Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Finals Week

Two Finalists, One Winner
American Idol show notes for Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Each of our two finalists sang three songs. The first round songs were chosen by Simon Fuller. Second round, contestant favorites from this season. Third round, contestant's recordable new single.

Jessica Sanchez first sang a sound-a-like version of a Whitney Houston tune. Didn't make it her own. Score: 7. Second song was called The Prayer. Slow and sleepy. Her big high notes sounded strained, constricted, and not pleasing to the ear. Score: 7. Third song was called Change Nothing. All her songs seemed to start out low, slow, and breathy. She was pitchy and boring. Sorry. Score: 6.

Phillip Phillips played great guitar while singing a cool slow relaxed unique version of Stand By Me. Score: 8. Moving Out by Billy Joel was definitely a Phillipized version of a classic standard. Score: 9. Third song sounded like a travelling minstrel tune, complete with marching band drummers and an audience singalong (oh oh oh). Score: 8.

If Phillip Phillips is not named the winner of this American Idol season, I vow to stop watching American Idol...until next year. What do YOU think? Thanks for all the comments this year. It's been fun!

14 comments:

Kit said...

Well, sadly this was the last time we'll get to watch American Idol for a while. Actually, I'm just sad I won't be able to hear Phillip sing every week. Helloooo!

Tonight felt like we might as well have called it the "Phillip's about to be a Star" show. I thought every song he sang was amazing. Loved the version of "Stand By Me". For as many times as I've heard that song, I've never heard it done like that. Just gave me chills.
Song 2: "Movin Out" by Billy Joel. I must have missed the week he did this song during the season because I think I would have remembered THAT. What the? How frickin cool was his version? Better than the original, just love his style. OMG.
Then finally, "Home", his would-be-1st-recording? Sold. Where can I buy that record? It was like Dave Matthews and Coldplay had a big cute baby who came out singing and playing guitar. Fantastic.

Jessica's songs were basically all the same, so I won't bother going on and on about them. Her first was Whitney's "I Have Nothing", which Simon Fuller must have pulled out of the "Dead Horse" folder for yet another irritating performance. Seriously, haven't we all heard just about enough Whitney in the last year to satisfy us for the rest of our lives? Whatever. Anyway, the other two songs were about the same...slow, sad, whiny ballads. With Phillip stomping all over them every time.

So. It's pretty clear that I would bet a LARGE sum of $$ that PP is gonna take this home. It's so fun because, unlike other seasons, someone both Johnnny and I liked in the tryouts made it all the way, so we didn't have to keep learning to get behind someone new. I'll be looking forward to hearing his first song on the radio. I'm a Phan!

Reagan James' Mom said...

OK, I couldn't help myself, I had to read your comments when I got home tonight (Tues). I'm SO HAPPY & relieved to hear how Phillip did!! I can't wait to watch online tomorrow (before the results show)!

I remember his version of Moving Out and I loved it! I'm glad he choose that one. I would have been happy with several others, too, including Superstition & It's Still Raining (Look out my Window).

I'm voting right now! In HI we can vote after the show airs here and I rarely get a busy signal -- but I'm getting more than normal tonight. I don't think we have any other competition out here (except maybe one hour with the west coast?). I don't know how they do that, but I'm glad they do! So, thanks for sending me Phillip's numbers!

Come on, PhilliPhillips!!!!

Reagan James' Mom said...

Oh, I'm curious to hear what the judges had to say now that their first love (Joshua) is gone. Did they feel the same as U2 about Phillip & Jessica? I know their "vote" doesn't count, but I certainly think they can influence some voters.

Kit said...

Hey Brenna! That's cool you got to vote for Phillip without so many busy signals. Yeah, he came off like a total pro.
As far as the judges, Johnnny and I were both moaning during the show as they were weighing in. The format last night was in rounds: Jessica would sing, then Phillip, then the judges would weigh in...In the first two rounds they predictably said Jessica had won, although (to us, at least) Phillip's performance was in a different stratosphere. It seemed really transparent. At the end they did all give PP a standing O for his song "Home" and it felt clear that they were kind of admitting he was by far the winner for the night.

I'll be interested to hear what you think after you watch online!

Aloha!

Reagan James' Mom said...

Kit: Thanks for the info about the judges. Evey if they picked Jessica in the first two rounds, I'm glad the last image of them was a standing o for Phillip!

ekdoele said...

Thanks for the blog and the blitheful blogging comments, bloggies! Have enjoyed them and it's added to the AI Season 11 mucho!

Herb and I are rootin' for Phillip Philip's all the way. (I got goosies from the crowd's reaction to "Home".) It would be cool to have a non-conformist win! (No to T. Hilfinger? Highlight!) But the Herbmeister and I agree--if Jessica wins that will be emotional too. (Remember the judges save?) To go from "done" to "winner" would be something too!

Reagan James' Mom said...

Reagan & I just watched the final performances (11a HI time).

Jessica has a beautiful voice, no doubt. I really liked the first two songs. I agree they started out a bit slow but once she got going I thought she was strong. Too bad for her regarding the last song, it was just a bad song. She sang well, but it was a bit lame, not really her fault.


Phillip was AWESOME! I love, love, love his version of Movin' Out. I went into the archives to hear more of Phillip and there are so many songs I just love...Superstition, Hard to Handle, It's Raining, We've Got Tonight (Scott thought this was amazing), Beggin', to name some. I also really liked his new song, Home.

I told Reagan that I called in and voted last night and he was so excited. And then he freaked out when I told him I voted about 100x! I probably did call that many times, no joke!

Good luck everyone...the results are almost in!

Kit said...

Good job voting 100 times, Brenna! I'm going to let go of my guilt for not voting, because fortunately someone in the family had me covered!

Johnnny said...

PHILLIPHILLIPS!

Reagan James' Mom said...

OH MY PHILLIPHILLIPS!!!

Reagan & I did not cheat...we got the results from the show. I was so nervous and my heart was beating fast! I'm a freak, I know. :)I am soooo happy for PhilliPhillips!! I sure hope he goes on to sell lots of records and is a big success -- like Chris Daughtry!

Yahoo!!!!!

Reagan James' Mom said...

OK, I have one more set of comments from the Maui Miles household before we close this season of AI.

Some random comments from Reagan:

While watching Chaka Khan..."Her butt is huge."

During Jessica's Whitney song (I Will Always Love You)..."Boring. Cut this song, go to a commercial!" (I actually thought it was beautiful).

To DeAndre (when he was singing with the guys)..."No high voice for DeAndre, that's the rules in this house."

From BrenStar:

What about Fantasia? Yikes! Joshua said she's his inspiration...now I get him. That was the biggest scream fest on television! Fantasia was awful. Did she even sing a word?

What was up with the tight jumpsuits on Fantasia & Chaka Khan?

Didn't like Rihanna's song. If it wasn't for all the flashiness it was pretty lame.

I thought the phonebook song was pretty funny. :)

Thought Jennifer's songs were better than Rihanna but I think I'm growing out of that kind of music. It's interesting to see JLo go from being dressed so beautiful and being so poised to this kind of ghetto girl dancing on the stage. Interesting pants with the sagging crotch.

Oh my goodness, talk about facial expressions when singing...Jennifer Holliday! She looked like a caged animal. I can see Jessica being a performer/voice like that. JH overpowered Jessica for most of it but those notes at the end for Jessica were amazing. The whole thing was again, too much screaming for me.

Steven Tyler cracks me up. It was fun seeing him sing Walk This Way.

It's been another fun year sharing AI comments with you guys! So happy the MBC got their winner!

Kit said...

Brenna, I loved your and Reagan's comments! Yeah, what the heck was up with Chaka Khan's barf brown jumpsuit? I agree with Reagan that her butt IS huge, and wondered what stylist would ever put her in a getup like that where we could see her Spanx/underwear lines as clearly as if she had them on the outside like a little kid wearing his Spiderman underwear over his pajama pants. Plus, why is Chaka Khan on American Idol at this point in her life? Is she going on tour at 75? Is she launching a new line of super unflattering female leotards that come in a full array of dirty dishwater colors?

I liked the phonebook song too...and, they all actually COULD sing the phonebook, go figure.

I tooooottttallllly agree with the Fantasia comments. When she starts singing I immediately get stressed and develop a migraine. And what about that thigh-enlarging getup? Who was dressing these guys, Tommy Hell-Figure?

And Jennifer Holliday...holy freak show Batman. Was that a wig or a cat on her head? I think she may come into a windfall of Halloween mask royalties this year. Sheesh.

Well, after all that weirdness it was really something to watch Phillip's win unfold. I felt sorry for him when, after a whole 3 seconds of celebration, Ryan asked him to do his song one more time. Jeez, give the guy a moment to digest! I thought it was really moving when he finally gave up trying to finish that song and made a beeline for the arms of his family. The last time I cried like that was when Leo slipped frozen into the sea in Titanic. Whew.

Well, although there are a lot of things about American Idol that are contrived and transparent, Phillip Phillips is not one of them. Maybe that's what makes him so likeable. With all the crap on "reality" tv, I found it especially satisfying that a humble sweet guy with a nice family took the prize. I'm super happy that PP won, and it gives me hope that maybe the Kardashians won't be able to take over the world after all.

Reagan James' Mom said...

Kit: right back at you, it was fun reading your comments about the results show, too!

I cried as well. And I also like when Phillip let his tears fall and went to his family. He is a good example of character for young people!

I liked your last paragraph on how refreshing it is to see such a humble, down to earth kid, WITH talent, win on this reality show. AI is awesome. So much cooler and viewable for the whole family. Those Kardashians and Jersey shore peeps can suck it! HA!

Johnnny said...

alls well that ends well
phillip phillips is the king
good guys can do swell
expecially if they can sing