American Idol Overhaul: Season 2
Season 2! I remember exactly where I was when this started. I was finishing up my senior year at Morgan State. Trying to decide what to do with the rest of my life. Then a light bulb turned on!! Why not audition for American Idol in the summer??? Nothing to lose from that. I studied everything about Season 2. What type of people were getting in. What songs were being overdone. Clothing styles. There were some amazing vocalist and moments from Season 2. Let's take a look back!
THE FINALIST
VANESSA OLIVAREZ
She was a powerhouse with spunk. Vocally, she gave me so many musical theater vibes. I loved her. Tone was brilliant. Maybe a little too forced at times but overall a great sound.
CHARLES GRIGSBY
One of the best contemporary R&B voices. Sometimes he seemed a little weak in the breath control department. There was a quiet confident quality to his voice when he was on.
JULIA DEMATO
There was nothing extremely special to her vocals. There were moments of grit but they didn't last long enough for me to distinguish her from the rest of the pack.
COREY CLARK
One of my least favorite voices in the competition. Just too nasally and too immature. I wanted more for him but he always faltered vocally for me. I am not in the majority here but my opinion.
RICKEY SMITH
He had a nice voice but it never had the emotion behind it. He is what I call a 'paint by number" singer. Hitting all of the right notes and it is a pretty picture. Followed all of the rules but didn't stray from the path to show a little creativity.
KIMBERLY CALDWELL
That tone! Husky and gritty! She just needed to stay in her lower register. Her upper register could have used some assistance but that bottom range was amazing!!
CARMEN RASMUSEN
Hmmmmmm........I don't get this one at all. She had one of the worst voices that I have ever heard. Sorry for being so blunt but I gotta call it. Her voice was part yodel part pop part out of tune part 4 year old. Just not a fan.
TRENYCE
Her voice had the right amount of personality and finesse to make me happy. She totally knew her voice and what she could do. Amazing sultry tone!
JOSHUA GRACIN
Nice country tone but nothing else for me. Vocal technique was definitely lacking. Nothing to win me over.
KIMBERLEY LOCKE
POWERHOUSE! She had a major voice that could tackle all of the big songs. She is a walking vocal masterclass!
CLAY AIKEN
Another vocal masterclass! He was just refreshing and clean with his vocals. Classy and powerful!
RUBEN STUDDARD
The velvet teddybear! They don't call him that for nothing. His voice was magical. Just reached in and grabbed your soul ever so gently. Man, this man could SANG!
WHO GOT ROBBED.....
FRENCHIE DAVIS
Frenchie Davis' audition
Frenchie and Kimberley - Band Of Gold
I can't even begin to talk about robbed contestants unless I talk about Frenchie Davis. MY WORD!!!!! WHAT A VOICE!!! She was pinned to win the competition from her audition. Man, I am STILL mad at producers for disqualifying her over something so petty. I would have loved to have heard her each and every week!
EQUOIA COLEMAN
Equoia Coleman - Audition
Equoia Coleman - The Way We Were
Listen to that extraordinary tone! She had so many qualities of Whitney. I was sick to my stomach that she didn't get into the top 12. SICK!
VANESSA OLIVAREZ
Vanessa Olivarez - Out Here On My Own
I was happy that she made it into the Top 12 but there is no way that she should have went out 12th. I would have had her going out at number 8 at least. 12 was just too early.
TRENYCE
I mean, she did come in 5th but I think that she should have been fighting for 3rd with Kimberley Locke. The Top 5 minus Josh were all on another level vocally.
THE TOP 12 PERFORMANCES
12. Ruben Studdard - Superstar - Semi Finals
Ruben Studdard - Superstar
From note one, you knew that this was going to be something special. He took a Carpenter's classic with some assistance from Luther Vandross and gave it his own feel. I was not mad about this AT ALL!
11. Kimberley Locke - I Can't Make You Love Me - Top 10
Kimberley Locke - I Can't Make You Love Me
We all knew that she could belt with the best of them. This song was a very pleasant and needed change for her. It showed that she could be soft and delicate with her vocals and that she could build a song.
10. Trenyce - Come See About Me - Top 12
Trenyce - Come See About Me
This was so Diana Ross like and that is what I wanted for her. Such a classy singer with a touch of edge. She sang this beautifully.
9. Trenyce - Power Of Love - Top 8 Week 2
Trenyce - Power Of Love
Well I have only heard one other person sing this with so much conviction and finesse. That is Celine herself. Trenyce gives it her own signature but does an amazing job with a difficult song.
8. Clay Aiken - Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me - Wild Card
Clay Aiken - Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
I think that this is when he got serious about being a winner and not about fitting the Idol mold of being the geeky white boy with the powerful voice. He came alive!
7. Clay Aiken - Someone Else's Star - Top 10
Clay Aiken - Someone Else's Star
Such a touching and emotional performance. He milked all of the right notes and had the right amount of power in the choruses. Just a fantastic vocal performance!
6. Clay Aiken - Mack The Knife - Top 3
Clay Aiken - Mack The Knife
He nailed it for me. It was a welcome change from the ballads but he still maintained the amazing vocal quality. And that last note!!! Held it forever!!
5. Ruben Studdard - How Can You Mend A Broken Heart - Top 4
Ruben Studdard - How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
Whew.....such a great song that sat right his sweet spot. He finessed the notes and gave the song the Ruben treatment by internalizing it. Vocally superb!!!!
4. Clay Aiken - Bridge Over Troubled Water - Top 2
Clay Aiken - Bridge Over Troubled Water
He handled this standard like a boss!!! Seriously! Everything about this was fantastic. He took his own liberties with the melody and the choruses. I think that the arrangement absolutely complimented his voice. I think that Clay mastered the money note ending with this one!
3. Clay Aiken - Unchained Melody - Top 3
Clay Aiken - Unchained Melody
Very rarely do I find a cover of this song that I like. Clay is one of the very few of them. He didn't do too much with it but kept his Clay spin on it. Notes were effortless and vibrant.
2. Ruben Studdard - Kiss And Say Goodbye - Top 8 Week 2
Ruben Studdard - Kiss And Say Goodbye
BRILLIANT!!!! This is the music that he should always sing!! So in the groove. So in the pocket. Just great!
1. Clay Aiken - Solitaire - Top 5
Clay Aiken - Solitaire
Even with missing the first phrase, he pulled out a masterful performance. My only qualm was that it was way too short. He hit each note with ease but with power. And once again....that last note! Just that little "gasp" at the end made a big difference!
HALL OF FAME
Man. Season 2 had some brilliant singers! But I did not have a hard time choosing who would be in my Hall of Fame! A Hall of Fame inductee is someone that I could listen to all of the time. Vocally great. Has a lot of charisma. And can just flat out SANG!!!
Inducted previously from Season 1:
KELLY CLARKSON
TAMYRA GRAY
1st Inductee......
TRENYCE
2nd Inductee.........
RUBEN STUDDARD
3rd Inductee.........
CLAY AIKEN
But there is a 4th!
4th Inductee......
KIMBERLEY LOCKE
Check back soon for more entries and more season overhauls!!!
Until next time.....
THE FINALIST
VANESSA OLIVAREZ
She was a powerhouse with spunk. Vocally, she gave me so many musical theater vibes. I loved her. Tone was brilliant. Maybe a little too forced at times but overall a great sound.
CHARLES GRIGSBY
One of the best contemporary R&B voices. Sometimes he seemed a little weak in the breath control department. There was a quiet confident quality to his voice when he was on.
JULIA DEMATO
There was nothing extremely special to her vocals. There were moments of grit but they didn't last long enough for me to distinguish her from the rest of the pack.
COREY CLARK
One of my least favorite voices in the competition. Just too nasally and too immature. I wanted more for him but he always faltered vocally for me. I am not in the majority here but my opinion.
RICKEY SMITH
He had a nice voice but it never had the emotion behind it. He is what I call a 'paint by number" singer. Hitting all of the right notes and it is a pretty picture. Followed all of the rules but didn't stray from the path to show a little creativity.
KIMBERLY CALDWELL
That tone! Husky and gritty! She just needed to stay in her lower register. Her upper register could have used some assistance but that bottom range was amazing!!
CARMEN RASMUSEN
Hmmmmmm........I don't get this one at all. She had one of the worst voices that I have ever heard. Sorry for being so blunt but I gotta call it. Her voice was part yodel part pop part out of tune part 4 year old. Just not a fan.
TRENYCE
Her voice had the right amount of personality and finesse to make me happy. She totally knew her voice and what she could do. Amazing sultry tone!
JOSHUA GRACIN
Nice country tone but nothing else for me. Vocal technique was definitely lacking. Nothing to win me over.
KIMBERLEY LOCKE
POWERHOUSE! She had a major voice that could tackle all of the big songs. She is a walking vocal masterclass!
CLAY AIKEN
Another vocal masterclass! He was just refreshing and clean with his vocals. Classy and powerful!
RUBEN STUDDARD
The velvet teddybear! They don't call him that for nothing. His voice was magical. Just reached in and grabbed your soul ever so gently. Man, this man could SANG!
WHO GOT ROBBED.....
FRENCHIE DAVIS
Frenchie Davis' audition
Frenchie and Kimberley - Band Of Gold
I can't even begin to talk about robbed contestants unless I talk about Frenchie Davis. MY WORD!!!!! WHAT A VOICE!!! She was pinned to win the competition from her audition. Man, I am STILL mad at producers for disqualifying her over something so petty. I would have loved to have heard her each and every week!
EQUOIA COLEMAN
Equoia Coleman - Audition
Equoia Coleman - The Way We Were
Listen to that extraordinary tone! She had so many qualities of Whitney. I was sick to my stomach that she didn't get into the top 12. SICK!
VANESSA OLIVAREZ
Vanessa Olivarez - Out Here On My Own
I was happy that she made it into the Top 12 but there is no way that she should have went out 12th. I would have had her going out at number 8 at least. 12 was just too early.
TRENYCE
I mean, she did come in 5th but I think that she should have been fighting for 3rd with Kimberley Locke. The Top 5 minus Josh were all on another level vocally.
THE TOP 12 PERFORMANCES
12. Ruben Studdard - Superstar - Semi Finals
Ruben Studdard - Superstar
From note one, you knew that this was going to be something special. He took a Carpenter's classic with some assistance from Luther Vandross and gave it his own feel. I was not mad about this AT ALL!
11. Kimberley Locke - I Can't Make You Love Me - Top 10
Kimberley Locke - I Can't Make You Love Me
We all knew that she could belt with the best of them. This song was a very pleasant and needed change for her. It showed that she could be soft and delicate with her vocals and that she could build a song.
10. Trenyce - Come See About Me - Top 12
Trenyce - Come See About Me
This was so Diana Ross like and that is what I wanted for her. Such a classy singer with a touch of edge. She sang this beautifully.
9. Trenyce - Power Of Love - Top 8 Week 2
Trenyce - Power Of Love
Well I have only heard one other person sing this with so much conviction and finesse. That is Celine herself. Trenyce gives it her own signature but does an amazing job with a difficult song.
8. Clay Aiken - Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me - Wild Card
Clay Aiken - Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
I think that this is when he got serious about being a winner and not about fitting the Idol mold of being the geeky white boy with the powerful voice. He came alive!
7. Clay Aiken - Someone Else's Star - Top 10
Clay Aiken - Someone Else's Star
Such a touching and emotional performance. He milked all of the right notes and had the right amount of power in the choruses. Just a fantastic vocal performance!
6. Clay Aiken - Mack The Knife - Top 3
Clay Aiken - Mack The Knife
He nailed it for me. It was a welcome change from the ballads but he still maintained the amazing vocal quality. And that last note!!! Held it forever!!
5. Ruben Studdard - How Can You Mend A Broken Heart - Top 4
Ruben Studdard - How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
Whew.....such a great song that sat right his sweet spot. He finessed the notes and gave the song the Ruben treatment by internalizing it. Vocally superb!!!!
4. Clay Aiken - Bridge Over Troubled Water - Top 2
Clay Aiken - Bridge Over Troubled Water
He handled this standard like a boss!!! Seriously! Everything about this was fantastic. He took his own liberties with the melody and the choruses. I think that the arrangement absolutely complimented his voice. I think that Clay mastered the money note ending with this one!
3. Clay Aiken - Unchained Melody - Top 3
Clay Aiken - Unchained Melody
Very rarely do I find a cover of this song that I like. Clay is one of the very few of them. He didn't do too much with it but kept his Clay spin on it. Notes were effortless and vibrant.
2. Ruben Studdard - Kiss And Say Goodbye - Top 8 Week 2
Ruben Studdard - Kiss And Say Goodbye
BRILLIANT!!!! This is the music that he should always sing!! So in the groove. So in the pocket. Just great!
1. Clay Aiken - Solitaire - Top 5
Clay Aiken - Solitaire
Even with missing the first phrase, he pulled out a masterful performance. My only qualm was that it was way too short. He hit each note with ease but with power. And once again....that last note! Just that little "gasp" at the end made a big difference!
HALL OF FAME
Man. Season 2 had some brilliant singers! But I did not have a hard time choosing who would be in my Hall of Fame! A Hall of Fame inductee is someone that I could listen to all of the time. Vocally great. Has a lot of charisma. And can just flat out SANG!!!
Inducted previously from Season 1:
KELLY CLARKSON
TAMYRA GRAY
1st Inductee......
TRENYCE
2nd Inductee.........
RUBEN STUDDARD
3rd Inductee.........
CLAY AIKEN
But there is a 4th!
4th Inductee......
KIMBERLEY LOCKE
Check back soon for more entries and more season overhauls!!!
Until next time.....
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