Another off week for our intrepid finalists, largely because Elton doesn't write the type of music most of these kids excel at. There were a few diamonds in the rough, of course, but for the most part, another disappointing night, made more so by the fact that Elton didn't stick around to guest judge.
Tonight, George proved that he can bring his own unique attitude and style to virtually any song.
The challenge for him in this performance was to prove that he can sing well in genres of music that his voice is not necessarily built for, and he met it head on with a rendition of Take Me to the Pilot that both respected the original recording and made it his own. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the competition is the versatility required to excel each week in often vastly disparate musical styles. On top of the great show he put on tonight, we've yet to see his excitement and enthusiasm for the show flag.
Many of the singers looked flat-out tired this week and last, but George is every bit as punched-up as he's been since we first met him back in February. While none of the contestants this season has been consistently great, of the nine remaining finalists, George has come the closest. If you assume, as many have, that votes for LaToya and Fantasia will eventually begin to cancel each other out, George could easily become the front-runner to finish at the top of the heap this summer.
After more than one sub-par week, Jennifer bounced back in a big way tonight with a Broadway-worthy version of Circle of Life. It was a dangerous song choice for her as the performance could have veered very easily into a cheesy, showy mess. It's a testament to her control and skill as a performer that she managed to let the song work to showcase her voice rather than the other way around.
By keeping the effusive hand gestures and facial expressions to a minimum, Jennifer kept herself in check enough to please both the judges and the audience. It will only help that she performed last tonight and will thus be at the forefront of most voters' minds as they begin dialing in votes. Based on her track record, there is still an outside chance she'll end up in the bottom three.
Based on tonight's performance, she's in the top three, no question.
I mentioned that Jasmine has shown the most improvement among the finalists, and her uphill climb continued tonight with her performance of Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me. She's shown in past weeks that she can really belt it out when the song calls for that sort of power, and tonight was no exception.
Unfortunately, the judges were less than impressed, though America will likely give her a pass. Jasmine is probably safe for this week, but in order to survive as the cream continues to rise, she's going to have to grow a personality. Singers who are far less talented in this competition may have larger fan bases because they appeal to a specific demographic.
Others continue to coast by on the strength of their personality or looks. While Jasmine remains among the best singers in the group, she has yet to deliver that spark needed to truly be the American Idol.
Back to the winning combination of her real hair and a classy dress, LaToya was back in top form tonight.
Singing Someone Saved My Life Tonight, LaToya reminded America exactly why she didn't deserve to be in the bottom three last week. While her performance tonight was good, LaToya is also beginning to suffer from the same self-defeating comparisons that started to plague Fantasia last week. These two women have already been set up by the judges and the critics as the two to beat this season.
They've both delivered amazing performances that could easily be released as chart-topping singles. So, as George continues to turn out star-making performances and Jasmine gets better week after week, neither LaToya nor Fantasia can afford to have an off week. Her must have been a wake-up call for LaToya.
She pulled no punches tonight, and while there was nothing particuarly wrong with her singing last week, the difference tonight was striking. If Fantasia was not in this competition, LaToya would be a lock to make the top two. Things being as they are, however, she's still going to have to fight for every vote.
With or without this competition, Fantasia will be getting a recording contract. I've mentioned before how surprising it is that she wasn't already signed to a label prior to trying out for AI3. Since she first appeared as the break-out star of this season's show back in February, Fantasia has demonstrated that she has everything it takes to be a pop star, and there's little doubt that we'll have seen her first single, if not an entire album, by this time next year.
That being said, her future in this competition has become more uncertain over the past few weeks. While she has yet to hit the bottom three as LaToya did last week, I wouldn't be surprised to see her start showing up in the bottom range of the rankings once the finalists are cut down to five. As many critics have pointed out, fans are most likely to vote when they fear that one of their favorites is in danger of being voted off.
LaToya will no doubt benefit from that effect this week as those who though she was safe for sure last round mobilize to ensure she continues on in the competition after tomorrow night. Sometime soon, however, Fantasia could fall through the cracks. It will be a tragedy for the show if it happens, but its not without precedent.
Remember from Season 1?
Diana wasn't horrible tonight. She sang I'm Still Standing with all the energy and poise she's maintained throughout the competition.
But there was no doubt something off for her. The judges and the audience both reacted to it, with Simon even refusing to comment at all on the performance. Diana didn't even seem to know exactly what was off, but she knew even as she performed that she still didn't have the connection with the audience that Simon said she needed last week.
If she doesn't have that connection with the voters, there's an outside chance she could see the bottom three tomorrow night. I wouldn't peg her as this week's reject, though she'll need a strong return to form next week if she wants to continue to compete.
JPL's slow, steady spiral continued tonight with an abysmal rendition of Rocket Man.
Whether at the advice of the judges or at his own initiative, Jon Peter has excised everything from his performances that got him voted into the finals as America's Wild Card choice in the first place. There was nothing fun about watching JPL tonight, no enjoyment to be garnered from his off-key and lackluster performance. However, he clearly has a devoted fan base that will vote regardless of the actual quality of his singing.
Eventually, that base will begin to erode. When it does, JPL is toast.
It's becoming increasingly clear each week that John does not belong in this competition.
He could very well be the next Sinatra, no doubt. He's got the voice and the style. But that is not what this competition is about.
While his vocals on Crocodile Rock were adequate, it was almost painful to watch him attempt to dance in time to the music. His execrable performance last week somehow kept him out of the bottom three, but for how much longer will his fans put up with this nonsense?
Instead of commenting on Miss Velasco's brutal butchering of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road tonight, I'd like to focus instead on what would have happened last week if the majority of AI3 voters had two brain cells to rub together.
The bottom three would have been Jennifer Hudson, John Stevens, and Miss Velasco. Jennifer would have been safe, but just barely. Middle America would likewise save John from the clutches of expulsion, and America would have bid a fond farewell to Miss Velasco.
Had things gone as they should, we would have been spared her screeching, halting performance tonight. Had things gone as they should, would have been around to sing tonight. I'd like to think she would have sung I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues with her trademark energy and showmanship, ending in a standing ovation and thunderous applause.
So, a moment of silence if you will, for the one AI3 finalist who should have been there tonight, but wasn't.
I hope against hope that this will be Camile's last hurrah. John and Jon will keep her company in the bottom three, but their will keep them alive for at least another week.
Crocodile Rock?
what the hell was he thinking?
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