AI8 - Top 8 (4/7/09)

Tonight's theme is songs from the year you were born - in essence, 80's tunes!! This makes me very happy, lol. In fact this is possibly my favorite show so far of the season!

Danny (1980) "Stand By Me" - Strange arrangement (not really like the one released that year by Mickey Gillie), just ok. Judges loved it though, of course.

Kris ('85) "All She Wants to Do is Dance" - I'm a huge Don Henley fan, but I don't think this was a good choice for Kris. That, combined w/the electric guitar & singing in the mosh pit w/the audience... Kara was glad he did something uptempo but disappointed in the delivery (too "jazz funk" and not "youthful" enough); Simon called it indulgent & boring/forgettable. He may be in trouble.

Lil (84) "What's Love Got to Do with It" - Hmm, pretty copycat, not much original. Judges agreed & said it wasn't "her". I'll be very surprised if she doesn't hit the B3.

Anoop (86 - he shares a bday w/David Cook!) "True Colors" - Love this! The song and his performance. Changed it up just enough, but not too much. Judges agreed, they all liked it. Kara said he controlled the song (as opposed to the song controlling him) and that he "interpreted a pop song with soul."

Scott (85) "The Search is Over" - Eeeee!!! Sorry, but I *love* this song!! Had to stop myself from singing along so I could listen to Scott, lol. No piano this week! He had an electric guitar, which didn't really go w/the song, at least since he was on stage all alone (it would've been better if he'd been with a band but it was weird solo). Didn't hit all the high notes but overall it was a good vocal, I think he's become more comfortable the past few weeks & his vocals have been stronger because of it. The judges picked on the missed notes and Simon said the song itself (not the performance) was horrible. Sorry, Simon, it's awesome! ;-)

Allison (92- the year I got married! Sigh, I feel old!) "I Can't Make You Love Me" - Ah, an Idol classic! No one will beat Contantine's version IMO, but Allison's was very, very good, especially for her age (you know, to get the right emotion for it). Paula said this was the perfect example of how you can use the original arrangement but still make it your own. Simon said he liked the song, but thinks she needs to show more personality.

Matt (85 - wow, these 3 guys were all born within about 5 wks of each other!) "Part-time Lover" - really? That was the best you could come up with?! Sigh. It was ok... the arrangement was very jazzy & he even did a little scatting at the end. But not a good song for showing vocal strength. Somehow the judges adored it, though we're short on time so we don't get much detail.

Adam (82) "Mad World"!!! *LOVE* this song. Adam rocked it!!!! Got the dramatic lighting treatment from the producers, though his performance started after 9 since the show ran long so people only using DVR's will have totally missed it. Since they were out of time Simon said he'd be the only one commenting, but he didn't feel words were necessary; and then gave him a standing ovation!! Simon *never* does that (like, 3 times during 7 years?) and I think Adam realized it was significant, he seemed very grateful. :-) Awesome!!!

My personal Bottom 3 would be Danny, Matt & Lil.
I predict the actual B3 will be Kris, Lil, and Scott, with Scott going home.

AI8 - Top 9 Results (4/1/09)

Over 36 million votes this week!

No performance recap - different! Ryan asks Simon who he thinks may go home; Simon says that Anoop, Matt, and Megan are in trouble. (He was close...)

Ford video: "Mixed Up" - fun! Split pane faces/bodies of contestants, with Matt and Kris getting solos.

Group song: "Don't Stop Believing"! This is one of my all-time favorite songs *plus* the contestants finally get solos!! I'm loving it!! Allison & Kris start it off strongly & get the longest solos. Adam gets the shortest & fittingly it's the last 'wail' at the end. Oh and Scott was at the side of the stage playing keyboard for most of the song, then joined the rest at the end. Yay!

Footage from a "typical Idol week," which apparently is mostly photo shoots, or at least that's what they have the most footage of. There's an adorable part where Kris talks about the different faces they have to make, and shows his "sexy face" but then says "it isn't working." Hee. We also see a bit of life at the house with the chef (Scott's favorite perk, I think). Adam says they're all "Fresh princes and princesses of Bel Air" (begging the question, which one would he call himself? ;-)). And apparently Matt does impersonations of other finalists. On the tape we see him doing Danny, then come back to the live show where we learn he's not the only one! The funniest was when Anoop did Kris, complete with crooked mouth for a glory note! Much fun.

Different approach to the results this week as well. Ryan splits the contestants into 3 groups across the stage: Megan/Matt/Kris, Adam/Lil/Allison, and Scott/Danny/Anoop. He doesn't specifically say that one group contains the bottom 3 but alludes to it.

Guest performance: David Cook! Except he's not really there tonight, this was pretaped (last week, I believe). His new single is "Come Back to Me," one of my 2 favorite songs on the album! More yay!! Sounds awesome, and so professional now! Contestants, take note. Afterward Ryan presents him with a Platinum album.

Ok, turns out one from each group on contestants will be safe (I wondered about that!). Kris & Matt are safe; Megan is in the Bottom 3 (and doesn't show any disappointment, she totally expected it). Lil and Adam are safe; Allison is B3. Lastly Danny and Scott are safe, and Anoop is B3.

Guest performance: Lady GaGa, "Poker Face." Did Ryan really say this is #1? Granted I don't listen to Top 40 all the time, but I've never heard it. Good old Midwest, behind the coasts by months once again. The crystal pink piano was rather interesting. At least we got to 'see' that she can actually sing for a bit at the beginning.

Results: Ryan asked Simon if any of the 3 would be worth saving, and he replies that "one" would. 1st safe is Allison. Least votes & in danger of going home is... Megan. As soon as the audience starts to make (disappointed) noises, she says "It's ok." She seems happy, even (maybe she really misses her kid & knows she has no chance of winning...). Earlier Ryan had asked her what she thought of Simon's negative comments last night, and she said that she loves Simon but didn't care. So when Ryan asks Simon - before Megan sings - if they would even consider saving her, Simon in turn replies, "Respectfully, you said you don't care; neither do we; no." So, at least she has no pressure while singing, she can just enjoy it. Which she did, even to the point of forgetting the lyrics/arrangement (she tried to sing the last line too early, there was one more repeat of the previous one). I'm so glad she's leaving!! She did tear up during her video at the first mention of her son, and I'm sure she'll be happy to be reunited (until the tour, anyway).

For many reasons (Lady GaGa excluded), this was one of my favorite results shows ever!! :-)

Next week's theme: Songs from the year you were born. See you then!

AI8 - Top 10 Results (3/26/09)

There were a record 36 Million votes last night.

Worst group song. ever. Not only is it lipsynched, it was pretaped in an empty studio with cuts back & forth to footage from the Detroit trip... we don't even see them walk from one spot on stage to the next! Sheesh. What's wrong with just having them SING? Most fans *love* the old-style live group songs, cheesy choreo and all. I understand having to work around Scott, but this was ridiculous.

Ford video: "Pocketful of Sunshine," with a landscape being 'built' in squares that they then drove off on/into. Meh.

1st guest performance: Ruben, doing his new single "Together." It sounds just like all of his other songs from the past 6 years. ;-)

Results: Adam is safe. Matt is Bottom 3 - surprise! Kris is safe. Last in the row are Lil & Michael... Lil is safe, Michael is B3.

2nd guest perf.: Smokey doing a duet w/Joss Stone! "You're the One for Me." I love her, and their voices work surprisingly well together.

More results: Allison - safe. Anoop - safe. Danny - safe. So it's down to Megan & Scott; could go either way. Megan is somehow safe and Scott is B3. But, Scott is soon sent back to the couches.

3rd guest perf.: Stevie Wonder doing a medley. The contestants are so fun to watch during these, singing & dancing along!

Lowest vote-getter is Michael. Ryan had asked the judges if they would consider using the Save on either of the (assumed) bottom 2, and they said yes (but not which one). Michael gets to sing, and he is about a million times better than last night! At first he lamented having to follow Stevie Wonder, but I think his excitement helped as he was probably the best we've heard him. Paula's standing up dancing didn't help the judges in their deliberation, so they were still undecided when Ryan went to them for a decision. Poor Michael! Finally Simon made a decision and Michael goes home. I'm fine w/that, I'd rather they keep the Save at this point, and I think he'd probably still be B3 next week.

Speaking of next week, Ryan didn't say what the theme is, so I guess it'll be a surprise (until about Monday, anyway!).

AI8 - Top 10 (3/25/09)

Theme: Motown; Mentor: Smokey Robinson. The gang (minus Michael, who was sick) flew to Detroit to visit the original Motown studio, which made Lil all teary and proud. And speaking of original, the iTunes songs this week have the contestants singing to the original Motown orchestrations of the songs... which really stinks since Adam's "unplugged" performance was chillingly awesome but won't be available. Figures.

Matt "Let's Get It On" - heh. I was reading song speculation earlier and people were hoping that Anoop would do this (and predicting America would then have a shortage of water pressure as all the ladies hit the cold showers afterward). And really hoping that Danny wouldn't. ;-) It was a decent choice for Matt, though I liked the slow part at the beginning better than after he left the piano. Simon said it was a brilliant song choice & good performance; the other judges also complemented.

Kris "How Sweet It Is" - Smokey was impressed w/either how good he plays and sings, or just that he can play & sing at the same time, it was hard to tell. Again, loved the slow beginning & the rest was good but not tremendous (ok except for the very end), plus I think the song is forgettable (too common to stand out). Audience loved it; Kara & Simon complimented him for making it his own. Simon also said he needs more self-confidence.

Scott "Can't Hurry Love" - Had the background singers around the piano; nice performance, his usual. Simon hated it; he & Randy thought it was a bad song choice, but Kara liked that it was up-tempo. Loved Ryan asking him how he knew he his pants were pink.

Megan "For Once in My Life" - Smokey liked her originality, but the actual performance was terrible IMO. She missed a lot of notes even after changing the melody to better fit her limited range. The judges agreed, though somewhat blamed it on the song choice.

Anoop "Ooh Baby, Baby" - Smokey had no advice for him in practice (in a good way)! And Anoop said he really appreciated hearing the story behind the song. It was very soft and sweet, great performance! Kara said some of his falsetto notes were off pitch but that it's a very difficult song to sing and overall it was pretty good. Paula loved it; Simon said the vocal was great but that he looked sleepy (instead of just serious) while singing.

Michael "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" - I don't think he's fully recovered from the flu & it showed in his performance. Paula was disappointed and called it "old Las Vegas / loungy". Simon said it was too shouty & he has no chance of winning; Randy said the song was too big for him.

Lil "Heat Wave," of course! Complete with video flames as usual. Her dress & hairdo fit the era, & she'd talked about how much the Detroit trip meant to her. Very good performance, definitely one of her best. Paula loved it but the rest of the judges disagreed, saying it was too fast of a song to show off her vocal talents.

ADAM!!! "Tracks of My Tears," 'unplugged' - AWESOME!!!! This is what I've been waiting for him to do - Just. Sing. It was cute how nervous he was doing it for Smokey, but Smokey said for a much-covered song he'd never heard it done this way and really liked it; he gave him a standing ovation after the actual performance! (Adam also asked for the story behind it - I love it, both my faves did Smokey songs *and* wanted to know the backstory!) Adam had his hair slicked back (I didn't like that very well) and wore a skinny suit with very little makeup (& no nail polish); the whole presentation seemed, as with Lil, very respectful of the song itself. And it was a beautiful performance. The judges loved it; Simon said it was the best of the night & showed everything they'd been trying to tell the others about song choice, originality, and relevance.

Danny "Get Ready" - He & Smokey discussed Danny's plan to have the back-up gals sing part of the main lyric; Smokey advised against it and Danny said he would take his advice, but then ended up doing it the way he'd originally planned. I don't think it affected the performance either way though. He went back to stand by & dance with the background singers twice, which was a bit strange/cheesy. Paula loved it but Simon called it clumsy & amateurish. Kara said it was good but not great.

Allison "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" - Aww, makes me miss David Hernandez! But, I see why she got the pimp spot. Excellent song choice and spot-on delivery, but then I love the song anyway. Crowd & judges loved it.

My prediction for the bottom 3: Michael, Megan, and Scott, with Michael leaving. Lots of guest performances tomorrow night, sounds good!

AI8 - Top 11 Results (3/18/09)

Over 31 million votes last night. No voiceover in the recap, just a few of the judges' (good) comments shown.

Group sing: "T.R.O.U.B.L.E." Scott played piano so he didn't have to do any choreo, & there wasn't much for everyone else anyway, move to the edge of the stage, come back to the piano. I do miss the live group sings with solos, the lip-synched group harmony just isn't quite the same.

Ford video - "Here It Goes Again," a song I don't know, but the water balloons were fun.

Clips with Jasmine & Jorge from after last week's elimination - that was different, but kind-of nice (especially seeing Jorge's sense of humor!).

Interestingly (having seen the end first & then rewinding to watch this part) Ryan then asks Alexis about the emotions of elimination night, and Michael about being away from his family... we'll later find that these are the bottom 2 (which of course Ryan already knows)! Ryan also mentions Megan's being ill and shows footage of the 'rehearsal' earlier with everyone wearing breathing masks! Then he jokes and moves his podium further away from the couches to read the results! ;-)

Danny - safe - and Ryan says (as he does to most of them), "Welcome to the Tour!"

Lil - safe (and very relieved/excited)

Anoop - safe! And so early in the show, lol!

Allison & Michael - both end up being in the Bottom 3!

- Performance: Brad Paisley, "Then" - nice song, a nice break from his usual comedy stuff

Scott - safe

Megan - safe (of course, there has to be someone I don't like on tour!)

Matt - safe

Kris (my, the girls in the audience scream for him!) - safe

So Alexis & Adam are left; Adam is safe, Alexis is Bottom 3.

Allison is safe, leaving Alexis & Michael.

- Performance: Carrie Underwood & Randy Travis, "I Told You So" - awesome! (though they could've let Randy sing a bit more!)

Ryan asked the judges if either of the contestants would be worth using the Save on, and Simon replies that yes, they're considering it. Michael is safe (wow, 7 guys & only 3 girls on tour!!! *Not* that I'm complaining!) so Alexis must sing for survival. She does somewhat better than last night- at least the higher part was in tune - but you can also tell she's desperate/nervous/emotional which then hurts her performance in parts. Simon admits that she's the one they were considering saving and that the performance was good, but it was not good enough, and she is out. "Journey" package and we're done.

Next week - Motown! (Anoop, Kris, & Matt at least will be right in their comfort zones, probably Lil too!)

AI8 - Top 13 Results (3/11/09)

Almost 33 million votes, and we'll have a double elimination. Unless the judges use their brand new "Save", the new 'rule' introduced to hopefully prevent such shocking and perceived as undeserved early boots as Tamyra, Chris Daughtry, or Jennifer Hudson (they also mentioned Michael Johns but I wouldn't put him in the same category, personally). The decision has to be unanimous but once during the season (and only up to Top 5) the judges can save someone who would normally be eliminated. The viewers' votes will then be combined over 2 weeks and the 2 lowest will be eliminated the following week. So, the viewers still determine who goes, but the judges can in essence give someone a 2nd chance if they have a really off night. Not a bad idea. Except in practice this means every time someone is eliminated they don't know if they're *really* eliminated until after they're made to sing, which rather stinks for them!! Oh well. I doubt this would get used on anyone but a few & I doubt they'd get the least votes, but we shall see. (And both Tamyra and Chris both went out 4th, so it wouldn't have saved them anyway!)

New Digs - footage of the Top 13 moving into the Idol Mansion! Complete with whirlpool(s), a backetball court, bowling alley, home theater, and 2 pools.

Group Medley, yay!!! Complete with pointy pose and an almost stationary back "line" which included Scott so that he didn't have to move around a lot. Unfortunately Danny had a short dance solo (?!), and they're continuing with mostly duets instead of giving everyone vocal solos (just Michael & Alexis got very short ones).

Not only is there a commercial starring Carrie Underwood, but she sings this year's Going Home song.

Recap of last night... the poor being Jasmine, Megan, Anoop, and Jorge, and "standouts" being Danny & Adam (surprise, surprise).

Ford video: "We Will Rock You" with (moving) images of the contestants on city buildings and such. It's almost more fun watching their reactions after seeing themselves then it is watching the video itself!

On to results. People stand in place to find out whether they're safe or have to come down on stage (no "bottom" group is ever announced so the stage-coming for the non-bootees could be totally random - like in poor Anoop's case).

Michael - safe
Allison - safe
Jasmine - brought down on stage
Matt - safe
Kris - safe
Megan - onto stage...

...so either Megan or Jasmine is eliminated. Unfortunately Megan is safe so Jasmine is out. She sings, then faces the judges to see whether or not she's *really* out... and of course she is. Boo!

Guest performance: Kanye West

Audition footage hidden during commercial break: Nathaniel Marshall ("Proud Mary")

More results...

Scott - safe
Alexis - safe
Danny - safe
Anoop - onto stage
Adam - safe

So it's down to Lil and Jorge... Lil is safe so Jorge is onto the stage, and we have another commercial break...

and then Kelly Clarkson performs! (because heaven forbid Anoop should learn his fate with more than 60 remaining of the show!!) Kelly sings her new single after Ryan chats w/her a bit. She's not wearing much make-up and has put on a few pounds, and her voice seems a bit strained as well (maybe it's having flashbacks to her finale!). Always fun to see how contestants behave during the guests... Adam seemed to be enjoying himself, & almost everyone was clapping along except for Anoop (& Ryan).

Ok, this is it- I like both of them! But would rather keep Anoop, and Anoop is indeed safe, so Jorge is out. He sings, is pronounced really and officially out, and his package plays us out.

Did they say next week's theme? Oh and I assume it's only the Top 10 on tour again this year since the tour hasn't been mentioned at all yet. I'm ok w/that as I expect my 2 guys to make it past next week. I'd be really happy if Megan didn't, but then there's almost always someone I don't care for in the Tour and at least she's better than Haley! ;-)

AI8 Finals - Top 13 (3/10/09)

Theme: Michael Jackson songs. Yippee. I mean, why do they pick one of the artists whose songs they're always saying the contestants shouldn't sing and then make them sing their songs?! This makes sense in whose universe? Sigh.

Also? 2 are going home tomorrow. So, it's not really a Top 13. I guess it gave whoever was on the bubble (we all know it wasn't Anoop) one more chance to stay in and get some viewer's votes, but after tomorrow we'll be back on the original schedule with 11 left.

And, there will be another twist. I'm guessing the judges will either save someone in the Bottom 3 or they'll choose the person who's going. Kind-of like the new Dancing w/the Stars twist, though those judges' scores have always counted for part of who stays or goes. But, Nigel L. is gone as a producer and supposedly Simon's British X-Factor show does something like this, so I'm not too surprised (anything that gives Simon more power...). We'll find out for sure tomorrow!

Lil: "The Way You Make Me Feel" - Surprising choice for her, but it worked. It's nice to see her do something uptempo. She used the stage well, has confidence. Judges in general loved it, though Simon said it was a "lazy" song choice & that he hated her outfit.

Scott: "Keep the Faith" - Well, it seems Kara was right! Not that we could hear anything Scott was playing on the piano (other than the last riff), but somehow it made his voice better! Definitely his best performance so far. Not entirely comfortable to watch, but great vocally and I certainly wouldn't mind hearing him on the radio or my cd player. Kara loved the message of the song & that he's staying true to his inspirational self. But Randy thought it was too safe & Simon said it was a bad choice because no one knows it & it's too old-fashioned.

Danny: "P.Y.T." - Really?! Sigh. It's always hard when someone does a song a past favorite of yours did really well, and though it was 7 years ago, this was definitely one of Justin's best. Seems a surprising choice for Danny but I guess he's trying to show versatility, which is usually a good thing. Not the best vocals and definitely not great w/the dancing, but he's certainly not going anywhere. Paula says he'll even be in the finals, not that anyone is surprised the judges want him there. Simon said the vocals were "brilliant" (really?) and that he reminds him of Michael McDonald, though the dancing was hideous. Randy liked seeing the stylistic range; Kara said he seems joyous when performing.

Michael: "You Are Not Alone" - I thought this was his best vocal yet! Really good, though he's still one of my least favorites and I wouldn't mind if he went home (but I think he's got a solid fan base). Simon said he's not the best singer there but made up for it with passion and effort. Kara said tonight he showed her that "he can really sing." (Um, if you were unsure before, why was he in the Top 36? Just askin'...) As they're doing a lot tonight, pimp kid spot: his little girl in the audience after Ryan gave the numbers, wearing a t-shirt saying "Vote for my Daddy"!

Jasmine: "I'll Be There"- Good choice, fits her. Good vocal and I still love her, I think she's adorable and such a confident performer! Randy said she mixed the 2 versions (MJ & Mariah's) but it was still good; Kara said it was effortless & she has great stage presence. Paula said she has great poise for her age though there were some weak vocal parts; Simon said it was a bit robotic at times and that she needs to lighten up & act her age (e.g. younger & not so polished/serious).

Kris: "Remember the Time" - I don't know this one, but he played guitar and had so much fun with it! He's adorable as well, and the crowd really enjoyed it (Kara said "The girls love Kris!"). Kara & Paula mentioned that he helped other contestants during the week (awww!). Paula called him "adorable sexy" and said he did a great job. Randy compared him to Jason Mraz (style-wise). Simon said the song didn't necessarily warrant his playing guitar, but his vocals were good & he's likeable.

Allison: "Give In to Me" - Another one I don't know, but it's a great choice for her. Bluesy rock. All the judges liked; Randy said she's "one to watch." Simon & Kara especially like that she knows who she is as an artist, i.e. what genre of music she wants to do and is good at.

Anoop: "Beat It" - Hmm. He was cute in the pre-intro clip as they went to commercial, doing the Thriller 'zombie hands'! He sang it well and did a couple of different things with the melody toward the end, and played to the crowd again (touching some fans' hands). But some of his gestures were awfully literal & cheesy. The judges just really let him have it though... Paula said that the song is "untouchable" and for her to hear anyone besides MJ do it, it sounds karaoke. Kara said it didn't show his vocal strength; Simon & Randy also said it was a bad song choice & they were disappointed. Anoop replied that he was trying to show energy since that's the style they'd enjoyed him doing before. I think he'll be safe, but man they were tough on him!

Jorge: "Never Can Say Goodbye" - Wow! He really impressed me with this; I think it was the best vocal of the night! Definitely his best so far. Really fit his voice well. Or so I thought until the judges started talking... Randy said it was too old-fashioned and there were pitch issues. Paula said it was definitely the wrong song choice but despite the poor performance he still deserves to be there. Simon said the arrangement was corny and he sang it poorly. This is where I start wondering if the judges and I heard the same performance...?!

Megan: "Rockin' Robin" - Pretty good song choice for her voice & singing style. But I just cannot. stand. to watch her!!! Yuck. Kara & Paula said it didn't allow for showing her best vocals; Simon said it was a "stupid" song choice (his bird prejudice again apparently) and Randy didn't like it either! But to me it sounded exactly the same vocally as all of her other stuff that they tongue-bathed. I don't get the judges tonight, at. all.

Adam: "Black and White" - Brilliant choice!! Style-wise of course it fit him, but also message-wise... For those unaware, pics surfaced last week of him kissing his (ex) boyfriend, w/both of them in make-up... I didn't think it would make much difference or surprise most people, but to come back with a song about diversity, and kill it... perfect! ;-) I do really want him to do a ballad next week though to show off the other side of his vocals. Paula was almost overwhelmed, talking about how he's so professional and confident compared to all of the other contestants who've ever been on the show... and of course said she expects to see him in the finals. The other judges tonguebathed him as well. I just don't get it... I mean he was good, yes. But so were the past several who totally got ripped apart, and I don't think he was any better than his previous performances. Oh well, I love him so I won't complain. I did laugh when Simon said you have to be comfortable being over the top to sing MJ... perfect for Adam!

Matt: "Human Nature" - Perfect choice for him! Really fits his voice well, and nice to finally see him getting to play piano. Did this seem short to anyone else? And speaking of short, the judges' comments for the last 2 contestants are really short, because they've just realized they're running long on time. Generally I think the judges liked it, but I must have blinked because I missed most of what they said! Kind-of stinks for these contestants, but such is life. Randy did say that there were some pitch issues but it was still good.

Alexis: "Dirty Diana" - Who know there were so many Jackson songs I didn't know? Well, this suited her, and she performed it fairly well. Simon didn't like it, but Kara & Paula loved it, though Paula did warn her against oversinging.

And that's it! Oh, in case anyone was wondering about the strange phone number for Alexis and why Ryan kept saying "Trust me, dial *very* carefully," it's because some phone sex company owns most of the other numbers that start with the IDOLS 866-43657xx numbers!! Or at least a good deal of them, including 00 and 13. So they couldn't just use 4365713 and Alexis is now 3 "36." I'll be surprised if this does not hurt her voting numbers (and if no one complains to Fox &/or Idol after dialing #13 about what they end up with!!).

I think it's a hard call on the bottom 3 for this week, but I'll go with Lil, Alexis, and Megan. (4th choice Jorge.) If the judges save one of the 3 I think Alexis and Megan will go home (they'll save Lil); but if not, I could see Alexis and Lil leaving.

What do you think?

AI8 - Wildcard Show (3/5/09)

Jesse Langseth "Tell Me Something Good" - Good, bluesy song but didn't showcase her vocals as much as a different song could have. Randy & Kara said there were bad notes; Simon said it was better than her last song but somewhat indulgent.

Matt Giraud "Who's Loving You?" - Good for what he does, but I don't love him like the judges do. Kara said "You can riff amazingly;" Simon said it was a billion times better than his last but that he hated the outfit (he wore a hat & scarf) and he saw bits of Taylor Hicks-like mannerisms (hee!).

Megan Corkrey "Black Horse and a Cherry Tree" - Yuck. Love the song but can't stand her mannerisms (Betty Boop meets Pamela Anderson??). And I still think her voice is weird. Simone calls her "current" and original/quirky; he says it wasn't the best vocal but "that doesn't matter" (ok, when it's a cute girl he likes, it's so *not* a "singing contest"!). Randy & Paula confirmed the song choice as a good one for her.

Von Smith "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" - Started out a bit weak but the 2nd half was very good vocally, he's just a rather unattractive person to watch. Simon said he was boring and too serious; Kara agreed; Paula said he was too focused on technique. Von admitted he struggles w/that.

Jasmine Murray "Reflection" - Yes! This is what she should've done before, it's the Jasmine we fell in love with and she was awesome! (I'll take her over Lil any day!) The crowd loved it as well. Randy said the song was a bit too big for her but she was still "100% improved." Kara was confused, saying she didn't know she had that big voice, she thought she was the cute pop girl (Kara, where have you been?). Randy & Paula both mentioned some off notes... Simon called it a "brave" song choice, saying she did a great job and is "back in the running"!

Ricky Braddy "Superstition" - It was good, but he's a bit too similar to Kris in being a somewhat generic white pop singer, so I don't think he'll get in. He's a great singer & has great stage presence, but just isn't different enough from what we already have. The crowd loved it. Paula said he nailed it & had fun; Kara said "You can sing your butt off, but we knew that!" She said she'd wanted to see his personality & he showed it. Simon said it wasn't enough at this stage to set him apart, so he was disappointed; Randy said he tried to do too much with it.

Tatiana del Toro "Saving All My Love for You" - Wow, she can definitely sing. She can sing Whitney, even. But she's sooooo emotional and will. not. shut. up. Sigh. Paula & Simon both commented that she's repeated this song twice now; Simon asked if she even knew how to sing anything else? Randy & Kara said they never know what to expect with her, like it's "The adventures of Tatiana" & they don't know what's coming next!

Anoop Desai "My Prerogative" - Oh great, the judges keep harping on repeating songs & he does the same thing?! Not. good. Anoop, you may've just repeated your way out and while I'll be disappointed, you did it to yourself and such is life. Of course he sang it well, was entertaining, and had a couple glory notes, but I really wish he'd done a ballad or something that would've shown off his voice more. I did enjoy seeing Scott jam along in the background though! ;) The crowd *loved* it. Paula called him a showman; Simon said it's a strange night and said he's not the best singer, but people like him and they need people with "personality" (well that sounds very promising, seems like Simon's already explaining why they're choosing him!). Kara said she doesn't like to dance but he made her want to, and he replied that he was glad a Carolina guy could make a Duke girl want to get up & dance. Heh.

Ok, my guess is that they'll pick Jasmine, Megan, and probably Matt G. over Anoop (I'd pick Jasmine, Jesse, and Anoop!).

Actual results:
Jasmine - yes!
Ricky - no
One of Tatiana or Megan - Megan
Jesse - no
Von - no
and last up are Matt G and Anoop - Matt is in.

...then Simon says he wants to say something to Anoop, and says they've decided... to have a Top 13 (!) this year so he's in too!! Poor guy, they really like leaving him hanging. But YAY!!!!!

I'm assuming this is the big "format change" we heard was coming at Top 12. Still don't know how many will tour, but at least my 2 faves made it to the Finals!!

AI8 - Semifinals, Group 1 (2/17/09)

Woo-hoo, 1st live show! And there's a bit of a 'theme' - Billboard Top 100 hits. Also all performances will be available on iTunes - they have high expectations, apparently!

Jackie Tohn (28, NY): "A Little Less Conversation" - Just ok overall; the tight black pants didn't help. Randy said she's a good entertainer; the judges agreed it wasn't her best vocal, and Simon didn't like it at all. Ryan had her parents in the Red Room (as he did w/most contestants) so she returned there to join him to give the voting phone number.

Ricky Braddy (26, NC): "A Song for You" - We get some background, finally! He attended music school but wasn't pursuing a career until recently. They played a short clip of one of his solos in HW, an Alicia Keys song. His performance tonight is very good! Too bad his voice isn't "unique" and that we haven't seen him before tonight - I think he could have been very popular but there are people the audience already likes singing the same type of music. I threw him a few votes though I think he's cannon fodder. He was definitely the most fun balcony dancer of the night! (I love watching them during each others' performances!) The judges liked him; Paula acknowledged his lack of screen time & Simon said he has the voice but not enough confidence/star quality. (Anoop is also from NC so they'll be splitting home state votes, one thing that might've given him an edge.)

Alexis Grace (21, TN): "Never Loved a Man" - decent, and very cute in her little black dress & pink-splashed blonde hair. Randy loved her; Simon said the best so far tonight & that she has soul plus confidence.

Brent Keith (29, OH): "Hick Town" - Apparently Brent has dropped his last name (Smith). Talks about how he & his wife have been living paycheck-to-paycheck (yeah, join the rest of the country). Performance is good, not great. Kara & Paula say it was too safe; Simon dubs it forgettable. His wife meets him in the Red Room w/Ryan.

Stevie Wright (17, CA): "You Belong With Me" (Taylor Swift) - Just. no. She wanted to show her young, fun self, but it was pretty terrible. To go from the soulful "At Last" in her 1st audition where she wowed a lot of us to this... all the judges said it was a bad song choice. At least she can hope for a Wildcard spot.

Anoop Desai (22, NC): "Angel of Mine" - We get a small clip of "My Prerogative" from HW and he says he picked it because it's a fun song; he explains that he wants to perform songs that he's always wanted to see done on Idol as he's watched over the years! (Cool perspective!) & He also wants to bring energy to the stage. Tonight's performance is good; I love him so I enjoy it, but it's not the best vocal I've heard him do. Randy says he was a bit sharp & good but not his best; Paula notes that thankfully "America has connected with you already." Simon said the song was too "grown up" (Anoop points out it's from the late 90's) & serious for him, but that he's likeable. I definitely gave him some votes.

Casey Carlson (20, MN): "Every Little Thing [He] Does is Magic" - I didn't think she should've been put through the very 1st time, and this performance totally confirms that opinion. Way out of her league, and the judges call her on it. Bad song choice all around; Kara said "everything about that was wrong." (hee!) Bye Casey!

Michael Sarver (27, TX): "I Don't Wanna Be" - Ah, what would an Idol show be without this song? ;-) It's ok, but I don't think it's a great fit for his voice. He seems to pick R&B-ish songs so if that's what he wants to sing, there are others better for the job. The judges are disappointed though Kara & Simon talk about his likeability. His wife & Mom are in the Red Room.

Ann Marie Boskovich (22, TN): "Natural Woman" - Well, she's not Kelly. But, she did surprisingly well! Actually turns out to be my favorite female performance of the night. She knows her limits & didn't go for the high notes, but was very strong w/what she did. Judges disagreed w/me though; Randy said it was a bad song choice, Kara wanted something younger/more fun, and Simon said her voice isn't good enough for that song. Mom & sis in Red Room. I tossed her a couple votes & think she has a decent chance of making it through (I know a good number of people impressed w/her earlier performances as well).

Stephen Fowler (26, OH?): "Rock with You" - Showed a tiny clip of his initial audition, then the HW disaster. Weird song choice - I can tell he has a good voice, but not the best song to show it (I was disappointed after hearing some buzz on the 'net about him). Randy said it was a bad choice & he was pitchy; Paula actually said that doing this song was "the kiss of death"! Simon said it was corny. His wife was at home so Ryan came down to the stage to give his numbers instead of having Stephen go up to the Red Room.

Tatiana Del Toro (23, PR): "Saving All My Love for You" - If you'd told me Tatiana would pull off a Whitney song, I wouldn't have believed you; but she did! She was all teary in her clip talking about how hard HW week was, being judged (by other contestants), etc. During her performance she mostly stood still & was very serious (despite the horrid orange & purple dress). It was very, very good! Kara said she doesn't know who she is as an artist & that she's a roller coaster ride; Paula said she's definitely the "most talked about" contestant, and that there were some pitchy moments but some beautiful moments. She had 2 (male) friends w/her in the Red Room & said that her HW behavior wasn't her norm (we can only hope!).

Danny Gokey (28, WI): "Hero" - Gee, I'm so surprised the producers gave him the pimp spot (not)! ;-) Says he's a church music director, and that he picked this song to hopefully inspire other people to rise above difficult circumstances (such as he has, though he doesn't specifically mention the dead wife nor do the producers, this time). It's very good, of course - how can you not love Elliot's voice in a Robert Downey, Jr., wannabe body? All the judges love him, though Simon is (of course) less enthusiastic than the others. Kara was very excited, Paula gave him a standing ovation, and Simon said he's a very good singer & that while it was good, it wasn't fantastic. Jamar is shown in the audience but Danny has no family there, so we finish up w/Ryan on the stage to give Danny's numbers before the recap of the night.

My predictions: Danny, Ann Marie, and Anoop will advance. Tatiana or Alexis could slide in for the girls and I wouldn't mind if Ricky got in for the guys, as I think the judges would bring Anoop back for the Wildcard.

Let me know what you think!

AI8 Hollywood Week - Days 1 & 2 (2/3/09)

We get 4 episodes of Hollywood Week this year instead of just 2; yay!! And the 147 contestants got something new as well - a "Boot Camp"! Time with stylists, vocal coaches, and a famous mentor - Barry Manilow! He sure does love Idol now, lol. How fun for all the contestants though!

The format is familiar - Contestants go on stage in groups ("lines") of 8, each singing a cappella for the judges, & are then divided into one group that advances and one group that goes home - I guess last year's '2nd chance' idea is gone. So, Day 1 we have 64 up...

The first group includes Dennis Brigham and Lil Rounds.
- Lil sings "I Will Always Love You" and gets a standing ovation from the judges; Kara calls her "bold and brave." She's through.
- Dennis: "For Once in My Life" - just ok, vocals definitely not up to finalist level. Is cut.
- An Asia and Alexander (tall guy w/beard from NY, we haven't heard sing) also advance from this group.

Frankie is shown with Simon saying "that was way overcooked." Some of the Day 2 group (out sightseeing on Day 1) is shown, including Brent Keith Smith.

Next group shown:
- Nathaniel Marshall (new- 18, NY, 103187) - Sings Ray Bolz's "The Anchor Holds" and my brain is confused, lol. This is a conservative Christian song being sung by a guy with tats and piercings; I'm interested, anyway!! He's got a good voice, but seems to have emotional issues (after being asked why he chose the song, he goes on a bit long & starts sounding desperate). We shall see.
- Anoop Desai: "If It's Magic" - LOVE!!! - through.
- Jasmine Murray: "The Trouble with Love" - very good; though.
- Rose Flack: "Dock of the Bay" - just ok; not up to par w/most we're seeing. Gets through this round though.
- Michael Castro: not shown singing; is through.

Another group:
- Stephen Fowler (new- 26, OH, 98158) "Superwoman" - Randy says this is one of Stevie Wonder's toughest songs to sing; Stephen is very good. He's through.
- Jorge Nunez: "Angel" (Jon Secada) - very good; through.
- Von Smith: "If the Rain Must Fall" - sigh, just as OTT and annoying as before. Simon calls it "indulgent nonsense" and "horrible." Von is humbled; is through and doesn't even celebrate, saying he knows he has to work harder to make it next time. (Unfortunately I'm afraid that for Von, "work harder" means sing louder and emote more... NO!!!)

We see Nick Mitchell / Norman Gentle after his initial audition, saying it's time to ditch the Norman persona & get serious. Not. Norman comes out (no pun intended) in the same shiny outfit and headband to sing "And I'm Telling You (I'm Not Going)". He's still the entertainer, even shouting up to folks in the balcony (and "Seacrest!"), but ending with some very nice, strong vocals. I would love to hear him just sing a song; I do think he's talented - Paula says the same thing. Simon says he's boring as Nick and a joke as Norman. But he gets at least one more chance as he's sent through to the next round.

We're also told Scott McIntyre and Frankie Jordan advance but we don't get to see them singing.

Day 2 - the other 83 get their chance!

Jackie Tohn: "Rock Me Right"- the more I hear, the less I like (too affected, reminds me of Amanda last year who got old fast). Paula says she remembers her most out of all the auditions. She's through.

A tall black guy is shown getting cut - Asa (music teacher) perhaps??

- Jamar Rogers: "California Dreamin'" again - borderline IMO. Advances. Next is bff...
- Danny Gokey: "Kiss From a Rose" - wow, can you say *perfect* song choice for his voice?! Sounds awesome, and they show his whole clip (more of the song than most others). Through!

Some more a shown advancing though we don't get to hear them sing: Matt Brietzke, Matt Giraud I think?, possibly Leneshe (cute young black girl), and Julissa.

Time for Bikini Girl Katrina: "Breathe" - just so-so. Lots of air time as the male vs. female judge differing opinions are shown, but she ultimately advances.

Some who get cut: Jessica Furney (lives w/grandma), Sharon Wilbur (brought dog), and Patricia Roman (large family in P.R.).

Then we're shown 2 dads:
- Jeremy Michael Sarver (oil rig guy): "More Than Anyone" - good; Randy said he was one of the best they'd seen that day. Through.
- Jesus Valenzula (2 boys got him through 1st audition): "Lately" - just ok and is fittingly cut.

The last group of Day 2:
- David Osmond: "The Way You Look Tonight" - nice; through.
- Erika Wesley, an FBI agent from Oregon I don't think we've seen before, is cut.
- Emily Hughes (early rocker girl) practices a 40's song but at the last minute switches to No Doubt's "Excuse Me, Mister". Sounds decent to me though the judges all say they're disappointed. She's through to the next round.
- Alex Wagner-Trugman (sang in closet) advances as well but we don't see him sing.

A few more that we're told are through: Alexis Grace (blond mom), Brent Keith Smith, Ann Marie Boskovich, and Adam Lambert (they do show Randy complimenting him).

Altogether 104 advance to the next round: Groups!! Bring on the drama and awesome harmonies!

(It's late & I'm not proofreading this - let me know if there are mistakes!)

AI8 - Jacksonville, FL Auditions (1/27/09)

I don't know about you, but I found Jacksonville rather disappointing (or at least what we saw of it). Here's who got through-

Joshua Ulloa (22, FL, 86819) - looks a bit like Justin Guarini, very energetic. Sings "Let's Get It On" & has a good voice but adds sound effects & such... not great. Gets 4 yeses anyway.

Sharon Wilbur (25, FL, 78093) - Sharon brought her Shih Tzu Sasha, whom Simon held while Sharon sang "Superstar." Not sure about the voice or vocal style. 3 or 4 yeses, they didn't really say.

Julissa Veloz (19, FL, 82858) - Julissa was Miss Florida Latino USA, and is wearing her sash and tiara. She sings Whitney's "I Have Nothing" and is decent! But has a very strange, annoying laugh.

And that's all we see of the 9 who advance on Day 1, except for the very short glimpses in a montage. On to Day 2...

Jasmine Murray (16, MS, 84122) - the youngest of 5 kids; sings Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry" (probably my favorite song from last year!) and is very good. Simon calls her "cute, commercial, and a very good singer"; 4 yeses.

Anne Marie Boskovich (22, TN, 81948) - This audition is strange. She comes in, says she's a fan of Kara because she heard her sing once in Nashville, and does a bit of the song Kara did. Simon said she has a good voice but something is wrong, and asks her to leave and come back later "as a different person," with more confindenc / star appeal. So she changes her outfit a bit, adds some make-up, and returns to sing "Bubbly." She gets 4 yeses and is through.

T.K. Hash (23, NC, 82587) - they say he "didn't make it" last year when he auditioned, though I believe he did make it to Hollywood. He sings "Imagine" and has a nice voice; changes it up a bit but doesn't over-embellish. Randy disagrees & says it was over the top. Simon says no but he gets 3 yeses. I think he has good confidence & stage presence; he & Jasmine have the most potential but neither wowed me.

Ryan's voice-over says that's it and there were 16 total with tickets. The montage shows 9 new people, so he must have meant 16 for Day 2 and 25 altogether for Jacksonville. And we only got to hear 6 of them!! Unless you count the short "Walking on Sunshine" we get from a guy in a black t-shirt during the end medley. Still... not great. Perhaps tomorrow will be better - at least we'll get to see some Osmonds!

AI8 - Kansas City Auditions (1/14/09)

Over 11,000 showed up to audition in the city that found the reigning Idol! And we do find a bit of talent here...

Ashley Anderson (20, NJ, 68142) - Tall, thin girl w/long hair; her 'gimmick' is that she's singing a Leona Lewis song *cowritten* by Simon Cowell! Since when does Simon write music?!? And it's a religious one, even! (As Pacey/Peter says in the Fringe ad, Just when you thought things couldn't get any stranger...!) So it's called "Footprints in the Sand," except she says and sings "Footsteps" instead and he corrects her so she starts over. He still loves it (of course) and she's through with 4 yeses. She's a belter & was ok I guess, but nothing special.

Cute ad for Idol starring David Cook, w/him in 'reverse' dreaming about winning & then shown on stage playing "Light On." Tag line is "Dreams Begin Again...."

Casey Carlson (20, MN, 70298) - perky brunette in a white skirt sings Vanessa Carlton's "1000 Miles" and is pretty blah. Somehow she gets 4 yeses and advances.

Von Smith (22, MO, 70090) - Von is one of the spoilers I've seen a bit of. He's going to be a polarizing contestant - great voice but waaaaay oversings and will be a love-him-or-hate-him (he already has fangirls) and might also have a bit of an attitude. He does "Over the Rainbow" and the softish parts are good, the rest painful. Of course he gets 4 yeses and is through to Hollywood.

Michael Castro (20, TX, 75108) - yes, this is Jason's brother! And Jason is there with him. Michael has a rock look - red streaked hair, piercings, black jeans w/pocket chain, etc. He's not any better at interviews (they shows clips from both of them) but says he's different from Jason in that Jason is "girly," which Jason later makes him explain as being emotional. Jason says, "so I have emotions, and know how to express them well... some people call that an artist." Hee. And apparently Michael is a new singer just like Jason was last year - he says he started singing 20 days before the audition! Figured "if J can sing, I can sing". And... he can! He does "I'm In Love With the Girl" and has a smooth, fairly strong voice. Kara is impressed with his attitude and he gets 4 yeses to advance!

Matt Breitzke (27, OK, 74922) - tall bald guy w/a mustache and goatee, married with a 3-year old son. He "played the bar scene" for years but got a day job as a welder to be responsible & support the family, so at 27 this is probably his last shot at a singing career. He sings "Ain't No Sunshine" and I love him!! Seems like a great guy, grounded, with a nice tone and style. For some reason Randy says no but 3 yeses are enough!

Jessica Furney (20, KS, 70698) - her hometown has the Oz Museum and she lives with her 93-year old grandmother. Shown playing guitar though she doesn't use it in her audition. She sings "Cry Baby" from Janis Joplin (I don't know this one) and unlike most Janis singers, her voice doesn't sound anything like Janis'! She's good though, nice but not cutesy, and gets 4 yeses.

India Morrison (22, MO, 77139) - the younger and smaller of 2 sisters who audition together, initially rapping something about cookies to Randy. Anyway I don't know the song she sang, but she's good (and also dances & choreographs) and advances.

Jamar Rogers (26, WI, 70808) - tall black guy, sings (shouts, mostly) "California Dreamin'" and strangely gets 4 yeses from the judges. No way I would have put him through. Next up is his bff who they've been pimping as tonight's sob story...

Danny Gokey (28, WI, 70891) - a music teacher whose wife Sophia died 4 weeks ago (from a congenital heart defect). Of course there are photos and clips from several different pre-audition interviews discussing his grief and how he almost didn't audition, but once he's in the room we get to focus on the singing. The song is "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and he has a nice, smoky/rough soulful voice - very nice! He wears glasses and reminds me a tad of Robert Downey, Jr. (whom I adore). The judges like him too; Randy and Paula say he's one of the best they've seen. 4 yeses, obviously! He's very excited (not emotional, yay) and I hope he's around for a while, though this style of singer rarely make the finals.

Anoop Desai (21, NC, 74002) - a Masters student in folklore, dresses a bit geeky and seems very intelligent. Sings "Thank You" and the voice is surprising! Smooth R&B, very, very nice! 4 yeses and he may have surpassed Matt as my favorite of the night. (*New info: there are several really good YT videos of his collegiate a cappella group Clef Hangers!)

Andrew Lang was the redhead who brought his own cheerleaders - he sang "My Girl" and "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" and was deemed too theatrical. I thought he was decent, at least as good as some others they've put through (definitely better than Jamar), though I'm sure he would've gotten cut at some point in Hollywood.

Asa Barnes (28, MO, 77281) - tall black guy who's a middle school band director; another dad, and plays the drums. Sings "The Way You Make Me Feel" and for once MJ proves to be a good song choice! Has a nice voice and smile. 4 yeses.

Dennis Brigham (19, IL, 75035) - black guy w/sunglasses who dreamt that Simon like his audition. Sings "With You" (Chris Brown) and is just ok. Pleaded w/the judges to let him through and everyone but Simon gave in, though they shouldn't have.

Last is Lil Rounds (23, TN, 74315) - another spoiler & she's been in the ads. Married mom of 3 whose apartment building was hit by a tornado so they're struggling. Sings Stevie Wonder's "All I Do" (I don't know this) and is very, very good. Like Finalist-good. I can't tell what her personality is like yet, but she seemed to be more 'humbly overwhelmed' by the judges' praise than cocky or diva-like, which bodes well.

27 total advance to Hollywood from Kansas City, and we got to see 13 of them! And more good than bad auditions tonight, yay!