Topic: Idol-Talk
American Idol Season 8: Semifinals Group 1
Airdate: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 [8-10pm]
Theme: Billboard Hot 100
Finally, we are at the LIVE episodes on American Idol. And even more exciting than that, we are finally able to vote for the first time this season. During the semifinals, this is the time when we really and truly separate the good and great from the okay and bad. And boy were there some bad performances tonight.
The semifinals this year are sort of reverting back to the mold they took in the first few seasons, where a different group would perform each week and only a few would advance out of each group, which means that, as the judges noted, the odds are stacked against you, because only a few are advancing instead of only a few being eliminated (as it has been since season 4). And tonight, the first group of twelve took to the small stage in front of the small audience. So, on that note, let's go down the list with my brief comments on each singer:
- Jackie Tohn ["A Little Less Conversation"]: I applaud her attempt at making the song her own, but it was not good. She was going more towards the entertainment than the singing. The vocals were okay, and the dancing and facial expressions were completely overdone. It was just the wrong song.
- Ricky Braddy ["A Song For You"]: Now that is how to sing a song. His tone is beautiful; what more can I say. My only concern is that his voice is not unique enough to stand out, but he still has an amazing voice.
- *Alexis Grace ["Never Loved a Man"]: I definitely agree with Simon: By a mile, the best so far tonight. I said Ricky's voice is not unique enough, but that is not the case for Alexis, with her bluesy and soulful voice. Exceptional voice and performance, and, like Simon said, she may be the dark horse in this competition, as Kelly Clarkson was in season 1.
- Brent Keith ["Hicktown"]: If country is his genre, then he's got to stand out more if he wants to make it in the world of country music. The song may have been part of the problem. It was a nice performance, but that won't get you far on American Idol, or in the music industry.
- Stevie Wright ["You Belong With Me"]: I'm a Taylor Swift fan, so it was hard to see Stevie butcher one of her songs. It was bad right from the start with the low notes. She isn't a country artist, so it was totally the wrong song. The worst of the night so far.
- Anoop Desai ["Angel of Mine"]: He was one of my favorites from the auditions and Hollywood Week, and tonight still projected that soulful voice of his. But, even so, it wasn't his best performance. I still really like him, so I hope we see him again.
- Casey Carlson ["Every Little Thing She Does is Magic"]: This is a great song, but not for her. The whole performance was off. Her voice was terrible and the wrong song choice. She tried to add personality with her facial expressions, but then there were times her face was blank as if there was nobody in that body.
- Michael Sarver ["I Don't Want to Be"]: I associate this song with Bo Bice, and it didn't fit Michael at all. His voice was off-key at times. Though, if he's eliminated, I can see the judge's bringing him back for the wildcard since they seem to like him so much regardless of tonight's performance.
- Anne Marie Boskovich ["Natural Woman"]: In the world of American Idol, this is Kelly Clarkson's song, and Anne Marie doesn't hold a candle to Kelly's version. There were a couple good moments, but it was a karaoke performance, through and through.
- Stephen Fowler ["Rock with You"]: This was a completely forgettable performance. It got a tad better right at the end, but it was too late by then. He has a nice, soulful voice, so it was unfortunate he wasn't at his best.
- Tatiana Del Toro ["I'm Saving All My Love for You"]: The first word I wrote down before she was even done singing was 'karaoke.' The majority of the song was just that, even though there were a few surprisingly good moments. But even though she was more calm tonight so we were able to hear her voice better, I think it's too late to repair her image.
- *Danny Gokey [Mariah Carey's "Hero"]: Danny was my favorite from the auditions and Hollywood Week, and he didn't disappoint tonight. Along with Alexis, this was the best performance of the night. When I heard he was singing Mariah Carey, I was unsure, but he blew me away (it reminded me of when David Cook sang Mariah's "Always Be My Baby" and we were blown away). An exceptional voice and performance.
Favorite Performances: Alexis Grace & Danny Gokey
My Vote(s): Alexis Grace [10 votes] / Danny Gokey [10 votes]
Top 12 Predictions: Alexis Grace / Anoop Desai / Danny Gokey
When it came time to vote, I couldn't decide between Alexis Grace and Danny Gokey. I decided to vote for both of them, because since there are only three slots, I want both of them to advance. If I only voted for one, and the other did not make it, then I can't be mad about the outcome, since there was something I could've done.
With three slots open this week for the Top 12, one spot goes to the girl with the highest votes, one to the guy with the highest votes, and the third spot goes to the person with the second highest votes, regardless of gender. I think the female spot will go to Alexis and the male spot to go to Danny. The third one is tricky, because it could be a few people: Ricky, because he does have a great voice, but nobody knows who he is; Anoop, because even though it wasn't his best performance, we all loved him from the earlier rounds; or Tatiana, who even though she's crazy and annoying, sometimes does show that she has a good voice. I personally think the third spot will go to Anoop, because people loved him from before. If Ricky is eliminated, I think the judge's will bring him back to the Wildcard. And with regards to Tatiana, she just needs to go away. I don't care if she was calmer tonight; the majority of us will always associate her with the crazy lady with the annoying laugh from Hollywood Week.
Well, there you go. Those are my comments on tonight's performances. If you want to buy the audio performances from tonight, you can check out americanidol.com/itunes. I don't usually buy songs until near the end of the season, but there's a good chance I will be buying Alexis Grace's "Never Loved a Man" and Danny Gokey's "Hero."
Tomorrow night is the first results show of the season, where three contestants will move forward into the Top 12. And it looks like season 7 alumni Michael Johns and Carly Smithson will be performing a duet during the results show as well (read the article about this on the Idol New page). I can't wait for that! See ya then...
