Re-listened to some top 24 performances ...
And I have some different thoughts, some the same. I didn't listen to those who were kicked off (but for Janell), as well as the performances that I KNEW were utter trainwrecks ("Landslide," "Since U Been Gone," "Apologize").
I like Didi Benami in theory, but not in practice overall. She's a good singer (as is Lilly Scott), but both have this nasally quality to their voice (similar to, yes, Adele, whose voice also isn't my cup of tea). I just do not like that tone of voice. Oh, and Scott continues to rub me so completely the wrong way. I don't like her, and there's nothing she can do about it. Finally, sorry, eolivet, Haeley Vaughn is back on my, 'yeah, but no' list. I like what she did *with* the song, but I just do NOT like her voice. She's got this baby-ish, lispy tone there and, it doesn't work for me. Michelle Delamore can sing, but my goodness, she is boring. So very boring.
Of who I liked (or liked better) ... Lee Dewyze actually does have a lot more promise than I gave him credit for his performance night. It *was* a bad song choice, but he does have a good voice, with just enough of a gravel to add a nice touch there. Aaron Kelly was MUCH better than I recalled. I unfairly judged him. As I did Siobhan Magnus. She has potential, but those low notes on "Wicked Game" were horrendous, and that really threw me. I think if she goes for songs without those low notes, she may win me over because she *does* have a very good voice, in a style I quite like (I'd love to hear her attempt some Sarah McLachlan because she slides into the higher range beautifully like McLachlan). Paige Myles was a little better than I remembered, but I already had noted her positively. Still, I had slightly written her off, and I think it's because (a) she came first, and (b) she sang a song that David Cook had (which made me automatically compare it to him). I'm very curious to hear her next week, but she still needs to work on her enunciating.
As for those I said I really liked that I *still* like, well, Katelyn Epperly moved into the number one spot. She has an amazing voice and she may be my new favorite after that performance. Crystal Bowersox is still good, but she needs to step out of her comfort zone. She does have a fabulous voice though, in my opinion. Casey James and Andrew Garcia still were, by far, the best of the guys, but Casey has a bit too much of that vibrato in there, and is a tad more nasally than I like, but I honestly think some of that was nerves. I like him, and his voice, enough to give him more shots. Andrew, I just like his voice and phrasing.
What really sucks is that I genuinely loved Janell Wheeler. She had a great, smooth voice; she just picked a song that was bigger than her and had the bad luck of appearing early on, and getting little enough face time during Hollywood to counteract an unmemorable performance. *Sigh*
So my new list of faves in order ...
1. Katelyn Epperly
2. Crystal Bowersox
3. Andrew Garcia
4. Casey James
5. Lee Dewyze
6. Paige Myles
7. Siobhan Magnus
8. Aaron Kelly
9. Didi Benami (Sorry, Didi. You still have the shot to move back up, but if she continues to sing every song with that specific tone, I just can't get behind her. Sorry, unicorn23, I don't think she'll ever be my favorite though.)
There are other performers I think can still win me over (Todrick Hall, Jermaine Sellers, Tim Urban), but they need to make better song choices. And sing the hell out of them.
I like Didi Benami in theory, but not in practice overall. She's a good singer (as is Lilly Scott), but both have this nasally quality to their voice (similar to, yes, Adele, whose voice also isn't my cup of tea). I just do not like that tone of voice. Oh, and Scott continues to rub me so completely the wrong way. I don't like her, and there's nothing she can do about it. Finally, sorry, eolivet, Haeley Vaughn is back on my, 'yeah, but no' list. I like what she did *with* the song, but I just do NOT like her voice. She's got this baby-ish, lispy tone there and, it doesn't work for me. Michelle Delamore can sing, but my goodness, she is boring. So very boring.
Of who I liked (or liked better) ... Lee Dewyze actually does have a lot more promise than I gave him credit for his performance night. It *was* a bad song choice, but he does have a good voice, with just enough of a gravel to add a nice touch there. Aaron Kelly was MUCH better than I recalled. I unfairly judged him. As I did Siobhan Magnus. She has potential, but those low notes on "Wicked Game" were horrendous, and that really threw me. I think if she goes for songs without those low notes, she may win me over because she *does* have a very good voice, in a style I quite like (I'd love to hear her attempt some Sarah McLachlan because she slides into the higher range beautifully like McLachlan). Paige Myles was a little better than I remembered, but I already had noted her positively. Still, I had slightly written her off, and I think it's because (a) she came first, and (b) she sang a song that David Cook had (which made me automatically compare it to him). I'm very curious to hear her next week, but she still needs to work on her enunciating.
As for those I said I really liked that I *still* like, well, Katelyn Epperly moved into the number one spot. She has an amazing voice and she may be my new favorite after that performance. Crystal Bowersox is still good, but she needs to step out of her comfort zone. She does have a fabulous voice though, in my opinion. Casey James and Andrew Garcia still were, by far, the best of the guys, but Casey has a bit too much of that vibrato in there, and is a tad more nasally than I like, but I honestly think some of that was nerves. I like him, and his voice, enough to give him more shots. Andrew, I just like his voice and phrasing.
What really sucks is that I genuinely loved Janell Wheeler. She had a great, smooth voice; she just picked a song that was bigger than her and had the bad luck of appearing early on, and getting little enough face time during Hollywood to counteract an unmemorable performance. *Sigh*
So my new list of faves in order ...
1. Katelyn Epperly
2. Crystal Bowersox
3. Andrew Garcia
4. Casey James
5. Lee Dewyze
6. Paige Myles
7. Siobhan Magnus
8. Aaron Kelly
9. Didi Benami (Sorry, Didi. You still have the shot to move back up, but if she continues to sing every song with that specific tone, I just can't get behind her. Sorry, unicorn23, I don't think she'll ever be my favorite though.)
There are other performers I think can still win me over (Todrick Hall, Jermaine Sellers, Tim Urban), but they need to make better song choices. And sing the hell out of them.