Lauren Alaina: Maturity and Confidence Issues

There you have it ladies and gentlemen. Lauren Alaina came as an emotional mess again as she landed in the bottom 2 for the first time in a long time. Is this why the obviously dissatisfied Jennifer Lopez refused to comment on her “Unchained Melody” rendition? Poor thing. I think we need the services of a counselor in AI.

It is obvious that Lauren cannot take the pressure of American Idol in as much as she cannot take criticism constructive or otherwise. There was one Thursday elimination several weeks ago, if you remember, when a very emotional Lauren was sent by Ryan Seacrest back to the couch even before the host finished his verdict on Lauren Alaina. So that’s it. Her being in Idol should have helped her ideally as an artist but it looks like it is putting more pressure on her emotionally and psychologically more than it is helping her. If she is eliminated next week which is very possible, I’m afraid she’s going to lose it. So somebody’s got to help! Bring mammy and daddy!

By the way I wonder how she got into the top 10 anyway. Tsk tsk tsk. And didn’t you notice her mom – she looks like a … barbie doll (wink!).

Nobody’s Writing About Scotty Mc Creery

Nobody’s writing about Scotty Mc Creery in wordpress so I’m giving him a favor. Scotty, the country singer whose deep voice can startle the crows and even sleeping babies has eluded the bottom three in American Idol much to my dismay but to the happiness of his fans who had voted for him consistently.

Scotty has maintained a solid spot in the top 3 with Pia Toscano and James Durbin and I’m afraid this season’s American Idol will have a boring country singer for a winner. I don’t know what’s with Scotty but his voters definitely see in him what a non-country-song fan like me can’t. Yawn!

Meanwhile rocker and screamer James Durbin upset Michael Jackson’s relatives by the MJ Pepsi comment, ““I have a lot of hairspray in my hair to keep it from jumping around — so much so, the one thing I was worried about was having a ‘Pepsi moment.” An awkward moment because American Idol’s major sponsor is Coke which Jennifer Lopez immediately rectified. This should give Durbin some lesson on modesty. Personally the flak does not annoy me much but the constant squinting of his eyes makes me think he is about to lose himself under the fits of Tourette syndrome.

Thia Megia and Naima Adedapo Voted off in American Idol

Thia Megia and Naima Adedapo, Top 11 contenders of American Idol Season 10 have been voted off. Paul Mc Donald one of the bottom three is saved.

Thia and Naima’s performance have been slacking since weeks ago. Naima particularly have miraculously stayed above the bottom three. Thia needs more maturity as an artist to develop her style and find her niche. America Got Talent and even American Idol is not for her yet.

This week’s elimination round has proven, America has voted wisely. Last week was a shocker which made idol fanatics anxious to go through this week. Casey Abrams who escaped the bottom three by several margins, has shaven a few centimeters off his beard and hair and has sang quite surprisingly fascinating making the judges who saved him very proud and which has earned him more votes than the others. Stefano Langone, bottom three last week with Casey and Thia Megia and one of my early favorites and Jennifer Lopez’s too,  must shake the dusts off and consider choosing songs like he did a couple of weeks back and connect to the audience.

I’m excited for next week again and AI has not yet lost one Idol fanatic in the person of me. And so, tonight I can sleep well, like a baby.

SWOT: What could bring Stefano Langone to the top?

Stefano Langone a wild-card pick has been consistently doing well. His talent and good looks has gotten him noticed by the voters keeping him away from the lower three since the wild card. Recall, the following: · His wild card song, “I need you know,” was impressive. · His ambitious interpretation of Stevie Wonder’s “Lately” was an instant hit on the floor. This week he scored as one of the best performance in his rendition of, ”If you don’t know me.”

So what could bring Stefano to the top?

Strengths

There is no doubt that Stefano coming from a family of musicians has the genes of an artist. He is class A in terms of vocal quality. Vocal range wise, there is some room for improvement in the higher range. Style-wise he has shown a wider possibility of versatility.

Weaknesses

Connecting to the audience is key, music is a form of communication, he needs to speak to them, to look them in the eye, to convey the emotions in his song to the audience and if appropriate to use his good looks and his smile to lure the giggling girls.

Opportunities

Does he even know he is cute? J Lo, her eyes twinkling, absolutely thinks he is. Often, he gets drowned into his performance that he forgets he needs to tickle the audience and he can use his looks and his smile. Good thing American Idol does not care yet about his fashion sense otherwise he fails. His flailing undershirts, over oversize coats, and shoes, don’t match his outfit. However smaller than the average American height, if he has a buff body maybe he can wear shirts to delight the imagination of American girls but not necessarily show skin. It’s all about having a great outfit. This is a competition, if he wants to win, some sexuality/sexiness and fashion, will not hurt.

Threats

American Idol 10 is a competition of great artists. There is Casey Abrams, James Durbin, Pia Toscano, Paul McDonald and even Jacob Lusk to beat but he can always take advantage of his strengths and opportunities, improve on eye contact and his great smile.

American Idol 10 Top 11

Girls will be the first to go.

I thought Naima Adedapo’s disastrous performance last Thursday will put her off the competition. Surprisingly, Karen Rodriguez who I thought attracts most of Latino-American votes inspite of her obviously mediocre talent and very limited range, is finally gone. Haley Rheinhart, one of the lower three, took the situation with humor. She is still not going. Rheinhart has a lot more style and promising talent than perhaps, Thia Megia. Thia Megia who’s been getting two consecutive flaks from the judges is hanging by the thread that is on the perspective of the judges and not the voters. Her weaknesses in term of vocal quality and style are laid bare. It was timely that J Lo finally noticed it. I’d seen Thia Megia perform in a David Foster show, I heard her sang her audition piece and her throaty vibrato is painful. If she keeps singing at mid range it is great but songs on the lower and higher range and songs other than ballads challenges her vocal quality and even rhythm (recall her jazzy rendition of “Smile). She defiled the judges that she can do more than just the boring ballads. Let’s see next week.

11. Naima Adedapo 10. Thia Megia 9. Lauren Alaina 8. Haley Rheinhart 7. Paul Mc Donald 6. Scotty Mc Creery 5. Jacob Lusk 4. James Durbin 3. Stefano Langone 2. Pia Toscano 1. Casey Abrams

The Humdrum of American Idol 10

Okay. I was wrong about Ashton Jones. Thursday night’s “Tribute to Their Idol” was a test whether contestants can show their unique talent through a song of their idol and yet most contenders fall below expectations. It was not a good night performance wise.

Ashton Jones can’t sing and I was disappointed with all the flats and sharps. She had to go. (Status: OUT)

TOP 12

Karen Rodriguez. Her Selena and Jennifer Lopez inspired outfit looks great but her voice was not great it was bad. It was obvious from the start that she can’t hit the notes perfectly. I’m afraid that I am right about her. (Status: Don’t blame it on technical difficulty baby, what you mean you can’t hear?  Or is it really just being tone deaf? Careful or you’re next to go.)

Thia Megia should know the song first, the writer, and the recording artist first and foremost to avoid humiliation in front of the world. She is a typical Filipino, who can hit the notes right but without personal style sings karaoke-like.  (Status: Will make it to the top 10 for as long as the Filipino Americans vote for her.)

Haley Rheinhart’s style is disgustingly flirty which may in the end prove she has not much talent to share. (Status: You may end up in a lounge bar earning money by seducing your audience so pull your act together and battle the top 10.)

Pia Toscano did not even make it. Like Thia, Pia may do well in the karaoke singing contest. She falls way below Celine Dion. Great singers with perfect notes will think those half notes of hers are disturbing. I think she needs to rethink about singing diva-like, and instead develop her own style. (Status: May win the title if she can look better all throughout the contest, inspite of the fact that she obviously tries hard to outpitch Celine Dion but only made it halfway.)

Naima Adedapo surprised me with a good laugh. Her performance was a comic relief of one the most boring nights in American Idol 10. (Status: Keep the entertainment to last through the middle of the game.)

Jacob Lusk. He did not fly through his song. Though the arrangement was good, I think he should have practiced more. (Status: Will make it to the top 3.)

James Durbin. This attention grabbing contestant should know manners and stop mugging the camera from anyone and everyone including host Ryan Seacrest. He can sing through his idol’s song alright but I won’t waste my time on him. (Status: Will battle with Lusk on top 3 and literally wrestle with Seacrest for seconds worth of worldwide fame.)

Paul McDonald. I didn’t know the song he sang and neither did Jennifer Lopez, so there was no way of telling. (Status: Stop splurging your savings on a $4,500.00 suit. Regrets come later.)

Casey Abrams. He can never be Joe Cocker but I have no problem with his performance. I hope he fixes his stomach so he can get through the American Idol finals. And please surprise us more with something different. (Status: Will make it to the finals.)

Stefano Langone. I love the arrangement of Stevie Wonder’s “Lately”. I thought he was too ambitious to pick the song but I was wrong.  He gave me something wonderful and interesting that night. (Status: If he connects to more viewers will make it to the top 5.)

Scotty Mc Creery is to the boys and Haley Rheinhart is to the girls. Nothing much, but charm and flirtiness that got him votes and the deep voice which tells his vocal range is as short as one octave. (Status: Maintain the coy and you’ll get to top 8.)

Boredom is kicking on me lately. I am getting to become uninterested with the contestant’s predictable style. The American Idol producer has to do something about it.

Top 13 in American Idol 10

It has been a crazy and competitive season with hundreds of thousands of auditions not so great singers, street urchins, and psychopaths and really really talented auditioners. Not to mention new judges, sexy Jennifer Lopez, who, compared to Paula Abdul surprises me with her more substantial comments, and rock superstar Steven Tyler who makes the lives of editors hard by censoring his comments every now and then. It seems that Simon Cowell is not missed, his sarcasm and bluntness, now slowly reprised by Randy Jackson.

This season undoubtedly has the best contestants it’s like all American Idol Champions and finalists put together in one competition, well of course except Jordin Sparks, an all-luck mediocre talent, who must be AI’s biggest mistake. I wonder how she made it in the Hollywood elimination week.

So here is the Top 10 who garnered the most number of text votes, plus the 3 wildcard winners and arranged according to my preference.

1. Casey Abrams This singer hits the stage like he has just gotten out of bed without taking a shower. He knows that and admits that he defies the look of an American Idol, and to an ordinary person looks lazy and can only serve hamburgers and nothing at all. His magical talent makes him unconventionally ‘sexy’ in his own way.

2. Jacob Lusk The only contestant in the history of American Idol who made me cry in his passionate performance of “God Bless the Child”. Not only does Jacob have a great vocal quality, he has the passion, the melody and timing that is inviting, his range is amazing- hitting the highest of the high and the lowest of the low which can shame both Scotty and James.

3. Paul Mc Donald Will he sing “Hot Legs” by Rod Stewart please? This corky guy with unshaven looks and unique style owns a white suit adorned with red flowers. I’d seen him wearing the white jacket over again. And how he likes flowers! Wednesday night he donned an all black ensemble and a black flower brooch to top it all off.

4. Stefano Langone Dubbed as hot by J LO, Stefano is armed with superstar looks, a great smile and dimples. And not only that, he personally impresses me with his great vocal quality, confidence, and consistent performance. His excellent rendition of “I need you (Lord)” during the wildcard competition suits the occasion. It must have been divine intervention to sing a song so powerfully beautiful and which brought him to the top 13.

5. Scotty Mc Creery One of my least favorites because an overdoze of country songs makes me sick. His deep voice is pretty disturbing for a 16 year old. Armed only with charm and good looks, his deep voice spells monotony and utter boredom. He can only sing country songs and nothing more. A non-American Idol material, I wonder how he even got into the top 10. Brett Loewenstern should take over.

6. James Durbin The opposite of Mr. Cowboy. This attention grabber screamer has medical as well as emotional issues which should be resolved. If Cowboy hits the lowest of notes, Mr. Cryer hits the highest notes. To impress the audience and the judges he does it over the top even if uncalled for in a song. Didn’t I wish to replace him with Clint Jun Gamboa?

Females

Wildcards Ashton and Naima are on the top of my list. Shame on the voters who missed them.

1. Ashton Jones I like her and I just like her and you will not argue with me. I like her diva appeal, big hair, petite size, and an ass that can get J Lo the run for her money. She sang Jennifer Hudson’s “I’m not telling you” during the wildcard competition, because she says, “she is not going” and how Randy loves her attitude. Although her voice was a little shaky during her performance, it’s her attitude that made her win.

2. Naima Adedapo This mother of two has eccentric fashion sense and powerful vocal chords. She is a singer to behold and I wish to see more of her on stage.

3. Pia Toscano The looker, got a standing ovation for singing “Stand by me”. That was the only time I noticed her in AI and I don’t know where I even was.

4. Thia Megia Looking like a lost child with her crayola sweater, short shorts that looked like a cut off jeans and ugg boots. Thia at 15 is a pro in the field of reality tv, she lost it at the America Got Talent though. I heard her sing in a David Foster concert in youtube and I was unimpressed. There’s a lot of room for improvement. Did you see an upset Jennifer Lopez when she was picked for the top 10 over Lauren Turner?

5. Haley Reinhart A raspy, word-eater, sexy wannabe who at some point during a group competition forgot the lyrics of her song. So she gobbled unintelligible words, and at the last resort hummed and gruffed, which eventually saved herself by a hairline and now she’s on top 10. She captivates rocker Tyler who’s got his eyes on hot singers.

6. Lauren Alaina Cart-wheeling 16- year- old from Georgia sang Tyler’s “I don’t wanna miss a thing” since audition, sang it again during Hollywood Week and may sing it again and again. And I wish I am wrong.

7. Karen Rodriguez This girl looks like some ordinary lass from some barrio. Nothing great and nothing unique. So what if she is Latina and can sing some Spanish. She still has got to prove she got talent other than her charm.

Those Crocodile Tears

I love Jennifer Lopez for all the right reasons a fan admires her idol. Not that she sings well, we all know that, but she can take her gargantuan gluteus on the floor, super legs that can topple a street lamp, and great make up to match her long locks. But can she act convincingly?

This week’s American Idol proved she can’t. There were never crocodile tears because in the first place the tissue is dry.

I did not find it funny but rather annoying. Some will just do anything to get the most attention no matter what. I heard there’s a riff between J Lo and Steven Tyler over who gets most of the spotlight but that’s just gossip unconfirmed.

In the next set, J Lo was able to pull herself together, as if she really broke down.