Vocal Masterclass Discussion Thread For The Top 6 Performances: IDOL GIVES BACK
Well, I don’t know about you, but I thought the show this evening was absolutely a moving and memorable experience. The performances were extremely well done; however the video footage was extremely disturbing and educational at the same time. I hope that an unbelievable amount of money is raised to benefit these children who are suffering each and every minute of every day from famine and despair.
Please share your thoughts about tonight’s show. What was your favorite moment?
30 Responses to 'Vocal Masterclass Discussion Thread For The Top 6 Performances: IDOL GIVES BACK'
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Favorite moments: Melinda’s glorious performance and Simon being so visibly and openly upset at the conditions in Africa.
I’ll take a stab.
Melinda - I love the layers of her voice. Chills and tears from me.
Blake - taking on Imagine was gutsy. I love his voice, but I thought he could have changed it up a bit. When you take on that kind of song you’re damned if you do or damned if you don’t. It was heartfelt and I think he was being careful vis a vis the respect thing.
P.S. I have thought he sounds a bit like one of the Pet Shop Boys, Sting, and even Bono. Anyone else think he has a Brit sound at times?
Jordin - terrific again and I think she was crying through midway to the end. I thought she was straining a bit, maybe because of the emotion? She is WOW.
Chris was good. I was not missing the nasal thing
I guess my main problem with him is that he seems to emulate Justin Timberlake. My favorite thing he has done is the Ford commercial. He looks great in cowboy gear.
LaKisha - uh I don’t really know how to describe the thing she has done for several weeks. I can make the sound when I make my jaw bone tense. It is not a pleasant sound. I have a theory that she is focusing on trying to win for her daughter; she just doesn’t seem to be enjoying this.
Phil - maybe I am crabby tonight but I didn’t like his performance. He sounded whiney and wandering off note. Was he struggling with the low notes?
I thought Bono was going to help the kids. Kind of disappointed, but he will be on tomorrow and so will Annie Lennox. I might not be able to take it!
^ I totally agree. Melinda was amazing tonight, and it was nice to see this caring side of Simon. The video footage was really touching; I also hope that an unbelievable amount of money is raised. It’s an amazing cause.
My comments are stuck in the ether
Simon’s reaction moved me as well. Now we now why he has been a kindler, gentler Simon this season.
Does a pitchy performance even come close to the appalling conditions these young people have to endure?
Kind of puts your priorities in the right place, doesn’t it?
And now you know why I often use positive reinforcement in these Vocal Masterclass articles. There is already too much negativity and heartbreak in this world.
My favorite moment last night was Melinda Doolitte’s performance. She picked a beautiful song, with a great message that was completely apropriated for last night’s show.
Her performance moved me.
Well, I liked tonight’s show so much better than last week. Great songs and great performances for the most part(although I think LaKisha needs to stop singing songs by former Idols or she will go very soon). I especially loved Jordin and Melinda, although I am slightly worried for Melinda; I fear her audience may be becoming complacent because the judges have been doing their best to pimp Jordin in the past few weeks.
I am also worried for Phil, not because I think he’ll get voted off(I don’t, I believe country suits him best as well) but because I thought his voice sounded very tired - even on the verge of giving out. Did you think the same thing, Masterclass Lady?
Xena - I found your comments. They were marked as “spam”. Very weird. so, voila, I despammed them.
Alex - yes, Phil, he did sound tired last night, but I thought the overall performance was very good. Very meaningful and an overall solid vocal.
Thank you MCL. I much prefer filet mignon.
Xena, I agree with most of your comments on last night’s performances. They all really rose to the occasion. And the AI producers didn’t overproduce the show–they really let the footage of those they will help and the messages of the songs get the point across.
MCM, I appreciate your critiques. I admire the way that you always focus on the postive in each performance. I also like that you give behaviorally specific feedback and suggest tangible things they can do to correct the behaviors that can negatively affect their performances. Brava to you for sharing your kindness and positive energy!
Than you, Yamile! I appreciate your kind words.
Xena - happy to help. You had great evaluations as well.
I thought last night was the best show of the season… with three groups of two in the “performance greatness” department:
1. Melinda
2. Jordin
3. Phil
4. Blake
5. Lakisha
6. Chris
MCL, this is one review that I’m definitely looking forward to! Your critiques are always enlightening and spot-on.
Thank you MCL - can’t wait to read your evaluations.
Yamilé, I hope you will post your thoughts on each contestant.
I thought Melinda was the best, hands down. I don’t understand the Jordin praise, as I thought she was straining and “pitchy.” Was it just me?
I miss Sanjaya.
No, Chloe, I also thought Jordin was straining for notes, especially at the end, and pitchy in spots all over the place–and on notes she’s easily reached earlier in the competition, too. I’m thinking either her voice–or she!–is getting tired, and/or she let herself get overcome with the emotion (see, she IS 17, dawg!).
Well, isn’t this a busy forum today! (smile).
I am working on the critiques in between teaching my voice students and answering phone calls.
Once again, it may not be online until tomorrow, but I hope that I can once again shed some light on what I think really worked last night and what didn’t - and, more important, why!
I did not think Jordin’s performance was the best of any idol contestant, any season, ever, and wonder what others think about the judges’ superlatives for her.
MCL,
Any chance you could dole out the critiques one by one? Not that we are addicts or anything . . .
I have to say, I was a little perplexed last night. I actually attended the taping of the show on Monday and what we heard was different from we saw on TV. The most obvious was LaKisha. Hearing her live was truly amazing. The crowd was so into her performance and cheering her on throughout the song. So when the judges gave her negative reviews we were all a little surprised. But now seeing it on TV without the audience noise you can hear what the judges were commenting about. The same thing happened with Jordin. I heard more mistakes on TV then I did seeing it live and now disagree with what Randy said. I don’t think it was one of the best performance on Idol ever. But it just proves that things really do sound different live vs. TV.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen people more divided over a performance than Jordin’s last night. I loved it from beginning to end and have been surprised at the negative reactions from others. I know Rosanne will point everything out for us, but some of the best performances on Idol have not always been technically flawless.
Randy said it was one of the best “vocal” performances ever. This is what people have issues with. It wasn’t even the best vocal of the night.
I’m glad to read that others were thinking as I was last night. I thought Jordin was really good, but it didn’t strike me as being one of the best Idol “vocal” performances ever. And I didn’t think LaKisha was shouting. I think the judges were much too hard on her. Can’t wait to read the MCL’s review of last night’s performances!
Yeah, if they called what Lakisha did “shouting” what do you call what Jordin did? Lakisha’s vocal was better. I did like Fantasia’s version better though.
Melinda’s vocal was amazing. Don’t care for the song. I find it a little boring, but Melinda made me like it.
To add on.
I don’t blame Melinda for her song choice. It was probably the most lyrically fitting of the whole evening. Great Job, Melinda!!!
Hi everyone:
I apologize for the delay in this week’s Masterclass article but I have a record number of vocal students this year and free time is a luxury for me.
I have finished writing my evaluations for three of the singers and the other three I should complete by early tomorrow, as I want to watch Idol Gives Back this evening.
I would prefer posting all six singers together rather than in separate articles, so hang in there everyone and thanks for keeping this blog alive and active.
I listened to Blake’s song again tonight..just listened, did not watch. I thought it was world’s better than the judges suggested. When I saw it yesterday I wondered why he started in the position he did–a reclining type of sitting. That may have had an impact on his performance.
Simon was not his usual straight forward caustic self. That was surprising. May be he mellowed down following that Africa trip or will be that way till next week. Let’s wait and see.
Long-time lurker, first-time caller. I thought everyone stepped up. Melinda is always just stellar, and she brought the emotion as well as the technique. Chris was less nasal than usual and, I thought, better than he’s been in weeks. Everyone else I think was correctly characterized by the judges, except Jordin. I think she’s a fine singer who finds the lyric and delivers real emotion when she sings. That ability to sell a song bespeaks a real emotional maturity, and that’s what the judges react to, I think. I agree with those who found it a bit off-key here and there, and I thought that might come from oversinging the “money notes” but I leave such details to the MCL. In summary, I think she’s neither the best nor the worst vocally, but should be safe.