Via Fox
Much like the title says, and then there were nine. I know many folks were upset that Curtis was the one eliminated last week. Was he the least talented? No. Did he put on the most forgettable performance? Probably not. But he was in the death spot on a two hour show. When you hit leadoff for these two hour shows, you have to knock it out of the park or else people will forget you even performed. It’s really Idol’s fault. They stretch out hour shows into two hours and very few singers are memorable.
Call it nerves or bad luck, but Curtis didn’t sing well enough to make you believe he was ripped off by being eliminated. In a perfect world, he makes the top five. But with his shaky performance last week, I wasn’t surprised. In fact, I called it.
It was Beatles night last night and it was generally good. The artists who connect with the Beatles seem to do really well and those who don’t, just don’t understand what made those songs great. And heck, some of these kids are so young, how could they?
Before the show started, the very meaningless competition between Charlie and Aubrey as to who was going on the Idol tour was decided. If you guessed that the pretty girl beat out the ugly dude, you’d have guessed right.
Performances Of The Night
Kree (Summer) might be the one. She gives off a Kelly Clarkson-like confidence, but she doesn’t have the same sassiness that could irritate the voters. She’s humble, yet she knows she’s good. And while I’m not sure I absolutely loved With a Little Help from My Friends for her, I dug the overall performance. She doesn’t sing scared. And she hit leadoff. Curtis, that’s how you hit leadoff.
I’m not sure how long Burnell lasts, but he’s using his time wisely. He’s done two near-perfect performances two weeks in a row. And he might have to continue to do that because he doesn’t have the swagger or personality that a lot of the winners generally have. But, his aw-shucks personality could work for him. He didn’t know Let It Be before he performed it, but it may be one of the best performances of that song on American Idol. I’m rooting for Burnell because he’s the underdog. And we haven’t had an R&B winner in a very long time.
(By the way, I know most loved Candice and while her vocals were off the hook, her performance left a lot to be desired. I liked Janelle’s vocals too, but was slightly bored with her. And Angie? Hmmm. I didn’t dislike it, but it felt disingenuous. Amber was in good voice, but drab and boring.)
Who Dropped The Ball?
I think the easy person to start with is Lazaro. He simply looks uncomfortable performing. I don’t even really want to watch him. He’s out of his league and it’s hard to hide at this point.
Paul Jolley’s version of Eleanor Rigby was a good Paul Jolley version. But compared to David Cook’s version? Couldn’t hold his jockstrap in a briefcase. Jolley has a good look and a decent voice, but talent-wise, is just going to be near the bottom every week. He should try acting.
Who Goes Home?
I think Lazaro has one more week and it will be Paul Jolley who goes home. It was Devin Vasquez’s turn, but he saved himself with his performance.
6 comments
John says:
Mar 21, 2013
I know there has been a lot of hype over Angie, but this is two weeks in a row that she’s given a great performance without really connecting to the song. I’m thinking she’s in a little more trouble than some may be thinking. Same with Amber this week, although last week’s was so good that she may be able to bounce back more easily. Paul’s going home, but it should be Lazaro.
For me, it’s still a Kree/Candice world, as no one else came close to their overall power. Devin’s version was really good, but a week from now we’re not going to remember those subtleties that made it enjoyable.
GG says:
Mar 21, 2013
I fully agree with you about Angie. Jimmy said it last week when he said she reminded him of a beauty pageant winner in the way she performed. And she mistook that for her being pretty. They’re propping her up. She’s going to be hated by 15 year old girls very soon.
I think you’re right about Kree/Candice and I’m looking forward to that.
Alivia says:
Mar 22, 2013
I loved Kree and Candice’s performances, simply because they weren’t 100% ballad, boring, and slow this week. Even though Kree was obviously battling something she still knocked it out the park and made me love one of the few Beatles songs that actually speaks to me even more. I was telling my co-worker that I really think a woman will win this year’s top spot. Even though Burnell has an amazing voice and resilience, the women are so much stronger than the remaining men.
GG says:
Mar 22, 2013
Completely agree. The women run this mutha.
tj says:
Mar 22, 2013
American Idol should just stop calling it a singing contest. If it were really about singing talent, then Lazaro would be long gone. It is a shame to keep him around at the expense of other much better singers. Agree, Paul should be gone but not even before Lazaro. How many more songs does he have to butcher before the sympathy vote wears off? Plus, I can’t stand to see a performer cry onstage because he got some good, honest, albeit, hard straight-up criticism. Man up, Lazaro, for goodness sake! Just so ya know: a renowned industry expert once said, “You could swim a mile through a sewer, and then there is the music industry.” In other words, grow a little thicker skin if you want to make it in this business, Lazaro. It’s not for the faint of heart. I feel for you, but you have to deliver just like the rest of the singers. If not, pretty sure your sympathy vote will finally give out. Good luck!
GG says:
Mar 22, 2013
I don’t think you can blame the show for what happens now. I blame them for propping up Lazaro past Hollywood. He should’ve never made it this far. But now, it’s about the fans. They have the vote.