Inconsequential AI stuff

So feel free to skip this entry if you aren’t into AI! 😀

This week, I am all about the clichéd “song choice” criticism.

Katharine: I liked her for the first time this week and she didn’t make me grind my teeth with her chipper bordering-on-fake dorky self. Could be because I love Aretha Franklin so much and she didn’t just stand there trying to look all cutesy while singing. I felt like I saw for the first time the singer that she could be, able to engage the audience and really make them feel it. Her voice and control is undeniable, so she only needed to show she can engage.

Mandisa: Love her. She’s got more performance sense than anyone else on the show. Regardless of personal tastes, the very best kind of song to choose for this show is something that 1) is at least vaguely familiar to the audience; 2) has one slower part with one upbeat part so the song doesn’t feel monotonous; 3) has an line or two that you can really blow the pipes on; 4) makes people want to get up and clap or dance. Mandisa is either really smart or just naturally likes this type of music, so maybe I shouldn’t give her too much credit, but when it works for you, it does. And she’s sung such a variety of music that it’s hard to say what type of music is her type. So I tend to think she’s smart.

Ayla: I think she’s really great, but she’ll never get close to touching the winner’s circle if she doesn’t pick a song like I described above (she hit 2 out of 4, but it’s important to hit all points, I think) and if she doesn’t find a style that suits her and makes her feel comfortable. I wish she’d take off all that makeup and put away the tall shoes and come out in a kick-ass pair of jeans and stomping boots and sing something less… pretty and performance-y. Something… gritty, yet soulful & beautiful. I am not sure what. I really like her and think that she, above everyone else, has the ability to surprise me with how much she could evolve. But right now, she’s all great voice and nothing else. She doesn’t have the ability to bring people to their feet, to really pull them into the music like it’s breaking your heart, right now, right on the stage.

Paris: Why are she such an old lady? And if she is gonna be such an old lady, can she please go back to the type of old lady that loves Billie Holiday? Please? Because her audition songs were so awesome. Her voice sounds like a saxophone. Make use of it. Man, could you imagine a Paris & Elliot jazzy duet? Yum. But seriously, she’s got mad talent, so why is she boring me to death?

Melissa: This isn’t about song choice. I think she isn’t going to win, but I think she’ll be eliminated too early. Like this week. I think her voice is great and the tone is interesting and pleasing to listen to. I think she even chose a great song. But I don’t see her potentially making the leap like Ayla could later in the competition. I do think she’s right about getting shafted for screen time, but she won’t make it past top 10 at best. Also: stop dressing like a college girl on Spring Break. It makes your unique voice seem generic as a whole package, which sucks. Don’t cheapen your talent.

Lisa: Wonderful. Also, snoozy. Too old, like Paris, except Lisa is more confident, middle-aged woman who has finally really found herself rather than old lady with old lady tastes. I have no idea what would suit her. She really is great but so Star Search. Who would go to her concerts? I have no idea.

Kellie: I can’t stand her singing. She doesn’t change up the dynamics during the song, so it’s all at the same volume, same intensity all throughout, and it bores me. Her voice is decent, but probably near the bottom of the current group. The thing that is supposed to make me love her is her personality, but if she were someone I knew in person, I’d leave the room as soon as she opened her mouth. So utterly annoying. And it’s NOT because of the country aspect of things. It’s just that she seems to fake with her “I am so adorable but I don’t know it” schtick and it makes me gag. It’s like all her life, people had told her how cute she is and she noticed that they like it better when she pretends she doesn’t know, so she’s always pretending. Strange, because her male counterpart, Bucky, no longer has my intense disdain, which is why I don’t think it’s the country aspect of things. He’s managed to grow on me, not enough to root for, but enough not to glaze over when he’s on screen.

Kinnik: Sorry to say good bye, Ms. Producer Designated Cannon Fodder. It’s a shame because you are pretty good but things never seem to fall together for you. She reminds me of the older blonde woman (not Suzie) from Rock Star: INXS who made it pretty far into the competition, in that she’s reasonably skilled and good at both the singing and performance aspects, but you listen to them and you never think of gasping at how great they are. Or remember what they did 10 minutes later.

I guess that’s all of them. My guess is Kinnik and Melissa will go home but I wish it was Kinnik and Kellie, who is FAR less talented than Melissa (also designated cannon fodder). I agree with Becky about Lisa. She stirs up admiration but there is no soul in her singing, which makes it feel like that Sharon Apple or whatever singing robot it was in Macross Plus. Or maybe it was not Macross Plus. She’s an empty, hollow, great-sounding recording for me. The person at risk of a shock boot would be Ayla. I hope not.