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.