Tag: Phillip Phillips

Phillip Philips & Jessica Sanchez.

I didn’t need to stay home to watch “American Idol” live, because I already knew that Phillip Phillips had the fan base to pull out the win. It’s not “fair,” in that his vocal talent was not and is not as great as that of either Jessica Sanchez of third-place finisher Joshua Ledet, but it proves, once again, that the show is primarily a popularity contest. Singing is secondary to likeability. The selection of Scotty McReery last year proves that and it has been proven once again.

The selection of the boy rather than the girl proves the bias towards female singers, also. Yes, there have been some female winners, but they are the exception that proves the rule. It is harder for a girl to win this contest than for a boy; maybe in the Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood years, the men, as competition, weren’t as strong. Whatever the rationale you settle on, there is no doubt that young girls vote (repeatedly, it would seem) for their favorite male singer, and this year, that favorite was Phillip Phillips.

When the Top Three made their visits home, Phillip’s father and his relationship with him were a network’s dream. The pawn shop owner was packing a pistol and Phillip even picked up his favorite stuffed turkey and toted it around the store. In the parade sequence, Phillip seemed genuinely touched, and there could be no doubt that he was overcome with emotion at the finale, as he tried (unsuccessfully) to finish singing his song “Home.” I found it touching and rewound and replayed the finale moment(s) more than once.

I find Phillip charming, too. He reminds me so much of a young Dave Matthews, and we certainly can use a young(er) Dave Matthews on the music scene. He writes songs and plays guitar, and his acknowledgement of his brother-in-law’s contribution to his musical success was another sign of the close-knit family from which he comes.

Not that Jessica Sanchez had a family any less close-knit, but, in writing for www.Wikinut.com, I found the half-Filipino/half-Mexican singer being trashed on that international site. Why was she not being praised? The answer is that she was being criticized by a resident of the Philippines for not being “Filipino” enough! I had previously thought that Jessica’s ethnic background might be a plus for her, initially, but, as it turns out, that vote did not materialize.

Those who say, “Well, it isn’t fair. Jessica is a better singer” have a completely valid point. To them, I say, “Is life always fair?” It certainly hasn’t been to me, of late! Talent in any field is not an entree to success if you have to curry favor and win approval of massive numbers of people to cash in on that talent. In the case of “American Idol,” which I have been following since 2007, it has not escaped my attention that someone the audience “likes” (Scotty, last year), rather than someone who really has the pipes will win every time. Remember Adam Lambert’s year? Does anyone really believe that Chris Allen was a “better” singer than Adam Lambert, who had already been in Broadway productions?

I enjoyed the finale, although I found some of it to be sub-par. The Neil Diamond medley and the Bee Gees medley did not “gel” and someone should tell Chaka Khan not to wear a skin-tight catsuit when backed by young women easily 30 years younger and 30 pounds thinner than she is at this point in her career. Also, the “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” number seemed to consist primarily of screaming and weird faces on the part of Jennifer Holliday, so the less said about that, the better.
As for Aerosmith’s outing as a band: liked it. Can’t help myself, I enjoy watching Steven Tyler dance around. I enjoy watching Mick Jagger dance around. I’m sure I will enjoy watching Phillip Phillips dance around, in years to come.

I predict bright futures for both Jessica Sanchez and, even more so, for Joshua Ledet. I think these fantastic voices will “live well and prosper.” I think that Phillip Phillips will also be one of the Idol winners who will go on to success. He has that “Q” factor that makes you want to root for him, and he seems to know what he wants to sing and who he wants to be as an artist.

One thought I had about 3 programs back is this: Whatever happened to the announcement that Tommy Hilfiger would be dressing the contestants and “advising” them regarding their fashion faux pas, this season? It seems he sank without a trace. Whover put Sklar Laine in her horrible outfit tonight, when she shared the stage with Reba McIntyre, should have their head examined. My God! What a horrific outfit for the poor thing to wear, given her particular figure flaws. Whose Big Bright idea was THAT?

I did think that Tommy Hilfiger’s “advice” seemed to consist primarily of showing the eager contestants a closet full of potential downfalls and letting them select whatever they wanted. That, to me, is not advice. It’s like taking your child to the candy store to instruct them on eating the right foods. None of the contestants seemed to look “better” after Hilfiger’s appearance on the scene. And then, like the Mad Hatter, he simply disappeared. It was weird. He didn’t ever help Jimmy Iovine to dress and look like an adult, nor did he save Randy from the embarassment of wearing a jacket that made him look like he owned a string of ice cream parlors.

The “group” numbers were weak, in general, and Fantasia, Chaka, Jordin, et. al. added little. On the other hand, it was fun watching Phillip sing with an icon and Joshua and Skylar seemed thrilled to be onstage with their idols (Fantasia and Reba, respectively). I also enjoyed the “live” onscreen proposal of Ace (from some long-forgotten season) to former contestant Diana DeGarmo. The comment he made about “taking Broadway” lends some support to the concept that these singers will go on to have careers in music. I know that I, personally, have seen Syesha Mercado and Constantine Maroulis onstage in Chicago in traveling Broadway productions:”Dream Girls” for Syesha and the upcoming Tom Cruise casting as Stacey Jax in the film version of the play is something to ponder.

I noticed Phillip Phillips, during his moments onstage when he was overcome by emotion and stopped singing, trying to spit out confetti that was raining down on the crowd. This confetti looked pretty substantial! It’s no wonder that Phillip gave up on singing the lyrics, given the emotion of the moment and the paper packing his mouth. It didn’t stop the drum major people in the background who kept marching back and forth as Phillip sang about “Home.” I think it was Phillip’s far superior song on the final night of competition that helped him win. Jessica’s song was shrieky and nonmelodic. She had done well up to that point, but song selection was never Jessica’s strong suit during her weeks on the show. She would go from superb, as with her Whitney Houston selections, to really stupid, as with the number she sang in sky-high heels that was her attempt at an “upbeat” number (“Set the night on fire…etc.). That little ditty really didn’t enhance her reputation on the show, and she has Gloria Estefan to thank for that particular miscue.

Phillip, on the other hand, seemed to select just the right song, even if it wasn’t a song any of us had ever heard. He was always interesting to watch and I enjoyed his awkward dance moves. I also thought that Joshua Ledet was the most “compleat” (British spelling) performer of the entire competition. And, for sheer spunky “Let’s get this show on the road” you had Skylar Laine.

Holly Cavanagh got some good moments during the finale, as well she should have. I enjoyed hearing her sing the perennial graduation favorite “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” I did not enjoy revisiting Colton Dixona and DeAndre Brackensick seemed unusually prominent during the men’s group numbers. I actually have forgotten the name of the chubby male singer that made it through primarily because Jennifer Lopez liked him. My spouse did not like Han whatever-his-name-was, the Asian singer, but it was nice to see Elise (Testone) again. This is one of the few “American Idol'” groups that I would potentially pay money to see, as a group. They were that good, in general. I’m still trying to remember the name of the 2 blondes (one with a new short hair-do, I think), because, like all of America, we forget our idols much too quickly.

Jessica Sanchez finishes 2nd on "American Idol."

Hollie Cavanagh Eliminated from “American Idol” on Thursday, May 10th

By Connie Wilson

On May 10, 2012

In Music, Pop Culture, Television

Jessica Sanchez

The inevitable occurred tonight on the elimination night of “American Idol.” Hollie Cavanagh, who had been in the bottom three so many times previously, was finally kicked off. Just before the announcement was made, you could see in her eyes that she knew she was being cut from the competition.

The remaining three contestants are Phillip Phillips, Jason Ledet and Jessica Sanchez. The Big Question of this year’s competition is whether it is going to be an All-Male Final Two, as one steady watcher thinks it will be, or if it will be the two strongest voices, Jessica Sanchez and Jason Ledet.

Phillip Phillips has all the teeny boppers on his side, and he is, indeed, charming. His vocals are not as strong as either Joshua’s or Jessica’s, but he is certainly an original, interesting, unique performer, and he seems to resonate with the voting public, much as Scotty did last year with his bass country-and-western vocals.

I don’t honestly have a horse in this race. I could live with any of the three winning, for a variety of reasons. The raw emotion registering on the faces of fellow contestants (especially Joshua) and judges, alike, (Jennifer Lopez) was touching as Hollie sang her final song. She did a great job with the lyric and melody that talked about how there are always other mountains to climb.

Carry on, contestants!

April 11, 2012 “American Idol:” Loud with Signs of Trouble for Phillip & Hollie

By Connie Wilson

On April 11, 2012

In Music, Pop Culture, Television

"American Idol" Judges

Wed., April 11, 2012, Fox, 8 p.m. (ET) Tonight’s “American Idol” performance night, with just 7 remaining contestants, was a lot of “sound and fury, signifying nothing,” to steal from William Faulkner. It was disappointing to hear so few dynamic touches as the contestants sang songs from 2010-2012.

First up was Skylar Laine from Brandon, Mississippi, who sang a Kellie Pickler song with her usual flair. Two comments: Skylar would look better if she wore sleeves and the song was dynamically uninteresting, as it consisted of Skylar singing country as loudly as possible while playing guitar. Judges’ comments were good: “Crazy hot! Crazy good! Just great!”

Second singer was Colton Dixon who sang a Skylar Gray song, “Love the Way You Want It.” Colton was heavy on the fog and whine, as per usual. He played a white baby grand piano while staring soulfully into the camera. The judges liked it, with Steven Tyler even calling him “such a rare talent.” I’m not sure if Colton and Phillip are competing for the girls’ votes, but, if so, the judges were favorable towards Colton.

Elise and Phillip Phillips sang a duet where Elise got to demonstrate how bossy she can be. The song, “Somebody that I Used to Know” earned a “good for you for pickin’ that” from Steven Tyler.

Jessica Sanchez sang Jasmine Sullivan’s “Stuttering” while wearing a patterned jacket with puffy shoulders. The judges said: “You slayed the biggest fish of the night.” (Jennifer Lopez) “We know that you sing like nobody we’ve ever heard before.” (Jennifer Lopez) “You slay it every time.” (Steven Tyler)

Joshua Ledet from Westlake, Louisiana, wore a white jacket that was at least 2 sizes too small while singing “Runaway Baby” by Bruno Mars. It was a fast, danceable tune, and went over well. Joshua reminded me of Jackie Wilson from the 60s.

Skylar and Colton dueted on “Don’t You Want to Stay Here For A Little While.” I agreed with Randy, who pronounced it “Just okay for me.”

Hollie Cavanagh of McKinney, TX, sang Pink’s “Perfect.” Randy said, “It wasn’t perfect, but you were so much better than you were last week.” Translation: Hollie is in trouble again.

Phillip Phillips’ choice of Maroon 5’s “Give It A Little More” did not find favor with the judges, who pronounced it “underwhelming.” Although Steven Tyler compared Phillip to Steve McQueen and Johnny Cash, he is probably going to be in the bottom 3 this week.

After a power ballad of “Stronger” by Joshua, Jessica and Hollie—3 of the competition’s biggest voices—Jennifer Lopez pronounced this “the season of the big voice.”

Elise finished the night singing Lady Gaga’s “You and I.” The judges liked it, saying, “Elise is back” and calling it “the perfect song” (Randy Jackson).

The 3 lowest this week will probably include Hollie Cavanagh and Phillip Phillips, with either Skylar Laine or Elise Testone as likely targets for third, simply because they are girls. Stay tuned for elimination night tomorrow.

Elimination Night Proves to be Heejun Han’s Swan Song on March 29, 2012

By Connie Wilson

On March 29, 2012

In Music, Pop Culture, Reviews, Television

Thursday, March 29, 2012, Fox, 8 p.m. (ET) Steven Tyler said it best, in dismissing Heejun Han from “American Idol”: “You saw this coming last week. Unfortunately, after talking, we’re going to have to let you go, man.” And so Heejun Han exits “American Idol” in 9^th place.

The rest of the show consisted of “flashbacks” to how the contestants had done on Wednesday night’s performance night with Jimmy Iovine critiquing. Jimmy Iovine’s observations were right in tune with my own. He criticized each performer’s performance as the trios of singers were called to the fore to receive the bad news, and his critiques parallel my own in most cases.

The first set of 3 was Elise, Phillip and Hollie. As I had feared, Hollie was in the lowest three. The second trio, comprised of Colton, Joshua and Heejun, delivered Heejun to his fate; he looked glum and did seem to “see it coming,” as Steven Tyler put it. It’s always best not to get on the wrong side of the judges, and Heejun had done that.

The third set of three, Skylar, DeAndre and Jessica, delivered the only surprise of the night, for me, when Skylar have received fewer votes than the other two. I did criticize her awful outfits, but I thought her singing went well. Perhaps the Hispanic/Filippino vote for Jessica is coalescing? I noticed, with a smile, that the short Skylar couldn’t quite make it onto the elimination stool, so she just stood there beside it. (Why don’t they give these poor kids a chair that they don’t have to perch on?)

I thought that Jimmy’s remark about DeAndre (“I’m sitting right in the middle on Deandre. He needs more experience. If enough people buy into it (his falsetto), he’s okay. Otherwise, he’s in trouble.”) Going forward, I would agree with that assessment. Eric Benet came out in person to congratulate DeAndre on his performance. I had said that Benet’s SONG was not that well-known (when compared to “Whole Lotta’ Love,” which Elise performed) but someone took me to task for not knowing who Eric Benet is. How can any of us not know that he was married to Hallie Berry. He also hasn’t had a really big hit since 2000, so that means that, when Eric was at his hottest, DeAndre was about four years old, since he’s still in high school.

Jimmy also mentioned the crying jag many of the contestants were on Wednesday night, saying, “When you cry, your voice closes.” He gave Colton no props, saying, “I don’t think he sings as well as the other 8 contestants at this point in the show” declaring him to be ‘behind on points.” (Ouch!)

On the other hand, Jimmy Iovine boosted Elise Testone’s stock by saying she was a dark horse and “comin’ on strong.” Of Hollie, Jimmy said, “I don’t believe you win this on technique. You win it on passion.” He also praised Stevie Nicks’ belief in Phillip Phillips saying, “I’ve been around Stevie Nicks for a very long time, and she’s very rarely wrong.” We also had Steven Tyler announcing a new Aerosmith tour, the Global Warming Tour, to kick off June 16^th in Minneapolis.

Nicki Minaj performed a routine for her new release “Starships” that featured her falling out of her bra-like top and sounding like a chipmunk. Her hair was bleached blonde and she had on a dress with a train (a la Jessica Sanchez on Wednesday). She pranced more than dance and announced she’d like to come back as a guest judge. Her performance was almost as noteworthy as her grim, sacrilegious Grammy turn.

Going forward, I would expect the strongest contenders to be (in no particular order) Elise, Joshua, Jessica and Phillip, while the also-rans list, for me, is formed of Skylar, Colton, Deandre and Hollie.

March 28, 2012, on “American Idol:” Who Did Well? Who Will Go Home?

By Connie Wilson

On March 29, 2012

In Music, Reviews, Television

Wednesday, March 28, 2012, Fox, 8 pm (ET) Deandre Brackensick, who sang fifth in tonight’s “American Idol” performance night, sang Eric Benet’s “Sometimes I Cry.” That song could have been used as the theme of tonight’s performances, with several of the remaining 9 contestants tearing up at key moments. [Yes, I know who Eric Benet is, Gentle Reader. That is not the point here. The point is that a song like “Whole Lotta’ Love” by Led Zeppelin (as an example) is going to be much more recognized than “Sometimes I Cry” by the singer best-known for his marriage to Halle Berry, whose biggest hit came 12 years ago.]

First up was Colton Dixon, who selected a LifeHouse song, and, after giving the females in the audience lyrics like, “You’re all I want, you’re all I need. How could it be any better than this?” (which Colton described as his “favorite worship song of all time”) he teared up a bit, to start the evening off. Steven Tyler declared, “You’ve got that star quality,” while Jennifer Lopez gushed, “You’re a performer. You’re amazing” and Randy—who has a genius for stating the obvious—said, “I think I could be looking at a contender for the title.” (Someone should clue Randy in that all the contestants are there because they are “contenders for the title.”)

Skylar Laine from Mississippi followed and selected a Miranda Lambert song. She had on the most horrible outfit I’ve seen this year: a black studded pleather motorcycle jacket with a weird asymmetrical top with a white border that emphasized exactly the areas that a short somewhat stocky performer like Skylar should be seeking to de-emphasize. The earrings for all the girls were so large that a wind might have taken any of them skyward. Jennifer praised Sklar’s “unbridled energy”, while Randy declared, “I loved it. It’s all about telling a story. You are a powerhouse singer.” Skylar’s outfit during her trio was just as bad a choice, but her enthusiastic performances remained typical for the country girl from the Southland.

Hollie Cavanagh probably received the least glowing reviews from the judges after she sang Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take the Wheel.” She, too, teared up, saying that it was celebrity judge Stevie Nicks’ story of her mother’s recent passing that caused her to lose it. Steven Tyler said, “I just wish you’d have sung a different song. It was just okay for me.” I’m with Steven on this, and Randy pointed out some “pitchy moments” for Hollie. She looked lovely in an all –white dress with a silver necklace collar and her hair down, and the stage effects of fog and snow were equally effective, but it wasn’t Hollie’s best night.

Deandre Brackensick, as mentioned above, sang fifth, and selected an obscure song, despite the fact that Jimmy Iovine and Stevie Nicks pointed out that, “He’s one of the guys in jeopardy here.” Deandre chose to display his impressive falsetto range, but he selected a song (Eric Benet’s “Sometimes I Cry”) that was not that well known. Steven Tyler chose to say, “You gave Prince a run for his money” So beautiful” referencing the high runs in the song, and Jennifer Lopez used the word “Crazy” five times. Randy, in his usual bombastic fashion, said, “That’s who you are. Guess who else is back in the house!” I’d like to see Deandre resurrect some old BeeGees hits if he insists on singing in this high falsetto voice, but nevermind about that for now.

The final singer who did not do it for me tonight (to be followed by the “hits”) was Jessica Sanchez, undeniably one of the most vocally talented of the girls. Her song by Beyonce: meh. Jessica used a set with red doors and wore a dress with a train that was not her most attractive look (plus the de rigeur huge earrings). Although Steven Tyler dubbed the dress “beautiful” and Jennifer Lopez used words like “Beautiful. Gorgeous. Great performance,” for me, Jessica had an “off” night. I’d say that about all of those mentioned above.
So, who really hit the vocal ball out of the park on “American Idol” on March 28^th?

They saved the best for last.

Elise Testone sang Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta’ Love’ and brought the house down. Steven Tyler told her, “You made Robert Plant proud.” Jennifer Lopez proclaimed that it was “some real rock star stuff” and Randy said, “An amazing job. Congrats!” Elise had a bit of an advantage in that she has sung the song with her own band previously. She also had the confidence of knowing that Stevie Nicks thought she was outstanding and said she would hire her right then, if she needed a singer, saying, “I don’t like to sing with just anyone.”

Heejun Han also did a nice job with his choice of the Donnie Hathaway song “I’m Singing This Song for You” and much talk of how he has turned his attitude around. The judges did give him a standing ovation, and Steven Tyler said, “You did it. You turned it around. That was great.” Jennifer Lopez remarked, “You don’t make it this far by mistake.” Randy praised Heejun’s “buttery, beautiful tone,” although noting that “it wasn’t perfect.” Heejun has been in the bottom three more than once, and, last week, he definitely pissed off Steven Tyler. Was his good job tonight enough to keep him from going home? We’ll know tomorrow (Thursday, March 29, 2012).

Two (of the four) best, for me, were Phillip Phillips and Joshua Ledet.

I happen to be a Johnny Lang fan (“Lie to Me” being my favorite) and have seen him in concert, so I did know his song “Look Out My Window,” and I loved what Phillip did with it. Phillip is always interesting and, as Stevie Nicks remarked, “He’s gorgeous.” That was right after Stevie told Phillip (who asked for her autograph), “You’re going to be a very big star.” Randy said, of Phillip’s performance, “That was a great performance. Amazing. I love you. I love the individuality. Big Props. You got big things in front of you.” To me, Phillip is a young version of Dave Matthews, so the Johnny Lang twist was appreciated.

Joshua Ledet was also “on” tonight, singing Mariah Carey’s “Without You” (Harry Nillson version0 and doing it justice. Randy said, “Dude, I think that was flawless. It was emotional for you.” That comment was in reference to Joshua’s tearing up at the end of the song, which made the fourth contestant of the night (Colton, Hollie, DeAndre and Joshua) and the fifth standing “O” from the judges.

The contestants also formed trios to sing spirited versions of songs by Michael Jackson (Deandre/HeeJun and Joshua), Madonna (Skylar/Jessica and Hollie) and Fleetwood Mac (Colton/Elise and Phillip). These were very enjoyable, and I only wished that Skylar’s sweater didn’t hang below her white jacket, which stuck out and emphasized her generous posterior. The hat wasn’t working for me, either, but she sure is a spunky singer. And, after all, this is a singing competition.
So, who’s going home tomorrow night?

I put Phillip Phillips, Joshua Ledet, Elise Testone as “safe.” Heejun Han was good tonight, but did he do too much damage to his image last week and in prior weeks? Colton has a female fan club, of which I am not a member, so they’ll probably phone it in. Skylar was her usual spirited self, (but had on horrible outfits); Hollie looked beautiful but made a few vocal gaffes. DeAndre did his falsetto schtick, which the judges seemed to love, but did the folks at home? And Jessica was lackluster, but, if she were to show up as the lowest vote getter, I believe the judges would use their once-in-a-season “save” for her.

If I were a betting woman, I’d stick with the two boys who have become regulars in the bottom three (Heejun and DeAndre) and throw in one of the girls who were off their game tonight, which means Hollie first and Jessica second, since her song didn’t receive the enthusiastic reception of some others.

If they kick Elise off after that performance, there is no justice.

“American Idol” Contestants Display “Attitude” on March 21, 2012 Show

By Connie Wilson

On March 22, 2012

In Music, Pop Culture, Reviews, Television

Wednesday, March 21, 2012, Fox, 8 pm (ET) Attitude seemed to be the keyword tonight on “American Idol.” Who has it? Who needs to get it? What should it be?

The recent entry of Tommy Hilfiger as an advisor to the contestants on how they should dress produced advice to Phillip Phillips that he should not wear gray and, from celebrity mentor Sean P. Diddy Combs and Jimmy Iovine, that he should put the guitar down and sing without it. Phillip did neither. He not only wore gray-on-gray, but he contributed a version of “Movin’ Out” that was so original I didn’t recognize it as a Billy Joel song (tonight’s theme). Phillip said, “I’m not a guy about image. The music comes first” and was pronounced “brilliant” by one judge.

Jessica Sanchez had another good night, singing “Everybody Has A Dream.” Jennifer Lopez called it her “defining moment” and Randy praised her consistency. There seems to be a bit of a contradiction there, since the judges were quite critical of her song last week, when she attempted an upbeat number from Gloria Estefan. Steven Tyler said, “You’ve gone way past my judging. Thank you for letting me hear you sing, baby.” Randy called her song, “Flawless, perfect, perfection.”

Colton Dixon was another contestant who showed some attitude regarding the comments made about his hair by Tommy Hilfiger. He sang Joel’s “Piano Man” and the judges seemed to like it. [I thought the ending just dropped off in a weird way].

Heejun Han sang “Don’t Go Changing” and seemed to be telling the judges off. It seemed as though Steven Tyler was not taking it well, as he said, “You showed ’em. You told ’em. At some point, you gotta’ take it (the music business) more serious.” Both Randy and Jennifer, while unimpressed with Heejun’s vocals, said it was “enjoyable” and “a breath of fresh air.” Heejun escaped elimination last week; we’ll see how he does this week.

Deandre Brackensick did “Only the Good Die Young.” Randy pointed out that it “wasn’t that great…just okay.”

Erika Van Pelt sang “New York State of Mind” and she displayed her “attitude” by letting the show cut and color her hair into a virtual Liza Minelli flashback. One of the judges compared her new short hair-do to Pat Benatar. I saw Pat Benatar this past summer; her hair looked nothing like this Minelli do.

Joshua Ledet, who had such a great week last week, sang “She’s Got A Way” and admitted that he “didn’t know the song.” It wasn’t Joshua’s best night, considering he is perhaps the most vocally talented male contestant, although Steven Tyler said he “sang the sweat out of that song.” What was more puzzling was Steven Tyler’s admission that he “didn’t know the song.” (Yikes!)

Skylar Laine sang “Shameless.” It wasn’t her best night. She wore HUGE earrings, as did all the girls.

Elise Testone, who sang a song nobody knows called “Vienna” was praised by the judges. Again, not as good a choice of songs as she could have made.

Hollie Cavanagh had an off night in singing “Honesty.” She was off-key at several points. She did look very nice in a white pantsuit with a sparkly silver top.

Who will go home? I’d say one of the girls who sang an obscure song. The most obscure song was that sung by Elise, followed closely by Skylar’s. Skylar should get the country vote, but Erika and her new black haircut might end up in the dumps, as well. I’m betting that Phillip Phillips, Jessica Sanchez, Colton Dixon, Joshua Ledet and Hollie Cavanagh will be “safe,” but, after that, it’s anybody’s ball game.

“American Idol” Results for March 15, 2012: The Ides of March

By Connie Wilson

On March 15, 2012

In Music, Pop Culture, Reviews, Television

Fox, Wed., March 15, 2012, 8 pm (ET) “American Idol” contestants had a hit-or-miss night. Most of the misses seemed to hinge on the young performers giving in to the advice of their elders (Jimmy Iovine and Will i.am.) to sing alternate songs. Each performer was to sing a song from the year they were born.

Standouts of the Night

Definitely the standout performer of the night was Joshua Ledet, who has the best male voice. Singing next-to-last, Jennifer Lopez commented that the show had “saved the best for last” as Joshua delivered a soulful rendition of “When A Man Loves A Woman.” Randy Jackson even said that, somewhere, Percy Sledge, who originally sang the song (Ledet sang Michael Bolton’s version), was smiling down. “You gave it up so big God came through your eyes.” Jennifer Lopez went so far as to say it was “the best thing I’ve ever seen on ‘American Idol.’” Steven Tyler spared the hyperbole, but did note that Joshua was in the same class as Jessica Sanchez last week, when she did an incredible job with Whitney Houston’s “The Greatest Love of All.” With adjectives like “phenomenal” and “incredible” Joshua stood out.

Performers Who Did Well

The final performer of the night, the petite Hollie Cavanagh, who sang Celine Dion’s “The Power of Love,” did well, as did Phillip Phillips, who survived very recent kidney stone surgery to do his Dave Matthews schtick. Others who should be safe include Skylar Laine, (one of the few Idols who stuck to her guns and sang the song she wanted to sing), Bonnie Raitt’s “Love Sneakin’ Up On You.” Also good this night was Erika Van Pelt. She sang a bluesy version of Bryan Adams’ “Heaven” and earned kudos for her performance and appearance from two of the three judges (“You look amazing tonight.”) Shannon Magrane, who sang Mariah Carey’s “One Sweet Day”, also did well, and the judges seemed to like Colton Dixon’s “Broken Heart” by White Lion. Elise Testone scored with an Al Green song that President Obama crooned recently, and earned praise for making it her own.

Performers Who Did Less Well

Although Jessica Sanchez is arguably the best female vocalist in the competition, her choice of Gloria Estefan’s “Hard to Be Around” did not serve her well. Likewise, Heejun Han faltered with Richard Marx’s “Right There Waiting.” He seemed to be out of breath. Randy called it “pitchy in at least five or six spots.” Deandre Brackensick of the flyaway hair let the judges talk him into “Endless Love.” The judges all agreed it was the wrong song to showcase Deandre’s falsetto. Randy picked Heejun to get the axe.

Unluckiest Idol

The performer who definitely had the worst night was Jermaine Jones. He was kicked off “Idol” for failing to disclose four active arrest warrants. Elsewhere on the Internet, rumors ran rampant that Jermaine had also lied about being abandoned by his father in childhood. From the rehearsal tape, Jermaine’s version of “Somewhere Out There” would have been very good, but it was always odd (and unfair) that he was allowed in as the thirteenth male contestant, when no “extra” girl was allowed into the competition.

Finalists on “American Idol” on 3/1: +10 out of 13

By Connie Wilson

On March 1, 2012

In Music, Pop Culture, Television

Jessica Sanchez, one of "American Idol's Finalists announced on March 1st, 2012.

The Finalists were announced for “American Idol’s” eleventh season on March 1st, 2012, and, while my picks were pretty much right on the money for the female contestants, I missed a couple of the boys.

The girls…all of whom were mentioned as strong contenders in my prediction column of yesterday….were Elise Testone, Jessica Sanchez, Erika VanPelt, Hollie Cavanagh, Skylar Laine, and Shannon McGrane.

The male contestants I thought were going to go through and correctly picked were Joshua Ledet, Phillip Phillips, Deandre Brackensick and a mention on my part of the likelihood of Colton Dixon. I did not select Jermaine Jones, Heejun Han or Jeremy Rosado, thinking, instead that either Reed Grimm, Aaron Marcellus or Adam Brock were more likely to be Finalists.

Still, 10 out of 13 is not a bad average at close to 80%. (76%)

Now we’ll see which of the contestants can go the distance.