American Idol - Season 10

[AGDee]

I haven't seen a discussion of the details in a while but at one point, if you were on the show at all (even if they showed your audition on TV as one of the "bad" ones), you were bound to E19 for a time period. If you're in the top 10 (top 11 this time), you are definitely bound to them for at least a year while you're on tour and possibly a little bit longer. I believe the winner is under contract for 3 or 4 years? I don't remember exactly, but it's definitely a long period of time.

Found a couple links with some info. Looks like it is now based on number of albums produced:
http://www.popeater.com/2010/05/13/a...acts-revealed/
http://dir.salon.com/ent/feature/200...act/index.html

[ASTalumna06]

LOVE James!

The end.

[ComradesTrue]

Our local Fox went out right before James went on (??) so I missed his performance. However, I am absolutely "one-hundred-bajillion-percent" over these judges. No way was Haley the only one who deserved criticism tonight. Stefano was not that great. Paul was completely pitchy through at least the first verse of his song. And Jacob. He needs feedback more than anyone on the show.

It just makes me crazy that I have no doubt one of the girls is going home tomorrow.

[AGDee]

I disagree Blondie. I love, love, love Paul and didn't find him to be pitchy. However, I'm a huge alternative fan and his voice is suited for that. I also love, love, love Stefano and think he had his best performance yet tonight. James did a great job but that was too hard for my taste, personally. I thought Lauren was really really good tonight too.

I'm tired of Scotty and Jacob although I think they are extremely talented in their genres. I'm over Casey. I think he has done nothing but do downhill since the judges saved him. Jacob needs to tone it down. He oversings everything so we're in agreement on that one.

I voted for: Stefano, Lauren and Paul, repeatedly

[AGDee]

And now I am sad. However, I've no doubt he will get a recording contract anyway.

I'm going to try really hard to get tickets to this year's tour.

[ASTalumna06]

First of all, I LOVED the group performances last night. I think they should do those before the voting, as well. They’re a lot of fun, and I think half of the contestants sounded better than they did the night before.

Oh, and the 4 guys and their little band they have going on… I’d probably go see them in concert if they toured. I love them! They’re all so different, but I think it definitely works.

I’m kind of sad that Paul went home. To be honest, I think it’s the flowery jackets that did him in. No one wants to see that week after week after week. I think the only time it was probably appropriate was during the Elton John week.

Originally Posted by AGDee

I also love, love, love Stefano and think he had his best performance yet tonight.

Stefano needs to go home. I don’t think he has that great of a voice, and nothing makes him stand out. My mom also said that it was his best performance to date, and that he sounded really good, but I just didn’t see it. He’s boring.

I'm tired of Scotty and Jacob although I think they are extremely talented in their genres.

Scotty is naturally talented. Simple as that. You just don’t come across a voice like that every day. I have no doubt that he’ll have a looooong country singing career, but there’s no way he’ll win. He needs to go soon.

I’m inclined to say the same for Jacob (minus the country thing, of course). I could see him making it in the business, but he won’t have any songs that will make it to #1 on the Billboard charts. He’d make an amazing gospel singer.

And I agree that he oversings nearly every song. As Randy said a couple weeks ago, he needs to have one “moment” during a song. He tries to have 50.

I'm over Casey. I think he has done nothing but do downhill since the judges saved him.

I did enjoy his performance from the other night. It was different, and I always like when people step out of the box to try and make the show more interesting. However, I think that he lost me during the first few weeks of the live show. I almost blame the judges. Someone should have said to him, “Where the hell is the old Casey?” a lot sooner, and maybe he wouldn’t have veered so far from what got him on the show. Now that he’s slowly getting back to being the old Casey, it’s basically too little, too late.

Haley has come out of NOWHERE and is suddenly good. Seriously, what’s gotten into her? She sounded amazing during her duet last night with Casey. She won’t win the whole thing, but it’s good to see that not all the girls are going home sooner rather than later!

Lauren, like Pia, makes singing seem effortless. She’s really good. But I think she’s still a little nervous on stage. And if she isn’t, that’s how she’s coming off, in my opinion. People like James and Jacob put themselves out there each week, and lose themselves in a song, but I haven’t gotten that from her yet. I think she needs to step up her game a bit in that department.

[ComradesTrue]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I disagree Blondie. I love, love, love Paul and didn't find him to be pitchy.

Actually, I really enjoy(ed) Paul too. Love the uniqueness of his voice, love his personality, love what he brought to the stage. I was just simply saying that the first verse wasn't great, and along with most of the other contestants and their flaws should have been called for it. They all have areas of their singing and/or performance that can be improved as they take this journey, and the everyone-gets-a-gold-star method of "judging" isn't working for me.

Would love to see Paul in a setting like the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. Would also love for him and Kendra to team up and duet some more. Would def find a reason to drive to NashVegas to hear that!

[ComradesTrue]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

Scotty is naturally talented. Simple as that. You just don’t come across a voice like that every day. I have no doubt that he’ll have a looooong country singing career, but there’s no way he’ll win. He needs to go soon.

Lauren, like Pia, makes singing seem effortless. She’s really good. But I think she’s still a little nervous on stage. And if she isn’t, that’s how she’s coming off, in my opinion. People like James and Jacob put themselves out there each week, and lose themselves in a song, but I haven’t gotten that from her yet. I think she needs to step up her game a bit in that department.

Actually, I think Scotty will win the whole danged thing. Not saying that he should win, just saying that he will. He appeals to the type of people that vote. And I do agree that he might as well start looking for real estate in Nashville. He can grow old there if he wants to.

I also think Lauren will have a loooooong career in Nashville as well. Much like Carrie in Season 4, she has the pipes but is still working out some of the performance issues. To me, this is what the show SHOULD be about... voting through the people with the pipes, and not the performers. You can (almost) always improve stage presence- see Carrie Underwood- but you can't take a mediocre voice and make the public buy it. This is what made me crazy about Pia's early outster. Had she been allowed to stay her comfort on stage/connecting with the audience may have improved with her coaching.

In contrast there is James. He is a great performer, but other that a few glory notes the judges never seem to praise his singing.

America should have learned its lesson with Taylor Hicks, but alas, it did not. Now a bunch of 12 year old girls are deciding the fates of these contestants. Makes me crazy.

Finally, Lauren also needs to hire last night's stylist full time and keep Gwen Stefani the hell away from her. She looked absoutely stunning, yet age appropriate.

[DubaiSis]

The results played out just as I expected, and I'm glad Paul is gone, but I do think there's a market for him out there. From here on out I think it comes down to genre because there is no chaff to separate. So does America want a traditional American Idol, something different or something WAY different? I personally think James will win it because he is so different than previous winners. He was SOOOO nervous on reveal night. His twitchy eye that was mostly gone over the last couple weeks was back with a vengeance! I think he really worried about sticking to his guns and I can respect that.

I'm not a Jacob fan, but he is improving. I think Haley is improving a lot. I want Lauren to go next. There is just soooo much of exactly her out in the world already. I really love Casey, but I think he's having trouble finding a style that suits the big stage. I am really not a fan of jazz, but if that's his thing, I'm sure he can make it work. I'm also not a big fan of Stefano because there's a lot of pretty much exactly him out there too, but he does have a pretty voice. And I loved Scotty early on even though I'm not a country fan at all. He's mostly gotten rid of that arrogant smirk which is good. But I'm just not caring as much if he goes forward or not any more.

1-James
2-Casey
3-Scotty
4-Haley
5-Jacob
6-Stefano
7-Lauren

It's fun to watch this year!

[AGDee]

The above post made me think about the genres of previous winners and what hasn't been covered yet:


Kelly Clarkson- female pop
Ruben Studdard- male R&B
Fantasia Barrino- female R&B
Carrie Underwood-female country
Taylor Hicks- classic rock/R&B/Blues "soul patrol"
Jordin Sparks- female pop
David Cook- male rock
Kris Allen- male pop
Lee DeWyze- No clue, didn't watch that season but it looks like male pop

Scotty is clearly male country.
Lauren- female country
Haley- Female pop
Stefano- Male pop
Jacob- Male gospel
James- male rock
Casey- I don't feel like I know what his "thing" is anymore, which, as DubaiSis said, may be his biggest weakness at this point.

Paul- male alternative, which has not yet been a winner on Idol. There has never been a male country either.

[ASTalumna06]

I don't think anyone did exceptionally well tonight.

Caaey was probably the best.

I still don't get the whole Stefano thing. He needs to go.

I was thinking Lauren was really going to belt out that last note, but halfway through, she lowered her arm and sang it just like every other "big" note she's sung since the initial auditions. I'm glad Randy actually gave her some constructive criticism in that regard.

[AGDee]

Casey and James both did favorite songs of mine and neither impressed me. I yawned through Scotty and Jacob this week. I usually think Lauren is better than Hailey but I think Hailey was better this week. Stefano was alright.

Their song choices this week were awful. I wish I could see the whole list of what they can choose from. There had to be some better options than what they did.

[Ghostwriter]

In the for what its worth column (cos' nobody really cares what I think) based on last nights performances.

Top Three

1. James - forget about Adam Lambert, this guy has style
2. Casey - crazy funny, crazy good last night, one weird dude but fun
3. Haley - finally did a good song - love the voice and she is drop dead gorgeous

Bottom Three

1. Lauren - horrible, no rhythm, no hooks, no style, too boring, go away
2. Jacob - stop it, stop it - stop the crying - grow a set
3. Stefano - bye, bye - good thing there were background singers because you barely sang any words

Lauren should go but won't

Scotty - sing a real song next time - how about "Whiskey Lullaby" by Brad Paisley - do a crappy song one more time and you will be booted off - sorry homeboy but you need to stop the cutesy thing.

[ASTalumna06]

America definitely got it right tonight

[ComradesTrue]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

America definitely got it right tonight

Amen. Hopefully the other bottom-two dweller will be next to go.

What is up with the theme for next week? Songs by Carole King? Seems, um, rather narrow and yet absolutely unnecessary to crown an American Idol.

Yet, I will still be tuned in. I am such a sucker for this show.