Canadian Idol Fans Watching American Idol

[ross 1]

and he's not that cute, his eyes are too far apart from each other

Yeah, they are. Not his fault. I guess. But not being a great enough singer to make me forget his eyes are too far apart, that may be his fault.

Oh, okay, now I know who Adriana is. I can't watch the link right now. I wasn't especially crazy about her on Wednesday though.

By the way, when did Idol become about all these perfectly coiffed girls in short sexy dresses and spike heels? In just a few short years it's become this Miss America contest. I mean remember when I went to the Idols Live concert, and at that time the fans were complaining about how "they" had made Megan Joy wear a sexy pink dress, and heavy makeup, and heels, and all that? Because, basically, no girl including Megan on the whole season had had to dress up like that. It wasn't their style. But when is it ever the style of any young, aspiring singers who aren't in pageants? Okay, r&b singers. But I just want to see them looking less styled. For one thing I think it affects their performance style. Maybe if they wore shoes they could walk around in. And weren't sewn into their dresses.

I like Idol to show me the real people. Maybe later in the season they can make them over.

 

[SleepinIn]

Hee. As usual you guys are miles ahead of me. So I'll back up just a bit.

Going back to Hollywood Week - I love Hollywood week but I actually really missed the boy/girl dynamic this year. It might have been easier for girls to get undivided camera time from Idol. But like they decide who gets camera time anyway... so why not just be more even handed about it?

Then the live stuff..

Kree stood out during Hollywood week for me and she continued to shine during the live sudden death round (honestly? sudden death Idol???) But I don't know if she's going to make music I'd buy.

I missed a lot of the girls but I did see Kree.

I dig Charlie. There's something so weirdly appealing about him. Rocket Man was mildly awful. But I kinda liked it anyway....? I know. SMH. There's just something about him I like. I don't know if that will continue but for now. He was crazy nervous, his hands were shaking, and I don't know if he actually has the omph to get through the show. So we'll see.

I was a little mystified by Paul getting in to be honest but then.. who else do they have? It's not like they got rid of 5 amazing guys. I don't know if I'll miss any of the guys who didn't make it.

I think Elijah has potential to be a teen star..but I don't want to listen to him.

I love Nicki and Keith.

 

[ross 1]

Hm, I don't know if I love any of the judges yet. Agree about Keith and Nicki being better than Randy and the other one. Why they have Mariah in the "Simon" chair, giving the final critique, I don't know, I don't think it works. She's a "middle" judge if ever there was one.

 

[SleepinIn]

Maybe they stuck her over there to put some distance between her and Nicki? although if you're getting paid millions...get along.

 

[FiveParadox]

Nicki Minaj is my lord and saviour.

That is all.

 

[SleepinIn]

Nicki has been pretty great as a judge.

 

[missaddicted]

Except when she wanted to have all the boys' babies last week. She completely left her judgement at home that night.

And after seeing the spoilers for tonight's show, I'm pretty sure ALL the judges left their judgements at home for that show. I'm already pissed.

 

[SleepinIn]

Ooh, why?

 

[missaddicted]

The WTF choices? Zoanette? Is that enough reason why? Oh and Nicki gets her way too much of the time.

Zoanette just sounded awful. AWFUL!!!!! Seriously. Come on! Okay, she made be memorable, but NOT in a good way!!!!

Candice remains completely unremarkable to me, zzzzzz.

Aubrey and Breanna are kind of the same girl, why put both of them through?

Janelle was off-pitch during all of her song. She may be a favorite, but she didn't deserve to go through based on tonight.

Keith was talking about diversity from the girls tonight, but they still put the same old same old loud singers through. Don't tell me little Juliana didn't deserve to go through. What a beautiful tone! Artistry! Subtetly!

Also, I would have wanted Cristabel to make it through, beautiful raspy tone, lots of heart in her performance, loved her. I would even have put Rachel and her praying ways through before most of the girls that made it.

WTF Idol?

 

[SleepinIn]

I missed Zoanette! The two I liked got cut.. I completely agree re Juliana - she was my favourite. Beautiful tone and interesting. (*missed hour two). So for girls that leaves me with Kree. Who's music I won't like.

 

[ross 1]

I missed Zoanette's intro, so I didn't know what song she was supposed to be singing. Later I found out it was apparently The Circle Of Life, from The Lion King? I mean, I didn't recognize it! I'm not trying to be sarcastic.

I don't know what that was, that performance. I'm not especially happy with the judges after that. Our brief love affair might be over.

Nicki? I can't stand the faces she makes while the other judges are speaking. She has to hog the attention even when it's not her turn. Of course it's the director's choice to put her in the frame when another judge is talking. But it looks immature.

Her good quality as a judge is she's opinionated. You might as well have an opinion. Unlike Steven Tyler, for example. I want to hear definite opinions and reactions. That's what the judges are there for.

But I don't really like how she fawns over the contestants like they're babies - or flirts with them. I don't get why it's hard to keep it on a professional level. Maybe I think it's more interesting when the judges keep emotional distance. Maybe it makes the show more of a contest.

It's okay if judges are nice (like Keith) but you at least need someone hard to please, so the contestants can seem to be competing for the person's favor. It gives the show a spark. After all, it's supposed to be a contest, where you tune in each week for not just for music but for the excitement of competition.

 

[ross 1]

I missed Zoanette!

Take a look, it's epic! but not in a good way.

Zoanette Johnson Performs: Sudden Death Round - AMERICAN IDOL SEASON 12 - YouTube

Candice remains completely unremarkable to me, zzzzzz.

Been there, done that. Even if we hadn't literally seen her before - which we have - this kind of singing is just boring and old fashioned. I'm bored with you, Candice. Begone.

Of course, compared to most people, even most people who audition for Idol, she has talent. But a general criticism I have about the season is that these people may be talented, but they aren't long-lasting talents, or special. Maybe they're being cast because they're fodder.

Idol regulars, like Randy and Nigel, have said they think the voters have too much power. Every season, it seems the show chips away a little at that power. This year, it seems like the outcome is being as carefully planned as it's possible for them to do, so I wouldn't be surprised if there's a lot of fodder in there.

Janelle was off-pitch during all of her song. She may be a favorite, but she didn't deserve to go through based on tonight.

You have a good ear, so I'll take your word for it, but I didn't notice she was off pitch. I agreed with the judges that her song was a yawner, or her performance, or both. But I like her, and I like her voice, for some reason. That may be short-lived, who knows?

The thing about the judges choosing (vs the public) is that they aren't putting people through based on that night's performance. I realize it's a competition, and that's exactly what they should be judging on - the quality of the current performance. But they don't do that. They have been with the contestants for a while, and they choose the people they think have exhibited ability to be in the finals. Or the ability to be fodder, if the judges/producers really do cast fodder on purpose (I don't know). That still doesn't explain Zoanette, fully, for me - but for the most part, that's what they do. Casting the show for the next three months or so.

 

[missaddicted]

It's okay if judges are nice (like Keith) but you at least need someone hard
to please, so the contestants can seem to be competing for the person's favor.
It gives the show a spark. After all, it's supposed to be a contest, where you
tune in each week for not just for music but for the excitement of
competition.

I agree with that! Except I'm pretty sure Nicki is not the one for that. I was excited about her judging at first, but now she bugs me more and more. She has favorites, and will tell them she loved even if they sucked, and those who are not her favorites, but actually deserve some praise, she still tells them they suck. It's great to have an opinion, but the judging should still be fair.

Casting the show for the next three months or so.

That's obviously what they've been doing. I just don't think the casting was especially well done this year, not at all actually.

I guess I'm rooting for Nick now. At least, on the boys' side. I know he definitely wasn't great last week, but his Hollywood solo performance was still one of the best. And I think he's pretty much the only one whose music I could actually enjoy outside of Idol. Anyway, it's just a hunch I have about him. And on twitter, he seems excited about his song for next week, so I'll cross my fingers. If I can't have a WGWG, I'll take a WGWP!

Nick Boddington Performs in Hollywood - Hollywood Week - AMERICAN IDOL SEASON 12 - YouTube

 

[ross 1]

I agree with that! Except I'm pretty sure Nicki is not the one for that. I was excited about her judging at first, but now she bugs me more and more. She has favorites, and will tell them she loved even if they sucked, and those who are not her favorites, but actually deserve some praise, she still tells them they suck. It's great to have an opinion, but the judging should still be fair.

If I gave the impression Nicki is the one for that, that wasn't my intention! Sorry. What I was saying is that I think the judges should be more impersonal (and by that I also meant, more impartial). And that led me to thinking about how they should be less easy to please, though it's really a different thought. What happened there was that I cut out part of my post. So it's confusing. I cut out a reference to Simon.

He was professionally impersonal (cold, actually), and he was hard to please. Unfortunately, he wasn't impartial. Anyhow, for better or worse, he gave the show a competitive feeling and suspense.

It doesn't have to be him. It could be someone better than him. The point is, none of them now have that hard-to-please quality. I still feel the show lacks tension without it.

My problem "judging the judges" is that I haven't been a regular viewer. I was trying to come up with something I liked about Nicki, but I haven't seen all the stuff you've seen.

I've missed both of the mens' episodes Just came in on the tail end of the last one. Only performance I saw all the way through was Cortez. It was terrible, I thought; then, he made it through.

 

[missaddicted]

ross, I got what you were saying the first time, don't worry. I was actually agreeing with you. I just think that it is what is happening. Nicki is the one the contestants will try to please since she is so opinionated. Mariah is just too nice, Keith is nice and somewhat constructive, Randy, well who cares about what he thinks, but Nicki is not nice or constructive, she just blurts how what she thinks.

This week the girls compete on Tuesday and the boys on Wednesday, so I guess you'll be able to see both episodes!

It's stupid but what I think bugs me the most about Candice is the fact that for the next few months we'll have to read/hear Slezak lose his mind over her. I know he does this all the time. I just hate it when it falls on a year where I can't get behind the girl diva of his choice (I had no problem with him fawning over Haley 2 years ago ;-)). His recaps are the only ones I read (except for Jim Cantiello's Idol in a minute!), and I like what he has to say usually, and I'm always looking forward to Idology, so yeah.

 

[ross 1]

This week the girls compete on Tuesday and the boys on Wednesday, so I guess you'll be able to see both episodes!

Ooo. Okay. Bring 'em on! I suppose this means I can vote, too. I hate voting, but then I feel like if I don't, crappy people will advance, and I'll be stuck with them all season.

Did you guys see Idol is promoting a kind of online power-voting this season? You can vote 50 times at a pop, for multiple contestants or for just one. Lyndsey Parker had something about it.

It's stupid but what I think bugs me the most about Candice is the fact that for the next few months we'll have to read/hear Slezak lose his mind over her. I know he does this all the time. I just hate it when it falls on a year where I can't get behind the girl diva of his choice (I had no problem with him fawning over Haley 2 years ago :wink.

I like women's voices, myself, though you'd probably never know it, since Idol rarely has any girls I especially like. When I saw Kris in Boston, I said to another fan that Idol hardly ever has singers like Jillette Johnson, his opening act. I don't know why. I really liked her voice. Turned out The Voice had something to do with her, or vice-versa. But she didn't end up doing the show.

Anyhow, I like Slezak a lot, though some of his personal biases just take over. Like ignoring Casey James for a couple of the first live episodes of S9, and including all the others. Making a point, I guess; not sure what. Then of course what you said, his love for one girl a season. I was never wild about Haley, so I think I have to go all the way back to Allison, to find a girl he loved that I also liked.

 

[ross 1]

I just voted online.

Eat your hearts out, Canadians! *evil laugh*

Watched tonight and my main thought is, poor Pia. She tried out for the wrong season. If ever there was a season for girls standing in one place in a tight dress and heels, singing diva-esque, this is it. Eh? Plus I actually liked her more than some of these girls.

Who did I vote for? Amber, Janelle, and Aubrey.

The all-girl, all-guy episodes are getting a little tedious. Glad they'll be mixed soon.

 

[missaddicted]

Watched tonight and my main thought is, poor Pia. She tried out for the wrong
season. If ever there was a season for girls standing in one place in a tight
dress and heels, singing diva-esque, this is it. Eh? Plus I actually liked her
more than some of these girls.

Ha! Good point. What a boring, boring episode! So these are the girls that warranted all that praise. Meh.

As you know, it was all about Kree for me tonight, the only one I can see myself rooting for, but probably wouldn't buy her music if she goes a pure country road.

 

[ross 1]

Didn't like Pia on her season too much, though since then she made me like her due to her praising Kris not once but several different times. Damn, Pia. lol. But having listened to her a little more since her season I do like her voice and she seems like a totally down to earth, nice person.

Some of these girls this year, they give off a somewhat different vibe, you know, like an attractive girl in high school who's nice enough but has no particular personality. Nice, safe, boring, but undeniably attractive. I enjoy an artist who's a bit offbeat, a little bit of a risk taker. I don't care if you sing perfectly, and have a perfect figure, and hair, and face. There should be something, some flaw, even, that makes you stand out.

Kree has a lot of fans. There's nothing interesting about her, to me. Except maybe that she has, to me, a slightly more masculine singing style than the others. But her personality seems nonexistent. Yes, she can sing. I don't find her tone pleasnat all the time, but I'm not denying she can sing.

Yeah, I seem to like Amber the most right now - just as I did the last time. I think I'm more r&b oriented, in general, but I'm not sure it's that. I felt she did too many runs; she's been criticized for that twice, now. Maybe the coaches can wean her away from that. I think she has a really beautiful lower register. There's also something in her singing that is just like speaking. It's as effortless as that. I'm not a fan of singers pushing the song.

I liked Janelle for her simplicity and the beauty, or I have to say, prettiness, of her voice. There's not a lot of that in music right now, I wouldn't mind seeing some of it return. Apparently this is old school, according to the judges. Yeah, I can see that. On the negative side (if this is, in fact even negative) she's not dynamic, in an Idol-singer way. Not all singing needs to be. She had some pitch problems, I was willing to ignore them for now.

I gave 5 or my 50 online votes to Aubrey, there's something about her I like. It might just be her looks. I don't know. She can sing, she has looks, seems to have a personality, I found her likeable.

I missed Zoanette. The one bad performance of the night for me was...you know the one. I forget her name. Ariana? idk. The judges didn't like it either. In the clips at the end, she actually sounded better.

I really didn't hate anyone else, I was least impressed by Candice. I have no idea what motivated a standing ovation from the judges. It's kind of like Adam's Mad World. Sure, I liked it, but would I leap to my feet? No. I guess it's a case of being in the studio, vs. home.

 

[missaddicted]

I enjoy an artist who's a bit offbeat, a little bit of a risk taker. I don't
care if you sing perfectly, and have a perfect figure, and hair, and face. There
should be something, some flaw, even, that makes you stand out.

I guess this is what I like about Kree. I get the feeling that some of the girls gave more attention to what they would be wearing or how their hair would look like than to the music. I just get this authentic feeling about Kree, I find her more relatable than the others who sometime seem like they would be better on a fashion runway or at a pagent than on a stage being a musician. There's something very natural and effortless in Kree that shows her musicianship and her experience.

Also, I actually thought that she showed more personality than all the others combined when Nicki told her that she was his wife, and a little later when Ryan some inane question, she answered that all she wanted to do was to please her wife, instead of answering by the usual "I had so much fun!". She actually reminded me of Kris and his sly sense of humor.

Aubrey is nice and cute, but to me, she fits exactly in that "no personality" category. She's too young probably, but her answer to Ryan's question backstage was just so boring.

I don't dislike Amber, but just the fact that she chose a Whitney Houston song showed a massive lack of originality (and me roll my eyes). And I just feel like I've heard girls like her so many times before. But I guess with some more experience and guidance, she could become a more interesting singer, but for now, I'm definitely not convinced.

Anyway, I think Kree, Amber, Candice and Angie are locks to make it, with the fifth spot going to either Janelle, Aubrey or Breanna. One of these girls will probably also be wild-carded.

Speaking of Angie, I wanted to like her and was looking forward to her perfomance, but she actually kind of made me dislike her with her choice of a Christian Contemporary song (and what I most disliked about Colton last year was his obvious religiousity). For me, religion should be a private thing, it has nothing to do on a Idol stage. Anyway, maybe I'm judging her unfairly, but the song was also just so very generic.