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Season 12 American Idol Results (Our Top 4 is Revealed…uh…what?)


american idol season 12

OK, this was actually one of the more enjoyable results shows of the season. So…let’s countdown the reasons why.

1. Without any dead weight males in the way, the group performance of Donna Summer songs actually sounded really good. Naturally, Candice stood out the most…but really they all had a chance to shine.

2. The Ford Scavenger Hunt video package thingie was really cheesy and corny and scripted…and that’s what made it hilariously entertaining. And it only got better when their mystery celebrity turned out to be…Matthew Morrison! I could maybe see Amber excited, but Candice…girl, she was thinkin’ I don’t watch Glee. Who this be?

3. PAULA ABDUL! WHAAAT?? That semi-random appearance just blew my mind. It’s nice to see that she, I guess, had no hard feelings towards the show that unfairly fired her (esp. considering she was on The X Factor for a year…BTW, I periodically forget that she was ever a judge on that show.) Anyway, Candice looked happy. The judges looked happy. I was happy. Happy days…is my favorite Barbra Streisand song.

4. Idol Family reunion! This episode actually featured a lot of old friends. First we saw a glimpse of Jordin Sparks in the audience which was nice (I loved Sparkle by the way). And then season 2′s Clay Aiken came back to perform one of his signature songs: “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” He sounded excellent and it’s sad that we don’t hear male voices like that anymore. It’s, I guess, out of style. According to Wikipedia, he’s the fourth highest selling American Idol alum (Ruben is 6th BTW). His first three albums did very well, but he’s been on the decline ever since. Oh well. I still enjoyed his presence…the weird Ruben Studdard joke towards the end was the only sour note.

Then we were unfortunately reminded of that terrible results show during season 3 when the three divas (Fantasia, Latoya London, Jennifer Hudson) were in the bottom 3, over the likes of Jasmine Trias and John Stevens (blech!). That was the night when Jennifer Hudson was eliminated. However, we ended up getting a follow up on Latoya London who, despite being wonderful that season, never had the success of the other two ladies. She gave some vague details on a new album, but it was nice to see her again and she seemed really excited to introduce Fantasia.

Fantasia (who, BTW, is the 5th most successful alum) premiered her new single “Lose To Win.” It was pure 90′s R&B and I loved it. She was passionate and emotional and, even if the performance seemed to go on forever, I still enjoyed watching her get into it. I honestly think Fantasia’s a bonafied success. If you consider her genre of music, she is actually still one of the premiere female R&B singers we have right now (and no, Beyonce and Rihanna are NOT R&B).

So now we had to get down to the results and, unsurprisingly, Janelle Arthur got the lowest number of votes…and she’s…going home WHAAAT? So…is this season going to end a week early? I don’t really get this. Honestly, by the time we get to the top 4…there’s no use using the save. It would have been nice to have seen these 5 ladies sing together for one more week. So…this result makes me scratch my head more than anything.

However, as much as I loved Janelle and her spunk and her spontaneity…she was technically the weakest of the girls. But…I really enjoyed on the show. She was wonderful during Hollywood week, she had some rough moments during Las Vegas and semis…but she really redeemed herself with “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” and proved that she belonged to stand side by side with the other female powerhouse singers. She was bubbly. She was sweet. And I’ll miss seeing her on the show. Y’know…Kellie Pickler is the 9th most successful alum. If Kellie Pickler can make a Gold Album and become BFF’s with Taylor Swift…then who knows what Janelle can achieve!

So…we are down to four. And…I’m not going to rank these girls…I’m just going to say one good thing about them…and one thing they need to improve on. So…in alphabetical order…

1. CANDICE GLOVER - You’re creativity has really come out these last few weeks. However, singing more current songs wouldn’t hurt. You’ve been lacking in that department.

2. KREE HARRISON - You are terribly consistent and reliable. However…too many ballads. You haven’t truly rocked out for us yet. It’s time to stand out.

3. AMBER HOLCOMB - When you hit those high notes, it’s absolutely beautiful. I know “Love on Top” wasn’t your most popular performance…but ya gotta take more risks like that. Your first album won’t be ONLY Whitney Houston inspired ballads.

4. ANGIE MILLER - Keep doing the Christian thing. Keep doing the piano thing. Keep looking like Miley Cyrus. Just try to connect with your songs more.

There you have it…a strong top 4. And I’m looking forward to next week. I esp. hope they take advantage of “Contestant Choice” and do something really interesting.

Thanks for reading! Bye bye!

2013
04/18
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Season 12 American Idol Results (Top 5 Revealed…SPOILERS!)


candice glover glitter

Omigod…that was a close one.

I am in such a giddy mood right now. So…here’s the deal. I’ve been a wreck this whole day. When American Idol gets intense, I can’t help but obsess over the show. I’ve read every online recap…every Youtube comment…trying to understand…trying to pray and hope that the person who should be eliminated ends up eliminated. Every Thursday, I have class until about 8:30…and I was literally in a rut. I wasn’t paying attention. I was in a bad mood.

I was nervous.

I figured two things would could happen.

1. A girl would be the lowest vote getter…probably Janelle or Amber…and she would have been eliminated without the save because…well…at this point, what’s the point, right?

2. Or…a girl would be the lowest vote getter…again, probably Amber or Janelle…and the judges would use the save. No problem.

Both situations would have been awful for reasons that are obvious.

Last night, I predicted that Lazaro would be eliminated…but I thought maybe I was just wishful thinking. I mean, he performed really bad this week…but he also performed pretty bad last week and he was still in the top 3. He clearly had a passionate fanbase who was “inspired” by him. So…it wasn’t a confident prediction…

…but in the end…it was the right prediction.

I really hope I’m  not hallucinating right now. I really hope I’m not going nuts. Lazaro Arbos WAS eliminated, right? Like…let me check wikipedia real quick…OK, he was.

I really hope I’m not dreaming right now.

Anyway…what can I say about this? He…showed potential…and promise. He was a nice guy (I guess). And it is pretty remarkable that he’s able to sing without a stutter. He’s an…barf…”inspiration.”

But I (and I don’t recap audition episodes so there’s no way to prove this but still…) NEVER thought he was great. I didn’t think his audition was all that good. And I wouldn’t have put him past Hollywood week. While people (even respected bloggers like Michael Slezak – whom, by the way, I trust and respect more than anyone) were showering him with praise during the early stages of the season…I was sitting back and wondering what people were hearing. I’m not going to pretend that he suddenly had a downfall during the finals. Through my ears, he’s always been “not ready” for this competition. And I’m not going to sit here and offer some insincere praise towards him. It’s not technically his fault. He just played the game. The judges/producers/whoever should have realized this early on and not offer him false praise through the rounds. This is why he got as far as he did. And this is why he’s gotten all this “hate.”

I really hope Nigel can learn from this experience. DON’T JUDGE TALENT BY THE SOB STORY!

So fans of Lazaro…if you’re distressed…then prove us wrong. Support Lazaro. Buy his album. While you do that, I’ll be listening to Crystal Bowersox’s.

In other news…this is the best top 5 we’ve had in a while. AND…we’re finally going to have a girl winner. Yes, I feel a little guilty how it came to this (desperately finding amazing girls to compete against mediocre guys). But…after 5 years of WGWGs (and cough cough 3 undeserved wins), it was time. THESE GIRLS ARE TALENTED. And I think right now, they’re all deserving to win. Even with the backstage manipulation, let’s not pretend we have a sucky top 5. We don’t. Each girl has given at least a couple amazing performances and…I’ve never been more excited for a latter half of a season…coincidentally the last time I felt this way was during season 6…after Sanjaya was eliminated. Hmmmm…

I don’t want to rank these girls…

…let’s rank these girls.

1. CANDICE - OK, she’s finally number one on my list. I tear up thinking about her. Ever since she was unfairly eliminated last season, I’ve been begrudgingly following her on Youtube, wondering if she would ever make it…She’s made it. No matter what happens, I think she’ll be fine. She’ll, at worst, make 60,000 dollars a year performing gigs and making music…and that’s pretty much what one should hope for after leaving American Idol (assuming that’s not what he or she was doing before Idol…)

2. AMBER - She needs to work on diction. But I still love her “Love on Top” performance. I have to enjoy this uptempo break for as long as I can because next week she’ll be back to singing ballads (also,next week will probably be her last week so…)

3. KREE - She’s getting boring…na mean? She’s so consistent…but Candice has also been consistent, yet she’s produced more exciting moments. There might be a time when I’ll stop rooting for her…like when she’s in the top 2 with Candice.

4. ANGIE - I love how, when she has the chance, she chooses Christian songs from semi-obscure singers. I’ll…probably never like her more than my top 3…

5. JANELLE - Keep doing what you do!

So…what else? I pretty much missed the first half of the show, but I did see Kelly Clarkson perform. Her new single is awesome and she sounded great (what’s new?) For a while, because she was a mentor on Duets and The Voice, I thought maybe she was silently turning her back on Idol. I’m glad to see that she still has time to perform on it and act nice…even if (like everyone else) she probably thinks the show should just end. Hey…it’s not like any future winner would overshadow her. She’s unstoppable! I also liked her little back and forth with Mariah…and how the producers were trying to cut to commercial but they couldn’t because Kelly and Mariah are just that awesome. You know…Mariah is a weird/non-present judge…but I like her as a person, y’know? (And her obsession with Mean Girls makes me smile.)

So…does this mean the save is just not going to be used? This will be the first season since the save was first introduced that it won’t be used? Iiinteeerrresting…

Anyway. I’m happy. I’m going to bed. Goodnight, lovelies!

2013
04/11
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Season 12 American Idol Results (Top 7 Becomes Top 6…my ranking)


Even Candice realizes this elimination is BS.

Even Candice realizes this elimination is BS.

Definitely definitely an emotional results show for me.

In my desperate quest for a female winner, I’ve been pretty ambivalent towards the eliminations thus far. Curtis Finch Jr. was unrelatable. Michael Polley was too “vanilla”. Devin Velez lacked connection. These were three eliminations (for the most part) I agreed with.

And…honestly…if Lazaro couldn’t go home (more on that later), I knew it had to be Burnell Taylor. And I’m glad, despite the circumstance, it was Burnell. But…still…so sad. He did really well throughout the competition. He has a beautiful tone and a great personality…and I’ll miss him on the show. I think he needs to work harder on his diction because even during his save-me song (“Ready to Love”), despite how wonderful he was, I still had a tough time understanding many of the words he was singing. But, he should be proud of his journey and…y’know, I’m going to guess he’s not going to be a HUGE Carrie Underwood sized success…but he should still be proud of the experience and realize he did something a lot of people could only dream of doing: performing The Color Purple on the 2nd most popular singing competition in the country.

Now, with all that lovey-dovey crap aside…the top 3 truly spooked me. WHAT THE FRAK, AMERICA??? STOP VOTING FOR LAZARO! TOP 3???? You know why the producers decided to reveal the top 3 this week…to subtle-y tell America to stop voting for this dude. So, everyone, let’s listen to Nigel and create a balls to the wall top 5 with the fierce ladies. I will not be able to fully enjoy this show until this bulge is outtie…K?? K.

A top 3 without Candice is like…a moon without its stars.

OTHER SHIZ:

  • The show started off with a performance of “Somebody to Love” by the top 7. I’m 70% sure they lip synched this. However, I love how Candice was given the “Mercedes” solo towards the end. Fierce! 
  • Casey James came back to perform “The Good Life.” I honestly disliked season 9 (anyone who claims season 12 as being the worst season has clearly only started watching the show since season 10). The only contestant I truly loved in that season was Crystal Bowersox. But…Casey James is a cool dude and I have to admit, he had a couple better-than-decent moments while he was on the show. Right now, I definitely like this country/laid back thing he has going on. And I enjoyed the performance and song very much.
  • Carrie Underwood came and performed her newest single “See You Again.” The major pimpage she got was actually deserved considering she’s one of maybe 5 bonafied successes from the show. In fact, she has sold more albums than any other alum. Despite all this fame, it’s nice to see Underwood have such raw appreciation for the show and her journey. Seeing her well up a bit and at least attempt to compliment the rest of the contestants and give them hope was a nice moment from this neck of the woods. She has a nasally voice live…but it’s my nasally voice, and I love her.

OK…that’s all for now. Next week the contestants are singing two songs. One from the Bacharach/David songbook…and the other is pretty much anything the contestant wants. So hopefully, the top 6 uses the opportunity to sing something current (Candice), fresh (Kree), and upbeat (Amber). And…well…on key (VFTW pick).

Let’s rank them:

1. AMBER - The heart wants what the heart wants. I can’t lie to myself anymore. I anticipate her more than the others at this point. But…still she really needs to sing something fun and upbeat. “What About Love” isn’t necessarily a ballad…but she certainly didn’t rock it out like expected. But, for now, I’ll put her at 1.

2. CANDICE - Consistent consistent consistent. I’d like to hear her sing some Jazmine Sullivan. Preferably “Holding You Down” or “Need U Bad.”

3. KREE - I agree with other fans, I think Kree is getting a little too comfortable on stage. That’s why I honestly loved her performance the other night (“Piece of My Heart”) because I felt like there was some genuine struggle in her voice and it was refreshing. I think she desperately needs to sing something from the new millennium quick so we can really see what kind of artist she is.

4. ANGIE - I don’t think she’ll ever be above the top 3 from my picks…but I really do like her and she redeemed herself this week. I would not mind if she won. She’s so good!

5. JANELLE - Cutie patootey. I feel like I’m never giving her the praise she deserves. She’s probably taken more risks than the other girls, I admit that. She’s been wonderful these last few weeks.

6. LAZARO - I think maybe a Bruno Mars song would be a nice change of pace for him. Or maybe even Michael Buble. Also…it’s a travesty that he’s still here.

Thanks for reading!

2013
04/05
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Season 12 American Idol Results Review (Top 7 Revealed…my ranking)


american idol results

OK…let’s get this out of the way. Our very own Devin Velez was eliminated. And…I do have some mixed feelings about it. Devin has such a beautiful tone and voice. He never sang off key. He truly was a professional who appreciated his craft. His performance during semifinals still remains one of the strongest in competition, and I’m really glad he gave us a reprise of “It’s Impossible” for the the save. The fact that he’s gone and Lazaro is still in the competition is really not good at all.

However…I wouldn’t have used the save. And this isn’t an elimination I feel too down about. The girls are better than the guys this year…by a mile. So, it feels nice that the guys are being eliminated one by one while the fab 4 5 is still in tact. I mean, the only person who really deserved to be eliminated over Devin was Lazaro…the other 6 contestants IMO were stronger. So…I don’t think it was the right time to be using the save because there are still some really amazing singers in the competition. In fact, if this male genocide continues like it should, the judges might not even have to use the save…

The truth is…that Devin never fully connected with me or America. I think he relied too much on his voice and played it safe. He was going in the right direction…but even last week, it was too little too late. He’s a great guy. He took the elimination very well (I think he knew that he would be the one)…but I’m very glad the judges didn’t use the save. I may be in the minority…but I need that “Save” to be saved for Candice or Kree… or Amber or Angie.

I have to say though that the silver lining in all this is that Lazaro finally made a trip to the bottom 3 like he was supposed to for the last  2 weeks. I feel like America is slowly starting to realize… I don’t take back what I said last night. I really do commend Laz for taking a risk and singing uptempo (even though “For Once in My Life” is a song that literally EVERYONE knows)…but he will forever always be on the bottom of my list and he does not belong here. Sorry. Of course, I’m also happy that Amber avoided the bottom 3…but girlfriend was probably in the bottom 4 so she should still work hard…and sing uptempo next week.

Sad night. First real heart breaker of an elimination…but the heart break only lasted seconds for me…to you… dawg.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS:

1. It was nice seeing Colton Dixon back. He performed “Love Has Come For Me.” I really did like him last season. He’s not a HUGE success post-Idol but, apparently, for a Christian artist, he’s done pretty decently for himself. I love how, after his glorified video intro, he said to Ryan, “You made me look really good up there.” What to make of that…

2. I LOVE One Direction Republic with a passion. I constantly play “If I Lose Myself” on my iPod. Definitely the best song of the year so far. I just love how bold and dancey it is. Ryan Tedder is a genius IMO. And Katharine McPhee did a nice job singing along.

3. Keith Urban also rocked it and…he just looked like he was having a blast up there. The song seemed a bit too long but…I still enjoyed it.

OK…next week…I don’t know what the top 7 is singing next week. But…I’ll be watching! Uh…let’s quickly do my personal ranking.

1. KREE - She’s still my number 1 gal.

2. CANDICE - Actually…she’s pretty much tied with Kree at this point. These two are in a league of their own.

3. AMBER - No matter how amazing she is…if she sings another ballad, I may be forced to move her down. She should stand out more and take more risks. I feel like she’s (unfairly) being compared to Candice…and we can’t let that happen.

4. ANGIE - The performance wasn’t perfect…but still! I don’t understand why she’s so polarizing.

5. JANELLE - She REALLY stepped it up these last 2 weeks, forcing me to change my “fab 4″ to a clean “fab 5.”

6. BURNELL - The last great male left in the competition. He just needs to work on his diction…OK, my adorm?

7. LAZARO - He honestly sounds better when he’s not singing a ballad. He should consider singing uptempo for next week. Also…who the hell keeps voting for him?

Thanks for reading, lovelies. See ya on the flip side!

2013
03/28
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Season 12 American Idol Results (Top 8 Revealed…my ranking)


So, it’s 8:36. I just back to my dorm from class. And I’m watching this results show on crappy internet television. But I want to review this results show now so I can get it over with.

So, right now, Paul and Devin are (deservedly) in the bottom 3. Unfortunately, Lazaro isn’t joining them. Once again, he is completely safe, which means…well it means someone who performed better than him will be in the bottom 3. Fairness!

So, I’m a little worried right now. It’s comforting seeing 2 guys in the bottom…but I’m not sure if Burnell is going to be the one who joins them, which means…oh, God. I don’t even want to think about it.

Now we’re gearing up for Jessica Sanchez to premiere her new single with Ne-Yo. It’s called “Tonight.” I downloaded it earlier today and I think it’s very catchy and it’s a nice lead single. OK…back to the show!

That was fun performance from Jessica. It’s nice to see her come out of her shell. I liked how she was moving and dancing and shaking her little bum and showing some attitude (snap snap snap). And the voice is still amazing. If people in America aren’t going to embrace her, hopefully her Filipino fans will keep her and her album afloat.

Back to the results…Amber is in the bottom 3. Not surprised. Disappointed, but not surprised. And the audience agreed because they booed…right? (Nah, the American Idol audience apparently loves every contestant that’s on the stage.) I guess this is what Amber gets for taking a risk, choosing an interesting song, and singing it on key. How dare she.

Paul Jolley GOT THE LOWEST NUMBER OF VOTES! YES! I’m just happy that it’s not Amber. He’s repeating his performance of “Alone” from a couple weeks ago for the save he’s clearly not going to get. I don’t think the audience really cares. He’s going home. There’s no way Nicki is going to save him,

I do love “Alone” though…no matter who’s singing it.

The judges will not use the save. Paul is his usual jolly self. And I am jolly too, for the most part. Paul was never bad…but he certainly was not among the strongest…and I can deal with him leaving…which means the “white guy” streak has broken at last. Can we also break the overall “guy” streak?

OK, let’s rank the contestants. These are are MY PERSONAL rankings so far…

1. KREE HARRISON - She’s still my number 1 girl. I’d like to see her do something a little faster next week.

2. CANDICE GLOVER - Since she took a risk and sang uptempo, she can get away with a rousing ballad next week. (I have to say Candice has performed better than Kree these last 2 weeks…if this happens again, I’ll probably move Candice to #1)

3. AMBER HOLCOMB - Amber’s placement in the bottom 3 was thoroughly upsetting. I don’t think there’s really much she can do to get a bigger fan base. On American Idol, there’s only room for one African American female in the top 5…and it’ll probably be Candice Glover.

4. ANGIE MILLER - Fab 4 is still alive.

5. JANELLE ARTHUR - I like her. But I don’t think I’ll ever like her more than the other 4 girls. We’ll see…

6. BURNELL TAYLOR - He’s young and hip. He should utilize that sing something fast and show off any potential dance moves.

7. DEVIN VELEZ - He needs to try something new this week. He has the voice. He has the look. Now he needs to not be boring.

8. LAZARO ARBOS - Out of his league.

Next week is Motown. I actually thought this week was really strong so I have a lot of hope for next week. With Curtis and Paul out of the way, I think people need to give this top 8 7 more credit. Thanks for reading!

BUY JESSICA SANCHEZ MUSIC!

2013
03/21
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Season 11 American Idol Results Recap (Top 5 Revealed) + RankingK


So I’m about to finally watch the results recap. Ugh. I pretty much know that either Elise or Jessica (most likely Jessica) is going home so…I’m really not looking forward to watching this but…I have to. At least I’ll have 30 Rock‘s live episode to cheer me up, hopefully.

Something called The Queen Experience performs “Somebody to Love”. The lead singer had crazy, old school vibrator that I dug. The guitarist did a cool back flip while holding his guitar which I’m going to assume is going to be the most enjoyable thing about this episode. Overall it was pretty spectacular…but nothing will ever top the cast of Glee.

Next they show a video of the American Idol kids visiting the TMZ offices. So let’s run this down: Phillip is sexy. There’s a stripper club named after Joshua (Mantasia). Skylar is NOT dating Colton (again…who thinks that?). Jessica has over 200 videos of her singing on Youtube. And Hollie eats cereal in the bathroom.

Jessica and Elise are called up. That’s funny and interesting. Jimmy Iovine is back. He pretty much says that “Bohemian Rhapsody” was a mistake, while “Dance with My Father” was a smart choice for Jessica. Jimmy Iovine also bashes both of Elise’s song choices. Ouch. Jessica is declared safe. WOW! YAY! I seriously thought she was a goner. SO happy. Elise, however, is sent to the bottom…it wasn’t her strongest night, but she doesn’t deserve to go home yet.

After the commercial break, we say hello to a very hairy Casey Abrams. And then Stefano Langone performs his newest dance single “I’m on a Roll”. Y’know…I have nothing negative to say. I thought this was a fun performance and a fun song. And I really do like Stefano. I liked him when he was on the show. I wish him the best. And can you resist his smile? He even dances good. (Not “well”…”good”.)

Joshua and Hollie are called up. Jimmy Iovine overall praises Hollie but isn’t sure if she’ll stay another week. Jimmy also praises Joshua and says that there would be something wrong with America if they voted Joshua off. Joshua is declared safe while Hollie is sent to the bottom. I’m sort of surprised by that. I thought Hollie had a strong enough fan base. Oh well.

Katy Perry performs “Part of Me” and it looks like she’s sticking with the “military theme”. Again, I have no hate. Perry is a talented artist and I usually love her music and this is another song I really like. And she gave a great performance. Sometimes, admittedly, her songs “sound” very similar to each other (like “Part of Me” can be equaled to “Firework”) but…I still dig them.

Skylar and Phillip are called up. Jimmy praises Skylar’s Queen song, but dissed her “Tattoos on the Town” song choice. Jimmy didn’t have kind words for Phillip also. Whatever. Phillip is safe and will be safe for the remainder of the competition because he’s a handsome wgwg who just gained all of Colton’s votes. Nice.

However, Skylar is undeservedly in the bottom with Elise and Hollie (little more deserved). And for the first time in a while, a girl is definitely going home. Skylar is immediately declared safe. OK. So far so good. Will America make the right decision?

No. They did not. Elise Testone is the one getting eliminated tonight which pretty much pisses me off. The first elimination (besides, I guess, Jessica’s) that really give me a bad feeling in my stomach. Elise was one of the most talented contestants of the competition and she deserved to make it farther. I was hoping she would pull a “Haley” and glide onto the top 3 at least but…oh well. It looks like that won’t be the case.

Elise always had a tough time stabilizing a fan base. She constantly made the bottom 3. It’s a pity…but at the same time, the result isn’t too shocking. And, despite the fact that people unfairly say she has attitude, she took the elimination very very well and we got to hear her sing Zeppelin one last time before Fox cut her off because of time. I will always remember Elise as the girl who stole my heart with my favorite Adele song “One and Only”.

NOW…let’s rank the top 5…

1. Jessica…yup! Although…she really needs to work on song choice if she wants to win this thing.

2. Skylar…She hasn’t really done anything wrong. I think it comes down to the fact that I simply like Jessica’s voice more. But Skylar winning would still be great.

3. Joshua…consistent. Don’t blame him because the judges keep giving him standing O’s.

4. Hollie…How did she make it this far? Who knows? Dark horse, definitely.

5. Phillip…I’m just counting the seconds until he wins because he will unfortunately. I like him…but c’mon!

Thanks for reading! See ya on the flip side!

2012
04/26
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American Idol Results Review (Top 6 Revealed) + Top 6 Ranking + Mini Rant


So I usually do a “live recap” of these episodes…but, yeah, I’m still working on that 10 page essay so I don’t have much time to carefully do a lengthy blog. I watched the episode and I guess all I really want to do is share my thoughts on this week’s eliminated singer.

First let’s go over a couple things. One, I’ve really enjoyed this season’s group performances and this one was good as well. I have a sweet spot for “Dancing in the Street”. I’ve loved the song since the Recess movie and Gotta Kick it Up (youtube them). So, it’s always nice to hear those songs performed. Kris Allen also performed some song. I really liked him from season 8. I think Adam Lambert and Allison Iraheta were better performers, but Kris Allen winning wasn’t the worse thing in the world. He performed and it was a nice, solid song…but I won’t be searching for it anytime soon. Appropriately, after the sweet Dick Clark tribute, LMFAO performed…and I took out the garbage during.

Let’s get some things straight. First things first: obviously one contestant was going to be eliminated this week. Frankly, the judges had to use the save at one point in the competition. Also frankly, last week, the judges would have clearly used the save for any of the singers, besides Hollie. So angry Hollie fans that are pissed that Jessica got saved last week should shut the fuck up and be grateful that she didn’t get the lowest number of votes…because she would be gone right now. I know it sucks when the judges seem to like one contestant more than your favorite. Trust me. Last year, I continuously got pissed when the judges would praise Lauren Alaina, Jacob Lusk and Scotty for mediocre performances, while shitting on Haley Reinhart. But there’s no rule saying the you have to agree with the judges and vice versa. The best thing you can do for a contestant is to support them AFTER they’re eliminated. At this point, Hollie will get a record deal. So when she puts out a single, BUY IT! Prove the judges wrong. I say this as someone who’s disappointed at how unspectacular Haley Reinhart is doing on the charts. And how disappointing it is that apparent favorites like Melinda Doolittle and Allison Iraheta have fallen from grace.

Another thing I want to rant about is that if you do not like the idea of the save (because you believe that America should have full say no matter what) then you should’ve made this very clear early on in the competition, instead of conveniently waiting until “your-not-so-favorite” got the save. Seriously. This is the fourth year the judges have used the save, and some haters are going ape shit crazy because it was used on Jessica??? Go jump off a cliff please. You’re ridiculous. And, frankly, compared to other singing/talent competitions on the air, this show is actually very open. The judges choose a couple contestants for the wildcard (BTW, Jessica was not a wild card pick) and then they have a save later on. But, you’re right, the judges control everything and anything about the competition.

Yeah, the judges like Jessica a lot. They have a right to. They also love Joshua and Phillip equally so. And last night, they gave Hollie and Skylar better reviews than Jessica. But, you’re right, they totally over pimp Jessica (even though she hasn’t had a standing O in weeks…) And, again, the judges had to use a save at some point in the competition because Jermaine was disqualified the same time Shannon was eliminated during top 11/12 week. So they would have had to use the save to balance things out. And we were getting close to the top 5 anyway. The judges using the save on Jessica made sense. And, again, Hollie fans should be grateful you were strong enough because she would have been gone.

For the wackos who think the producers rigged the results. It’s one thing to hate on this show…but to question the raw integrity of the producers? If you really believe they would stoop that low to “create a moment”, then just stop watching, read a book or find a hobby. That’s unnecessary paranoid thinking.

That all being said…Jessica was safe. Not even in the bottom three. HALLELUJAH!!

Joshua, Phillip and Skylar were also safe. Which means Elise, Hollie and (shocker) Colton were in the bottom. Hollie was weirdly smiley throughout and she was declared safe after being in the bottom two. Elise was sort of awesome tonight and openly said she thinks the judges and Jimmy Iovine are harder on her than the other contestants (which is semi-true). I see a little “Haley” in her. Anyway, she was declared safe. Cat with nine lives, y’all!

Which means that Colton Dixon was shockingly sent packing. I don’t mind this at all. Yeah, he was probably stronger than PP and Hollie. But at the same time, it’s nice that the girls are coming on top this season after 4 years of guys winning (I still think PP will win but whatever). And, honestly, at this point, all I really care about is Jessica, Elise and Skylar. I meant what I said last night. Colton, Phillip, Hollie or Joshua should all be eliminated in the next few weeks. So Colton left a week or two earlier than he should have…but it was all for the best in the big picture.

I really liked Colton. He was very solid contestant he gave us some amazing, memorable performances (most notably “Piano Man” which should be in my top 20 by the end of the season hopefully). He’ll be fine. That’s all I can say. He was good and he’ll be fine…and I was definitely affected by his elimination. He took it well and his final song was good as always.

I guess there’s only room for one white guy in this competition.

RANKING:

1. Jessica Sanchez…I suppose I agree with the judges that she should break out of her comfort zone more. Maybe she can sing a rock song and put some soul into it…

2. Elise Testone…She officially passes Skylar. She’s such an underdog. She just needs to keep fighting.

3. Skylar Laine…Stay with me!

4. Joshua Ledet…he sang TWO ballads last night. I can’t blame him. When he sings uptempo, he somehow makes the bottom “something”. But still…

5. Hollie Cavanagh…Improved this week, but she should probably be eliminated soon.

6. Phillip Phillips…Improved this week, but he should probably be eliminated soon.

What’s your ranking? Thanks for reading and I’m sorry if I offended anyone. I just had to let it all out.

2012
04/19
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American Idol Results Recap (Top 7 to 6, maybe) + RANKING


Once again, this episode is just a big anticipation to whether the judges will use their save or not so that’s why the title of this post is titled that way. As I mentioned yesterday, the judges will probably use their save on anyone (mumble mumble except Hollie mumble)

Things start out with a completely adorable group number to “Raise Your Glass”. I have to admit, I’ve missed these. I also really like how they don’t lip sync these anymore. But, anyway, this number was cheesy, campy and AMAZING! After the commercial break, Ryan tries to fill the time by revealing some of the celebrity tweets about last night’s performances. Kellie Pickler, Jazmine Sullivan and Skylar Grey all praised Skylar (the other one), Jessica and Colton respectively. Of course Adam Levine wouldn’t acknowledge Phillip for obvious reasons. The contestants received various gifts and prom invitations that was, again, filling time. I guess you have to with one full hour and only seven contestants.

Hollie and Jessica are both called up. One got praise from Jimmy and one didn’t (can you guess which one?) Hollie is asked to start a group on the right side of the stage and Jessica on the other side. I swear to God if Jessica is in the bottom I’ll…

After the commercial break, James Durbin performs “Higher than Heaven” (of course that would be the name of one of his songs). The contestants don’t seem too impressed with his performance. Y’know, I’ve missed this hard rocker so I enjoyed this performance. He’s a very exciting performer. And besides that screechy screaming towards the end, I overall dug his singing. Isn’t it possible to like both James Durbin and Adam Lambert? Why can’t those two get along?

After the commercial, Phillip and Elise are called up. Jimmy didn’t have very kind words for either of them. He thinks Phillip will be in the bottom. I really really doubt that but it would definitely be deserved at this point. Phillip joins Hollie. Elise joins Jessica. Interesting.

After the commercial break, Jennifer Hudson comes on and performs “Think Like a Man” with Ne-Yo. Now that Jhud is skinnier she can dance more. It was solid, clean, funky-fried performance with TONS of sass. And, again, Jennifer Hudson looks great (she’s always looked great…but she looks better now).

Colton and Joshua come up next. Jimmy praises both performances in the video package. Joshua is asked to stand next to Jessica and Elise. Colton joins Hollie and Phillip. So…” mostly non-whites” vs. “whites”. Then Skylar is called up.

Skylar is safe. YAY! But, now she has to do that thing where she picks the group she belongs with. Will she sit famously sit on the floor like Melinda Doolittle did? Or will she actually choose a group like that one guy from season 3 did (you know the week where the three black females were in the bottom?) Anyway, Skylar refuses, so Ryan puts her in the Hollie-Phillip-and Colton group and all four are safe.

Wow. So that means Jessica, Joshua and Elise (the three who arguably gave the strongest performances of the night) are placed in the bottom. What bunk! The judges are shocked. Let’s just move on with this…

After the commercial break, Joshua is deemed safe. Then Elise is deemed safe.

Which means Jessica is in the bottom among heavy boos from the audience. UGH! It’s Pia Toscano ALL OVER AGAIN! My heart is literally too heavy. So Jessica is performing her song when suddenly the judges run on the stage, pull the mike from Jessica and say they are using the “save” a la Casey Abrams style. Then everything is pretty much a blur for me afterwards.

Goddamit! Fuck you, America! Fuck you! I cannot believe this shit! I sooo did not want Jessica to be in this position. I thought she was safe until at least the top 5. I guess she isn’t as popular as I thought she was.

The second it was revealed that Jessica was in the bottom, we all knew the judges would use the save. So I wasn’t really worried at that moment. But that’s not really the point. I don’t understand how Jessica got the least votes. I don’t understand how Elise and Joshua were in the bottom with her. After three weeks of solid results, America really has disappointed me. I don’t even know if I want to keep watching this show. I’m just…this is ridiculous.

I’m trying to deconstruct what went wrong here. Maybe it was the fact Jessica performed towards the middle of the show. I think we’ve come to learn that performing first isn’t a bad thing. I think being dead center is the worst because people tend to pay less attention during that period (esp. when it’s a two hour show). Maybe it was the fact that Jessica performed a somewhat obscure song. Maybe the judges’ lukewarm response from last night really got to the voting public. Maybe fans were starting to get lazy with their voting because they were confident. Or maybe, again, Jessica was never that popular to begin with. This is crazy. Jessica is the strongest, most consistent contestant. Well…I hope the haters are happy now. Good for you.

So no one was eliminated. We’re back to 7 for next week.

Ugh…let’s rank this. I think you all know what my number one will be…

1. Jessica…I think she’s literally been in the top of my ranking since the beginning. I suppose she really needs to do something memorable if she wants to stay another week. However, it’s pretty much been confirmed that Jessica will not overcome the WGWGs and she won’t win. Awesome. Another year. Another disappointing winner.

2. Skylar…I still love my country girl.

3. Elise…Should not have been in the bottom. But at least it’s good knowing she has a passionate fanbase that keeps her going.

4. Joshua…Again, should not have been in the bottom.

5. Colton…He did a great job last night, but whatever.

6. Hollie…People say that Jessica doesn’t take enough risks / is very inexperienced. If you actually think that Hollie is doing everything right then you’re nuts. End of story.

7. Phillip Phillips…American Idol winner, Phillip Phillips. Hmmm…I wonder why this show is getting lower ratings and no one takes it seriously anymore? Because teenage girls and middle aged house wives are voting with their vaginas and not their brain.

Wooh. OK. I can’t wait to see how the internet responded to this. Thanks for reading.

2012
04/13
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Season 11 American Idol Results Recap (Top 8 to 7, maybe) + RANKING


So there’s been a lot of speculation whether the judges will use their save tonight. Besides Hollie and Deandre, I think all the contestants have the potential of being saved at this point. But…we never know. That’s why I titled my post like that…’cause at this point, ya never know.

Anyway, Jlo premieres her newest music video and 1.) she’s pulling her inner Lady Gaga 2.) her voice is slightly weaker than the worst American Idol contestant and 3.) I could see myself actually enjoying the song after a few more listens against my will.

Remember when the Ford music videos used to be fun and fresh and exciting and original and not filler at all?

OK…it’s been like 10 minutes and they’ve mentioned Joshua’s sickness on average twice a minute. I don’t know why I’m so annoyed by this…but I am. Anyway, both Joshua and Jessica are called up to the middle of the stage. Jimmy Iovine praises Joshua. However, he tells Jessica that she needs to pick “bigger songs”. So…it looks like Jessica will be singing big ballads until she’s eliminated. Anyway, they’re both obviously safe. It’s a little interesting because Jessica was asked how she think she performed and she just thought she did OK/decent and that she had a hard time picking songs because they don’t “match her voice”. And then when Ryan was announcing whether she made it, he said “Jessica, you are the first…” and Jessica sort of nodded as if she really believed she was in the bottom 3 and then Ryan faked her out and told her she was safe. What I’m trying to say is that…Jessica isn’t as “diva-ish” and confident as her haters people think she is. Anyway, that was long…moving on…

Next up a British pop group called The Wanted performs “Glad You Came”. They were OK…but One Direction they are not.

After the commercial break, we’re back to the results. Skylar and Colton are called up to the center of the stage. Interesting. Jimmy Iovine praises both their performances. And then he called Deandre and Hollie up. It doesn’t take an idiot to understand what’s going on here. Jimmy Iovine slams both their performances and says they aren’t growing or something. Presently(well, actually after 10 minutes of nonsense filler) both Hollie and Deandre are sent to the bottom while the other two are safe. Hm…I wonder who will be the third contestant?

Kellie Pickler performs “Where is Tammy Wynette” (sp.) It was a good performance and song.

Elise and Phillip are called up. Jimmy Iovine, again, slams both their performances, esp. Phillip. He says that Phillip is being overpraised at this point and isn’t given the chance to really grow. I have to agree with that statement. All his performances are beginning to look and sound the same. Elise is in the bottom three. No surprises here. I hope Elise is saved. I don’t really care much about the other two at this point…

Oh…look…Hollie is safe. Now I’m a little worried. However, if Elise is in the very bottom…I hope the judges will save her (even though I was hoping they would save that “save” for Jessica and/or Skylar).

After the commercial break, Ryan asks the judges if the bottom 2 is right. The judges say America got it half right. Anyway, Deandre got the lowest votes so he’ll have to sing for his life. He sings “Master Blaster,” which was arguably one of his more well received performances.

But…it’s not enough and the judges choose NOT to save him which means that DEANDRE BRACKENSICK has been eliminated. The judges (and America) definitely made the right call. I still think Deandre performed beautifully last night…but I think, overall, he didn’t have the personality, voice and stage presence that the other 7 singers had. So this elimination was perfect. However, I really personally love his voice. I loved him during Hollywood week during season 10…and I’m really glad he made it as far as he did. I don’t think he’ll become a big superstar, but I think he’ll get signed to a modest record studio and have a small, yet passionate niche audience. And that’s really great in a lot of ways.

OK…let’s rank the remaining 7.

1. Jessica Sanchez…the judges and jimmy need to stop criticizing her when she decides to go upbeat. i rather have a mixture of good ballads and decent upbeats, than just all good ballads. let her be more exciting!

2. Skylar Laine…so glad she got the praise and attention she deserves.

3. Elise Testone…had a really wonky performance this week…but she’s done enough to keep her 3rd place position.

4. Joshua Ledet…sing uptempo.

5. Colton Dixon…not much to say here. he’s good. he’s consistent. like his hair.

6. Phillip Phillips…like joshua, he needs to take more risks and move out of his comfort zone more. honestly, at this point, one of these white guys need to go.

7. Hollie Cavanagh…even if she does sing a ballad next week and do amazing…she should still probably be the next one to go.

OK! What an amazing season this is turning out to be. I’m becoming more and more confident that a girl will win this year. Do y’all think so?! Thanks for reading!

2012
04/06
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Season 11 American Idol Results Recap (Top 9 to 8…)


So, I’m about to watch the results show. A lot of people are saying that because last night was unusually strong, no matter who is eliminated, the judges will use their save. Well…if either Jessica, Joshua, Skylar, or Elise end up getting the bottom vote…then, yes, the judges should use their save. If Heejun or Deandre are in the bottom, the judges should most definitely not use their save however. Well…let’s see how this night pans out.

So we start things off with Ryan revealing the twitter response some of the contestants got for their performances. Jonny Lang, Carrie Underwood, Lifehouse, and Mariah Carey loved Phillip, Hollie, Colton, and Joshua respectively. And then, in one of the cutest moments of the entire season, Eric Benet up and gets on the stage to surprise Deandre. I thought it was a very nice moment and Deandre (and, weirdly Elise) seemed really excited.

After the commercial, we watch a video of the contestants moving into the mansion. Wowza. I’m actually impressed. Has the mansion always looked that massive and swanky? I approve. And then we move onto the results. Elise, Phillip and Hollie are called to the center of the stage. Interesting. Hollie is sent the bottom three, which is neither a surprise or a disappointment. However, Phillip and Elise are safe.

Nicki Minaj comes on to perform “Star Ship”. Even though she’s clearly lip synching like half of the song, it’s still a fun performance with a nice set of back up dancers. After the performance, she asks Ryan if she could be a guest judge in the future. Although the “four judge” system on AI has been wonky in the past, I wouldn’t mind. But clearly the judges seem less enthused by the idea. Jlo doing her signature laugh to quell the awkward moment. I guess we’ll see…

Back to the results…Colton, Joshua and Heejun are called up to the center of the stage. In the video package, Jimmy criticizes Colton and Joshua for breaking down during their performance. And then he goes on to say the truth…which is…Heejun is not as strong a singer as the other eight contestants. And then Heejun is sent to the bottom 3. Nice.

Then Scotty McCreery performs his new single “Water Tower Town”, which is semi-generic, but it’s still great song and he did a great job performing it. And then Jimmy Iovine presents Scotty with his Platinum Record, something Lee DeWyze or Kris Allen never achieved so Idol must be really happy they have another successful singer again after a two year drought.

After the commercial break, Skylar, Deandre and Jessica are called up to the center of the stage. Jessica is deemed safe, obvi. However, Skylar (who in my opinion gave the best performance last night) is put in the bottom 3. SO that means Heejun, Hollie and Skylar are in trouble. I am very very very worried right now.

But then after the commercial break, Skylar is deemed safe. YES!!! I suggest she sing a ballad next week. C’mon, America. Do the right thing. Vote Heejun off!

Oh look! They did! But now Heejun has to sing for his life. He sings “A Song for You” again. He performs and you can totally tell none of the other contestants want him to be saved. And he isn’t! HEEJUN HAN HAS BEEN ELIMINATED!!!! WOMEN PREVAIL!!!!!! Heejun is smiley and not shocked as he should be.

Finally! An elimination that makes sense! I’m not going to pretend like I’m sad and try to squeeze out some encouraging words. Frankly, this should have happened last week after his joke Billy Joel performance. I never liked the tone of his voice. Most of his performances were boring and meandering. Whatever. He made the top 10. He has an ally named Phillip Phillips, who’s frankly going to go on to be famous whether he wins or not. He’s going on tour. I don’t have much more to say. For once, America got it right. (Although, Skylar being in the bottom 3 was bullsugar.)

Let’s rank the remaining 8:

1. Jessica Sanchez…I hope she goes back to singing uptempo. Her fan base is solid. She can take a small risk next week.

2. Skylar Laine…WTF America! I hope she takes Jimmy’s advice and sings something more melodic and “ballad-y” next week.

3. Elise Testone…so killed it!

4. Joshua Ledet…Like Jessica, I hope he goes back to singing uptempo. If he keeps singing soulful ballads, they all begin to mush together. I call it “Pia Toscano syndrome”.

5. Colton Dixon…he had a rough week this week. And he frankly should have been in the bottom three this time. However, he has still done overall amazing and I’m not ready to put him below the other white guy just yet.

6. Phillip Phillips…sah-ex-ee!

7. Hollie Cavanagh…Once again…no more ballads! Her voice honestly isn’t as big as everyone is saying. She did a decent job singing Madonna so I know she’s capable to spicing things up a bit. I hope her trip to the bottom 2 teaches her a lesson.

8. Deandre…he improved this week IMO…but he should probably be the next to go.

Thanks for reading. Great elimination, everyone! By Haley Reinhart’s new single “Free” on iTunes or Amazon. Have a great night!

2012
03/29
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