Also, was it just me or did Jessica totally received a "Syesha treament"? All of the songs given to her were either too hard to pull off or too generic to create a standout performance. She was bussed so hard, it seemed like a crime! Haha. Why did the judges even bother saving her a couple of weeks ago when their look of distaste now when she sings the snot out of a song was so apparent? Yes, they usually say great things but there's no genuine enthusiasm unlike their effusive praises for the two remaining guys where they are practically jumping out of their seats.
Oh, and it was funny how Joshua got a standing ovation during the first round, but when asked who was better, the judges gave confused answers saying that Phillip and Jessica were better in some aspects. So, does that mean the standing ovation for Joshua was meaningless and staged? Haha. Can't. Even.
Anyway, here we go!
DISCLAIMER: I am no expert, but this is my opinion - to each his own - and yours will be in the comments below! Haha.
ROUND 1: JUDGES' CHOICE
Control Joshua, Control! Pretend that you are Phillip Phillip and only knows one octave! Haha. Joshua is undeniably a great technical vocalist, but it annoys me every time he goes way over-the-top (again!) towards the end of his performances and yes, this was no different. Plus, there was nothing special about this - Rachel Crow of The X Factor US, who's 1, did it better! Not sure if the song choice actually gave him a lot to work with, so I was really wondering why they didn't give him something more current just to know what kind of music he's going to record post-American Idol. Oh, and that standing ovation was unnecessary. It was funny how the judges mechanically stood up after his performance and then when asked if Joshua was the clear winner in Round 1, they had second thoughts. Laughable. Seriously. 6.5/10
Sure, Jessica struggled a bit with this exponentially harder song compared to her competition, but I thought she sounded absolutely exquisite in this song and pulled it off. The song showed a different side of Jessica in the veins of Stuttering and You Are So Beautiful. I thought that it gave her a chance to show off the colors in her voice, the nuance and the vocal control that's incredibly impressive. Sometimes less is more, and it worked for her here. Jennifer could have given her an easier song to sing, but I digress. 8/10
Surprise! Surprise! They gave Phillip the only song with any semblance of energy for Round 1. Who knew? Haha. Obviously, he got the best song choice for this round as if they set him up to be the one who gets people's attention. And as much as I hate the "manipulation", I thought that Phillip sounded fantastic. On paper, I thought Steven was crazy picking this song for him, but it worked with his limited range and it was, at least, current. 8/10
ROUND 2: IDOL'S CHOICE
Initially, I wanted Jessica to sing this asteroid song just because I felt like it could potentially give her a good 'moment'. Then I realized that there hasn't been a good rendition of this song on the show save for David Cook, which is still up for debate. To me, Jessica's rendition was kind of plain. She seemed to be struggling at times, not wanting to be overwhelmed with the backup singers, the instruments, and all of the cacophony going on around her. Plus, she went off pitch when she tried to hold that last long note. She needed to be stellar if she wanted to sing a bombastic song like this, but she fell a little short. Sorry. 6/10
Until now, I'm still not sure if I enjoyed his version of Imagine because his style of singing, to me, didn't fit the song that well. Don't get me wrong, he has a wonderful tone in his voice, a great command of his vocals and sounded really good if a bit strained in parts, but his version was very sluggish. I liked that his interpretation was a little subdued than usual though he was uncharacteristically disconnected with the song. So yes, this performance was a bit of a mixed bag for me. 6.5/10
Phillip won this round by default! To some extent, this performance was a little forgettable and boring, but at least he picked a relatively current song that hasn't been covered on the show and something that fits his style and voice really well. I thought he arranged it quite nicely and he sounded nice. It was still a bit of an uninspired song choice, but whatever. He's so going to be in the Finale that it isn't funny. Haha. 7/10
ROUND 3: JIMMY IOVINE'S CHOICE
Eh. Why in the world did Jimmy choose this for Jessica? I thought he said a couple of weeks ago that he was going to look for "younger" songs for Jessica. I guess, I assumed mistakenly that Jimmy refered to songs sang by young people, regardless of the decade - this song is like 30 years old!! Why not give her something from Beyonce or Jessie J? I would die just to hear her sing Without You by Usher. While this was enjoyable, it's not remarkable enough to even make a lasting impression. It's not a song that offers the possibility of having a water cooler moment on the show. Her vocals were crisp, clear and nuanced, but it did nothing for her. Besides, this was a group song and harmonies are needed to make it sound really good. Then, at one point, she even switched to a lower key it sounded like she was singing a different song. Too bad that her failure was completely out of her control. Sigh. 7/10
While this performance wouldn't get him new fans - too polarizing, if you ask me - this was actually pretty good. I thought he owned that song. Heck, I even didn't mind that he went ugly towards the end with all the spastic movements and bouncing. It was lively, his vocals were fantastic, and how he felt the emotion and worked himself up as he progressed to the big crescendo was pretty stellar. This could actually get him into the Finale. 8.5/10
This wasn't as brilliant as last week's Volcano, but I found this incredibly compelling. To be honest, this was a genius strategic choice by Jimmy Iovine for Phillip as it allowed him to sing to the best of his ability and do what he does best: connect with the audience. Yes, he didn't all of a sudden show some great melodic prowess in this performance, but I thought the verses sounded gorgeous. He struggled a bit with the chorus, but even his straining for the upper notes of the melody surprisingly worked. I mean, it didn't sound like a vocal limitation, but rather vulnerability. Oh, but when Steven said ".. doesn't matter if you hit the notes or not", I wanted to punch him in the face. Really, Steven? 9/10
PREDICTION
Who should go?
Jessica Sanchez
Who will go?
I Abstain.
If voting on last night's episode, Phillip and Joshua should advance to the Finale. In a normal season. I think Jessica's body of work, plus her showstopper last week would have pushed her through regardless. However, this year the competition may be too tight. It's sudden death out there right now and I'm still torn as to who will go. Maybe Joshua Ledet? I don't know.
3 comments:
It is so sad... but whatever jessica sanchez is the best singer this year
First off, I love your site! <3
It wasn't Jessica's best night in Idol, and she actually tweeted earlier in the day that her throat was hurting, poor girl... and Joshua, was great, but still predictable... Phillip, surprise surprise, actually won a moment over Jessica and Joshua when everyone least expected it... :)
One more week to go!
hey dam,
"Also, was it just me or did Jessica totally received a "Syesha treament"? All of the songs given to her were either too hard to pull off or too generic to create a standout performance. She was bussed so hard, it seemed like a crime! Haha. Why did the judges even bother saving her a couple of weeks ago when their look of distaste now when she sings the snot out of a song was so apparent? Yes, they usually say great things but there's no genuine enthusiasm unlike their effusive praises for the two remaining guys where they are practically jumping out of their seats. "
(yes.. i noticed thaat too. and i thought that jessica will suffer the same fate as syesha did.. i remember syesha performed 3 lame songs which ddnt showcase her powerful voice.. the judges make it easier for the people to vote the two davids.. and i thought that will be the same case this year.. i thought jess will be the one to go. but im happy that she made it to the finale and sad that joshua was eliminated instead of phillip.. next week.. its harder than ever.. why? we dont know if the real talent will prevail or will the popularity contest will emerge on top. i hope jess will win unanimously base on her greatness and her star factor... GO JESSS!
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