So I didn’t watch last night because I went to take in The Avengers instead. So, now it’s the day after, but I’m still bringing some comments and predictions for last night’s performances. First, to California… off we go…
Hotel California by The Eagles
Phillip Phillips leads off the show with CCR’s Have You Ever Seen the Rain?… what I want to know, is if Phillip understands what he’s singing… the tone of his performance is a total mismatch to the themes covered in the song, which I think someone else did earlier this year, too… Steven says the road to success is under construction… J-Lo says his Joe Cocker vibe was a perfect fit for the song… and Randy says it started off slow, but ended up great…
Hollie Cavanagh plays WWCD (What Would Celine Do) with Journey’s Faithfully… it’s technically sound and it’s a good vocal, but I really miss the emotion and dynamics of the original… i wasn’t a fan… Randy was and says she wants it all and she’s peaking at the right time… J-Lo felt the emotions I missed… and Steven has enjoyed watching her blossom…
Joshua Ledet takes You Raise Me Up to new heights with his soaring rendition… this was sung on The Voice earlier this week with an opera feel, but Joshua has brought it home with soul and it’s way better… J-Lo loved the drama of it… Stephen says courage is fear said as prayers and Josh has prayed up and is accepted like nobody’s business… Randy says he can sing anything and he has a ginormous career ahead of him…
Jessica Sanchez sings Let’s Steal Away by Etta James… she’s going to be a producer’s dream… she can do some phenomenal things with her voice and all she does is mimic what she hears… there’s no control issues or anything, she’ll just do what they tell her is good to do… i like this performance but it doesn’t make her any less of a phony… J-Lo loves the growling… Steven loves that it showed off the other side of her voice… Randy says it was ridiculous and she can sing the phone book…
The first half of the program comes to an end with duets. The boys embark on a joint venture covering Maroon 5′s This Love which was quite pleasant and the judges raved. The girls begin on swings as they sing Eternal Flame by The Bangles. It sounds awful to be honest. The judges are mixed. Randy was honest, J-Lo defensive, and Steven changes the subject.
Don’t Worry Baby by The Beach Boys
Lest we forget that American Idol is first and foremost an elaborate commercial for Coke, Ford, AT&T, and all things FOX, we return from the break (a.k.a. commercials) with an extensive commercial for Rock of Ages – an upcoming rock opera/musical featuring Tom Cruise and Ryan’s girlfriend – followed by a mediocre (at best) version of Foreigner’s Waiting featuring all four Idolettes.
Phillip Phillips kicks off round two with Damien Rice’s Volcano in the dark of stage. I’m not familiar with the song, but it definitely suits his style and it’s a tender and intimate performance. Steven says it was the type of song he could listen to in his headphones over and over… J-Lo says very few people could pull that off and it was one of the most beautiful and poignant moments on American Idol EVARRRRR… Randy says, yo, that’s what’s up right there…
Hollie Cavanagh sings Bonnie Raitt’s I Can’t Make You Love Me what a quote from Jimmy. “Hollie comes with no emotion.” And she’s terribly oversinging the lyrics. It’s very theatrical, very broadway, but not at all believable. Steven claps, Randy gives him a strange look. Steven says you need to go through stuff to sing that right… J-Lo says it was a misinterpretation of the song… Randy says it was a song that didn’t let her have any moments…
Joshua Ledet is singing James Brown. Let me repeat that: JOSHUA IS SINGING JAMES BROWN. This is a Man’s Man’s Man’s World. And in that world, Joshua is that man. That, folks, was why music was invented. Steven says he’s never heard anything like that in his entire life… J-Lo says she thought she had seen everything Joshua had to offer, but she was wrong… in two languages… Randy says everybody in the world got something out of that performance, which was the best performance on any singing competition show…
Jessica Sanchez tackles Jennifer Holliday’s iconic And I’m Telling You, which she’s been singing since she was 7. I have to say, I’m entirely underwhelmed. She has a fantastic moment in the middle, but overall it’s nothing but a mockingbird. Incredible voice, but she doesn’t own the song like Joshua owned his. The judges reluctantly
give her a standing ovation. Steven says it was another winning performance… J-Lo says it’s gonna be a race to the finish… Randy says it’s one of the hardest songs in the world to sing and she slayed it…
so, putting these four in order from last night’s performances, it’s pretty easy… Joshua, Jessica, Phillip, and Hollie… that said, Hollie should go home, but i can’t rule out an exit from Phillip…
peace… love… bdg…