Usually, Top 3 nights are disappointing - with some rare exceptions, course. I mean, with the hometown visit, the contestants are either unprepared or exhausted. Somehow, that didn't happen this week. The Top 3/4 were at their top form and it felt like watching a classic American Idol battle. Each one delivered good performances and that's pretty unheard of this season. Ha.
Oh, and the format of eliminating a contestant after everyone got to sing was a little more tolerable than what they did to Tyanna last week. At least, everyone seemed calmer and focused. Maybe that's why they performed better than usual?
On with the show!
ROUND 1: SCOTT BORCHETTA'S CHOICE
Beautiful Day
Dear Mr. Borchetta, I understand you want to challenge Clark by giving this U2 anthem, but there's a difference between throwing a curveball and forcing them into a situation where they look inauthentic and uncomfortable. The latter took place here and it was not a sight to see. Vocally, it was decent with a couple of rough patches here and there, but for the most part, it was the obvious discomfort that made this a little hard to watch. 6.5
Because The Night
This was another awesome karaoke performance from Nick that had some subtle and respectful changes, which were enough to interest me. His presence was undeniable, his vocals were solid, but somehow, it felt empty that it's starting to become a habit. It's frustrating because it's obvious that he has now hit his ceiling and there's nowhere else to go but stay there or crash and burn. So while this was good, it wasn't particularly memorable. 7
My Generation
Look, this was another throwaway performance from Jax and did nothing to establish herself as a solid frontrunner in the competition. These songs are fun and all but they don't give her the opportunity to have a great vocal moment. That being said, she did come off like a pop star and the song really fits her vibe. 7.5
ROUND 2: PERSONAL CHOICE
(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay
This was a better song choice for Clark - it was decent and unoffending - but I felt like I've heard him sing this a hundred times already. I wouldn't call it lazy, but it seemed like he was still skating by, using very little creativity with the song choice and melodic choices. The vocal skills were still there (which is great!), but really, that's just not enough anymore. 7
My Immortal
My Immortal was Jax's shining moment. It was, easily, her best performance of the night and possibly one of her best this season. It was very tender, very careful, and she maturely resisted the urge to over sing portions of the chorus. No ticks or vocal shudders, just simply heard her. Her vocals sounded a bit whiny in parts, but that's just me nitpicking. 8.5
Back Home
This was a good time in the competition to start peaking, and Nick did just that. Back Home was enthusiastic and full of vibrant energy. Other than the rough start, his vocals were mostly on point, and he proved, yet again, with this performance how radio ready he sounds. He looked comfortable on stage, there's a quiet confidence to the number, and it did sound like a song written for him. Good stuff. 8.5
ROUND 3: JUDGES' CHOICE
Misery Business
I understand why they thought Misery Business would be a smart choice for her, but it only highlighted the fact that Jax still needs to work on her choices. This was a bit all over the place from the strange arrangement to her terrible phrasing and down to her vocals that strayed close to whiny. The song felt broken down that it lost all of the urgency and energy. Wrong move? 6
I'll Be
It's easy, it's lazy, and every amateur singer in the world takes on this song. It was a heaping pile of Velveeta and it was nothing special and the song itself just felt unimportant, which is incredibly dangerous at this point in the competition. He needed to take steps forward, and yet Nick seemed particularly adept at stepping from side to side. I don't know. There's nothing particularly wrong with this, it was just boring. 7
Earned It
YES! The pure soul and passion that he puts forth in this performance floored me. It was dramatic, intense, and played to all his strengths. Earned It was a great song choice and really allowed him to wail that it created an incredibly cool moment for Clark. Not sure if it did cement him back as the one to beat going into next week's season finale, but it did give him a fighting chance. 9
ELIMINATED
This was a brilliant strategy to market himself as this young, accessible performer who knows what the youth of America want to hear. His vocals weren't flawless, but there were some great moments throughout the performance. Plus, he looked really comfortable working the stage. 7
As
His version of this Stevie Wonder hit oozed with passion and the placement of his vocals was crystal clear. This was another strong vocal performance from Rayvon and I actually believed he had at least a chance to squeeze himself into the Final 3 with this number. 8.5
You Are So Beautiful
Lovely. Just lovely. It was a little sleepy in parts and some of his runs weren't particularly fresh - like I heard those in some of his previous performances - but this was still a vocal accomplishment nonetheless. It was great to see him as restrained and the tenacity he threw in there was good, and he really settled into the pocket of the music. Nice. 7.5
WHO SHOULD GO HOME?
Jax
WHO WILL GO HOME?
Jarkx Beckdiani
1 comments:
HAHAHA you don't know who WILL go home eh? But I agree with you, Jax SHOULD go.... though part of me wanted to see a male vs female competition in the finale!
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