AI Top 9

OK, I'm a little late posting this here but I did post this on Facebook Wed. night:


Most of the performances tonight underwhelmed me. Here's my take on each:

1. Anoop [Caught Up by Usher]--I did not like this song for him--not in the least bit! He's trying SO hard to be something he's not and it is extremely off-putting. I didn't like the arrangement and didn't like how he sang it--boring! I nodded my head in agreement to Simon's "wannabe" comment.

2. Megan [Turn Your Lights Down Low by Bob Marley]--Ack! HORRIBLE, boring, out of tune, painful to watch... She actually gets worse and worse each week! I know I've said it time and time again but I just can't avoid mentioning her horrid, weird, distracting body movements. Yuck. Please go home now.

3. Danny [What Hurts the Most by Rascal Flatts]--I thought it was a great choice for him and I liked that he chose a ballad. It was heartfelt and I love his voice. Great arrangement and vocals.

4. Allison [Don't Speak by No Doubt]--I liked her spin on it and her on the guitar; she brought power and attitude to the song. Was it my favorite performance of hers? Nope, but it was good.

5. Scott [Just the Way You Are by Billy Joel]--Really good choice for him! He sounded great and looked cute, too. I liked that it was just him on the piano, no band--it allowed him to be more musicall.

6. Matt [You Found Me by The Fray]--I liked him standing at the keyboard. It did have a shaky start but got better and had a pretty good ending. I liked it but didn't think it was his best--it wasn't the type of song I thought he would/should do. I still like him, though.

7. Lil [I Surrender by Celine Dion]--Before the song even started, I was like "Celine Dion??? What the???" She sounded more nasally than usual. The song choice did even more to confuse me as to what kind of music she would do on her own. The performance was so boring and out of tune and I could not wait for it to end! Her little girls sure are cute, though.

8. Adam [Play That Funky Music by Wild Cherry]--At the beginning, I thought that it was a bad song choice and that it was cheezy. I really don't like how his tongue sticks out when he screams the high notes. The song did get better for me as it went on and the ending was way better. Not my fave performance of his, though.

9. Kris [Ain't No Sunshine]--Fabulous song choice and rendition! Wow! Great vocals, hot performance! Loved him on the keyboard. Fave performance of the night.

My top 3 of the night: Kris, Danny, Scott
My bottom three: Megan, Anoop, Lil
I really hope Megan goes home but I think Anoop is probably in trouble

AI Top 10

Motown Week, with Smokey Robinson.  Some of the people I thought would really shine with Motown week (Anoop, Michael, Lil) just didn't really do it for me. 

1. Matt [Let's Get it On by Marvin Gaye]--WOOOO!  Great choice for him!  I really like how he started behind the piano, then got up.  It was a great performance.  I love his falsetto and riffs!  Like Paula said, it had a "sexy, cool vibe".

2. Kris [How Sweet It Is by Marvin Gaye]--LOVED how he started it and I adore him with the guitar.  I really liked his rendition and his vocals and runs were good.  It had great energy and personality.

3. Scott [You Can't Hurry Love by Diana Ross]--I liked the piano part; not the best vocals, though, and the performance didn't hold the energy it should have.  I don't think it was the best song choice for him but I do like that he did a more up-tempo song.  I thought it was cute what he said about the pink pants: "They didn't tell me 'til 10 minutes before".  Funny.

4. Megan [For Once in My Life by Stevie Wonder]--Can you say Carnival Cruise?!!  I thought it sounded OK in the room with Smokey but the band arrangement completely ruined it and her vocals did even more damage.  The outfit, for me, just added to the cruise feel.  Cheezy!!!  Bad, just bad, performance.

5. Anoop [Ooh Baby Baby by The Miracles]--For me, not the very best song choice but the boy can sing.  I love the timbre of his voice.  He did show off his vocals a bit and sounded nice for the most part but I think he could have done a more fun song that still showcased his voice but in a more youthful way; I thought it was good overall, not great.

6. Michael [Ain't Too Proud to Beg by the Temptations]--Should have been a good choice for his soulful voice but it just didn't completely grab me.  I like that he showed off his vocals more than last week but, while it sounded good in some parts, he pushed too hard in others.

7. Lil [Heat Wave by Martha and the Vandellas]--Way too old-fashioned.  She really could have picked a better song that would have lent itself more to her own interpretation; I knew right when I heard the song choice that it was gonna be old-fashioned.  She's a great singer but she has not shown (in the past two weeks, at least) that she can make songs her own.  She sounded great but it was nothin' new.

8. Adam [Track of My Tears by Smokey Robinson]--When they first showed him before the commercial break previous to his performance, I was like "WHAT?!!!  This will be interesting--and not in a good way."  Boy was I pleasantly surprised!  I thought he looked really handsome--I like the "clean" version of him.  What a great arrangement and AWESOME vocals!!  I am in awe of the control he has over his voice.  I loved his toned down side.  Parts of the song gave me goosebumps.  It was such a heartfelt and musical performance.  I loved, loved, loved it!

9. Danny [Get Ready by the Temptations]--It sounded great and it was energetic and fun to watch.  I love how much he moves around the stage.  Probably not my most favorite performance of his but pretty good overall.  I'm definitely a fan.

10. Allison [Papa Was A Rolling Stone by the Temptations]--Great vocals, even though I wasn't really fond of the band arrangement (some weird stuff going on, in my opinion).  She did great, though. 

Sidenote: I was LOL at Simon drawing a mustache on Paula.

Who I voted for (yes, I actually did vote this time): Adam (clear favorite of the night), Danny, Matt, and Kris

Who I think will be in the bottom three: Megan (hope she's the one to go), Michael and Scott

AI Top 11

Grand Ole Opry Night with Randy Travis as the mentor--who I thought was super nice and seemed really genuine. I didn't get to vote, again--I'm gonna have to fight Jared for the TV with the Tivo every week and come home straight from church every Tues. to watch it in time to vote. I think it will be OK this week, as I think my very favorites will be safe. I have to say that this has to be the best group overall for a top 11; I thought they all did really well--some better than others, of course. Here goes:

1. Michael ["Ain't Goin' Down 'Til the Sun Come Up" by Garth Brooks]--I thought it was good, not great; he has a country look and sound but I think he should have done a song that showed his vocal capabilities better; he had fun with it, though, and sang it OK; I liked the personality he showed. Simon said it was "a bit clumsy" which may be a tiny bit true--some of the rhythms were a little lazy.
2. Allison ["Blame It On Your Heart" by Patty Loveless]--Great song choice for her voice; she had fun with it and showed a lot of personality and great stage presence; I would have like for her to make more of a rock rendition, however, than keep it country; she sang it great, though!
3. Kris ["To Make You Feel My Love" by Garth Brooks]--I was nervous for him when Ryan said he'd be singing it without his guitar but his voice REALLY shined. I LOVED his rendition--he really made it different and it was very heartfelt. LOVED it!
   
4. Lil ["Independence Day" by Martina McBride]--Sang it great but I say forget honoring the country genre--this competition is about showing who you're gonna be as a recording artist. But I do think she did great, even if it was a teeny tiny tad bit on the boring side in the verses. I agreed with Simon when he compared her to a wedding singer who is forced to sing a requested song, that she looked uncomfortable.
5. Adam ["Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash]--OMGosh, Randy Travis' reaction to Adam was HILARIOUS! The comment about the nail polish had me LOL--literally! Priceless! Bwahahahaha! OK, on to the performance: Whoa, what a risky choice of arrangement; I was skeptical at first but kind of liked it by the time it was over. I know I say something about his vocal range every week but it really is something spectacular. What I liked about the arrangement was that it showed here is someone who truly knows how to be himself. I nodded in total agreement with Kara when she said it was "strange but I liked it". Still laughing at Randy Travis, though! :)
6. Scott ["Wild Angels" by Martina McBride]--I thought it sounded lovely and I liked that he powered up his voice a bit the 2nd time through the chorus--I appreciated the build to the end. He definitely is a true musician, even if he doesn't have the strongest voice. When Paula was talking about the piano separating him from the audience, I thought Scott was so cute when he said "we could move it closer". I happen to really like him at the piano and agreed with Simon about there being no point to him going w/o the piano when he's so good with it. I also agreed with Simon that Scott's song choices have been a little too similar. I really liked this performance, though.
7. Alexis ["Joleen" by Dolly Parton]--I love her voice but I'm still trying to figure out what kind of music she would record--very confusing. Some pitch problems throughout the song and she over sung it in a few places but who can deny she has a great power voice?
8. Danny ["Jesus Take the Wheel" by Carrie Underwood]--It was painful to watch him make so many mistakes when he was singing for Randy Travis; I felt so bad for him. I wasn't thrilled with the verses but I didn't think it was horrible, either. I LOVED the chorus, though! Not his best performance overall by a long shot but I liked it as a whole. He could use some work on his lower register. I still love 'im, though!
9. Anoop ["You Are Always On My Mind" by Willie Nelson]--Now THERE'S the Anoop voice I've wanted to hear the last few weeks! Gave me goose bumps! And, wow, way to make it his own! That boy can SING!--and in tune! Great performance!!
   
10. Megan ["I Go Walking After Midnight"]--Good choice for her and she DEFINITELY put her own spin on it. The arm movements were completely out of place, though; and, of course, there were pitch problems out the wazoo--as always with her. I loved the arrangement, though, and she looked beautiful, even though I'm not a fan of the tattoos. I wrote the previous statements before finding out she had the flu; I gained some respect in that she was able to do that well being that sick. Kudos to her for being strong enough to push through that. She always sings out of key, though, so she can't blame that on being sick. Just sayin'.
    
11. Matt ["So Small" by Carrie Underwood]--I love that song and I REALLY love what he did with it. He sounded amazing (both voice and piano playing) and I really felt his emotion. I've been thinking the Michael Buble resemblance (that Simon mentioned) from the beginning--I should have mentioned it sooner. I loved his performance! Probably my fave of the night.
    

So my faves of tonight were Matt, Anoop and Kris. I think Michael or Megan might be in trouble (Michael more so than Megan) but they were all pretty good so who knows? I just hope that Matt, Anoop, Danny, Kris, Allison and Adam are safe. I feel like this is such a close competition already--woohoo! SO exciting! :)

AI Top 13

I meant to vote last night but I didn't, argh!  Jared got home from a Young Men's activity at church right when AI was ending and we started watching something else and I completely forgot to vote.  I thought, for the most part, they all BROUGHT IT last night!  I didn't know what the heck they would do with Michael Jackson night but this was probably the best over-all Top 12/13 week one ever!  Here are my critiques (as a side note, I always pause the DVR before the judges speak to write my notes before I hear what they have to say--yes, I know I'm an AI nerd):

1. Lil Rounds {The Way You Make Me Feel}--Good song for her; I really liked her rendition of it to make it more R&B; she's great up on the stage.
2. Scott MacIntyre {Keep the Faith}--I didn't know what the heck he would pick from MJ's repertoire but I think he chose a great song for his style and voice; I just love him on the piano; he doesn't have the strongest voice of the group but it's really pleasant and I like him!
3. Danny Gokey {PYT}--When Ryan announced the song, I was like "Uh oh, what the heck is he gonna do with that???"  I LOVED how he changed the beginning of the song and then how the rest of it was so fun and energetic and soulful!  I love his stage presence and his vocal were amazing!!  I watched it two times in a row.  I can't say enough about how much I like him.  I disagreed with Simon about the dancing--I liked it! :)
4. Michael Sarver {You're Not Alone}--Good song choice for his voice and he sang it well; I liked how he started it seated;  I agreed with Simon's comment "not the best singer but [he] sings with passion, heart and gives it 110%".
5. Jasmine Murray {I'll Be There}--NASALLY!!!  Blech.  It was "beauty pageanty" to me.  Simon hit the nail on the head when he said it was "robotic".
6. Kris Allen {Remember the Time}--He has a great pop voice; I loved the guitar for this song and the personality he showed.  Not the best song for showing off vocals but I really like it.  I agreed with Paula about him being "engaging" with the guitar.
7. Allison Iraheta {Give In To Me}--Not my favorite song but I liked her rock rendition of it; she has such a powerful voice and AMAZING stage presence for a 16-y.o.!
8. Anoop Desai {Beat It}--Didn't show off his voice and I know he has one; the song is near impossible to do and not come off as karaoke.  He's been trying too hard to come off as fun and hip but I just want to hear more of his voice.  Like Paula said, that song is "untouchable" by anyone other than MJ.
9. Jorge Nunez {Never Can Say Goodbye}--Didn't like the song and the arrangement was horrible; it came off as really cheezy to me; he can sing, though; I agreed with Kara that he wasn't "emotionally connected" to the song.  I think he'll make it through off of Hispanic votes.
10. Megan Corkrey {Rockin' Robin}--Once again, I abhor her body/hand movements; I thought it was a good song to match her voice and fun style but it definitely wasn't the best vocals.  And WTH was up with the "caa caa!" at the end?!  Crazy!
11. Adam Lambert {Black and White}--He looks and sings like a star already; very energetic and I liked his spin on it; GREAT vocals and range!
12. Matt Giraud {Human Nature}--I LOVE LOVE LOVE him on the piano; I really dug his version of the song and I love his riffing and falsetto!  Great performance!
13. Alexis Grace {Dirty Diana}--Love her power voice but her low notes aren't as good; I liked her version but there was something about it that I didn't like and I couldn't put my finger on it until Simon said she "over sung" it.  Bingo!

My faves, who I really hope make it to next week: Danny, Matt, Adam, Lil, Kris.
Who I hope will go home:  Jasmine and Megan (but I think Anoop might get sent home, even though I'd like to see what he does next week, as I really want to hear him SING).

BTW, I stayed home from Young Women's last night because I got another steroid injection in my neck yesterday morning--it went well, except for the fact that my blood pressure dropped pretty low in the recovery room after the injection (normal when procedures involve nerve stuff), which is a horrible feeling--nausea, dizzy, hot & cold at the same time, woozy--but it passed fairly quickly. The worst part was having to wait for over two hours for them to get to me. Glad I have another one over with, though!  Please pray that this one works better than the first two in my neck!

Wild Card Night

Well, America didn't get to vote but I still have my opinions on tonight's performances and choices. BTW, my DVR stopped recording the show before they announced the fate of the last four contestants. SUCKY! Oh well, I'm glad there are message boards to find out stuff, ha ha!

1. Jesse Langseth--The song should have worked really well for her voice and style but it just didn't; I couldn't even tell if, when she first started singing, she was in tune or not; I do like her voice, though.
2. Matt Giraud--I smiled from the first phrase on; THAT was what I wanted to see from him! I LOVE his voice and style; he might have added a few too many runs but I still loved it. Finally a performance I was really excited about, yay!
3. Megan Corkrey--Great song choice for her but she can't stay in tune for the life of her. And I can't STAND her body and arm movements. So weird! The last note was horrible. However, I do like that she's different and she's such a cute girl.
4. Von Smith--OK performance, not blown away; very shaky start. I still just do not like his style--sometimes when he sings, if I didn't know, I wouldn't be able to tell if it were a man or a woman singing. Kind of freaks me out.
5. Jasmine Murray--Much better than last time but I CANNOT stand her nasally, nasally, nasally upper register! Blech. I agreed with Randy that the song was too big for her.
6. Ricky Braddy--I thought he sang it well, it was fun, had good rifts and he has a nice range.
7. Tatiana Del Toro--My critique starts before she even sang. AAAAACK!!!! Can you say FAKE accent?! SO freaking annoying!! I think she would do anything and act any way to be famous and the "accent" was part of it. I think she saw how people embraced Jorge and she wanted a piece of that. After her performace, I cracked up laughing when Paula called her out on it. Her explanation was total crap! Total copy of what Jorge said! What a fake piece of crap she is. It's too bad someone like her has a good voice--completely wasted since, no matter how good she sings, people do no want to support someone like her. And I LOVE that Simon criticized her doing the same song over and over. Can you say "one trick pony"??? Ha ha ha! I'm glad this is the last time I'll have to rant about her. DING DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD! Bwahahahaha!!! :) :) :)
8. Anoop Desai--I really think he could have picked something that showed off his voice better (because I definitely think he can sing) but it was fun and I like how it showed off a different side of him and showed a lot of personality.

My picks:
Matt G. by a MILE, followed by Anoop. Then, I was torn between Jesse, Megan and Ricky only because I really did not want Von, Jasmine or (especially) Tatiana. I was leaning more toward Ricky than Jesse and Megan, though.

Actual Results: I can't believe they put Jasmine through; it was totally just because of her, as Simon said, "marketability". Oh well, she probably won't last long, anyway. Megan--I'm sure she got through because Simon thinks she's "current". She doesn't have the vocal ability to last very long, IMO. And, even though I didn't see it, I've read that both Anoop and Matt (thank goodness) made it. So now there's the TOP 13, instead of 12. Should have seen this one coming. I mostly wanted Matt and Anoop to make it so I'm happy with the results.

Who I'm most looking forward to seeing in the Top 13: Matt, Adam, Danny, Lil and Scott (because he just makes me smile). Can't wait for next week! :)

American Idol Top 36 week 3

For the record, once again, I did not vote tonight. But here are my opinions about each of tonight's singers:

1. Von Smith--I didn't care too much for the song but he did show great range in it; I thought it was a good performance but I don't really like his style, if that makes sense
2. Taylor Vaifanua--Really nice voice but kind of boring--I really wanted to like her, too, since she's from Utah. :)
3. Alex Wagner-Trugman--Cute nerd, ha ha. I couldn't stand all the extra stuff he was trying to do with his voice (all the growling, etc.) and I found his movements to be strange. I loved what Simon said about him being a hamster trying to be a tiger.
4. Arianna Afsar--Such a doll! I liked the emotion she showed but she should have picked a younger song. She has a nice voice but there were way too many off-key notes!
5. Ju'not Joyner--I like how he changed up the song and I liked his upper register--lots of flat notes, though.
6. Kristen McNamara--Great voice and range but her voice didn't match the song--it came off a tiny bit like a lounge singer.
7. Nataniel Marshall--This guy bugs the crap out of me and I thought his performance was uber CHEEZY!!! What was up with the disco arrangment?? I don't even like his voice that much.
8. Felicia Barton--Has a good voice but I felt like she kind of yelled most of it and didn't change the song enough so it was a bit like watching karaoke.
9. Scott MacIntyre--I loved the emotions he showed and his vocals were OK. I like watching him because he puts a smile on my face--he just has a bright spirit. But, for me, (even though I want to LOVE his vocals), his voice just isn't strong enough--it leaves me wanting just a bit more, KWIM?
10. Kendall Beard--I like her bubbliness and I can see her as a country artist, between the looks and the voice; she needs to move around the stage more and there were a few off notes.
11. Jorge Nunez--I have to admit that I didn't think I'd like this guy at all but I did. He stayed on pitch, has a nice voice and good stage presence. I thought it was sweet that he teared up during his post-performance interview.
12. Lil Rounds--Wow, great voice and amazing stage presence--she looked like a star already! I love her spunkiness, too.

I think Lil and Jorge should definitely move on. I'm torn on the third spot between Ju'not, Kristen, Scott, and Kendall. I may be leaning more toward Kristen on voice alone and Scott because of his "likeability". :) I'm not sure what they're doing tomorrow night--are the wild cards performing or are they doing an elimination? Either way, I can't wait to see!

Top 36 week 2

Last night was very disappointing.  I wasn't completely wowed by anyone and was extremely disappointed by almost all of the contestants.  Here are my thoughts on each performance (once again, these are notes I took during the performances, before I heard anything the judges said):

1. Jasmine Murray: BEAUTIFUL girl but that was HORRIBLE!  Off-key nearly the entire song and way too nasally for my taste; I never really liked her voice, anyway, but that performance was atrocious.
2. Matt Giraud:  I REALLY wanted him to do awesome and blow everyone away but nope.  He chose the completely wrong song and the arrangement was just weird to me.  He really should have done something on the piano.  I kind of hope he gets through just to see what he can do next.
   
3. Jeanine Vailes--She started singing the song in the wrong key or something, it sounded terrible.  I did not like her singing style at all--it was weird and uncomfortable to me.  I liked what Kara said--it was "overdone".
4. Nick Mitchell/Norman Gentle:  I could do without ever seeing him again; I personally don't even think he's that funny or good.
5. Allison Iraheta: I can't believe she's only 16!  I really like her voice and she has great stage presence.  Definitely the best girl last night.
6. Kris Allen: I didn't like his song choice--"Man in the Mirror", are you kidding me?  He has a nice voice, though, is cute and showed some personality but it just didn't do much for me.
7. Megan Corkrey: She is so pretty and I like her voice; the song was good for her but her vocals were only OK and her arm and body movements were weird and distracting to me.  There were some good parts and other parts that I was almost cringing.  Really weird.
8. Matt Breitzke: Here's another one that I really wanted to do well but made a bad song choice.  He has a nice voice but the performance was so flat and boring and he showed zero personality, much different from how I thought he would be.  He just looked like and old man up there doing karaoke.  I liked what Simon said--it was an "uncomfortable performance".
9. Jesse Langseth: Her voice is different and I like it but I just wasn't wowed; it was a good performance, just not great.
10. Kai Kalama:  Again, I wanted him to do great and he has a good voice but, wow, what a BAD song choice!  It came off a little cheezy to me.  I agreed when Randy said it was a "safe" performance.
11. Mishavonna Henson:  I like what she did with the song and she has a good voice, it was just an alright performance.
12. Adam Lambert: Definitely entertaining, knows how to work the stage and has star quality.  He has got a great vocal range--I like his high voice.  I think he's great but sometimes it seems a bit...contrived?  Acted out?  Not sure I can put my finger on it but, as I was watching it, I was trying to decide if I really liked it or not.  I think I do.  He definitely make me want to watch and see what he'll do next!

I didn't vote because I'm positive Adam will go through and I don't really care who else makes it this week.  Although, I do kind of hope Matt Giraud makes it because I think he has great potential.

I really don't like how they're picking the top 12 this year--that we only get to see people once and they either make it or don't.  If they had done it this way last year, David Cook probably wouldn't have made it to the top 12.  I remember thinking he was so cheezy the first week and thought he would be the one to go home and I thought he got lucky that he made it to week 2.  I didn't start liking him until the 2nd, or maybe even 3rd, week.  I think some people will make it through over others who deserve it more just because they got the luck of the draw in the group they got put with.  For example, I think several people from last week did so much better than just about everyone last night.  Oh well, I guess we'll see what happens on Wild Card week.  I hope next week's performances are much better!

Last night's AI

OK, it's that time again.  You get hear my run-down of the American Idol contestants each week.  Here's my views of last night's performances (in order of appearance--BTW, I wrote all my notes before hearing what the judges had to say):

1. Jackie Tohn--CHEEZY outfit and performance.  Yuck!
2. Ricky Braddy--nice voice but not much personality
3. Alexis Grace--Good personality and voice
4. Brent Keith--I liked his stage presence and think he could be a good country artist
5. Stevie Write--Cute girl but yikes--really rough start with those low notes, pitch was everywhere!
6. Anoop Desai--Great voice, still weird to see him singing with that voice
7. Casey Carlson--Beautiful girl but that was a really bad song choice, she was off key a lot and the winky and "sex kitten" stuff was cheezy
8. Michael Sarver--I really like this guy; I love his voice and he has a great personality and smile but I would like to hear him sing something more soulful
9. Ann Marie Boskovich--A lot of off notes, just OK performance
10. Stephen Fowler--I like his voice but man was that pitchy
11. Tatiana Del Toro--Good vocals, way better than I thought they would be but I don't want her to make it through.  Either she was a total fake last night or she was a total fake at all the auditions before last night and that bugs me.  I like what the judges said about her song last night--there were good moments and bad moments and it was like being on a roller coaster.
12. Danny Gokey--OK, he blew everyone else straight out of the water.  Wow, I loved it!  BTW, he reminds me so much of Robert Downey, Jr.!

I wish they wouldn't do the boy-girl thing.  I think the guys this year are by far better than the girls.  I don't think I like the new way they are moving people through.  A lot of my favorite guys from the previous shows were in this one group and only one or two of them will go through?  Sucky.  Here's who I hope goes through to the top 12 from this group:

#1 boy--Danny for sure!
#1 girl (only 'cause I have to pick one)--Alexis Grace
3rd choice--Michael Sarver (this is a tough choice because I also really liked Anoop and Brent)

My new favorite album is...

David Archuleta's first album! I LOVE it! I've listened to it every day since Tuesday. I like every song on it. My favorites, though, are "My Hands", "To Be With You", "You Can", "Your Eyes Don't Lie" and "Angels" (which he sang on American Idol). Here's a review of the album that's on Rhapsody:

For an artist who won over audiences with a platform of preternatural talent, endearing naivete, and a baby face just asking to be pinched, David Archuleta's ability to sound so ... adult always comes as a surprise. Here and there on his debut, a lack of depth and dimension -- musically and emotionally --hints at the Idol runner-up's youth. But for the most part, the vocals are rich and mature, and the tracks are sensitive and even a litle all-grown-up sexy ("My Hands"). In other words, just what the man-voiced baby-faced crooner's devotees (tween girls and their middle-aged moms) ordered. -Rachel Devill

If you liked him on American Idol, you will love this CD and must buy it! :)

I also like Taylor Swift's new CD that also came out this week. I'm not sure I like it as much as her first one but it is good.

David A. in the New Era magazine

So I noticed one of the young women in my ward reading an article about David A. in sacrament meeting yesterday. When she closed the magazine, I saw that it was the New Era! If you haven't seen it, here's what it says:

David Archuleta, a 17-year-old from Murray, Utah, a town centered in the Salt Lake Valley, made it as one of the top two on American Idol, a television singing competition.

In one interview given while in the middle of the competition, David was wondering about the changes that were coming with the fame of performing for millions of viewers each week. He said that he still felt like “I’m just David from Murray.”

The nation may have been surprised to hear such a pure, clear voice coming from one so young, but David’s classmates at school, and especially those in seminary, were not surprised at all. They already knew he had an amazing voice because they get to hear him sing at school programs and for seminary devotionals.

“Every time it’s his turn to do the class devotional,” says Brother Justin Harper of the Murray High Seminary, “he asks if he can sing. Then the other teachers will bring their classes in just for devotional to hear him. It really sets a wonderful spirit for class.” Even while busy and involved with the television show, Brother Harper said David reported on his daily scripture reading to keep up with his seminary class.

Mietra Aarabi, one of David’s close friends, says that David did not enter the competition to become a celebrity. She says, “David understands that he has a talent and that his voice affects people. He’s not arrogant about it. He is as humble and thankful to those who help him as you saw on the show. That’s how he really is.”

Was David the popular guy in school? Jessica Judd, another of David’s friends says, “If by popular you mean people like him, then yes, everyone likes him. At lunch, you know how everyone has their own group to sit with. You can never find David because he’s going around talking to people. He cares about you.”

The Church is a major force in David’s life. “He is so strong,” says Mietra. “He is the one that reminds us of what is right. He will keep on doing what he believes.”

“Even while he was so busy in Hollywood, he asked about the meeting schedules of wards in the area and went to church,” says Jessica.

David Archuleta is not just David from Murray anymore. The music world now knows about a great guy with an amazing voice that has a quality they can’t quite describe. Those at home in his ward, in his seminary class, and his hometown know what that is. What he believes shows.

{picture from the article}

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That just makes me like him even more! :) BTW, he won the Teen Choice Award for Most Fanatic Fans. Yeah, I might be one of those fanatics but I love to promote him because I love his voice and there is finally a true GREAT example for the young people to follow! Nope, I don't care if any of you think I'm a dork, ha ha!

David Archuleta's first single!

OMGosh, David's first single premiered this morning on a radio show in NYC! Go to http://z100.elvisduran.com/pages/news/davidarchuleta/ to hear it! I love it!

I listened to the interview, too--he's just so sweet and adorable! :)

American Idol Concert!!!

So Kiki and I got to go to this concert in Salt Lake City Monday night. All I can say is WOW!!! We had so much fun! Most of them were completely awesome! It was the loudest concert I have EVER been to! SO much screaming, especially for David A. The screaming didn't stop AT ALL the whole time he was on stage. I've never seen anything like it. I'm not kidding when I say I think I have permanent hearing damage.

Here's my order of faves, with commentary:
1. David A.--he sounded sooooo unbelievably awesome! And his stage presence just keeps getting better and better! He's moving more and is exuding more confidence. He's very humble still, though, and would chuckle between songs at all the applause and screaming. He was so adorable! He even cried at the end of "When You Say You Love Me" because of all the applause and screaming, then said "See what you made me do!" He loved singing for his home crowd. SO cute! I can't wait for his CD to come out!
2. David C.--sounded awesome. Total opposite of David A. as far as receiving applause, etc.--he eats it up and even did this one long part where the band just kept playing this interlude while he went to each section of the stage to get applause and screaming from each side of the audience. I'm sure I will buy his CD, too.
3. Michael J.--loved his performances! Such a great stage presence!
4. Brooke W.--sounded better than any time on the show. I would go see her in person any time, just would like it in a smaller setting so I could hear her better. Her rendition of "Yellow" was amazing!
5. Jason C.--love his singer/songwriter vibe. He sounded great, too.
6. Carly S.--sounded great! Such a powerful voice.
7. Chikezie--gets my award for most improved! Wow! He was so fun to watch and sounded really good!
8. Kristy Lee--sounded better than on the show. Don't like the way she stands, though. Dumb little criticism, I know.
9. Syesha--sounded good but just didn't hold my attention. I think part of the problem is she did such recent songs and, let's face it, she is definitely no Rihanna, Alicia Keys, or Beyoncé!
10. Ramielle--I wanted to like her. She's so cute. But she sounded really bad--lots of pitch problems--and had zero stage presence. Just plain boring.

If any of you are wondering what each contestant is singing on the tour, here's the setlist:

Chikezie:
1, “I Believe to My Soul” (Donny Hathaway)
2, “Caught Up” (Usher)
3, “So High” (John Legend)
Ramiele Malubay:
4, “I Want You Back” (The Jackson Five)
5, “Love Will Lead You Back” (Taylor Dayne)
6, “If I Never See Your Face Again” (Maroon 5 featuring Rihanna)
Michael Johns:
7, “We Will Rock You”/”We Are the Champions” medley (Queen),
8, “It’s All Wrong But It’s All Right” (Dolly Parton)
9, “Dream On” (Aerosmith)
Kristy Lee Cook:
10, “Squeezin’ the Love Outta You” (Carolyn Dawn Johnson)
11, “God Bless the USA” (Lee Greenwood)
12, “Cowgirls” (Kerry Harvick)
Carly Smithson:
13, “Bring Me to Life” (Evanescence)
14, “Crazy on You” (Heart)
15, “I Drove All Night” (Cyndi Lauper)
Brooke White:
16, “Let It Be” (The Beatles)
17, “1234″ (Feist)
18, “Yellow” (Coldplay)
Group medley (just the bottom 6):
“Pride (In the Name of Love)” (U2)
Intermission
Jason Castro:
“Over the Rainbow” (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole version)
“Crazy” (Gnarls Barkley)
“Daydream” (The Lovin’ Spoonful)
Syesha Mercado:
“Umbrella” (Rihanna)
“If I Ain’t Got You” (Alicia Keys)
“Listen” (Beyoncé)
David Archuleta:
“Angels” (Robbie Williams)
“Apologize” (OneRepublic)
“Stand by Me”/”Beautiful Girls” (Ben E. King/Sean Kingston)
“When You Say You Love Me” (Josh Groban)
David Cook:
“Hello” (Lionel Richie)
“The Time of My Life” (2008 “American Idol” Songwriter’s Competition winner; first single for David Cook)
“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” (Aerosmith)
“My Hero” (Foo Fighters)
“Billie Jean” (Chris Cornell version of Michael Jackson song)
Group encore:
“Don’t Stop the Music” (Rihanna)

Just so you can get a taste of what it was like while David A. was performing, check out this video:


I'm so glad we got to go to the concert together! One of my favorite concerts so far!

Conspiracy Theory

It was rigged!

I read on MSN this morning that the American Idol producers wanted Cook to win because they didn't want to have to work with Archuleta's dad. So I think they rigged it!

J/J (mostly). I'm not saying Cook didn't deserve to win or that I don't like him (I think he's really good) but the scales, for me, were tipped in Archuleta's favor. But most of the voting audience disagreed. Oh well. I KNOW David Archuleta will be a great star and come out with some great music. I, for one, can't wait to buy his CD and I'm looking forward to seeing him perform at the American Idol show in Salt Lake City on July 14th with my sister, Kiki. That's right! We bought tickets to the show! I'm so excited and can't wait! Especially for the fact that I get to go with Kiki. It's gonna be so fun!!

Anyway, I got to watch the finale with the young women in my ward. We made our camp t-shirts and pillowcases while we watched it--and had a great time.

I finally have an appt. with the doctor tomorrow to have my ankle checked out--it still is giving me problems from when I sprained it 2 months ago! I hope I didn't damage it permanently! I have four piano lessons to teach tomorrow, then 2 of Jared's sisters and their DH/fiancee will be here in the middle of the night (one couple is driving from outside of Atlanta and the other from Tampa). I'm so excited to spend the weekend with them and meet my future BIL. I'm sure I'll have lots of pics to post next week!

Oh and GOOD LUCK to the Tigers tomorrow in their game against Vandy!!! 17 games won in a row and counting!!! Keep rollin', boys!!!

Goosebumps!

That's what David Archuleta gave me last night. All three performances were FLAWLESS! Wow! I LOVED him singing "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me". That is one of my favorite songs (the George Michael version, not Elton John) and I knew as soon as they said that was what he was singing that he would do great with it. I really liked the 2nd song (the new one) and, of course, "Imagine" was AMAZING--even better than the first time he sang it on the show. I think David Cook did very well but he completely paled in comparison to Archuleta and even Simon gave all three rounds to Archuleta. Now I just hope that all the fans voted enough to make him win. I can't wait to see who wins!!! I haven't been this excited for an AI finale in a few years. In case you missed it, check out Archie singing "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me":

Amazing, right?!

Bad Weather!

There was huge storm here yesterday evening/night--heavy rain and really strong winds. Thankfully, Jared had the day off and kept me distracted--otherwise I would have sat and watched out the window, worrying that a tree would fall on the house. I went up to the church for Young Women's last night after the major part of the storm and traffic was horrible because all of the power in my town was out--so all of the traffic lights were off (let me just say that some drivers are idiots and have no idea how to treat intersections as a 4-way stop!). There were branches and debris everywhere and even lots of whole trees uprooted!

The worst part--we were without electricty for 19 HOURS!!!! It went out at 4pm and didn't come back on until 11am this morning. I missed the American Idol results show. Jared flew to Utah this morning and had planned on doing laundry and packing last night but he ended up just waking up early (at 4am!) and packing in the dark (with me holding a flashlight for him). I guess he'll just have to do a bit of laundry at his mom's house when he gets there. And driving him to the airport this morning was not fun! It rained really hard again with a little bit of wind, it was still dark because it was so early, and the fallen branches and trees all over the place just off the sides of the roads made me really nervous (not to mention all the water on the roads). Every time I hit a big puddle, I would white-knuckle the steering wheel and let out a little "aaah!" I was so stressed out by the time I got home! But I am thankful we made it through the storm w/ no harm to us or our home.

I hope Jared is having a wonderful time with his family! Love you, babe!

I just have to say YAAAAAAAAY for David Archuleta!!!! I KNEW he would make it to the finale and I really hope he wins it! If you're curious to hear what his recording voice sounds like, listen to this:


If that's what he will sound like, I know I will love every song on his album! GOOD LUCK, DAVID A.!!!

Sad!

I'm sad that Brooke got voted off! She's so cute and I love her voice; I'm going to miss seeing her every week. I'm sure she will still do very well in her career, though. I think Jason got REALLY lucky but I wish it would have been Syesha to go--she's just so boring! I'm rooting for David A. all the way! I thought it was so freaking cute when Natasha Bedingfield went and hugged and kissed David A. on the cheek--his reaction was so totally cute. And how adorable was it that she said if he asked her she would go to the prom with him?! She's knows who the top Idol is!

Future American Idol?

Here's my niece, Belle, singing "Veggie Tales" into the microphone of my piano:

Doesn't she have the cutest voice ever?!

Speaking of AI, last night was pretty lackluster--especially the first 1/2. I wasn't totally thrilled with any of the first performances. I think they need to stop making the kids do certain genres/songwriters and just let them do what they know and love. David A.'s was the best by far of the first performances but I still didn't absolutely love it. Jason's was lame, David C.'s was bad (I don't like his lower register), Brooke's was pretty cheesy (even though I think she's adorable), and Syesha's was just blah. The 2nd batch was MUCH better. I really liked the two David's performances, as well as Brooke's. Jason's was just OK (I thought he was gonna do really well with Neil Diamond but he just didn't do anything with it), as was Syesha's. I think Jason might go tonight but I kinda hope Syesha will. We'll see!

This week's AI

Here's my weekly run-down:

*David A.--"Think of Me" is one of my favorite songs ever and I would never have expected to hear a guy sing it but I LOVED what David did with it and he sang it flawlessly. That could totally be a pop hit. Loved, loved, loved it! Not sure what Simon was listening to but I thought it was a great performance--definitely not one of the weakest of the last few weeks, as Simon stated.

*David C.--Really like his performance of “Music of the Night” until the last note--I hate how he ended it. Instead of ending it sweet and loving, he screamed out the last note. Kind of ruined the whole vibe of the song for me.

*Brooke--Way too bad she had to start over but I agree with Randy and Simon that it was the best choice. Simon told her he thought it was a brave thing to do and said "It's your opportunity, why not?" And I totally agree. The song was a little shaky but I didn't hate it--I love the emotion I feel from her and I love her husky voice.

*Jason--I thought it was kind of cool for him to pick "Memory", and I like the spin he put on it but he just doesn't have the vocal capabilities to really pull off a song like that. It was way too shaky for me. This was just not a genre he could really do his thing with.

*Carly--I've heard the song “Jesus Christ Superstar” before but don't really know it too well. I liked her performance and vocals--fun to watch. Probably the best I've liked her so far, even though it was a tad bit "shouty" in some parts. Great song choice for her, though.

*Syesha--Most personality she's shown on the show so far. I didn't know the song at all but it was a good song for her. Too little, too late, however, as far as I'm concerned.

I think Brooke or Jason could be going home, with Syesha in the bottom three with them, or maybe even Carly. Who knows. I think the Davids are the only ones who are absolutely safe. I'm anxious to see the results but will have to wait 'til I get home from church tonight (Young Women's activity--we're making buddy burners for camp). I don't want Brooke or Jason to go home. I would love to see what they can do next week with Neil Diamond songs!

Finally!

Kristy Lee Cook went home! She's a very cute girl but was far below the others in regards to vocal capabilities. I don't think she ever sang more than 80% of her notes in tune.

My thoughts on this week of AI:

David A.--not my favorite song but he sang the heck out of it. I just love his voice. And I want to squeeze his cheeks and say "you're so cute!"

David C.--the beginning sounded a little rough to me at first but I ended up loving the arrangment and his performance. The end of the song, when he got out of his lower register, really rocked!

Brooke--Loved her version; had a couple of rough notes and I agree with Paula that she lost confidence and rushed the end but I still enjoyed it overall. I love that I always feel her emotions when she sings.

Jason--Don't know what Randy was smokin' but I loved his version and thought he sang it great. I'm glad he turned the guitar part over to someone else so we could concentrate more on him and his voice. Don't get me wrong, I love when he plays guitar, too, but it was nice to see him without it, too.

Carly--Pretty good, not great. Simon was right on the money about her over-thinking and being wound up. All her smiles while the judges talk seem SO fake to me.

Syesha--I barely even remember that she performed.

Kristy--I agree with Simon--whiny! And mostly out of tune. Yuck. Mariah must have been on crack when she said she gave her goosebumps and sang the song better than she did!

Any bets on who gets booted next? I hope it's Syesha or Carly, not Brooke.

American Idol top 8

Here's my assessment of the performances this week (in order of my preferences):

*David A.--I loved him singing that song and thought he did great; although I have really liked him on the piano previously, I think he could have sung it even better if he hadn't played piano. It was definitely 100 times better than the Jessica Simpson version, that's fo sho!!!

*David C.--I have liked him so much the past few weeks but he really stunk up that song!! I'm sure he'll do much better next week.

*Michael--I loved the performance. I really didn't think he would go to the high notes but he did and I liked it!

*Brooke--There were a few shaky notes ("pitchy" as Randy would say) but I really liked the performance as a whole; I thought it was really heart-felt.

*Jason--Loved his rendition of that song. Suited him very well and I just love his style.

*Carly--Looks way too angry when she sings! Good voice, though.

*Syesha--I just don't ever feel a connection with her. I'd rather listen to her sing any day rather than Fantasia, though!

*Kristy--Eh. OK. I didn't think it was as good as other people are saying. Too many pitch problems. I think she has the weakest voice of the bunch, too.


I think/wish Kristy would go home tonight but I'm pretty sure it will be either Carly or Syesha. If I had to bet, I'd say Carly.


Not much else to post about. Besides the usual piano lessons and playing volleyball every Friday, I've just been doing lots of Cub Scout stuff and gearing up for girls' camp, which includes going to their activities every Wed. night. Now if I can just get the fundraisers done with!