Now, I've said it before, I've learned to wait for the live shows to form a definite opinion of any of the contestants, but there are a few who have already piqued my interest and as of this moment, it's all about that proverbial guessing game of who will enter the Top 12/13.
Well, here's how I personally rank the Top 24 based from whatever we saw from them - auditions down to their final performance just before Top 24. Again, PERSONALLY! Haha. Just have to emphasize on that one.
Let's go to the rankings, shall we?
GIRLS
12. Haley Reinhart
How she managed to enter the Top 24 instead of Hollie Cavanagh is beyond me? All of her performances were overwrought, her voice is horribly strained, I couldn't understand any of the words she's singing and her phrasing leaves much to be desired. I can’t believe anyone would find her strangled screeches pleasant to listen to, much less worthy of beating out other decent singers. LONG SHOT
11. Tatynisa Wilson
I do like Tatynisa. I saw a couple of her YouTube videos and I think she's a great performer complete with good dancing skills and a pleasant voice. Not sure if there's anything distinct with her tone, but she's interesting - at least to me. Unfortunately, I doubt if she'll make it far after the show kept on showing her messing up during Hollywood week. Sad. LONG SHOT
10. Kendra Chantelle
I love her voice and I'm impressed with her transitions, but I'm not really quite sold yet with her. I don't think her voice is terribly distinctive to stand out as well. Plus, she seems so reserved and a little cold. LONG SHOT
09. Lauren Turner
I think most people are ignoring her just because we’ve seen just a few clips of her so far. Frankly, the fact that they didn’t show her that much doesn’t bode well for her Top 12 chances. Do I think she deserves a spot? I'm not sure. But her unusual song choice of Steal Away during her final performance was intriguing and a bit of a risk, in my opinion. POSSIBLE UPSET
08. Karen Rodriguez
She is my refuge from the melismatic overkill from nearly all the other girls. Haha. Karen, to me, has the complete package - beautiful with a good voice and stage presence. I also think that a contestant with a Latin flavor to them is a welcome sight on the show. Sadly, I don't think she has enough of everything to outshine the other girls. I wouldn't be unhappy to see her advance though. POSSIBLE UPSET
07. Thia Megia
Yes, she may have an impressive voice and a nice vocal control, but her phrasing is a bit jarring to me. I also think that there's something unpleasant with her tone. Personally, she's like a less talented Charice, if I'm being honest. I also think a lot of people may interpret her mild, zen expression as cold and standoff-ish, which will alienate the audience. I'm not too worried though. I mean,she's possibly one of the most visible girls prior to the Top 24, so I don't think she's going anywhere. SHOO IN
06. Lauren Alaina
I'm sorry, but I'm still holding a grudge for her willful exploitation of a sob story - her cousin's brain tumor - to win sympathy votes. True, she may be able to sing, but nothing she's said or done has warmed me up to her. I find her precocious, entitled, and downright obnoxious. I don't even think she's worthy of all the pimping. Her phrasing was awful on Unchained Melody and her voice, while powerful, is nothing special. Ugh. Sadly, I will have to endure her as I am 100% sure the powers that be will do anything to make sure she makes the Finale. SHOO IN
05. Ashthon Jones
I like Ashthon! I think she has a good voice, pretty and her R&B vibe is actually the type that has been missing from American Idol for years. She can sing with great power and with nuance. So the fact that the whole stable of producers brought by Universal skews towards RnB, she - together with Tatynisa - could be very marketable. POSSIBLE UPSET
04. Naima Adedapo
She’s unique, can sing and has a good back-story. To be honest, I kind of like her chances in this competition. She actually reminds me of Crystal Bowersox - powerful voice, rootsy, a bit hippie and far from being commercial. Is it a good thing? I'm not so sure. But while she may have trouble gaining traction with a lot of the audience, she should bring some interesting and colorful performances to the show. POSSIBLE UPSET
03. Julie Zorrilla
I found her audition awfully affected but her performance in Las Vegas really impressed me A LOT. I think she has an impressive control to her voice and she plays piano - more cred on my book! Looking like Lea Michele isn't so bad either. Yes, she seems too pageanty with her annoying dresses, but I think she really has the potential to be a good recording artist. POSSIBLE UPSET
02. Pia Toscano
It's very refreshing to see a woman this beautiful and talented to not think that everything should be handed to her in a pink tulle skirt with coordinated stilettos (yes, I'm looking at you Julie! Haha). No, but kidding aside, I think Pia is ridiculously good. She's gorgeous, has an amazing range with great vocal control and a fantastic stage presence to boot. She also seems to be very genuine. One thing that's working against her is the presence of Julie Zorrilla. I'm afraid they will cancel each other out eventually. MOST LIKELY
01. Rachel Zevita
Rachel has a lovely tone coupled with an incredible range and interesting phrasing. I think she really had me when she performed an outstanding version of Lady Gaga's Speechless, where she showed her great musical instincts with all the key changes and transitions. Plus, she's quirky, cute and there's something awesome about her.. I think they call it X Factor! Haha. No, I'm not promoting Simon Cowell's new talent reality show, which will air Fall 2011 on Fox. Haha. POSSIBLE UPSETBOYS
12. James Durbin
Bleech! I just don't really like him. He's kind of clueless with what to do with his voice and, yes, he's unlikable. Not to mention, he's extremely hard to listen to.. and watch. Here is what I think about James: He has no vocal skills and he has very little control when he sings those high notes - or any note for that mater. He also lacks the musicality. He keeps hitting high notes at the wrong harmony to the melody of the song and makes those notes stick out like a sore thumb. I also don't think he's able to really connect with the music emotionally. Look at the way he messed up A Change Is Gonna Come. He was singing up and down, all around it, with no regard to emotional build up and harmonic progression. His phrasing was terrible. I basically couldn’t find a single good thing to say about that performance. I'm not a fan of Adam Lambert, but I appreciate him more, now that James Durbin decided to scream at me for no apparent reason. Oops. Too long! Haha. POSSIBLE UPSET
11. Jordan Dorsey
Out of the thousands that auditioned this year, should I believe that NO attractive black male that has some amazing talent exists? Other than.. umm, Jordan Dorsey? Really? He, to me, will fizzle just like Jermaine Sellers and Todrick Hall from last season. I seriously had intense dislike towards Jermain Sellers from the moment he opened his mouth and the same thing happened to me with Jordan. He's not a bad singer, but Jerome Bell, Jimmie Allen, DeAndre Brackensick and even Aaron Sanders were leagues better than him. I'd say, if there’s any justice in this world, this douchebag will get his massively oversized ego thoroughly schooled on Idol. LONG SHOT
10. Jacob Lusk
He is an over-the-top parody of a gospel-style singer! Seriously. He's exhausting to watch. Haha. To be honest, I'm just completely disappointed that American Idol once again failed to give us a viable black male R&B contestant. Sure, Jacob Lusk might have a chance to make the Finals, but he's more Ruben Studdard than Nikko Smith. I want someone who's more like NeYo, Usher or even Boys II Men. No, it's not Jordan Dorsey. Haha. POSSIBLE UPSET
09. Jovany Barreto
I've yet to be impressed by Jovany. He's definitely not one of the best guys and I honestly think John Wayne or even Jerome Bell deserved his spot. He just screams cannon fodder to me. Oh, and he needs to smile more. That constant scowl makes him look really grouchy. Just saying. LONG SHOT
08. Brett Lowenstern
I really like Brett. I think he's a sweet kid with a decent voice, interesting tone and good musicality. I also think that he's different enough to separate himself from the pack. But for some weird reason, he's been sinking in my estimation lately. I don't know. Maybe because of his tendency toward teen melodrama that's now becoming a tad annoying? Oh well. Let's see how he handles himself. POSSIBLE UPSET
07. Clint Jun Gamboa
Out of the cannon fodders this year, I do think that Clint has the most recognition going into the competition night, so if he can hold his own - and people blank out on the fact that he's an ass-hat during Hollywood week with Jacee Badeaux - I think he has a shot at this. I mean, he obviously is talented and I really like his voice A LOT. I'm not sure though if he can get out of the villain edit he got. LONG SHOT
06. Scott McCreery
While I still think that John Wayne Schulz has a better range and a silkier tone to his voice than Scott, I really find him as a promising country artist. But what people love about him - deep, thick and solid country voice - will also be the vocal limitation that the Idol stage will expose eventually. I'm hoping he can move past that though. MOST LIKELY
05. Paul McDonald
Yes, this guy has possibly the best phrasing of any contestant this season and his duet on Blackbird with Kendra Chantelle was a killer, but there's something about him that's giving me a bad vibe. Maybe that's me nitpicking, but whatever. The guy has style, balls and he can sing. I'll stick him cautiously here for the moment. POSSIBLE UPSET
04. Stefano Langone
He plays piano, he is cute, oozing with charisma, and he has a powerful voice. What more to ask right? Hmm. Maybe a little work on the stage presence? Haha. Yes, I do find his showmanship a bit awkward, but that somehow makes him more endearing. I'm not so sure about his chances, but I'm hoping he'll stand out. POSSIBLE UPSET
03. Robbie Rosen
Consistency is the key! Arguably, the most consistent since the auditions. I mean, he hasn't made a serious misstep during his Idol run to date. Robbie has a lovely voice, with an outstanding vocal control and he's always on pitch. Now, if he tones down a bit with the runs and riffs, I seriously think he's one of the contenders this season. He's in need of a desperate makeover though. Call me a shallow, but I sometimes can’t get past his look. I can’t get through a song without an internal - or actual - eyeroll. Just saying. MOST LIKELY
02. Tim Halperin
If Tim Urban and Elliott Yamin have a love child, that's Tim Halperin right there. Haha. I admit, I didn't care much for his audition but he really impressed me since then. No, he isn't the best singer in the bunch, but I dare say that Tim could be a threat if the producers are hoping to avoid another white male winner. He’s got all the ingredients girls - tweens, cougars, grandmas - who watch the show love. Mark my words! If Tim makes it to the Final 12/13, this is your next winner.. well, he won’t finish lower than third place, at the very least. POSSIBLE UPSET
01. Casey Abrams
The only one who already has my wholehearted enthusiasm: Casey Abrams! Haha. From the moment I saw his first audition, I thought, that Casey is nothing but a genuine musician through and through - with the added bonus that he seems to be very funny! His version of Why Don't You Do Right? floored me and I had just recovered from his impeccable rendition of Georgia On My Mind. I seriously think that I’m rooting for him more than anyone at this point. One can't NOT like this guy. He's like a more authentic and relevant artist than Taylor Hicks - you may look at it at whatever angle you like! Haha. Let's see how this pans out in May. SHOO IN FEARLESS FORECAST
TOP 5 GIRLS
- Lauren Alaina- Pia Toscano
- Thia Megia
- Ashthon Jones
- Julie Zorrilla
TOP 5 BOYS
- Casey Abrams- Scott McCreery
- Robbie Rosen
- Tim Halperin
- Paul McDonald
WILCARDS
- Rachel Zevita- Jacob Lusk
- Naima Adedapo
Of course, this is subject to change, seeing that I did not get why Katelyn Epperly made it last year, then suddenly became my second favorite next to Didi Benami and Siobhan Magnus tied in first place. Heck, she even ranked so high in my Idol 100 countdown. Haha.
7 comments:
We both have the same top pick for the boys and girls, Rachel Zevita and Casey Abrams. Hope these two artists will make it though I can't imagine they are both in the finals but I'll be very glad to see either of them to be in the Finals.
Wow, I thought you Tim's your number one?
Anyway, Casey's too talented for American Idol, in my opinion. Hahaha.
Scotty is the best singer, and will be more successful than anyone else. None of the girls are worth a hoot, but Jacob, Casey, and Paul will give Scotty a run in the end.
Glecer: Let's cross our fingers! :)
Will: I like Tim, but Casey's more talented, I think.
Henri_chase: I like Scotty. Whether or not he'l be more successful than anyone else remains to be seen. :)
I LOVE STEFANO and i dislike jacob .... when he sings, when i look at him, i see a gurl and i cant bare 2 look at him! he seems like a cross-dresser and i dont know how any1 cud like him!
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