THE IDOL EXPERTS ON...THE TOP 10 GIRLS
Carly Smithson
Performed: "Crazy on You" by Heart
 | Funk: It was really good! I liked it a lot. I <3 Carly. |
 | Collins: Heh. A Heart joke. I get it. Anyway...this is a much-needed change of style for her, I think. Started off okay, got rough, then got better in the end. She can hit the notes, but you can tell the whole "rock" thing isn't easy or natural for her. Took a risk, and I think it paid off by giving her some spunk. Not the best vocal, but kind of fun. She continues to be, as Simon said, one killer song away from being The One to Beat (TM).. |
 | Heart: I loved Carly singing Heart! I think she did a great job, and really showed she can sing. | |
Syesha Mercado
Performed: "Me and Mr(s). Jones" by Billy Paul
| Collins: "Mr. Jones," eh? He apparently went through some big changes since the 70s! It was bluesy, soulful...perfectly fine, but I wish she'd chosen a bigger song. That last note was a doozy, but...didn't knock me out. Good performance of the wrong song. Still cute and great, though. |
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| Funk: Sounded really good, but I didn't recognize or care about the song! I wanted to hear an AWESOME song from her, but...yeah. Other than a really bad song choice, her voice is still awesome. |
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| Heart: It wasn't my favorite song for her...but I still loved her singing! She has an amazing voice...and her fake "baby cry" was freakily good. | |
Brooke White
Performed: "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon
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| Heart: Aww, she's a beauty school dropout! I was WOWed by her. It was the perfect song for her voice, and I loved her with the guitar! Ha ha, and yes, it was great that she was looking at Simon! | |
| Collins: I've got a good one. If Brooke believes doing hair is an artform, then working on David Cook's hair would have to be Minimalism -- BA-ZING!!! |
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| Heart: Ooooooh! Harsh! Clyde, why don't you leave David alone! He's a great singer, and you couldn't hold a candle to him! He's THE rocker of the group, and his hairstyle is just fine! Maybe he's balding...but he knows how to handle it. He doesn't look like Donald Trump or anything. | |
| Collins: Couldn't resist! Carly Simon's "You're So Vain," huh? Good choice. She's perfect in that folky, earthy kind of 70s-sounding way. I think she boned a note here and there...but she had a great time singing it, and did a fine job with a tough song. I'm in, she's great. I want her here to the end... |
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| Funk: Yo, it was HOT, dogg! I liked it a LOT, and the judges were pretty right on, good song choice. It was good, it was good. And she gave a shout-out to the band, that's classy! |
Ramiele Malubay
Performed: "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston
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| Funk: Yo, HULA, baby! Hula! |
| Collins: Adorable as usual! She's got a great voice, and I'm once again in love. A rough note or two, but a fun, above-average performance, overall. She's yet another lady looking for that Skyrocket Song. She'll be fine, she's a potential star...and people HAVE to know it, by now. |
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| Funk: You know, it didn't blow me away. That's disappointing, because I like her. Felt like the vocal was decent, but the performance could've been better. |
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| Heart: It's so cute that she's a little hula girl! I almost didn't recognize the song at first, and it was a pretty bad song choice. I love when she shows off how big her voice is, but it's not QUITE as good on the quiet parts. | |
Kristy Lee Cook
Performed: "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt
| Collins: Okay, so it was do-or-die time for Ms. Cook. "You're No Good" is, perhaps, the most-appropriate song choice she could've made. Better than last week, definitely, I just don't know whether to let myself love her or not, anymore. She's hurt me, and I don't know if I can take it. A fine performance, with a lot of 'tude. Is she the next American Idol? I don't think so, anymore. She needs to stick around, but is "potential" good enough at this point, when there are clearly stars poised to burst all surrounding her? I'm so torn over her, now. We'll see. She should be back next week.! |
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| Heart: Huge improvement from last week! She's one of the only girls that really moves around the stage...I love that she's an all-American tomboy, and the only thing I'd caution her against is, like Clyde pointed out, singing a song with the lyric "You're no good" when you were in the Bottom 3 last week! And, who knows? Maybe Country WOULD suit her voice better? | |
| Collins: If she goes Country, I withdraw all that remains of my original support immediately. Enough with the pigeon-holed, Country-singing blondes! She boxes herself in and immediately compares herself to Carrie Underwood...and I don't think that's a favorable comparison for Ms. Cook... |
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| Funk: She just seemed so nervous and unnatural in her performance. The vocal was good, and she looked hot, but...she was decent. Not amazing, just good. |
Amanda Overmyer
Performed: "Carry on My Wayward Son" by Kansas
| Collins: She's done. I repeat. It's over. This was a basket of clams. I actually cringed a few times, and that was just at her Bride of Frankenstein/Rogue hair thing. A mess from top to bottom. |
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| Funk: Like she hit a giant bug on her bike and it splattered into her hair...not feelin' the 'do, dogg! That song was just...ugly, man. I think I threw up a little listening to her. And I don't LIKE throwing up. |
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| Heart: I LOVE that song...but I HATED her doing it! Her voice was way too scratchy, and her dancing was...well...interesting? She could definitely be going home after that. | |
Alaina Whitaker
Performed: "Hopelessly Devoted to You" by Olivia Newton John
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| Heart: It was alright. Not her best, not her worst. I think her staying or going is based on whether or not someone does worse than her, at this point in the show...and I really don't think anyone was worse after she performed. | |
| Collins: She's OCD about her food touching! Aww, endearing. Anyway, it was another schmaltzy ballad in "Hopelessly Devoted." A decent-if-boring vocal early on, missed the big notes by a mile, though. Weak finish, could've been much better. I think it was a good song for who she THINKS she is as a singer, but...didn't work for me. She needs to get a little messed-up, show she's got an evil side or something. But, otherwise, she's just going to get swallowed up because she doesn't stand out. |
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| Funk: It was okay. I didn't care about the song, but she's got a good voice. Didn't really have to do much performing with this song, so...didn't really FAIL, just needs to pick better songs. I think she'll be around next week. Not a bad vocal, just a little forgettable. |
Alexandrea Lushington
Performed: "If You Leave Me Now" by Chicago
| Collins: She chose an interesting and unexpected song, I have to say. Really made it more modern, I thought. Nice cover, not as strong as last week. I didn't like the end, I thought it was a little sloppy when she broke it down. I REALLY think she's in trouble, because, frankly, compare her to Syesha, our current frontrunner. Or even Ramiele or Asia'h! She's not as engaging! I don't know. Not bad, but I don't know how to feel about her. I think she's going to fall, eventually. |
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| Heart: You know, she's a good singer, and hopefully she'll be around longer to prove it by singing a better, more memorable song. It just wasn't a good choice for her. | |
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| Funk: It was kinda' boring. It was, like, the third of the night that was a bad song choice with a good vocal. I don't like this trend! She did make it her own, though. I mean, she SOMEHOW made CHICAGO sound more relevant. That's skill! |
Kady Malloy
Performed: "Magic Man" by Heart
| Collins: Can I make the "Heart hearts Heart" joke, here? I'm sure you liked the song, Julie. |
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| Heart: Yes, because I do heart Heart! The first thing I thought watching her was be careful going down stairs in heels, Kady. You don't want to fall down a flight of fake stairs on national television! | |
| Collins: Might've made her more memorable if she HAD, ha ha. |
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| Heart: It was an OK performance. Her singing was good, and I liked the song...but it wasn't quite her. I almost would have rather seen her sing opera! | |
| Collins: I'm sure that'll come in handy when we get around to Opera Week...(cough). |
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| Funk: Hey, I gotta' be honest...it wasn't that good. Lacking, disappointing...meh. |
| Collins: She picked a rock-y kind of song, but I don't think it was very convincing. She was trying to show a different side of her personality, which is good...but it didn't click with me. I think she's doomed, now. I like her, and I WANT her to be great. She just isn't. Maybe she'd shine on a Britney Spears Week? Just an awkward segment, from the time she started singing to the commercial break. |
Asia'h Epperson
Performed: "All By Myself" by Celine Dion
| Collins: She was a cheerleader. And an Eagles fan? (Cough.) Anyway, she chose to sing a really big song, and it beat her, a bit. She got a little better at the end, but it still wasn't the show-stopper I was hoping for going in. It was a solid performance with a better ending...but she needed to destroy it if she was going to try to take on such a Monster Ballad. She didn't. How do you grade "coming really close to a good performance of a difficult song?" She should be safe, but I hope she gets back in the game next week. Don't overreach, especially if you're SICK! |
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| Heart: Wow, she looks different with straight hair! I liked that look on her. I liked her last night, Clyde! It was a super-hard song, and she really nailed the ending! I think it was a risk worth taking! | |
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| Funk: No, I disagree...it pretty much sucked. I didn't enjoy it at all. I hate Celine Dion, and she didn't even do a good job...sorry. |
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| Heart: Overall, I think Carly really reminded us that she's a force to reckon with! She was the best of the night, in my opinion, but the first three girls started off the show with a bang...the show fizzled a little in the middle...but ended on a strong note. LITERALLY, sorry Artie! | |
| Collins: I wouldn't say it was a BAD night...but I'm left confused by the ladies, again. I don't know how to feel about some of them, still. I want to love them, but they keep falling short of expectations. I'm looking for the next winner, and I keep waiting for that moment when it becomes absolutely clear who should (and will) win. Artie, why don't you take the lead in our predictions, today? |
THE NIGHT'S BEST
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| Funk: I liked Brook White and Carly Smithson the best. If I HAD to choose, I'd go with Brooke, because I like the underdog aspect! |
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| Heart: Carly Smithson and Syesha Mercado were tops, once again. But honorable mention to Brooke White! She's gaining on 'em, and I hope she sticks around for a while! | |
| Collins: I'll go with Brooke White, because Carly has more to prove, and her performance, while good, wasn't enough to put her over the top. |
THE NIGHT'S WORST
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| Funk: Amanda Overmyer was abyssmal. |
| Collins: I'm with Artie. She was a nightmare. |
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| Heart: Yup. Amanda. Boo! | |
WHO'S GOING HOME THIS WEEK?
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| Funk: Amanda Overmyer and, probably, Alaina Whitaker...because everyone else did at least "safe" performances, if not decent. |
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| Heart: Amanda Overmyer is probably out...and I think Alaina Whitaker is gonna' be the other one to get sent home. It's a tough call, but I can see her leaving. I think they said it was her birthday last week...but, that's not the case in Week 2, so she may not be able to count on that birthday luck to keep her around! | |
| Collins: Amanda Overmyer and Alaina Whitaker, unless there's some shocking and unjust coup. If Amanda Overmyer is still around next week, I may start changing channels... |
OVERALL STANDINGS
TOP GAL/MOST LIKEY TO WIN RIGHT NOW
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| Funk: Carly's on top, now...because Syesha had kind of a rough week. |
| Collins: Carly Smithson is the one to beat, because Syesha, Asia'h and Ramiele - the other BIG voices - were unable to knock her off, this week. Brook White is the dark horse, definitely. She's not the traditional Pop sensation, and I think she could steadily build a fanbase and sneak up on everyone. |
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| Heart:I'll have to go with Carly, right now! | |
GAL ON THE RISE
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| Funk: Brook White has always been good, but this week shot her up to the top tier, I thnk. |
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| Heart: Brooke White is winning all of us over! And Kristy Lee Cook was MUCH better this week. Not that she was so great last week, but I think she's got plenty of potential, so I'll say she's going to capitalize on it and stick around for a while. | |
| Collins:Brooke White continues to impress! |
SLIPPING
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| Funk: Asia'h, man...and Ramiele. They both took a bit of a tumble this week! |
| Collins: Kady Malloy is now known as the likeable-but-not-so-great singer of the group. |
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| Heart: Amanda Overmyer, obviously. I'm sure you all got that point, by now! I also think Alexandrea slid a bit. I didn't think her song choice was very memorable, and I hope she gets a chance to bounce back... | |
| Collins: That's that! We'll have our take on the Results Show tomorrow. |
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| Heart: Bye, everyone! Thanks for reading! | |
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| Funk: Let's hurry up and get to Week 3, so we can forget last night ever happened! |
***** DISCLAIMER *****
The opinions expressed by the three "FOX43 Idol Experts" do not necessarily reflect the opinions of FOX43, Tribune Broadcasting or FOX.
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Comments
Clyde! You messed up my predictions on the post!
Posted by: Julie Heart | February 29, 2008 2:12 AM