THE FULL MONTY CHRONICLES

So I can't even tell you how excited I am about having a female Top 5. But it is a little bittersweet. One of our girls will be going home. Janelle Arthur - Dumb Blonde: It was pretty good. Not stellar. There were moments where I felt like you didn't really settle on the notes. Good energy but just not a song that I would have chosen.  Kree Harrison - She Talks To Angels: Good song choice for you. I loved that you hit those high notes with ease but still there was nothing behind them. I wanted you to have more depth behind each note. Kree Harrison - Have You Ever Been In Love: One of my favorite songs by Celine. I think that you should have lowered it a couple of steps but it was still good. When you went to reach the high notes, it came off a bit strained. Amber Holcomb - Without You: I applaud you for taking a risk with a song like this. Unfortunately, it didn't pay off as well as I expected. The power notes seemed a little thin and there were moments where it rec...

Here we are Top 6 and a vote away from my dream scenario: A FEMALE top 5. If you know me, you know that I love love love female singers!!! There are some great male singers: Luther, Marvin, Stevie, Frank, John Legend, just to name a few, but the females does something to me. It just stirs up the soul. Just my opinion. Now off of my soapbox and into the Idol world, where this could be a reality! 2 songs each, which could mean 2 chances to wow, 2 chances to bomb, a chance to sink and then rise again, or a chance to raise the bar and then drop it. Lazaro Arbos - Close To You: I seriously had to listen twice to make sure that I was hearing it correctly. Well......Hmmmm......I HAVE NEVER HEARD A SINGER MISS A KEY CHANGE on a show like this AND STAY THERE. I mean could he not hear what was going on. Didn't they practice this like 10 times before the show? You know when people overstay their welcome, they are bound to do something that will just be downright HORRIBLE and this was beyond...

Rock week!!! Even though I sing all types of music, I am truly a rocker deep, way deep down inside. I dream of rocking out but I just don't have it in me. As hard as I try, I just end up smiling and thinking of puppies and lollipops. Now let's see if the idol contestants pulled off the rock edge!! SOLO PERFORMANCES Burnell Taylor - You Give Love A Bad Name: Not a good song choice for you. It just didn't sit right in your voice and you seemed so out of sorts. It didn't help that you had a late start into the song. As far as stage presence, you stood center for the most part and did some little kick at the end, that was very half-assed. You could have done so much more with this. I was getting that you just wanted this to be over. Lazaro Arbos - We Are The Champions: Probably your best but that really isn't saying much at all. I just think that you need to relax more and show us that you can really sing. Right now, it just all feels so forced and "paint by ...

So the Idol contestants take on the Motor City aka Motown plus one Madonna song done as a duet. I will say that I was not looking forward to this. Most of the time the performances seem to be so cookie cutter and unoriginal. Hopefully I get out of this slump and hear some great singing!!! SOLO PERFORMANCES:  Lazaro Arbos - For Once In My Life: Probably your best performance but that is not saying a lot. I feel like you are still out of your league but that was a good effort. It lacked depth and true commitment to the notes. It never felt grounded. It was breathy for the most part. Your best but not good enough to take the title. Angie Miller - Shop Around: I don't like this arrangement at all. She didn't seem comfortable with it. It was pretty much all over the place. Definitely not my favorite.  Devin Velez - Tracks Of My Tears: The tone of your voice is awesome but what is behind the voice??? I never feel like you are emotionally attached to the songs. It is almost l...

Normally I am very excited about this theme. There are some amazing songs in this bunch and I am very curious to see how the contestants put their own spin on them. Lazaro Arbos - In My Life: Man, you have no idea how much I want to just root for you but you are clearly out of your league. This was probably one of the worst performances that I have heard at this stage in the show. It was breathy and basic. 2 things that you can not be if you want to win this show. Maybe it was nerves but it just didn't stick.  Paul Jolley - Eleanor Rigby: I could see what you were going for here but it just start too weak. You didn't grab us so when it came time for you to belt the higher stuff, we weren't jumping out of our seats. It seemed unnatural and desperate. Just not a great song for you. Angie Miller - Yesterday: It was just okay for me. Very theatrical. You belong on the stage. The vocal just didn't have enough of you in it. And I have to mention the almost disastrous ea...

So yea, I am about a week behind with this blog but I still wanted to do it instead of skipping over it. This theme left me at odds. On one spectrum, I loved the concept and the idea. On the other spectrum, I thought how freaking awful. Are we going to get an episode full of coronation songs? That would be pain inducing and tear resulting. Well let's get down the reality of it all. Lazaro Arbos - Breakaway: You seemed so out of depth with this song. I think that the other singers are just leaps and bounds above you. The vocals were shaky and unoriginal. I just don't think that you are ready. I really hope that America can see this. Not fair to you or the other contestants. You really need some more time. Just not grounded yet. Curtis Finch Jr. - I Believe: Why this song??? I have sung this song many times and always question my choice lol. It is just one of those songs that is not meant for the male voice. There were some good moments in the beginning but when you decided t...

The girls showed up and showed out last night. Let's see if the guys can do the same. Charlie Askew - Mama: No No No No. I hated this performance from you. Where is Nature Boy Charlie??? I need him back. This did not feel genuine at all. Not a great song choice and you looked awkward the entire time. I will say more confident than last time but still not good at all. Curtis Finch Jr. - I Believe I Can Fly: So there was nothing else that you could have performed tonight???? The over singing is so GRATING and I can't with you sir. Your over acting and over exaggerating is more than enough. PLEASE HAVE MANY SEATS. If there were to ever be a "villian" on this show, I am sure that you are it. You are smug and it comes across in your performances. That was a pure vocal mess and needs to be pulled back 100 times. I feel that if you can reign it in, you might have potential but this is not it. NEXT... Lazaro Arbos - Feeling Good: First of all, 20 points down for song ch...

Woohoo!!! Full steam ahead!!! I love when we get to this part of the season. Zoanette Johnson - What's Love Got To Do With It: Ummm......okay.....hmmm....what did I just listen to???? I had the stank face but for a very different reason. I can not believe that this has actually happened. Oh man. That was extremely pain inducing. Adriana Latonio - Stand Up For Love: Totally wrong song choice. This song was meant for a group. Destiny's Child couldn't even make it a hit so I wouldn't have expected an up and coming solo artist competing on a national TV show to make it one. I didn't feel a single connection to the song or to your performance. She is just not ready to hang with the big dogs. Janelle Arthur - If I Can Dream: She is not living up to the hype for me. There was no phrasing or breath control. I found it pretty boring.  Teena Torres - Lost Lyrics: I actually loved the song choice. The lower register is great. I wish that she would stay there. When she ...

Well I really hope that these guys do a whole lot better than the guys from last week. It is beginning to look a lot like TPTB want to stack the deck for a female winner. But that plan ALWAYS backfires. Lets see how these guys stacked up. Lazaro Arbos - Tonight I Wanna Cry: I wanted to LOVE this so much. But this was like a baby deer trying to walk after only being alive for 2 minutes. Just all over the place. Falling apart. Nothing was clear. Ugh. I want much better for you.  Gurpreet Singh - Nothing Ever Hurt Like You: I didn't know this song at all and you didn't help the cause. It was such a flat performance. Nothing was memorable. Why this song??? If you sing a song like this, you need to slay it with confidence and performance. Mathenee Treco - Little Less Conversation: OHHH I HATE THIS SONG CHOICE. Then the way that you held some parts of the phrase and cut off early on the ends IRKED me to no end. I could totally hear you singing a Bruno Mars song and doing a whol...

After the underwhelming performance from the guys last week, I was hoping that the girls would make enjoy the show again. I still don't know if I am ready for Zoanette lol. She scares me. Well let's see how the girls did. Cristabel Clark - No One: Disappointed in this song choice. It totally let you down. Your voice is so much better than this song. It sounded awful with all of the running and out of control riffing. I love the rasp and the uniqueness of your voice. Unfortunately this was totally the wrong song for you. Melinda Ademi - Nobody's Perfect: Good but definitely not great. I felt like you were all over the place. It was just blah to me. Nothing to really wow me. I wasn't a fan of your hollywood round and this wasn't much better. Jett Hermano - Only Girl In The World: Good arrangement but your vocals were not as solid as I wanted them to be. I was kind of bored but I feel like you have talent that you have yet to unveil. Good job! Janelle Arthur - ...

Hmmmm....if these are some of the best that the guys have to offer, then I am going to go out on a limb and say that the ladies will take over. I really really hope that America gets it somewhat right this season. And by somewhat, I mean letting a lady win this competition after a 6 year drought. 6 years since we have had a female winner!! Here is how the guys fared to me: Chris Watson - Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay: What a mess. If I heard you do that inflection on your notes one more time, I would have rammed my head in to the screen. AAAHHHHHH it drove me crazy because you just went back and forth between two notes and did it on EVERY long word. I hated this arrangement of the song. It did NOTHING for you. I felt like you were trying to show your rocker side but it did not come through. NOT A FAN.  Elijah Liu - Talking To The Moon: What are you 12???? This is one of my favorite songs and you RUINED it. Your vocals were so thin and all over the place. The falsetto was A MES...

This is how they should have been doing it from the start. I love that we get to hear the contestants before the voting rounds! Please do this every season (if it is still on). Lets start with our girls. I really feel like a female can win this year. We have so many amazing choices from all genres!!! My ranking goes from least to greatest: Kamaria Ousley - Mr. Know It All: Just horrible. Horrible song choice and you were under pitch the entire time. Crash and burn for realz!!! I really wish that you had picked something different since you name dropped like crazy during your interview. Jenny Beth Willis - Heaven, Heartache, and the Power of Love: Well it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. I had never heard this song before. I felt like it was not the right song choice for this competition and especially being the first one out of the gate. For some reason, it came off very talent show-ish. Good voice but horrible song choice. Isabelle - God Bless The Child: I didn't lo...

Predicted Elimination: 7th Actual Elimination: 10th Reasons For Elimination: There was just a disconnect with the television audience. She, vocally, had me from the beginning but the voting demographic didn't really dig her style. Song choice also played into her dismissal. She always managed to pick "safe" songs. She could have done a whole lot more. Former Contestant Most Likely Compared To: Melissa McGhee, Season 5: She had that husky voice but forgot the lyrics during Top 12 week. Life After Idol: Erika could do very well with live performances. I would love to hear some recordings but I don't know if her music would reach the boundaries. Performance Rank: 1. I Believe In You And Me 2. New York State Of Mind 3. Edge Of Glory 4. What About Love 5. Heaven

Predicted Elimination: 9th Place Actual Elimination: 11th Place Reasons For Elimination: She bit off more than she could chew. She had potential but never blossomed. She just got lost in the shuffle of the show. She wasn't ready and America saw that. Her song choices were very evident of that. It is like a poodle trying to hang with pitbulls and dobermans. Former Contestant Most Likely Compared To: Lisa Tucker, Season 5. Lisa had all of the goods but her song choices did her in. She wasn't ready for it either. Life After Idol: She is pretty and tall. Modeling will work in her favor. The AI stage should launch her well into that if she plays her cards right. Performance Rank: 1. Go Light Your World 2. One Sweet Day 3. I Have Nothing

Predicted Elimination: 12th Actual Elimination: Technically he was DQ'ed but he did leave 12th Reasons For Elimination: Well being that he was DQ'ed that was reason enough. I do believe that he would have been eliminated anyway though. Former Contestant Most Likely Compared To: Ruben Studdard. No other male has decided to use the baritone/bass voice in the competition. He had some velvety qualities to his voice. Life After Idol: Well I really hope that he pursues some type of choral/opera musical experience. I think that his controversy will follow him for a while unfortunately. Performance Rank: 1. Dance With My Father 2. Knocks Me Off My Feet

I love Top 3 performance night but I hate results night because one of them will not make it to the finals. Joshua Ledet - Imagine: I don't know. I am just not buying tonight. It just seems so contrived to me. At this point, it should be real and genuine and I am just not getting that from you. Joshua Ledet - I'd Rather Go Blind: This was good but not great. I just felt like it was in your wheelhouse but not emotionally attached. I was there with you until the last 30 seconds of your performance. Just seemed more showy than real. Phillip Phillips - Disease: Good performance but it almost like we have seen this performance before. Just good not great but good. Just really okay. Nothing more that I can say. Not your worst but not your best. How many ways can I say the same thing? LOL Jessica Sanchez - I'll Be There: Just was kind of a generic song choice for her. You didn't do anything special to it but you still sang it very well. It was a give or take performance. Phill...

As we are within of week of crowning our new American Idol champion, I would like to take a look back at the season. Predicted Elimination: 13th Actual Elimination: 13th Reasons For Elimination: Well, the guy didn't just have the chops. America didn't vote him in for a reason but J Lo just had to put him in the Top 13. He didn't have the vocals or the confidence to succeed in a season like this. Former Contestant Most Likely Compared To: Jorge Nunez, Season 8. Both had pretty voices but were just swallowed up by the big stage. Life After Idol: Well I honestly don't see a lot coming from this young man. Definitely not ready for a CD release or the big stage. Performance Rank: 1. I Know You Won’t 2. Gravity 3. Ribbon In The Sky

First of all, what very awkward themes for tonight. Seriously who thinks of these themes. I can't believe that it is TOP 4!!! Wow this came quickly for me. Although, I am kind of wanting this to be over soon. Ready for summer!!! Back to the matter at hand: Joshua Ledet - You Raise Me Up: Love this song but why oh why did we have to make it into a Vegas show number???? Complete with the corny rising platform and the gospel choir. I felt like the ENTIRE performance was contrived. The vocals just didn't seem real or connected to me. Hollie Cavanagh - I Can't Make You Love Me: This just went nowhere for me. I don't know what happened in between sets but this was shaky and just out of socket. It just didn't come together for me. It seemed a little too rehearsed. Phillip Phillips - Have You Ever Seen The Rain?: Well I must say that I actually enjoyed this performance. Definitely one of his best! Look I have something positive to say about Phillip!!! This song suited his v...

Woo hoo TOP 5!!!! I love it when it gets to 5 for some reason!! By this time, we are so invested and we have an idea of who we would like to see win. So let's see how well these contestants stack up: Skylar Laine - Fortunate Son: It was okay. I felt like it stayed on the same plane and never really lifted off. I was really hoping for a tender moment. On songs like this, your vocals tend to get a little screechy borderline grating. I would stay away from songs like this. Not saying that you shouldn't do uptempo but saying that you should do them in a comfortable range. Phillip Phillips - Time Of The Season: Kind of a boring choice for you and it was just an okay vocal. Most of the falsetto notes were inaudible. The verses were better than the choruses but that is not saying much. Phillip Phillips - The Letter: Actually a listenable performance from you. Yea maybe not the knockout vocal but I don't think that you will ever be able to deliver that. You are more style than actu...

QUEEN NIGHT!!! I am a fanatic about the music of Queen!!! Hopefully they do not mess this up LOL. They did this theme in Season 5 and the ladies, Paris and Katharine, really showed out!!! I really hope to have some standout performances tonight especially since they get to choose their own song!!! Phillip Phillips - The Stone: ???? That is the reaction that J-Lo and Steven had on their faces when this was done. I LOL'ed a lot!!! Sorry I just don't get it. He just showed his vocal weakness in this song. I love the song but I did not like Phillip's performance of it. I think that the judges are beginning to see a clear division amongst him and the other contestants. Phillip Phillips - Fat Bottomed Girls: Well take away the guitar and you get a very very mediocre karaoke singer who has no stage presence whatsoever. Looked so amateurish on the stage. The other 5 are in a different vocal league. I think that he is definitely like a fish out of water. Joshua Ledet - Crazy Little ...