X Factor US 2: Ranking The Top 16

Every competition I blog here, I always like to take a moment and really dig deep into some of these contestants - just like last season where I totally sucked. Haha. Talent, vocal ability, personality, and other artistic qualities that make a contestant a contender shed light onto where exactly we - as an addicted audience - stand at this point in the competition.

This year will be very tough for predictions across the board.  Sure, we know some real frontrunners, but we know very little else. Usually I’m able to predict the finalist in the weakest position right away, but because of this years level of talent it has become extremely difficult to do so; even if a few of the contestants are obviously weaker than the others.

So yeah, I’ll do what I do in every singing competition I blog here: an in-depth analysis of each of the finalists and where they stand in the competition. What have they done right? What have they done wrong? Are they smart? Are they idiots? Which one of the girls is most likely to put out on a first date? You know, the usual questions..

Here's how I rank the Top 16

GROUPS

Simon Cowell

4. Sister C

POSSIBLE RANK: 12 - 16

The group that has spoken so very little on their own behalf that I’ve forgotten what their speaking voices sound like. Haha. Poor Sister C. I keep getting voices in my head telling me that the trio are nothing but cannon fodders on Simon Cowell's team. I mean, they are almost invisible in this competition. They can go out on that stage next week and perform like a ghost and no one would really care. True, they have a pleasant sound, but it's also incredibly thin. There's nothing ridiculously compelling about them as well. I could be wrong, but I seriously don’t see them advancing past the first week - judges will allegedly send one of their acts home.

3. Emblem3

POSSIBLE RANK: 5 - 12

Yes, they had me at Sunset Boulevard. Their original song was actually quite good, there's an innate cool vibe to them and and I find them very current and extremely marketable. Currently though, they are just sailing through the competition because they've been mediocre at best and the edit they've been getting so far are not to their advantage. So until they can play their cards right, get their acts together and be less douchey, then they'll just remain an "also-ran". If and when that happens, I’ll have to move them up in the rankings, but until then, they’ll stay in the middle. There’s only so much attitude American can take no?

2. Lyric145

POSSIBLE RANK: 5 - 12

Not entirely a rap fan, but Lyric145 has got a great advantage because their act is memorable. I mean, if I heard the television from across the room, I would know right away who was singing and that gives them an identity. Plus, Lyric Da Queen is such a star she can actually carry the group all on her own. I'm hoping they manage to pick good songs that the audience can relate to and then build a comfortable niche for them on this program. I can seriously see them as a dark horse in this competition.

1. Lylas

POSSIBLE RANK: 3 - 10

What do you get when you put together five powerhouse female vocalists in one group? You get this! Individually, I'm not a fan of most of them - except for maybe Lauren Jauregui - but as a group, they are surprisingly very good. True, they've only got one performance as a group under their belt, but it's with that performance that somehow made them a force in this competition. Unlimited ounce of potential.

OVER 25s

LA Reid

4. Tate Stevens

POSSIBLE RANK: 12 - 16

He's likeable and has this hilarious personality that makes him a joy to watch, but he seriously needs to deliver a water cooler performance next week for him to NOT get lost in the mix of glitter and big productions. To me, Tate actually has more of a real shot of having a career after the show just because country as a genre doesn't really care about age - despite sounding just like every other country male singers out there - but again, that's not how X Factor works. He needs to be memorable enough to survive.

3. Jason Brock

POSSIBLE RANK: 8 - 16

His voice is rich, which is the best way to describe it, and his almost old school style of singing makes him a unique presence this season. His personality is goofy and playful, and he doesn’t shy away from showboating to entertain his audience. The question becomes: will the audience get tired of this return to early singing competition strategy of belting loud notes? Jason is solid, resolute and a steady performer, but will that be enough to inherit the X Factor crown from Melanie Amaro? Not sure.

2. Vino Alan

POSSIBLE RANK: 4 - 8

Vino Alan is bald. No, it's true. Haha. I honestly think that we haven't even seen close to the best of what he can do with his powerful, soulful voice. The problem Vino has now is that X Factor is seriously searching for a winner that will be successful after the program. It would really be a good slap in The Voice face to find a winner who becomes an actual superstar. Vino, unfortunately, does not fit the mold, and no matter how strong he is on this show, he won't be able to sell the amount of records that will make him another Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood. So, let’s enjoy him while we can!

1. David Correy

POSSIBLE RANK: 2 - 8

David, to me, is possibly the best technical singer amongst the guys. He has been a very stable contestant, he is versatile and he is ready for his spotlight. This is a dangerous combination, but he has potential to leave everyone in his dust if he comes out of the gate running. I guess, his success will come down to the songs he picks and the strength of his personality in the first few rounds. Once we are familiar with him, things will become much easier with David. Plus, if he can maintain a good momentum with a string of good performances, then it is incredibly possible that he comes from behind and earn the gold.

YOUNG ADULTS

Demi Lovato

4. Willie Jones

POSSIBLE RANK: 8 - 16

Up until now, I still don't know if I like Willie or not. He is poised, young, energized, mature and has a voice that was slightly made for country music. However, once you get past that whole black country male artist schtick, the novelty fades and it turns him into a generic singer. If he can manage to change strategy over the next few weeks and latch claim to the country label, then he could do a lot of damage. If he can convince viewers that he is a more viable country artist than Tate Stevens, well, he could go very far on the show. Now, my BIG question: is Willie really a country singer? He needs to decide once and for all who the hell he is because after that is done… well, he’ll be out of the woods.

3. Paige Thomas

POSSIBLE RANK: 7 - 16

As far as the look and X Factor, Paige most definitely has it. She’s a very attractive young woman. Fantastic. Let’s crown her X Factor! What’s that? How’s her singing? I don’t know. Leave me alone. Haha. Fine. Vocally, she is nowhere near as talented as, say, Carly Rose or even one of the Lylas. But, as we all know, that isn’t necessarily that important on this show. Her voice can be pleasant at times with a tone that has a unique wispy flair, but Paige is clearly a package artist. She’s could be molded and be transformed into a relevant singer with the right material. So, looking at the technical side she is inferior to most of the finalists, but looking at her image, she's possibly one of the more recognizable acts.

2. Jennel Garcia

POSSIBLE RANK: 2 - 8

I knew after the live auditions that Jennel would easily be one of the frontrunners on this show and I assumed that her place would have been more assured and earned than someone like Cece Frey. I was dead wrong. Somehow, I felt like she has peaked and has nothing left to offer. She most certainly has the capability of winning The X Factor, but she needs to rethink of her strategy because the whole sexy act and tossing of her hair repeatedly aren't working anymore. Vocally, Jennel has got a great instrument, but she'll need to pull of some nuance.

1. Cece Frey

POSSIBLE RANK: 1 - 8

A couple of weeks ago, I would NEVER have thought that Cece Frey would be a frontrunner to win this competition. Heck, after her performance of Secrets with Paige Thomas during Bootcamp, I never would have thought it either. But then, her strategy changed, and a spectacular version of LMFAO's I'm Sexy And I Know It later, she has changed the game. If she manages to clean up her marginal attitude - I'm talking about her terrible villain edit since the beginning - and start endearing herself to a lot of the viewers, then she'd be unstoppable. I think she has a good voice and she's feisty and sassy - not exactly a bad thing.

TEENS

Britney Spears

4. Diamond White

POSSIBLE RANK: 6 - 16

It’s no secret to anyone that reads my articles that I’m not the biggest fan of Diamond White. This is a girl with a great voice, but with severe stylistic limitations that are making her come off as a boring contestant. Yes, I see her as a potential strong talent, but her voice doesn’t seem like it’s going to be enough to mobilize a fanbase to get her through to at least the Top 8. She and her mentor will need to pick some great songs that will set her apart from the pack, and she doesn’t come off as someone who knows what she is doing right off the bat. Instead, I picture her as a girl who just loves to sing. That’s fine. But, on this show, you have to be a fierce player of the game. She isn’t. I’ve ranked her low right now, but she could easily have a break-out performance and surprise a lot of viewers. We'll see.

3. Arin Ray

POSSIBLE RANK: 5 - 16

Arin was a hard contestant to figure out. On one hand he screams “middle of the pack” contestant, but on the other, he could potentially harness a dangerous mix of young and older female voters to propel him into the later rounds. He looks like a pop star, has the voice to make great current music, and has probably the most potential to grow in the competition out of any of the male contestants.  My question then became: is he capable of having a breakout performance and demolish every single strong performers on the show? The picture will become clearer after a couple of weeks.

2. Beatrice Miller

POSSIBLE RANK: 1 - 8

She has a powerful, moldable and surprisingly clear voice, but with enough character and grit to make her distinct. So, if she can continue to build momentum and a fanbase over the next few weeks then a Beatrice Miller win would look like a very real possibility. With the right songs and producers in her corner, she could turn around and sell a lot of records. She’ll need to work on opening up and creating more of a recognizable personality for herself though in order to endear some of the people currently on the fence because there's no denying that she's extremely talented.

1. Carly Rose Sonenclar

POSSIBLE RANK: 1 - 5

Carly is my current pick to win this competition. There’s no fear in this kid. Her performances were almost flawless, she has got a great tone and her grasp on her pitch is pretty impressive. She's also very young, but still strikes me as being centered, focused and has a surprising amount of music knowledge in her arsenal. Her song choice of Karmin's Brokenhearted was actually kind of inspired and she followed her instincts to change it around a bit. To me, she might be more creative and versatile than people realize. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that this is a girl who could very well be a marketable performer. But, it’s also early, and we all know how dangerous it is to be the frontrunner at this stage.

OVERALL RANKING

16. Sister C

Groups

15. Tate Stevens

Over 25s

14. Jason Brock

Over 25s

13. Willie Jones

Young Adults

12. Paige Thoms

Young Adults

11. Diamond White

Teens

10. Emblem3

Groups

09. Vino Alan

Over 25s

08. Arin Ray

Teens

07. Jennel Garcia

Young Adults

06. Lyric145

Groups

05. David Correy

Over 25s

04. Lylas

Groups

03. Beatrice Miller

Teens

02. Cece Frey

Young Adults

01. Carly Rose Sonenclar

Teens

So, that’s where I believe we stand. Now, of course everyone has a different outlook on the competition, so what's your take on the Top 16? Well, let’s look forward to the next few weeks and hope for some truly great X Factor moments!