PREVIOUSLY.
It was Kristy Lee's time to leave. She went out on a high note as far as I was concerned. She might have had a great outing with "I Don't Know How To Love Him" had she been around for this week. It's down to fanbases now, and there isn't much more to be said, really.
PERFORMANCES
Tonight was Andrew Lloyd Webber Night and that meant songs from his musicals, including Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, Phantom of the Opera and Starlight Express. It also meant individual workshops that really felt like workshops and not just mutual love-fests.
Ryan had the usual banter with the judges. Randy unoriginally burbled, "Toughest night of the season." Paula, asked if it's still anyone's game, managed coherence of a kind: "This week isn't going to make it any easier for those not in the forefront." Simon was called on the carpet for dissing Broadway. Before he answered his question, he backhand-complimented Ryan, "That's a very good question for once." Too bad I missed the actual question, but it was something to do with how the kids can impress him given his prior comments about Broadway. The answer was: "sound memorable, yet contemporary."
1. Syesha Mercado went first. "One Rock and Roll Too Many" from Starlight Express. She said something to the effect that this genre is her wheelhouse. She didn't use that term, but her performance was great! Wow! She wasn't lying, this is her comfort zone. She was very comfortable on stage, and I felt she was more in control of her voice than ever before. The role-playing element suited her for sure. She exuded confidence. I'm glad she made it this far so she could have a chance to show her true self. Randy felt it was her best to date, and she could be a huge Broadway star. Paula: "Very element." (That might just be my crappy note-taking.) Simon agreed with Randy, adding, "You showed masses of personality, definitely more comfortable in this area." Syesha also looked great, with form-fitting red dress, big earrings and hair done in the 40s style (I thought.) Grades: 6, 1, 3, 7, 4, 4, 1.
2. David Cook closed the show with "Music of the Night" from Phantom. Sir Andrew called the song his most sensual, most sexy and instructed that raw sophisticated passion is what's needed. "Can David C do it?" I thought he got off to a bit of shaky start but part-way through he seemed to relax and let the lower range of his voice blossom. Sheesh, now I sound like Paula. He finished strong and showed a different side to his performer personality. I definitely was drawn into the performance. Randy used much of the same language he'd used for Archuleta, but failed to confer "one to beat" status on David C. Paula was coherent again: "You proved you're well-rounded as a performer." Simon said he made the most of the song. "I prefer grittier, more raw, but you made the most of the song you were given." Song he was given? I thought they got to choose their songs. Grades: 3, 7, 1, 2, 7, 2, 2.
3. Carly Smithson originally chose something mellower from Cats but when she sang a bar or two, Sir Andrew stopped her and made her pick something bigger. As in "Jesus Christ Superstar," saying she needed to go for a song that suits her. "A girl with tattoos like hers needs to sing a big song." She starts off low, which I liked. I didn't care as much for her higher range. I'm not sure if I really cared for this all that much, but I gave it marks for performance quality. I don't see Carly making Final 2. My husband Dean said I had a look on my face like I was in pain. It's sad how much tonight sucked, with Carly here at the #3 spot. Randy said, "Maybe not your best but definitely good. He gives props for her dress." Uh oh.
Paula wondered if it would be too high, but then claimed to like what Carly did with the chorus. Which, when you think about it,
was basically to give a lot of work to the back-up singers. Maybe Carly is in more danger than I previously thought. Simon said it was one of the best of the
night, so Carly ran backstage to grab a t-shirt that says "SIMON LOVES ME (this week)" Grades: 4, 2, 7, 1, 6, 6, 3. I most enjoyed the cameo
shot of Carly's tattooed husband, I admit. I love tats!
4. Brooke White performed "You Must Love Me," a song Webber & Rice wrote for the Evita movie. During the workshop, Sir Andrew said at first she didn't get the song, but he explained the background of the story and then her performance improved. The actual performance featured another glitch, her second of the season. She forgot the lyrics and had to start over! It was very good once she got going. She really captured the wistfulness. I felt that the emotion informed the vocal and since we heard a bit of the background too, we knew it was the song of a dying woman. Her slightly tortured vocal fit the lyric and backstory of the song. Randy felt it wasn't great, but he did get the vulnerability. Paula lectures, "Never start and stop." Of course, Paula has to find something nice to say: "You didn't overact and I loved that." Simon thought the beginning was dramatic but thought she'll be disappointed when she watches it back. Brooke explained she had to start over because she lost (i.e., forgot) the lyric. I won't be surprised if she goes ... but I also won't be surprised if she stays. Grades: 6, 5, 4, 5, 5, 5, 4.
5. Jason Castro was second up. During his pre-chat with Ryan, he said he recognized the songs but had never seen any of the shows. This lack of familiarity really hurt him, I think. I felt the song he chose was weak and didn't help him at all. "Mem'ry" from Cats was a weak performance and my interest in him wavered a bit. Nevertheless, I couldn't put him at the bottom of the pile. Randy called it a "lil bit of a trainwreck vocally. Not your thing. Too much melody for you." Ouch! Paula said something about how it did or maybe did not sound like a pop ballad. Simon figured it was the longest two minutes, just long enough for him to come up with a new analogy: "It came over as if you were being forced by your parents to sing a song at a wedding." Grades: 7, 5, 5, 4, 2, 3, 5.
6. David Archuleta. Oh sick. What's this? A bunch of teen girls onstage to give David A. a hug?
. His song
"Think of Me" is from Phantom of the Opera. Sir Andrew was all, "I'm surprised to see a boy doing
this song." Oh I like the lyric of this one. "Think of me when we say goodbye..." Please, can we? Randy lathered on the praise for another
mediocre dull-as-dishwater performance from the Stepford Child. "You're what the show is about! This boy is the one to beat." 
Paula
thought it was perfect because he wasn't able to turn it into a pop ballad. Say wha? Simon said it was pleasant but it was one of his weakest. The crowd
booed, egged on by Randy, but Simon persevered: "Forgettable." I agree with Simon, of course. Grades: 9, 4, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6.
BOTTOM 3
After my pick of Kristy last week in the number one spot, followed by her elimination, I won't be surprised to see Syesha booted this week. She was very firmly put into her Broadway niche by the whole panel. She looked happy to be put there too, so it's quite possible she'll land in the Bottom 3 and be sent home. Of course, do I need to reiterate that what I would really love is to see Archleta leave, but we all know that that isn't going to happen for at least two weeks. Sigh. I just cannot stand him.
Okay, it isn't going to happen, but he does deserve to land in the Bottom 3 in my opinion, and Syesha does not. Then again, I'm not a pre-pubescent young girl with goo-goo eyes.
Who are most likely to occupy the Stools of Doom this week? After much thought, my picks are everyone but David Cook. Seriously, although I loved Syesha this week, she could be booted because her fan base for this show isn't big enough. Brooke is simply looking too fragile for the competition. Carly doesn't feel right anymore and Jason doesn't seem to care.
I think Brooke goes home this week.
Thanks for reading. See you next time.
* * *
Fans of Survivor - enjoy my weekly essay on the Half-Ass Season in the S16 forum, here.
Check out Sir Links A Lot American Idol for more articles and recaps for this show.
It was Kristy Lee's time to leave. She went out on a high note as far as I was concerned. She might have had a great outing with "I Don't Know How To Love Him" had she been around for this week. It's down to fanbases now, and there isn't much more to be said, really.
PERFORMANCES
Tonight was Andrew Lloyd Webber Night and that meant songs from his musicals, including Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, Phantom of the Opera and Starlight Express. It also meant individual workshops that really felt like workshops and not just mutual love-fests.
Ryan had the usual banter with the judges. Randy unoriginally burbled, "Toughest night of the season." Paula, asked if it's still anyone's game, managed coherence of a kind: "This week isn't going to make it any easier for those not in the forefront." Simon was called on the carpet for dissing Broadway. Before he answered his question, he backhand-complimented Ryan, "That's a very good question for once." Too bad I missed the actual question, but it was something to do with how the kids can impress him given his prior comments about Broadway. The answer was: "sound memorable, yet contemporary."
1. Syesha Mercado went first. "One Rock and Roll Too Many" from Starlight Express. She said something to the effect that this genre is her wheelhouse. She didn't use that term, but her performance was great! Wow! She wasn't lying, this is her comfort zone. She was very comfortable on stage, and I felt she was more in control of her voice than ever before. The role-playing element suited her for sure. She exuded confidence. I'm glad she made it this far so she could have a chance to show her true self. Randy felt it was her best to date, and she could be a huge Broadway star. Paula: "Very element." (That might just be my crappy note-taking.) Simon agreed with Randy, adding, "You showed masses of personality, definitely more comfortable in this area." Syesha also looked great, with form-fitting red dress, big earrings and hair done in the 40s style (I thought.) Grades: 6, 1, 3, 7, 4, 4, 1.
2. David Cook closed the show with "Music of the Night" from Phantom. Sir Andrew called the song his most sensual, most sexy and instructed that raw sophisticated passion is what's needed. "Can David C do it?" I thought he got off to a bit of shaky start but part-way through he seemed to relax and let the lower range of his voice blossom. Sheesh, now I sound like Paula. He finished strong and showed a different side to his performer personality. I definitely was drawn into the performance. Randy used much of the same language he'd used for Archuleta, but failed to confer "one to beat" status on David C. Paula was coherent again: "You proved you're well-rounded as a performer." Simon said he made the most of the song. "I prefer grittier, more raw, but you made the most of the song you were given." Song he was given? I thought they got to choose their songs. Grades: 3, 7, 1, 2, 7, 2, 2.
3. Carly Smithson originally chose something mellower from Cats but when she sang a bar or two, Sir Andrew stopped her and made her pick something bigger. As in "Jesus Christ Superstar," saying she needed to go for a song that suits her. "A girl with tattoos like hers needs to sing a big song." She starts off low, which I liked. I didn't care as much for her higher range. I'm not sure if I really cared for this all that much, but I gave it marks for performance quality. I don't see Carly making Final 2. My husband Dean said I had a look on my face like I was in pain. It's sad how much tonight sucked, with Carly here at the #3 spot. Randy said, "Maybe not your best but definitely good. He gives props for her dress." Uh oh.
Paula wondered if it would be too high, but then claimed to like what Carly did with the chorus. Which, when you think about it,
was basically to give a lot of work to the back-up singers. Maybe Carly is in more danger than I previously thought. Simon said it was one of the best of the
night, so Carly ran backstage to grab a t-shirt that says "SIMON LOVES ME (this week)" Grades: 4, 2, 7, 1, 6, 6, 3. I most enjoyed the cameo
shot of Carly's tattooed husband, I admit. I love tats!
4. Brooke White performed "You Must Love Me," a song Webber & Rice wrote for the Evita movie. During the workshop, Sir Andrew said at first she didn't get the song, but he explained the background of the story and then her performance improved. The actual performance featured another glitch, her second of the season. She forgot the lyrics and had to start over! It was very good once she got going. She really captured the wistfulness. I felt that the emotion informed the vocal and since we heard a bit of the background too, we knew it was the song of a dying woman. Her slightly tortured vocal fit the lyric and backstory of the song. Randy felt it wasn't great, but he did get the vulnerability. Paula lectures, "Never start and stop." Of course, Paula has to find something nice to say: "You didn't overact and I loved that." Simon thought the beginning was dramatic but thought she'll be disappointed when she watches it back. Brooke explained she had to start over because she lost (i.e., forgot) the lyric. I won't be surprised if she goes ... but I also won't be surprised if she stays. Grades: 6, 5, 4, 5, 5, 5, 4.
5. Jason Castro was second up. During his pre-chat with Ryan, he said he recognized the songs but had never seen any of the shows. This lack of familiarity really hurt him, I think. I felt the song he chose was weak and didn't help him at all. "Mem'ry" from Cats was a weak performance and my interest in him wavered a bit. Nevertheless, I couldn't put him at the bottom of the pile. Randy called it a "lil bit of a trainwreck vocally. Not your thing. Too much melody for you." Ouch! Paula said something about how it did or maybe did not sound like a pop ballad. Simon figured it was the longest two minutes, just long enough for him to come up with a new analogy: "It came over as if you were being forced by your parents to sing a song at a wedding." Grades: 7, 5, 5, 4, 2, 3, 5.
6. David Archuleta. Oh sick. What's this? A bunch of teen girls onstage to give David A. a hug?
. His song
"Think of Me" is from Phantom of the Opera. Sir Andrew was all, "I'm surprised to see a boy doing
this song." Oh I like the lyric of this one. "Think of me when we say goodbye..." Please, can we? Randy lathered on the praise for another
mediocre dull-as-dishwater performance from the Stepford Child. "You're what the show is about! This boy is the one to beat." Paula
thought it was perfect because he wasn't able to turn it into a pop ballad. Say wha? Simon said it was pleasant but it was one of his weakest. The crowd
booed, egged on by Randy, but Simon persevered: "Forgettable." I agree with Simon, of course. Grades: 9, 4, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6.
BOTTOM 3
After my pick of Kristy last week in the number one spot, followed by her elimination, I won't be surprised to see Syesha booted this week. She was very firmly put into her Broadway niche by the whole panel. She looked happy to be put there too, so it's quite possible she'll land in the Bottom 3 and be sent home. Of course, do I need to reiterate that what I would really love is to see Archleta leave, but we all know that that isn't going to happen for at least two weeks. Sigh. I just cannot stand him.
Okay, it isn't going to happen, but he does deserve to land in the Bottom 3 in my opinion, and Syesha does not. Then again, I'm not a pre-pubescent young girl with goo-goo eyes.
Who are most likely to occupy the Stools of Doom this week? After much thought, my picks are everyone but David Cook. Seriously, although I loved Syesha this week, she could be booted because her fan base for this show isn't big enough. Brooke is simply looking too fragile for the competition. Carly doesn't feel right anymore and Jason doesn't seem to care.
I think Brooke goes home this week.
Thanks for reading. See you next time.
* * *
Fans of Survivor - enjoy my weekly essay on the Half-Ass Season in the S16 forum, here.
Check out Sir Links A Lot American Idol for more articles and recaps for this show.
