American Idol Update: The First Dozen

Tonight... I am lying in my bed as I watch American Idol. You see... I have been really sick since yesterday afternoon (And I mean S-I-C-K). So... since I cannot sit up at the computer to blog LIVE... I am ready with a pad and pencil.



OK: So here are my thoughts about tonight's show:

Tonight's song selections are from the Billboard HOT 100 chart. There are a lot of great songs on that list. As I understand it... for the next three weeks they will eliminate all but 3 vocalists from 3 groups of 12 (One male... one female... and a wild card each week). I am not so sure that I like this format. What if they put 4 or 5 of the best singers in one group? What if they are all male (which is extremely possible this season)? Some of the "best of the best" vocalists could potentially go home... allowing weaker vocalist to advance from another group... just because they were the "best of the worst". Anyways! WOW... that's a tough one.

First up tonight:

Jackie Tohn: She's singing an Elvis tune that I am not very familiar with. She is definitely an entertainer! Lots of energy. She is way "over-playing" the song though. This is a vocal competition... not a drama try-out. I don't know. I didn't think she was that bad in the auditions. We'll see...

Ricky Braddy: I don't remember seeing this guy before... but I like him. Nice pipes. I'm not crazy about the "thin nasal" quality to his voice... but the kid can "bring it".

Alexis Grace: Whoah.... very soft... weak vocal. She's getting stronger as the song builds. Her pitch is a little unfocused. she is trying to do things with her voice that are not really her style... mostly on ad-libs. She CAN sing... but I am just not crazy about many of the female vocalists this year. She is as good as any I've heard this season.

WOW... the judges loved her. I wouldn't go THAT far.

Brent Keith: He is singing a country tune. Now... when he talks he sounds very country... but he is not a country singer. I like his voice a lot. He's pretty strong.

Stevie Wright: The song is way out of her range here at the beginning. Very pitchy. She looks like she is trying to be somebody she's not... very awkward and uncomfortable.

It's OK, Stevie... Taylor Swift can't pull that song off LIVE either. - (Oooops... did I say that out loud?)

Anoop Desai: I like this guy's voice a lot. Smooth vocal. This particular song makes him sound too much like a "boy band" vocalist though. He is singing on the high side of the notes through most of the song... which really makes me wonder is there is something going on with the monitors tonight.

Is it me - or are the BGVs just OFF tonight. WOW! It's really hard to hear any detail to the contestant's voices. It may be a monitor issue for them as well... let's hope.

Casey Carlson: A really bad song choice. Really... only Sting can make this song work. Very average vocal. No dynamics... it all sounds the same. Very awkward movements. Nope.

QUESTION: How do the producers and coaches of AI allow the vocalists to go out on that stage and perform a song that is so WRONG for them. I just don't get it.

Michael Sarver: I have been "up and down" with this guy. I really, really liked his audition... and then I didn't care much for him in Hollywood. I like his voice... and he seems like he's the most likable guy in the bunch. Let's see how he does tonight: I still say that there is something up with the monitors... something is off. He is so much better than he sounds right now. He still did a nice job. I don't know if he is strong enough to be in the top 3 tonight... but he was good.

Ann Marie Boskovich: She is starting out sharp (like some of the others - strange). She can sing. Nothing that really blows me away though. I would have to say that she is in the top 3 female vocalists so far. But that's mainly because there are no strong female vocalists in this group.

So here's a situation where one of these ladies will be going on to the next level... when they probably don't deserve to. They were just "lucky" enough to be the strongest female vocalist in a very weak group. I don't like this format at all.

Stephen Fowler: OK... so I am surprised that he is even here. This is not based on his vocal skillz... the boy can SING. When he forgot his words... twice... slammed his hands on the keys... and walked off in Hollywood... I really thought that was IT for him. Here we go: Woah!!! BGVs are terrible! (FWIW: I think that they should sing WITHOUT BGVs. It can be an advantage if they are ON... or a huge disadvantage if they are OFF. And none of that has anything to do with the contestants vocal abilities). Bad song choice. Michael Jackson has a very "tight percussive" vocal style that made that song work for him. Stephen is way to smooth R&B for this song. He may have wasted his second chance tonight. That's too bad. I really like him.

Tatiana De Toro: Turn her mic up! It's really hard to hear her voice... here at the beginning. It's buried in the band. OK... I can't believe I am saying this... she CAN sing (BTW:There is a big difference in "CAN sing" and "can SING"). Not a very memorable presentation though. She was very stiff and boring tonight. At least we haven't seen the "drama" on stage yet. That's a nice change.

Danny Gokey: This guy could go all the way. He is head and shoulders above the rest of the contestants when it comes to sheer vocal ability. I think the only guy who would have given Danny a "run for his money" in this competition... was cut 2 weeks ago because he had laryngitis (David Osmond). Hey... they just said that Danny is a worship leader at his home church. I KNEW I liked that guy! : ) My guess is that he leads worship at a charismatic church. He just has that "Clint Brown" (You know... the guy who used to be at World Harvest in Columbus, Ohio) sound. You know what I mean? OK... here he goes: WOW! Smooth vocal. This guy is strong! I love the soulful raspy quality to his voice. By far... the best of the night. Strong!


It was an interesting show tonight. I have never seen so many technical difficulties in one show. Between all of the wrong camera shots, videos not cued and all of the audio problems... it kinda makes you wonder why they don't have all of this "down to a science" after 7 seasons. Oh well... tomorrow night they will announce the 3 from this dozen... that will move on to the next level.

My picks: (and I'm usually wrong. I mean... who would have thought that "America" would send Michael Johns home last year???)

MALE: Danny Gokey





FEMALE: Alexis Grace





WILDCARD: (This one I'm just not sure about - I just know that it will be a guy) Ricky Braddy, Anoop Desai, Michael Sarver, Stephen Fowler??? I just don't know.

I never get to see the Wednesday night shows because of band rehearsal at the church.

So... until next Tuesday night...