if you have read my blog in the past, or know me personally, then you know that i am totally o.b.s.e.s.s.e.d. with american idol. it's probably not even healthy. but that's ok. we all have our vices, and thanks to DVR technology, i can enjoy this vice without sacrifice to other areas of my life :)
so, there i sit. the first night of "voting" in season 9. the top 24. the *good stuff*. i must begin with a confession...i just watched the entire 2 hour episode (about an hour behind 'real time' because i don't do commercials). the entire time, i couldn't help but *blog* my thoughts throughout the entire show. i eyed my computer, but said "no, i will not do it". i'm sure my tempatations were mostly due to matt having to work tonight and therefore i was watching the show alone.
so, here i sit now...the show is over and it was eating me up inside. i had to blog about the show. i'm not promising to blog about every idol show. but tonight, i feel like it. and like i said...it's my blog, i can do what i want.
as i watched the show, i realized a few things and also want to say a few things that are worth repeating (in my opinion).
background:
*i have watched nearly every episode of all 9 seasons. to the best of my knowledge, i've only missed 2 episodes (only 1 of which was after the top 12).
*my favorite part of each and every show is when ryan seacrest says and THIS is american idol. LOVE IT.
*i honestly, truly miss when ryan used to end the shows with "seacrest, out". i have no idea why he stopped. but when i write my pool emails at work, i still finish them with "blackwell, out".
*as referenced, we have an idol pool at work each season. wanna guess who the organizer is?
*there is one major thing that controls my opinions on this show. chill bumps. that's it. as a teaser (or lack thereof)...no chill bumps tonight.
some newer observations:
*the judges often hype about "song choice". i totally get this from their perspective...but i have the same issue (but slightly different). if someone sings a song i hate, it's significantly harder for me to love them. and vice versa...if someone sings a song i love, i'm more likely to love them in return. sweet, aren't i?
*one of my early favorites is one of the guys (andrew garcia). why? because he took a paula abdul song and made it kick ass (pardon my french). he reminds me of people like david cook that can take a song and "make it their own" (total idol-ese there). remember "hello"? omg...awesome. and trust me, i don't say "omg". ever. anyway, i digress. many times tonight, the judges told the contestants they needed to stop trying to sound like others and find their unique place and work with songs to make them more unique as well (and i honestly think they managed to do this without saying "make it your own"!). they are looking for people like david cook and blake lewis (even if blake lewis only sold 300 albums - and i was one of them).
general observations from tonight's show:
*i like ellen. yes, i said it. when she was chosen as a judge, i was flabbergasted. annoyed. disappointed. bewildered. so many things. now she is here, and i confess. i was wrong. i love her. i love the comedy she adds. and she seems to know something about music.
*i really, really hate when the judges start throwing out specific artists in relation to a particular contestant. sure as heck, that contestant will listen to the judges and sing one of the suggested artists' songs. and ya know what happens? the judges will then criticize the contestant - the song was "too big", it wasn't "unique" or it was "copycat", or you should go with something "out of your safe zone". ugh.
*is it just me or did ryan retire from his position as 'host' and take on the job of 'contestant counselor' after each performance???? kind of weird.
so, a lot of jabbering to get to tonight's 12 lady contestants:
paige miles: cute hats that she always wears. the show started out so hard for me. i didn't feel she sounded good at all, but then the judges loved her. i didn't understand. after getting farther into the show, i think maybe they are having some sound/technical issues they were/are working through. i just didn't *get* what they got from it.
ashley rodriquez: (side note: i also think "battlefield" is a stupid song). similar sentiments as the first performance...the 'sound' issues were interferring with my ability to form a good opinion.
janell wheeler: her acoustic performance during hollywood week kicked some serious butt. i was disappointed tonight. (note which is relevant to a previous comment...i do not like heart).
lilly scott: she is not my "type". as randy said, she is kind of that indie type of artist and that doesn't fit with what i normally like. however, she was much better than the earlier contestants. she seemed real (though she makes some goofy faces while she sings).
katelyn epperly: i must agree that my first impression of her (tonight) was the horrible "look". so, i'm right *there* with kara on that note. but, that aside, i really enjoyed it (despite not knowing the song). and i admire her for going totally random on song choice.
haeley vaughn: ok, i have to start by saying that i was an early fan of hers. i was all over the "black girl sings country" thing she was working on. then that was it. hollywood comes and goes and no more country. tonight...no country. i'm confused. then, she sings and i seriously just want her to stop smiling - which is just rude, i know! then simon ends up agreeing with me, which reiterates that i'm a jerk?!?!? when it's all said and done, i'm not even sure how i feel about her singing because i'm so confused about everything else.
lacey brown: that look and sound and style she has going on...totally not me. but ya know what? i like her. not sure why. but i do. so glad she made it to the top 24 (side note: wish she'd made it last year because megan joy annoyed the crap out of me). now...on to tonight's performance: i hate fleetwood mac. i hate the song landslide. (go ahead, throw stones, i can handle it). so this was hard for me. one thing i will say. this chick is so uniquely beautiful. i do like her and hope she makes it past tonight.
michelle delamor: i am not a fan of the whole "big black female voice" thing (think fantasia and jennifer hudson here). but i was immediately liking her performance tonight (within seconds). i think i liked it better than the judges.
did benami: again, her acoustic performance in hollywood week was awesome. the song she sang tonight...didn't she sing this during hollywood week, too?? anyway...i thought it was good (again, maybe more so than the judges) but i also *get* that it was a little dull. did she wear an afghan?
siobhan magnus: there is no way to sugarcoat this and i'm sure it will sound close-minded. she is just too weird for me. i can't get past it and i have a hard time enjoying her. sidenote: i hate that wicked song.
crystal bowersox: she is so the type i don't want to like. very hippie-ish (here i go again with my closemindness). but i can't help but like her. i can not stand alanis morrisette. but i managed to get over it.
katie stevens: ok...if three strikes and you're out, then i guess the opposite applies to her. 1) she is crazy likable and i don't know why - that "likability factor" that simon talks about all the time. 2) she chose a michael buble song. i love this song. matt loves michael buble so i will have to see his thoughts on this tomorrow 3) she wore red high heels. call it done. i like her. screw the judges.
ok, i'm done. many words and lots of boredom later...glad to have gotten that out of my system. i would've hated to lose sleep because i kept writing this blog post in my head (this happens more often than not).
randomness: they are saying maybe snow tomorrow. it was 60 degrees today. what the heck????
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