Recently, I sat down to watch the Oscar Best Picture-nominated film Winter's Bone on DVD. Winter's Bone has never been on my radar of movies to watch, even during the high of Oscar season. So why, you might ask, did I decide to finally watch it? The answer is because of Jennifer Lawrence, who has been cast in the role of Katniss Everdeen in next year's highly-anticipated The Hunger Games, based on the first book in the bestselling Young Adult trilogy by Suzanne Collins.
When Ms. Lawrence was first cast as Katniss, there was an uproar among fans of the book series that she was too old, too blonde, not thin enough, etc. etc. Even during Oscar season, I didn't pay any attention to her, because everyone said she had no chance at winning Best Actress. When her name popped up as the frontrunner for this role, I'm not lying when I say I had no opinion either way on if she was the right person to play Katniss. I was willing to give her a chance at this, and not make harsh judgments when we hadn't even seen any images or video clips of her in the film yet. I didn't really understand why fans were so upset by this casting decision. Somehow, they overlooked the fact that you can change a person's hair color, you can use makeup and other effects to darken skin. You can do all sorts of things to make her look like Katniss. I mean, look at the Harry Potter films or The Lord of the Rings trilogy; hair and makeup, prosthetics, and special effects can go a long way (Tom Felton? Yeah, not a natural blonde).
Then Entertainment Weekly released the first promotional photo shoot of Jennifer in full makeup and costume with brunette hair. Suddenly, the fandom breathed a big sigh of relief, and thus there was a sense of calm and order in the world again. And, by the way, I love the promo shot and immediately got excited for her to play this role.
But back to Winter's Bone now. As far as I'm aware, I have never seen her act in anything before. And since a huge part of why Jennifer was cast in The Hunger Games was because of her moving and powerful role in Winter's Bone, I felt compelled to actually watch it. Jennifer plays Ree, whose father is out on bond and has put the house and property up as his bond. If he doesn't show up for court, Ree and her family will lose the house. So Ree sets out to find him.
There is a scene where Ree's uncle grabs her by the neck/face. Here is where we see Jennifer displaying a great sense of fear and vulnerability, whereas in the scenes before that, we see her defiant and trying to act tough and strong (putting on a front, perhaps?). The character of Katniss in The Hunger Games is not this hugely tough, Lara Croft-type heroine. She does have vulnerability. She does have fear. She is human and has flaws. And Jennifer perfectly captured all of that when playing Ree. And in a scene near the end which takes place in a boat (for those who don't want to be spoiled, I won't say what actually happens in that scene), Ree is very overwrought with emotion. Jennifer's acting in these types of scenes are breathtaking to watch. She is a brilliant actress. And after watching her Oscar-nominated performance in Winter's Bone, I don't have any worries about her taking on the role of Katniss.
When a million names were flying all over the Internet on who should play Katniss Everdeen, one of the front-runners at one point was Kaya Scodelario, who played Effy Stonem in the hit British drama, Skins. I am a fan of that show and thought she should play Katniss after seeing her on that TV show. One of the reasons why other fans thought she would be perfect as well was because she is pretty thin, since Katniss is supposed to have a starved appearance over the course of the games. And many are not happy with the fact that Jennifer is not thin. I'm not sure how they will deal with this aspect, but I'm sure they'll come up with something. This is the only area where I can understand why fans would be upset.
I have faith in Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins and all the filmmakers to create an excellent film that lives up to our expectations. People are saying this new movie franchise could be the next Twilight, not in terms of the story, but in terms of the anticipation, buzz, hype, and box office draw. I believe it does have a chance at that; it's already started. Harry Potter is ending next month. Twilight ends next year. We need a new Young Adult/fantasy franchise to take over, and I am confident that The Hunger Games can fill that role. And with Jennifer Lawrence as the face of these movies, we the fans should have nothing to worry about. I'm not making any judgments about any of the casting choices until I see them in their roles. And I hope others can do that as well. I'm not saying I won't make criticisms about certain elements of the movie; I'm sure I will, but for now, I'm staying out of that department. There is a reason we love the books. So let's support the filmmakers in this journey of translating the story to the big screen.
For all the latest news, rumors and filming updates, visit TV Watch Online's The Hunger Games page.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
America's Got Talent 6 - Seattle Auditions Pt2
My recap/review of Tuesday night's audition episode of America's Got Talent is now up on OMGWire.com. Below is an excerpt of my write-up. Click HERE to read the entire article.
Brian Jackson - Blowing up hot water bottles
This man blows up hot water bottles until they explode. He has broken bones before doing what he does. He wants to break a world record, which I think he said was blowing up three in 90 seconds. Howie times him for 90 seconds. Piers X’s him right away. When time is up, Howie X’s him as well. He can’t even manage to get through one. His excuse is that he hasn’t used this brand before. Uh huh, ’cause that’s the reason why. Does he really think this is something we all would want to see done again and again and again each and every week, the same thing over and over? Three no’s from the judges and he’s eliminated.
Brian Jackson - Blowing up hot water bottles
This man blows up hot water bottles until they explode. He has broken bones before doing what he does. He wants to break a world record, which I think he said was blowing up three in 90 seconds. Howie times him for 90 seconds. Piers X’s him right away. When time is up, Howie X’s him as well. He can’t even manage to get through one. His excuse is that he hasn’t used this brand before. Uh huh, ’cause that’s the reason why. Does he really think this is something we all would want to see done again and again and again each and every week, the same thing over and over? Three no’s from the judges and he’s eliminated.
Friday, June 10, 2011
America's Got Talent 6 - Houston/Minneapolis Auditions
My recap/commentary on Wednesday's audition episode of America's Got Talent is now up at OMGWire.com. Below is an excerpt of my write-up. Click HERE to read the entire article.
Rhinestone Ropers – Knife Thrower
Dan throws knives at Melanie. We all know the drill here: everyone freaks out and the “victim” is fine. Then he spins her on a sort of wheel and continues throwing knives. And they also shoot guns at balloons. I can’t see them going much further than what we just saw on stage, but they’re definitely great at what they do. All three judges send them to Vegas.
Dan throws knives at Melanie. We all know the drill here: everyone freaks out and the “victim” is fine. Then he spins her on a sort of wheel and continues throwing knives. And they also shoot guns at balloons. I can’t see them going much further than what we just saw on stage, but they’re definitely great at what they do. All three judges send them to Vegas.
Mona Lisa – Female Singing Duo
Three yeses.
Three yeses.
Charles Peachock – Glow-in-the-Dark Juggler
The glow-in-the-dark aspect brings a unique take on the usually predictable juggling act. Three yeses from the judges.
The glow-in-the-dark aspect brings a unique take on the usually predictable juggling act. Three yeses from the judges.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
America's Got Talent 6 - Seattle Auditions
As I announced earlier this week, I am now a writer for OMGWire.com. This summer, I am doing recaps/reviews of America's Got Talent. Below is an excerpt of my write-up of Tuesday night's episode. Click HERE to read the entire article.
We’re in my home state of Washington for this audition stop! And of course it’s raining when the judges come to town. Our stereotypical Pacific Northwest weather shines through (or rather, doesn’t shine). Howie Mandel is driving around Seattle, looking for the Paramount Theatre; at one point, he drives down the wrong way of a one-way road. And we see a shot of Lincoln’s Toe Truck. If you’re from the area, that’s typical to see in Seattle. If you didn’t catch the truck on the show or didn’t know exactly what you were seeing, click HERE to see a picture of it.
Melissa Villasenor - Comedian/Impressionist
The judges ask her what she does. She says, “I work at a retail store,” in a sad voice. Melissa begins by doing an impression of Barbara Walters interviewing Natalie Portman. I’ve seen better Babs impressions, but her Portman sounded spot on. And of course she does Miley Cyrus. Now, that’s a voice that anybody would recognize. But then, out of nowhere, she does an absolutely perfect and spot-on Kathy Griffin. Wow! I’ve never heard anybody do her voice before, but it sounded exactly like her. And I’m a huge fan of Kathy Griffin, so I loved this. Finally, Melissa closes out her set with Christina Aguilera (and an perfect plug-in for Christina’s show, ‘The Voice,’ airing right after AGT!). All the judges vote yes and she’s sent through to the Vegas round.
The judges ask her what she does. She says, “I work at a retail store,” in a sad voice. Melissa begins by doing an impression of Barbara Walters interviewing Natalie Portman. I’ve seen better Babs impressions, but her Portman sounded spot on. And of course she does Miley Cyrus. Now, that’s a voice that anybody would recognize. But then, out of nowhere, she does an absolutely perfect and spot-on Kathy Griffin. Wow! I’ve never heard anybody do her voice before, but it sounded exactly like her. And I’m a huge fan of Kathy Griffin, so I loved this. Finally, Melissa closes out her set with Christina Aguilera (and an perfect plug-in for Christina’s show, ‘The Voice,’ airing right after AGT!). All the judges vote yes and she’s sent through to the Vegas round.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
OMGWire.com Writer
I mentioned on Twitter earlier today that I would have announcement regarding my blogging. As of today, I am now a writer for OMGWire.com. If you aren't familiar with that website, they cover the latest TV, movie, entertainment and pop culture news.
For those of you who read my posts here on the T.W.O. BLOG, you know that the majority of what I blog about is my commentary on American Idol and America's Got Talent. I will still be blogging about AGT, but this season I will be doing so from OMGWire. I am excited to be a part of this new team, and look forward to what's to come. This doesn't mean that the T.W.O. BLOG will cease to exist. I will still be blogging here, but I will be splitting duties between the two. And just to let you know, for every article I write for OMGWire, I will link to it on TV Watch Online and on Twitter, so you will never be far from my online writing.
Below is an excerpt from my debut article at OMGWire and a link to read in its entirety:
A year later, and we're back for season 6 of 'America's Got Talent,' with the return of host Nick Cannon and judges Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel.
At the start of the premiere, Howie says that he's going to torture Piers all season long, to which Mr. Morgan responds, "Bring it on, baldy." If Howie sticks by his word, I can't wait to see the sparring between them (and there was literal sparring in this episode).
Frank Olivier - 50-year-old who juggled fire while in a unicycle
He has Howie come up on stage to help him out. Frank tries to keep balanced on the unicycle and holds on to Howie's head. Howie freaks out (as we all know, he's a germaphobe). Piers was just having a ball watching Howie being tortured. Howie said that he was going to torture Piers, but Piers didn't even need to do anything to seek revenge. Piers and Sharon vote yes to send him through to Vegas, but Howie refuses to even talk, let alone vote. You can see how pissed off he is. Since Piers loved seeing Howie freak out, that's obviously the only reason he voted yes. Why would you send this guy through? The act wasn't all that cohesive, and you can't really build a full show with a juggler. He should have been send home.
To read the full article, click HERE. Feel free to leave comments at the end of that article.
And finally, here is a link to my Author Archive page at OMGWire, where you will can easily access all of my articles for them.
For those of you who read my posts here on the T.W.O. BLOG, you know that the majority of what I blog about is my commentary on American Idol and America's Got Talent. I will still be blogging about AGT, but this season I will be doing so from OMGWire. I am excited to be a part of this new team, and look forward to what's to come. This doesn't mean that the T.W.O. BLOG will cease to exist. I will still be blogging here, but I will be splitting duties between the two. And just to let you know, for every article I write for OMGWire, I will link to it on TV Watch Online and on Twitter, so you will never be far from my online writing.
Below is an excerpt from my debut article at OMGWire and a link to read in its entirety:
A year later, and we're back for season 6 of 'America's Got Talent,' with the return of host Nick Cannon and judges Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel.
At the start of the premiere, Howie says that he's going to torture Piers all season long, to which Mr. Morgan responds, "Bring it on, baldy." If Howie sticks by his word, I can't wait to see the sparring between them (and there was literal sparring in this episode).
Frank Olivier - 50-year-old who juggled fire while in a unicycle
He has Howie come up on stage to help him out. Frank tries to keep balanced on the unicycle and holds on to Howie's head. Howie freaks out (as we all know, he's a germaphobe). Piers was just having a ball watching Howie being tortured. Howie said that he was going to torture Piers, but Piers didn't even need to do anything to seek revenge. Piers and Sharon vote yes to send him through to Vegas, but Howie refuses to even talk, let alone vote. You can see how pissed off he is. Since Piers loved seeing Howie freak out, that's obviously the only reason he voted yes. Why would you send this guy through? The act wasn't all that cohesive, and you can't really build a full show with a juggler. He should have been send home.
To read the full article, click HERE. Feel free to leave comments at the end of that article.
And finally, here is a link to my Author Archive page at OMGWire, where you will can easily access all of my articles for them.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Idol-Talk: Season 10 - FINALE!
American Idol 10: FINALE
Air Date: Wednesday, May 25, 2011 [8-10:07pm]
Air Date: Wednesday, May 25, 2011 [8-10:07pm]
The results are in, and we have a world record: Over 122 million votes were cast for the Top 2. And almost three-quarters of a billion votes have been cast over the course of the season.
The Top 13 perform Lady Gaga's "Born This Way." I'm not against this song or anything (I actually love it, in fact), but have you noticed that pretty much every show under the sun is featuring this song in some way? Glee performed it; it played during the closing scene of the Brothers & Sisters Series Finale, here at the Idol Finale, and many more.
James Durbin and Judas Priest perform "Living After Midnight" and "Breaking the Law." Unbelievable performance! James is in his element and loving it!
Video: Randy Jackson - Season Highlights, including his signature catchphrase this year, "In it to win it."
Jacob Lusk and Gospel star Kurt Franklin perform "I Smile," with Gladys Knight joining in later on. I have no idea who this Kurt Franklin is, but it's obvious he wanted all the attention on him, didn't he?
Casey Abrams begins singing Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls." He kicks the couch next to him, which slides away to reveal Jack Black, who joins in with Casey. And they just let loose on their voices at the very end. You know, this performance was going really well until those women on the bicycles came out. That was an unnecessary distraction. And you realize that this song is called "Fat Bottomed Girls," yet those women were anything but (pardon the pun). And what's the deal with the bikes? Since this is a Queen song, that would have been more appropriate for their "Bicycle Race."
After Casey and Jack are finished, Ryan fills some time until they can get all the props off the stage.
The Top 13 girls perform a Beyonce Medley, including: "Single Ladies," "Irreplacable," "If I Were a Boy." Then out comes Beyonce to join them on "Crazy in Love." No Lauren among the girls. Maybe she needs to preserve her voice.
Video: Steven Tyler - Season Highlights. I loved this video package, because we all love the crazy things that Steven has said over these past months. Whatever I and everyone else has said about his lack of judging abilities, he's entertaining to say the least.
Haley Reinhart and Tony Bennett perform "Steppin' Out With My Baby." Couldn't they have gotten someone better than Tony Bennett for Haley? Like maybe someone more current, or someone that has the same musical style as her? What about Adele?
Video: Jennifer Lopez - Season Highlights, including the auditioners and contestants fascination and fawning over Jennifer's beauty.
TLC and Lil Jon, joined by the Top 13 ladies, perform "Waterfalls." Lil Jon was only there for a few seconds at the start; what's the deal with that? Speaking of which, I would have no idea who he is if it weren't for the Celebrity Apprentice.
Scotty McCreery and Tim McGraw perform "Live Like You Were Dying." Jennifer's not at the judge's table (and her chair is gone as well); will she be performing soon?
Video: Auditioner Joe introduces clips of bad auditions, including the clip of the guy who did the flips and accidentally stomped on the camera man on the floor.
Marc Anthony performs "Aguanile." Sheila E's on drums. Thanks to The Next Great American Band (the ill-fated spin-off of Idol), I knew who she was. Later on in the song, Jennifer Lopez comes out and dances. What, no singing? Is it because she already performed on the show this year? Oh well.
Video: Casey Abrams, James Durbin (and Stefano Langone briefly) talk about shocking eliminations. At the end, Pia Toscano walks over to them with a 'Most Shocking' sash and tiara on. Loved this bit! Though, to be honest, it was James' elimination that was the most shocking. Sorry, Pia, but it's not you.
The Top 13 guys perform "Kiss," "She's a Lady" and "What's New Pussycat." Scotty joins in with them on "Green Green Grass of Home," "Delilah," and I believe another one I didn't catch the title of. Then out comes Tom Jones to join them on "It's Not Unusual."
Ford Top 2 Music Video: "Whenever You Remember." Throughout the video, clips are shown from all the music videos this year.
Video: Scotty and Lauren on the teacher that most influenced them.
Those teachers are each given their own Ford Focus. Then Ryan gives the Top 2 the keys to any Ford vehicle they want.
Lady Gaga performs "The Edge of Glory." It looks like she's on a mountain. When the song ends, she and her male companion drop off the edge. Get it?
Lauren Alaina and Carrie Underwood perform "Before He Cheats." They have great harmony together; great pairing! And by the way, I noticed Jennifer's back in her seat.
Video: The Top 13 talk about Scotty and Lauren, and joke about how young they are. Great bit!
Beyonce performs "1 Plus 1."
Ryan reminds us about Season 11's audition cities.
To promote Spider-Man: The Musical, Bono and The Edge perform "Rise Above." At the start, Spider-Man swings over the audience and lands in the aisle. He returns at the end, lowering down upside-down in front of Jennifer to recreate the infamous Spider-Man/Mary Jane Watson kiss. Jennifer goes along with it at first, peeling off part of the mask, then abandons before getting to the kiss.
Steven Tyler performs "Dream On." Jennifer's really into his performance. I was anticipating the high notes near the end, waiting to see if his voice still holds up on those kinds of notes, and he's still got it.
And now the time has come. Scotty, Lauren and Ryan are center-stage. The Top 13 and the judges are on the far sides of the stage.
"The winner of American Idol season 10 is...Scotty McCreery!"
Winner: Scotty McCreery [Correct Prediction]
Runner-Up: Lauren Alaina [Correct Prediction]
Scotty performs his debut single, "I Love You This Big," and goes down to hug his family, then back on stage to hug each of the Top 13 and judges.
End Time: 10:07pm - Wow, it ended exactly on time!
I'm disappointed that they didn't do anything to celebrate 10 years of American Idol.
Even though I haven't been the biggest Scotty fan, there's a part of me that says he needed to win in order to bring some credibility back to the show, since we need someone who has the best chance at being successful. And if his outrageous support is anything to go by, then he may get that chance. During the past two seasons, the runner-up has outsold the winner, and the winner's albums have had terrible sales. In terms of American Idol as an entertainment/reality show, the addition of Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez has reinvigorated the show. But when it comes to American Idol as a show that launches superstars, well...that's been missing for a while. With the decrease in ratings the last however many years, that means that album sales will go down as well; that's a given. But now that the ratings are stabilizing, will that mean Scotty's album sales will reflect that? Only time will tell. And just because his debut single, "I Love You This Big," went up to #1 on iTunes, that's not necessarily an indication of album sales. Regardless of what I think of his talent, I hope he does well, for the sake of the show's credibility.
Now, on to Lauren. Once James and Haley were voted out, Lauren became my favorite by default. Lauren has the potential to do well. She's in the vain of Carrie Underwood, which bodes well. But, to be quite honest, I don't believe she will have that level of success. With her, as well as with Scotty, she needs a great, catchy lead single for her debut album in the fall. It needs to stand out, and be one that can play regularly on country radio (and an added plus if there can be crossover to pop radio a la Carrie and Taylor Swift). I hope Interscope hooks her up with producers that have worked with Carrie, Taylor, or even Kellie Pickler (since she has had some catchy singles). And with her as well, I will be rooting for her to do well. Hopefully, during this process of making an album, she will gain a lot of experience that will help her to mature not only as a singer, but as a person, while still holding on to that bubbly personality.
When their debut albums come out later in the year, who will rein supreme? If I had to bet on it, I would go with Scotty, though I would love to see Lauren do better than expected. But, again, Scotty's going to have to beat Lauren in sales for the sake of the show. On iTunes at the moment, Scotty is doing better with his single. And how does this coronation song compare to the previous winning songs?
Kelly Clarkson: "A Moment Like This"
David Cook: "Time of My Life"
Carrie Underwood: "Inside Your Heaven"
Fantasia Barrino: "I Believe"
Jordin Sparks: "This Is My Now"
Lee Dewyze: "Beautiful Day" (cover)
Ruben Studdard: "Flying Without Wings"
Scotty McCreery: "I Love You This Big"
Kris Allen: "No Boundaries"
Taylor Hicks: "Do I Make You Proud"
I think I would put Scotty's single near the bottom. I preferred Lauren's over his. But it seems to be doing well, though I doubt it's because of the song itself.
Before I end this final Idol-Talk of the season, I want to take a look back over season 10 and see how everything stacked up. First, my correct prediction totals for the season: 18/25. These predictions are who, during the course of the season, did I correctly predict to make the Top 13, who I correctly predicted to be eliminated from then on, and who I predicted to win. Considering how unpredictable the show can be sometimes in the results, 72% ain't that bad.
Now, onto how many times I selected a performance as my favorite, from all the voting performances this year:
James Durbin - 8
Haley Reinhart - 5
Lauren Alaina - 5
Casey Abrams - 4
Scotty McCreery - 3
Jacob Lusk - 2
Thia Megia - 1
I think this seems about right. My favorites from the season (James, Haley, Lauren and even Casey) provided my favorite performances, according to this list compiled from my previous Idol-Talk blogs.
Now, let's go a little farther back to the audition and Holllywood/Vegas rounds. I always like to look back and see how many times I mentioned someone who eventually ended up making it into the Top 13.
My Favorites from Auditions/Hollywood/Vegas (that made it to the Top 13):
Naima Adedapo - 3
Thia Megia - 2
Karen Rodriguez - 2
Haley Reinhart - 1
Lauren Alaina - 1
Casey Abrams - 1
Stefano Langone - 1
Jacob Lusk - 1
Good/Average:
Lauren Alaina - 3
James Durbin - 2
Ashthon Jones - 1
Scotty McCreery - 1
Haley Reinhart - 1
Jacob Lusk - 1
Casey Abrams - 1
And there was one moment during the Hollywood/Vegas rounds that I thought Scotty McCreery should have been eliminated. Imagine that.
And finally, I've been tracking the Top 13's social media stats over the course of the season, only focusing on those who were still in the competition each week. But now that we have a winner and all is said and done, I'd like to track the entire Top 13 one more time and see how the order stacks up to the actual order (these stats were compiled during the first weekend after the finale):
1. Scotty McCreery - 526,455
2. Lauren Alaina - 291,843
3. James Durbin - 288,037
4. Casey Abrams - 205,930
5. Pia Toscano - 199,185
6. Haley Reinhart - 190,468
7. Paul McDonald - 146,499
8. Stefano Langone - 110,457
9. Thia Megia - 77,806
10. Jacob Lusk - 64,252
11. Karen Rodriguez - 39,512
12. Naima Adedapo - 39,154
13. Ashthon Jones - 17,082
Except for four names, everyone pretty much landed within one or less spots of what place they got on the show. Casey had a strong following, but was eliminated earlier. Same for Pia. Haley had the opposite happen: she placed near the top, but had a following around the middle (Jacob had a similar pattern as well). And only three contestants placed in the same spot they ended up being in: Scotty, Lauren and Ashthon. If you recall, Idol briefly allowed the Top 12 to have Twitter accounts last year, but that barely started before they shut it down. I don't know if they did it because it became obvious who was popular and who was not. If so, then why did they not only launch it again this year but keep it the entire season? With Nigel Lythgoe back on board, maybe that was his decision.
Well, another season gone. After these past four and a half months of mania, we can all relax now. But not for too long, because NBC's America's Got Talent starts back up (I'm planning on blogging that show as I usually do as well). Then come Fall 2011, it's the return of Simon Cowell (and Paula Abdul) in The X Factor USA. As I briefly mentioned in a previous Idol-Talk, I will be attending one of the Seattle audition tapings for X Factor in about a month. I'll be providing an On-The-Scene Report for that. Then American Idol will start back up all over again in January 2012 with Ryan, Steven and Randy all returning (no confirmation yet on Jennifer's return). And now, for the final time of season 10 - See ya then...
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Idol-Talk: Season 10 Top 2
American Idol 10: Top 2
Air Date: Tuesday, May 24, 2011 [8-9pm]
Themes: Contestants Favorites / Idols Own Idols Choice / Debut Singles
It's the Final 2 and we're at the Nokia L.A. Live with 7000 fans in the theatre cheering along!
Lauren apparently blew out a vocal chord earlier and has been having a tough time with her voice. A doctor comes out and explains the situation. They've given her medicine, and she's all ready to go for tonight. Just think about that for a minute: This is the night you're competing to become the winner of the biggest show in America, and you're having vocal problems of that magnitude.
Round 1: Contestants Favorites
1. Scotty McCreery - Montgomery Gentry's "Gone"
No surprise here that he chose "Gone," which was one of his best of the season when he first performed it (if not his best). And for this encore, he brought the same energy to the stage and working the audience. His voice sounded in top form.
2. Lauren Alaina - Carrie Underwood's "Flat on the Floor"
Considering she has vocal chord problems, she did pretty darn good. You couldn't really tell until the latter half when she had to really belt it out that her voice almost gave out at times. Like Scotty, she chose to encore one of her best songs of the season.
The judges don't comment at all during this round. What's the deal?
Round 1 goes to Scotty, if only because he hit all the notes. But, obviously, that's no fault to Lauren.
Round 2: The Idols Own Idols Choose Songs
1. Scotty McCreery - George Straight's "Check Yes or No" (Chosen by George Straight)
George Straight chose a song that's comfortable for Scotty and fits his vocal ability. As he's proven before, with this type of a song, he can almost do no wrong with voters. My only problem was that it didn't let him stand out; a little too safe.
2. Lauren Alaina - Pam Tillis' "Maybe It Was Memphis" (Chosen by Carrie Underwood)
Both the songs in Round 2 were a little more subdued, more middle of the road in terms of tempo. While I thought that was a detractor for Scotty, it suited Lauren better here. I loved her voice on this one (great choice by Carrie!). And her voice was in control. One moment where she went to belt out a note, I thought she would strain it, but she didn't unlike in Round 1.
The judges gives comments on both rounds. They say Scotty won Round 1 and Lauren won Round 2.
I say Round 2 goes to Lauren as well.
We take a break from the competition for Taio Cruz to perform "Positive," the winning song from the songwriting contest earlier in the season.
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, only if you click 'buy' in the iTunes Store.
Round 3: Debut Singles
1. Scotty McCreery - "I Love You This Big"
To close out his set, "Gone" would've been a better song. This single, like all the rest, suits his voice as always. But in terms of a debut single, I would have preferred something more upbeat as his introduction as a recording artist in the music biz. Whenever he's done slower songs, I'e never been a fan.
2. Lauren Alaina - "Like My Mother Does"
This song fits the traditional ballad-like songs that we come to expect from the coronation songs. And it allowed her to close out the show showing off how beautiful her voice is. Going down to her mother while singing this song about mothers will definitely garner votes for sure. I actually just loved her voice on this one. There was only one moment where her voice was strained.
The judges comment after each performance during this round.
To me, Round 3 goes to Lauren.
To close out the show, David Cook takes the stage to perform this year's exit song, "Don't You (Forget About Me)."
Favorite Performances: Lauren Alaina ("Maybe It Was Memphis" & "Like My Mother Does") / Scotty McCreery ("Gone")
My Votes: Lauren Alaina - 100 votes
Winner Prediction: Scotty McCreery
Who Should Win: Lauren Alaina
Who Will Win: Scotty McCreery
Runner-Up Prediction: Lauren Alaina
Below is the latest Idol social media stats (the combination of Twitter, Facebook and MySpace). These stats were compiled on 5/23/11 at 10:40pm.
1. Scotty McCreery - 320,976
2. Lauren Alaina - 198,285
No change there.
I'll comment more below, but to put it simply, Lauren won the night, but Scotty will win the show.
I have to say, I came in to this final performance show of the season not knowing who I would vote for. I say that because for the first time in the history of American Idol, my favorites aren't in the Top 2, and for the first time, I came into the night more objectively.
But I'm finally back to thinking logically, unlike last year's finale (or even the year before that). In Season 8, I overlooked the fact that Danny Gokey's votes would go to Kris Allen, thus ensuring his win over Adam Lambert. And coming into finale week last year, Lee Dewyze had had the momentum. Crystal Bowersox stumbled a little in the middle part of the competition, which helped Lee to coast all the way to the win. But after those two performed for the final time, Crystal just killed it with her final set and I mistakenly overlooked the Lee momentum and predicted Crystal to win only based on that final night.
I won't do that again this year. Scotty has had this in the bag the entire season. I don't know if I've seen that kind of continous momentum (maybe except for Carrie Underwood?). You can see how strong and solid his support system is just by looking at his social media followers versus Lauren (or anybody else who competed this year). Between him and Lauren, he probably has the best chance of having a successful music career. And we all now that's been lacking in our winners the past two years.
At the same time, I don't want to discount Lauren either. As you know, I'm not the biggest Scotty fan, so I would love there to be an upset and see Lauren win. It's unlikely, I know, but wouldn't that be great? And her stellar night last night helped her on this front, along with her vocal problems and singing to her mother. All of these fronts will help her.
Ultimately, though, it will come down to these words: "The winner of American Idol season 10 is...Scotty McCreery!" I wish them the best of luck in what's to come ahead.
Tonight (8-10:07pm) will be a star-studded two hours-plus of music stars, a Top 13 reunion, and I'm sure much, much more. I can't wait for Lady Gaga to perform "The Edge of Glory." Jack Black will be performing with Casey Abrams. I'm hoping that Steven Tyler takes to the stage. And at the very end of it all, we'll hear Ryan say the words we've been waiting all season to hear: "The winner of American Idol 2011 is..." with either Scotty McCreery or Lauren Alaina reining supreme and given the title of American Idol. See ya then...
Air Date: Tuesday, May 24, 2011 [8-9pm]
Themes: Contestants Favorites / Idols Own Idols Choice / Debut Singles
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| Source: MjsBigBlog.com |
Lauren apparently blew out a vocal chord earlier and has been having a tough time with her voice. A doctor comes out and explains the situation. They've given her medicine, and she's all ready to go for tonight. Just think about that for a minute: This is the night you're competing to become the winner of the biggest show in America, and you're having vocal problems of that magnitude.
Round 1: Contestants Favorites
1. Scotty McCreery - Montgomery Gentry's "Gone"
No surprise here that he chose "Gone," which was one of his best of the season when he first performed it (if not his best). And for this encore, he brought the same energy to the stage and working the audience. His voice sounded in top form.
2. Lauren Alaina - Carrie Underwood's "Flat on the Floor"
Considering she has vocal chord problems, she did pretty darn good. You couldn't really tell until the latter half when she had to really belt it out that her voice almost gave out at times. Like Scotty, she chose to encore one of her best songs of the season.
The judges don't comment at all during this round. What's the deal?
Round 1 goes to Scotty, if only because he hit all the notes. But, obviously, that's no fault to Lauren.
Round 2: The Idols Own Idols Choose Songs
1. Scotty McCreery - George Straight's "Check Yes or No" (Chosen by George Straight)
George Straight chose a song that's comfortable for Scotty and fits his vocal ability. As he's proven before, with this type of a song, he can almost do no wrong with voters. My only problem was that it didn't let him stand out; a little too safe.
2. Lauren Alaina - Pam Tillis' "Maybe It Was Memphis" (Chosen by Carrie Underwood)
Both the songs in Round 2 were a little more subdued, more middle of the road in terms of tempo. While I thought that was a detractor for Scotty, it suited Lauren better here. I loved her voice on this one (great choice by Carrie!). And her voice was in control. One moment where she went to belt out a note, I thought she would strain it, but she didn't unlike in Round 1.
The judges gives comments on both rounds. They say Scotty won Round 1 and Lauren won Round 2.
I say Round 2 goes to Lauren as well.
We take a break from the competition for Taio Cruz to perform "Positive," the winning song from the songwriting contest earlier in the season.
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, only if you click 'buy' in the iTunes Store.
Round 3: Debut Singles
1. Scotty McCreery - "I Love You This Big"
To close out his set, "Gone" would've been a better song. This single, like all the rest, suits his voice as always. But in terms of a debut single, I would have preferred something more upbeat as his introduction as a recording artist in the music biz. Whenever he's done slower songs, I'e never been a fan.
2. Lauren Alaina - "Like My Mother Does"
This song fits the traditional ballad-like songs that we come to expect from the coronation songs. And it allowed her to close out the show showing off how beautiful her voice is. Going down to her mother while singing this song about mothers will definitely garner votes for sure. I actually just loved her voice on this one. There was only one moment where her voice was strained.
The judges comment after each performance during this round.
To me, Round 3 goes to Lauren.
To close out the show, David Cook takes the stage to perform this year's exit song, "Don't You (Forget About Me)."
Favorite Performances: Lauren Alaina ("Maybe It Was Memphis" & "Like My Mother Does") / Scotty McCreery ("Gone")
My Votes: Lauren Alaina - 100 votes
Winner Prediction: Scotty McCreery
Who Should Win: Lauren Alaina
Who Will Win: Scotty McCreery
Runner-Up Prediction: Lauren Alaina
Below is the latest Idol social media stats (the combination of Twitter, Facebook and MySpace). These stats were compiled on 5/23/11 at 10:40pm.
1. Scotty McCreery - 320,976
2. Lauren Alaina - 198,285
No change there.
I'll comment more below, but to put it simply, Lauren won the night, but Scotty will win the show.
I have to say, I came in to this final performance show of the season not knowing who I would vote for. I say that because for the first time in the history of American Idol, my favorites aren't in the Top 2, and for the first time, I came into the night more objectively.
But I'm finally back to thinking logically, unlike last year's finale (or even the year before that). In Season 8, I overlooked the fact that Danny Gokey's votes would go to Kris Allen, thus ensuring his win over Adam Lambert. And coming into finale week last year, Lee Dewyze had had the momentum. Crystal Bowersox stumbled a little in the middle part of the competition, which helped Lee to coast all the way to the win. But after those two performed for the final time, Crystal just killed it with her final set and I mistakenly overlooked the Lee momentum and predicted Crystal to win only based on that final night.
I won't do that again this year. Scotty has had this in the bag the entire season. I don't know if I've seen that kind of continous momentum (maybe except for Carrie Underwood?). You can see how strong and solid his support system is just by looking at his social media followers versus Lauren (or anybody else who competed this year). Between him and Lauren, he probably has the best chance of having a successful music career. And we all now that's been lacking in our winners the past two years.
At the same time, I don't want to discount Lauren either. As you know, I'm not the biggest Scotty fan, so I would love there to be an upset and see Lauren win. It's unlikely, I know, but wouldn't that be great? And her stellar night last night helped her on this front, along with her vocal problems and singing to her mother. All of these fronts will help her.
Ultimately, though, it will come down to these words: "The winner of American Idol season 10 is...Scotty McCreery!" I wish them the best of luck in what's to come ahead.
Tonight (8-10:07pm) will be a star-studded two hours-plus of music stars, a Top 13 reunion, and I'm sure much, much more. I can't wait for Lady Gaga to perform "The Edge of Glory." Jack Black will be performing with Casey Abrams. I'm hoping that Steven Tyler takes to the stage. And at the very end of it all, we'll hear Ryan say the words we've been waiting all season to hear: "The winner of American Idol 2011 is..." with either Scotty McCreery or Lauren Alaina reining supreme and given the title of American Idol. See ya then...
Monday, May 23, 2011
Idol-Talk: Season 10 Top 3 Results Show
American Idol 10: Top 3 Results Show
Air Date: Thursday, May 19, 2011 [8-9pm]
Over 95 million votes were cast, the biggest nonfinale vote. And 15 million more than last year.
The Top 13 (or at least most of them) were in the audience.
Video: The Top 4 visit Bad Robot Productions, where the genius that is J.J. Abrams introduces and shows clips to them from his new movie, Super 8. This must have been taped before James Durbin was voted out, because he was there with the other three.
Ryan talks to Elle Fanning, one of the stars of Super 8.
Video: Haley Reinhart Hometown Visit - Chicago, IL. Her hometown visit includes a sort of parade I guess you could call it (where she is the only person in the parade), reuniting with her family, a visit to her school, and finally a concert for her local fans.
Ford Music Video: "Smile." You notice that none of them actually sang on camera in this one? That's how produced these music videos have become now, they don't even need to sing anymore.
Il Volo performs "O Sole Mio." I've never heard of them before now, but they have unbelievable voices.
Video: Scotty McCreery's Hometown Visit - Garner, N.C. His hometown visit includes a stop at a local radio station, visiting family, baseball game, getting emotional in the limo, visiting his old job at the grocery store, and finally a concert for the fans. Josh Turner surprises Scotty on stage while he's singing.
Nicole Scherzinger (co-host for the upcoming X Factor) and 50 Cent perform "Right There."
Video: Lauren Alaina's Hometown Visit - Rossville, GA. Her hometown visit includes a radio station stop, local AT&T store, high school, seeing the devastation from the recent tornadoes, parade, concert and a baseball game.
The first person in the Top 2, who will compete for the title next week, is...Scotty McCreery! I knew they would announce his name first, because it makes us wonder who will be the other person. If they had said Lauren or Haley's name first, we would already know that Scotty would take the other spot.
And the final person to compete for the title of American Idol is...Lauren Alaina! Even though many of us were hoping for a deserving upset by having Haley stay in and compete, this outcome is completely predictable.
Haley Reinhart - Eliminated
This is the first time in the history of American Idol where two people of the same genre (country, albeit different types of country) have made it to the Top 2.
I have to say that when it comes to a Top 2, this is the first time in the history of this show where I have no idea who I will support or vote for come Tuesday night. Season 1 - It was obvious that it's Kelly Clarkson all the way. Season 2 - Both Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken deserved it. Season 3 - Even though, in hindsight, Fantasia is the better winner, Diana DeGarmo was my favorite at the time. Season 4 - Carrie Underwood was the obvious choice there. Season 5 - Katharine McPhee was my favorite against Taylor Hicks. Season 6 - Jordin Sparks all the way. Season 7 - David Cook, obviously. Season 8 - Adam Lambert, hands down. Season 9 - Crystal Bowersox was my favorite of the two. But my top two favorites are gone. At the start of the season, Lauren Alaina was my favorite. Then James Durbin burst onto the stage and he quickly became my favorite. And then Haley Reinhart became my underdog favorite. But both of them were eliminated in the last two weeks. And now we're left with Scotty McCreery, who has never been anywhere near my favorite, but who has provided some great performances at times. And Lauren Alaina, who was my initial favorite before James and Haley wow'd us.
Even though I would love an upset and see Lauren win, it seems obvious that Scotty will win. At the moment, my gut tells me to support and vote for Lauren even though he's at a disadvantage. But I'm ultimately going to wait until I hear each of their three songs and made a final decision.
The finale episodes will be at the Nokia L.A. Live theatre on Tuesday and Wednesday instead of the regular Wednesday/Thursday timeslots (since May sweeps ends on Wednesday). On Tuesday (8-9pm), Scotty and Lauren will take to the stage for a final chance at our votes, performing three songs each. Then on Wednesday (8-10:07pm), we'll have more than two hours of extravaganza with stars taking the stage to perform (including Lady Gaga with "The Edge of Glory"), and the Top 13 reuniting. Then when all is said and done, we'll have our tenth American Idol champion. See ya then...
Air Date: Thursday, May 19, 2011 [8-9pm]
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| Source: @HReinhartAI10 |
The Top 13 (or at least most of them) were in the audience.
Video: The Top 4 visit Bad Robot Productions, where the genius that is J.J. Abrams introduces and shows clips to them from his new movie, Super 8. This must have been taped before James Durbin was voted out, because he was there with the other three.
Ryan talks to Elle Fanning, one of the stars of Super 8.
Video: Haley Reinhart Hometown Visit - Chicago, IL. Her hometown visit includes a sort of parade I guess you could call it (where she is the only person in the parade), reuniting with her family, a visit to her school, and finally a concert for her local fans.
Ford Music Video: "Smile." You notice that none of them actually sang on camera in this one? That's how produced these music videos have become now, they don't even need to sing anymore.
Il Volo performs "O Sole Mio." I've never heard of them before now, but they have unbelievable voices.
Video: Scotty McCreery's Hometown Visit - Garner, N.C. His hometown visit includes a stop at a local radio station, visiting family, baseball game, getting emotional in the limo, visiting his old job at the grocery store, and finally a concert for the fans. Josh Turner surprises Scotty on stage while he's singing.
Nicole Scherzinger (co-host for the upcoming X Factor) and 50 Cent perform "Right There."
Video: Lauren Alaina's Hometown Visit - Rossville, GA. Her hometown visit includes a radio station stop, local AT&T store, high school, seeing the devastation from the recent tornadoes, parade, concert and a baseball game.
The first person in the Top 2, who will compete for the title next week, is...Scotty McCreery! I knew they would announce his name first, because it makes us wonder who will be the other person. If they had said Lauren or Haley's name first, we would already know that Scotty would take the other spot.
And the final person to compete for the title of American Idol is...Lauren Alaina! Even though many of us were hoping for a deserving upset by having Haley stay in and compete, this outcome is completely predictable.
Haley Reinhart - Eliminated
This is the first time in the history of American Idol where two people of the same genre (country, albeit different types of country) have made it to the Top 2.
I have to say that when it comes to a Top 2, this is the first time in the history of this show where I have no idea who I will support or vote for come Tuesday night. Season 1 - It was obvious that it's Kelly Clarkson all the way. Season 2 - Both Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken deserved it. Season 3 - Even though, in hindsight, Fantasia is the better winner, Diana DeGarmo was my favorite at the time. Season 4 - Carrie Underwood was the obvious choice there. Season 5 - Katharine McPhee was my favorite against Taylor Hicks. Season 6 - Jordin Sparks all the way. Season 7 - David Cook, obviously. Season 8 - Adam Lambert, hands down. Season 9 - Crystal Bowersox was my favorite of the two. But my top two favorites are gone. At the start of the season, Lauren Alaina was my favorite. Then James Durbin burst onto the stage and he quickly became my favorite. And then Haley Reinhart became my underdog favorite. But both of them were eliminated in the last two weeks. And now we're left with Scotty McCreery, who has never been anywhere near my favorite, but who has provided some great performances at times. And Lauren Alaina, who was my initial favorite before James and Haley wow'd us.
Even though I would love an upset and see Lauren win, it seems obvious that Scotty will win. At the moment, my gut tells me to support and vote for Lauren even though he's at a disadvantage. But I'm ultimately going to wait until I hear each of their three songs and made a final decision.
The finale episodes will be at the Nokia L.A. Live theatre on Tuesday and Wednesday instead of the regular Wednesday/Thursday timeslots (since May sweeps ends on Wednesday). On Tuesday (8-9pm), Scotty and Lauren will take to the stage for a final chance at our votes, performing three songs each. Then on Wednesday (8-10:07pm), we'll have more than two hours of extravaganza with stars taking the stage to perform (including Lady Gaga with "The Edge of Glory"), and the Top 13 reuniting. Then when all is said and done, we'll have our tenth American Idol champion. See ya then...
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Idol-Talk: Season 10 Top 3
American Idol 10: Top 3
Air Date: Wednesday, May 18 [8-10pm]
Themes: Contestants Choice / Jimmy Iovine's Choice / Judge's Choice
The show expands to two (yep, that's right - two!) hours and they definitely used a lot of filler between performances.
Ryan reminds of James Durbin's shocking elimination last week. Even though he didn't make the Top 3, he still got a hometown reception after being voted out.
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, only if you click 'buy' in the iTunes Store. As of this posting, they are only listing three songs from the Top 3 on iTunes. I'm not sure if they only recorded one song each, but I'll update if there's a change.
The first round is the Contestants Choice, with Beyonce as the mentor (no Jimmy Iovine?):
1. Scotty McCreery - Lonestar's "Amazed"
What a surprise that he would choose this song! (Sarcasm fully intended). While I love this song, it's a safe choice for Scotty. His voice was as solid as usual, but at a week before the finale, you need to be great not good, and he was just good. Where's James when we need him?
2. Lauren Alaina - Faith Hill's "Wild One"
This was a great song choice for her. Choosing songs by female country stars like Faith Hill can certainly work to her advantage. I hate to repeat myself from Scotty, but her voice was solid as well. The difference is that Lauren wasn't boring. She's had some confidence problems once in a while throughout the competition, but her confidence was strong throughout this song.
3. Haley Reinhart - Led Zepplin's "What Is and What Should Never Be"
Round 1 goes to Haley! Her voice was great as usual, and the song allowed her to channel her inner rocker. Having her father play guitar will get her family votes, as will the fall as she headed back up on stage. But she got back up and continued on. There were some moments during the chorus where I was worried she got lost in the music, but she just nailed the song.
Round 2 is Jimmy Iovine's Choice, with Jimmy Iovine himself as mentor. The intro video before each singer's performance here revisits their auditions. I love seeing Lauren's audition again, because she had one of my favorite auditions this year.
1. Scotty McCreery - Thompson Square's "Are You Going to Kiss Me or Not"
Because "Amazed" is such a well-known song, it became very apparent that Scotty sounded just like the original. But this one is not as known, so I had a better time with it. So the song choice helped in that way, but it's also a detractor - not the best song to make him stand out and have a moment.
I believe it was after Scotty's performance when Randy and Ryan were joking around. Randy was wondering about Ryan's body waxing, and Ryan, always the quick-wit, came back at him, saying he's waiting for Randy to return it to him. Remember when Ryan and Simon used to do this sort of joking around? I miss it.
Before Lauren's performance, Ryan intro'd her backstage instead of on the stage, because her pantyhose ripped, and they had someone perfecting her legs.
2. Lauren Alaina - The Band Perry's "If I Die Young"
Jimmy picked such a great song. It's one of my favorite current country songs. Overall, Lauren did well with it, but there were a few moments where I wasn't sure, and maybe that was the 'caught up in the moment' thing the judges were talking about. Did she feel the emotion of the song? I'm not sure.
3. Haley Reinhart - Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon"
I loved the start - the control and focus. When the song picked up halfway through, her voice was flat for a while before she got back on track. But once she did, she did well for the rest of the song. It was slower and a nice balance to the rock song earlier.
Beyonce's "Run the World (Girls)" Music Video. Not the best song for someone like Beyonce.
Round 3 is the Judge's Choice, with the Top 3 finding out their song choice during the hometown visit. How come Haley found out her choice while she was in the car, when Scotty and Lauren were in front of huge crowds during the reveal?
1. Scotty McCreery - Kenny Roger's "She Believes in Me"
I'm glad the song picked up some a little way in, because the start almost put me to sleep. This slow song allowed us to focus on his voice, which was strong and solid. I loved the bit after the judges spoke when his father sang ("Baby lock them doors...")
2. Lauren Alaina - Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance"
This song fits Lauren's musical style and voice perfectly. And she didn't let down in the vocal department. There wasn't anything necessarily wrong with this performance, but my only criticism is that it sounded too much like the original.
3. Haley Reinhart - Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know"
When the song started, I wasn't sure why the judges picked this song, because she had a hard time with the verses - the low notes were flat. But as the judges said, she was brilliant on the choruses.
Favorite Performance: Haley Reinhart ("What Is and What Should Never Be")
My Votes: Haley Reinhart - 50 votes
Elimination Prediction: Lauren Alaina
Below is the latest Idol social media stats (the combination of Twitter, Facebook and My Space). These stats were compiled on 5/17/11 at 11:19pm.
1. Scotty McCreery - 259,261
2. Lauren Alaina - 164,194
3. Haley Reinhart - 136,317
Same order as last week.
Especially after James Durbin was eliminated last week, I know we shouldn't take anything for granted right before the finale and assume certain people will make it into the finale. But Scotty has been unstoppable from day one (and has been #1 online since the beginning as well), I think it would be foolish to think he won't be here next week. When it comes to this week's predictions, it's all about figuring out which girl will be with him: Lauren or Haley.
People are saying that the producers are gunning for a Scotty/Lauren finale. And I might have mentioned this last week, but there has never been in the history of American Idol two people from the same genre in the finale. And Scotty and Lauren are both country. True, they're different types of country (Scotty is more old-school, traditional country; Lauren is more modern pop country), but still country nonetheless. And for that reason, I am predicting it will be a Scotty/Haley finale. I don't think anyone would have predicted she would make it this far when we began the Top 13. But she has been the most improved, the most consistent, and the one who has provided the best live performances (aside from James Durbin). I have no idea how well or not she might do post-Idol, but for now, she deserves to compete for the title. And after the judges' relentless criticisms of Haley over these past weeks, I would love if she could stick it back to them and stay on.
Now, I don't want to discount Lauren at all. All three of the remaining singers are extremely talented and deserve to be here. But if Scotty and Lauren do end up splitting the votes, it will be Lauren who suffers as a result. She has a beautiful voice, and has had her moments a few times this year. And even though I don't know what the winning song will be, it usually fits someone with her voice better (unless they go the season 9 route and just do covers).
Personally, if I was making the decision, I would eliminate Scotty and have a Lauren/Haley finale. But we all know that's not going to happen. So, to recap, I'm going with Scotty/Haley for the Top 2, but not discounting Lauren either.
Tonight (8-9pm), we'll have performance by 50 Cent with Nicole Scherzinger, and Il Volo. And we'll find out which two singers will be here next week at the finale. See ya then...
Air Date: Wednesday, May 18 [8-10pm]
Themes: Contestants Choice / Jimmy Iovine's Choice / Judge's Choice
 |
| Source: mjsbigblog.com |
Ryan reminds of James Durbin's shocking elimination last week. Even though he didn't make the Top 3, he still got a hometown reception after being voted out.
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, only if you click 'buy' in the iTunes Store. As of this posting, they are only listing three songs from the Top 3 on iTunes. I'm not sure if they only recorded one song each, but I'll update if there's a change.
The first round is the Contestants Choice, with Beyonce as the mentor (no Jimmy Iovine?):
1. Scotty McCreery - Lonestar's "Amazed"
What a surprise that he would choose this song! (Sarcasm fully intended). While I love this song, it's a safe choice for Scotty. His voice was as solid as usual, but at a week before the finale, you need to be great not good, and he was just good. Where's James when we need him?
2. Lauren Alaina - Faith Hill's "Wild One"
This was a great song choice for her. Choosing songs by female country stars like Faith Hill can certainly work to her advantage. I hate to repeat myself from Scotty, but her voice was solid as well. The difference is that Lauren wasn't boring. She's had some confidence problems once in a while throughout the competition, but her confidence was strong throughout this song.
3. Haley Reinhart - Led Zepplin's "What Is and What Should Never Be"
Round 1 goes to Haley! Her voice was great as usual, and the song allowed her to channel her inner rocker. Having her father play guitar will get her family votes, as will the fall as she headed back up on stage. But she got back up and continued on. There were some moments during the chorus where I was worried she got lost in the music, but she just nailed the song.
Round 2 is Jimmy Iovine's Choice, with Jimmy Iovine himself as mentor. The intro video before each singer's performance here revisits their auditions. I love seeing Lauren's audition again, because she had one of my favorite auditions this year.
1. Scotty McCreery - Thompson Square's "Are You Going to Kiss Me or Not"
Because "Amazed" is such a well-known song, it became very apparent that Scotty sounded just like the original. But this one is not as known, so I had a better time with it. So the song choice helped in that way, but it's also a detractor - not the best song to make him stand out and have a moment.
I believe it was after Scotty's performance when Randy and Ryan were joking around. Randy was wondering about Ryan's body waxing, and Ryan, always the quick-wit, came back at him, saying he's waiting for Randy to return it to him. Remember when Ryan and Simon used to do this sort of joking around? I miss it.
Before Lauren's performance, Ryan intro'd her backstage instead of on the stage, because her pantyhose ripped, and they had someone perfecting her legs.
2. Lauren Alaina - The Band Perry's "If I Die Young"
Jimmy picked such a great song. It's one of my favorite current country songs. Overall, Lauren did well with it, but there were a few moments where I wasn't sure, and maybe that was the 'caught up in the moment' thing the judges were talking about. Did she feel the emotion of the song? I'm not sure.
3. Haley Reinhart - Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon"
I loved the start - the control and focus. When the song picked up halfway through, her voice was flat for a while before she got back on track. But once she did, she did well for the rest of the song. It was slower and a nice balance to the rock song earlier.
Beyonce's "Run the World (Girls)" Music Video. Not the best song for someone like Beyonce.
Round 3 is the Judge's Choice, with the Top 3 finding out their song choice during the hometown visit. How come Haley found out her choice while she was in the car, when Scotty and Lauren were in front of huge crowds during the reveal?
1. Scotty McCreery - Kenny Roger's "She Believes in Me"
I'm glad the song picked up some a little way in, because the start almost put me to sleep. This slow song allowed us to focus on his voice, which was strong and solid. I loved the bit after the judges spoke when his father sang ("Baby lock them doors...")
2. Lauren Alaina - Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance"
This song fits Lauren's musical style and voice perfectly. And she didn't let down in the vocal department. There wasn't anything necessarily wrong with this performance, but my only criticism is that it sounded too much like the original.
3. Haley Reinhart - Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know"
When the song started, I wasn't sure why the judges picked this song, because she had a hard time with the verses - the low notes were flat. But as the judges said, she was brilliant on the choruses.
Favorite Performance: Haley Reinhart ("What Is and What Should Never Be")
My Votes: Haley Reinhart - 50 votes
Elimination Prediction: Lauren Alaina
Below is the latest Idol social media stats (the combination of Twitter, Facebook and My Space). These stats were compiled on 5/17/11 at 11:19pm.
1. Scotty McCreery - 259,261
2. Lauren Alaina - 164,194
3. Haley Reinhart - 136,317
Same order as last week.
Especially after James Durbin was eliminated last week, I know we shouldn't take anything for granted right before the finale and assume certain people will make it into the finale. But Scotty has been unstoppable from day one (and has been #1 online since the beginning as well), I think it would be foolish to think he won't be here next week. When it comes to this week's predictions, it's all about figuring out which girl will be with him: Lauren or Haley.
People are saying that the producers are gunning for a Scotty/Lauren finale. And I might have mentioned this last week, but there has never been in the history of American Idol two people from the same genre in the finale. And Scotty and Lauren are both country. True, they're different types of country (Scotty is more old-school, traditional country; Lauren is more modern pop country), but still country nonetheless. And for that reason, I am predicting it will be a Scotty/Haley finale. I don't think anyone would have predicted she would make it this far when we began the Top 13. But she has been the most improved, the most consistent, and the one who has provided the best live performances (aside from James Durbin). I have no idea how well or not she might do post-Idol, but for now, she deserves to compete for the title. And after the judges' relentless criticisms of Haley over these past weeks, I would love if she could stick it back to them and stay on.
Now, I don't want to discount Lauren at all. All three of the remaining singers are extremely talented and deserve to be here. But if Scotty and Lauren do end up splitting the votes, it will be Lauren who suffers as a result. She has a beautiful voice, and has had her moments a few times this year. And even though I don't know what the winning song will be, it usually fits someone with her voice better (unless they go the season 9 route and just do covers).
Personally, if I was making the decision, I would eliminate Scotty and have a Lauren/Haley finale. But we all know that's not going to happen. So, to recap, I'm going with Scotty/Haley for the Top 2, but not discounting Lauren either.
Tonight (8-9pm), we'll have performance by 50 Cent with Nicole Scherzinger, and Il Volo. And we'll find out which two singers will be here next week at the finale. See ya then...
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Idol-Talk: Season 10 Top 4 Results Show
American Idol 10: Top 4 Results Show
Air Date: Thursday, May 12, 2011 [8-9pm]
Almost 72 million votes were cast this week, the highest Top 4 vote ever.
James and Scotty perform "Start a Band."
Ryan announces more season 11 audition stops: San Diego, Pittsburgh and Houston.
Haley and Lauren perform "Gunpowder and Lead."
Video: The Top 4 connect with their families via Windows 7.
The first person in the Top 3 is...Lauren Alaina! My first thought is: Well, it seems obvious now that Haley's the one going home.
VIdeo: The Top 4 prepare for Lady Gaga as their mentor by watching her perform "You and I" on TV. The footage looks like its from her Monster Ball Tour, if not from the HBO Madison Square Garden special itself.
Enrique Iglesias performs "Dirty Dancer" with what sounds like the help of auto-tune.
Ford Music Video: "Fireflies." Love this song!
Jordin Sparks performs her new single, "I Am Woman." The performance begins with a video montage of a few of her previous songs. This new song sounds like she is going in a slightly different musical direction, more grown-up.
Steve Tyler's new music video for "(It) Feels So Good" is premiered. I've listened to this song a few times now, and I just love listening to it! It's such a fun song, and fits Steven's personality perfectly.
The next to join Lauren in the Top 3 is...Haley Reinhart!? Whoh! Now, while I'm a huge fan of Haley's, I never would have thought either Scotty or James would be gone before her. Does this mean now that James is a goner? I'm holding out hope that it's Scotty going home, but I know that thinking is probably useless.
Joining Lauren and Haley to battle it out next week is...Scotty McCreery! James is eliminated. And the Top 4 curse continues (Tamyra Gray, La Toya London, Chris Daughtry).
James Durbin - Eliminated
James performs "Maybe I'm Amazed." Lauren, Haley and Scotty look upset, but I bet inside they're thinking, Our big competition is out of the way. Scotty's biggest competition was James, and now that he's out of the way, there's no stopping Scotty not only being here to compete in the Top 2, but to have Ryan announce his name at the finale.
End Time: 9:02pm - two minutes after schedule end time
Having a Scotty/James finale would have been amazing to watch. Now, we all have to think about who might be joining Scotty at the finale. Lauren or Haley? Obviously, we can make cases for each. My first instinct says that it will be Lauren. But since both Scotty and Lauren are country (even though different types of country), I think they will be splitting the votes this coming up week, which will secure Haley a place in the Top 2. If you become a frontrunner from the start of the competition and peak too early, that might be your demise (Crystal Bowersox), leading the next-in-line to take the crown (Lee Dewyze). It's really all about how you do during the latter half of the competition. And because of that, there's a strong case for Haley being in the Top 2. I'll stop this conversation for now, because I can pick it back up when I make my official Top 2 predictions on Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, the Top 3 will perform three songs each (Judge's Choice, Jimmy Iovine's Choice, Individual Choice). Then on Thursday, Il Volo will perform, as will Nicole Scherzinger and 50 Cent. I'm not really familiar at all with Nicole Scherzinger, so this will be a good opportunity for me to see how she is on stage and familiarize myself with her before I see her on The X Factor this fall. See ya then...
P.S.-Speaking of X Factor, I wanted to say that I have secured tickets to see an audition taping of The X Factor in Seattle at the end of June. I can't wait!
Air Date: Thursday, May 12, 2011 [8-9pm]
 |
| Source: @JDurbinAI10 |
James and Scotty perform "Start a Band."
Ryan announces more season 11 audition stops: San Diego, Pittsburgh and Houston.
Haley and Lauren perform "Gunpowder and Lead."
Video: The Top 4 connect with their families via Windows 7.
The first person in the Top 3 is...Lauren Alaina! My first thought is: Well, it seems obvious now that Haley's the one going home.
VIdeo: The Top 4 prepare for Lady Gaga as their mentor by watching her perform "You and I" on TV. The footage looks like its from her Monster Ball Tour, if not from the HBO Madison Square Garden special itself.
Enrique Iglesias performs "Dirty Dancer" with what sounds like the help of auto-tune.
Ford Music Video: "Fireflies." Love this song!
Jordin Sparks performs her new single, "I Am Woman." The performance begins with a video montage of a few of her previous songs. This new song sounds like she is going in a slightly different musical direction, more grown-up.
Steve Tyler's new music video for "(It) Feels So Good" is premiered. I've listened to this song a few times now, and I just love listening to it! It's such a fun song, and fits Steven's personality perfectly.
The next to join Lauren in the Top 3 is...Haley Reinhart!? Whoh! Now, while I'm a huge fan of Haley's, I never would have thought either Scotty or James would be gone before her. Does this mean now that James is a goner? I'm holding out hope that it's Scotty going home, but I know that thinking is probably useless.
Joining Lauren and Haley to battle it out next week is...Scotty McCreery! James is eliminated. And the Top 4 curse continues (Tamyra Gray, La Toya London, Chris Daughtry).
James Durbin - Eliminated
James performs "Maybe I'm Amazed." Lauren, Haley and Scotty look upset, but I bet inside they're thinking, Our big competition is out of the way. Scotty's biggest competition was James, and now that he's out of the way, there's no stopping Scotty not only being here to compete in the Top 2, but to have Ryan announce his name at the finale.
End Time: 9:02pm - two minutes after schedule end time
Having a Scotty/James finale would have been amazing to watch. Now, we all have to think about who might be joining Scotty at the finale. Lauren or Haley? Obviously, we can make cases for each. My first instinct says that it will be Lauren. But since both Scotty and Lauren are country (even though different types of country), I think they will be splitting the votes this coming up week, which will secure Haley a place in the Top 2. If you become a frontrunner from the start of the competition and peak too early, that might be your demise (Crystal Bowersox), leading the next-in-line to take the crown (Lee Dewyze). It's really all about how you do during the latter half of the competition. And because of that, there's a strong case for Haley being in the Top 2. I'll stop this conversation for now, because I can pick it back up when I make my official Top 2 predictions on Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, the Top 3 will perform three songs each (Judge's Choice, Jimmy Iovine's Choice, Individual Choice). Then on Thursday, Il Volo will perform, as will Nicole Scherzinger and 50 Cent. I'm not really familiar at all with Nicole Scherzinger, so this will be a good opportunity for me to see how she is on stage and familiarize myself with her before I see her on The X Factor this fall. See ya then...
P.S.-Speaking of X Factor, I wanted to say that I have secured tickets to see an audition taping of The X Factor in Seattle at the end of June. I can't wait!
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