as we've always seen/heard from him. Nothing necessarily wrong, but like Jennifer and Randy said, he needs to step it up and not take the safe route. But the audience just went wild whenever he hit the low notes. And when he went for it during the final note, he knew the reaction he would get, so he played it up as he was preparing to go for those notes.
2. James Durbin - Muse's "Uprising"
It looks like Lee Dewyze's bagpiper from last year has brought along his marching band drummers for James. From the outfit to the theatrics and the way he owned the stage (including the way he carried the mike stand), I almost could've mistaken him for Adam Lambert. He owned that part of the performance, but the vocals weren't the best. So I'm not sure if it was one of his best, but regardless, just when we thought his high notes couldn't get any higher, it did. This might be better as an iTunes studio recording.
3. Haley Reinhart - Adele's "Rolling in the Deep"
I was excited to find out she was doing Adele, because Adele has such a beautiful and unique voice, and the style of her songs fit Haley really well. To follow up on what Randy said, it wasn't perfect, but she's recovering from last week. On the plus side, she shone best during the chorus. As an aside, did anyone notice that Casey Abrams was missing from her intro video (where the others are supposed to talk about the singer who's about to perform)? Maybe he didn't want to do it because he thought it would show through his feelings for her (since they are rumored to be dating). But I think that his absence made it even more apparent.
4. Jacob Lusk - Luther Vandross' "Dance with My Father"
If you look at the types of songs he's sung so far, it's not surprising he would go with this one. I'm glad Randy called him out on the vocals and saying they need some constructive comments once in a while (is he listening to us?), because it was just okay. After being thrown off during the first line, I wasn't sure how the rest would go, but he came back with the same warble vibrato he normally gives us. Unfortunately, he may be safe because of why he sang this song (dedicating it to his deceased father).
5. Casey Abrams - Maroon 5's "Harder to Breathe"
I can't believe Casey had the nerve to kiss Jennifer on the cheek at the end there (let along get up in her face, closer than even Iggy Pop did to her). I'm not sure if the performance was the most cohesive. Some places such as the chorus just felt like it didn't match up to the original. But he picked it up during the last quarter of the song. And what was it that Steven Tyler said to cause him to be bleeped for the longest time? Randy and Jennifer's jaws were on the floor.
6. Stefano Langone - Ne-Yo's "Closer"
I wouldn't be surprised if this is the style he goes towards post-Idol. But regardless, I wasn't blown away - he didn't match up to the original. On the plus side, though, he improved greatly during the last half when holding out his notes. And he felt more comfortable on stage (dancing, and working the audience). The sex appeal that he obviously purposefully added in will help him with voters, but will it be enough to save him?
7. Lauren Alaina - Sara Evans' "Born To Fly"
It thought it was a pleasant performance. Nothing much more than that. The song didn't allow her to belt it out, so it may have been a safe song choice. I was a little let down when she basically said she's not as confident in what she can do. In order to change that, she needs to take risks, because it could pay off. She needs to believe in herself.
Compilation Album - Top 7 Season 10: Click on this link to see the compilation album in iTunes of all of the above songs.
Favorite Performance: I don't know that I had a favorite performance this week.
My Votes: James Durbin - 60 votes
Some busy signals at the start.
Bottom 3 Prediction: Haley Reinhart / Jacob Lusk / Stefano Langone
Elimination Prediction: Stefano Langone
Below is the latest Idol social media stats (the combination of Twitter, Facebook and MySpace). These stats were compiled on 4/19/11 at 10:30pm.
1. Scotty McCreery - 161,487
2. Casey Abrams - 116,542
3. Lauren Alaina - 98,650
4. James Durbin - 98,221
5. Stefano Langone - 74,549
6. Haley Reinhart - 62,463
7. Jacob Lusk - 47,103
The names in blue haven't changed their positions from last week to this week. Last week, Paul sailed above James. But now that he's out of the equation, I would have expected James to reclaim 3rd place. But Lauren, surprisingly, took that spot, keeping James in 4th. It seems she is slowly but surely gaining a bigger following. This shows that she has a chance at making the Top 2.
Haley, Jacob and Stefano have pretty much always seemed to be at risk. And except for Casey, it's only been those three in the bottom 3, of the remaining contestants. And it seems obvious that it will be those three in the bottom group this time around. I would just love to see Scotty in the bottom, but even though he performed first, I doubt that'll ever happen. And if it does, it will only make his fans make sure he wins. James wasn't at his best, but he knows how to put on a show, and I really hope he's not in danger. I could easily see him making it all the way to the final two without ever being in danger. Even though there was that strange week with Casey almost being eliminated a while ago, I can't figure out where he might stand in terms of the voting. And as I mentioned above with the social media stats, Lauren is continuously gathering a stronger fan base and will be safe.
Now, back to Haley, Jacob and Stefano. Haley is recovering from last week, so I hope she is safe. Jacob should have been gone a long time ago, but I have a feeling that he'll be safe. He will get the sympathy vote for dedicating the song to his deceased father. That leaves Stefano. The only way I can see him staying on is if his fan base voted even more due to the sex appeal factor that Stefano added in.
Tonight, yet another contestant will be eliminated (8-9pm). And season 7 champ David Cook will perform his new single, plus a performance by Katy Perry. See ya then...
American Idol 10: Top 8 Results Show
Air Date: Thursday, April 14, 2011 [8-9pm*]
*The episode ran a minute over, ending at 9:01pm.
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| @PMcDonaldAI10 |
Over 53 million votes were cast this week.
Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery perform "American Honey."
Video: Behind-the-scenes of this week's music video, where they are turned into zombies.
Ford Music Video: "Animal"
Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart perform "Moaning." Out of all the group performances this year, this one is by far the best! I hope they are able to encore this song either at the finale or on tour, cause I just loved it!
The four that have performed face the results:
Scotty, Lauren and Casey are safe!
Haley Reinhart - Bottom 3 (Correct Prediction)
Video: Rob Reiner gives the Top 8 advice on movie songs.
Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson (!) perform their new hit single, "Don't You Wanna Stay." Jason was a little generic, but Kelly proved why she is our inaugural Idol and possibly the best as well.
Jacob Lusk, Paul McDonald, Stefano Langone and James Durbin perform "Sounds of Silence"/"Mrs. Robinson." I know we're not voting on these group songs, but they sounded terrible together. Sorry.
James and Jacob are both safe!
Stefano Langone - Bottom 3 (Correct Prediction)
Paul McDonald - Bottom 3 (Correct Prediction)
Rihanna performs "California King Bed."
The Bottom 3 find out their fate:
Both Haley and Stefano are safe!
Paul McDonald - Eliminated (Correct Prediction)
Jennifer Lopez requests that Paul sing "Maggie May." That seemed a little staged to me.
Finally, a guy is sent home! Haley broke the curse! Depending on how the next round of performances go, we may see a second guy going home (either Stefano or Jacob).
On Wednesday, the Top 7 will perform 21st Century Songs. And then season 7 champ David Cook will return to debut his brand-new single, "This Loud Morning," as well as a performance by Katy Perry, on Thursday. See ya then...
American Idol 10: Top 8
Air Date: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 [8-9:30pm]
Theme: Songs from the Movies
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| Source: mjsbigblog.com |
After the judges take their seats, Ryan congratulates Jennifer Lopez for being named World's Most Beautiful Woman by People magazine today.
And will.i.am is back to help mentor with Jimmy Iovine. Rio is being heavily pimped during commercials. Is he mentoring every week because of the movie, or will be continue to be there even after the movie's out? I'm don't think I'm totally against him being there; he's providing some great comments and humor as well. He works well with Jimmy.
Click on each of the below links to open up those studio performances in iTunes. You will not be charged for clicking on these links, unless you click 'buy' in the iTunes Store.
1. Paul McDonald - Bob Seeger's "Old Time Rock n Roll"
Last week, Paul started to get his mojo back, and that's fortunately continued this time around. He just had so much fun on that stage, and I had fun watching him. I'm not sure, though, about the drum beat. Closing out the show last time helped him with voters, but now going first - could that hurt him?
2. Lauren Alaina - Miley Cyrus' "The Climb"
I guess I'm not surprised Lauren chose this song - it shows her age (and I have a feeling that if Thia Megia were still here, she would have chosen this song). It is a great song - as long as Miley's not singing it. But for Lauren, I have to say I pleasantly enjoyed it; her voice sounded pretty solid. But I don't think Pia Toscano fans will be happy with Jimmy telling her about stealing Pia's votes; what if that fan base turns on Lauren?
3. Stefano Langone - Boys II Men's "End of the Road"
I don't know if I'm just in a good mood or what, but the night is going really well so far. Stefano really belted it out. After being in the Bottom 3, he stepped it up and did what he could to save himself. Going third isn't always helpful, but he did really well.
4. Scotty McCreery - George Straight's "Cross My Heart"
Picking a slower song, I was expecting to be bored. And there were definitely moments where I was. Maybe it wasn't the best song choice, but by sticking to who he is, it's hard for him to go wrong with the majority female voting block.
5. Casey Abrams - Nat King Cole's "Nature Boy"
I'm not really understanding why the judges gave him a standing ovation or praised him to the extend that they did. His voice sounded strange, and overall the whole vibe of it was off in my eyes.
6. Haley Reinhart - Blondie's "Call Me"
Now that she's found her musical footing, I'm not surprised by this song choice. My favorite parts were the chorus. Unfortunately, she had a hard time with the low notes and some of the runs were all over the place. She's become one of my favorites lately, so I would hate to see her go.
7. Jacob Lusk - "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
I cringed when Jimmy suggested this song because I knew he would butcher it. It sounded again like he was trying to gurgle water at times. If he's not in the Bottom 3, it'll be because of those last few notes, which were impressive, I have to admit. In my eyes, this is almost an untouchable song on Idol, because Clay Aiken gave a winning performance back in season 2 with this song.
8. James Durbin - "Heavy Metal" from Heavy Metal
And we're back to the rock (or in this case, metal) that James slays. He's the only one tonight who gave us a show as if it's post-Idol already. But will people be turned off by the metal genre? And what about James giving lip to Jimmy? I wonder if Jimmy wasn't too happy about that; maybe inside he was smiling.
Compilation Album - Top 8 Season 10: Click on this link to see the compilation album in iTunes of all of the above songs.
Favorite Performance: James Durbin
My Votes: James Durbin - 60 votes
I got a whole lot of busy signals throughout the time that I voted. I hope that's good news for him.
Bottom 3 Prediction: Paul McDonald / Stefano Langone / Haley Reinhart
Elimination Prediction: Paul McDonald
Below is the latest Idol social media stats (the combination of Twitter, Facebook and MySpace). These stats were compiled on 4/12/11 at 10:15pm.
1. Scotty McCreery - 140,573
2. Casey Abrams - 101,780
3. Paul McDonald - 86,900
4. James Durbin - 83,369
5. Lauren Alaina - 80,800
6. Stefano Langone - 64,437
7. Haley Reinhart - 50,976
8. Jacob Lusk - 42,278
The names in blue haven't changed their positions from last week to this week. Last week, there were three switches going on. This time around, one of those three has switched back: Paul and James. I was excited when James inched up to third, but Paul has reclaimed that spot. I'm thinking it's because Paul gave such a fun performance last week, whereas James had a more subdued song. Speaking of last week, Lauren had slid past Pia. And now Lauren is closing the gap with James.
The singers who I believe are eligible for the Bottom 3 are Paul, Stefano, Haley and Jacob (I'll add Casey in there as well because some people online are saying he could be in danger as well). I want to pick Jacob, but I think those final few notes he belted out will save him. And even though I enjoyed Paul's and Stefano's performances, they performed at the start of the show; that will most certainly hurt their chances, so I'm going with them. As for that last spot, I'm going with Haley, just because she was one of the weakest (after stepping up these past few weeks). But since she did stumble a little, her fans might have come out in droves to save her. If that happens, maybe Casey will make a return trip to the bottom group. As far as who's going home, it's between Paul and Stefano. I could easily see either one getting cut, so I'm just going to go with Paul since he performed first and voters might not have remembered him by the end of the night.
Tonight, one will be heading home as the competition narrows down to the Top 7 (8-9pm). Also, Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean will hit the Idol stage to perform their new hit single. See ya then...
American Idol 10: Top 9 Results Show
Air Date: Thursday, April 7, 2010 [8-9pm*]
*This episode actually ran one minute over and ended at 9:01pm.
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| Source: @PToscanoAI10 |
"Welcome to what could be very shocking results." So said Ryan Seacrest at the start of this week's results show. I can understand why he said "could be," because when it comes to Pia, people either loved her or know she doesn't have the "It" factor.
The Top 9 perform a rock medley of "I Love Rock & Roll," "The Letter," and "Sweet Home Alabama."
Ford Music Video: "Love Gun"
Video: Russell Brand coaches the contestants on performing and stage presence. Charisma Coach? Maybe he should travel back in time to season 9 and coach that group instead.
Casey Abrams, Stefano Langone and Lauren Alaina:
Both Lauren and Casey are safe!
Stefano Langone - Bottom 3 (Correct Prediction)
Constantine Maroulis performs "Unchained Melody." I'm not understanding the reason for his appearance. Shouldn't he be either singing a song from Rock of Ages or one of his own songs? But no matter, he brought a rock arrangement to this great song and just butchered it as a result. It was unrecognizable for much of the song.
Video: Gwen Stefani styling the girls.
Paul McDonald, Scotty McCreery and Pia Toscano:
Scotty is safe! Doesn't that mean Paul will make a reappearance in the bottom 3? No?! It's Pia!?
Pia Toscano - Bottom 3
Video: The Top 9 visit TMZ. When Ryan introduces the video and mentions TMZ, the audience begins booing. Hilarious!
James Durbin, Haley Reinhart and Jacob Lusk:
Both James and Haley are safe, obviously. And Jacob is again obviously in the bottom.
Jacob Lusk - Bottom 3 (Correct Prediction)
Iggy Pop performs "Real Wild Child." What in the world was that? Shirtless and going all over the stage. I'm assuming he's a has-been who has lost his touch?
Jacob is safe, which leaves us with Paul and Pia. I know I keep using the word 'obvious,' but it seems obvious that Paul is the one to go home. But instead Ryan announces that the possible shocker is that Pia is eliminated. Okay, here's the deal. Even though the audience and judges almost always seem to love her, there's no way she could have won. Maybe if she showed more personality and took risks with her song choices, then maybe she had a chance. But I do have to say that I never expected her to get the boot this early in the competition. She is in 6th place with the social media stats, so I figured she'd be around for at least another few weeks, if not longer.
Pia Toscano - Eliminated
Everyone had been saying that it's due time for one of the guys to leave, and I wholeheartedly agreed. Not a single guy has been cut yet. Hopefully, either Jacob or Stefano goes next week, because both Lauren and Haley are better than them. Who will Pia's votes go towards? I hope to the remaining girls. Maybe that will help with this. Even though I wasn't the biggest fan of Pia's, this makes me extremely frustrated over the results of no guys going home yet.
Next week, the Top 8 will perform Songs from the Movies. And the original Idol Kelly Clarkson will return to her home turf (can't wait!) See ya then...
American Idol 10: Top 9
Air Date: Wednesday, April 6, 2011 [8-9:30pm]
Theme: Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame
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| Source: mjsbigblog.com |
Will.i.am joins Jimmy Iovine as a guest mentor this week (I thought there weren't going to be any guest mentors this year, Nigel?). And Gwen Stefani helped with styling.
Ryan announces that there have been 15,000 lyric submissions so far for the songwriting contest with Taio Cruz.
Click on each of the below links to open up those studio performances in iTunes. You will not be charged for clicking on these links, unless you click 'buy' in the iTunes Store.
1. Jacob Lusk - Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror"
I was worried for him after hearing the song choice - this is one of my favorite MJ songs. But I have to hand it to Jacob; he did a pretty great job. The best part was the half half when he could really belt it out. But will going first hurt his chances, especially considering he's in last place on the social media totem pole.
2. Haley Reinhart - Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart"
The past couple of weeks, Haley has really come into her own and been able to figure out her musical style. That has carried over to tonight as well. Her growl and rasp meshed well with this Janis Joplin song. One of Carrie Underwood's weakest performances back in season four was with this song, and I have to say, Haley bested her.
3. Casey Abrams - Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen the Rain"
After "Smells Like Teen Spirit," he calmed it down a lot with "Your Song." That calmness has carried over to tonight. While I'm not sure if it's as memorable as "Your Song," he still brought his own thing to the song.
4. Lauren Alaina - Aretha Franklin's "Natural Woman"
On American Idol, this is Kelly Clarkson's song. Lauren certainly has the voice to take it on, but I was a little bit underwhelmed. Her voice wasn't necessarily bad, but the whole thing was a tad bland. Kelly still takes it with this one.
5. James Durbin - George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
He usually does the uptempo rock songs, so I like that he went out on a limb and slowed it down. I'm not really sure what to think of it. His voice seemed flat at the start. But the emotion he showed at the conclusion of the song will help with voters. And my favorite part was the note at the end. But overall, maybe not one of his best.
6. Scotty McCreery - Elvis Presley's "That's All Right"
The judges and audience may have loved it, but I wasn't as much. It seemed a little karaoke to me. What stood out, though, was his personality and moves; that will certainly make the girls vote for him.
7. Pia Toscano - Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High"
To prove she's not a one-trick pony, she picked an uptempo song. There were a few moments that her voice was either shaky or not right (lower register). But the best part was the last half - her voice was a powerhouse. So a part of me was unsure and a part of me liked it. Now, what she needs to do is make these songs her own and let more of her personality shine through.
8. Stefano Langone - Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman"
If I remember correctly, didn't Big Mike kill it with this song last year? Lately, Stefano's been accused of being kind of loungy. I sensed still some of that here. The song does fit well with his voice, but I wasn't blown away. The opening and closing notes were not good.
9. Paul McDonald - Johnny Cash's "Fulsom Prison Blues"
Like Casey, I'm not sure if I will remember this. But what I loved is that he's headed back to the Paul that we loved early on - the full-blown energy and personality all over the stage.
Compilation Album - Top 9 Season 10: Click on this link to see the compilation album in iTunes of all of the above songs.
Favorite Performances: Haley Reinhart / Jacob Lusk
My Votes: James Durbin - 40 votes
There were some busy signals when I first started voting.
Bottom 3 Prediction: Jacob Lusk / Lauren Alaina / Stefano Langone
Elimination Prediction: Stefano Langone
Below is the latest Idol social media stats (the combination of Twitter, Facebook and MySpace). These stats were compiled on 4/5/11 at 5:25pm.
1. Scotty McCreery - 108,671
2. Casey Abrams - 78,995
3. James Durbin - 64,017
4. Paul McDonald - 63,911
5. Lauren Alaina - 57,926
6. Pia Toscano - 55,852
7. Stefano Langone - 46,552
8. Haley Reinhart - 33,991
9. Jacob Lusk - 32,547
The names in blue haven't changed their positions from last week to this week. There were three switcheroos this time around: James and Paul have switched places (with James finally making his way up to third), Lauren is now ahead of Pia, and Jacob has taken last place below Haley. With Lauren and Pia, maybe people are starting to realize that Lauren is more interesting on stage, unlike Pia. And Haley's great performances lately have helped her to not be in last.
Coming into this week's performance episode, everyone has been saying that Jacob could very well be going home this week. I agreed with that statement. After hearing everyone sing now, I think he still could go home, but he did extremely well. He did perform first, though, so I think he will at least be in the Bottom 3. Stefano will join him as well. As for the last spot, I'm going with Lauren for some reason; a part of me doesn't think she will be there, so I am a little on the fence with this choice. Haley did sing near the start of the show, which could hurt her, but she performed really well, and I hope she's not in danger. I think that leaves Lauren, who not only is lost in the shuffle by singing in the middle of the show, but gave a bland performance as well. I think she has a pretty good fan base, so that could keep her out of the bottom group. Ultimately, though, it will come down to Jacob and Stefano. I can see either one going, but I chose Stefano since, of the two, he was just okay once again.
Tonight, one will be eliminated from the competition (8-9pm). And Constantine Maroulis will return to the Idol stage. See ya then...
American Idol 10: Top 11 Redux Results Show
Air Date: Thursday, March 31, 2011 [8-9pm]
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| Source: @NAdedapoAI10 |
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| Source: @TMegiaAI10 |
Over 55 million votes were cast this week, a new record at this stage in the competition.
They're changing things up this time around. Instead of one big group performance, the contestants will be split up into smaller groups. First up, Lauren and Scotty on "I Told You So."
Both Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery are safe!
Ford Music Video: "Kryptonite"
Ryan says that the contestants have been getting a lot of fanmail. James shows one he got: a WWE belt.
Naima and Jacob perform "Solid." Strange arrangement.
Naima Adedapo - Bottom 3 (Correct Prediction). Jacob Lusk is safe.
Fantasia returns to the Idol stage and performs her new single, "Collard Greens and Cornbread." Perfect! As usual, she knows how to perform on stage. I love it! Her advice to the contestants is to not always surround yourself around yes people, but people that will be honest and tell you no sometimes. Not everything will be easy. She gave some great advice, considering everything she's been through since winning, let alone everything that happened before Idol.
Haley, Thia and Pia perform "Teenage Dream."
Pia Toscano's safe. Thia Megia - Bottom 3 (Correct Prediction). Haley Reinhart is also safe.
Video: A week in the life of the Top 11, including going to Interscope Records, Celebrity Fight Night, Ford video shoot, and moving out of the mansion because water's leaking in the house (is this the real reason they're moving, or is the Haunted Mansion story still the main reason?)
Paul, Casey, James and Stefano perform "Band on the Run." I hate to say it, but that wasn't very good.
Casey Abrams and James Durbin are safe. So is Stefano Langone. Paul McDonald - Bottom 3.
Jamie Foxx and will.i.am perform "Hot Wings" from the upcoming animated film, Rio. That was strange.
And now, back to the results...
Paul is safe, which means that both Naima and Thia are going home this week.
Naima Adedapo - Eliminated (Correct Prediction)
Thia Megia - Eliminated (Correct Prediction)
Next week, the Top 9 will take on songs from the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame and Constantine will return to the Idol stage to perform (will this be part of Rock of Ages or is it a solo performance?). See ya then...
