My Idol experience began in Jacksonville – my hometown while serving in the Navy. And may I say it is a wonderful surrogate hometown. If someone from Jacksonville goes far, they will definitely throw their support behind him – I know from first-hand experience. Thanks, Jacksonville!
I just got back to Nashville yesterday from Jacksonville and the rumors of who has made it through Hollywood week are flying around. Those who are official semifinalists have most likely just found out and will spend the next month desperately trying to keep anyone else from finding out. Idol is very serious about not tolerating leaks for the obvious reasons.
I actually had a close call of people finding out I had made the show because unlike normal jobs – I couldn’t just quit the Navy! The person taking my place as the vocalist in my Navy Band told his wife what was happening. She innocently decided she should go online and share the good news. So after making the show – I thought I was off the show for at least one LONG hour!
So as we speak- our new contestants are probably hiding under rocks or visiting a relative far away, doing everything they can to avoid having to answer questions about how far they made it. Or at least they should be…
On to tonight’s show…
We had some nice talent tonight, especially towards the end of the show. I feel like there is much more talent in Jacksonville than was showcased. I’m sure the initial first round let some good singers go. Our loss.
We started the night off with Joshua Ulloa, the Justin Guarani look-alike, singing my audition song – Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” Obviously the judges like the song because JAX is one for one.
Darin Darnell was the “life of the party” until his friend (who I think he met in line) got cut and then the funeral music started with “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye.” I understand feeling bad for your friends but this is taking it a bit far.
Naomi Sykes, the antsy blonde who sang “Loving You,” faked me out because I initially thought, along with Simon, that this must have been a joke or stunt to get her friend in to meet Randy. I must remind myself of the first rule of American Idol’s success: they really think they are good. I felt bad for her as Simon obviously did also.
The judges seem to agree that the first day of auditions were “mostly terrible.” The second day did show us better talent and gave us more hopefuls for Hollywood.
However, George, the physics student who takes everything literal, was not one of those auditions. He brought the awkwardness that America loves to watch during Idol auditions. His kind (the genius nerd that is just a bit socially inept) auditioning for Idol is a real mystery to me. He seems like someone that would be fun and interesting to hang out with, having a real quirky sense of humor. I would assume he has never even seen the show let alone have a desire to audition. He didn’t appear to be an attention-getter or even remotely interested in music. But he did audition. And I loved it.
Anne Marie Boskovich, the standout from Jacksonville, has a great voice but the judges didn’t see her embracing her inner star. She was sent out and told to come back a reinvented person. She did win the judges over. She reminded me of Katherine McPhee – someone who did grow into a star over the course of the show. I think she could go far.
After not making it through last season, second time was a charm for T.K. Hash. I thought he did well but agree with Randy that he oversang a little. Finding the fine line of letting the song really shine and showing America your vocal ability in just seconds is hard and something all contestants face each week.
I felt Michael Perrelli got the shaft! He is an artist that is in his element with a guitar. There have been much worse voices let through to Hollywood. I believe him that he will do anything and everything he can to make it. I wish him the best!
I was surprised we didn’t have any sailors representing Jacksonville or a huge tear-jerker story to end with. Oh well… Tomorrow is a new day…
I didn’t think they went quite far enough with the “Jackson”-ville puns so I included it in my title! Remember to keep e-mailing me at staceypro@yahoo.com.
3 Comments
Overall, I was much more impressed with the talent in Jacksonville than I was with the talent in Louisville. My favorite (even though he didn’t compete) was Sasha. His owner had a certain breathy quality to her voice I liked but her song choice (Karen Carpenter) was poor. I’m glad she made it through anyway.
Poor Naomi…the judges antics were way over the top and I watched her face as she slowly realized that the joke was on her. Poor thing. Even her friend let her down by acting as horrified as the judges when Naomi sang.
I was worried at 7:22 when we had not yet had a sob story. It appears that Jasmine’s mom’s toxemia was the best they could do this week. Of course I knew Jasmine was in after that. Sayesha all over again. Why is it only my ears that hurt when they hit those loud notes?
After beng rejected last year, TK obviously spent the past year listening to a download of Archie’s Imagine and managed to top him in melismania.
My favorite singer was Anne Marie. I agree with you, Phil, I think she will do well. After basically being told *you look ugly* by the judges, she rebounded and came back and gave a confident audition.
I cannot agree with you, Phil, about Michael the scarf on his head guy. I just heard the same voice you hear in Holiday Inn bars every Friday and Saturday night. He must have thrown a tantrum about not having his guitar to sing with which we did not see because the judges looked impatient with him before he started singing. The guy doesn’t work, takes his guitar everywhere, followed by his adoring family. The final straw for me was when his mom tried to console him by kissing him on the cheek and he hit her hand away and said in a nasty voice *Don’t touch me*.
He needs a slap on the head from Judge Judy, a job, and parents who make him grow up and learn its not all about him.
Last night was pretty boring! Overall the only 2 people that impressed me were Anne Marie and the poor kid who couldn’t audition without his guitar. It was sad. The should have let him use it…don’t the instruments come out anyway once they get to Hollywood?
I have to agree with Phil and the other posters about the guitar guy. I thought he was pretty good, and probably would have been better with his guitar.
However, I can understand why they did not let him use his guitar during the audition. If people got to bring in instruments, then it would be a tape/CD to accompany them, then you would have orchestra’s, etc. I believe Phil said about 350 people go on to see the judges? How long would that take with everyone getting their props ready?