As you may have noticed, I haven't written an American Idol Season Eight post at all, which is odd since I covered the series extensively last year.
The truth is, the last two weeks of semi-finalists were so uninspiring (generally speaking; there were a few exceptions, with "few" being the operative word), I didn't care to try. This week, however, revived my interest in the aging reality show.
There were many more moments of interest and excitement than there has been at all this year. I can safely say that almost everyone chose a song that worked for them, making for a very good show. It's a shame that many of these kids will fall to the axe on tonight's show. Here's my rundown of the best, the worst, and the forgettable:
Lil Rounds (Be Without You) - It was clear from her audition that the mother of three would be a favorite on the program. So, it was no surprise that the budding diva rocked the end of the show with a sassy rendition of May J. Blige's smash hit "Be Without You". Easily the best female vocalist of the seson, she performed with an energy that we haven't seen on this show since....well, definitely not this season
Ju'Not Joyner (Hey There Delilah) - I honestly thought this would be a disaster for Ju'Not, who fought against a painful elimination last year to stand on this stage. Yet, he turned the angsty, pop/rock hit into a mellow soul ballad, which is clearly his niche. His phrasing was excellent, and you could tell he was into the song. Although I'm fearful that he might be pushed aside come tonight, I doubt this is the last we will see of the smooth crooner.
Jose Nunez (Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me) - Another choice that I thought was pretty bad, at first. I forgot that Nunez, who was rudely told by the judges to erase his accent, had a powerhouse voice, and that he could carry the Elton John classic. Of course it wasn't perfect, but it definitely set him amongst the leading male singers of this year.
Scott MacIntyre (Mandalin Rain) - I'm not going to sugarcoat it, there were times when he let his voice go completely out of control. Still, he showed more passion that the entire first week combined (sorry Danny Gokey). It was great to watch, and I hope makes it to the next round.
Kristin MacNamara (Give Me One Reason) - I remembered her as the crying, dramatic girl from the Hollywood round, who was diagnosed with an identity crisis by Dr. Kara DioGuardi before being admitted to the top 36. Now, I will remember her as the girl with the shockingly great voice. Once again, DioGuardi's comments confused me: why should this brilliant singer limit herself to Kelly Clarkson material (a.k.a, the stuff she writes)? If she can sing Tracy Chapman with that amount of fire, let her.
Von Smith (You're All I Need To Get By) - This guy helped set the tone for tonight, in my opinion. Although he admittedly has style issues (not as bad early Clay Aiken, like Simon alluded to last night), he sounded great, and I thought he brought a fresh spin to the Motown classic. The vocals kind of reminded me of last week's Adam Lambert, except less shrieky and severe
Alex Wagner-Truman (I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues) - If I had my eyes shut listening to this guy sing, I would've thought he was a lion devouring a gazelle. Opening the eyes, you see it's only the lanky, nerdy guy who showed off a great voice previously, trying to be something he's clearly not. When he was growling like a mad man, there were some good moments. Still, it was definitely entertaining to watch.
Kendall Beard (This One's For The Girls) - Good news for her; she's no Kristy Lee Cook. Bad news for her; her rendition of Martina McBride's song came off as sickeningly sweet with no kind of edge or interest. She looked the best of the night, though, and considering country music's growing presence (thanks Taylor Swift), it shouldn't be hard for the teen to get some attention. Hell, if Jessica Simpson could do it, so can she.
Felicia Barton (No One) - Felicia Barton is one lucky lady. Thanks to Joanna Pacitti's swift boot, she was given a second chance at glory. Too bad she didn't utilize it too much. Her performance was so forgettable, I accidentally mistook her for Taylor Vaifanua...
Taylor Vaifanua (If I Ain't Got You) - That's what you get for singing a song by the same artist as another forgettable contestant. Her performance was a complete snoozefest, so much so that there isn't much to write.
Arianna Asfar (The Winner Takes It All) - Poor Arianna. Actually, scratch that. The teen had to have known what was coming by choosing the 30-year old ABBA track (by the way, she pronounced the group's name wrong). There wasn't a vocal run in the world to save that rendition, or her Idol career.
Brandon's Picks for the Top 12: Scott MacIntyre, Lil Rounds, Ju'Not Joyner
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