Last night the top 11 performers sang their little funky hearts out for the top 10 spots that make up the summer Idols Live tour. For some, like Jacob, Motown fit just like a glove. Others had to be a little more creative with the genre. I posted my Wish List for Motown night yesterday afternoon and by the gods one of the idols actually took the advice almost down to letter.
That's the first time that has ever happened, and that it was one of his better performances over the past few weeks will forever be a symbol of exactly how right the great and powerful OGWO is.
As if you doubted.
Sadly Casey did not take my advice to sing "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and all I could think through his performance of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" was what could have been. Granted I'm not a big fan of the song given I was a kid in the 80s and I was treated to a constant heaping helping of funky dried fruit:
I still love him and he's not going *anywhere* - but ...
Thia was facing the wrath of the judges - no matter how nice they have been - if she dared to sing a ballad again this week. I wanted something a little more Jackson 5 but she opted for that other more overplayed hit "Heatwave." She looked like she had fun and sounded as good as a song like that could let her sound. I just still can't really connect with her the way I did in her audition. I think her material has all been so mature that she, with her limited life experience, can't quite fill out in all three dimensions. That she had a fairly forgettable performance (especially in light of those that followed) early on means that she may just face the bottom three.
(Kudos to J-Lo for using it as a building block for some much-needed constructive criticism.)
I have a confession to make. Though I love him, for the last couple of weeks I haven't been connecting with Jacob. I think a lot of it is that he has all those vocal acrobats each week where the song isn't really "heard." I agreed with Jimmy that he needed to give us a little more depth to the performance and learn how to utilize those subtle, tender moments than can make a song like "You're All I Need to Get By" more than just a testament of love. It can make it a freaking religious experience. With this one performance, last week's performance show became a faint wisp of a memory. Steven hopped from his chair and ran on stage to give Jacob a big ol bear hug - I didn't have my AI handbook but I assumed that he liked it.
This started a love fest that Jacob Lusk rightly deserved. I personally think it was his best performance we've seen thus far. I nearly came up off the couch and danced right along with him... and if you knew the pain I've been in the last week or so you'd know that's sayin' somethin'.
I was *moved.*
In fact, I gotta go watch it again. BRB....
CHILLS, baby. Wow...good stuff.
Next up was Lauren, and I did not envy her following that act. She opted for "You Keep Me Hanging On" - which I had wanted Haley to tackle. Either way both girls have a certain performance style that doesn't necessarily work for all songs. For Lauren to use her sunnier disposition and big smile for a song of this nature is a little tougher sell. Again, sounded good but there was a disconnect to the lyrical content of the song...at least for me. The judges did not agree. (It could be that I was still high from Jacob...)
Remember way back to yesterday when I said the one thing these contestants should never ever ever ever EVER do is to take on a Motown hit immortalized in previous seasons by other Idols? Stefano, sadly, wasn't listening. He tackled Lionel Richie's "Hello" - which David Cook absolutely shattered the mold for back during his season. In fact, it was the defining moment for DC that showed us *exactly* who he was as a performer. There was no karaoke there, he *recreated* it. It was ah-freakin-mazing and no one, ever, should try to take that on again.
Stefano did, and thereby missed his opportunity to a.) establish himself as an artist b.) put his own fingerprint on a classic. Too many others were able to do that this week that he might indeed find himself in the bottom three.
Oh Haley. Haley, Haley, Haley. I don't really know why I don't connect with you. It's not that you're not talented. You obviously are. It's not that you're not attractive and even likable. Check, check. But either something is missing or something is way too present. Granted I'm not the target audience but that sex kitten schtick doesn't really reach me. It doesn't feel quite authentic enough. It's like a caricature... and it's just a little too over the top even for me. Whether or not her growling rendition of "You Really Got a Hold On Me" will save her from the bottom three remains to be seen. If she hasn't connected to the fans by now, will it be enough?
Only time will tell if she'll get to repeat that particular performance on various different stages across the country this summer.
Scotty came next and he sunk his teeth into Motown week. I think the reason he's so likable for so many, he really does approach everything with a level of fun and enthusiasm that comes from knowing exactly who he is even when he's that young. He sang "For Once in My Life" and of course it sounded like a twangy old fashioned country and western song. Not country... he throws back to the days of yore when my parents lived off of Hee Haw. I *hated* this music way back then, but for Scotty it works. I like seeing him grow as a performer - and keep true to who he is. He knows who his fans are (strangely unlike Stefano) and knows to play it up and make them come out of their seats. He ain't goin' nowhere. (imagine that as twangy as it sounded in my head.)
That blood-curdling scream you heard that may have shattered every window in your house and maybe a glass or two of your favorite crystal came from me. I would apologize but I *DID* warn you guys yesterday. You just should have wrapped everything knowing that Pia the Diva would be digging out yet ANOTHER ballad out of the PLETHORA of Motown hits she could have sung.
Here's the thing. She's gorgeous. She's got amazing pipes. But she's a paper doll at this point. There's no depth... there are no facets. It's the same thing week after week. She doesn't take the chances that even Scotty does, and if she doesn't learn to grow and stretch out of this obvious comfort zone, she'll never graduate from torch singer to superstar. All the greats - Celine... Whitney...Mariah... they ALL have a well-rounded song list that does more than just show off one facet.
Even Babs had a disco hit.
Again J-Lo nailed my discontent with a spot-on critique. And she did it without saying, "If I'm going to be honest with you... it was all a bit boring. I want to hear something that isn't run on loop in an elevator somewhere."
(Imagine that with the English accent.)
I just fell in love with Paul last night. He took my advice almost word for word - the only thing missing was a stool and spotlight. He sang the song I wanted to hear him sing (and it worked,) they let him finally use his guitar (which they should never let him put down again... EVER.) He put his own spin on the song that molded it to him rather than the other way around... which is what needs to happen at this level of the competition. That's how we know exactly who these artists are, and after Paul's version of "The Tracks of My Tears" there was no question who that was. In short... it *worked.*
Do not question the OGWO.
Another confession... I didn't want Naima to dance. I love my girl, Naima, from her head to her funky toes. She's crazy unique and fearless and I dig that. When I found out she was doing "Dancing in the Streets," I was scared FOR her. Especially when she decided to do an African dance in the performance. When she began to sing I crossed everything that would cross she would be able to restrain her enthusiasm to keep in pitch. She stalked that stage like a tigress in her funky bell bottoms and sounded *great*. She's not as vocally talented as Pia but strangely I'd rather watch/hear her than Pia any day of the week.
When Naima broke it down with an African dance with a tribal drum beat that actually became a part of the song I was practically dancing in the street myself. That was on FIRE. It was EXCITING! This woman needs to make the tour or the tour will suffer for it. She indeed is the full package in a way no one before her on Idol has ever been.
I love you, girrrrl!
James enjoyed his first night in the pimp spot. I say first because I see this guy really coming into his own each and every week. He did opt for a Stevie Wonder rocker tune but it wasn't "Higher Ground" like I had hoped. I really think that could have been a moment that would have been his alone to own. Since he sang "Living for the City" he has to share the glory with Siobhan Magnus:
And of course Taylor Hicks:
The good news is James still had his own moment and closed the show on a high note. He dug out that soul that true rockers really have and made it work as a rocker anthem more than an R&B classic. This is due mostly because of the swagger and cocksure attitude James has in abundance. Any successful rock star has this, because they convince us they're stars by making sure we know they think they are one.
And people love him. They respond to it. So an excellent way to close the show, which was light years in awesome away from last week's snoozefest.
The winners tonight were Jacob, James and Naima... with a big A+ to Paul for finally hitting his stride.
I think Stefano will join Thia in the bottom three based on the general forgettable quality of their performances. As for the other spot? We'll see if Haley escapes the curse of the bottom three for another consecutive week... but if not her, who?
Only tonight will tell.
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