American Idol, Auditions 1 & 2
My annual picking the top 24 and 12 out of the early audition rounds continue as I kick so much ass at it. Uh huh, you don't think I do .... last season, I picked 25 out of 36 and of those 25 I picked, 9 of them landed in the top 12 and of those remaining three in top twelve, I know for a fact that we did not see winner Kris Allen -- who I so would have mentioned -- in the original auditions. So GO ME!
Oh, FYI: Unlike most Idol fans, I love Kara! She's awesome!!!!
Auditions #1 - Boston
I don't necessarily pick performers I like, some I don't, this list is based on those I do really like, and those I think have a good shot of making it even if I personally don't like them (ala Jasmine Murray and Adam Lambert last year). I don't know why, but there always seem to be a lot of names the first couple of days, but they generally taper down as the days pass. :shrugs:
* Maddy Curtis - I really like her voice, clear and lovely. Like a bell. Quite mature for her age. And I like her more and more as she sings. Good.
* Jennifer Hirsh - She needs to work on her breath control (big-time), but she has a good, interesting voice. Nice bluesy, 1940's vibe. Nice.
* Jess Wolfe - Very good voice, but is she commercial enough, perhaps too off-putting to make it that far? I'm not sure.
* Amadeo Derizzi - I don't really like him, he's sing/shouting to me, but he has the kind of personality and vibe (plus, he can sing) that could take him far.
* Luke Shaffer - I like his voice; I really, really, really, really like his voice. I want to just listen to him sing. Sweet.
* Ashley Rodriguez - So getting through, so don't like her voice. She's good, but has a slightly nasal, whiny quality. Ick. She's gonna be one that's pushed ridiculously and I'm going to groan the whole time. Sigh, she does have "it" because as soon as she opened her mouth, I knew they'd love her. I just don't.
* Tyler Grady - He's got "it" too and I like him. Not the best singer, but he's good, and very charismatic and sexy and just WOO! He's my favorite so far.
* Mike Davis - He's a bit pitchy (heh, it DOES have some validity when you don't overuse it, Randy) in the beginning, but I really like his voice. Gentle and smooth.
* Katie Stevens - Yeah, she's very good, a little bland, but that could change.
* Joshua Blaylock - Not the greatest singer, but he's so adorable. :) I sorta love him already.
* Justin Williams - Really good control, he's very good. And, yeah, slightly Adam-y, but with less excess (which was part of my issue with him).
* Leah Laurenti - Kinda old-school, but with a slight edge that makes her more current. I like her, she's very good, even if she pushes a few notes too far. Excellent control.
Auditions #2 - Atlanta
* Keia Johnson - She's very good, but she needs more control, it was too big. And knowing the words better would be nicer (proud Celine Dion fan here, got the lyrics wrong here and there.) But, like Simon, I like her and she IS very, very good.
* Jermaine Sellers - A bit too much vocal histronics at the end there, but very nice voice.
--- Mary J. Blige's facial reactions are cracking me up. ---
* Vanessa Wolfe - She's a country singer, a HARD country singer, but she's GOOD, she's very unique and she has something. Yeah. I like her.
* Holly Harden - Wow, she's surprisingly very good. And she's cute.
* Mallorie Haley - I don't know if she could hack other styles, but she CAN sing, and she's drop-dead natural gorgeous.
--- KRIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (His song "Before We Come Undone" played after Mallorie made it through. My favorite song of his. Listen to it!)
* Carmen Turner - SHE CAN'T SING KELLY CLARKSON! HELL TO THE NO! Sorry. I do not think she'll make it beyond Hollywood (and I can't believe she's even going that far), just had to comment on that. That was an AWFUL rendition of "Where is Your Heart." Listen to how it SHOULD be sung *(with poignancy and heartbreak imbued in every word) ...
Okay, I'm sorry, but yeah, that stupid "Pants on the Ground" IS catchy, LOL!
Oh, FYI: Unlike most Idol fans, I love Kara! She's awesome!!!!
Auditions #1 - Boston
I don't necessarily pick performers I like, some I don't, this list is based on those I do really like, and those I think have a good shot of making it even if I personally don't like them (ala Jasmine Murray and Adam Lambert last year). I don't know why, but there always seem to be a lot of names the first couple of days, but they generally taper down as the days pass. :shrugs:
* Maddy Curtis - I really like her voice, clear and lovely. Like a bell. Quite mature for her age. And I like her more and more as she sings. Good.
* Jennifer Hirsh - She needs to work on her breath control (big-time), but she has a good, interesting voice. Nice bluesy, 1940's vibe. Nice.
* Jess Wolfe - Very good voice, but is she commercial enough, perhaps too off-putting to make it that far? I'm not sure.
* Amadeo Derizzi - I don't really like him, he's sing/shouting to me, but he has the kind of personality and vibe (plus, he can sing) that could take him far.
* Luke Shaffer - I like his voice; I really, really, really, really like his voice. I want to just listen to him sing. Sweet.
* Ashley Rodriguez - So getting through, so don't like her voice. She's good, but has a slightly nasal, whiny quality. Ick. She's gonna be one that's pushed ridiculously and I'm going to groan the whole time. Sigh, she does have "it" because as soon as she opened her mouth, I knew they'd love her. I just don't.
* Tyler Grady - He's got "it" too and I like him. Not the best singer, but he's good, and very charismatic and sexy and just WOO! He's my favorite so far.
* Mike Davis - He's a bit pitchy (heh, it DOES have some validity when you don't overuse it, Randy) in the beginning, but I really like his voice. Gentle and smooth.
* Katie Stevens - Yeah, she's very good, a little bland, but that could change.
* Joshua Blaylock - Not the greatest singer, but he's so adorable. :) I sorta love him already.
* Justin Williams - Really good control, he's very good. And, yeah, slightly Adam-y, but with less excess (which was part of my issue with him).
* Leah Laurenti - Kinda old-school, but with a slight edge that makes her more current. I like her, she's very good, even if she pushes a few notes too far. Excellent control.
Auditions #2 - Atlanta
* Keia Johnson - She's very good, but she needs more control, it was too big. And knowing the words better would be nicer (proud Celine Dion fan here, got the lyrics wrong here and there.) But, like Simon, I like her and she IS very, very good.
* Jermaine Sellers - A bit too much vocal histronics at the end there, but very nice voice.
--- Mary J. Blige's facial reactions are cracking me up. ---
* Vanessa Wolfe - She's a country singer, a HARD country singer, but she's GOOD, she's very unique and she has something. Yeah. I like her.
* Holly Harden - Wow, she's surprisingly very good. And she's cute.
* Mallorie Haley - I don't know if she could hack other styles, but she CAN sing, and she's drop-dead natural gorgeous.
--- KRIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (His song "Before We Come Undone" played after Mallorie made it through. My favorite song of his. Listen to it!)
Click to view* Carmen Turner - SHE CAN'T SING KELLY CLARKSON! HELL TO THE NO! Sorry. I do not think she'll make it beyond Hollywood (and I can't believe she's even going that far), just had to comment on that. That was an AWFUL rendition of "Where is Your Heart." Listen to how it SHOULD be sung *(with poignancy and heartbreak imbued in every word) ...
Okay, I'm sorry, but yeah, that stupid "Pants on the Ground" IS catchy, LOL!