American Idol, Top 12: Love...Peace...and SOUL!

[lobeck]

Well, gang, this is what we have all been waiting for. The finals of this season's American Idol are finally here! Ryan opens the show saying, "Here we go. It is on. You vote. You decide. Who's it gonna be?" However, what he probably should have said is, "Here we go. It is two hours long. You endure the filler. You sit through the unnecessarily long videos. Oh yeah, don't forget to vote for someone." Anyway, after the normal opening music and credits, Ryan comes back on stage to officially welcome us to the show. He is scruffy as usual, but his hair is darker tonight than it usually is. Hmm…his appointment at Mister Philippe's Salon de Coiffure must not be until next week. Now that the finals are upon us, we have moved over to the big stage, and Ryan makes sure we all notice it and all the amazing things the technicians can do here. After we're sufficiently impressed (or so Ryan hopes), Ryan introduces the finalists one by one, and I notice a couple of things: Camille Velasco doesn't smile at all as she walks out, there's just something about Matt Rogers that bugs me (and I'm not sure what it is), and John Stevens is wearing a suit and tie (Oooh, now there's a surprise).

Ryan introduces us to the judges and then tells us that the theme of tonight's show is "Soul". He says, "Yeah, this is the kind of music that makes me want to run around the house in a rhinestone cape and velvet stretch pants." He continues with, "Of course, country music does that to me, too." Now, I am thinking that Ryan will look for any opportunity to open up his closet and pull out his rhinestone cape and velvet stretch pants, even if it is just for a quick jaunt down the street to pick up a few things at the Piggly WIggly. Regardless, the image of Ryan running around like the love child of Liberace and Superman is a visual I do not ever need to have again.

It is time for our first performance of the evening, and it comes from Latoya London. Before Latoya sings, however, we get to see a biographical video where we learn that not only is Latoya married, but she also has two stepchildren. She enjoys singing with her band, and she says her ultimate goal it "to touch people". Latoya sings the Rufus hit "Ain't Nobody", and I think Chaka Khan would be very pleased if she heard Latoya's performance of the song. Miss Thing comes onstage sporting some spiky, highlighted hair extensions and an appropriately slinky and shimmery outfit and tears it up (to paraphrase Randy Jackson). She moves all over the stage, and she looks very at home up there. Did the judges like her performance? Randy tells her, "Awwww yeah, yeah. What a way to start. Unbelievable…that was hot!" Paula says, "I have a feeling you're going to be around this competition for a long while. Great job." Simon concludes with, "I don't know where you go from here. That was such an amazing first performance. That was awesome."

After our first commercial break (of many…remember, it is a two-hour show tonight, folks), it is time to hear from Amy Adams. In Amy's video, we learn that she is a very driven person and does not want kids until "around 60 or 70". She sings "You Make Me Feel Brand New", and it is interesting to hear a woman sing a song that has always been associated with male singers. Amy stays at center stage for the performance, but the thing I notice is how bright the light behind her are. They are so bright, in fact, that the backlighting makes her magenta hair look more like a giant feather duster. Amy's performance is not bad but she does sound weak on the high notes (as she did in her semifinal performance IMO). What do the judges think? Randy says, "What's goin' down, dawg? Look, you finished stronger than you started. It was aight." Paula talks about how much fun she had watching Amy's package (her video package, you pervs!) and then says, "That was a bit of a safe performance. You have a very pretty voice." Never one to mince words, Simon says, "If I'm being honest, that was boring. It was very dreary."

Next up is Matt Rogers. We get to see Matt's family's appearance on Family Feud, and we get to talk to some of Matt's family and former football teammates from The University of Washington. One of them says that Matt was always singing, whether it was during practices on the field or in the locker room: "There he'd be putting on a jockstrap and singing opera." Oh, God…can someone please pass the bleach so I can get that visual out of my mind? In closing his video, Matt tells us that he may be all macho on the playing field, but when he gets home, he is a totally different person. No, he does not go around the house in a frilly apron singing "I Feel Pretty", but he does have a penchant for bubble baths (again, another visual I do not ever need to see again in this lifetime). Matt sings "Hard To Handle" (which, though probably best known as a Black Crowes song, was originally done by Otis Redding), and I think he tries too hard to be Joe Cool. He is all over the stage, he goes down into the audience and shakes some hand, he eye-f***s the camera…it just comes across as cheesy and fake to me. Do the judges like it? Randy says, "That was the best performance I've seen you give. I wasn't blown away, but it was aight". Paula tells Matt, "You picked the right song." Simon says that Matt's video piece was like some sort of political ad, and Paula says, "So? He's got a presidential package." OK, I think Paula is talking about Matt's video package…Anyway, back to Simon. He tells Matt, "If I'm being honest, it was a second-rate Tom Jones performance. I thought it was corny."

After another break, it is time to hear from Camille Velasco. Since she is from Hawaii, we see the gratuitous shots of Camille on the beach in a bikini. We also learn that she's a loud snorer and, when she made it to the Top 12, wanted one of those jumpy castle things that you usually see at little kids' birthday parties (don't ask me…I don't know). Camille sings the Dusty Springfield classic "Son Of A Preacher Man", and it is alright, but it just does not do much for me. Do the judges like it? Randy says, "That was kinda a safe performance…there was no 'wow' in it." Paula says, "Your vibe is not coming out. You look like you're nervous." Simon is even more direct in his critique when he says, "Until you believe you deserve to be here, you'll fail in this competition." Ouch…

We come back from another commercial break, and it is Jon Peter Lewis' turn to sing. In his video, we learn that Jon plans to go to medical school to be a pediatrician and that he enjoys drawing portraits (and, judging by the one he did of Simon, he is good at it, too). Is he as good a vocal artist as he is a portrait artist? He sings the Dobie Gray hit "Drift Away", and I find myself immediately going into judge mode on his performance…OK, first the good things. For once, Jon Peter does not try to sound like the original artist IMO. I feel like, for the first time, we are hearing what Jon Peter himself sounds like, and he has a decent voice. Now, the bad things…he starts out looking like he's afraid to move around, and then he goes into his now well-known, stupid, bouncy dance moves. In fact, he moves around so fast and so much while he is singing that he loses his breath, and you cannot hear him sing the notes. What do the real judges think? Randy tells him, "I feel we got to hear and see more of who you really are. But, you need to cut down on the dancing, dude." Paula adds, "Don't get short of breath." Simon concludes with, "Jon Peter, you are the dark horse to win this. If you can cut out the crazy dancing, you have potentially a very good voice."

After commercial break #6,427, it is time to hear from Fantasia Barrino. We get to meet Fantasia's adorable 2-year-old daughter in her video, and we learn that both Fantasia's mother and grandmother are preachers. In fact, the church plays a very important role in the whole family's life. Coming out onstage looking like a mafiosa in her pinstripe suit, Fantasia sings Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered", and she signs, seals, and delivers a fantastic performance. She does her trademark "BoBo" dance moves and looks very at home up on the stage. Do the judges like what they saw? Randy tells Fantasia, "You brought it down. That was hot. You're like a young Aretha…I love you, man." Paula says, "You owned the stage. That was the real thing." Simon concludes with, "Fantasia, you…are…the real thing."

We come back from—yes, you guessed it—another commercial break, and it's George Huff's turn to sing. In his video, we learn that George is a cook who can make a pretty mean omelet, the other members of his family call him "Baby George", and his "dip" moves when he sings comes from his time in church. George comes out on stage to sing "Dock Of The Bay", and…wait! What's this? Has George shaved off his moustache? He has indeed, and he looks about 10 years younger. Anyway, back to the performance…George turns in a very good performance (complete with lots of "dips"), and I would say it is the best male performance of the evening. Do the judges like it? Randy says, "That was so good…Unbelievable…The best from you yet." Paula adds, "Wonderful job." Finally, Simon tells George, "I don't think you are aware of how good you really are. That was very, very good."

In a surprise, we do not have to sit through another commercial before hearing our next contestant. After George, we go right into Jennifer Hudson's performance. In Jennifer's video, we learn, among other things, that her favorite place to sing is in church, that there is a "mini-museum" in her honor at her high school, and that she hopes to "touch people" with her songs. She comes out to sing Aretha Franklin's "Baby, I Love You", and the first thing I notice is that she is actually wearing normal clothes! She sings to the camera and moves around on stage with ease. Her experience performing on cruise ships definitely works to her advantage here. Overall, I think she turns in a good performance. However, what do the judges think? Randy says, "I love that performance." Paula says, "You have such focus and control. Another amazing performance." Simon must have been listening to something else, because he tells Jennifer, "That was a bad choice of song. You were very good, but I felt you were over singing it." Randy takes the words right out of my mouth when he says, "Over singing it? Have you ever heard Aretha's version?"

We come back from yet another commercial break, and it is time to hear from John Stevens. In his video, we see John at school, where he is a member of the school's "elite" chorus, and we learn that John got his love of the singers like Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, etc. from his grandparents. I think John is going to have a tough time in this competition, and he proves me right with his rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Lately". It is boring and almost emotionless IMO. He definitely sounds out of his league to me. But, hey…he is at least wearing a new suit. Hey, wait…maybe that's it. Maybe he needs to put his "Magic Suit" back on. Anyway, do the judges like John's performance? Randy tells John, "This was your first test, and you didn't pass. I was bored to tears." Paula disagrees, calling John's performance "a little safe, but classy". Simon says, "I'm going to agree with…Paula. You're breaking up the monotony of the evening." Huh? I am sorry, but I am going to agree with…Randy on this one.

After our gazillionth commercial of the evening, it is time to hear from Leah Labelle. In Leah's video, we learn that she is an only child, joined a gospel choir at the age of 11, and goes to the same Seattle high school that Quincy Jones and Jimi Hendrix attended. After hearing Leah sing "You Keep Me Hangin' On", I wish I could have seen the video a second time instead. She does not do a good job at all and is easily the worst of the night. Leah looks good with her hair straightened, but that is about the only positive thing I can find to say. Do the judges like the performance? In a word, no. Randy says, "That was not your best, and you know it." Paula tries to put a positive spin on things and says, "You can't give up hope." Simon is much more direct and tells Leah, "I'd pack your suitcase. You will be going home tonight. That was not good enough."

In an effort to help us forget what we have just heard from Leah, we forego another commercial and go right into Jasmine Trias' performance. In Jasmine's video, every family member tries to take credit for being the source of Jasmine's talent. However, after seeing her mom and dad sing at a karaoke party, I have decided that Jasmine's talent must have been self-taught. We also see Jasmine at hula classes, and we hear her say, "The flower (behind her ear) is my thing". Oh, God. I guess we will be seeing that blasted flower every week. Anyway, Jasmine chooses the Natalie Cole classic "Inseparable", and she earns points right away with me for her song choice. I love the song, and Jasmine does it justice by turning in an outstanding performance. She sounds much older and looks much more polished than you would think a 16-year-old would. The judges are equally impressed. Randy says, "You can really sing!" Paula says, "That was my favorite performance tonight." Simon (who actually clapped at the end of the performance) says, "That was just superb".

After another frickin' commercial break, it is time to hear from the last contestant of the evening, Diana Degarmo. In Diana's video, we learn that Diana goes crazy for anything with a cheetah print on it. She also loves to fish, and she says that her main goal when she sings is "to touch people" (What is it with all these guys wanting to touch people?). Anyway, Diana comes out onstage (not in her trademark pink and black, thankyouverymuch) and belts out a rousing rendition of Aretha Franklin's "Think". Like Jasmine before her, Diana sounds (and looks) much older than she actually is. Diana moves around well on stage, but the lights are far too bright and are a bit distracting in the end. Does her performance pass the test in the eyes of the judges? Randy tells her, "Whoa. That was incredible. That was dope, dude." Paula adds, "You are such a bright light. That was effortless. Brilliant." Simon concludes with, "There is no question you have a good voice, but I wasn't touched like I was when Jasmine sang (again with the touching!)." Well, I guess we know who Simon's favorite of the evening is, now don't we?

We come back from our final commercial break of the evening (hooray!), and Ryan has joined the group in the Red Room for a brief chat. He then tells us that the lines are now open and that we can begin dialing our little fingers to the bone (if we haven't already started, that is). With that, the show ends, and the credits roll across the screen.

Well, our first finals performance is in the books. On a number of occasions tonight, the judges (well, Randy and Paula, anyway) said this was the best Top 12 yet, and I think I might agree with that. If tonight was any indication, this could be a good, good competition. Who will be the first to go home? Tune in tomorrow to find out!


My Predictions

Best performance of the evening: Jasmine (followed closely by Latoya and Fantasia)
Worst performance of the evening: Leah (followed closely by John)
Who should be in the Bottom Three: Leah, Camille, John
Who will be in the Bottom Three: Leah, Camille, Amy
Who will/should be voted off: Leah


To contact the author of this recap, send e-mail to lobeck@fansofrealitytv.com.

[Google]

 

[kenjixs]

i would have to agree, jasmine is my second favorite of the group, Amy being my first, i was happy to see that she was magnificient t a bit disappointed by amy's performance tho she could have done better. as for my predictions for tommorrows result show
bottom three- leah, john, camille
the safe one- Camille
voted off, Leah

cant wait to see Clay Aiken performe the Way tommorrow, GO CLAY a TRUE AMERICAN IDOL

[Too_Human]

Hey, I'm new, and I live in the UK - So thank you for updating me! (Also, cheers for the great job on the Wildcard results!) I actually woke up this morning thinking that Leah would go out - I was very surprised when Paula put here through - Such a waste, when she could have put through George, and Simon put through Suzie......

Well my predictions, from what I've heard:
Bottom three: Camille, Amy, Leah
Out: Leah

[scooberoo]

I find my self agreeing with Randy a lot, too... Anyway I hope JPL, Leah, and Camile are the bottom three, but it will probably be Amy, Leah, and Camile with Leah leaving. I liked Amy's performance. Overall, this was way better than last year's first top twelve show.

[scooberoo]

Welcome Too Human.

[Scillarella]

This is really tough. I have my favorite of course, but I really like everybody this year, or almost everyone. When I read their interviews and see their bios, I just think they seem like a genuine, nice, sweet group of people and I don't look forward to seeing anyone go home. Kinda takes some of the fun out of it.

Listen to me. I have turned into Paula.

[ThePinkOtterPop]

Jasmine's wonderful performance of "Inseparable" easily put K.Lo's to shame IMO.

My personal rankings are:

1. Jasmine Trias
2. Fantasia Barrino
3. La Toya London
4. George Huff
5. Diana Degarmo
6. Jennifer Hudson
(small space)
7. Amy Adams
8. Jon Peter Lewis
9. Camile Velasco
10. Matt Rogers
11. John Stevens
(huge space)
1,000,000. Leah LaBelle

The bottom three WILL be:
3. Amy
2. Camile
Eliminated: Bye Leah formerly-Vladowski-now-LaBelle!

[AI Critic]

What an incredible 12 we have this season!

MY TAKES:
- LaToya: Brilliant way to kick-off the finals. Showed her personality and confidence, and you could tell it would be tough for the upcoming finalists to follow.
Prediction: SAFE

- Amy: Displayed great control, however I agree with kenjixs that I was a bit dissapointed. Too bad she had to go after LaToya.
Prediction: BOTTOM 3

- Matt: Solid performance. Better than how he did in group 2. Lots of energy onstage.
Prediction: BOTTOM 3

- Camile: The hip hop vibe is back! Good song choice for her singing style, and not to mention a safe theme for her this week. Camile will really need to overcome her nerves. However, I don't believe it will get the best of her (ala Julia), but she's gotta work on just, gettin' out there.
Prediction: SAFE, possible bottom 3

- Jon Peter: Toned down the dancing, and delivered a fun-loving performance. Oozing with X-factor, and I just was smiling throughout. Agree with Simon, possible dark horse. Definately...
Prediction: SAFE

- Fantasia: Another front-runner, giving quite a fantastic performance. Portrayed alot of originality and style, and I really enjoyed it. For some reason, I hope she takes out the "yeah, yeah!" runs.
Prediction: SAFE

- George: Infectious, loveable personality that radiated off a great performance. One of the stronger contestants even when the females are dominating this season.
Prediction: SAFE

- Jennifer: Oversang a little, but hey, that's Jennifer. Nothing much to say; an above average performance overall.
Prediction: SAFE, possible bottom 3

- John S.: I loved his song choice. Possessed a charming and laid back presence, and I hope he does well in the future.
Prediction: SAFE

- Leah: Sorry, but got the vibe that she didn't belong up there. I thought she had potential with this theme after her "I Have Nothing" in group 3, but this uptempo joint was just not in the ball park. But I loved her new hair.
Prediction: BOTTOM 3, eliminated

- Jasmine: The reason why she's number 1 in my book. I was almost speechless with goosebumps. Started off settle and contained and just blew up into a powerful and amazing performance. Dark horse to win this, too.
Prediction: SAFE

- Diana: Truly talented for such a young age. Technically, she was one of the best tonight. Difficult song to pull off, too. Wonderful job!
Prediction: SAFE

GREAT RECAP LOBECK!

[wantabodylikeme]

Come on Lobeck, give some love to George baby, he was the best performance, he didn't oversing like Fantasia, Jennifer and LaToya. Although I will give props to Jasmine, she was tight.

[SassyStarr]

Thanks for the great review. I saw the whole thing, but I like reading it over again. (Call me a NERD)
Anyway, to me as long as Leah goes home tomorrow, I'm a happy camper, she was easily the worst performance of the night, and I don't think I'll get many arguments on that one. Unfortunately for Leah, I don't think she'll get any better. What was Paula thinking???
:rolleyes