Taylor Hicks - Season 5

[graycat11]

Taylor's performance last night, the first song I felt that he was vocally very strong, clear. You have to dance to this song, you'd look like a idiot just standing still. 2nd song, at first he came out so softly but then I realized he was putting emotions into the song, he sang it with feeling.

Taylor show versatility, he was smart. Showed he can be serious and have fun. This is what an entertainer, singer needs when they're singing live to an audience, the audience needs to entertained, involved in the performance.

[WildHorseLady]

Yeah, Taylor took it home last night. It was a double whammy and I was certainly blown away. How can you not have fun with "Play that Funky Music"?!! Ah huh, You go boy!

[angelic_one2002]

Exactly! Taylor really got into his music last night. THAT'S the Taylor us fans all love.

[pillbeam]

I didn't quite get Randy though. He really didn't give a comment about that song [Imagine]. It was strange.

I think the producers are concerned that Taylor is running away with the contest and have asked Randy and Paula to tone down their praise, because the producers want the show to seem like there is a contest. (Of course, in reality, there is no contest. Taylor is the king on that stage)

After learning that Randy mentioned everyone else except Taylor on Craig’s talk show, I’m convinced he’s playing down his appreciation of Taylor on AI. There is NO way that Randy didn’t adore the “Funky Music” performance and I bet he really appreciated "Imagine" too. And Paula looked like she was going to explode, just demurely saying Taylor was “tender” on “Imagine.”

[graycat11]

After learning that Randy mentioned everyone else except Taylor on Craig’s talk show, I’m convinced he’s playing down his appreciation of Taylor on AI. There is NO way that Randy didn’t adore the “Funky Music” performance and I bet he really appreciated "Imagine" too. And Paula looked like she was going to explode, just demurely saying Taylor was “tender” on “Imagine.”

Yes, we all know that Randy and Paula have loved Taylor since the auditions. Simon, he always finds something negative to say about Taylor even when his vocals are good.

[AJane]

Taylor actually sang "Something", not "Imagine". He's a divine goofball, but not crazy enough to attempt John Lennon's greatest musical accomplishment.

It seemed to me, from Simon's comments last night anyway, that he is trying to impress on Taylor that the theatrics aren't necessary and detract from his vocals (which are unique and instantly recognizable to the ear - a quality which Simon himself said on an earlier season of AI is vital to success). Now don't ask me WHEN he said it, but I clearly recall him berating someone for the lack of that particular quality.

But if you like Taylor, you dig the spastic dancing and the "woooooooo!"s. Me, I could happily close my eyes and listen to the guy sing (something good, not some country-theme-song-week crap). I like that he's entertaining me on Tuesdays, but the best thing about Taylor - for me - is that the guy can really, really sing.

[caramelbeauty81]

He was great last night. I think he has a good chance of winning but its just hard for me to see him being a huge artist outside this show. We have to remember they are all singing cover songs that were already hits. Of course we are gonna enjoy good singers singing old songs we grew up with and loved but outside of this competition, if his album sucks then that is it for him. I have no idea what kind of music he would even record.

[Pharoah]

He's totally becoming a caricature of himself, which is strange and sad. That usually happens once someone is a faded star and they try to recapture something that made them famous, but they are too old and no longer look or sound good doing it. In Taylor's case he NEVER looked good doing those moves. His body is just....wrong. His vocals are on the lower end of average. He is on the exact same level as Rhonetta, but I personally found her much funnier and much more entertaining.

[pillbeam]

We have to remember they are all singing cover songs that were already hits. Of course we are gonna enjoy good singers singing old songs we grew up with and loved but outside of this competition, if his album sucks then that is it for him. I have no idea what kind of music he would even record.

Caramel, we do know how Taylor would sound on a CD, he's already recorded one or two, and he sounds much more deliciously soulful on them, with several great songs that he wrote himself. His songs are basically pop soul. And his rendition of "Georgia," written by Hoagy Carmichel, is spectacular. Taylor has not had the chance to show half of his singing talent on AI.

His last CD is called "Under the Radar" and you can find out more about it by Googling it. Now will he sound as good once Clive's record company gets ahold of his talent? I dunno.

[pillbeam]

Taylor actually sang "Something", not "Imagine". He's a divine goofball, but not crazy enough to attempt John Lennon's greatest musical accomplishment.

Thanks for correcting my brain typo. I meant "Something."

It seemed to me, from Simon's comments last night anyway, that he is trying to impress on Taylor that the theatrics aren't necessary and detract from his vocals (which are unique and instantly recognizable to the ear - a quality which Simon himself said on an earlier season of AI is vital to success).

I think Taylor has shrewdly given the audience, from week to week, varied performances--soft, quiet ballads to wonderfully theatrical dancing. His unpredictability has been a joy for me. Yes, Taylor's singing talent is most apparent with the quieter ballads, but I enjoy the smorgasbord of entertainment from him--and so have the voters.