We had a “shocker” tonight … our beloved Top 12 is now Top 13. I think this is an olive branch the producers have given us after putting us through the horrid wild-card process. I’ll take it. I personally prefer contestants being voted out instead of in the finals. I think great talent didn’t have the face time needed and fell through the cracks this year. Also, I don’t like the judges handpicking 30 percent of the Top 13. I feel gypped! And who are we kidding – the judges/ producers already knew who was going through before tonight began. Do they really think we believed they picked almost a third of the finalists during the last commercial break?
Now to the good stuff … Jasmine Murray, Megan Joy Corkrey, Matt Giraud and Anoop Desai have been added to the Idol roster rounding out our Top 13.
Matt Giraud’s performance was great. He picked a great song that really showed his personality but more importantly what kind of record he will make. Before the judges begin critiquing him I was confident he would be in the Top 12. I only doubted myself after Matt came head-to-head with Anoop for the final spot.
Anoop has been a shoo-in the moment he was passed over by voters. I believe he has a huge fan base and will go far in the finals. That being said – WHY did he repeat the same song? I think the judges’ comments telling him it was OK to repeat a song after just cutting on Tatiana for the same thing was unfair. I think it was just their way of covering the bases knowing he was going to sail through. Anoop will go far- I predict Top 3.
I didn’t love Megan Joy’s performance. There was nothing really bad about it; it just felt strained or that she was fighting for her life. I completely understand this and as a former contestant can only say I’ve been there! But the judges loved it and sent her through. I think she could go far. She reminds me of the edgier Brooke White.
Jasmine Murray did a nice version of my daughter’s favorite Mulan song, “Reflections.” Showing the judges a bigger voice really paid off. The finals need more girls, and young is always a plus so she is in!
I couldn’t leave you all tonight without mentioning Tatiana, back in all her glory! The drama queen brought the same Whitney and I think the same disco dress with her. I talked to some of my sources at Idol and they LOVE her. Don’t worry, my sources are more middle management, thus not responsible for her amazing staying power. They say she entertains them to no end and can actually sing. Her appearance tonight was not a surprise as was her theatrical reaction to not making it.
Well, we are done with all of the characters and on the real competition! Let the games begin!
8 Comments
Well, I am not a huge Jasmine fan although I think she is a nice person. I’m just sick of big voices, melisma, screaming and going flat on the glory notes. Also, I’m not entirely comfortable with the way Kara fawns all over her. But, when she did so much better than her last performance, I was thrilled because I knew that would give the judges the final push to get rid of Tatiana. Kara was a bit disingenuous saying she didn’t know Jasmine had such a *big voice*. I knew it. And I knew they had to put in another big voice to fill their screamer quotient.
I am a big fan of both Meghan and Jesse but I knew only one *edgy* person would make it through since most fans like the screamers. I would have taken either one but Meghan seems a bit more interesting. Plus I think Jesse has some industry connections (I learned today that her brother is Jonny Lang and is maybe a Grammy winner? See how non-current I am?)
I was disappointed with all the guy’s performances. But I think they put through the right two and I will see what I think in their next performanes.
The only reason anyone at Idol could love Tatiana is that she is good for ratings. She can sing that Whitney song well…I will give her that. But I don’t believe for a minute she had problems getting clearance for another song. I mean she could at least have sung *And I Will Always Love YOUUUUUUU!* couldn’t she have done?
I, of course, have not met the woman and am only basing my opinion that she is a malignant narcissist on the vast amount of camera time Idol has afforded her and she has managed to steal from the other contestants. But, based on what Phil has stated about the general goodwill and comraderie and even very close friendships formed during the Idol path, I think it is telling that her fellow contestants didn’t like her either. (Or so Adam Lambert suggested in an interview and it was pretty apparent when the Hollywood room shuddered when she was switched there at the last minute). They showed Kai in the audience, who has no skin in this game anymore, practically cheering when she was given the heave-ho. And poor Meghan in her moment of glory had to console her AND listen to Paula tell Tatiana how much everyone loved her. I’m thinking it took a great deal of self-control for Meghan not to throw up in disgust on the spot.
Ok…no more Tatiana.
I totally agree with you on this one Phil. From the first critiq I felt the judges knew who they were going to pick. I mean, they threw thier praise out there for the ones they wanted and the others got the obvious “sorry…we’re looking for personality…not just a good singer”. (or something to that effect) EXCUSE ME?? Personally I’d much rather have someone who is a talented performer than someone who is ‘Current” etc. When I’m in my car listening to my radio or whereever I might be, I don’t really care if the artist is cute, blonde, nice personality, “Current”. I just want that person to be able to sing well. Sure, I can appreciate the total package but at the end of the day it all comes down to the talent. I’m sorry I know some of you really like Meghan. I personally can’t quite stomach her. There was that wierd freak dance thing again. I also didn’t think she did a thing with that song. Didn’t Katherine Mcphee (Sp) sing that in the finals and they killed her for it? I remember Simon telling her he could’nt believe she picked that song and that he thought it was very “self indulgent”. Oh well, guess she wasn’t “current” enough for him. As for Tat, well, I said I’d leave her alone for obvious reasons. I’m sure she’ll get some kind of work out oof this, even if it’s only to appear on talk shows, Perhaps she could be the “crying girl’s” buddy. (Remember her?) They could put them in the audience together on future competition nights and the camera can pan out to them during each singers performance and show them sobbing. Needless to say though, I’m sure we have not seen the last of her.
I can understand why people don’t get Meghan. Tonight I thought Jesse was better. Some people have compared Meghan to Amy Winehouse who I have heard of but not heard. My reference for Meghan (see how old I am) is Billie Holliday. I just prefer understated. Although I agree that the dancing should stop.
Yes, Pauleygirl, they did rip Kat McPhee for that same song. And at least Kat could actually dance. What is that disjointed un-rhythmic display that Meghan gives us? Please make her stop.
And yes, the judges certainly must have had their decision made before the performances last night. That being said, I enjoyed the performance part of the show. I thought everyone really stepped up and did their best. But now we have 13 and I’m glad to get on to the rest of the show….. And it’s going to be heavenly having Anoop to watch. Oh, yeah, and listen to.
I think all of the performances last night were better than the contestants had done post-Hollywood. That doesn’t mean they were great, I just think all of them brought a better performance. Even Tatiana, as much as I can’t stand her, performed a better version the THIRD time around with that song. How completely unfair to Megan that Idol stage hands, producers, and the judges completely ignored her after announcing she’d go forward in favor of more theatrics and crying and drama from Tatiana. I think the right four were picked and I agree completely with several other posts here that the judges knew before tonight which ones they would send through. Maybe not exactly, but they surely had them ranked and the only thing that would change that ranking was an absolutely horrible performance. Anoop was in the top three of their ranking, but they couldn’t disregard how good the performances were by Megan, Jasmine, or Matt…hence the Top 13.
So now, on to the competition. I predict Scott, Megan, and Michael will be the first three to be eliminated…not necessarily in that order. Kris may be thrown into that mix somewhere.
I hope they don’t bring this format back next year. In years past I wasn’t a fan of forcing out an equal number of males and females in the early stages of the competition. Let the better performers advance regardless of gender. I would have much rather had two or three consecutive nights of performances from the top 36 and then those getting the highest votes, regardless of gender or which night they performed, advancing to the top 12.
My friends and i have been calling Tatiana “OMG”. I think the name suits her!
I’m glad that “Anoop Dawg” is back! I like him. He has potential. I’m still happy with Danny and Michael. Even though everyone else doesn’t seem to like them, I do. None of the girls have really done anything to leave an positive impression on me!
And like everyone else says, this show format stinks. There is so much confusion going on that i almost can’t watch. I have taken to recording it and fast forwarding. I can watch the whole thing in about 15 minutes!
By the way, I love all the comments from the previous bloggers! You always give me a good laugh!
I absolutely agree Monica, Tatiana shouldn’t have gotten as much air time after being told buh-bye by the judges. Megan got no respect for being the wild card pick from the judges. Poor Megan, at the time when it should have been about her, it became ALL about Theatrical Tatiana. I wish the producers would mandate it, that once you have sung a song on national TV the contestants aren’t allowed to sing it again unless they make it to the final 2. She couldn’t get “clearance”, give me a friggin break!
Of course the judges knew who they were sliding into the final spots. But they did put the best of them into the lineup. If the producers made it a final 13, you know that one week, they will eliminate 2 in one week, and that will probably be next week.
The suspense in on………..Happy Official Season 8 everyone!
The two main Idol contenders this year seem to be Allison Iraheta and Danny Gokey