About Masterclass Lady
Rosanne (Giallonardo) Simunovic began her musical career in Timmins, Ontario. She studied piano with Anne Pizzale and later, at an advanced level, with Soeur Anita Vaugeois (Sister Cecile of Les Soeurs De L’Assomption in Timmins). Her vocal and accompaniment skills were nurtured by her aunt, the late Dorothea Mascioli.
When Rosanne graduated from O’Gorman High School, she moved on to the University of Toronto where she continued her piano and vocal studies while attaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree. She was hired as a piano accompanist for several musical companies, most notably, the National Ballet Of Canada. She presently holds an A.R.C.T. Teacher’s Diploma in Voice from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.
Rosanne has studied choral conducting with numerous well known Canadian Conductors, including Wayne Riddell of Montreal, Quebec and the internationally renowned Dr. Elmer Iseler.
She has been a founding member of numerous community-based arts organizations: the Timmins Arts Council, later known as Arts & Culture Timmins, the Timmins Symphony Orchestra, and, the Timmins Youth Singers…as well as the TYS Alumnus choir, the Timmins Concert Singers. In 1987, she was also selected to be the conductor of the Timmins Board Of Education Choir, comprised of talented students from Grades 5 to 8.
In 1988, she was elected to the Board Of Directors of the Ontario Choral Federation (now known as Choirs Ontario), where she served as Chair of the Festivals Committee for six consecutive seasons. In 1996, in honour of the Ontario Choral Federation’s 25th Anniversary, Rosanne was selected as one of 25 recipients of the OCF’s Distinguished Service Award for outstanding contribution to the choral art. The ceremony was presided by Lieutenant Governor, Hal Jackman.
In November 1997, Rosanne Simunovic was selected by the Rotary Club Of Timmins to receive the prestigious Paul Harris Award for her years of dedication to the artistic development of young musical talent in Timmins.
In August of 2002, Rosanne Simunovic was selected by the Board Of Directors of Choirs Ontario to serve as Conductor of both the Provincial Junior and Teen Choir Camps, now renamed in honour of the Camp Benefactors, Don and Lillian Wright.
In November 2002, Rosanne was the one of the recipients of the Commemorative Medal for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, honouring her work in the development of the arts in Timmins.
Under Rosanne Simunovic’s direction, the Timmins Youth Singers and the Timmins Concert Singers have been featured in numerous choral festivals and performing opportunities outside of Timmins. In 1985, they were selected to partici
April 6, 2009 
Masterclass Lady On MySpace.Com
Vocalist.Org
MasterClassLady.Com 
As a fan of 80’s music, I look forward to this week quite a bit. I checked out what they were saying over at idolforums, and I agree with whoever suggested Danny should sing “It’s Still Rock’n Roll To Me.” After a quieter, albeit awesome performance last week, I really hope he shakes it up again and goes crazy this week! I believe that song will definitely allow him to do that. I also sort of think “Stand By Me” may be good for him as well, but it seems like that song is run into the ground every season. Though David A. did an amazing job with it last year!
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Anthony Fedorov did “Everytime You Go Away” by Paul Young for his birth year. I don’t think Matt or Scott will do as good of a job.
“Sussudio” by Phil Collins seems like it would be a difficult song to sing. I am anxious to hear Allison’s choice. Ibelieve she does have a GOOD voice.
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Now I am curious about Adam’s possible choice – 1982
Open Arms, Journey. The comment made on the forum is, ” This would be perfect and if he doesn’t sing it the judges might get pissed…especially Randy, who loves to reminisce. I have heard he wanted to sing the group song, so I’m pretty confident in this choice.”
I want to have a comparison of Adam and Steve Perry’s goregous voice. On Wikipedia it states:
Perry’s vocal classification is tenor altino, a term used to describe a man who sings in the highest possible male register (above tenor and including what would, if sung by a woman, be called alto or mezzo), using a natural or “chest” voice and employing falsetto only in his extreme upper register. Depending on whether the definition being used includes chest voice or is limited to falsetto only, this is also a form of countertenor.
Is Adam anywhere near this discription? I am so curious about this!
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Kariann1, Adam is not near that description of Steve Perry at all, actually. The key is that Steve uses “a natural or ‘chest’ voice and [employs] falsetto only in his extreme upper register.” Adam, on the other hand, uses very little chest in his upper (or even middle) range; his entire sound in his upper range is primarily falsetto/head voice with a lot of twang.
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Adam does fit well into the countertenor category as MCL has noted before, though. Countertenors are known primarily for their falsetto.
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Yes, J, I wholeheartedly agree. Adam has an enormously fluid counter-tenor range.
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Here’s a link to some possible spoilers for tonight’s performances:
http://www.buddytv.com/articles/american-idol/american-idol-8-top-8-song-spo-27585.aspx
If they’re correct, I’m really looking forward to tonight’s show!
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Thank you for that link, louise. Sounds like an evening we won’t soon forget!
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MCL – I left you another link on the “How Great Thou Art” thread. Please check it out when you get the chance!
I just read your post on Scott – I totally agree. He may not be the best singer technically, but he gets my heart. He reminds me of David Archuleta in that way. Both of them connect with music in a phenomenal way. Can you imagine if David ever sung a song with Scott at the piano? You never know. I would be in heaven.
Looking forward to tonight very much. By the way, have you watched David Cook’s recent AI performance? I’d never heard the song before but really liked it. I look forward to your review.
Sorry for my rambling. I’m very excited right now!
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Yes, David Cook did really good with that song, Kristen. I agree. The song is called “Come Back To Me” and it is on his new album. The funny thing is that I really wasn’t much for the song until I heard David sing it live, and now I’m starting to like it more and more. I guess it just takes a while for some songs to grow on you! LOL
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OMG. Adam Lambert just ripped my heart out. The lyrics of that song were BRILLIANT. His voice is soooooooo gorgeous.
Adam Lambert is my fave Idol ever. The judges must be so proud.
Another stunner from Adam. I really hope he wins.
I have to go pick up my jaw off the floor after this beautiful number.
Also…another shocker…Standing O from Simon.
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It was really outstanding. I mean – he is truly in a league all by his lonesome.
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Adam has just sung one of my all time favourite songs and did a fantastic job!! Kudos to him….ee, I love him!!! 🙂
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MCL, in all 8 seasons I have never seen anyone like Adam Lambert. The song choice was superb both lyrically and in the mood. His voice is the kind that captures the imagination and this was very salient tonight in the delivery of this song.
Stunning.
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I had chills watching Adam tonight. The last time that happened to me watching AI was WAY back with Fantasia, when she performed Summertime.
Adam was just absolutely brilliant!
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Adam takes you to another world when he sings. Amazing. Ok… I promise to stop spamming….I just can’t help it. Adam is just such a rare talent. LOL.
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Spam away! Adam deserves it!
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Never heard that song before, but I am in love with it now!
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MCL, here is a link to the original version…it truly is a magical song. Adam’s version of it was just spectacular!!!
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LOL MCL….Re— the spam. He does deserve it.
When he stood up and sang “see right through me”, you could just feel the emotion. This song meant something to him…he has said repeatedly that he always felt a little weird growing up, etc. Funny how that works because I think he’s perfect. It’s the most wonderful weird ever.
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Hi… Mad World is a Tears for Fears song … the Gary Jules version was a cover and the arrangement that Adam used.
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Dear Masterclasslady,
I actually have a question about that last note in Adam’s performance. I am not by a long shot an expert in the vocal music department, but I do have some experience in instrumental music. That last note sounded rather “off” to me, especially for Adam. To me it sounded like he went a bit too sharp. I was just wondering if you could tell whether he intended to do that or if it was indeed a bit off.
Here’s a link to the MP3 of the performance:
[audio src="http://www.adam-lambert.com/media/audio/americanidol/Top%2008%20-%20Mad%20World.mp3" /]
Thanks a lot for your time!
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It’s a little late – will have a stronger listen tomorrow. Overall though, it was an exceptional performance.
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MCL, I only know the song that Adam sang from a TV commercial, and I can’t even remember what it was for. It’s hauntingly beautiful though.
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Now do you feel touched by Adam, MCL!! They should just crown him the winner already!!!
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I have been watching DWTS while voting for Anoop and posting!
My rank for the night:
Anoop
Adam
Allison
Scott
Kris
Danny
Lil
Matt
I loved Anoop’s performance! Adam’s was exceptional. I liked Scott more than the judges did. Matt was so off key, I was ready to turn it off. I think the girls are safe for another week. I loved David’s Stand By Me as well as Ben E. King.
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Adam was awesome. But yes, the last note was off, he had to fix it mid-note. It was a risky choice to go that high. In the recap where they show video from rehearsals, he didn’t attempt the note.
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Wow! Wow! Wow! I have been resisting saying that Adam is the best because I started out the season as a Danny fan. But Adam’s performance tonight was undeniably breathtaking. I don’t ever recall seeing Simon give a standing ovation to anyone, but please correct me if I’m wrong. Even though I thought a few others gave good performances tonight, they just didn’t begin to compare to Adam’s. I think my next favorite tonight was Allison–she did a terrific version of her song. I also enjoyed Matt and Danny. My least favorite performances were from Lil, Kris, and Scott and Anoop, with unfortunately Lil and Kris in the bottom two.
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Oh boy. I hope you all aren’t serious about that last note. Who the heck cares??? The other singers missed lots of notes. It’s about the whole, not the sum of it’s parts. Besides, Adam can sing circles around these contestants. Rant over. Adam was beyond amazing tonight. Arguably the best performance ever on Idol.
Anyhow…..this is my ranking…
1. Adam
2. Allison. Vocally not perfect, but she has star potential.
I like Kris, but I’m worried about him. Top 8 is always the shocker.
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Thanks for the clarification, Judy! 🙂
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Re Simon and the standing ovation: Several people tonight have been asking whether Simon has ever done that before. I believe he did that with both David Cook and Fantasia…?
Adam was pretty awesome tonight…!
Kris is so talented, evidenced by the great strides he has made in this competition, but I too am worried about him. Go figure; usually, after such an amazing performance, such as Kris’ last week “Ain’t No Sunshine”, it’s hard for them to continue to live up to it. I hope he makes it through tonight ’cause I think he is one of the few who definitely has a chance to beat Adam out of the title! 🙂 (I know I may get a lot of comments from the Adam lovers here, but I couldn’t help it; those are my true thoughts)
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Let me clarify one thing; I realized in my above post that I wanted someone, anyone, to beat Adam. Not so. I just meant that Kris added a lot of competition to the show…honestly, it would be so boring to me if one contestant “totally had it in the bag” before the top four. That’s all. 🙂
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Sorry, typo: Ignore directly above post; it’s late and I’m not making sense. lol
Let me clarify one thing; I realized in my above post that IT SOUNDED LIKE I wanted someone, anyone, to beat Adam. Not so. I just meant that Kris added a lot of competition to the show…honestly, it would be so boring to me if one contestant “totally had it in the bag” before the top four. That’s all. 🙂
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Stone Rose. Hello. 🙂
Adam is my fave, but I see what u r saying about Kris. I think Kris would have done great last season where being a musician was the focus. Kris has great arrangements which is creative, but Adam’s artistry is over-shadowing many of the performers. Artistry goes beyond coming up with fresh arrangements and Adam Lambert is proving that in spades. Each performance, love it or hate, is always signature Adam.
That said, I really hope Kris does not go home, but top 8 is the shocker week, he sang early in the line-up, got bad comments from judges, a boy is going home, and the other contestants stepped up tonight. No one was really bad. I actually think Kris & Allison should be in the top 3 with Adam, but the show seems to be pushing Danny and I have a feeling it will be at Kris’ expense.
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Just have to say Adam’s rendition of “Mad World” was breathtaking. Simon’s standing ovation was well-deserved.
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Wow! What a very interesting (somewhat rushed) night! LOL I definitely think they should’ve gone the hour and a half route one more time. There were, overall, a lot of solid performances, but also a few flops as well. Top 8 is known sort of as the “shocker week”, so it will be interesting to see how tomorrow plays out. Anyway, here’s my review of tonight’s performances:
1. Danny Gokey–“Stand By Me”: Well, since Danny is my favorite this season, I obviously wasn’t jumping for joy that he had the distinct dishonor of going first (which always seems to be a bad thing at this stage of the competition). However, I am very thankful to say that Danny assured me with his awesome performance that he isn’t going ANYWHERE tomorrow night! I LOVED his version of “Stand By Me”! I have heard that song so many times on Idol, but Danny changed it up and put his own special touch on it! It was a truly dynamic performance, and I thoroughly did not want it to end when it did. I can’t wait to get the studio version! This guy has never let me down yet this season. I grow more and more of a fan of his each week! Go Gokey! *Standing Ovation*
2. Kris Allen–“All She Wants To Do Is Dance”: Well, it had to happen sometime. After consistently performing strong every week since the the Top 13, Kris was bound to have one off-night, and unfortunately tonight was that night. The fact that he performed so early on tonight (and thus with his sub-par performance may be forgettable by the night’s end) adds insult to injury. I have to say that I don’t like this whole “I’m going to go off the stage and mingle with the crowd” thing that has been happening the last two weeks. Matt did it last week and did bad, and now Kris followed in his footsteps and got the same result. It’s good to interact with the audience and all, but I firmly believe that you need to stay on that stage! By not doing so, I felt like the song was controlling Kris, rather than vice-versa as it should have been. I hope Kris makes it through this week (based on his past performances), but this week may be the first time he makes the Bottom 3.
3. Lil Rounds–“What’s Love Got To Do With It”: Okay, here’s my honest opinion–I am really starting to wonder why people consider Lil a frontrunner in this competition. She has an amazingly powerhouse voice, but that’s really it. She picks a song to sing each week and just fails to leave her mark on it. The reason why David Cook excelled last year was because he took some risks, changed songs around, and truly made each performance his own. Obviously, considering he won it all, that seems to be a recipe for success. It is a recipe that Lil had better get a hold of and start taking to heart ASAP. Song choice could improve too. The song she chose tonight is karaoke to the EXTREME, and singing it usually (as it did tonight) just seems to come off corny. In all fairness, she deserves the Bottom 3 tomorrow night. However, I like her as a person and sincerely hope she can improve.
4. “True Colors”: You know, I just wasn’t on the same page as the judges on this one. I admit wholeheartedly that it was way above and beyond last week’s performance. Once again, Anoop proved that he is more suited to ballads than perhaps he would like to believe. My only problem is that I know this song very well (Well, the Phil Collins version anyway), and I dearly love it. To be honest, though, as Anoop was singing it, I kept thinking “Man, this is no where near as good as the original.” Perhaps I am a bit biased though. I’ll hand it to Anoop dog. He definitely improved and (though I’m not 100% convinced of his safety) he doesn’t deserve to go home this week.
5. Scott MacIntyre–“The Search Is Over”: Okay, I totally thought the judges were out of line on this one. Paula has been constantly nagging him every week to step away from his piano and out of his comfort zone. Tonight, no doubt very apprehensive, Scott had the courage to not only step away from his piano, but to play one mean guitar as well. I absolutely LOVED his song choice and was thoroughly entertained by his performance. He was my second favorite of the night, and I will not hesitate to download his studio version off iTunes. Bravo, Scott! You had the most COURAGEOUS performance of the night by a mile. I will be indignant if he goes home this week.
6. Allison Iraheta–“I Can’t Make You Love Me”: Well, Allison sure as heck made me love her tonight. I predict that she will be the last female standing at some point in the competition. She is by far the strongest female this season, and she deserves to make it down to at least the Top 5 or Top 4. She has such a distinct sound and a big, potent voice. I agree with Simon though. She has GOT to find some way to really connect with the viewers at home. She sort of has a “bottled-up” personality at times that I just wish she would let loose and break free of! As for tonight’s performance, I believe it was stellar. Great job, Allison!
7. Matt Giraud–“Part Time Lover”: Ladies and gentleman, Matt Giraud is BACK!!!! I said last week that I was confused about who he was as an artist. Well, what he did tonight, THAT is who he NEEDS to be as an artist! He took an older song and made it seem very hip and soulful. He took command of that stage with some really good choreography, and I LOVED his hat! Overall, there is only one word to decribe his performance: “Cool!”
8. Adam Lambert–“Mad World”: Well, first off, I loved the whole environment on the stage as he performed. The lighting was amazing and pleasantly surreal. Overall, a very cool effect! I liked Adam’s performance in that he didn’t shriek this time. It was actually very easy on the ears, proving that he can do ballads with no problem. The downside for me was that the whole performance kind of felt like a lullaby to me. I was sort of ready to drift off to sleep halfway through. Had he not gone last tonight, he may have been forgettable to some. However, while I wasn’t much on his song choice, I have to admit that his technical presentation was flawless as usual. He is so safe right now it isn’t even funny.
So, who do I think our Bottom 3 will be? Hmm . . . That’s a tough one this week. My picks would be Lil, Kris, and (though I completely disagree) Scott. Who do I hope goes home? Lil, for sure. Honestly, for a variety of reasons, everyone else deserves to stay in this week.
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Adam – simply stunning
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For the record, this was the first standing ovation Simon has ever given to a contestant on American Idol (only counting performance shows– he usually stands after the winner announcement and returning Idol contestants). He’s given several on the British show X-Factor, but this was definitely a first for AI.
And how deserving. What a truly breathtaking performances– easily the best so far this year, and one of the best ever.
I must also mention that I really enjoyed Allison, Matt, and Anoop tonight. The former two in particular gave very strong, vote-worthy performances.
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Adam’s performance — ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.
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I cannot wait to hear your critique and perspective on their vocals tonight, MCL.
I do have to admit that Adam is really what drives me to turn on the television Tuesday nights. I began the season looking forward to hearing Danny Gokey sing, before Adam demonstrated his vocals with Satisfaction. But I guess I am still looking to hear something different from Gokey, his voice is nice and distinct. But it also seems like the factor that is making his music seem monotonous to me.
I love the cover Gary Jules did, there is a lot of comparison between Jules and Adam’s version. I can’t say which I enjoyed better. Jules had a very consistent tone and mood to it whereas Adam’s performance reaches that climactic point where you realize that you are hopelessly drawn. Beautiful song choice on his part, interesting to see his set up with his attire and the lighting.
A very promising future ahead for Adam.
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I loved Adam’s performance tonight. I have loved the song “Mad World” since I was a college student. He did this performance brilliantly.
That aside, I worry about his standing in the show because he performs well SO consistently. He hasn’t had any real critique from the judges since he performed “Satisfaction”, and that was very mild.
I worry that people will take him forgranted and forget to vote as we get closer to the top 5 and the save is no longer in play. We’ve seen others go out early in the past.
Maybe he will be different because there hasn’t been an “Adam” in the past seasons of Idol. He is just amazing.
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Here is a comment made on another site regarding the last note: (MCL could you comment on this)
“To those who say Adam had pitch problems– have you taken music theory? What he does is pure musical genius. He didn’t mess up on the last note, I believe what he did was an augmented unison note, aka half step which makes for a chilling tone (as heard on jaws the movie) In cases where a musician uses augmented notes a layman think the musician is pitchy but in reality the pitch is spot on. In sum: Adam is a genius. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_unison
Very beautifully done.”
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Lynn. People who are non fans are just looking for excuses to put down a PERFECT performance.
Adam is going to have a wonderful career.
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I agree with you except on one point: To be honest, I would hesitate to even consider Lil’s voice in the powerhouse category. The way Lil sings, her voice doesn’t really have that much “meat” to it at all—anywhere in her range. She also has a tendency to fall flat on her higher notes, which at the highest might still be considered mid-range. She does seem like a lovely person inside and out, and I can tell that she truly wants to win this competition, but as the judges have noted, she has yet to establish a unique artistic identity for herself. And in the end, my response to Lil is always lukewarm. She is not an awful singer by any stretch of the imagination, but she is not “amazing” either. I always find her performances simply “okay” with no strong feelings either way.
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OMG ADAM just blows me away! Each week, I say, “How can he top that?”…Mad World was breathtaking!!
Allsion was great. She may take the title because there is a lot of backlash on Adam (too theatrical, too much pimping, etc,)
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My thoughts on last night:
Danny: Good performance as usual, but I wasn’t crazy about the arrangement.
Kris: I need to see him put his instrument down and actually move around the stage. He took an uptempo song and copped out by surrounding himself with the audience so he didn’t have to take the stage. Dissappointing, but he deserves to stay for sure.
Anoop: Nice vocal! He proved he has a great voice.
Lil: To me, this was her worst performance. She has no lower register, and she pretty much does do karaoke. Sorry, she should be in the bottom this week.
Scott: Song was too big for him, and he doesn’t have the chops for power ballads. Nice to see him take a risk though. I suspect he will be in the bottom.
Allison: Great vocal. I can’t believe she is only 16! She performs like a pro!
Matt: Nice way to change things up! I did think he took too much liberty with the melody (too many runs for my taste), but I was pleasantly surprised.
Adam: For those who have studied vocal technique, the amount of skill he shows is incredible. It is VERY difficult for anyone, especially a man, to sing in that range but sit in a chair and be so soft. The last note was a bit of a wobble for a second, but he corrected it. To even attempt it with so little volume was very gutsy. Most singers use a lot of power to hit notes that high (the infamous Glory Note). Good for him to take a big risk and go for it (cause we saw he didn’t in dress rehearsal)!
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Just a quick question…where can I see the dress rehearsal performances on the web that others have referenced? Thanks!
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Ceejay,
I think the dress rehearsal performances that people are referring to are the clips that they show of each performer at the end of the show. In the past, I’ve read that these clips are from the dress rehearsals because they don’t have time to put them together from the actual show.
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AI struck gold with Adam Lambert. That performance was nothing short of brilliant, from the lighting, attire, vocals, emotion…amazing.
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I am not really a “fan” of Adam Lambert. However, it was so nice to hear him just sing last night and not go too high. It was AMAZING!
Anoop’s song choice was perfect. He was great again this week.
I am annoyed that the judges are giving Scott such mixed messages. He is probably very confused by it. I know I am. Paula told him to step away from the piano occasionally. He did, and now they’re telling him to go back to it. They told him to go more up-tempo. He did, but they said it was too big for him. Make up your minds, judges!
Also, I TOTALLY disagree with Simon about Scott’s song. I really was able to feel it and I enjoyed it very much. I think Scott did too, from his expression. In my opinion, it is NOT a bad song.
Lil should go home tonight, in my opinion. Her performances have been good but VERY ordinary to me. Nobody else deserves to go home yet. That said, Alexis didn’t deserve to go yet either, right? I REALLY hope Scott doesn’t go home this week.
We’ll see though. You never know with this show.
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Good morning everyone!
I am having a slow start to a very busy day, but thank you all for your insightful commentary.
I have to start working on my Vocal Masterclass article, but would like to address the comments re Adam’s notation on his final note. I barely noticed it myself because the performance was an artistic masterpiece and I was drawn into the intensity of his vocal delivery.
However, it was so minimal and it may have been intentional on his part. Or his breathing may have not kicked in properly and he technically made the adjustments for the remainder of the note.
Or he may have wanted to add a decorative note before the final note.
However, It doesn’t really matter. The majority of the time value of the final note was perfectly centered and clear. Gorgeous
So many theories and, in the end, who cares? He rocked that stage like never before.
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MCL, I think it was intentional (re- the last note).
Did you catch all the nuggets in that performance?
He was playing the child who doesn’t want the world to see him. (dim lighting). Nice touch wearing white (innocence). The boyish hair (gosh he almost looked like Archie LOL). The inflections (the word nervous was to die for). Him standing up asking us to “look right through me” (this moment in the performance was so powerful). And the head voice again= gorgeous!!!
Now THAT’S artistry!
I would argue that this was one of the best performances ever delivered on Idol, if not THE best.
MCL, this was a masterpiece.
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While Adam sings Mad World waves of feeling keep washing over me. So Hauntingly Beautiful.
He surprises me, every week.
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And then skid comes in to ruin the day…….
Sorry, but with the exception of Adam, (and even his performance I have reservations about) I wasn’t impressed enough with anyone’s performance to any degree that it will clearly stand out in my mind, or was one that I even remember. Already, I’ve forgotten 7 of them. I thought some of the kids did ok, and some did not; and Adam, as brilliant as the vocals, lighting, mood, and everything else was, I am still not convinced that he truly believes in what he is singing. I’m sure that will irritate and perhaps even “anger” many of you, but that’s the way I feel. I guess at 49 years old and having been “drawn” to emotional singers all my life I must be missing something, because I clearly am not on the same page as many of you are about Adam’s ability to connect to a song when he sings it.
As I have always felt, and by his own admission last night, Adam has always liked to “dress up” and “play a role” so to speak, and despite his stellar vocal performance, I still felt I saw a man playing a role, and I’m not entirely sure I can ever get beyond that where Adam is concerned. Why? Because he hasn’t done anything yet to make me believe he is NOT playing a role. I felt his take on the song was, for lack of a better way to say it, too “desperate” especially given that the song itself is all about emotional emptiness. Emptiness is just that, empty. The meaning of the song itself would suggest that it be sang with “subtle intensity” as opposed to “desperation.” I equate the lyrics to one being almost “indifferent” to their life, and desperation is not indifference. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The whole thing just did not ring true to me.
I’m sorry. I just didn’t get it.
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Oh Skid. You will never get Adam, but that’s ok. LOL. He is generating a lot of praise today. The odd person who does not get him won’t make much of a difference. And besides, it’s impossible to please everyone and we all have our own opinion and tastes. Nothing wrong with that. It’s just that my opinion is the right one! j/k hahahahaha.
🙂
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I agree with what Skid is saying here….I think Adam put out a stellar performance last night…but it was a performance. I have never, including last night, felt like I have truly seen Adam and who he is. I always feel like I’m watching him play a role…
Having said this, I intended no malice. Just agreeing with Skid. 🙂
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Sorry girls, but Adam owned me and my heart last night. So much emotion in that delivery. 🙂
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I’m so with you ILoveIdol…Adam owned my heart last night. My heart actually ached for him.
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Oh Skid. You will never get Adam, but that’s ok. LOL. He is generating a lot of praise today. The odd person who does not get him won’t make much of a difference. And besides, it’s impossible to please everyone and we all have our own opinion and tastes. Nothing wrong with that. It’s just that my opinion is the right one! j/k hahahahaha.
ILoveIdol:
Ok, so you were kidding. However, you’re wrong. I do get Adam, just as well and in ways perhaps better than you do. Despite how talented I think he is, and despite the fact that I think he’s way ahead of the others as far as what he has to offer musically; both of which I believe I’ve reiterated many times here, I can still be objective about his performances. Are you able to do the same?
I’m glad he’s getting tons of praise today, that must mean there are others who think he’s earned it. But I certainly am not going to defer my position to you or anyone else simply because you, and perhaps others, want to label me “the odd person who does not get him and won’t make much of a difference.”
In my opinion, and although this may seem disrespectful, it’s really not meant to, Adam, at this point, is nothing more than a “role player.” A talented one, but nonetheless, a role player at heart. My opinion? I feel he’s afraid of his own emotions and feelings, and it’s much easier for him to “be a character” acting out those feelings rather than being a real live person who is willing to confront them when he gives a performance. Again, just my opinion, but I feel that’s his one and only drawback as an artist. Disagree though you might, it doesn’t make me “odd” nor does it mean that I would ever consider you “odd” because you did not feel the same way. We are just two people with two varying opinions.
I happen to think my objectivity about Adam might be a much needed commodity here. I’m sorry that you don’t agree. One thing I can assure you of, being labeled, and being told I won’t make a difference doesn’t carry any weight with me, and won’t stop me from writing what I feel. You’ll have to try another approach.
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skid:
“I do get Adam, just as well and in ways perhaps better than you do.”
Oh, my!
Do we need to bow down?
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skid:
“I do get Adam, just as well and in ways perhaps better than you do.”
Oh, my!
Do we need to bow down?
LOL. That one kinda hurt, but hey, no worries at this end.
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skid:
“I do get Adam, just as well and in ways perhaps better than you do.”
Oh, my!
Do we need to bow down?
BooBooKitty;
If you feel you must.
The point I was trying to make was that I can be objective about him, which, I think, gives one the ability to paint a clearer picture in any given situation, not just one involving Adam Lambert. If you want to turn that into my feeling superior to ILoveIdol or anyone else for that matter, by all means, feel free.
Continue on with your attempts to attack me personally, and/or attack my character. But know beforehand, it won’t work. I’m not easily dictated to altering my views because of pressure or attacks by others.
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Here is a quote from David Coury. David is a celebrity vocal coach, and he trained successful singers such as Leona Lewis.
“Adam Lambert has emerged as an artist rather than a singer competing to win American Idol. And how is an artist born? By being original. Ingrid Bergman once said, “Be yourself. The world worships the original.” Good advice. A no-brainer for big success. And each of us are THE original, just most — in this case singers– believe the answers lie somewhere outside of themselves. What Adam gets is “himself.” He knows who he is and how that translates to the music. It takes courage to be present to one’s impulses and follow through. Yes, it’s all about the follow-through. Making choices is the same as taking a stand. And choice, stance equal the oft heard “take a risk” when given as advice to a singer in a competition. Why does it feel so “risky” for these singers to be themselves? Because they are worried about being liked or looking bad and what ends up happening are these middle-of-the-road performances. Risk being disliked and looking bad and you will be yourself, the original. And being yourself on Idol means picking your song, wearing your look and executing your vocal. Be in charge of you and the artist will emerge.”
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I’m a bit offended by the notion that Adam is “afraid of his own feelings and emotions”. He is the first openly gay contestant ever in the top 12 and is taking on that role with dignity and without allowing it to overshadow his tremendous talent and skill. He’s the last person that I would describe as being afraid of himself. All gay teenagers are subject to a great deal of emotional torment, from their family to their friends to society as a whole. There’s no doubt that Adam has had his own struggles with this. Sadly, he is not allowed to share any of this on the show. But by singing a song like “Mad World” he has come as close to doing that as he possibly could and there’s no doubt in my mind that he was sharing with the audience something very real and personal.
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Skid–don’t worry, my friend. You’re not alone in your evaluation of Adam. I agree completely with everything you said. To be honest, I am so glad you posted what you did, because there are so many times when I feel like I am the only one in the universe who thinks there is WAY too much hype surrounding Adam. It’s refreshing to know that there are others out there who haven’t already crowned Adam as this year’s American Idol.
What you said about how Adam’s performances seem like he is trying to be some sort of “character,” I know exactly what you mean. He comes off way to over-dramatic for me to take him seriously on an emotional level. One thing I enjoyed about Danny Gokey’s performance (“What Hurts The Most”) last week, for instance, is that he seemed so very connected with that song, and I could feel his genuine emotion pouring through my television set and into my soul. I felt that kind of authenticity last year in David Archuleta as well, and that is the kind of singer I want to win American Idol.
To all of Adam’s fans (before I am savagely bashed on here), please understand that I do think Adam is very talented. I just believe that Adam’s gift is acting on stage and entertaining that way as opposed to being a contemporary recording artist. That said, he is definitely interesting to watch each week, but I just cannot (no matter how hard I try) climb on board the “Adam Lambert” train. He’s just missing something in my opinion. Sorry if that made anyone mad. It’s just my opinion, and I respect yours as well.
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Re: Adam
If you feel you have to see Adam stripped of all stage presence in order to gain a deeper appreciation for him, try going to Youtube and look for his performance of “Come Home” (One Republic). He’s actually crying by the end. And to be fair, it’s one thing to do that in a night/superclub in front of people you know love you, it’s entirely another to do it on national tv for what is a potentially hostile audience. Like it or not, he’s going to be a little guarded.
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I don’t see the “adam doesn’t show emotion” arguements. He devasted me last night and when he sang track of my tears. With Play That Funky Music he had me laughing, With Ring of Fire I was in awe, B or W I felt inspired, and with Satisfaction I felt cool. But hey to each their own. Don’t really wanna dwell on this one. Truce.
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why is skid talking about “objectivity” and “emotions” in the same sentence? doesnt make sense to me.
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skid:
“… I feel he’s afraid of his own emotions and feelings, and it’s much easier for him to “be a character” acting out those feelings rather than being a real live person who is willing to confront them when he gives a performance.”
I’m not sure how you’ve arrived at this conclusion … could you elaborate?
If you take the (highly probable) fact that Adam is gay (or bisexual) into consideration, his performance of Mad World is entirely believable. Mad World also seems like an odd song choice for someone who knows what it’s like to grow up different, but who is ‘afraid of his own emotions and feelings’.
When I look at Adam, I don’t see someone who’s trying to hide himself. It would be so easy to do away with signs such as nail polish and eyeliner … but Adam doesn’t, nor does he flaunt it in people’s faces – he simply wears them as parts of who he is.
And I think that that takes alot of courage and honesty. I don’t see the mask-wearer you see.
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Guess some of us were watching a different program. My husband (not a man to wear his heart on his sleeve) and I had eyes welled up with tears after Adam’s performance. I suspect it’s the reason there are so many genres — one person’s genius is another person’s “meh.”
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he’s gay? who said?
His notes makes me take notice and I am deaf as a doornail. Although, I do enjoy opera.. I am not keen on monotone singers that have been paraded through AI for 7 years. Adam is the only one that sounded good to me. Pertaining to Pick on Skid and Galen week, let’s agree to the saying– beauty is to the ear of the beholder. Chill
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I agree with skid, and I must say I loved all Adam performances. But if you look back, let’s say to his chat with Smokey Robinson on Motown night, it looks all his questions and emotions he’s showing are overdone, as if he’s playing. And that’s the feeling I get from him all the time, like he has this nice scenario made for every word he’ll say and he just perfoms it on the stage.
Popaj (non native speaker 🙂
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Masterclass Lady — I’d looking forward to your detailed analysis of Adam’s performance. In particular, I’m wondering if you can describe what parts of this were sung with his chest voice, his head voice, his falsetto. I have a very hard time with him, telling where he’s transitioning. He makes it all so fluid. I’m interested too to know a bit about how singing sotto voce affects these transition points or affects which voice a singer is using. (I’m not a singer — just have a fledgling interest in the technical aspects because of Adam.)
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Stone Rose, Skid, Galen and Popaj – I think I understand what you are saying. I went back today to view Clay Aiken’s Solitaire which has always been one of my favorites. There is that special lighting effects and pitch perfect voice. Clay draws you in completely as Neil Sedaka said.
Adam’s performance was breathtaking! However, I do sometimes feel Adam is adapting a character rather than feeling the emotion. Movie and stage actors sometimes do that rather than emerge themselves into the role and become a part of it.
Adam’s performance is so unique, I had to go back to Season 2 to find a comparable performance. I cried as did Neil when Clay performed Solitaire.
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Since I didn’t start watching Idol until Season 4, Kariann, I’m sorry to say that I don’t know the Clay Aiken performance you’re talking about or how it is comparable to Adam’s style of performing. However, should I get the chance, maybe I will check it out on YouTube.
As for Adam, he is certainly unique, Kariann, I’ll give you that much for sure! I am glad that you sort of understand what some people (including myself) mean by saying that Adam sometimes adopts a “character” when he performs. I don’t really blame him for doing so. After all, his strength is acting, and I think he is trying to play to those strengths. I just wish I could get some genuine emotion from him at some point in the competition. I don’t want to see a “character played by Adam Lambert” sing each week. I want to see ADAM LAMBERT himself sing, you know? Maybe that sounds a bit cheesy, but it’s just how I feel.
I have to tell you something though. This is just something I am sharing with you all. It is not intended to start a fight. I have this weird gut feeling that Adam is not going to make it all the way this season. Don’t ask me why, because I really can’t put my finger on it. He is so popular right now, and it would be a safe bet for anyone to say he is going to be the 2009 American Idol. However, I just feel like all kinds of hype (too much really) has surrounded him a little too quickly for his own good. If people believe he is untouchable when it comes to being voted off, they may become lazy when it comes to voting for him. I’ve seen it happen before many times throughout this show’s history, and I just have this gut feeling that it could very easily happen again if Adam’s fans are not VERY faithful every week (and by faithful I mean willing to sit by the telephone and vote non-stop for two solid hours). It’ll be interesting to see how this season plays out. Nothing is written in stone. Adam is just as vulnerable as everyone else is, though for possibly different reasons. I have a feeling that a surprising ending (whether wanted or not) just may be in store for this season.
As for me, I hope an underdog wins. Adam Lambert is sort of the “Apollo Creed” right now in American Idol. He seems to be in a league of his own and no one else stands a chance of defeating him. I guess for me I always like to see that “Rocky Balboa” come out of nowhere and overcome a frontrunner like that. But I suppose that is just me.
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I think that gut level feeling has to do with the core base of Adam’s fans. What might happen is if Danny is eliminated, his fans will vote for Kris; they share a similar base of fans. By the same token, it is possible that Kris’ fans would move on to Danny if he goes home.
The combination of both Kris and Danny’s fans could pass up Adam’s votes. I still see Adam in the Final 3. It seems he is the only singer to have had the “moment.”
I know Anoop won’t be around much longer but I am grateful to seeing him perform again!
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Kariann, Thanks for bringing up the Solitaire performance by Clay Aiken–it truly was a moment! And, of course, Galen’s gut feeling that Adam will not win may come to pass because he is, in spite of his tremendous talent, controversial. In spite of my love for Danny and Matt, last night I had a gut feeling that the ultimate winner will be Allison.
Speaking of Allison, I thought she gave a terrific performance on Tuesday evening, HOWEVER, in the past, I remember very clearly that the judges–and Simon in particular–have always given the very young contestants a bad time if they sang songs with lyrics that were too old for them to really understand (he always did this to Diana DiGarmo and I believe Paris too). As Allison was singing I Can’t Make You Love Me on Tuesday night, I was expecting that reaction afterwards, but no one said a word about that. It’s interesting how they let things pass when they REALLY like the contestant but they look for things to criticize when they don’t like them. Diana DiGarmo and Clay Aiken were also too “broadway”!!! I haven’t yet heard them say THAT about Adam.
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Sorry but am moved to respond to all the “Adam is acting” dribble. Two things: as a gay man, I found his performance honest, heartfelt and truly moving. The lyrics obivously meant something to him and that came across brilliantly. And seoond, sorry but broadway shmoardway. Yes, he has a clear and developed understanding of creating drama – and has the chops to back it up – in the same way that Freddie Mercury had, Bowie and Elton used to have, Gaga is starting to show. Mix that with his vocal talent and look you have the first AI performer that has moved me since Fantasia. More please!!!!
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“I have this weird gut feeling that Adam is not going to make it all the way this season. Don’t ask me why, because I really can’t put my finger on it. He is so popular right now, and it would be a safe bet for anyone to say he is going to be the 2009 American Idol.”
I tend to agree with you. Not everyone is going to get Adam. And his sexuality will scare lots of voters away. I think the fundie vote will get Danny across the line. And even though the smug one is undoubtedly a better singer than Taylor Hicks, I foresee a similar post-Idol career trajectory.
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Oh, the irony of it all! Simon was such a jerk with truly talented people like Diana and Clay. In his search for the top Pop Star he was quick to criticize those who could carry the glory note. Adam’s performances have been theater for the most part. Good entertainment!
I really feel Taylor Hicks ranks way higher than Danny. Taylor was an entertainer, had a unique voice, and was truly funny. I am happy he did win! Just my humble opinion.
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Actually it has been said about Adam. Simon said in his audition that he thought he was theatrical. Hollywood week he was told that he was dramatic and they were not feeling him, or some such thing. In Satisfaction, Simon told him there were parts that were horrible. and with ROF it was rubbish and self-indulgent. The thing with Adam is that he learns from what they say, and he has dialed it back, which was very obvious in his second performance of Satisfaction on results night. I have to really wonder if this would even be an issue if we did not know about his background.
In regards to using the glory note, I think it is how that glory note is used which will get comments of “sounding” theatrical or not. Just my opinion.
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Rama,
I personally think Adam is extremely talented and more than theatrical. I’m not a gay man, but I too have found his two ballad performances to be very moving so I find the discussion about that to be rather puzzling. But when I made the comment about the judges never mentioning “Broadway” to Adam, I think no one can deny that Adam could be great on Broadway. So why are they not mentioning that to him when they’ve mentioned it to others as if it was a negative trait to bring to the show?
I also understand what you’re saying about the “fundie” vote getting Danny across the line. I happen to be a big fan of Danny but I consider myself to be very liberal. I am not letting his “fundie” connections influence my appreciation of his talent, just as I hope others won’t let their conservative views prevent them from appreciating Adam’s unbelievable talent. This is a talent contest and that is all that SHOULD matter!!!
I also have to add that I’ve never felt that Danny is “smug.” I think he may just have a peacefulness and confidence that stems from his religious beliefs that maybe people are misinterpreting as smugness. Even though I really appreciate Danny’s voice and I enjoy seeing him perform, I will be surprised if he ever becomes a big star. I also see him more along the lines of a Taylor Hicks performer–but I personally love Taylor!
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There are a few things I would like to clear up before I go on to answer some of the questions/comments that have been posed to me:
For the record, if anyone wants to go back and read any of my posts here, you will find that I have given Adam very high and lofty praise for his abilities. In fact, I think I was the first one here who remarked about the sensitivity and deep feelings I could see written on Adam’s face. But my thinking he has them within does not mean I think he is bringing those things to his performances. And my opinions about Adam are just that, opinions. I can’t fathom why others are placing so much importance on them. In the big scheme of things they are not worth placing that much emphasis on.
However, since many people here think I’m way off base in what I have posted here, I’d like to offer the insight of Master Class Lady herself, who wrote this on April 1st as a response to something I had posted earlier that day:
Skid -no worries there. However, I actually feel the same way. Adam entertains me but doesn’t truly move me -yet.
I think that he hasn’t totally revealed the true depth of his soul – similar to what I felt when I saw Scott or Kris’ performances this week.
What’s missing is the vulnerability – which we clearly see in his post-performance banter. He closes the door when he sings and opens it after he sings.
And the same day, responding to someone else, she also wrote:
Well, I want to see who Adam is as an artist -it is what makes him so very special. All the pent-up emotion when he sings is creating some tension in his voice that I know is not there when he performs freely. C’mon Adam – let ‘er rip.
All the pent up emotion, said she. And I could not agree more.
Wyvernspur, how I arrived at the conclusion that Adam was hiding his emotions rather than showing them is because of all the “dramatic” flair I feel Adam brings to all his performances. Whether it’s slight or blatant, it’s always there; and it’s not necessary. Adam’s been “in the business” long enough to know that. I don’t buy into the theory that he is “of the theatre” so that is what he is naturally going to do. He’s certainly smart enough to know that this show is as much about “intimacy” as it is about talent. People become “emotionally invested,” and eventually they need more than seeing someone “put on a show.” They need to “see” the person within. So far, I have not. I think he hides who he is behind all the “drama.” I see that as his way of giving one a sense of who he might be, but still creating enough of a barrier for him that he is not fully telling you who he is. As for Adam’s sexuality, I’m not even going that route, and am surprised that others have. What the heck does that have to do with anything, and who, for that matter, cares who or what he loves? That’s entirely up to him and to me, has no place in these discussions. I know many people who cover up their emotions because they are just too scared or too proud to let others find out how sensitive or caring they really are; seeing exposing themselves as a weakness rather than a strength, and their sexuality has absolutely nothing to do with them being that way. And as for the eyeliner and nail polish, I disagree. I think Adam has toned it down, just as he has done with his attire. So yes, I do think he is as susceptible to the pressures of being “molded” by AI as anyone else has been, maybe just not to the same degree. And what he wore, cosmetic or otherwise was never an issue with me anyway. I don’t care about that, or his sexuality. I’m not one to judge a book by its cover. I’m much more interested in the book itself.
operagloria: I don’t think I used objectivity and feelings in the same sentence or the same paragraph for that matter. However, yes, I did use them in the same post. Let me clear it all up and say, the point I was trying to make was that I was not going to let my “feelings” about how brilliant and talented I think Adam is allow me to say that his performance was “out of this world” when I didn’t think it was. It’s so easy for one to do that—to overlook what they don’t want to see just because of the way they feel about an individual or out of a sense of “loyalty” to that person. And yes, I do believe that there are many people who watch AI who aren’t objective. Not that they don’t want to be, they just aren’t, and they don’t even know it. I absolutely loved Taylor Hicks, and right from the get go wanted him to be the winner of AI 5. But let me tell you, I took A TON of heat from other people on message boards when I would post “nothing less than absolute perfection” about his AI performances. It would have been easy to just post that he was stellar and everything about his performance was wonderful, and it would have been the popular thing to do, but it would have been a lie. Why would I want to do that? How is that helpful to Taylor? I didn’t do it with Taylor Hicks, and I’m not about to do it with Adam Lambert. But that does not mean I am not a fan or that I “don’t get” Adam, and it was that inference that prompted me to write about objectivity in the first place.
rama: No need to apologize. You’re entitled to your opinion, and you won’t have to explain yourself to me. I’ll let you feel what you want to feel without forcing an explanation from you. It’s all good!
sockpuppet: I will watch the video you wrote of. However, honestly, I disagree about the “audience” reference you made in your post. I’m of the mindset that if you are moved by what you are singing, you are moved by it, and that emotion will just show itself naturally, regardless of whether you know everyone in the audience, or no one in it.
And last but certainly not least: Galen, Galen, Galen, dear kind sir that you are—thank you. And although you started out your post by calling me friend, I think it is you who has proven to be the friend. I know you understand what that means, so there is no need to elaborate. You’re a good man, Charlie Brown! 🙂
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Kariann, have you also noticed that the judges always say “I can’t believe that you are 16!” to Allison. They said that about Jordan. OR better yet, the judges would say to 16 year old singers that they are
“not matured yet.”
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the only reason I come in here is to hear intellectual feedback among others. I am sorry to read instead bickering among others. The AI message boards do that. there’s the door.
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Seriously Surely:
With all due respect, any of us to whom you might be referring will leave when Master Class Lady tell us to, not when you do.
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Seriously Surely, I don’t call what is going on here “bickering” by any means. If you are referring to skid’s very thorough post up above, then that is certainly not argumentative in the least. What is taking place here is not a quarrel or an argument. It is a discussion–sometimes perhaps a bit heated, but a discussion none the less. There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with discussing American Idol and having disagreements with one another over certain issues. Just because the minority on here (of which I am unashamedly a part of) are not head-over-heels for Adam, that does not mean that we are being argumentative or rude. We are just expressing our God-given opinion. I make it very clear in all of my posts that while I may disagree with someone about something, that I respect their opinion. Please respect our opinions, Seriously Surely. Just because we don’t praise Adam does not mean that we hate him or are trying to start a fight.
Skids, thank you for your kind words, and I thoroughly appreciate the time and preparation you put into your posts. You take each point you have and support it with evidence. That truly is the sign of a great writer. I am honored to call you a friend.
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skid:
I can’t speak for others, but I wasn’t trying to specifically draw attention to Adam’s sexuality. Rather, I was trying to place his performance in some context.
How do you judge if someone is playing a role, or hiding his feelings, without knowing who that person is or the experiences he has gone through? Is this something you can perceive through voice alone
And like I said, for someone who quite likely grew up different, singing Mad World is an odd way to avoid confronting your feelings. Adam doesn’t need to get into a role for that, it’s entirely believable that he has lived out the lyrics himself.
Also, using terms such as “afraid of his feelings” and implying that somehow he needs to hide them seems to go beyond judging Adam’s singing alone, to judging him as a person. I think that that upset a few other posters. It certainly provoked my first post on this site. Wouldn’t it be equally accurate to say he was ‘unable to convey his feelings to (you)’, rather than implying Adam doesn’t even try (dare) to convey such feelings?
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Seriously Surely, I am sorry you feel the way you do. Several of us have been posting together for several years and feel we can openly disgree and discuss. That’s what makes for a GOOD forum!!
Sorry you weren’t around after a detailed discussion in which I suggested a GROUP HUG!
There are some new people here and I wish to extend my welcome! You will be impressed with MCL’s weekly detailed analysis of each contestant’s performance.
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Galen, I hope you will have time to view Clay Aiken’s Solitaire performance. At the time, I thought it was the best I had seen I the show.
Louise, thank you for coming up with the term I was looking for. Danny and Kris seem to be sharing the “fundie” vote.
Seriously Surely, I thought Randy kept saying, “Jordin’s only 17!” LOL! Maybe she turned 17 during the show?
Lynn, I think Simon made it clear early on that Clay and Diana were too theatrical to be Pop Stars in their auditions prior to their outstanding performances on the show. Thank you for pointing out Simon’s comments towards Adam. Personally, I think all three are terrific singers! :o)
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Kariann,
Credit for the term “fundie” should go to Rama–I was just responding to his use of the term.
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Thanks Kariann1 for welcoming everyone. You kind words are most appreciated.
Group Hug to all of you and let the intellectual discussions begin!
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Let me first say, I don’t believe I’m judging anyone, and the notion that I, or anyone else who might agree with what I have posted is passing judgment on Adam Lambert really irritates me. I’m just forming opinions based on what I have observed, and that is all. If others want to turn expressing opinions that don’t match their own, or ones they don’t particularly like, into meaning that we are judging Adam, that’s up to them.
Wyvernspur wrote: How do you judge if someone is playing a role, or hiding his feelings, without knowing who that person is or the experiences he has gone through? Is this something you can perceive through voice alone?
Yes, I do think one can “detect” things about another from a person’s voice. Pinpoint that person’s experiences, no, but give insight into who that person is, yes, without a doubt. There are many things to consider; inflection, intonation, prosody, etc. This is why writing on boards, blogs, and the like can be difficult, and others’ words can often be misunderstood/misconstrued, because two key elements are missing; you can’t see the person and you can’t hear the variations that occur in one’s voice when you are “listening” to them as opposed to just reading their words. I think listening, truly listening, is a real skill and it takes years and years of practice to be able to do it well. But if you have an idea how to listen and what to listen for, yes, I firmly believe you can learn quite a bit about someone without them really “revealing” themselves to you.
Also, ones’ body language reveals a great deal about “who” they are as well. Again, so many things to consider. How does one place their feet when standing/sitting? How is one holding their head? Where is one pointing their eyes, and are they fixed or moving? Where are their hands placed? How do they shake your hand? I could go on forever.
I think people give clues as to who they are all the time, but those clues are often very subtle and unless you are interested in that kind of thing, you probably wouldn’t even notice them anyway. I don’t think I have to “know” Adam per se’ to get an overall sense of whether he is shy, guarded, extroverted, open…his body language and speech, or lack thereof, will build the framework for helping anyone who is so inclined to figure that out, just as it does for everyone else. And he may in fact be very open about some things and very guarded about others, which will show itself in his body language as well.
Wyvernspur wrote: And like I said, for someone who quite likely grew up different, singing Mad World is an odd way to avoid confronting your feelings. Adam doesn’t need to get into a role for that, it’s entirely believable that he has lived out the lyrics himself.
Wyvernspur, I don’t think I ever once said Adam couldn’t relate to the lyrics of this song.. And with all due respect, asking me to accept that because someone sings a song I can equate that to mean they are sharing part of their real self with their audience, (me) based on just the subject matter of that song is too big a leap. Case in point: Do you really believe that some of the younger contestants on Idol, who have delivered some stellar and unbelievable performances, have actually understood the full weight and meaning of some of the songs they have sung, and really believed in what they were singing? I think not. Maybe they sang the song simply because they liked it, or maybe they sang it because someone suggested to them that it would work well with their voice, I don’t know. But I do know, despite not fully understanding what they were singing about, and/or without fully believing in what they were singing, many of the Idol contestants have been able to pull off totally believable performances. We both know Adam Lambert has not lived out the lyrics of every song he has sung while performing in the theatre. But I’m equally as sure that when he performed some of those songs, he had people thinking he had lived out the lyrics of them. I’m not saying he hasn’t lived the lyrics of Mad World, but rather trying to point out that there’s no doubt in my mind that Adam has performed songs that have had little or nothing to do with his personal life experiences, but nonetheless, he has been able to make it appear as though they have.
I posted that I felt the song was about emotional emptiness, leading to indifference, and based on that, felt Adam’s delivery was too desperate, and for me, that is where “role-playing” aspect I speak of comes in. That is what makes it hard for me to believe that Adam really does believe in what he is singing, there just always seems to have to be “drama” added into the mix when it is not needed. I just felt that his performance did not ring entirely true. Male or female, iron worker or cab driver, married or single, any one and everyone that has been through adolescence and beyond that stage of life, has felt “different” or “alienated” from the world at one point or another. All of us have felt misunderstood, and have felt that whatever we felt didn’t matter one iota to another living soul, and that drains you. I think it’s possible that we all have lived out the lyrics of this song. Adam Lambert included. Just my opinion, and oh, I’ll pay dearly for it, but I personally think it could become very easy, given all the “scuttle” that is out there about Adam, including your own statement that “he quite likely grew up different than the rest of us,” and given that those who love him love him with a vengeance, for people to give Adam’s performance and delivery of the song much more credence than they might be willing to give had any one of the others Idols performed and delivered it in much the same manner.
Wyvernspur wrote: Also, using terms such as “afraid of his feelings” and implying that somehow he needs to hide them seems to go beyond judging Adam’s singing alone, to judging him as a person. I think that that upset a few other posters. It certainly provoked my first post on this site. Wouldn’t it be equally accurate to say he was ‘unable to convey his feelings to (you)’, rather than implying Adam doesn’t even try (dare) to convey such feelings?
Again, I will say, I don’t believe I’m judging anyone. And no, it would not be equally accurate for me to say that Adam is “unable to convey his feelings” to me, because that’s not what I believe. Being a direct individual, I’m not inclined to imply anything, so let me say now to clear up the matter, that what I feel is that Adam “chooses” to hide his real feelings and emotions, not that he “needs” to. Need was your word, not mine.
All this is and ever was is an opinion, an opinion formed or given after consideration of what I have seen and heard when watching him, nothing more. Why are people so hell bent on making this more than it is?
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skid:
I must ask, when does opinion cross the line to become judgement?
Rather than being ‘hell bent on making this more than it is’, I am reacting to what – in my opinion – was an opinion which bordered on being too judgemental. Because, in my mind, commenting (I won’t explicitly say judging, but it seems like judging to me) on Adam as a Person, and not just a singer – quote: “… I feel he is afraid of his own emotions and feelings” – appeared to cross a line for me. I’m not going to pretend that I was acting out of rationality. It simply felt wrong, and so I spoke out.
But, that said, if you have genuinely looked that deeply into Adam (based on your points above) and seen artificiality, I can’t argue with that. I don’t have the skills and experience to dig that deep into people. So if you do, then kudos to you.
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Wyvernspur wrote: “I must ask, when does opinion cross the line to become judgement?”
You know, when you think about it, Wyvernspur, isn’t any type of opinion a judgement of sorts? Let me give you an example to illustrate my point. Let’s say that you decide to rent a movie you have never seen before. After watching it, you most likely will form an OPINION about that movie based on your observation of it. The opinion may be positive or negative, or perhaps a bit mixed. However, by forming an opinion of that movie, you are sort of passing JUDGEMENT on it. You are JUDGING by your personal criteria whether that movie is entertaining or a flop. It is almost impossible to form an opinion about something whithout judging it in some way as well. The two (whether we would like to admit it) do tend to go hand-in-hand a lot of the time.
Therefore, if we form an opinion, judgement is inevitable. The most important thing is that we be careful about WHAT we judge. When an Idol contestant is up on that stage singing each week, is it okay to pass judgement on that performance? ABSOLUTELY! After each performance, each viewer must decide whether he or she liked it, disliked it, or felt something in-between. Therefore, to answser your question, Wyvernspur, opinions do not cross the line and BECOME judgements. Opinions ARE judgements, and those judgements are not only an unavoidable part of our daily lives, but they are a necessary element of American Idol as well. After all, that is why the show has four JUDGES!
Now, the dark side of judgement is when we judge something other than a singer’s performance. For example, judging a contestant’s lifestyle, fashion, or intelligence is very wrong. God is the only being worthy of making judgements about someone’s character. What skid said in his above post about Adam’s performance is not that kind of judgement. He is not judging Adam as a person, but as a performer. At least that was my impression of what he said. I believe there is nothing wrong or immoral at all with that type of judgement. In fact, it really is our responsibility as a viewing audience to do just that for American Idol. We judge all of the performances each week, select our favorites, and vote for them! I agree that Adam is not connecting with me on an emotional level when he sings. That is my judgement of him as a performer and not as a person. I hope that what I said makes some sense. To sum this all up, judgement in and of itself is not a bad thing at all.
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Hey, that post up above is really mine. My brother (who goes by the name Commander-Gage on here) posted last night and I forgot to change the name when I posted the above message. Sorry for the confusion all!
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Not many AI in the past gave a “good show” but Bo Bice, Constantine Taylor Hicks, now Adam. Can anyone else remember an “entertainer”? But those are the ones that I will always remember.
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Seriously Surely, I think you hit the nail on the head in namely previous contestants who were entertainers, and not just singers. And this makes me think about the fact that Carrie Underwood, newly named Entertainer of the Year for country music, was definitely NOT an entertainer when she was on AI. I don’t know if anyone could have predicted the enormity of her success four years ago when they watched her on Idol. I was thinking about her earlier when we talked about contestants not connecting with the music they sing. Anyone remember when Carrie sang MacArthur Park on Idol? I think she even admitted afterwards that she didn’t understand what it was about. So this is an obvious example of someone who has managed to make a spectacular career even though they had some missteps on Idol.
As for the subject of whether or not we are judging the contestants, or merely forming opinions, Commander-Gage (Galen) made some good points. I think we SHOULD just be judging the contestants’ talent, however, the more we get to “know” the contestants week after week, I think it’s easy to begin forming opinions of their personalities too (by their comments, a roll of the eyes, etc.). Right now, for one reason or another, some people perceive Danny to be “smug,” and Anoop to perhaps be a little cocky. I remember during season 5, I formed a negative opinion of Katherine McPhee even though I thought she had a very beautiful voice. Although I never would have thought this at the time, now I think part of my strongly negative feelings about her had to do with the fact that she was real competition for my favorite contestant, Taylor. So I have to wonder if that’s the reason some people are reacting so negatively to Danny–because he has been the most obvious threat to Adam so far–or vice versa–are people reacting negatively to Adam because he is Danny’s biggest competition? This season what I am REALLY trying to do each week is to not let myself get caught up in one contestant to the extent that I lose my objectivity. I’m trying to watch each contestant to see how he or she performs that night. With seven weeks to go, anything can happen.
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Thank you for that interesting post, Louise. You made some very laudable points. What you said about the whole Adam vs. Danny thing may be true to some extent. As an adamant supporter of Danny, I firmly believe that this season’s finale will most likely be Adam and Danny. To be honest, if Danny makes it to the Bottom 2 I will be content. David Archuleta finished second last year (though he shouldn’t have), and he has had an excellent post-Idol career so far. You know, each year I always have a favorite. I’ve always wondered how every season I pick the one I want to win. To be truthful, I think I determine my favorite based on their singing ability (duh), but most importantly on his or her ability to connect emotionally with whatever they are singing. David Archuleta could do that so masterfully last year, just as I think Danny can this year. I know many people here may disagree with me, but Danny Gokey’s “What Hurts The Most” was one of my favorite AI performances of ALL TIME. Why? Not because of excellent vocal technique. Not because of Danny changing it up drastically. The reason I love it is because Danny seemed so connected with that song. It talks about losing someone you love and how you have to try your best each day to carry on in spite of your loss. You have to get up, get dressed, plaster an often times fake smile on your face so everyone thinks you’re “okay”, and just carry on life the best you can. Obviously, it really hit me hard because not only have I lost people in my life who I miss dearly, but I know that Danny had his wife in mind when he picked that song. Adam can do some absolutely AMAZING things on that stage, and his raw talent is easily the best of this season. However, for me (and I know it may be different for others), I just don’t get that necessary ingredient I need the most from Adam–genuine emotion, but I do from Danny. I’ll stop there. I don’t want to fall back into an argument about that again. I just want people to understand why I like Danny.
As far as people being objective, I think that at some point in the show you almost have to pick your favorite and rally behind them. It’s okay to sit on the fence for a time, but to everything there is a season. With the show finally getting down to the nitty-gritty, people should have an idea of who they want to win and really focus on voting for that contestant.
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Rama, THANK YOU for coming up with the term I was looking for!! Danny and Kris seem to be sharing the “fundie” vote, and I think this will prove to be a deciding factor when we head into the TOP 5. There may be sparks flying. 😮
You bet! Fantasia is her name. Please understand I was a DIANA fan all the way, but I must admit Fantasia is probably the only gal that I would categorize as an entertainer. There may have been times I wanted to mute her performances – I don’t like screaming in singing – but I must say she knew how to work the crowd.
I am also interested if there is anyone else to add to Seriously Surely’s list?
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Believe me, Galen, I really get what you’re saying about Danny connecting to some of his songs because of his wife’s death. I can relate to that completely and I agree with you. During the auditions, Danny was the one that stuck in my mind because I liked his sound–the same thing happened to me the year that Taylor Hicks auditioned–and there is nothing I would like more than to see Danny win, but there is also no denying that Adam is oozing with talent from every pore in his body. And I also have to acknowledge the talent of Matt and Allison. You make a good point about getting off the fence and rallying behind a contestant–that’s what a fan base is–and I’ve done that in previous years for the finale, however the only year I voted during the season was season 5 and I voted every week for Taylor even though he had a few weeks that were less than stellar. And the only year I voted for the winner was season 5! I just don’t want to close my mind to the other talented performers this year even though my instincts tell me to go with Danny.
Kariann, I’m not 100% swayed by your suggestion of Fantasia as an entertainer because I’m right with you about not enjoying screaming–that’s why I never enjoyed Chris Daughtrey (although I think he made a terrific CD) and why I’m not sold every week on Adam. I’m sure that last sentence will cause some diehard Adam fans to be a little defensive. 🙂 And for those of you who disagree with me that Adam sometimes screems, I understand that type of music may be pleasurable for you to listen to but it isn’t to me. However, in saying that, it doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciatie his performance skills–I think he is a spectacular talent.
And in reference to Seriously Surely’s mention of Bo Bice, do any of you remember his A Capella performance? When posters have mentioned some of the outstanding Idol performances, I haven’t seen any mention of that one. I remember that as “a moment”!
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Kariann, I want to take back what I said about not agreeing 100% about Fantasia being an entertainer. I just watched several of her performances on YouTube and she gave me chills. Talk about relating to what you are singing–she is phenomenal!!!
I also watched some Taylor performances on YouTube and he was also someone who really FELT what he was singing. I loved his performance of In the Ghetto (I never before liked that song) and also You are So Beautiful.
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Oh, we are on the same wave length, Louise! 😀
I hated the fact that the judges ‘pimped’ Fantasia so much. She had talent but was not the best singer on Season 3. However, she was interesting and you never knew what to expect. I do believe she earned the title of ENTERTAINER, and I couldn’t think of any other female contestant that left this impression.
I don’t like singers who scream while singing, that’s why Chris didn’t impress me. Sometimes he seemed angry. He did have a few good performances, but Taylor had me hooked from the begining. Week after week, he was number one in the voting.
I am sure there will be some who disagree in my attempt to answer Seriously Surely’s. LOL.
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I never saw Season 3 and so don’t know about the judges pimping Fantasia. I have no doubt they did as they seem to do it to one or two contestants every season. All I know is I’m glad American Idol brought her into the public arena. I only discovered her after the show and was immediately sold. Her interpretative abilities literally can make me cry. She just FEELS everything she sings and has the talent to back that up. Aretha and Renee Geyer are probably the only other singers who can have that effect on me.
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rama, one thing Season 3 had was funny commercials and very good Group performances.
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Louise and kariann–do u remember
Fantasia’s “ENTERTAINING” us with the red-hair and the jumping around on the stage? it was after she had won years later. Simon’s shocked face was certainly memorable.
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My sister loved Chris. I asked why and she said that he had a neat tone to his voice. When he was eliminated, she refused to watch AI and still hasn’t to this day. I thought it is quite silly of her. She dislaked Taylor Hicks. I like to say that it is beauty to the EAR of the beholder. I don’t say who I like or don’t like because I enjoyed them all.
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*disliked*
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Seriously Surely, who can forget that performance? Oh, my goodness… I beleieve even some diehard Fantasia fans were in a state of shock! LOL. I remember the camera zooming in on Simon’s horrified look.
You are right, we all have our own individual preferences!
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Re. Fantasia’s performance of Bore Me on the AI7 results show: was it OTT? Absolutely. Was it fab? ABSOLUTELY!
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Galen,
Are you still going to say you are my friend when I tell you I’m female and not male? 🙂
And thank you so much for your post about opinions/versus judgment. I have always considered a judgment to be as you described, as “questioning” or “attacking” someone’s character because you may not agree with the choices they make or how they choose to live their life. I agree, that’s certainly not up to any of us to decide.
As you stated, I don’t think I was doing that with Adam. I was only trying to state my opinion of him as a performer, nothing more and nothing less. If that came across as a judgment of him, it was not intended to.
It’s all water under the bridge now, but I did want to stop by and thank you for your most eloquent and impressive post. You said it better than I could have, that;’s for sure. And said it in a way that didn’t create any tension or hard feelings, which we both know I could not have done.
Thanks, my friend!
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Thank you, skid! You’re definitely still my friend, and I’m sorry I mistook you for a “he” rather than a “she”! The funny part is that someone recently mistook me for a female (I’m actually a male) on here, so I know how you feel. I guess there’s a lot of name gender confusion going on here! LOL
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