We are moments away from the entering into the Final Twelve battle for the title of American Idol. For anyone who may have missed my (insightful? forgettable? driveling? inspiring?) comments during the last few weeks of American Idol, I apologize. No, I wasn’t banned from using the computer, or rejected by ElitesTV. I have been on vacation. Unfortunately, in the dark forests of deepest England, access to the Fox network was impossible. I did record the last few shows, but presume that most people are already up to par with all drama which unfolded. So I won’t bore you with ‘recaps’ of what you already know.
So then, we have our twelve finalists – ready to entertain, hopefully. I must admit, on my return and watching some of the performances I had recorded, I was surprised at the drop in vocal excellence displayed by some performances. What happened to the voices which sounded so in tune and pleasurable during the early auditions? What happened to the public’s voting skills? Did aliens from another planet arrive while I was away? Who is this rude, discourteous Simon Cowell? Oh that’s right, he was there before I left! It’s amazing what a few weeks away will do to the senses. We become so used to the same old same old, week after week. Watching with a fresh outlook is recommended.
Reviewing the last few weeks, some of the things I noticed which had escaped me before was the continual contradictory behavior of the contestants in the face of Simon Cowell. On one hand, they display facial disgust at his outwardly harsh criticism – refute and counter any negative comments he makes towards them. Then when he does provide positive remarks, breath a sigh of relief and gratitude. You either take it all or none at all. It does appear, as before, the goal of each contestant is to win the favor of our “Mr Nasty”.
Talking of Simon, what is the deal with Simon and Paula? Did I miss something while I was away? They have started to appear like a married couple who are showing signs of longevity in their feelings towards each other. One moment, all sweet and touchy, pleasantly in agreement, then a short time later bickering like the two Grumpy Old Men. I’m guessing their character acting is probably to keep the audience interested during the less than mediocre performances we (you) were subjected to.
Well, moving on, this week sees the start of the most interesting part of the contest – if you disregard the amusing auditions. I presume the same format will be used. Each week a different theme will be chosen. It will be interesting to see who can handle the different genres during the coming weeks.
Of the twelve left, here my gut feelings. Amy Adams – Nice girl, good voice, great personality. I think she’ll stay in for quiet a few weeks. I don’t think she will be the next American Idol – a little too “cabaret” for me. Diana DeGarmo – This youngster has a fantastic voice. Not sure if she will be able to handle all the pressure and demands on performing different song styles each week. I think she could go all the way to the top three. Camile Velasco – Maui sweetie! Nice unique style. Like Diana, I think her age and inability to be versatile may be her downfall. I’m guessing she will not make the top three. Fantasia Barrino – The Judges favorite from the very first week. She has style, and a uniqueness that sets her apart. Vocally, I’m not sure whether she can cut it. But no doubt a star performer. I think she may make the top two or three. George Huff – Season three’s Rickey Smith. Nice guy, magnetic personality. I don’t think he has the strength or range in his voice to hold out for too long. Jasmine Trias – Hawaiian flower. She was pretty good, compared to the competition in her group. Good enough to win the coveted title? Unfortunately I don’t think so. Jennifer Hudson – The Chicago lass who won me over in her first audition with her great voice but failed to impress afterwards. Luckily, Randy voted her in last week. I think if she works on her act and voice, she could be battling it out at the top. John Stevens – The 16yr old “Deanie”. Nice kid, with an innocent attraction for many. I liked him but don’t think he has a chance to make it into the top slots due to his limited vocal ability. Jon Peter Lewis – How the heck did this guy get into the top twelve? Admittedly he can sing, somewhat. But so could all the others who didn’t make it. I don’t think he has shown the “it” factor at all. I felt sorry for those he beat for the last place on the wild-card show. Maybe America voted for him to prove a point to Simon. LaToya London – Wow! Where did she come from? If we had to choose the American Idol based on the last several weeks, LayToya would win hands down in my book. What a fantastic performance she gave. I only hope she can retain that level of perfection throughout the coming weeks. If she can, I’m sure she’ll be the next American Idol. Leah LaBelle – Sultry and sweet. Her voice is lacking in many areas and I don’t see her advancing too far. The competition is too hot for her to win. Matthew Rogers – The only one out of the guys who I think could do well. He has a strong voice, and although brash at times, has a personality. I think his lack of humility may be his downfall. Could hit the top three, but I don’t see him as the next American Idol.
There we have it. My predictions, which may or may not be completely off base. My little “break” has either rejuvenated or deadened my musical senses – we’ll see. I’m looking forward to seeing the Hopeful Dozen perform.
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