american idol

American Idol Top 3

May 16, 2012 by Amy 3 Comments

Round 1

Joshua – I see how they struggled whether to give him something modern. Because I really, really struggle with trying to see how he fits in today’s music. I’ve said this before but I really need him to show me HOW he’s going to make a song modern. I need one of those Kris Allen or Phillip Phillips moments where I see how it’s done. Perhaps he’s going to rely on the musicians, producers and songwriters around him once he gets his deal but I sure would like someone that has that vision on his own. But, all that said he sure can SANG.

Jessica – Gosh, I think I was supposed to like that. I almost felt like she was a mini JLo while she was singing. The beginning was nice for me but I think by the end she got sloppy and I didn’t care for all those runs she was doing. Plus, I couldn’t even understand what she was saying half the time.

Phillip – Phillip is awesome. Love that Steven said he could be the new Bruce Springsteen. So spot on. Really felt like Randy that he totally owned that and it was like a Phillip Phillips concert. I hope he wins!!

Round 2

Joshua – Now that is a little more in the direction of what I can see him doing. He just has such a passion behind his voice that is so rare. Can’t believe there was no standing ovation for that.

Jessica – Sorry, but I think Lauren Alaina spoiled me forever with her version last year. What is with me and Jessica? I just can’t find it in me to be super supportive. She has such a wonderful voice. I think I just need her to be a few years older to have some life behind her so I can believe what she sings.

Phillip – That wasn’t my favorite ever but it’s another one of those songs I could put on repeat all day and be ok. What is the judges’ problem?

Round 3

Joshua – AHHHHHH, that was just amazing and exactly what I wanted to see from him. Bring him into this decade and he blows every single person out of the water. He knows how to perform and he knows how to sing and oh my word. That was my favorite Joshua performance this season.

Jessica – OK so that was a great song for her. She sounded beautiful. But I was totally and completely unengaged. It was almost like really nice elevator music that you just tune in a few times. You don’t take issue with it but you don’t jump up and down. It’s just…nice.

Phillip – AHHHHH That was a genius move by Jimmy. I was afraid Phillip might not pull it off but he totally did. SO GOOD.

Favorites: Round 1 goes to Phillip. Round 2 was a wash for me but I guess I’d pick Phillip. Round 3 I don’t think I can pick between Joshua and Phillip. I think I have to go with Joshua.

In trouble: Yikes, this is it!! Ok, hands down I want Phillip and Joshua so I’m voting Jessica out.

American Idol Top 5

May 2, 2012 by Amy Leave a Comment

Round 1

Hollie – I really, really liked that. Strong voice and a commanding performance. Perfect? No. But great for Hollie. I’ll half whisper this: she reminded me of Celine Dion. I know, right? That’s huge. Definitely what Hollie needs to stay around.

Is it just me or did Phillip look really sick in rehearsals? Stay well, P2!

Phillip – Did I love that vocal? No. But I do appreciate the effort and like Jennifer said, he makes me pay attention.

Skylar – I loved her energy level and she sounded great but gosh that song was repetitive.

Joshua and Phillip – Phillip is just not good in groups. He’s fabulous on his own. So charming. And Joshua was trying to knock it out of the park. Just can’t love that as a duet.

Jessica – First off she looks amazing. Maybe too much for a 16 year old. And wow, she sounded amazing too. Performance was there. That was great.

Joshua – Sometimes I just don’t like the songs he picks but really he is an amazing singer. I’m just trying to figure out where he belongs in today’s music. I’m not sure I agree with Randy that he could make a record like that right now.

Round 2

Hollie – Love her dress so much. The song not as much. It’s pretty enough but for me the emotional aspect wasn’t there and her timing was weird in the beginning. Didn’t agree with the judges as much. It wasn’t bad, just didn’t blow me away.

Phillip – I loved the song until the chorus. It looked like he was really having to dig deep for those notes and it didn’t always work. Made me feel a little uncomfortable watching and when I closed my eyes to listen it didn’t sound up to par 🙁

Skylar – Woo Hoo! Shout out to Rizzo on Grease! I loved that. Skylar has totally come around this season. She’s harnessed all that energy for good.

Steven is so pointless as a judge. What a waste of money. I can’t understand half of what he says.

Jessica – Seriously? I mean seriously? I heard this song spoiler before the show and just assumed that a guy would sing it. I mean, why would a girl sing this song?? I was so excited to hear Phillip or Joshua sing this and then Jessica picks this? Who was she singing that to? For someone that is really needing to connect with a song emotionally, I think that was a complete fail. Sure she sounded great but it was just so unemotional for me and completely ruined the meaning and power behind that song. Go back and listen to Danny Gokey to see how it’s done.

Joshua – Joshua Ledet can SANG. I loved that. Loved how he held back and then it let it wail.

Favorites: This is hard because everyone had one strong song. Favorite first round Jessica and second round Joshua.

In trouble: Weakest tonight was Phillip 🙁 but if anyone goes I’m picking Jessica just for the YASB performance.

American Idol Top 7

April 18, 2012 by Amy 4 Comments

Hollie – Nailed it. Very, very nice. First time I’ve seen Hollie be relevant and sound great the whole time.

Colton – Colton’s fan girls just fainted. I liked it. Pure rock is not where I see him but he did they well enough.

Elise – Wow, she was definitely ON in that song. I’m close to saying I love that better than the original.

Phillip – omg omg omg Favorite performance this season. That was amazing. I was giggling like a fan girl and then had this nasty look on my face at the end. That was sick. J Lo got it right. “That was sexy, baby.” Holy cow.

Jessica – Beautiful. But copycat. How do you follow such an original like Phillip?

Skylar – Too much angry redneck for me. Not my favorite.

Joshua – I wasn’t loving the front end of that but wow, by the end the Joshua I love showed up.

Hollie – That fell a little flat to me. As big as her voice is I can’t believe she couldn’t put more umph into it. That last note was great though.

Colton – I think that might have been one of my favorites of his. I can see myself listening to it. Maybe not powerful like the judges wanted but it was good.

Elise – Randy hit it. She over sang that.

Phillip – Phillip is singing like he’s already won. In a good way. Love this confidence he’s found. And J Lo is cracking me up.

Jessica – I didn’t particularly enjoy that.

Skylar – I just, I don’t know. I think Skylar might be more than I can handle. That felt like the old manic Skylar to me.

Joshua – That song was perfect for him.

Favorite – Phillip

In trouble – Hollie and Elise

American Idol Top 8

April 4, 2012 by Amy 1 Comment

Deandre – There was a lot of that that I really liked actually. Also a lot I didn’t like though.

Elise – Ok I just can’t handle that song messed with. The chorus felt shouty and I just didn’t like what she did in the verses.

Phillip – Good gracious, I love this guy. I just loved that and really want him to just go make an album already.

Colton and Skylar- that was a brilliant choice for both of them. Loved it.

Hollie and Deandre – Why can’t Hollie sing like this on her solos? Deandre was eh.

Joshua – I usually love Joshua but for some of that I felt like he was pushing too hard.

Jessica – Not her best but a decent copycat of Whitney. That said, her voice is just so pretty.

Phillip and Elise – Yikes, that was just a little rough. They just have different styles that didn’t mesh well.

Hollie – First, that dress was so much fun. Pitch problems galore though.

Joshua and Jessica – Loved that. Felt like those two were definitely finale worthy. Wow, J Lo said the same thing!

Colton – This is one of my favorite songs from him. My only complaint with him continues to be enunciation.

Skylar – Wow, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard that sung with so much conviction. Great moment for her.

Favorites: Phillip and Skylar

In trouble: Elise and Deandre

American Idol Top 9

March 28, 2012 by Amy Leave a Comment

Colton – I really wanted to like that as it was his favorite worship song but I found it sleepy in the beginning and a bit sloppy. I couldn’t understand a word. I did see that he believed it I just couldn’t enjoy it. Gosh, I hate that. The judges don’t agree. Am I missing it??

Skylar – Besides being on the manic side a little, I enjoyed this. Felt like it was right up her alley and she sounded like a pro.

Colton, Elise, Phillip – Loved Colton with the first song. Not sure they nailed the group. The second with Elise was better. The third with Phillip was my favorite for the group.

Heejun – Ok that’s the Heejun we all fell in love with. Beautiful. I want to play that on repeat. Yes!!!

Hollie – That was no Carrie but it wasn’t horrible. “I’m not going to mess with Jesus or Carrie.” lol Smart, Steven.

Deandre – Wow, that really should have gone well but it only hurt my ears. Clearly the judges disagree again.

Jessica – I don’t know if that was my favorite song ever but gorgeous vocals. She’s amazing.

Deandre, Joshua and Heejun – Heejun was amazing on that first part. The rest was eh.

Phillip – I have no idea what that song was but I’m still on the Phillip train.

Joshua – Wow, Joshua. That is some sanging. So amazing.

Hollie, Skylar, Jessica – Yikes. Madonna on those girls is pretty sketchy.

Elise – Well, clearly, rock is where Elise is supposed to be.

Favorites – How do you pick?? I think for me, tonight goes to Phillip, Joshua and Heejun

In trouble – Deandre

American Idol Top 10

March 21, 2012 by Amy 4 Comments

Deandre: I did not enjoy this in the least. I felt like I was laying poolside and the band was playing down at the end of the pool instead of my bed. So much cheese and I just don’t think it showed his voice at all.

Erika: Holy wow. Her hair is different. I think this is a great song choice for her. Really showed off her range. I think she pulled off the right attitude.

Joshua: I just love his voice and conviction so much. Perfect song choice for him. And how do people not know that song? Wow.

Skylar: While I feel like she picked the right song I’m not quite sure I liked the arrangement. I think she needed to stick a little closer to Garth Brooks’ version than she did. I’m surprised she said that’s who she was copying after.

Elise: I think it was an awesome song on her. I feel like that was just her style. Just not sure it will connect with voters since it’s so unknown.

Phillip: I love Phillip. I say it every week but I seriously cannot quit smiling when he’s on stage. I love that he’s so consistent. I was worried before the season he might not be but he’s really proving he’s got it for the long haul.

Hollie: I felt like she was pushing it too hard and the bad notes were distracting. Just not her best.

Heejun: Well, I feel like we’re on borrowed time with Heejun. That was super fun but maybe not a winning performance.

Jessica: She really did sing that beautifully. Not my favorite song ever but she really proved once again how big that voice is.

Colton: Loved this. Just perfect for him.

Favorites: Colton, Phillip, Elise, Jessica

In trouble: Heejun, Deandre

American Idol Top 13

March 7, 2012 by Amy 2 Comments

Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder. I just wonder if they’re setting these contestants up to fail. The one person they always say not to sing and then they make every single girl sing it. Hmph. Tonight was pretty rough for me in the first half but the second delivered a few gems. I also have to admit it was very sad for me to hear the phrase, “I didn’t grow up listening to Whitney.” Sad, folks! OK, so let’s get to it.

Joshua – I love Joshua and he sang it alright but I just felt like the song choice was poor. It came across like a cheesy show opener.

Elise – This definitely wasn’t her gig but I still appreciated the full rich parts of her voice.

Jermaine – This was by far my favorite performance from Jermaine so far in the competition. But I’m not sure how much that’s saying since he has yet to wow me.

Erika – I just don’t see what the judges see. I think she sings everything right and all but I just don’t enjoy her staying in that low register for so much of the song.

Colton – That was rough for me. I can’t stand how he slurs his words. I barely understood half of what he said. The end got a lot better though and I love when he belts those notes.

Shannon – Yikes! Where was our beauty pageant moment? This should have been a slam dunk for her and that key change was just horrendous. I feel bad because I think she probably CAN do the song.

Deandre –I didn’t care for this much at all. It’s interesting Stephen mentioned Nyema because I wasn’t much of a fan of hers either.

Skylar – I was nearly clapping when Mary said to dial it down. Exactly what a mentor needed to tell her and it sure did pay off. I really, really enjoyed that. She can slay a note but it’s nice to see her build to that instead of feeling like you get a beat-down the entire song.

Heejun – Have I mentioned this post how much I love Heejun. “I love you more than Jimmy.” He’s a RIOT. This probably wasn’t my favorite song of his. It was pretty enough it just didn’t blow me away.

Hollie – Hollie totally stole the show at this point. That was right up her alley and I found myself singing along and actually feeling like I was listening to a Whitney song.

Jeremy – Jeremy hasn’t wowed me to date but I felt like that was beautiful. His tone really shined through for me tonight.

Jessica – Ya’ll I just cried through her entire song. That was so perfect and so Whitney. A little of me mourned Whitney’s death for the first time and at the same time celebrated that Jessica just pulled that off. Wow. I honestly don’t know that I’ve ever cried watching this show. Simply breathtaking.

Phillip – Phillip just makes me smile. I love to watch him sing and play and he’s just got this cool vibe and looks so cute doing it. I really don’t even know if the judges know how to judge him just because he’s so unique.

Favorites: Jessica, Hollie, Skylar, Phillip

In trouble: Deandre

American Idol Top 13 Guys

February 28, 2012 by Amy 1 Comment

I went for coffee with Dani and totally forgot Idol was on tonight. Definitely not back in the habit of watching something live every week yet. But, don’t get me wrong, the time with Dani was way better and I’m glad I went. In any case, here are some quick thoughts!

Reed – Reed is too full of himself. His gyrations are weird and so are his facial expressions. His voice is beautiful and his take on the song was unique. I don’t know, I just can’t handle his performance.

Adam – I felt like this was a bad song choice and came across cheesy. Which is a shame because I love his story and want him to do well.

Deandre – *sigh* I love his falsetto but it did not come across well on stage. I couldn’t understand half of what he was singing.

Colton – Colton is a smart man. Singing a song from Twilight? He knows his audience. And really? Did we know Colton could perform like that? What a pro! I’m impressed. He’s no Paramore but Colton is definitely on the right track to be the American Idol.

Jeremy – Totally bored. Sorry, Jeremy, you seem really sweet.

Aaron – Felt like he was off pitch. Just not a good sound.

Chase – Felt like that was a bad song or he just didn’t have the umph to sing it.

Creighton – I’ll be honest, Creighton scares me a little. But tonight I felt like his performance was reserved yet unique and beautiful.

Phil – Phil!!! Yay! He totally pulled it off. Great song choice. He sounded awesome. Did you see Jennifer giggling after his performance? That was basically my reaction. LOVED IT.

Eben – That song is way too big for Eben. Felt a little like I was at a high school talent show. I mean, technically Eben I think is good, it’s just not enough power…or years behind him.

Heejun - Aw, I loved his clips with his family and friends. So funny! But sadly, this song was not good for him. His performance was underwhelming too. Sad face.

Joshua – Chills! I got chills from that performance! He is awesome!!

Jermaine – Sadly I think they should not have given him a call back. I’m just not a fan of his voice.

Favorites tonight: Joshua, Phil, Colton

In trouble: Deandre, Jermaine, Reed

What’d you think??