4/14 American Idol Show Discussion - Top 14

Thanks Ariel!

Seems like it got off to a slow start tonight with some weaker performances, but now the show is hitting its stride.

Madison, Jeremiah and Uchè were my top 3.

I think the 4 that should not make it would be Eddie, Riley, Walker & Uche, but I know they will not let him go home, so I suspect Evelyn will be the 4th.

But tonight the judges save 3 so I think Katy will save Evelyn, unfortunately.

I am not a singer. I am not a musical coach. I am not even musically talented. With humility I admit this. 
However, I did teach for 30 years, and that included counseling kids, trying to help them know how to make the right choices at times.
I look at Evelyn, and I see what Katie sees - a very unique voice with a fabulous potential. Lionel called it a "stylist" voice. Katie said to her the very first time, "Evelyn, make the right song choices."
Evelyn is very young, and in my opinion she is doing what a lot of them do. She is choosing songs she likes. She says that about the songs she sings.
I would say to Evelyn and I would keep saying it until it got through to her, "Choose the song that showcases your voice. Which song makes your voice stand out and sound sensational? It is not about what pleases you.You have to please the audience, or you do NOT get to stay on the show."

BYW, the contestant who is doing a fabulous job showcasing his voice and abilities (range, etc.) in my limited knowledge and according to what I hear is Jeremiah......and although I could NOT sit through a concert with him - Uche' ( He is a wild child, but I think there is an American Idol segment that will like him, and he will last a little while.)

Seven people will get through on America's vote. The seven I was disappointed in were

Eddie---really am getting tired of him----back to "going Hollywood" with the colored glasses and the shaggy coat plus the singing was NOT good.
Riley is just adorable but sounds like a million other wannabes.
Wade didn't do justice to what could have been a great song for his voice.
Uche is MJ revisited and I am sure will find a place after AI entertaining in clubs...but not my style.
Alejandro showcased more musicality than singing.
Ashley did not sing as well as I recall in the past.
Walker needed to really belt out that song to make it stand out in this competition....and he didn't quite make it for me.

I am really curious to see whom the judges save with their three picks. You know Wade and Alejandro have them if needed.

I love Laine, I really do. However this song to me was very safe for him. He sang it well, he performed well, and he looked cute as a button. but it was just safe. He should easily move on however.

Evelyn, I have said it before and I’ll say it again. I wanted to like her so bad but I cannot take her voice anymore. She had it right she is quirky, but she’s not great and the more I hear her or even watch her sing the more turned off I become.

Alyssa, did well too. That dress made her look like a 1950s dressing table skirt however. I think this too was a safe song for her. She too will move on.

Eddie, I like the kid. But I don’t think he will win this show. This was a good song for him to be who he is but I don’t think it allowed him to showcase his voice.

Riley also played it safe, it was boring for me. There are a million Rileys out there, she is not special in anyway shape or form. I don’t say that to be mean but I just don’t get the love the judges feel for her. She is young, not only in age but in experience, I will never forget her smiling her way through Jolene. She needs to go away and come back in like 10 years and try again IMO.

Wade, He cracks me up every time I see him on my screen. Soon as I heard the song he was singing I thought to myself, great song choice and did a good job with it. I enjoy watching him and listening to him. She is just a simple guy with some talent that is very likeable. It is a good combo for him. He should move along as well.

Dimitrius will move on. I am not a fan of his but his story with his mom and all that will endear him to many. I am not a huge fan of his voice either but it is not a bad voice but much like Riley, I don’t see the uniqueness in it. I will say he does have a good voice and even if it is not my cup of tea, if he worked with it and didn’t over sing everything there maybe something there.

Madison did well with a hard song. I remember the first time I heard that song and I was like wow who is this?! I have grown to absolutely adore Alicia Keys since then and again, Madison did a good job with the song. Given the talent pool this season she may have to step up a bit to really be noticeable. I think her and Raghu kinda cancel each other out a bit in the voting pool. Personally I think Madison has the bigger and slightly better voice.

Jeremiah gives another solid performance and he picks some interesting songs. But he also picks songs that allow him to sing his way and give the illusion of range. He has a powerful voice and it’s very clear and steady so picking songs he has he stays in his lane of softer ballad types but given the artists that made them famous it lets him meander in to many different types of music and does it effortlessly. I can’t help thinking back to Time After Time with Cynthia and I STILL get goosebumps. I do love his voice and there is NOTHING wrong with staying in a lane. Someone once said of Patsy Cline that she had a voice that was made for singing love songs.. and so does Jeremiah. And I love to listen to him he can convey emotions like sadness and loss and he can also express hope and joy. He is solidly in my top 4.

Uché, sigh, another I don’t care for. I am not a Bruno Mars fan, at all, so the song itself did nothing for me one way or another. For me he is just too much on stage.. dial it back a bit and let you out. I don’t do well with someone always playing a part when they sing. Its ok if you are on stage in a musical or play then play that part, but this is him singing and trying to put himself out there… I’d like to see more Uché and then see if I like it. As of now, not liking this amped up character each week. He will not go home, but I won’t miss him if he does.

Alejandro, the more I watch him the more I like him (Unlike Evelyn). I may not have liked this week’s performance as much as others (not a Drake fan) but what it did show me is his level of musicianship. To say his performances were all basically the same is a harsh generalization. Alejandro is very talented and nuanced. His musicianship is stronger than his vocal abilities. He showed range last night it may not have been vocally but he DID show range. His simplistic delivery of music in any form is mesmerizing to me as in I can’t help but watch and listen. Like I said with Jeremiah, it is ok to stay in a lane doing what you are good at. It isn’t all about range but it is about uniqueness and talent. To say someone needs to show they have mastered their craft on this show asks a bit much. I think there needs to be growth shown and talent exhibited but mastery, nah.. that will not come for years and years. Alejandro has already shown he can play with the big boys and has impressed some big names in the industry, he will be fine. I honestly hope he doesn’t win this it will be much better for him and his career if he doesn’t. However, his wining would show a lot for the voting public and how they view real musicians.

Ashley’s voice is so well honed to me. It is strong, but effortless with a beautiful tone. She is talented and such a warm person. I still can’t find much wrong with her crowd interaction maybe.. as they are looking for a pops star. BUT Carrie Underwood, and this was my biggest complaint about her on her season, was like a wood plank at times on stage.. but had a voice.. Ashley is at least more inviting than Carrie was WAY BACK THEN. Carrie has come a long way.

Laci took probably my favorite Blink song and did I don’t know what to it. It was not bad but maybe it is because I am used to 2 different people singing that song and the contrast of the vocals added to the song. I do like her voice it isn’t that, and she did a decent arraignment on the song but she took out the meat of the song and sang the pre-chorus and chorus only. Also the “We can have Halloween on Christmas” line that always makes me giggle. Maybe for me it was delivered well enough but was missing something overall.. wow even as I type that I think it is a copout reason but it is all I have.

Walker, Walker, Walker…… I doooo love this kid but his choice of Climb Ev'ry Mountain just cemented it more for me that he needs to be on stage. He has a very pretty voice and he is cute as all hell but in the end if a ginger is gonna win this, it is gonna fall to Jeremiah. Walker is super talented and like is aid before has more to offer than a good voice. If he can find some more stage presence and mix it up a bit in song choices, this one was also safe AF, he may prove me wrong. But as of now for me hes lower middle of the pack.

I hate to admit, with exception of that whole Kara DioGuardi mishap, I miss the old judges. Even Randy. I can’t count how many times this season already when the 3 we have now have lavished gobs of praise when the contestant really needed a “Dog that just didn’t really do it for me.” Stop telling them that they can still chase their dreams and give them some actual useful feedback. This kinder, gentler Idol is not doing it for me at times. And PLEASE stop standing after EVERY singer finishes.. not all of them are THAT deserving of a standing O.. it only cheapens it guys. Lastly, I think next week I shall play a drinking game and every time Ryan says “brother” I will do a shot. This may help me like Uché more.

You mean like all those insightful times he said someone was a lounge singer, or belonged on a cruise ship, or the time he told Kris Allen he was like chewing on ice? Yep, those were the days when those kids learned exactly how to improve & what to do to become better. Simon was & still is a complete moron. Never, ever, did I get the admiration for that guy.

Whether you liked Simon or not wasn't my point. I do think he knows music, and critiqued when needed. The times you hear a flat note, you'd think at least one of those judges would point it out? They haven't. I'd think that would be constructive criticism.
If they never say anything to critique them, it doesn't help them IMO. Steve Tyler may have been "over the top" to some, but at least he knew when to critique them.

I enjoy this format. I enjoy listening to everyone whether I like their style or not.
We aren't all attracted to the same type of art, whatever it's form. But, just because I dislike a particular type of painting style does not mean the people who do enjoy it and the critiques who praise it are wrong to do so. Or complicit in some conspiracy to promote that particular style or a more 'deserving' style;i.e. the one I like more.
Each singer brings a different type of brush stroke to their painting using their voices and all of them are talented. I wish people could understand that the judges are not wrong or blowing smoke or favoring certain singers as if it's 'fixed.'
Not all of these kids are going to make it, and I don't especially like some of their voices. But I appreciate that they are talented. Me not liking their voice or voices doesn't mean they can't sing like hell. I find the judges supportiveness to be a welcomed addition. It puts the focus on the contestants rather than it being a showcase for the judges antics and calculated, cutting remarks that served no purpose in the past other than to humiliate people for the audiences entertainment. .
I have heard each judge be critical of contestants, including Evelyn. It's just that their remarks are subtle and helpful rather than loud like a hammer coming down on someone's soul.
I do hope Evelyn is saved, because she comes from a tiny state, mine, in a small part of the country, northern New England. She'll get support from Vermont(total population about 100,000) New Hampshire(approx. 1 million) and Maine(under a million). Not everyone here watches Idol It's not a 'thing.' So, when you have contestants who come from areas that lack population, they are at a huge disadvantage. and if their genre is not country or pure pop, they are being hit by another disadvantage as they can't be put in a box.
To me, that's what the judges save is used for.

Add me to the Madison fans.  I think she has the best voice of the females.  I also like Alyssa and was happy she got a save last night. 

HIIIII EVERYONE!!!  

I do not watch IDOL.


I just wanted to let you know that as someone that lives next door to Disneyland and go often all the top ten IDOL kiddos were all over the PARKS

this week.

I wondered why there were soooooooo many PLAIDS this week and none of them appeared to be with celebrities then I started seeing signs all over the PARKS about

parking for AI etc etc.

So I am guessing or thinking THIS week maybe scenes from DISNEYLAND.