Philippine Idol: Top 3 FINALE (Big 3 at the Big Dome)
Lesson for the day: No one takes in rushed orders for tarpaulines. I was going to have a tarpauline printed for my Philippine Idol, Gian Magdangal, but alas I thought of it too late. Instead I opted for orange ribbons -- that apparently his family thought of too. I felt like I was part of them (not).
I expected too much from tonight, and somehow all of my expectations weren't met. Of course, that isn't to say that I didn't enjoy the show because I truly did. The pinnacle of the first season of my favorite TV show is over and all I'm left with are YouTube videos, mp3s, pictures and memories of a painful throbbing brain thanks to over-screaming (which I can really do all night).
Round 1: Personal Choice
Gian Magdangal - Impossible Dream 1
Despite our distance from the stage, I could hear Gian's voice and it was perfect. His vocals were stellar. And this was above all the screaming we did. Gian didn't bother with that ONE big note that he usually does, instead he sang the entire song calmly and cooly and he was wonderful at it. I thought he had enough stage presence and he made use of the HUGE stage without having to resort to his theatrical tendencies.
I thought the judges underpraised him again. It sucks and its tough to be the first performer. You're always the first on the chopping block and everyone else is always compared to you. I think the judges underpraised him -- and I wasn't happy about that.
Jan Nieto - Say That You Love Me 2
The thing with Jan is he's got good vocals, but that was it. I didn't see any spark of charisma in him. The constipated looks were still there, but far and few in between. Improve he has, but still no spark for me.
Jan has this way of making his songs filled with those high notes or birit notes to make it sound more grand or spectacular. I just don't like it. He's always trying to make sure his "vocal prowess" aka making his voice louder or more kulot just so he can say his song was good. This was probably my favorite among his performances.
Mau Marcelo - Love Takes Time 3
Mau's voice is just amazing. I just need for her to connect with me. It's not that I'm not paying attention. I just think that the Idols are already on equal footing. Mau is really a vocal gem, but I still need for her to give me that push to want to stand up and just flail myself at her. And no, it's not because she's not a boy. Pow could do that to me.
Round 2: Judges' Choice
Gian Magdangal - Volare 1
Oh my god. I was so afraid he would tank in this song, because I just can't see how he could make it interesting for me. But hearing Gian sing in a foreign language was just to die for. He sang every word, every note in tune. And his moves, oh his moves, made me melt to the floor.
I don't understand why Mr. C said he needed to be more sexy. Seriously, this guy is WALKING SEXY. Gian is BREATHING SEXY. I think Mr. C thinks sexy is wearing a shirt with all the buttons open and with flimsy string loosely tying the two sides together **cough**Jan**cough** I think sexy is a state of mind and Gian doesn't need to shed of his clothes to be sexy. He freaking exudes sexy. Have I mentioned the word sexy enough? Oh yeah, Gian is sexy.
Jan Nieto - Sway 3
I hate how Jan had to insert some Spanish in his song too. It's like whatever Gian does, Jan will try to upstage him one step. The key word being upstage. I thought he did a safe version of Sway. Save for his "dance moves" the performance was blah.
I absolutely hate how everyone keeps mentioning that Jan is improving. Is that the only basis for winning? The MOST improvement? I think not. He may have improved but he still doesn't have that Idol factor for me.
Mau Marcelo - Balut 2
Lesson learned: You CANNOT recreate a good performance. The judges were trying to re-stage a Waray-Waray and it failed miserably. Yes, Mau was good, but it can't beat her first attempt at a gimmick-y performance. Mr. C was trying to bring her down. Because I thought her vocals were pretty good.
It's funny how the judges said she couldn't connect with the song when they were the ones who chose it. Blame yourselves y'all.
Round 3: Sony BMG's Choice
Gian Magdangal - Flying Without Wings 1
I didn't even recognize it was Westlife's song because Gian totally did it so fantastically, he totally MADE IT HIS OWN. And did the judges ever mention this? No. Instead, they once again overcompensate for the under-praising by saying he is world class. Too late y'all. Gian totally nailed his performance with just enough grace and understated cool-sexiness.
I wish Mr. C would have praised him earlier and just made it a climactic praising instead of an abrupt I want you to win so here's my last ditch effort to praise you in hopes people will forget I didn't even pay attention to your first two AMAZING performances. Mr. C, I know where you live. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Jan Nieto - Evergreen 3
On the flipside, I would have rather had Westlife sang this song live. He sang it exactly the way they recorded it on the CD. Believe me, I know. No attempt at originality. And what freaking sucks is that all the judges comments were about him OVER-ALL. Nothing about this performance? Why? BECAUSE IT SUCKED. I swear what the freak was he thinking?
I hate how the judges are too too too nice to him. Not once did they give him a "bad" comment. Even a neutral one they didn't. They just kept praising him. And they get Mo Twister to throw in a few words for him too. This is just pimping to the extreme. Ew. Ew. Ew.
Mau Marcelo - Do It On My Own 2
She was good, I have to admit. And she could shed a few tears. But Mau, come on. I must be evil because I thought the crying during the break was a bit too much. You want sympathy you got it. Thing is, she doesn't need it. Her talent should already speak for itself. For some reason, the crying really irked me.
It's like a replacement of putting herself down. Now she's shedding tears. It's too bad because I really enjoyed her performance. I don't think the tears were those of joy either. It just felt so staged to me for some weird reason.
My Bottom Two
1. Mau
2. Jan
Obviously, I think Gian Magdangal should win. From day 1 this guy has just been busting his ass giving amazing performances (I've watched ALL of them on my IPod a zillion times, believe me). He was great to begin with and he just continued being great. Yes, there was improvement, because he listened to the judges, but you never hear them say that he improved. It's always Jan.
I hate the fact that they always say it when Jan beats Gian (as if). Hello? Mau still exists. Why is there a rivalry between the boys? Is not Mau part of the competition? Oh yeah, I forgot, even Pilita Corrales doesn't remember Mau. She said Jan has humility (gasp) unlike Gian and the other contestant.
And why when Gian (**cough** Greased Lightning**cough**) is so obviously better than Jan (Corner of the Sky), they NEVER say Gian beat Jan. Talk about fairness.
Our tickets weren't the best, but Ina, Ana, Pamy,Paola, Ate Let-Let and I had a blast. From mere fans, we suddenly came out in Gian's Fan VTR greeting holding Gian signs, tarpaulines, balloons, ribbons, pom-poms, tambourines etc.
I ended up helping out Gian's lovely cousins, Bean and Muppet distribute the paraphernalia to the many fans in the Gen Ad and to the upperbox folk. People actually though I was somewhat related to the family (I wish) because I probably looked like I was in the know. As if.
I have no voice, no credits, no gas, no battery, and a lot of hoping and praying. At 12:30, we sat quietly at Jollibee, texting our assess off, hoping we make the deadline. I feel bad for his family. Imagine the nervousness, anxiousness and just helplessness they're experiencing. I'm not even related and I really felt like crying from the anticipation.
Tonight, Araneta will be filled with hopeful nervous fans who seriously won't know what to do with themselves when the results are said. I'm crossing my fingers and I'm going to mass first thing later. Idol is ending, and I'm afraid to say that a part of my life is too. Life will be truly 200 times more boring because it will be bereft of Idol.
I don't think American Idol Season 6 or Philippine Idol Season 2 (if ever) could top this. Seriously.
I expected too much from tonight, and somehow all of my expectations weren't met. Of course, that isn't to say that I didn't enjoy the show because I truly did. The pinnacle of the first season of my favorite TV show is over and all I'm left with are YouTube videos, mp3s, pictures and memories of a painful throbbing brain thanks to over-screaming (which I can really do all night).
Round 1: Personal Choice
Despite our distance from the stage, I could hear Gian's voice and it was perfect. His vocals were stellar. And this was above all the screaming we did. Gian didn't bother with that ONE big note that he usually does, instead he sang the entire song calmly and cooly and he was wonderful at it. I thought he had enough stage presence and he made use of the HUGE stage without having to resort to his theatrical tendencies.
I thought the judges underpraised him again. It sucks and its tough to be the first performer. You're always the first on the chopping block and everyone else is always compared to you. I think the judges underpraised him -- and I wasn't happy about that.
The thing with Jan is he's got good vocals, but that was it. I didn't see any spark of charisma in him. The constipated looks were still there, but far and few in between. Improve he has, but still no spark for me.
Jan has this way of making his songs filled with those high notes or birit notes to make it sound more grand or spectacular. I just don't like it. He's always trying to make sure his "vocal prowess" aka making his voice louder or more kulot just so he can say his song was good. This was probably my favorite among his performances.
Mau's voice is just amazing. I just need for her to connect with me. It's not that I'm not paying attention. I just think that the Idols are already on equal footing. Mau is really a vocal gem, but I still need for her to give me that push to want to stand up and just flail myself at her. And no, it's not because she's not a boy. Pow could do that to me.
Round 2: Judges' Choice
Oh my god. I was so afraid he would tank in this song, because I just can't see how he could make it interesting for me. But hearing Gian sing in a foreign language was just to die for. He sang every word, every note in tune. And his moves, oh his moves, made me melt to the floor.
I don't understand why Mr. C said he needed to be more sexy. Seriously, this guy is WALKING SEXY. Gian is BREATHING SEXY. I think Mr. C thinks sexy is wearing a shirt with all the buttons open and with flimsy string loosely tying the two sides together **cough**Jan**cough** I think sexy is a state of mind and Gian doesn't need to shed of his clothes to be sexy. He freaking exudes sexy. Have I mentioned the word sexy enough? Oh yeah, Gian is sexy.
I hate how Jan had to insert some Spanish in his song too. It's like whatever Gian does, Jan will try to upstage him one step. The key word being upstage. I thought he did a safe version of Sway. Save for his "dance moves" the performance was blah.
I absolutely hate how everyone keeps mentioning that Jan is improving. Is that the only basis for winning? The MOST improvement? I think not. He may have improved but he still doesn't have that Idol factor for me.
Lesson learned: You CANNOT recreate a good performance. The judges were trying to re-stage a Waray-Waray and it failed miserably. Yes, Mau was good, but it can't beat her first attempt at a gimmick-y performance. Mr. C was trying to bring her down. Because I thought her vocals were pretty good.
It's funny how the judges said she couldn't connect with the song when they were the ones who chose it. Blame yourselves y'all.
Round 3: Sony BMG's Choice
I didn't even recognize it was Westlife's song because Gian totally did it so fantastically, he totally MADE IT HIS OWN. And did the judges ever mention this? No. Instead, they once again overcompensate for the under-praising by saying he is world class. Too late y'all. Gian totally nailed his performance with just enough grace and understated cool-sexiness.
I wish Mr. C would have praised him earlier and just made it a climactic praising instead of an abrupt I want you to win so here's my last ditch effort to praise you in hopes people will forget I didn't even pay attention to your first two AMAZING performances. Mr. C, I know where you live. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
On the flipside, I would have rather had Westlife sang this song live. He sang it exactly the way they recorded it on the CD. Believe me, I know. No attempt at originality. And what freaking sucks is that all the judges comments were about him OVER-ALL. Nothing about this performance? Why? BECAUSE IT SUCKED. I swear what the freak was he thinking?
I hate how the judges are too too too nice to him. Not once did they give him a "bad" comment. Even a neutral one they didn't. They just kept praising him. And they get Mo Twister to throw in a few words for him too. This is just pimping to the extreme. Ew. Ew. Ew.
She was good, I have to admit. And she could shed a few tears. But Mau, come on. I must be evil because I thought the crying during the break was a bit too much. You want sympathy you got it. Thing is, she doesn't need it. Her talent should already speak for itself. For some reason, the crying really irked me.
It's like a replacement of putting herself down. Now she's shedding tears. It's too bad because I really enjoyed her performance. I don't think the tears were those of joy either. It just felt so staged to me for some weird reason.
My Bottom Two
1. Mau
2. Jan
Obviously, I think Gian Magdangal should win. From day 1 this guy has just been busting his ass giving amazing performances (I've watched ALL of them on my IPod a zillion times, believe me). He was great to begin with and he just continued being great. Yes, there was improvement, because he listened to the judges, but you never hear them say that he improved. It's always Jan.
I hate the fact that they always say it when Jan beats Gian (as if). Hello? Mau still exists. Why is there a rivalry between the boys? Is not Mau part of the competition? Oh yeah, I forgot, even Pilita Corrales doesn't remember Mau. She said Jan has humility (gasp) unlike Gian and the other contestant.
And why when Gian (**cough** Greased Lightning**cough**) is so obviously better than Jan (Corner of the Sky), they NEVER say Gian beat Jan. Talk about fairness.
Our tickets weren't the best, but Ina, Ana, Pamy,Paola, Ate Let-Let and I had a blast. From mere fans, we suddenly came out in Gian's Fan VTR greeting holding Gian signs, tarpaulines, balloons, ribbons, pom-poms, tambourines etc.
I ended up helping out Gian's lovely cousins, Bean and Muppet distribute the paraphernalia to the many fans in the Gen Ad and to the upperbox folk. People actually though I was somewhat related to the family (I wish) because I probably looked like I was in the know. As if.
I have no voice, no credits, no gas, no battery, and a lot of hoping and praying. At 12:30, we sat quietly at Jollibee, texting our assess off, hoping we make the deadline. I feel bad for his family. Imagine the nervousness, anxiousness and just helplessness they're experiencing. I'm not even related and I really felt like crying from the anticipation.
Tonight, Araneta will be filled with hopeful nervous fans who seriously won't know what to do with themselves when the results are said. I'm crossing my fingers and I'm going to mass first thing later. Idol is ending, and I'm afraid to say that a part of my life is too. Life will be truly 200 times more boring because it will be bereft of Idol.
I don't think American Idol Season 6 or Philippine Idol Season 2 (if ever) could top this. Seriously.