American Idol Season 6 Vocal Masterclass For The Top 10 Male Performances
American Idol Season Six: Vocal Masterclass For The Top 10 Male Performances
By: Rosanne Simunovic
This week, the 10 remaining male singers presented their second showcase and, thankfully, the result was a huge improvement over last week’s lukewarm musical presentation However, I still found that some of the singers did not quite hit their artistic stride and, hopefully, some of these singers will have another week to solidify their place in the Top 12 Finale. Until then, these are my observations of the Top 10 male performers from this very eclectic American Idol Season.
The singers are evaluated in performance order and your comments are always welcome (more…)
Jennifer Hudson: Look What God Can Do
“Look what God can do”. With these meaningful and inspiring words, former American Idol Season 3 competitor, Jennifer Hudson, won this year’s Academy Award for Best Actress in A Supporting Role for her memorable performance in the movie “Dreamgirls”.
This unbelievable Cinderella story is a testament to the talent, drive and ambition that stimulated Jennifer to achieve this level of success in the entertainment industry.
Jennifer’s genuine and caring spirit, her devotion to her faith, her all embracing, positive and generous personality is undeniable proof that nice people do not always finish last and, more important, that true talent, against all odds, will indeed rise to the top.
Brava Jennifer. Your grandmother must indeed be very proud as she smiles down on you from the Heavens above.
Check out her performance at the Academy Awards and her inspiring acceptance speech below and don’t forget to leave your comments.
American Idol Season Six: Vocal Masterclass For The Top 12 Female Performances
By: Rosanne Simunovic
What an opening week for the 12 ladies of American Idol Season Six. I can’t remember seeing so many outstanding performances in one evening during the first round of semi-finals. I could have listened to these talented females for hours: they were extremely unique and, generally, very well prepared. Many stars were born this week yet some need to work much harder to move up to the bar set by 50 % of these female singers. Next week should be an interesting show, but, for now, these are my evaluations of this week’s Top 12 showcase. The singers are listed in performance order. (more…)
Top 12 Ladies Of American Idol: Brava Divas!
What an wonderful evening of entertainment. The Top 12 Ladies of American Idol were simply outstanding. I felt I was watching a more sophisticated and polished version of American Idol than the one viewed last evening featuring our Top 12 Male Contenders.
It is hard to know where to start. There were show stoppers galore, but the mother of all show stoppers had to be Lakisha Jones’ superlative version of “And I Am Telling You” from the musical Dreamgirls. She took my breath away with her vocal gift and artistry.
However, in complete fairness to the other ladies. there were other extremely memorable performances this evening and a variety of genres from which to choose. Each female artist had a distinctive style and I will address all of this when I complete my abbreviated Vocal Masterclass for the Top 12 female singers tomorrow.
Until then, enjoy Lakisha’s pre-Idol version of “And I Am Telling You” here.
American Idol Season Six: Vocal Masterclass For The Top 12 Male Performances
By: Rosanne SimunovicAnd so, another season begins! Welcome back everyone! This is the first time I have analyzed the Top 24 contenders for American Idol, therefore the format will be quite different than the one used for the Top 12 Finalists. Due to time constraints, the “strengths” and “critique” portions of the individual masterclass assessment of the Top 24 singers will be combined in one abbreviated evaluation. The longer, more familiar, format will be in place for the Top 12 Finalists.
So, without further delay, let us move on and see what worked and what didn’t during this week’s initial performances. Singers are critiqued in performance order. (more…)
On A Hunting Expedition For American Idol Top 24 Competitor, Leslie Hunt
Sometimes, American Idol loves to plant little vocal gems at the very last minute to tease our fancies and play with our voting minds. One example of this is the revelation of Top 24 singer, Leslie Hunt, who, until the last day of the Hollywood rounds, was totally anonymous to this year’s viewing audience.
Yet, in a short 30 seconds or so, she left a very valuable impression on me; I loved her cool, relaxed vibe and the pure, uninhibited beauty of her singing voice. The warmth of her vocal sound and her genuine persona is a just a win - win situation and she has a distinctive singing style that will distinguish her from the other singers.
Videos of this young lady’s Idol and pre-Idol performances are virtually non-existent. Believe me, I have tried to ‘hunt” some additional video clips and then finally relented.
So, until her performance this evening, here is the sole video of Leslie’s acceptance into the Top 24 group of singers. Enjoy.
American Idol Top 12 Guys: What’s Going On?
Good morning everyone:
I am running short on time here and I hope to write an abbreviated Vocal Masterclass summary for this season’s Top 12 male singers.
However, I was pretty much dismayed by the sub par performances last evening. I didn’t feel that any of the singers - except one - distinguished himself as an individual artist. It is still very early in the competition and yet the stakes are very high. This is the road to the Top 12 and it is quite sad when only one singer can distinguish himself as a Top 12 contender.
Generally, the guys were short on adequate vocal technique, correct song choice and artistic vocal presence. Also, I found many of the voices similar in tone and timbre - almost a veiled quality to their overall vocal sound, with a limited dynamic range.
The potential in many of these singers is very evident and I am hoping to be pleasantly surprised in the next couple of weeks. I give all of them kudos and back pats for their hard work and I am sure improvement will be evident as we move toward the Top 10 male singers next week.
So, who was this distinguishing singer? Blake Lewis! Loved him. Great voice and great presence on stage.
I will post my Vocal Masterclass article as soon as my schedule permits.
Lakisha Jones: A Performance To Whet Your American Idol Appetite
Good Sunday everyone:
I am having a very busy day with Church and family obligations, but it is all very good. However, I could not let the day go by without drawing attention to American Idol Season Six Top 24 Finalist, Lakisha Jones. I was so impressed with this young lady during her preliminary and Hollywood auditions. She possesses an absolutely stellar vocal gift and her vocal delivery and her artistic passion are first class.
In the video below, she performs Jennifer Hudson’s multi-award winning hit, “And I Am Telling You” from the musical “Dreamgirls”. Although Jennifer’s performance has more polish and veneer than Lakisha’s, I think this performance, for an undiscovered talent, is excellent. I hope the American voters really support this young lady. She possesses a highly cultivated vocal and stage technique that will, undoubtedly, improve in the weeks ahead.
Tom Lowe: The Saga Continues
Well, the Top 24 singers for American Idol Season Six have been revealed and the enigmatic Tom Lowe was not among them. Of course, American Idol had to quickly say his name and show him descending the elevator after he was dismissed by the three judges. Every Top 40 singer was acknowledged during last evening’s telecast in order to clarify the Top 24 singers for the viewing public.
Now, the question is this. Why was Tom Lowe looking so happy after he left the judges? He was dismissed after all. Did Randy or Simon sign him to a recording contract? Has he moved on to bigger and more lucrative musical projects?
His story needs to be told and I believe we have not seen the last of this wonderful performer. This is truly the beginning of his success as a North American artist.
Don’t think so? Then watch his August 2nd 2006 performance(my wedding anniversary date by the way) of the Star Spangled Banner below this post. It speaks volumes and reveals the confident artistry and technical security of a singer on the brink of North American stardom.
Keeping A Lowe Profile
Where oh where is the elusive, yet superbly talented Tom Lowe? According to the American Idol Spoilers section over at Idolforums.Com, he was cut from the Top 24 after singing his way into the Top 40. There are numerous reasons for his dismissal, the most obvious being that he has enjoyed enormous success in his recording and performing career prior to Idol.
However, he is still not an international success and certainly his name was not known here in North America prior to American Idol Season Six.
So, I wish the producers would stop playing hide and seek with this guy and allow him to evolve through the Idol process. Are they once again playing with our minds and enjoying the publicity that has been generated from Tom’s lack of singing exposure in the pre-Hollywood rounds? He was given minimum exposure last evening during the Hollywood rounds; yet, if you weren’t looking for him, one failed to realize that the guy was on camera.
However, will he be a replacement for Phil Stacey who dropped out of the Top 24? That is the question in the minds of the viewers and tonight’s episode of American Idol should settle the whole controversy. We can only hope, as he is, presently, one of the few singers who have captured my attention throughout the entire competition. And from the feedback I have received, I am not alone in this opinion.
If you wish to see his initial audition, you can see it here.. It was aired in Britain and yet the USA decided not to do so. So strange.
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