Usually Idol fills a certain "type" quota, but this year our new panel of judges went a bit against type and pushed through those people that we weren't expecting or didn't know very well, while getting rid of immediate fan favorites.
To say that this first performance night on the big stage was a hodge-podge is putting it mildly.
The Karaoke King, Clint Jun Gamboa, went first and sang (typically) a Stevie Wonder tune, "Superstition."
"Superstition" is quite possibly my favorite Stevie tune of all time, but I have an almost instant gag reflex whenever an Idol hopeful digs it out of their songbook. It's become almost cliche.
And I'm not a big fan of June-bug anyway. He's a talented guy, there's no question about it. I just don't find him all that likable. And his over-the-top rendition, while kind of annoying to me, set the crowd on fire and prepared us for a bigger night than we'd ever experienced at this level of the competition.
One thing is for sure, the cream will definitely rise to the top quickly with this new format. This high energy performance probably would have pushed him through in any other year. This year... the curse of first threatens to rear its ugly head because by the end of the night I had completely forgotten about his performance.
As much eye-candy as Jovany Barreto is, and a crooner besides, his kiss of death was picking another overplayed-to-death guy standard with "I'll Be."
This is where our contestants make these decisions based on what they think the audience will like rather than their own strengths. If Jovany had chosen a song that allowed him to flex his Latin Lover crooner ladies man persona, he might have had a chance.
With seven guys due to get cut... it's a serious misstep. He took the one thing that made him stand out and traded it in for generic pop karaoke.
I don't even think singing that song shirtless would have helped.
Controversial Jordan Dorsey chose - or rumor has it, had "chosen for him" - the upbeat Usher tune "OMG."
As much as he had ego and swagger, the fact was he couldn't live up to either in terms of quality. The performance fell flat and of course this is when he, according to certain reports by those who were there when the performance was recorded, admitted he was "offered" the song and implied it wasn't necessarily his choice. After his hissy fit during the Hollywood audition where he justified his dickish behavior as his desire to win when he dissed different singers and then abandoned his own group at the last minute so he could align himself with the most talented, I find that a tad hard to believe. In fact, it sounds more like he didn't want to face up to the fact he couldn't deliver the goods when it counted.
But... whatever.
I'm not really a fan.
One of the virtual strangers we were introduced to last night was Tim Halperin, and after his amazing performance last week of the Beatles song "Something," I was really looking forward to seeing what Tim could do. My heart sank when he decided to go with "Streetcorner Symphony."
It was another poor fit, and that doesn't fly when the contestants can pick their own song to demonstrate their own style, rather than whittle a theme-night choice to fit them. I don't know if none of the contestants were allowed to play instruments, but that definitely hurt this particular guy - whom I fear won't get another chance to show us who he is as an artist.
(And I don't think that's what we saw last night. It just didn't ring true.)
I was pretty psyched to see what Brett Loewenstern could do. This redheaded ray of sunshine has taken me by surprise with his unusual voice and his own unique brand of showmanship throughout the audition process. I was, however, a little nervous to see how that might have translated to the big stage... and it turns out I was right to worry.
He let his freak flag fly with his own version of The Doors "Light My Fire." The Lizard King he is not and it was almost awkwardly, painfully obvious. His performance earned him top honors at That Website That Will Not Be Named, which might save him through another week (I hope so, I'd really like to see him get another shot) but this was a definite let-down for me.
(But I still love you, Brett. Keep being you because that's fabulous.)
I have had some problems with James Durbin, the biggest one is that he's trying to force himself into this Adam Lambert mold that was effectively broken all to pieces when Adam strutted and screamed his way across this stage two years ago.
Another is that he shows off this huge power-voice indiscriminately and there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. At least Adam had layers and understood when to be subtle, and it was this versatility that made him so interesting to watch.
With James' song choice, however, I finally got why James is so over the top. As the first contestant - EVER - to trot out a Judas Priest song, James brought METAL to Idol and his over-the-top voice actually fit. Metal IS over the top and this is a guy who knows that is where he lives. The Adam Lambert comparison flew right out the window and for the first time since we met him, James won me over.
The performance was exciting and unpredictable, and THAT is what gets the votes.
Good on you, dude.
Or should I say... \m/(><)\m/ Robbie Rosen has everything it takes to be a teen dream. He's cute, he sings well, he's got a smile that never quits. But he's also kinda generic. There's nothing that stands out with him and makes him particularly exciting... which could be his downfall in this competition if twelve-year-olds across the country break their texting fingers and aren't able to vote for him until their knuckles bleed.
He hasn't done anything wrong throughout the entire competition and I thought picking a ballad made famous by a woman, "In the Arms of an Angel" by Sarah McLachlan, was actually pretty shrewd. But... it was a ballad that probably wouldn't do much to reach his core fans and, in the midst of all these other performances, didn't do a whole lot to stand out.
Any other year and any other semi-final round that might have been okay. This year... not so much.
Scott McCreery, on the other hand, enjoys distinction no matter what song he sings because of that almost mind-blowing low voice he possesses.
As the only country guy in the competition, singing a country song in one of the most distinctive voices we've heard this season, he stood out by default. I'd be very surprised to see this guy go home. He's got all middle America voting for him, and they're smart to do so. This guy has a future on country radio, no question about it.
Another guy we really don't know that much about beyond the accident he suffered and fought his way back from, Stefano Langone was another big question mark going into this very important round of the competition, and his voice really took me by surprise.
Unlike Robbie, Stefano knew *exactly* who he was singing to impress. He picked "Just The Way You Are" and sang it right to every lady in the house and at home. He painfully blew the big note of the song, which could definitely hurt his chances moving on, but he was the only guy so far who gets it when it comes to connecting with his fan base.
I frankly don't know what to make of Paul McDonald. I like his voice... and his style is growing on me although every he hits the stage I can't help but make the Kenny Loggins connection.
He reprised his version of "Maggie May" by Rod Stewart, which he sang for his original audition. I found that kind of risky. It denotes a one-trick pony, and I really don't think that's what this guy is. He's a likable guy and cute as bug, so I'd definitely like to see more of him, but we should definitely put him behind an instrument ASAP.
I am a Jacob Lusk fan, and I am unabashed and unashamed. I have been since we saw what he could do in Hollywood. I had no doubts he would hit that stage and deliver an amazing performance.
He sang "A House is Not a Home" and established himself solidly as the male diva of Season 10. I can't see that divine performance NOT taking him through to the Top Ten, but if by some chance aliens intercepted every vote for Jacob Lusk and diverted into their mother ship for energy, there would no doubt be a wild card with his name on it.
Not only is he most likely the most talented guy of the group - he's just so darned likable.
Fan favorite (and Geevie-approved) Casey Abrams won the coveted pimp spot and sang another tune that had never been done on the show before... "I Put a Spell on You."
He took what was an outrageous novelty tune I never liked and actually made it crazy, jazzy, sexy good. I think Jacob outsung him, but Casey definitely knows who he is as a performer. He's not afraid to take risks and stand out and - most importantly - be different. He's quickly becoming the one we have to watch each week, and I don't see him going anywhere anytime too soon.
My top five were Jacob, Casey, James, Paul and Scotty, and I'd love to see Brett go through.
But this is one race that is too close for me to even try to call. And the ladies are even tougher.
One thing is undeniably clear...
AI might have been on life support last season, but the new judges and new format is raising it from the dead.
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