Tonight, American Idol features the final stop of the Season 11 audition tour – the city of St. Louis. Think we’ll find any blues singers? One can only hope!

Wednesday’s Portland show was pretty weak, I thought. Lots of people with back stories and mediocre voices. I can’t see many going far during Hollywood week. We’ll see soon enough!

I am pretty much done with these auditions and just want the live performances to “kick-in”.

Right now, it is a veritable snail fest, although the atmosphere created by the judges and Ryan Seacrest has greatly improved. Lots of positive vibes and good will.

I honestly feel that the American Idol live performances should start sooner so as to avoid colliding with and/or get a jump-start on The Voice and Smash. You know, the early bird gets the worm and all that.

NBC is going to kick some butt with these shows. I hope Fox is ready for a fight.

Are you enjoying the Season 11? Do you think the ratings will improve once the live shows begin?

For some reason, many, if not all, comments have been transferred to my Spam Folder. I am trying to correct this technical issue with the WordPress staff. However, until it is rectified, please note that I will retrieve your comments and post them online ASAP. In fact, I have already done so with comments added over the last three days or so.

Thank you so much for your patience and support.

By: Rosanne Simunovic

Well at long last and with much fanfare we are down to our final two singers, country artists Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery.

In a nutshell, both singers looked and sounded exhausted and nervous. I am sure, as we all are, that they just want this experience, however exciting, to end so they can resume their lives from here on in.

However, there is a big difference – our lives will go back to normal whereas their lives will be forever changed. I hope they are ready for the pressures of the “biz” and that their family members keep them rooted and grounded despite all the changes in their lives.

Best of luck to both Lauren and Scotty. They appear to be wholesome young adults and I wish them nothing but the best in the years ahead.

Let us move forward to my Vocal Masterclass evaluations and I welcome your commentary and suggestions after the read!

Here are my evaluations and, remember, I am reviewing each singer in (first name) alphabetical order. Your comments are always welcome. To quickly access individual singers, simply click on the singer’s link below.

Lauren Alaina, Scott McCreery,

LAUREN ALAINA

“Flat On The Floor”(Personal Favorite), “Maybe It Was Memphis” (Carrie Underwood’s Choice) and

“Like My Mother Does(New Single)

Strengths: Lauren – your “Flat On The Floor” number was a spirited ride. You sang this song with a ton of youthful energy and attitude.

This song was first performed during Top 5 Performance Show, and many of my comments still apply to this Top 2 performance. Therefore, I will refrain from repeating myself.

You have really evolved over the past few weeks and this performance highlighted the vast improvement in your performing abilities.

Additionally, your flirtatious choreography and excellent camera work sustained the overall performance of this number.

Your second number, “Maybe It Was Memphis” was chosen by Idol Alum, Carrie Underwood. I really loved this selection and, might I add, you looked so gorgeous throughout this number. I “heart” that dress.

But, the good news during this number was that your bel canto voice was back in full form. Your vowels were clean, pure and focused. And your phrasing was very musical and fluid. You established wonderful momentum in this number, singing through your phrases with musical consistency.

I also loved the inflection in your voice throughout this number. That nice breathless quality in your voice at the end was wonderfully done. Very expressive and genuine.

Your final number, “Like My Mother Does”, was – emotionally – your strongest performance of the three. This was such a beautiful tribute to your beautiful mama. And that beautiful, soft head voice at the end was wonderfully done.

Your voice, although tired, was loaded with passion and expression and, most important, purpose. Your voice is a naturally beautiful instrument, Lauren, and, if guided properly through stellar vocal technique, will carry you very far in the music industry.

Congratulations on such an enormous achievement. It has been such a pleasure to write these Vocal MasterClass evaluations for you each week.

Critique: Lauren – during your first number, “Flat On The Floor”, your voice sounded incredibly raspy. Now, I know you were having vocal issues prior to the airing of the show but this could have been avoided with proper use of your technical skills.

You have to learn to add power and muscle to your voice via the diaphragm. By breathing deeply and using your air to guide your voice through every dynamic level, you will ensure the health and longevity of your voice. And you will avoid the risk of injury.

You must remember not to push your power vocals. Every part of your vocal and dynamic range should sound free and liberated and never tense or constrained.

Also, please lose the chest voice. You added far too much of this element throughout this performance and I suspect this was the reason for your vocal health problems prior to the show. For the majority of this number you were shouting, not singing.

The lighter head voice quality must always be central to your vocal sound, thus ensuring a clean, pure, ringing, centered vocal timbre.

And be very careful that your choreographic elements do not disturb the proper vocal delivery. Always practice your song separate from the choreography and then, once the technique is firmly established, then add the appropriate choreography to compliment the vocal delivery.

Your second number, “Maybe It Was Memphis” was a more successful performance. You sang it with equal style and substance. Your chest voice was less overwhelming to your overall vocal sound and a higher abundance of head voice ruled the day.

Your final number, “Like My Mother Does” incorporated some of then problems you experienced in your first number, but to a lesser extent. At times your chest voice was very heavy and your voice cracked and/or sounded less brilliant than what I heard in your second number.

However, once again, you were moving more in this number, so again I shall caution you to keep the technique central to your performance. The choreographic and vocal elements must be synchronized to create a flawless, effortless, performing experience.

Congratulations Lauren and best of luck and happiness in your musical career.

SCOTTY McCREERY

“Gone” by Lonestar (Personal Favorite), “Check Yes Or No” (George Strait’s Choice) and

“When I Love You This Big”(New Single)

Strengths:Scotty – during your first number, “Gone”, you did a fantastic job energizing and motivating the crowd. This was Scotty McCreery at his absolute best and I was greedily taking it all in.

Like Lauren, you grabbed this song from your Top 5 Performance and, if you read my evaluation of this Top 5 performance, we all can agree that the comments apply to this Top 2 performance as well.

Your vocals sounded strong and resilient. Your booming bass wrapped so effortlessly around the melody line – the key was perfect for you.

This song was a glowing example at style and substance working hand in hand to achieve the very best.

And, it appears that your mike technique is pretty solid now, Scotty. You certainly look less awkward on stage now that you have abandoned that sideways stance.

Your second number, “Check Yes Or No” was a cute, but less inspired, song selection. Nevertheless, you exuded a nice, relaxed vibe throughout this song, strumming ever so efficiently on your guitar. Good job!

During your final number, “When I Love You This Big”, your vocal delivery was expressive and meaningful. You demonstrated a strong physical and emotional connection to this song.

And you really embraced the depth of your vocal range during this number, easily moving through the higher key change in the second half.

The progress you have made throughout this competition has not gone unnoticed by me or your legion on fans. Due to your stellar work ethic, you have emerged as a confident, poised and polished young performer and I know with all my heart that this will carry you very far in the music industry.

Kudos to you, Scotty. Always stay true to yourself and the world shall be yours.

Critique: Scotty – as much as I loved your first number, “Gone”, there wasn’t a great deal of melodic variation in this song Therefore, the vocal challenge wasn’t there.

However, in terms of pure entertainment value, it was a great number with which to open the show and I am sure it served as an appropriate warm-up for you as well. So, taking this all in, I have to say that this was your most genuine and comfortable performance of the three. It was a great Scotty fit. Everything worked!

Your second number, “Check Yes Or No” was just not a strong choice for you. There was little variation in the melody and were it not for the key change it would have fallen totally flat. At least the modulation added some harmonic variety to this song arrangement.

You seemed bored performing this number and almost detached from the performance. So strange.

Also, your the precision of your articulation was lessened and that tells me that you were not gaga over this song. It just lacked overall energy and presence.

Rule #1 – when stuck with a less inspiring song you have to learn to make lemonade from lemons. This song lacked creativity and spark because you didn’t add a little bit of Scotty into the performance.

Becoming more inventive with your phrasing and flexible within your melodic line, the song would have been more memorable and personal. The nuance and inflection that I heard in your opening number was sadly missing from this number.

And, your final number, “When I Love You This Big”, adopted similar problems. However, what struck me as very odd was the fragmentation of your phrasing. Over the last few weeks, you had made tremendous progress in this regard, so I was puzzled as to what caused you to abandon this advancement technical skills.

Oh how I wish you would connect some of your phrases and not have the sudden silence at the end of each phrase. This vocal element was slowly improving, but for some reason, you lost it during this song.

Additionally, the final word in each phrase was not as well sustained as in previous weeks. I was aching for you to stretch those words and those phrases but it just did not happen. Therefore, the song lacked a forward momentum and drive.

Truthfully, your diaphragmatic support in all three of your numbers was not working at full capacity. It’s almost as if you ran out of adrenaline with each successive number and, perhaps, you did. That and a heavy dose of nervousness, perhaps?

At any rate Scotty I loved everything about you this season. Your quiet, confident demeanor and the promise in your evolving vocal talent was just a wonderful experience for me and all the viewers.

It has been a pleasure to provide these Vocal MasterClass Articles for you, Scotty, and I wish you the very best in your future career.

For all the latest American Idol News, visit SirLinksalot: American Idol or the American Idol Official Site .

a>

With all the press about the American Finale tonight and tomorrow, I almost forgot about NBC’s new baby, The Voice.

Oh well, beginning next week, The Voice is my new baby as well. I am looking forward to covering this show more comprehensively.

Presently, we are still going through the Battle Rounds, but it is an exciting ride.

These singers bring so much to the table and all have been skillfully refined by their mentors and judges.

Make sure you tune into NBC tonight at 10:00 P.M. You will not be disappointed. And make sure you come back here and brag about your favorites.

By: Rosanne Simunovic

Last evening’s performances were as good as they could be, given the song choices at the disposal of these three young singers. Some of the selections were not the most inspired and, actually, brought out the weaknesses in some of the voices.

However, it was exciting to see Beyonce at work with the Idols. She was on hand to fine tune their personal selections and I thought she did a wonderful job.

Let us move forward to my Vocal Masterclass evaluations and I welcome your commentary and suggestions after the read!

Here are my evaluations and, remember, I am reviewing each singer in (first name) alphabetical order. Your comments are always welcome. To quickly access individual singers, simply click on the singer’s link below.

Haley Reinhart, Lauren Alaina, Scott McCreery,

HALEY REINHART

“What Is And What Shall Never Be” by Led Zeppelin(Personal Choice) , “Rhiannon” by Fleetwood Mac, (Jimmy Iovine‘s Choice)

“You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette(Judges’ Choice)

Strengths: Hayley – my goodness, is there any genre that you can’t sing? You are such a versatile artist and your trio of performances this week exemplified this wonderful dimension in your performing talent.

During your first number, “What Is And What Shall Never Be“, I loved the stage persona you created throughout this showcase. It was absolutely perfect and so in tune with the edgy style of this Led Zeppelin classic. (I can’t even believe I am typing Led Zeppelin in reference to a female artist!)

There were many exciting components to this performance – the tempo and mood changes, the vocal nuances, the fluid and inspired
choreography, the depth of your singing range. All of these elements were responsible for a spectacular premiere performance this week.

I thought every detail was meticulously rehearsed and at no time did I feel that your voice was taking a back seat to the other performing elements in this showcase. It was just excellent!

And how wonderful to include your Dad in this performance? He looked as proud as can be of his little girl and so happy to share the stage with you during this momentous Top 3 showcase.

Your second number, “Rhiannon” , demonstrated a brief variety of tempi at the top and just that little change in tempo made such a difference in the aural and visual dimension to this number.

However, the feel of this number was the polar opposite of your first and so provided a wonderful contrast in style and vocal substance. You easily can modify your style at the drop of a hat and this one performing aspect has been responsible for your success on this show. With you the motto: “Expect the unexpected” was never more true.

You totally encompassed the ethereal quality of this song. It was wonderful, Hayley! You were visually lost in the music, internalizing the expressive quality of the lyrics and music and strongly communicating the mood to the audience.

And the addition of the wind/fan machine to blow your hair and billow your dress was a smart touch. It intensified the mystical quality of this song. Your voice expressively captured this quality as well. I felt hypnotized by the vocal and visual process. This was very well done, indeed!

Your final number, Alanis Morrisette‘s “You Oughta Know” was a pretty solid performance. I found that once the melody of the music moved to the upper part of your range, I could truly appreciate the power and strength of your voice.

Stylistically this was a very strong performance. Thank heavens you are a great actress because this song does require strong acting skills. And energy! You are a fearless, confident performer, Haley, and are ready to meet every challenge thrown your way.

Brava and congratulations on your triple threat performances this week. Excellent work!

Critique: Hayley – I found very little to critique in your opening number, “What Is And What Shall Never Be”. It was a strong, vital performance.

The only thing I would caution you about is your articulation. It was lacking in clarity. Throughout this number, I had no idea what you were saying. I was loving the whole musical experience and all but I was confused about the storyline.

You must make sure that the words never get lost in the musical fever created on stage. Although the musical energy during a performance is very important for strong communication, you must be certain that the energy is then transferred to the lyrical content as well.

In your second number, “Rhiannon”, I could find little fault in your vocal delivery. Stylistically, I had no problems with your approach to this song. It was perfect.

Do you hear a “but” coming? Well, here it is. At times, I felt a little lost with this performance. I understand it is an “out there” choice of song but, once again, the words were lost to me.

Similar to song number one, you must be very careful not to let the freedom in your vocal delivery affect the clarity of your words. You are a very relaxed vocal artist and sometimes your words are not articulated with strength and precision because of this relaxed approach. You need to remember that the consonants, when articulated quickly, will add direction and energy to the voice, increasing and maintaining proper focus in the vocal masque.

And finally, your Alanis number, “You Oughta Know”. Another example of style winning over substance!

First of all, the key was all wrong for you. At the beginning of this song, your lower voice was a complete and utter non-entity. And your pitch was severely compromised because you couldn’t get a cohesive grasp on the vowels to properly focus your vocal sound.

As I said above, the second half of the song, when you sang through your upper register, was fine but every time you moved through your bottom range, we lost the intensity and strength in your voice and passion for the words. You must make certain to use your diaphragmatic breathing skills to focus and place your voice in your vocal masque. Do not reserve it solely for your upper range.

And, make certain you implement the head voice element through every part of your range, even the lower. This element will add brilliance to the lower register and will help to avoid a dark, muddy sound in your contralto range.

However, I felt that you gave three wonderful performances this week. Stylistically they were on the money. Good work, Haley!

LAUREN ALAINA

“Wild One” by Faith Hill (Personal Choice), “If I Die Young” by Perry(Jimmy Iovine’s Choice) and

“I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack(Judges’ Choice)

Strengths: Lauren – your first song, “Wild One” was a great way to begin your triple threat showcase. It was upbeat and fun and, as a result, you looked absolutely relaxed and buoyant. However, those lyrics were a tad – I don’t know – mature for your young age. Sometimes the music lends itself to a different emotion than what is embedded in the lyrical content. And this was one of those songs.

However, technically, you were very solid with your vocal delivery. As always, I appreciated your loyalty to the all-important circular mouth formation, allowing your voice to resonate with overall clarity and precision. I feel you have a pretty strong grasp of the importance of vocal masque resonance.

Your second song,”If I Die Young” carried a very emotional message and you conveyed this message extremely well indeed. During the second half of this number, you exhibited more verve and downright raw passion than was evident in the front end of the song.

Perhaps there was an emotional build up happening that made you more cautious and reserved during the opening of this number? You know the drill. You feel like you want to cry but you are trying to hold it back? And then, as the number reached the climax, you threw caution to the wind and then the song came alive.

Because once you moved through the second part of this number, after the key change, I felt more angst and sorrow coming from your expressive voice.

You may not have displayed the vocal control as I heard in the first half, but, emotionally your voice sounded vibrant and alive. And, in the end, emotion must win the day. The technique has to be there, but to sing without emotion, is to create a sterile, linear vocal memory that leaves the audience cold. And the final impression was anything but, Lauren. It was warm and tender – just beautiful.

During your last number, “I Hope You Dance”, you looked absolutely and positively radiant. I also appreciated the melodic variations you added through this number. It was a poised, sensitive performance. Your vocals were just lovely. You sustained those long phrases very well and your voice was generally well-focused.

Additionally, your articulation was crystal clear; every word was expressively communicated to the listener with clarity This was a very musical performance, Lauren. I loved it.

Congratulations on three truly excellent performances. Brava!

Critique: Lauren –midway through your first number, “Wild One”, I sensed some problems with your upper range. I felt that you were adding too much chest power to your upper range and this adversely affected your pitch and intonation.

You have to be very careful to add head voice into the vocal mix when singing through your upper register or you risk a flat, edgy vocal delivery

Also, as much as this was a great opening number, it was not a very challenging song for you. In fact, it was pretty trite in content. It was repetitive and less ambitious than what I was hoping to hear from you at this point in the competition. And those lyrics left a lot to be desired for someone your age.

You must remember to research your music carefully and make certain that your songs reflect who you are as a person. And that they are age appropriate.

During your second song,”If I Die Young”, you experienced the same technical problems as the first. You added far too much chest voice into your overall vocal delivery and, at times, your pitch lost its center. The purity and clarity of head voice, in combination with consistently applied diaphragmatic breathing skills, enables a clean, seamless vocal sound from top to bottom, regardless of range or volume.

You also looked more hesitant and tentative in this number and then I realized that it was the emotion of the song that undid you. So, you get a pass! I was wondering what was going on. Hey, it happens to all of us!

And again, during your final number, “I Hope You Dance”, your chest voice was obliterating the head voice clarity of your vocal timbre. Your voice lacked sparkle and shine and I suspect that you were out-and-out exhausted at this point in the showcase.

You sang this song with great feeling and undeniable passion, but your voice sounded very tired. And, if the voice sounds tired then the body is tired. The result: lack of strong technical support from the diaphragm.

However, as I said above, the raw intensity in your voice during this number was just wonderful and, technical skills aside, created a very memorable and sensitive performance.

congratulations once again, Lauren!

SCOTTY McCREERY

“Amazed” by Lonestar (Personal Choice), “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” by (Jimmy Iovine’s Choice) and

“She Believes In Me” by Kenny Rogers(Judges’ Choice)

Strengths:Scotty – your personal song choice, “Amazed” was a very challenging one. It requires strong breath support and vocal power. However, I felt that you did a wonderful job in this respect. I feel that your technical skills have vastly improved over the course of this competition – more so than any other singer.

Your mike technique was wonderful. No more “sideways Scotty” when handling the mike. Your mike was nicely centered and you looked relaxed and comfortable with this refinement.

Visually you created the perfect ambience for this performance. You were in absolute control yet exhibited a sincere, warm persona.

Technically, there were some wonderful moments in this song. The sustained note on the words “amazed” was wonderfully executed in that you sustained your voice on the “eh” vowel, avoiding the other two vowels in that annoying diphthong – “‘i” and “ee“. It was a nice, clean, well-focused British approach. Loved it!

Additionally, you did wonderful work with the dynamics. There was a nice build to this song, your voice becoming stronger as the arrangement moved forward.

I also was happy to see how fully you sustained your phrases. The final words were highlighted and didn’t just disappear at the end of your line. You were singing through your phrases now, achieving a lovely ebb and flow that allowed the momentum to move forward. And your articulation was excellent. I heard that crisp “K” consonant when you were finalizing the word “Take“. Kudos!

Excellent work, Scotty!

During your second number, uptempo“Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”, you picked up the guitar and comfortably accompanied yourself – adding yet another dimension to your triple threat performances.

I loved how you embraced this song, Scotty. You looked relaxed and carefree. It wasn’t a complicated song but you expressively communicated this number very well. Your words were crystal clear, you added some superb inflection in your voice and your phrasing was very musical. Additionally, there was a nice forward momentum in this song.

Your final number, “She Believes In Me“, was the song that I was waiting to hear. It was such a stellar and inspired song choice for you! Perfect! Now this was a performance. It was heartwarming, sensitive and expressively delivered.

Additionally, you added dramatic visual dimension to this number, moving from a seated position at the beginning of this song to a standing one toward the final moments of the refrain. This change in position not only intensified the passionate nature of this song but also relaxed your physical presence.

This song brought out the potential in your voice. The chorus is so beautiful and your voice just embraced that melodic line. And it was great to hear the expansion of your vocal potential beyond your baritone range. Throughout the course of this competition there has been so much development in your voice, Scotty, and the escalation in your confidence level bodes well for your future success as a country artist.

Bravo times 3! Very impressive triple threat showcases.

Critique: Scotty – during your first number, “Amazed”, I found the phrases were fragmented. It was encouraging to hear you sustain the final notes of each phrase. Now what you must learn to do is become more creative with your breathing, You are using your breath wisely within the phrase but it is the connection between two phrases that need to be addressed in a more creative manner.

In other words, try not to continuously breathe afterevery couple of bars or so. By doing so, the song becomes stagnant and less fluid and musical. For example, look how I organized your breathing for the opening lines of this song

Every time our eyes meet (no breath) This feeling inside me
Is almost more than I can take
Baby when you touch me (no breath) I can feel how much you love me
And it just blows me away
I’ve never been this close to anyone (no breath)or anything
I can hear your thoughts (no breath) I can see your dreams

Also be very careful to not raise your head when moving through your upper range. You must approach your upper notes with less effort, singing over rather than reaching for the notes

Your second song, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not“, was a more successful effort, Scotty, so I have little to critique. It was a fun, relaxed number and both your vocal and performing demeanor were laidback and carefree.

Your third and final performance, “She Believes In Me“, was an excellent performance, Scotty.

However, although I was aching to hear more depth in your upper range, you are achieveing this goal, slowly but surely.

Just make sure that you consistently harness diaphragmatic support for your upper range while dropping your jaw and relaxing those throat muscles.

And don’t forget to work on incorporating your head voice into your vocal mix. At times I felt that you were sitting on the notes rather than allowing the notes to flow freely from your mouth.

I think it is a placement problem. Make sure that you place (focus) your upper range in the top half of your vocal masque and, to that end, incorporate the “ah” vowel into every vowel sound. That way, you will be assured of an even, beautifully focused vocal delivery.

However, I did hear your soft head voice at the end of this song and was as thrilled as could be. You are getting it, Scotty! It hasn’t quite come together yet, but you are embracing the technical process just beautifully. I not only applaud your talent, but also your work ethic!

Kudos young man! This was, for me, the best performance of the night. It was truly special.

For all the latest American Idol News, visit SirLinksalot: American Idol or the American Idol Official Site .

a>

By: Rosanne Simunovic

Last evening’s performances were actually very good. Better than I thought they would be.

And how great was it to see Lady Gaga working with the Top 4?  She really brought out the theatrical side in all these singers and gave excellent ideas.  She made them aware of the words – how important they are when you sing, where you breathe, how you move etc.  It makes all the difference in a performance and, when taken at full value, can turn a very good performance into something truly special and memorable. 

Let us move forward to my Vocal Masterclass evaluations and I welcome your commentary and suggestions after the read!

Here are my evaluations and, remember, I am reviewing each singer in (first name) alphabetical order. Your comments are always welcome. To quickly access individual singers, simply click on the singer’s link below.

Haley Reinhart, James Durbin, Lauren Alaina, Scott McCreery,

HALEY REINHART “Earth Song” by Michael Jackson and “I Who Have Nothing” by Lieber and Stoller

Strengths: Hayley – I was so excited to hear that you would be performing “Earth Song” this week. This is a very compelling song and carries a very timely and powerful message.

Throughout this number, your nuanced voice remained very focused yet steeped with sensitivity and passion. I enjoyed the lovely glimpses of your head voice mixed in with you signature rasp. It reinforced in my mind your ability to maintain the head voice element throughout every stage of your expressive singing.

You, more than any other singer left on that stage, can effortlessly change tonal color like a chameleon. I don’t think any body realizes how very difficult this is to accomplish and maintain, especially in an abbreviated performance.

I loved how you slowly and tastefully increased the dynamic momentum in this number. It was very well paced and extremely controlled. You never allowed the song to get away from you, which can happen when performing a highly charged emotional song like this Michael Jackson number.

I absolutely loved how you embraced the inflection and nuance in your voice. The melodic line of this song is very repetitive, so the vocalist has to internalize the emotion and expressively communicate the words in a meaningful and significant way. The addition of the gospel choir did help the process, adding a dramatic touch at just the right moment in the song – similar to the original recording.

This was a very authentic, inspiring performance Haley. Kudos to you! Brava!

For your second number, “I Who Have Nothing“, you skillfully incorporated some of Lady Gaga’s perceptive theatrical ideas into this performance. I particularly loved the breathing elements she introduced into this dramatic presentation. I was so excited to see and hear this emotional aspect used to heighten the dramatic intensity of this song. It really, really worked and, additionally, allowed you to remain more conscious of your breath control when sustaining those long notes. Totally a win-win situation.

This was a very strong, meaningful performance and I had chills from start to finish while watching this performance. The voice poured out of you with incredible sustaining ability. You resolutely grabbed those vowels and, by doing so, your voice soared to stellar heights. This was the art of bel canto singing at its very best and it was exciting to see this method of singing applied in this genre of music.

The dynamic levels of this performance were wonderfully realized. Again, the pacing was impeccable in this number, allowing the slow, dramatic build to the climax in this number to be significant and powerful. The visual and aural elements were stratospheric, almost mind-blowing! You are a very good Gaga student, Haley, and you obviously embraced the wonderful interpretive skills she gave you to create a meaningful and inspiring performance.

Congratulations and Standing “O” from Masterclass Lady

Critique: Hayley – well, contrary to Jennifer and Randy’s opinions, I did not hear any “over the top” screaming during your Michael Jackson number. However, when watching the recap, culled from the rehearsal archive, I wonder if the judges were making their comments based on what went down at the rehearsal? Your voice did seem more shrill during rehearsal, but, this was definitely not the case during the actual performance.

You sang this song with angst and passion and your voice reflected these emotions. The song wasn’t about walking though the park enjoying an ice cream cone. It was about the future of our universe and the generations of children that must inhabit the world in the future. Therefore, the intensity in the voice must reflect this message and I thought you did a marvelous job in this respect.

So, I have little to critique in both performances. In fact, have nothing. Your second song was a work of art, a beautiful painting to inspire and move us. It was phenomenal! Actually beyond phenomenal. I will never, ever forget this performance. That’s how strong you were!

Congratulations once again for your two very passionate and extremely intense performances. You really packed a great deal of wallop into both numbers and challenged your self to move to stellar heights. Brava!

JAMES DURBIN: “Don’t Stop Believin” by Journey and “Love Potion Number #9 by Lieber and Stoller”

Strengths: James – your first song, “Don’t Stop Believin’, was full of energy and drive. I loved how you connected with crowd right off the top, energizing them to join in the fun. That’s how you motivate the crowd, wake them up from their stupor and show them this is indeed a party.

The key selection for this song was excellent, as it enabled you to vocalize through the honey-dipped quality of your rich upper register. Your voice sounded pure and wonderfully centered. You skillfully managed to avoid your lower register this week as it has given you problems in past performances. Smart boy!

And, more important, you managed to ignore the nasty diphthong pitfall in the word, “night“. You sustained your voice on the clean, pure “ah” vowel, therefore allowing your voice to resonate with freedom and ease in your vocal masque.

That three note ascending at the end of your song was just wonderful. Your voice remained focused and tuned and that jaw was nicely relaxed, therefore allowing your voice to flow freely from your mouth.

Rhythmically, your stage presence was strong and vital and you exuded a confident and relaxed charisma during this performance. Your stage movements were so energized and, yet, never disturbed the tonal quality and focus of your voice.

Your second song. “Love Potion Number 9″ was exceptional. I did notice that the performance key was different from the rehearsal key. At least, it seemed that way to my ear. Whatever, it was a good choice to make because once again the key selection highlighted to depth and resilience of your upper register.

Your pauses during the closing segments of this song allowed us to focus on your gifted vocal ability. You are fearless, James. I think this is what is so intriguing in all your performances. You just go out on that stage and give’er and, because you have made wise decisions during the rehearsal process, it always, always works!

I particularly enjoyed the final slide to your extreme upper range. Now, that was pretty darn amazing. Your entire body guided this process and it was great to see what a difference strong, diaphragmatic breathing skills can make in a performance.

This performance was loaded with substance and style and both reinforced how gifted you are as a vocalist and as a performer.

Excellent work, James! Congratulations.

Critique: James – there was very little to critique in your opening performance, “Don’t Stop Believing“. It was extremely well controlled and the energy and focus in your voice was consistent. And your stage presence was powerful. A strong performance is a strong performance and this was very strong indeed. Bravo!

Ditto for the second performance. However, I was disappointed in that you sang two upbeat songs this week. I was hoping to hear more diversity in your song selections. Perhaps last week’s emotional performance of “Without You” affected your decision to include slow ballad this week.

If so, that’s a shame as I feel we really need to see the sensitive, emotional James and hear the actual beauty and depth of your voice when singing a slow, meaningful number.

Hopefully, you will have the opportunity to select a song for next week’s Top 3 show that will again reflect your innate ability to move and inspire us with your expressive vocals. I am still aching for another “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” moment from you.

Great work, James! I love everything about you and your voice is golden! Bravo

LAUREN ALAINA: “Anyway” by Martina McBride and “Trouble”by Elvis Presley

Strengths: Lauren –”Anyway” was a powerful song choice and the timing to perform this song could not have been better.  You demonstrated a renewed vocal and performing confidence during this number through which  the viewers really gained  perspective on how gifted you are as a vocalist.

There is still so much potential to develop in your voice, but, at its core, this performance had a maturity and refinement that we haven’t yet see from you.  You thoroughly nailed one of the most difficult Martina McBride’s songs.

Throughout this number, your voice sounded radiant and pure. The strength and drive of your vocal sound was just perfect and I loved how you skillfully glided toward those upper notes .

Your voice resonated so beautifully in your vocal masque and the chest and head voice were perfectly blended.

You certainly knew how to access those pure vowels. Look how beautifully you grabbed the pure vowel, “eh“, in that nasty “aye” diphthong in the word, “AnyWAY“.  The “aye” diphthong is such a nasty element but it becomes less nasty if one sustains on the pure, first vowel of that diphthong, “eh”.  By doing so, the voice sounds centered and the singer has avoided the unnecessary clutter  that diminishes the focus and clarity of the singing voice.  One vowel versus three? No contest. Three’s a crowd!

The accuracy and refinement of your sustaining ability enabled you to escalate your vocal delivery, adding many layers of dimension and sound to this exciting showcase. It really was exciting to watch the transformation from last week’s performances.

Excellent work Lauren and Standing “O” from Masterclass Lady.

In your second number, “Trouble“, you escalated the momentum  and brought a lot of sass and attitude to this Elvis Presley number. It was great to watch you having fun on that stage, just throwing caution to the wind and moving with ease on and off the performing platform. 

The movement in and of itself can actually relax a singer, and I think in your case Lauren this was especially necessary. We needed to see you connect and energize the audience and you were very successful in this regard.

You also managed the tempo changes very well. That quick tempo came out of nowhere, but I loved it.

This was a  very seamless performance, full of fun and character. You can perform, girl! Where has this Lauren been hiding?  Since last week, I felt that there was a ten-year maturity growth in your performance and vocal levels. There was strength and drive in this performance and the musical arrangement really widened and intensified the multi-dimensional aspect of this showcase.

Excellent work Lauren. Just outstanding! Brava young lady!

Critique: Lauren – both performances were excellent performance and I have very little to critique.

However, I would caution you to pace yourself when moving around the stage as you did during your second number, “Trouble“. At times your voice was very breathy and we lost the energy and focus in your voice.  During rehearsal, make absolutely certain that your stage movements are not adversely affecting your vocals delivery. Pace! Pace! Pace! Less is more, so don’t run out of steam before you can end the song with strength and confidence.

SCOTTY McCREERY: “Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning” By Alan Jackson and “Young Blood” by Lieber And Stoller

Strengths: Scotty – seated on a stool in front of the mike, you set the mood of this song beautifully. Your relaxed, forthcoming demeanour  heightened the intimacy of this performance and, although you didn’t move or change position, your meaningful vocals were transported with ease to the listeners. You established a very strong connection with your audience and didn’t have to lift a foot to do so. It was all about your beautiful and expressive vocal delivery.

Your baritone voice sounded rich, robust and strong, like  a warm, cozy and familiar blanket to comfort us.  Gorgeous!  The words were clear and sensitively communicated and your phrasing was  musically extended, always in keeping with that forward momentum. This was such a beautiful performance. It truly warmed my heart.

Your ability to sustain on the first pure vowel in every word has improved so much, Scotty. Your jaw seemed more relaxed in this performance, therefore, permitting your voice to resonate with improved ease and continuity.

You are such a confident, comfortable performer on stage and truly live in the moment when you perform. This is an important lesson that every singer should aspire to – sing for the “now” and not “what is to come“.   By doing so, you will develop self-assurance, become less panic-stricken and strengthen your focus to connect with your listeners with genuine ease and empathy.

Excellent showcase, Scotty! Bravo!

Your second number, the highly engaging “Young Blood” , was an entertaining ride on the Scotty train.  You were comfortably animated during this number and, in fact, even if you weren’t singing, your face told the story. You are such a visually expressive artist and I think that, with time, you will refine some of the facial expressions but, for now, your youthful abandon was a joy to behold!  Everyone needs to lighten up, right?

I am thrilled that Lady Gaga encouraged you to adopt a central connection to your mike.  There has been a marked improvement in your mike technique over the weeks and, in fact,  you have grown in this and every area of your performance difficulties.

I loved how your worked the camera – “the  lookee there, lookee there” segment heightened the entertainment value of this number.  Thank you for not forgetting about your television audience!

Additionally, you added a wonderful array of  inflection during this song. You alternated the spoken and vocalized sections very, very well. This is more difficult to do than most people would think.  It  just emphasized how wonderfully you internalized the emotional core of this song. You are, first and foremost, a story-teller, Scotty – a great narrator who happens to be a wonderful singer.

You had so much fun during this number and, again, put a smile on my face. We saw the flirtatious side of Scotty and the gals were loving it. Kudos and bravo to you.  Excellent work once again!

Critique: Scotty – you have to watch that country twang. Your voice is so beautiful but I am aching for a cleaner approach to the vocals.  For example, take Lauren’s approach to her country-flavored songs. She has less tendency to scoop and slide on to her notes and, I prefer this approach very much.

And, during your first number, the slow, sustained tempo drew attention to this vocal issue. I was aching for you to cleanly approach the notes in the melodic line, not slide into them from the bottom.  Your voice is so beautiful, almost classical in timbre and texture and needs to be harnessed correctly.  Something to think about and,hopefully, correct over the next couple of weeks.

 Also, be very careful that you don’t strain in the upper range.  Think over the note and don’t reach for it. Just bend those country knees, squeeze your butt, drop your jaw, relax your throat, breathe from the diaphragm, grab a pure vowel and those upper notes will come pouring out.

Sounds complicated?  Well, it actually isn’t.  The knee bends/butt squeeze combo will actually accelerate the other suggestions, so long as your mouth remains circular and the jaw relaxed.  And remember to breathe from the diaphragm. Once you feel the air expand in your rib cage, you will be more apt to use it to correctly drive your voice forward toward your vocal masque.

Congratulations once again, Scotty! Excellent work and two authentic performances!

For all the latest American Idol News, visit SirLinksalot: American Idol or the American Idol Official Site .

a>

By: Rosanne Simunovic

Last evening’s performances were a little of this and a little of that in terms of a successful delivery from each singer. I was enjoying the show, then not, then loving it again. Some of the songs were not suited to the style of the singers, in part due to relevance of song choice during each stage of this competition

Rock and Roll legend, Sheryl Crow, collaborated with Jimmy Iovine during the mentoring process and worked very hard to refine these singers into true artists. I feel she gave them excellent advice and was an extremely supportive force in this week’s show. I could do with a steady diet of her! Love her!

Let us move forward to my Vocal Masterclass evaluations and I welcome your commentary and suggestions after the read!

Here are my evaluations and, remember, I am reviewing each singer in (first name) alphabetical order. Your comments are always welcome. To quickly access individual singers, simply click on the singer’s link below.

Haley Reinhart, Jacob Lusk,

James Durbin, Lauren Alaina, Scott McCreery,

HALEY REINHART “You And I” and “The House Of The Rising Sun”

Strengths: Hayley – seated on the steps, you set the perfect mood at the beginning of your first number, “You And I“. Not only did this give you time to ease into the performance, to pace yourself, but also it added visual dimension later in the number when you decided to move about the stage. Your performance skills during this number were wonderful, full of emotion and extremely liberated.

You make it all look so easy, Hayley – your effortless style instills confidence in your performance from a viewer’s perspective and we are able to enjoy and connect with your vocal offering in a real way.

I loved the freedom in your voice and spirit. You feel, therefore, you do and I love this about you.

You second song was “House Of the Rising Sun” and, even before you opened your mouth to sing, I knew this was going to be a huge hit with the crowd and the judges. And it certainly was that.

I loved the decision to begin the song a cappella; it reinforced the haunting nature of this song and showcased how controlled you are as a vocalist.

Your voice was perfectly tuned throughout this performance. Also, I so appreciated the many vocal layers you added to this number. We heard some rasp, some grit, definitely some head voice; the addition of all these nuances established your connection to the storyline while reinforcing in our minds what a gifted, multi-dimensional vocalist you are and aspire to be.

This 2nd number was certainly your redemption in this dual showcase and I am so happy you had the opportunity to perform it as the final number in this week’s Top 5 showdown.

Excellent work, Hayley

Critique: Hayley –although I know you were very excited to obtain clearance to perform Lady Gaga’s unreleased song, “You And I”, all I kept thinking during this number is: “Now I know why this song was never released. It goes nowhere”.

Therefore, suffice it to say, I was not a fan of this song choice. In fact, I think you were extremely ill-advised by Jimmy Iovine and company.

Rule #1: never let emotion sway you when you select your songs. You have to be rational and, given the performance circumstances, balance the pos and cons when choosing your material. At this stage of the competition, you needed a song that would energize the audience to vote like crazy for two hours

However, you seemed very committed to the performance and, as always, very animated in communicating the emotional core of the lyrical line. You did all you could do with this number, minus the smoke and mirrors that often accompanies Lady Gaga’s performances. (and I mean this in a good way, Gaga fans. Don’t get excited here.)

Also, I was disturbed to hear the raspy quality in your voice this week. Wow! Are you tired? Sick? There was so much chest voice in your vocal mix, particularly in this number. What I have come to love about you is the agility in your voice, that light, glowing quality that allowed your voice to consistently soar with ease and freedom.

However, this week and, in particular, this number, there was a heaviness to your sound that really disturbed me and I have to question whether you really felt comfortable with this song. You seemed committed to this vocal project but maybe your body was sending you mixed messages.

Rule #2: If the song doesn’t feel right, if it s causing you to abandon your technical freedom, can it like there’s no tomorrow. I don’t know how often I have done this very thing with my vocal students, sometimes at the 11th hour, and have never regretted the decision. The comfort level of song has to resonate with authenticity in a singer. I really felt that this was lacking during this number and, thus, your technical problems escalated.

Your “House Of The Rising Sun” number was much more successful. This was the Hayley I know and love. I loved the vocal textures your introduced throughout this song, but be very careful of that rasp in your voice.

You have to make absolutely certain that your mouth remains circular and the jaw relaxed, even when you add angst and passion at various points in this song. Keep the throat muscles free from constriction and use your diaphragmatic rib cage muscles for the correct energy you wish to produce with your voice.

The throat must remain open and free AND you must make certain that you have enough air to guide the emotional compass of your voice.

Hope all this helps, Hayley. Remember, you entered this competition with a solid technical foundation. Don’t abandon it now – or ever!

JACOB LUSK: “No Air” and “Love Hurts”

Strengths: Jacob – given the difficulty of your first song, “No Air”, I thought you gave a very solid performance. It is not easy to flip back and forth between the two separate melody lines in this song and I thought you handled this very well indeed.

And it was very comforting to see that you reined back on the vocal acrobatics that were adversely affecting some of your earlier performances. You have such a vocal gift – you don’t need to drive this fact home to the audience. We get it and we love it.

You second song, the rock ballad, “Love Hurts” was absolutely terrific. I loved everything about this performance. Everything! The passion, the vocal presence and delivery, your stage persona – all these elements came together to create such a strong, indelible showcase.

You began this song by highlighting the fullness of your head voice. Your upper range sounded so rich and yet very transparent. It really spoke to the strengths you possess as a vocalist

And that high note at the end? Stratospheric. You really should study classical voice and explore the enormous, enormous potential in your voice. You have so much potential for growth – your voice is such a rare gem.

You really poured your heart and soul into this song. Your vocals were strong and pure, and you clung to those pure vowels with seamless continuity. Additionally, your phrasing was so musical and fluid. You have exemplary breath control and are able to achieve so many wonderful moments in all your songs.

Congratulations, Jacob! This was just an exceptional showcase.

Critique: Jacob – when I realized that you had selected the Chris Brown/Jordin Sparks duet I said to myself, “Why”?

First of all, I didn’t like the song anyway, but forcing yourself to deliver two separate melody lines in a fragmented portion of this song was just the wrong vehicle for you at this stage of the competition. It was confusing for the listener and, in fact, diminished the natural flow of the song.

Once again, your spread mouth became problematic, causing you to lose control of your breath support. As a result, your old friend, the tremolo was out of control and, to make matters worse, that lack of control carried up to the top of your range later in this number.

Because your tremolo was so wide, the center of your pitch was adversely affected. Your pitch was very sharp. Toward the end of this number, your voice seemed on the right track in all regards but, by then, the damage was done.

Also, you seemed a little over-pumped for this number; you didn’t quite pace yourself. You must always make sure that you ground yourself with the correct technique from the opening line of a song. If not, you risk losing control of the song, which is what happened during this number.

The fact that you had to deliver two distinct vocal parts just increased your work load with this song and, unfortunately, was not a judicious decision.

However, thank heavens for second chances! Your “Love Hurts” number was excellent and vocally I could find little fault in your delivery.

However, you must be very careful that you don’t over do the body movements. You were stamping your feet a couple of times and I thought: don’t go there. Don’t get totally lost in the music that you can’t find your way back.

You are a big guy with a big voice and you need not work as hard as other performers. To me, the stomping disturbed the flow of the song, which, up to this point, was working quite nicely. Your voice, alone, Jacob, carries so much passion and fervor that you do not need to rely on excessive body movements to emphasize this fact. That’s when I feel you need to rein it in.

And, make sure you work on your articulation skills. Don’t drown your voice in the melodic delivery. The words need to be articulated with clarity and precision. This will also assist you in controlling your air while giving your voice added energy and direction.

Good work, nonetheless, Jacob. Kudos!

JAMES DURBIN: “Closer To The Edge” and “Without You”

Strengths: James –as always, you displayed strong performance skills during your first number, “Closer To The Edge“. And, indeed, you always seem to be moving toward the edge in every performance, taking risks and being successful with those risks. You never fall off the edge – you know your limitations, which seem endless. The element of surprise is integral to each of your performances; in fact, I think surprise is your middle name.

I particularly loved the vocal slide up to your highly developed falsetto range. It is this depth of character and nuance that I have come to enjoy in all your performances, James. You are fearless on that stage and I love it!

Vocally, the grab on your pure vowels was wonderfully consistent. I certainly can’t fault you there. As I have mentioned before, you have a distinct hold on the correct technical approach that services you very well and enhances the naturally rich timbre of your gifted voice.

This was a strong, muscular, passionate performance and you captured the spirit of this song perfectly. It was a true rock and roll experience; you are an authentic rocker not a poseur and this is why your performances resonate easily with the audience.

Your second number, “Without You” just stole my heart a million times over. Your intense, sensitive delivery was absolutely phenomenal. How you managed to complete this song when it was obviously affecting you emotionally just speaks to the level of your professionalism and commitment as a vocal artist.

And, believe it or not, that shaking body was actually helping you to support your voice. Your lower voice, in particular. had more presence than usual and you articulated your words with heightened clarity. Your shaking muscles were contracting and, by doing so, assisted you through the vocal process, keeping the voice front and center.

I loved the range of dynamics in this number, from the hushed intensity at the beginning of this song to the brilliant power vocals at the end. And, strangely enough, the slight wavering in pitch was incidental and actually strengthened your expressive vocals. We could feel the hurt in your heart, the vulnerability and the longing.

Your phrasing was musical and meaningful and, the words were crisp and clean. The emotion took over and inspired you to carry those words toward the hearts of your listeners. Such poignancy in delivery is very rare indeed. Musical theatre star, Bernadette Peters, inherited this rare performance quality and it was, indeed her trademark. You are now carrying the torch James. Beautiful!

Excellent work, James. Congratulations!

Critique: James – you must, must remember to support your lower range. This has been such a problem for you from Day One of this competition.

In your first number, “Closer To The Edge”, I could barely hear your voice. It was so frustrating. And given that the melody sat so low at the start of this performance, it was even more important that you follow this guide.

The song began on shaky ground and, although it picked up when you sang through your upper range, it still hindered a completely satisfying performance from a personal perspective.

Additional attention to your articulation skills will help you here. Pronounce those consonants with clarity, using the consonants as a springboard to the vowels, which are important to the sustaining process. Then your voice will sound seamless and even from top to bottom there.

Unfortunately during this song, I was hearing two voices, one shaky, lacking in presence and the other strong and powerful and brimming with charisma and authority. You need to bridge this gap, James so that your voice commands authority at every point in your vocal and dynamic range.

Your second song, “Without You”, was just so special, so perfect in ways that were important, that I cannot spoil the memory with a critique. What’s there to critique? That you feel? That you care?

And, truth be told, so many problems with your articulation and lower range disappeared during this number. Your emotional compass seemed to make you more determined to deliver this song with purpose and conviction.

Bravo, James! You are one special musician.

LAUREN ALAINA: “Flat On The Floor” and “Unchained Melody”

Strengths: Lauren –you began this Carrie Underwood song with confidence and poise and it remained a permanent fixture throughout this performance. I thoroughly enjoyed the bubbly country flavor you added to this song and , in particular, the country slide in some of your phrasing.

It was evident that some wonderful preparation and attention to performance detail was instilled over the course of the week and, because of this, your performance was visibly and audibly enhanced.

The song never lacked in momentum; in fact, there was a driving force throughout this number that grabbed the audience, keeping them fully entertained and engaged throughout. You entertained the masses and showcased all the strengths that you have brought to this competition: a naturally resonant voice, lovely stage presence and engaging performance skills.

This was a very convincing and enjoyable performance. Your movements were youthful, yet exciting – no more shy Lauren here!

Your second song, “Unchained Melody“, was a tough one wasn’t it? However, I loved the metamorphosis in your appearance. You looked radiant and elegant in your long gown and captured the emotional essence of the song beautifully.

Nice work, Lauren

Critique: Lauren – I must continue to remind you not to push your chest voice when you sing through your power vocals.

During your first number, “Flat On The Floor“, I loved the character in your voice- all the neat inflection and nuance. However, make absolutely sure that the head voice element is central to your power vocals in your upper range. I still sensed tension and strain in your throat muscles.

You must make certain that all the heavy work comes from your diaphragmatic breathing muscles, leaving the throat open and free. By doing so, your voice will seemingly float from your mouth and will reach a higher degree of clarity and ring.

The technical foundation must provide direction for every level of expressive sound coming from your mouth. I was concerned about the tension in the vocal mix; at times, you lost the head voice element and your voice was walking a fine line between screaming and not.

Now, during the second number, “Unchained Melody“, you encountered many, many problems. In retrospect, this song was an unwise choice; it exposed every single problem you have experienced over this the course of this competition.

In particular, you were having problems managing the longevity of your breath control. Your phrasing was fragmented throughout the song, your voice sounded breathy and lacked momentum and direction and the song never reached the pinnacle that we normally associate with this number.

All your technical deficiencies were exposed and emphasized your lack of a strong, consistent grasp on proper breath control. This tender, highly nuanced song, requires great skill in the vocal delivery and, unfortunately, you are not quite there yet.

As soon as I heard you were singing this number, I was squirming in my chair here. I can’t imagine you selected this song. You looked uncomfortable and awkward throughout the performance, almost as if you had no choice in the decision-making process. As I mentioned before to Jacob, never sing a song that doesn’t sit well in your emotional, physical and technical makeup.

Also, you need to practice technical exercises to strengthen your breath control and assist you in stretching out your phrases beyond a couple of words. You cannot breathe incessantly throughout a song; the breathing must assist you in phrasing the song in a meaningful way, shaping your phrases with musicality and fluidity.

The performance of this song remained stagnant, had little flow or substance! What a shame. Hopefully, you will be able to reinforce your voice with a proper ballad or two in the remaining weeks.

Best of luck, Lauren and, remember ,follow your instincts when selecting your numbers.

SCOTTY McCREERY: “Gone” and “You Were Always On My Mind”

Strengths: Scotty – you went through a pretty exciting transformation this week. You were jumping like an athlete and moving with rhythmic intensity. You were animated and free and I was lovin’ me some Scotty.

What an excellent showcase. In “Gone”, your voice was brimming with nuance and character; you told the story and, truth be told, I couldn’t take my eyes off this performance. You mesmerized the old Masterclass Lady! I was enjoying your ride and you brought a smile to my face.

In previous weeks, I would have completed a thesis midway through your live performance, but, this week, it was all about the style and even more substance. You finally lowered the wall and revealed all that you could be through this beautifully realized performance.

You connected with the audience both on and off stage and captured them in the palm of your hand. It was so rewarding to witness the growth of your artistry during the course of this competition. I remember how shy, how introverted you were at the start of this competition and now all of this seems a distant memory.

Additionally, your voice had expressive presence, resonating freely via your relaxed energetic movements. Movement is so important to a singer’s success as a performer as long as he is able to perfectly balance the choreography and the vocals. I felt you achieved this balance, Scotty – one complimented the other. Wonderful!

Your second song choice, “You Were Always On My Mind” was a powerful decision. And not fair – it is one of my favorite songs in the universe and, therefore, moved me immensely.

Your heartfelt vocals and presence told the story with sincerity and conviction. creating an intimate moment with the audience . It was truly beautiful.

Really fine work this week, Scotty! Bravo!

Critique: Scotty – aside from the side mike thing, there wasn’t a great deal not to like about your first performance. And, truth be told, even the “side mike thing” is starting to grow on me. It’s your trademark, as long as you use it for performance purposes and not an everlasting presence in every song.

That being said, you have achieved noticeable improvement in your mike technique. so a special shout-out to American Idol vocal coach, Peisha McPhee, for refining your mike technique.

During your second number, “You Were Always On My Mind”, I was aching for you to refine your vowel placement on that nasty “eye” diphthong in the words “mind“, “died“, “satisfied“. Always remember to sustain your voice for the full count on the first pure vowel in every diphthong.

In this case, it was the “ah” vowel and how easy is that? This vowel is the easiest and most neutral of all the vowels and adds a naturally rich quality to the voice at every level of one’s vocal range. By doing this, you will ensure a more aesthetically pleasing and centered vocal quality. And, your voice will not only escalate in presence and charisma, but also become easier to deliver via your diaphragmatic breath support.

Also, make sure you develop a more inventive approach to your phrasing element. Don’t be afraid to stretch your phrases and to hold on to your final notes. Keep the forward momentum viable.

Now, I have to say that this element has improved from previous weeks, but, what I need and hope to hear now is a stronger sustaining approach on the pure vowel over a longer period of time throughout the melody line. Make the voice grow as you sustain your notes. Always allow the voice to move forward.

Great work, Scotty! You are improving every week. Congratulations on your very hard work! Bravo!

For all the latest American Idol News, visit SirLinksalot: American Idol or the American Idol Official Site .

a>

By: Rosanne Simunovic

Ihave been waiting a very long time for the opportunity to hear Carole King’s music on American Idol.

Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds was along for the ride, collaborating with Jimmy Iovine during the mentoring process.

However, the ” cut and paste” approach to Carole King’s songs left much to be desired. Her songs need to  and deserve to be heard in its entirety. They are folksy, yet sophisticated and the complete story line  must be told for the songs to have full impact on the listener.

Some performances were better than others, but, for the most part, I missed seeing and hearing these songs with the piano. This would have been a good week for a “stripped-down” theme, don’t you think?  At this stage of the competition, it is about the voice.  Entertainment value is important, but I want to see and hear both.

Let us move forward to my Vocal Masterclass evaluations and I welcome your commentary and suggestions after the read!

Here are my evaluations and, remember, I am reviewing each singer in (first name) alphabetical order. Your comments are always welcome. To quickly access individual singers, simply click on the singer’s link below.

Casey Abrams,  Haley Reinhart,  Jacob Lusk,

James Durbin,  Lauren Alaina,   Scott McCreery,

Casey Abrams and Hayley Reinhart    Jacob Lusk and James Durbin,    Lauren Alaina and Scott McCreery

Strengths: Casey - this was an entertaining showcase. From the little doodling at the piano, to your jazz-infused vocals to your strong communicative skills and that neat fedora, you gave a very enjoyable performance.  You initiated a ton of style and  even more flair during this number, something that we have come to enjoy in all your performances from Day One.

And, once again, your female saxophonist was on hand to lend musical support. In fact, you were surrounded by what looked to be an   all female brass band and this reinforced the big band style of this song.

You do have a real gift for making the music come alive and ensuring that the lyrics throughly resonate and move your audience. You are a fearless performer and are not afraid  to lower the curtain and engage your audience in a very real manner. 

You feel the music, it inhabits your soul.  As a result, your performance this week  was loaded with nuance and inflection. At times you spoke your lyrics and, although you walk a fine line in this respect, you somehow make it work. Your weaknesses actually become your strengths.

Great work, Casey! Congratulations!

Critique: Casey – you scream, you yell and vocally do everything wrong but, somehow, it seems to work for you.  I am glad that you work within the framework of your vocal abilities.  This takes courage and confidence.

However, because of the multi-dimensional aspect of this performance, it is so easy to dismiss the importance of strong technical skills.  There was a huge amount of style in this week’s performance but not a lot of vocal substance. 

 I always ask myself after each singer’s performance: “Could I take a whole evening of this style of singing”?   In your case, Casey, I would have to say an unequivocal and resounding ”no”.

It would have been good that, if some point in the song, you could have demonstrated the actual purity in your vocal tone.  I know it’s there – I have heard it in past performances.

But, instead of addressing the fact that this is indeed a vocal competition, you growled and grunted through the entire song and, at some point, abandoned the melody line and spoke the words.  

You must never lose sight of this fact that this is a vocal competition and the viewers need to hear the VOICE.  The performance is important, but one cannot abandon the vocal delivery. It is an integral part of a meaningful showcase.

With all the performance antics and the back-up band,  the smoke and mirrors approach was working at full throttle. A little of  this goes a long way and I was hoping that, at some point, you could have finished the song on your own, without so much confusion on stage. 

However, I  give you credit for abandoning the string bass and the guitar.  Over the weeks, you have demonstrated much diversity in your performance skills and I know that deep inside your vocal bag of tricks there is a real voice waiting to be heard.

Good luck, Casey!

HALEY REINHART “Beautiful”

Strengths: Hayley – you chose a very beautiful ballad this week, layered with different emotions. And I just loved how you communicated this uplifting song.  The change in your mood at different points in this song  demonstrated that you understood the lyrics and rehearsed this song in a meticulous way.

You brought a lot of energy and verve to this song and your stage movements were very fluid and so relaxed. Generally, your voice was nicely liberated, exuding a passionate and expressive vocal quality.

I loved how you carried your voice seamlessly down to your lower range and then moved with ease into the higher register, thus allowing the voice to resonate freely  in your vocal masque.

Your broad vocal range is so even and pure and, because of this, you are able to vocalize throughout your range with confidence and ease. You take risks in your performances and I love this in a singer.

The vocal nuances throughout this showcase were wonderful, genuinely laden to express the emotional core of this song.  And, as always, your head voice was central to every vocal dynamic throughout your range, reinforcing your pitch and, again, adding consistency to your vocal delivery.

Excellent work, Hayley!  Congratulations!

Critique: Hayley –your voice sounded very tired this week and, because of the technical glitches, you started a little on the hesitant side.

However, like a true pro, you picked yourself up and made it all happen midway through this song.  This is why I am such a fan of your vocal style – it seems grounded in a pretty solid technical approach.

However, please watch your tendency to spread your mouth on some of those vowels. You are grabbing the vowels, but that horizontal spread in your mouth allows the throat to remain tight and constrained. This encourages you to push your sound toward your vocal masque, and not allow the voice to float freely on the air supplied though the diaphragm.

I mentioned that you sounded tired. That again would account for less clarity in your vocal  sound. Your muscles need rest so they have the strength to reinforce your voice with consistency and ease.  Make sure you pace yourself wisely and don’t let your technical skills slide as you move forward in this show.

Wonderful work, Hayley!

JACOB LUSK: “Oh No Be Mine Baby”

Strengths: Jacob – you began this song, standing quietly at the piano so I was expecting a performance akin to last week’s excellent showcase. 

However, you took the judges’ advice and decided to let it all hang out with a very energetic and buoyant performance. Good for you. I thought that you managed to do so without overdoing the vocals and that’s what everyone was waiting to hear and see from you Jacob.

I felt that you  found your true groove midway throughout this song.  At this point in the song, you were having a blast and a half, weren’t you? There was some really skillful singing scattered here, there and everywhere. 

I also loved the inclusion of the very fine scat singing. You do have many surprises in your vocal bag of tricks and was so happy that you treated us to yet another this week.

However, I really appreciated the beautifully sustained moments in this song, when your voice could soar through a stabilized technical process. This is when I could once again appreciate the depth and strength of your vocal skills.

Great performance, Jacob! Congratulations!

Critique: Jacob – be careful of that horizontal formation of your mouth.  At the beginning of this song, it was quite evident and you lost a stable hold on your intonation. That tremolo, although not as noticeable this week, was still there.  It was diminishing the true center of your pitch and you were not in tune with the key of this song. 

Then there was the problem with your stage movements. You were bouncing and jumping all over the place and, although it added a good visual component to this performance, it created havoc with your technical skills.

You must remember that the choreography cannot and should not diminish the technical hold on your voice. Despite all the stage movements, it is always necessary to deliver a clear, centered and aesthetically pleasing vocal sound.

You would be wise to practice your song apart from the stage movements.  I am sure you already do this but I want to make sure that you address your technical issues first and THEN add the stage elements, making certain that the voice is not overpowered by the choreography.

Still, all in all, it was your best upbeat performance to date. You are improving, Jacob!  Good work!

JAMES DURBIN: “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”

Strengths: James – I was so happy that you had the opportunity to sing a stripped down version of this beautiful song classic. In fact, that is the way it should be sung. Tell the story.

And your voice, starting a cappella, was just beautiful, strong, centered and gorgeous. As always, I loved the round mouth formation on your vowels coupled with that great, relaxed jaw!  You have a cohesive approach to your vowels which I cannot emphasize enough.  It is so important in terms of securing vocal presence and charisma during a performance.

You took risks with this song, James, and, although I wasn’t 100% sold on all the artistic decisions you made with this song, the bottom line is you believed it and made it happen and created a monster of a performance.

Your vocal courage knows no limits and, as a result, your performance this week, and every week, was jam – packed full of surprises. You care for your audience and never want to disappoint and you never do.

Kudos on another outstanding performance, James!

Critique: James –personally, I wouldn’t have screamed so much in this song. I appreciated the high-end of this performance, but the rock and roll sound just didn’t resonate with me in a genuine way. You may have felt it, but I didn’t.

As I mentioned above, I loved the quiet ambience you created at the outset of this song and I would have kept it that way. The song’s lyrics are so poignant that your voice alone, communicating the words, would have been enough. The vocal acrobatics disturbed the sensitive foundation of this song and basically knocked this song off-kilter.

Leave the screaming to the other songs and never feel that you need to add it to every song that you sing. That’s when it becomes tedious and, additionally, it puts a great deal of strain on your vocal cords. 

Your voice is far too good, James! You don’t need to drive this fact home to your audience every week with excessive singing.  Believe in your vocal talent and in the power of quiet, meaningful singing.

Good luck next week James. Keep it real.

LAUREN ALAINA: “Where You Lead”

Strengths: Lauren – you looked absolutely radiant this week. You moved effortlessly and seamlessly on and off the stage without disrupting the clear consistency of your vocal delivery.

Your voice sounded rich and possessed a great deal of bite and freedom. Yes, you had the little crack, but, hey, who doesn’t?  The important thing is you worked your way through it and did not permit this gentle mistake to adversely affect the overall outcome of this performance, which was very, very good!

I loved how you embraced the audience, not only with your voice, but also with your stage mannerisms. Your simple arm gestures and rhythmically charged movements refined this performance so very much.

I also loved the light head note ending on the word “leave“. It was clear and pure and centered. This was a strong performance and, in fact, your performances have been gaining  momentum and strength each week.

Congratulations once again, Lauren, and continue to believe in yourself.

Critique: Lauren – once again, I have little to critique in this week’s performance. Your stage confidence is increasing by leaps and bounds and I congratulate you for working so hard to realize your true potential throughout this competition.

However, make sure you continue to practice your singing as a separate entity and leave the choreography for the final stages of preparation. This way, your technique will remain central to your final performance and muscle memory will kick in during the adrenaline-charged live performance.

Also, always make certain that the light head tone element is central to your stronger dynamics. Do not -I repeat -do not carry too much chest voice into your upper and/or power dynamic range.  This way, you will minimize further glitches in your vocal armor and will have smooth sailing from beginning to end.

Great work, Lauren.

SCOTTY McCREERY: “You’ve Got A Friend”

Strengths: Scotty – you picked one of my favorite Carole King songs.  And it was a challenge for you. And, guess what? You rose to the challenge, embraced the opportunity and, arguably, gave your strongest performance to date.

I absolutely loved and fully appreciated the quiet ambience you maintained throughout this song.  I also applaud the tasteful  melodic changes you made to this song.  They were not overdone and, yet, distinctively made this performance unique and personal.

You sang this song passionately and sensitively. You added nuance and inflection to the song and told the heartfelt story embedded in the music with expressive ease and sincerity.  Just gorgeous.

It was nice to hear you sing through the tenor part of your vocal range.  It is obvious that your voice has much dimension and potential in its make-up and I hope that you continue to challenge the full complement of your vocal gifts. 

You  are still so very young and your voice is still changing and growing, so make certain that you equip yourself with strong technical skills to assist you in the developmental process. 

This was an exceptional performance,Scotty! Bravo!

Critique: Scotty – I must caution you not to drop the words at the end of your phrases. Support those final words and don’t let the air escape.  I was aching for longer phrases and even more continuity in the melodic line. 

This is where strong diaphragmatic breathing skills come in!   When you breathe deeply and fully from your diaphragm, you can accomplish so much, the most important being a forward momentum in your phrasing.  The air lends support and direction to your voice, making absolutely certain that the forward momentum is not disturbed, but rather enhanced.

Also, be very careful of   your upper range – support, support, support! And watch that horizontal mouth position – round is the way to go!  Because the horizontal position causes the throat to constrict, it diminishes the active and continued support from your diaphragm, causing you to strain and reach for your upper notes.  

A good rule of thumb: sing over the notes, never reach!  Keep the throat open and free and enjoy the delivery of your voice in a liberated way.

Also, as much as I was thrilled to hear you sing through the tenor part of your range,  I sensed that the key selection for this song was a little high. Even a semi-tone lower would have made a difference and you would not have had to struggle to secure those upper notes.

And finally don’t slouch when you perform a song in a seated position. It diminishes the full effect of your diaphragmatic support. Keep the rib cage elevated and create space in your rib cage muscles so you can breathe with more efficiency from the diaphragm.

Okay, I have given you lots of food for thought. I hope you digest some or all of it and continue to grow. Baby steps!  Good work, Scotty!

CASEY ABRAMS and HAYLEY REINHART: “I Feel The Earth Move Under My Feet”

Strengths: Casey and Hayley – the two of you are perfect together.  You gave a very entertaining performance and looked completely at home singing this style of music.  The earthy, bluesy quality of this song complimented your individual styles extremely well.

It was a pleasure to see and hear you perform as a duo once again.

Critique: Casey and Hayley – throughout this song, your harmonies were poorly centered.  I was hoping that the problem would go away, but it just never did. 

 In fact, it felt to me that the song was hastily thrown together as an afterthought – you know sort of like when you ask two people to sing at a party at the last-minute?

Throughout this performance, the blend was very uneven.  Hayley, although you have a nice raspy edge to your voice, you also have an overall clean approach to your vocal sound. You are able to summon up an array of  nuances. 

However, Casey, your voice implemented far too much chest voice into the vocal mix and, as a result, did not mesh with Hayley’s naturally light, pure tone.  

Also, both of you sounded very tired and looked ill-prepared for this showcase. And,  Hayley, I felt that you were competing with Casey -trying to use more of a screaming element into your vocal delivery.  Your  voice was not as pure as I have heard when you sing solo numbers.

Casey, it was  a scream-a-thon all the way with you and, as a result, the harmonics fell flat because of this. You really need to use your head voice and make it central to your vocal sound or you will continue to have more problems with your singing.

JACOB LUSK and JAMES DURBIN: “I’m Into Something Good”

Strengths: Jacob and James – I actually sat in my chair and applauded this number. It was delivered with so much joy and enthusiasm and with almost a tongue-in-cheek approach that made me laugh and cheer.

What was there not to love about this performance? The harmonies were the best of the night, the camaraderie genuine and playful and the individual vocals just outstanding!

I loved your serenade to Jennifer Lopez .  It was very cute and hilarious all at the same time.

Bravo guys! Loved it! Standing “O”!

Critique: Jacob and James – you are critique free. This performance made me stand up and cheer!  Glad you are enjoying the ride and are not taking yourselves too seriously.

LAUREN ALAINA and SCOTTY McCREERY: “Up On The Roof”

Strengths: Lauren and Scotty - the two of you looked so cozy and comfortable together. This was an excellent song choice.  The lyrics and melody mesh so well in this number and gives the singer so many layers with which to work.

I felt that both of you gave a genuine and heartfelt performance. In particular, your individual solos were excellent and captured the mood of the song extremely well.

Critique: Lauren and Scotty – I found the arrangement a little square and mundane, causing both of you to sing in a less fluid manner. The phrasing felt very fragmented and never achieved that all-important forward momentum that creates excitement and drive in a song.

Also, the harmonies didn’t quite work. The blend was just not there.  Lauren’s vocal timbre is much brighter than yours, Scotty, and she sings with a little more head voice in her vocal mix than you do.

And, Scotty, although you carried your harmony descant very well, it really sat beyond your natural singing range, causing you to strain and reach for those almost unattainable higher notes and not sing over them.

Therefore, you encountered pitch problems. You can’t sit on those upper notes, they have to soar and spin from your vocal cavity. Then your pitch will be true. Remember – head voice!

Again, I question the key selection for this song. Even lowering it a tone would have been more beneficial to both singers. 

For all the latest American Idol News, visit SirLinksalot: American Idol or the American Idol Official Site .

I am a little nervous about the Carole King Theme for next week’s American Idol Top 6 show.

Depending what the approved song list looks like, this could be a great show or a hate show.

I love and adore Carole King. She is arguably one of the greatest songwriters of all time.

However, as memorable and catchy as her songs are, they are also layered with sophistication and depth within the hookie melodic line.

Below is a list of some of her songs, garnered from Wikipedia. Can you guess the selection of each singer?

B
Been to Canaan
C
Chains (song)
Child of Mine
Crying in the Rain
D
Don’t Bring Me Down (The Animals song)
Don’t Ever Change (song)
Don’t Say Nothin’ Bad (About My Baby)
G
Go Away Little Girl
Goin’ Back
H
Halfway to Paradise
He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss)
Hey Girl (Freddie Scott song)
I
I Can’t Hear You No More
I Feel the Earth Move
I’m into Something Good
I cont.
If It’s Over
Is This What I Get For Loving You?
It Might As Well Rain Until September
It’s Going to Take Some Time
It’s Too Late (Carole King song)
J
Jazzman
Just Once in My Life
K
Keep Your Hands Off My Baby
L
The Loco-Motion
N
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
Nightingale (song)
Now and Forever (Carole King song)
O
Oh No Not My Baby
One Fine Day (song)
Only Love Is Real
P
Pleasant Valley Sunday
Porpoise Song (Theme from Head)
R
The Reason (Celine Dion song)
S
So Far Away (Carole King song)
So Much Love (song)
Some Kind of Wonderful
Sweet Young Thing
T
Take Good Care of My Baby
Time Don’t Run Out on Me
U
Up on the Roof (song)
W
Welcome to My Living Room
Where You Lead
Will You Love Me Tomorrow
Y
You’ve Got a Friend

By: Rosanne Simunovic

What a fantastic Top 7 show! Everyone performed exceptionally well and so my critiques of the singers are less verbose than in other weeks.

And while watching Jimmy Iovine interact with the singers, I was very impressed with his methodology, how relentless he was in accessing the very best attributes in all the singers. The improvement in all of them is nothing short of astounding.

It was great to see and hear our Season 10 eliminated finalists. Weren’t they outstanding? It’s going to be a great tour!

Let us move forward to my Vocal Masterclass evaluations and I welcome your commentary and suggestions after the read!

Here are my evaluations and, remember, I am reviewing each singer in (first name) alphabetical order. Your comments are always welcome. To quickly access individual singers, simply click on the singer’s link below.

Casey Abrams, Haley Reinhart, Jacob Lusk, James Durbin,

Lauren Alaina, Scott McCreery, Stefano Langone

Strengths: Casey – I love Maroon 5 and was really tickled that you chose one of their songs. This was a multi-dimensional performance, visually and vocally strong. You delivered this song with passion and established strong connection with your audience and, oh yes, the judges.

However, let’s focus on your vocal performance. In short, it was just outstanding. Everything came together for you in this showcase.  Your voice sounded strong and clear and, yet, very expressive and dynamic.  There were many vocal and performance plateaus in this song and you reached every one of them.

What greatly impressed me were your noticeably strong articulation skills. I understood every word but, more important, your crisp articulation projected the voice forward in your vocal masque and, as a result, your voice had resonating presence.  Strong articulation skills really add energy and focus to every singer’s voice and encourage the singer to use the diaphragmatic breathing process with increased efficiency.

And thank you, thank you,  Thank. You. for leaving your string bass behind and hauling out the guitar instead. And I am even more grateful for the fact that you didn’t adopt a stationary position behind the mike stand, but rather moved seamlessly yet energetically across the stage.  You worked that stage like a pro Casey.  Marvelous!

It was wonderful to hear you incorporate your liberated scat singing into this number. It just reinforced in all of us how tremendously talented you are and how much dimension and scope you have as an artist.

This was an excellent performance Casey. Standing “O” and all that jazz! Kudos!

Critique: Casey – that horizontal mouth is still worrisome for, in the long run, you will find that a more circular formation in your mouth will increase the depth, ease and freedom of your voice. It will also allow your throat to remain open and free.

However, because you were so emotionally invested in this song and had rehearsed this number so very well, your voice sounded energized and focused. Also, as I said above, your articulation skills were consistent and strong, helping to focus and resonate your voice. You told your story and we listened and that’s all that matters now!

congratulations on a very fine performance, Casey. Loved it!

HALEY REINHART “Rolling In The Deep” by Adele”

Strengths: Hayley – I loved the cafe-style ambience you created at the beginning of this song performance.  In fact, this was one of many dimensional aspects that I loved about this outstanding showcase.  Finally, you are selecting songs that highlight the authenticity of your personal style.  This week, as in last, you were zoning in to the core of your vocal style and substance and laying it bare on the stage for all to see and appreciate.  Brava!

This week you explored every musical possibility in your voice- from the clear muscular sound, to the clairvoyant head voice, to that raspy, bluesy quality that we have come to associate with your singing style. The expressive quality in your singing style was just perfect and added so many layers to the final product.  The vocal nuance in this performance was beautifully realized and very sensitive.

Your stage movements were wonderful and seamlessly realized. The music dictated your movements, allowing you to rhythmically feel the music in a physical way that was comfortable for the viewer to watch and enjoy. Gone were all the overdone hand motions – now the physicality of your performance made sense.

Your voice is really a gorgeous instrument – full of surprises for the listener. You never push the sound, even when singing through your louder dynamics.  I have always appreciated this about you, Hayley, as you have proven time and time again that a singer does not have to scream to get her message across to her listeners.

This was an exceptional performance, Hayley! Standing “O” here from the Masterclass Lady!

Critique: Hayley – I loved this performance and, quite honestly, could find little wrong with it. Technically, you have a strong grasp of how to project your voice in a liberated manner.

And, emotionally, the song resonated with the listener very well. In other performances, you have experienced difficulty connecting to the emotional core of your songs, but, this week, it was all there.

Continue to work on the shape of your mouth position. It is still too horizontal for me – I prefer a more vertical approach. Circular. You will be astounded at the depth you will achieve in your vocal delivery by making this one adjustment to your mouth position.

Everything else is in place – your facial features are relaxed and free and your diaphragm seems to be guiding your voice to the front. Now we need just a bit more resonance in the overall quality of your singing voice and, by George, I think we’ve got it!

JACOB LUSK: “To Dance With My Father” by Luther Vandross

Strengths: Jacob – this was such a poignant performance. And I know this was difficult to deliver because the song had such a special meaning.

But, from heartache and sadness, came this absolutely stellar performance. The vocal delivery was impeccable, the dynamic level so varied and spectacular, your phrasing deliciously musical and elongated. 

You demonstrated the depth and power of your diaphragmatic breathing skills, especially as you effortlessly climbed through your upper range with your perfect round mouth and relaxed jaw. This is how it’s done, everyone!  Drop the jaw, harness the diaphragmatic supply and let the vocal magic begin. 

Additionally, you consistently sustained your voice on those pure. bel canto vowels and this contributed to the flawless vocal performance you gave this week.

I also appreciated the fact that you delivered this emotionally charged performance in a very relaxed manner – seated on your stool for the entire performance -  and, yet, through your expressive energy, managed to touch and communicate the poignancy of this song to the audience with passion and sensitivity. 

Ordinarily, I would encourage singers to stand up midway through a ballad – for added visual impact – but, in your case, the stationary, seated position helped to calm your physical demeanor and, the result was a clean, memorable and emotionally charged performance.

I cannot say enough about this performance – it was beyond exceptional. The vocal energy and the passionate commitment to the message in this song elevated this number to great heights. It was truly beautiful and extremely memorable.

Standing “O” from Masterclass Lady. Bravo Jacob.

Critique: Jacob – I still heard some of the vocal wobble in your lower range. You have a very strong vibrato in your voice that works to your advantage when you sing through your upper range using a strong dynamic level.  And, that’s all fine and good!

However, as I said last week, you must remember to support your lower range as efficiently as you do when you sing through your upper range. Your voice needs direction and focus at every level of your vocal and dynamic range or your voice will continue to sound less than seamless and very uneven.

Fortunately for you this week, this wasn’t as noticeable. The majority of the song rested in your mid to upper range and this problem was not as noticeable. 

However, the beginning of a number is very important. It sets the tone of the song and allows a singer to initiate energy from the diaphragm. And, if the beginning of a number happens to sit low in your register, you must create energy to deliver your lower notes with potent diaphragmatic support. The rib cage muscles have to “kick in” as soon as a sound is emitted from your mouth. 

Clarity is important at every level.  Vibrato adds character to the voice, but, when not properly supported, the wobble effect takes over and thickens the sound, making the pitch less true and accurate. And, remember to articulate crisply in your lower range, Jacob. This will help to focus your sound more efficiently.

However, this was your best performance to date! Really heart wrenching and so beautiful.  Congratulations.

JAMES DURBIN: “Uprising” 

Strengths: James – you are full of surprises, aren’t you? Again this was another artistically creative and vocally strong performance.  Your visionary approach to this and all your songs is absolutely extraordinary, dare I say, almost genius?  Yes, I do! You possess brilliance in your vocal approach and it comes from a very raw, unbridled place that I just love. 

I loved the marching drummers;   their inclusion in this number was a stroke of genius and catapulted this song to a theatrical level the likes of which we haven’s seen since Adam Lambert hit the stage a couple of years ago.

However, this is not to draw comparisons.  It is merely to point out that this kind of performance doesn’t happen too often on the American Idol stage because it is risky and requires a strong, confident performer to pull it off with flair and credibility. And, James, you fit all the criteria and then some!   The dramatic and  imaginative manner in which you told your story was unique and entertaining.  No one could take your eyes off you.  We  just hopped on the “James Train” and enjoyed the ride!

And when you sang an octave higher in the refrain of this song, it really took my breath away. That’s when I threw my IPad aside and said to myself, “This guy is not for real“.  Your voice comes from deep within your soul and you are not afraid to bare every nuance, every level of your vocal range to your listener because you are so in tune with the emotional core of the music.

This was such a dramatic performance, so intrinsically driven and realized. You are truly a remarkable artist.

And, somehow, someway, you have equipped yourself with some wicked technical skills to propel your vocals to stellar heights. The circular mouth, the strong diaphragmatic support, the cohesive approach to your vowels, your strong articulation skills, your God-given musicality – all of these elements are responsible for your strong musical presence this week and every week.

Bravo and Standing “O” from Masterclass Lady! Kudos!

Critique: James – I noticed a problem last week and failed to mention it because it was short-lived during your performance. But, it crept up again and so I must address it.

At the beginning of this song, your lower voice would have benefited from stronger diaphragmatic support and clearer articulation. This week, as in last week, you began each song in your lower voice.  Your voice was barely audible, almost breathy. Maybe you were going for a quieter dynamic, but even the softer passages would have benefited from a more  intense and focused sound.

Therefore, because so much air was escaping with your vocal sound,  your voice lacked presence and clarity. Now, if you had adopted a cleaner approach to your articulation skills, the lyrics would have been more transparent and the crisp enunciation would have created energy and focus to your vocal delivery.

Never short change your lower voice and/or softer dynamic in terms of the correct diaphragmatic approach. And spit out those words – don’t let them fall aimlessly from your mouth when you sing through your lower range.  If you correct this problem, then your voice will have even more dimension and, more important, have consistency and purity through every level of your vocal range.

However, congratulations again, James. This was outstanding!  Really something special!

LAUREN ALAINA: “Born To Fly” by Sara Evans

Strengths: Lauren – this was a very good song selection and it suited your voice so well. Emotionally and vocally, this was your strongest performance to date.

Everything worked!  Your voice was clear and consistent with no evidence of fatigue, but brimming with head voice in the vocal mix.  As a result, your voice was ringing throughout your vocal register.  Gone was the harsh chest voice sound and, in its place, we were treated to a crystal-clear vocal timbre.

Added to this was the expressive quality in  your singing style.  For the first time I felt that you were capturing the words with sensitivity, adding inflection and shading to mirror the emotion in the lyrical line.

I particularly loved the softer dynamic you implemented during the repeat of the verse.  This signaled to me that you had thoroughly researched the song, making certain that the singing dynamic complimented the emotional value at different points in the number.

I also applaud the round formation of your mouth, allowing you to apply a cohesive approach to your vowels throughout the melodic line of the song.  This improvement in your technical skills, when added to the expressive color in your vocal delivery, created a very superb and sensitive  performance indeed.

Visually, you appeared confident and professional and glowing with your newly discovered self-assurance and poise. This is what I’ve been waiting for – I think everyone has.

Brava Lauren and a standing “O” from Masterclass Lady. Extremely good work this week.

Critique: Lauren – perfect song and perfect performance.  I could not find anything wrong with this fabulous performance this week, so kudos to you! Your hard work and perseverance paid off and, now, we can sit back and watch the magic happen in the weeks ahead.   But, keep your nose to the grindstone;  you are on the correct path so do not be tempted to veer away from it.

 Congratulations once again. 

SCOTT McCREERY: “Swingin’” by Lee Ann Rimes

Strengths: Scotty – the nature of this song was very low-key and, yet, it allowed you to add a sophisticated twist to your performing ability.  I found that, throughout this song, you were not only having fun, but also were moving on and off the stage like a pro, brimming with confidence and composure.

Therefore, visually, it made for great entertainment and a truly enjoyable way to begin this week’s show. The song may not have challenged you vocally as did last week’s selection, but performance-wise, this was a huge improvement 

I loved how you sang down the octave at the beginning of the second verse. I don’t think you were given enough credit for this and it showed that you have extensive breadth in your vocal range. And kudos to you for choosing  the perfect key selection to demonstrate the expansion of your singing range.   

However, in the end, the visual dimension to this performance is what impressed me. You moved with youthful ease and abandon about the stage. 

And, although the microphone was tilting back and forth once again, it added a little visual aid in the story-telling process.  I guess this is your signature, Scotty, but I still would prefer that you adopt a purely vertical alignment  in your posture.

Vocally, you were demonstrating some of the ”bel canto” spark and style this week – not as much as last because the song was more laid back in nature, but definitely there.

All in all a very entertaining and musical performance. Standing “O” from Masterclass Lady.

Critique: Scotty – because you were busy moving out and about the stage, I felt that your technical skills took a few steps backwards this week.    Your mouth was back to the horizontal position and so your voice didn’t quite have the presence and charisma I so enjoyed hearing last week.   Even though the nature of the song was relaxed and carefree, you still needed to apply a more cohesive approach to your vowels.

Therefore, the vocal line never moved forward;  it lost momentum.  I think the relaxed nature of this song really didn’t challenge you to build on the technical skills that you adopted during last week’s performance.  The song, although very entertaining, was melodically repetitive and this is always a danger zone for every singer. You need to keep the song vocally interesting, adding nuance and inflection.

The lower octave vocalizing was an excellent idea and it did help, but, you must remember not to allow your vocal sound to get lost in the lower end of your range.  You have to remember to support and articulate your lyrics so that the melodic and lyrical line  maintain clarity and momentum . 

I think your diaphragmatic muscles basically collapsed and you were using just your natural voice, which, for me wasn’t quite enough.  The diaphragm and the strong articulation skills would have added energy and momentum to your vocal cause, increasing the vocal spirit and essence of the song.

Always remember Low doesn’t mean Lazy when you sing.  Those lower notes have to cut through the instrumental background and reach the audience with strength and purpose.

Good luck next week, Scotty!

STEFANO LANGONE: “Closer”

Strengths: Stefano – what an improvement in your stage persona. You looked strong and confident and, I thought, paced the song extremely well. You moved with  ease and purpose and, for me, the first half of the song demonstrated massive improvement in your performance skills.

It was blatantly clear to all who watched that you invested a great deal of time and effort to refine your stage technique and, in the end, it all paid off.   We all took notice.  I love  the very fact that you, as well as the other singers, just ran with the advice given you by your vocal coaches, along with Jimmy Iovine. You have emerged as a stronger performer because of their mentoring.

I also enjoyed the liberated approach in your vocal style.  Your vocal ability runs so deep and you have so much technical ability that, each week, you can turn many switches on in your vocal apparatus during your performances

This week was no exception.   I particularly enjoyed the implementation of your  head voice  and the relaxed. comfortable manner with which you vocalized throughout your range.  Your musicality just oozes from your body and  your phrasing is instinctive and very expressive.

This was a very exceptional performance, Stefano.  Congratulations for your hard work and perseverance toward your craft.

Critique: Stefano – I think I figured out why it looks like you are working so hard. You are a small guy, very wiry, but sometimes your energy overwhelms your stature. You are also very muscular and, because of  this, you have the energy to exert, but you must be careful not to exceed the boundaries of your physique. 

That being said, I felt that the  first part of this song was sleeker and smoother.  You captured and utilized the energy correctly. But, when you began to move and groove, you were pumping that body far too hard.

And then, the head went up as you sang through your higher range. Not only does the raised head work against the correct technical method, but it presents a disconnect in your stage presence. The head, moving away from the body, seems to “cut you in half” (for want of a better phrase) and so your stage persona is somewhat diminished.

But the good news here is this: you are improving by leaps and bounds and not all the technical elements can be cured or corrected in one week, one month or, sometimes, a year.  All of this takes time; bad habits are hard to kick.  However, because of your strong work ethic and discipline, I know you will, eventually, have all your technical ducks lined up in a row.

Congratualtions on an exceptional performance, Stefano!

For all the latest American Idol News, visit SirLinksalot: American Idol or the American Idol Official Site .

By: Rosanne Simunovic

O once again, i thought the Top 8 singers put out a splendid show last evening. I found it absolutely hilarious how many of the singers were counteracting the advice given to them by Jimmy Iovine. This was the highlight for me and I am surprised American Idol would air all this nasty stuff. But, hey, it was one wild ride and I loved it.

Let us move forward to my Vocal Masterclass evaluations and I welcome your commentary and suggestions after the read!

Here are my evaluations and, remember, I am reviewing each singer in (first name) alphabetical order. Your comments are always welcome. To quickly access individual singers, simply click on the singer’s link below.

Casey Abrams,  Haley Reinhart,  Jacob Lusk,  James Durbin,

Lauren Alaina,  Paul McDonald,  Scott McCreery,  Stefano Langone

Strengths: Casey – your Nat King Cole selection, Nature Boy, was an inspired choice. I have always loved the  jazzy vibe about you.  I think this is where your innate musical talent starts to surface in a more authentic manner. 

You added such a neat spin to this song – that relaxed  jazz flavor was just the ticket. I also appreciated the vocal gymnastics you tastefully incorporated into this song.  This is what attracted me to you from Day One – your liberated style, flecked with nuance and character.

And you truly love what you are doing on that stage. You believe in your particular brand of art form and this level of artistic confidence perfectly translated to the audience.

Great work, Casey!

 Critique: Casey – you and that double bass have to part ways at some point.  I respect the fact that you have most definitely brought something new and exciting to the Idol stage but, as a performer, you have to also learn to move seamlessly on the stage .

Also, by clinging to your bass, you ignore the fact that your vocal issues needs to be addressed. You are using that bass as a crutch, I’m afraid!  Your voice would be more expressive, more tangible and more centered if you would just take the time to change and improve your technical skills.

This week, as in previous, that horizontal spread in your mouth was wreaking havoc with your pitch.  Your runs, although tastefully executed, were poorly centered because you were not focusing and sustaining your voice properly.

If you would adopt a circular formation in your mouth formation on all the vowels, your voice would sound more secure and centered.  This is not to detract from the liberated quality you bring to your vocal style, but to enhance it by stabilizing your vocal timbre throughout every dynamic level.

And understandably adopting that semi-crouched position while holding your bass is not helping matters. The diaphragmatic breathing muscles are somewhat crushed and not expanded and this is diminishing the full extent of your diaphragmatic breath support.

You need to practice your song without the bass so as to draw attention to the weaknesses and flaws in your technical skills while singing. This is the only way you will correct your vocal problems and, at the same time, allow your voice to grow and develop as it should. The full potential of your vocal ability will never be realized if you continue this way, Casey.

Good luck next week and in all your future performances! Remember – round mouth, relaxed jaw and diaphragmatic exertion and support = a new and improved Casey Abrams.

 HAYLEY REINHART: ““Call Me” from American Gigolo”

 Strengths: Hayley – I loved this performance very much. You and James Durbin are probably the strongest physical performers left in this competition. You move very easily and seamlessly on stage and I enjoy watching you.  You entertain and engage your audience and, in the end, that’s what it is all about.

I loved the pure head voice you added to the melodic line of this song. It contrasted just wonderfully with the muscular and/or raspy nuances you added throughout this performance. You always incorporate tons of inflection in your performances in such a fluid manner and, because of this, the song lives and breathes on that stage.

Technically, you have  a strong grasp of what to do and what not to do. I never sensed that you were forcing your vocal sound at any point in your song.  The manner in which your pure head voice just happened to flow from your mouth is strong indication of this.  You manage to sneak a little head voice into every part of your range and dynamic level and therein lies the rub! 

So many singers sing with far too much chest voice in their vocal mix and, when this happens, they struggle with their top range and/or have trouble revealing a pure, delicate vocal sound in their performance because the vocal mix is heavily laden with chest voice.

This was an expressive and dynamic showcase, Hayley.  Great work!

Critique: Hayley – as I mentioned above, I thought this was a superb showcase and your stage mannerisms were less affected than previous performances. Therefore, I have little to critique this week. 

 However, I would like to hear you sing a ballad next week, so as to be treated to a sensitive and sustained performance.  This would urge you to relax those arms and hands even further while challenging your diaphragmatic muscles to guide and focus your voice in a more prolonged manner.

Also, as I said last week, make absolutely certain to shape your mouth correctly when grabbing those pure vowels and certainly when singing through your upper or more powerful dynamic levels.

However, overall, this was really fine work, Hayley. Congratulations!

JACOB LUSK: “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” from The Pursuit Of Happiness

Strengths: Jacob – this was a very strong performance and deserved the accolades from the judges. This showcase amply demonstrated noticeable improvement in your vocal and performance skills.

You sang with vocal passion and sincerity and phrased your vocal line so musically. I loved how you paced your walk to the front of the stage – it was in perfect tempo and allowed you time to relax and ease into the performance. It also added a strong visual dimension to this week’s performance.

As a result, you looked much more comfortable on stage – your stage technique was just right. Now, you have to keep it there and not change a thing.

And who can ignore that unbelievable  three-note climb at the end of this song? It was absolutely spectacular. It was tastefully and artfully delivered and your technique was spot on. Nice round mouth, relaxed jaw and beautifully focused vocal sound resonating freely and easily in your vocal masque.

Great work, Jacob!

Critique: Jacob – over the weeks, but especially this week, I have noticed that you tend to wallow in your vibrato rather than exercise control over it – especially in your lower range. This is where you lose control of the reins.  When you sing through your upper range, the vibrato is certainly less noticeable, but this is not the case in the lower part of your range.

I think – no, I know – what is happening. You are not harnessing your vocal energy correctly. Those lower notes were vacillating uncontrollably because your diaphragmatic breathing muscles ran amok!  So many singers neglect the lower part of their singing range, feeling that, oh well, it’s just the lower notes so  I can relax my technique.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

You want to achieve a seamless, coherent vocal timbre throughout every part of your range.  To that end, you need  to control the vibrato in the lower part of your range because, presently, it  sounds more like the less pleasant tremolo  aspect which singers try to avoid like the plague.  A tremolo disturbs the central core of the pitch and the voice sounds fuzzy and poorly focused.

Also, because you were not adequately supporting your lower range, two distinct voices were evolving in your performance. It was very noticeable this week.  You needed to maintain a smooth, even vocal sound from top to bottom, incorporating the vibrato in an aesthetically correct manner.

To that end, you need to discover the little boy in you and work on appreciating and sustaining your pure head voice, making certain that this important vocal aspect is at the core of  your vocal delivery.

However, this was your most seamless performance to date. You have obviously taken steps to improve your stage performance and I congratulate you for this, Jacob! Bravo!

  JAMES DURBIN: “Heavy Metal” from Heavy Metal

 Strengths: James –  as always and forever it seems, this was another stellar performance. I don’t really enjoy heavy metal, dude, but this was a thoroughly and thankfully exceptional showcase. 

The one thing I really noticed and appreciated was the crystal clear articulation of your lyrics and the incredible presence of your resonant voice.   How your voice cut through all the loud music with clarity and precision is really quite astounding!

And,  oh how I love watching you perform because it means little work for me. You are a master on that stage and, of all the remaining singers, at this point in time, you truly belong there. This is your home – it is where you feel most comfortable.

You are such an artiste – you can sing anything, can’t you? And, more important, you follow your instincts and are never swayed by opinions from the experts in the field.  Good for you for standing your ground with Jimmy Iovine.  A singer has to follow his instincts or the performance will be less authentic. 

However, it is important to keep your mind open to new ideas - otherwise you may never know what opportunities await for you if you don’t take, or at the very least ponder, the advice people are trying to give you.

Another standing “O” from Masterclass Lady! Bravo!

Critique: James – this performance was perfect. Perfect!  Round mouth, relaxed jaw, strong diaphragmatic skills, tons of nuance and expression, enormous stage presence.  What more can one ask?

Congratulations on a very entertaining and beautifully realized performance.

LAUREN ALAINA: “The Climb” 

Strengths: Lauren –this was a very predictable song choice. Good, good call ! Your voice sounded just beautiful during this performance. It wrapped beautifully around the melodic line. Even your vowels were purer on the “eye” diphthongs. You managed to sustain your voice on the first vowel in this diphthong – the lovely ”ah” vowel - and the result was a purer, more focused and ringing vocal sound. If singers only realized how much easier it is to vocalize when one adopts the pure vowel – aka bel canto – approach.

Your composure on stage this week was perfect – just what I was waiting for!  This is why song choice is so important. You connected to this song and this strong connection propelled your voice to stellar heights.

You looked absolutely radiant on stage – just glowing!  Personally, I felt this was your strongest performance to date. You exuded confidence and charisma while  remaining emotionally connected to the song’s lyrics. It certainly doesn’t get better than this.

Oh  – I must mention that your phrasing was more interesting – very musical and less fragmented than when we first heard you sing many weeks ago.  It is always wonderful to watch a singer evolve on the American Idol stage and you are a strong example of this very process.

Congratulations Lauren on a very fine performance!

Critique: Lauren – you are getting stronger and stronger in terms of your technical skills. I found that your incorporated more head voice into your louder dynamics and, as a result, achieved a truer balance between the chest and head components in your vocal color.

However, I would like to see you manoeuver your way around your upper range in a softer, more delicate manner. This would allow you to highlight the crystal clear purity of your head voice and the softer dynamic would add more nuance and flavor to your overall performance.

Presently, your dynamic level is pretty even – very little variation in shade and color.   In order to achieve your true potential as an artist,  you need to vary the color in your vocal timbre for heightened expressiveness. 

Don’t be timid to sing softly, Lauren, but, at the same time, make absolutely certain that your softer dynamic is supported through your diaphragmatic breathing muscles.  This way, your quieter passages will still have intensity and purpose.

Great showcase this week.  Brava!

PAUL McDONALD : “Old Town Rock And Roll” from Risky Business

Strengths: Paul -  this was another great song selection this week! Perfect! You certainly energized the crowd and got the show off to a rousing start.  You love energizing your audience and you certainly have fun doing so.

And, like Rod Stewart, you adopted a female sax player to play with!  I always laugh when Rod Stewart brings out the female sax player – it’s just good ‘ole-fashioned entertainment. Your voice has a Rod Stewart vibe so it was a neat idea.

Good job, Paul!

Critique: Paul – unfortunately, you were painfully under pitch throughout this song. In fact, I had to turn up the volume on the TV to make sure that I was hearing correctly. More than any other week, it was just so noticeable.

As much as I loved the run down the stairs at the beginning of this song , clearly your voice was not ready for the journey. The sudden and hurried movement misplaced the center of your vocal intonation and, as a result, you were a half-tone under pitch from the chosen key.

If you had paced this song correctly, your voice would have enjoyed a clearer and cleaner projection. Why the run down the stairs? A rhythmically precise walk down the stairs at a slower pace would have given you an opportunity to ease into this very animated performance. Just don’t start at the top of the stairs.  There, problem solved!

Also, because your diaphragmatic breathing muscles were thoroughly misplaced throughout this number, your vocal skills never materialized. In fact,  50% of the song was spoken. At times, I could barely make out the melody and, when I did, it was poorly tuned.  You almost gave  a rap version of this song – strong rhythmic skills, but very little vocal skill.

And, your throat was so tense and constricted. I was hurting for you. Your mouth was in a horizontal position throughout this song – really spread and so tight. Your TRUE voice remained locked in your body – there was no way it was going to make it past your throat blockade.

You need to sit down with a veritable vocal coach and work on attaining strong vocal skills. If you do, you will enjoy more vocal freedom and, in the process, preserve the longevity of your singing voice.

Good luck, Paul!

 SCOTT McCREERY: “I Crossed My Heart” from Big Country 

Strengths: Scotty – was it just me or was your posture more aligned this week? Your mike technique was better also. Good for you, buddy.  And, because of this, you looked more confident and professional on stage.

And, for the very first week, I finally got you. The song worked, your voice worked and your phrasing was very musical and sincere because you loved the song choice so much.

Your voice was strong and resonant and pure and you absolutely nailed those upper notes. You approached your upper register cleanly and added just the right amount of head voice to the stronger dynamic passages in this song.

And, big surprise, your mouth was noticeably rounder and your jaw relaxed when you sustained those upper notes.  This is why your posture is so important- it assists your technical skills. If you do not have elevated posture when performing as a vocalist, you cannot take full advantage of the diaphragmatic breath support.  Your rib cage plummets and, therefore, inhibits the full complement of your diaphragmatic breath control.

Therefore, overall, I thought this was a wonderful performance this week with great improvement in your vocal delivery. Now, keep the ball rolling in this direction and all will be well.

Excellent work, Scotty!  Kudos!

Critique: Scotty – you stIll need to refine your posture and make absolutely certain that you continue to align your body vertically, moving it forward toward your audience and never away. Bend those knees but never the upper body. You must always and forever keep your rib cage expanded and elevated.

Also, make sure that you continue working on your mike technique. At least, this week, it wasn’t continually hanging out of the side of your mouth so it was nice to see such a vast improvement in this area. 

And, like Lauren, you need to explore your ability to sing with pure head voice (falsetto) and become comfortable doing so. This would add so much depth and dimension to your singing range and increase the level of nuance throughout your performance.

However, at least you have dropped that “low note” ending. Very good move. Now, I am waiting for a soft upper note ending from you. Can you imagine? What a contrast to the rich depth of your low bass/baritone voice.  The audience would go wild!

Bravo Scotty! Very fine singing indeed!

STEFANO LANGONE: “End Of The Road” from Boomerang

Strengths: Stefano – this was a very strong performance. Very strong! You were absolutely emotionally invested in this song.  This week, there was fire in your eyes that ignited your soul with passion and purpose.

You are a small but mighty performer. What you lack in physical stature you make up in strength and drive as a musician and artist. I strongly suspect that you are the hardest working singer remaining in this Top 8 – it shows in your eyes and your willingness to take advice and direction like a pro, thus allowing you to grow and evolve before our very eyes.

You have  a wonderful grasp of the bel canto technique – always maintaining a circular mouth position and relaxed jaw when grabbing those pure vowels, especially in the upper end of your voice.

This was pure magic, Stefano. I love watching you – your heart is large and your artistic mission so transparent and real.  Congratulations on your excellent performance this week. Bravo!

Critique: Stefano – you have to relax, buddy!  You were not as wound up as the last few weeks, but you still need to loosen your body just a bit more.

Added to this, that worrisome head has to come down when you sustain your upper notes. You are sustaining your notes correctly, now lower your head. Raising the head is counter-productive in terms of using the correct technical skills. You never, ever reach for upper notes but rather sing over them, hitting them down as you would a volley ball. 

Also, your extended head position puts extensive pressure on your throat muscles and, therefore, your vocal cords.  This approach inhibits the true freedom of your vocal delivery and it also detracts from an aesthetically pleasing stage persona. You lose eye contact with your audience and, in fact, push them away during the most dramatic moments of your song. That’s when you need to grab them, Stefano, and show them that you mean business.

I know this is quite a drastic change to make in a few weeks. These old habits are firmly ingrained. But, I hope there is even the tiniest bit of improvement next week.  If it’s there, I will notice and happily applaud you for a job well done.

Still, all in all, this was an exceptional showcase. Now, haul out the piano next week and show us the full extent of you talent.  I also think that we will see a more balanced level of energy in your stage performance if you disperse this energy between your vocal and piano skills. Fingers crossed!

For all the latest American Idol News, visit SirLinksalot: American Idol or the American Idol Official Site .

By: Rosanne Simunovic

I really, really enjoyed last night’s performances.  I predicted they would be good and, generally, I feel that prediction came true. There were some neat surprises last evening as well that made a difference in my evaluations this week.

Let us move forward to my Vocal Masterclass evaluations and I welcome your commentary and suggestions after the read!

Here are my evaluations and, remember, I am reviewing each singer in (first name) alphabetical order. Your comments are always welcome. To quickly access individual singers, simply click on the singer’s link below.

Casey Abrams, Haley Reinhart, Jacob Lusk, James Durbin,

Lauren Alaina, Paul McDonald, Pia Toscano

Scott McCreery, Stefano Langone

Strengths: Casey – I enjoyed watching you perform with your string bass once again. It is certainly a different experience for the viewers and I can’ t recall ever seeing this unique combo of voice and piano. It may exist out there in our big musical world, but I can safely say that, for most people, it is something new and different.

So, kudos to you for being adventurous and exposing us to a new way of vocalizing. You obviously have an immense passion and love for music and you certainly impart these elements to your audience.

You performed the song very well, Casey, and your signature, relaxed style was very much appreciated.

Great work, Casey.

 Critique: Casey – not to sound fickle here, but I was hoping that you would move away from the string bass at some point during the song. This would have elevated the visual impact of this week’s performance, something that I feel many of this week’s singers have yet to learn as wel.l

Also, by navigating the stage, you would have increased the visual, even the aural, momentum of the number and established a firmer connection to your audience. 

I love watching you with the bass, but I don’t want to see you use it as a crutch. As a performer, you need to use the stage as your playground in order to add drama and excitement to your performances.

From here on in, the element of surprise is not a luxury but a necessity. You need to move and, along with this, develop a more creative approach to your vocal line.

Technically, your voice sounded less coherent and true than last week’s performance. The raspiness and, perhaps, fatigue crept into your vocal sound and your voice lacked focus and clarity. I was also missing some nuance in your vocal color, something I know you can do, but elected not to this week.

Also, be careful of your mouth position – avoid the horizontal position and try to maintain a circular formation throughout your song, grabbing the first pure vowel in every word. This way, your voice will sound seamless, well-positioned and, the pièce de résistance, resonant and full.

Finally, remember to relax your throat and jaw, to ease the flow of vocal energy from your body. If the throat is tense and/or you continue to use your throat muscles to produce vocal sound, not allowing the diaphragmatic muscles to do the work, you will create great tension in your voice, leaving your vocal cords open for injury somewhere down the road.

Fine work, nonetheless, Casey! Kudos

 HAYLEY REINHART: “Piece Of My Heart”

 Strengths: Hayley – given the bluesy quality of your voice and style, this was a perfect song choice.  And, my goodness gracious lady, you sang the guts out of this song.

Personally, this was your best performance to date. It looked and sounded perfectly authentic – you seemed wholly connected to this song and it just seemed right and felt right. Just wonderful!

I loved the raspy quality in your voice – it mirrored the angst nature of this song.  Also, you added just the right amount of clarity in your vocal mix to remind us that you know and appreciate the necessity of  head voice in your vocal range and dynamic.

More than any of the other singers, I have to say that your facial features are fully open and relaxed when you perform. Not only is this great for your technical delivery, but also it elevates your comfort level while on stage. You looked so liberated and, if you were nervous, it never was apparent to the viewer.

You came out to play and used the stage as your playground. As a result, your showcase with entertaining and memorable.

This was a strong vocal presentation, Haley! Congratulations!

Critique: Hayley – hmm, I had difficulty isolating any major problem in your performance this week. However, you do need to watch that your left arm doesn’t move incessantly and uncontrollably. It wasn’t as problematic as in previous weeks, but that arm seems to have mind of its own, so be careful to refine the movements.

Also, try to avoid the horizontal spread in your mouth position. You must remember to keep those lips rounded, relaxing the jaw as well, so that your voice has more focus and presence.

Practice sustaining pure vowels by singing a scale, keeping your throat open and free and the mouth circular. However, in order to assist the process,  make certain that your diaphragmatic breathing muscles are working properly or you will go nowhere fast.

Another trick to help you fully understand the difference and improvement in your vocal sound when using the correct technical approach is to sustain a note on any vowel – holding the note with your mouth in a horizontal position and then gradually adopting a circular position. Quite a difference in depth and focus when you compare the two sounds!

Hope this helps you, Hayley. Great work this week!

JACOB LUSK: “Man In The Mirror”

Strengths: Jacob – what I enjoyed most about this number was the application of your resonant vocals during the dynamically potent refrain.  Your fiery demeanor was perfect and purposeful and highlighted the passionate dynamics even more so.

This week, your vocals were not overdone but rather sung with perfect passion and nuance.  And you were brave and wise enough to use the stage to accent the emotional core of this song.

Your voice, when used and projected properly, is truly beautiful. It is a naturally endowed gift from God and, with proper guidance, is capable of a range of nuance and dynamics. This week, more than ever, I heard all that you were capable of achieving and hope that, with technical guidance,  you realize your true vocal potential.

Good work, Jacob!

Critique: Jacob – you have a worrisome tendency to sing through every vowel in your diphthongs.  It really struck me when you vocalized  the word “right” and basically every word with the “eye” diphthong.  Your voice sounded poorly focused and it definitely lacked a “bulls eye” placement in your intonation.

You need to adopt  a purer and more refined approach, similar to how the refined Brits speak when they articulate their words.   Presently, you are sustaining your voice through every vowel in the diphthong and not adopting the bel canto approach of grabbing the first vowel – the “ah” vowel- in this diphthong.

As a result, your voice, during the opening and closing verse,  lost its center because it lacked focus and clarity. And, along with this, the pitch was noticeably affected because there was little evidence of ringing head voice in your vocal mix. 

Head voice is a pure element in a singer’s voice that renders a transparent and clean quality to the vocal timbre throughout the singer’s  range and dynamic levels.

The lack of this important vocal element in this week’s performance caused your pitch to waver because your noticeable vibrato was  less controlled, approaching the unappealing tremolo quality, in fact.

Be very careful when you sing through your lower range or use a softer dynamic. Make absolutely certain that you are harnessing your vocal sound with potent diaphragmatic breathing skills.  Those breathing muscles, when used properly, are very important and the energy to support your voice can’t be confined solely to your upper or stronger vocals.  

If you correct these issues, Jacob, your voice will no longer sound vague and uneven. Over time, you will adopt a seamless, focused quality to your voice and your performances will rise to the next level.

Best of luck,  Jacob!

  JAMES DURBIN: “While My Guitar Gently Weaves”

Strengths: James – finally a ballad and not a moment too soon! OMG. The final bars of this song were just beyond description. In fact, the entire song was a masterpiece and the passion and vulnerability you brought to this song was exceptional. For me, this was one of those rare show-stopping moments on the American Idol stage.

I loved how you maintained a circular formation with your mouth and relaxed your jaw, especially for the impeccably sustained upper note at the end of this song. This is how it’s done, folks. All the strength is coming from his diaphragm and, even more important, from the emotion in his soul. The two go hand in hand – totally inseparable.

And, to think,  he never had to leave the stool he was sitting on to leave a powerful musical impression with the viewers!

Bravo and standing “O”, James.  This was the performance of the night – two weeks in a row.  Kudos and thank you for sharing your vulnerability and passion with us on that stage.

Critique: James – you  started out a little shaky and I sensed that you were having problems grounding your voice in your lower/softer range.  It was a bit worrisome, at first, but it all came together in the end, so good for you for working out the nerves on live television. 

However, make certain that, when seated on a stool, you elevate your rib cage so that you can become fully aware of the powerful force coming from your diaphragmatic ribcage muscles. Breathe deeply, breathe greedily and let the air guide your voice to your vocal masque and all be well and good throughout your dynamic range.

You are so “in the zone” when you sing that, incredibly enough, you manage to avoid the technical problems by accessing the depths of your soul to deliver the song in a meaningful way,  just showering us with expressive continuity for the full performance.

Congratulations once again, James.

LAUREN ALAINA: “You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman”

Strengths: Lauren – you looked absolutely radiant this week and I was thrilled that you selected this song. It is a difficult song but I feel it was a good fit for your voice.

Your stage technique was excellent – that walk forward always is a good rule to follow  during the opening moments of a song, so long as you keep the diaphragmatic control of your voice front and center. The relaxed walking pace helped ease you into the performance and relaxed the muscles well.

Good work, Lauren!

Critique: Lauren – at the beginning of this song, I detected a timing problem.  I don’t know if the arrangement was a bit wonky, but your voice, for just  a second, was not lining up properly with the music. The good news, however, is that you got back on track and were rhythmically cohesive with the arrangement for the remainder of the song.

Now, you need to work on incorporating more head voice into your vocal mix. Presently, you are straining like mad for those upper notes, carrying far too much chest voice into your vocal sound.  As a result,  your voice sounded weathered and tired. 

Make absolutely certain that you center your vocal sound with head voice and then, if you need more power in your voice, then access those diaphragmatic breathing muscles to create a fuller sound. Never push, never force!   Remember to lift from the diaphragm – that’s all you need to do.

Added to this problem, you were elevating your head, really straining for the upper notes.  All this did was create more tension in your voice while, at the same time, diminish a stronger connection with your audience.  

Also, I did notice that your phrase endings were poorly sustained, signaling to me that you were not using your air properly to complete your phrases. That breathy quality seemed to creep into your vocal sound from time to time; therefore, your vocal performance had less impact because of this. You need to release just enough air to create sound and then your voice will sound pure and focused.

And, while working on your head position, make absolutely certain that your mouth remains round on all your vowels and your jaw stays relaxed and free.  The freedom in your vocal masque will make you even more aware of the support necessary to deliver a refined vocal sound.

Good luck next week, Lauren!

  PAUL McDONALD : “Folsom Prison Blues”

Strengths: Paul –I would never – ever - have guessed that you would choose this song, but good for you for doing so. I love this song and I loved how your voice embraced the melody.

And you had a blast on that stage. This was plain ‘ole fashioned entertainment and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. You have such an affable demeanor on stage and, because of this, it is obvious that you love what you do so very much. We do too, Paul.

I particularly enjoyed the instrumental section where you highlighted your guitar skills while jamming with the other musicians. Because of this, the visual dimension of this performance increased considerably and just set the tone for the final moments in this exciting showcase of performances.

Congratulations, Paul. Very good work!

Critique: Paul – technically, you were all over the map but, the performance was so outstanding that I feel guilty critiquing you.  However, critique I must, so here goes!

You love to smile and there is nothing wrong with that. But singers learn to smile with their eyes. Why, you ask? Because by adopting more circular formation in your mouth position, your sound increases in depth and nuance and, over time, in range.

Presently, you are using very little - if any - diaphragmatic breath support and your voice sounds very emaciated because of this.  You need to make better use of your air supply to direct and shape your vocal delivery, while at the same time, keeping your throat open and free.

Also, make sure that you rehearse your song without the guitar and, definitely, without the stage movements. Become aware of any technical problems – phrasing, focus, breathing – and correct these problems. Then, after the song feels musically secure and comfortable, then add your guitar, followed by your stage movements.  

By following this rule of thumb, you will increase your comfort level on stage and will definitely augment the strength of your vocal delivery. Never allow your voice to take a back seat to anything. You must wisely balance the vocal and choreographic elements  – this is what makes for a truly memorable vocal performance.

Good work, nonetheless, Paul! 

 PIA TOSCANO :”River Deep – Mountain High”

Strengths: Pia – this was a long-awaited change of pace. Finally! And you totally and absolutely nailed it. What an absolutely stellar performance. You paced this song so effortlessly and your voice sound resplendent with passion and energy.

I enjoyed watching you saunter throughout the stage, then off the stage, then toward the judges and back again. All the while, your voice never sounded breathless which gave strong indication that you knew how to properly use your diaphragm to harness your vocal energy.

As always, your demeanor was just lovely. You are so graceful and so giving on that stage – I just love  and appreciate this quality in you so much.

Wonderful work, Pia!

Critique: Pia – you still need to work on the refinement of your stage movements but certainly the energy and drive you gave throughout this performance compensated for this.  However, you would be wise to try to loosen up your body moments before you perform. Bring your arms up to your side to open and expand the diaphragmatic breathing muscles. 

Also, allow yourself some personal space on the stage. As much as you were indeed physically active this week, I still felt that you were physically “boxed in” and this probably impeded the full capacity of your diaphragmatic breath support.

Also, I felt that you were carrying far too much chest voice into your upper range and, added to this, you were raising your head  and away from the audience.  Remember that, to ensure a uniform and aesthetically refined vocal timbre,  your  head voice must be a central element in every area of your vocal and dynamic range.

Bend those knees and squeeze that butt girl!   Allow your body to tilt slightly toward the audience when you sing.  You never want to give the appearance of moving away from your audience. Forward is the way to go and, the physical momentum will increase the aural and visual momentum of this song as well.

You are a gifted vocalist, Pia and I look forward to your performances so much each week. You have more to give and are evolving beautifully. Just continue to reach your full potential in rehearsals and all will be well.

 SCOTT McCREERY: “That’s Alright Mama”

Strengths: Scotty – this was a very neat song choice and a perfect fit  for your distinctive country style of singing.

You had such blast on stage; your youthful energy is contagious and I wish some of the other performers would channel this.  You are not self-conscious in the least and, also, you are very comfortable in your own skin. The latter statement is very unique for someone your age. so kudos to you!

Also, what I have come to appreciate about you is your absolute love for the music. The ease with which you move on stage is wonderful and allows you to fully connect with your very appreciative audience.

I also applaud the fact that you have stayed loyal to your country style. You are a genuine and likeable performer and this alone will carry you very far in the music industry.

Great work, Scotty!

Critique: Scotty – why oh why do you sing out of the side of your mouth and why hasn’t somebody corrected this technical glitch for you.  When you hold the mike sideways , it all just looks a little awkward to me and, even worse,  causes you to adopt a horizontal position with your mouth. 

 As I mentioned last week, circular is the way to go, Scotty.  This round formation on all the pure vowels within your lyrics will naturally expand  the depth,  brilliance and uniformity of your vocal range. 

Additionally, relaxing your jaw and allowing the breathing muscles to direct your vocal projection will expand your phrasing capability, which, for the most part is still quite limited.

Also, that sideways tilt detracts from a visually confident stage presence and impedes the correct application of your technical skills.  I know this will take time to correct, but I just want you to be aware that it is something that does need constant attention. So, hopefully, you are working hard to refine your posture and your alignment when on stage.

However, that being said, at least you eliminated that low note ending that I was ranting about in last week’s performance, so you are learning and growing.

Good work, Scotty!

STEFANO LANGONE: “When A Man Loves A Woman”

Strengths: Stefano – this was an ambitious song choice. Mamma Mia!!  How I loved the manner in which you applied your delicate  head voice at the beginning of this song.  It was just beautiful and your voice sounded perfectly centered and nicely projected.  It provided wonderful contrast with the louder dynamic later on in the song. Therefore, the aural dimension of this song was very well implemented indeed.

Throughout this performance, you sang your heart out with consummate style and presence.  You are also blessed with enviable technical skills that allow you to feature musical elements that others can only dream of.  

Your phrasing, as always, was impeccable and the musicality and work ethic very clear indeed.  Your voice resonated so beautifully in your vocal masque and you continually made certain that your head voice was not forgotten once you sang through the louder passages within the song.

This was a sincere, heartfelt performance, Stefano.  Congratulations!

Critique: Stefano – watch that raised head position  – it really impedes the liberated delivery of your vocal sound.  Your technique can’t work to full capacity if your head and throat get in the way of  a fluid vocal sound.

Also, height-wise, you are a small guy and when you raise your head,  your stage demeanour is further fragmented. You need to move forward toward your audience, using a slight bend in your knees to assist this process. And the knee bends, coupled with the butt squeezes. will further enhance the strength and support from your diaphragm.

Try not to work, so, so hard on that stage. Your vocal delivery has to look effortless and, oftentimes, it doesn’t, Stefano. You have to allow your voice to flow with less effort from your body and have confidence that the diaphragmatic breathing muscles will guide the vocal process. And it will. You know that – I know you do, so take comfort in this knowledge.

Also, when are you going to add your piano skills to your showcases?  This is concerning me and many of your fans. Until America sees this, they will not fully  appreciate the depth of your talent.  I was hoping to see this in this week’s performance, but it was not to be.  Hopefully this will happen soon, Stefano! Pretty please?

Wonderful work, nonetheless! Bravo!

For all the latest American Idol News, visit SirLinksalot: American Idol or the American Idol Official Site .

By: Rosanne Simunovic

I am finally back from vacation and that means the Vocal Masterclass articles will be up and running each and every week during the American Idol Season.

So, last night, the singers performed the music of Elton John. However, they only had 20 songs from which to choose. Does this make sense to you? It makes me wonder why bother having an “Elton John” theme night when 11 singers can only choose 1 out of 20 songs.

It would have made more sense to wait until, say, the Top 6 or 7 and then, at least, there would have been more selection for those singers. I wonder which songs were rejected? Ha!

Anyway, let us move forward to my Vocal Masterclass evaluations and I welcome your commentary and suggestions after the read!

Here are my evaluations and, remember, I am reviewing each singer in (first name) alphabetical order. Your comments are always welcome. To quickly access individual singers, simply click on the singer’s link below.

Casey Abrams, Haley Reinhart, Jacob Lusk, James Durbin,

Lauren Alaina, Naima Adedapo, Paul McDonald, Pia Toscano

Scott McCreery, Stefano Langone Thia Megia

Strengths: Casey – I was hoping to hear less growling from you this week and my wish was granted. This was the perfect song for you. It showcased your vulnerability and innate ability to sing expressively.

And I loved the cleaner look! It complimented the improved makeover of your voice – nicely polished and pure. Your whole demeanor was relaxed and beautifully controlled. You paced this song very well, knowing and embracing every step of the journey.

You also communicated this song in a genuine and heartwarming manner. You were speaking and feeling every word but, at the same time, sustaining the melody so very well.

And, towards the end of the song, I was happy to hear you once again implement your head voice, followed by the slightest hint of your signature growl. It elevated the aural dimension of this vocal showcase so well. Good for you for grabbing the high note at the end. I heard that pause before your final note and said to my family: “He’s aiming for a high falsetto finish”. Loved it!

This was just an outstanding performance, Casey. Bravo and standing “O”. One of the two best performances of the evening and certainly your best to date.

 Critique: Casey –I don’t know what to say here. There was so much noticeable improvement in every aspect of this performance, that it really is difficult to critique you.

However, looking toward the future, I would like to encourage you to add the wonderful sustaining elements from this performance to your uptempo numbers. Always remember to grab your vowels, to add nuance and inflection and to become inventive with your phrasing. If you do all these things, your uptempo numbers will soar as high as this beautiful ballad did this week.

In closing, please remember that your highly refined musicianship must dominate all your performances. I hope this is the start of a new and improved Casey Abrams. If so, you will move very far in this competition.

 HAYLEY REINHART: “Bennie And The Jets”

 Strengths: Hayley – I have noticed incredible improvement in your performances over the last two weeks. I find you vocalize so freely, so naturally and seem very connected to your vocal soul.

This week, you brought out your rocker soul with this great song selection. I loved your saucy style, starting from you position on top of the red piano to your flirtatious movements on stage later on in this number. You really do enjoy the stage, don’t you? That’s what it’s all about.

You exuded wonderful charisma on stage and were totally “in the zone” throughout this performance. It was interesting to hear this song performed by a woman. It isn’t an easy song and it really is such an iconic Elton John song. It was fun to see and hear you incorporate his style into your performance.

Good work, Haley.

Critique: Hayley – everything seemed to work for you until the “Bennie” screams at the end. Your voice is just not dark enough for this and, as a result, it sounded very shrill. You would have been more successful, I feel, had you interpreted this part of the song differently, perhaps re-arranging the melody to incorporate your lower range rather than repeating the melody throughout your upper range.

Also, as much as I enjoyed your style on stage, I find that it was all a little too studied and deliberate. I never felt a strong connection to your performance and it makes me wonder if you were sincerely internalizing the emotion of this song.

Yes, it is a playful number and, although you appeared to be having a great time on stage, your movements and demeanor appeared exaggerated and grandiose. You really must work on refining your stage technique. I think in your case, Haley, less truly is more. Once you find that balance, then your performances will soar in a genuine, real manner.

JACOB LUSK: “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word”

Strengths: Jacob – I loved the first half of the song as it allowed me to enjoy the simple beauty of your voice. Like Hayley, you must always remember that less is more and not work so hard on that stage. We need to feel that your vocal delivery is innate and effortless.

Your voice just oozes from your body with such ease that you do not have to expend so much energy on that stage.

That being said, I felt that you gave a meaningful and sincere performance of this number. Very good work, Jacob.

Critique: Jacob –right off the top, I found the arrangement very over blown and exaggerated, especially during the second half of this song. This was totally unnecessary and actually diminished all that you accomplished during the first half of this performance.

How much more effective this song would have been had you performed an acoustic version, accompanied by a quiet guitar or piano! This is a heartwrenching, poignant number and the words and melody fuse so beautifully to create this effect. You certainly don’t need a gospel choir with this number and, in fact, I found them very distracting. As a result, this arrangement was more of a parody of the original song.

Also, you need to work on controlling your vibrato. Normally, this element is rarely problematic in this competition but your vibrato is quite pronounced and, due to inadequate breath control, bordering on a tremolo.

As a result, your pitch sounded poorly centered most of the time because of the misplaced energy with which you were delivering your vocal sound. You need to incoporate more head voice into your vocal mix and then your voice will sound more transparent and pure.

Always remember that when singing with a louder dynamic, you need to incorporate the lighter head voice element, or your voice will sound harsh and muddied. You are fortunate to possess a naturally rich and resonant vocal tone in your timbre and, therefore, there is no need for you to push your voice beyond its boundaries. One never should, actually.

Good luck next week, Jacob and remember to scale it back!

Strengths: James –at this point in the competition, you are the brightest star on that stage. This was a jaw-dropping, incredible performance.

You are a performer! You are a star! You know who you are and you love, thoroughly love, what you a doing. The passion you exhibited during this -and all of- your performances is a very special and rare occurrence on the American Idol stage. Your talent is a gift from God and now it is up to you to continue to nurture and guide it in the right direction.

Bravo! Standing “O” from Masterclass Lady. This is one of two performances that I considered to be the best of the night.

Critique: James –easy with the screaming element in your vocal delivery. There was a great deal happening on stage- very high energy and momentum, so it opened the door for a louder dynamic throughout.

That being said, make sure that you use your diaphragmatic muscles to direct your louder dynamics – never, ever push from the throat or you are going to encounter an early burn in your prolific career.

Also, we need to see and hear a quieter dynamic from you. Next week is the perfect time to introduce a ballad. The element of surprise in your performances is starting to go downhill and you need to bring it back up to the top in order to highlight further dimension and vocal skill. I know you have the vocal chops and the musicality to sing a poignant ballad in a purely acoustic setting, so I hope this is on your “to do” list next week.

Great work, James! And, if I might add my two cents, yours should have been the closing act in this week’s Top 11 show. Kudos!

LAUREN ALAINA: “Candle In The Wind”

Strengths: Lauren –this was far and away your best performance to date. And, thankfully, you showcased that long-awaited ballad. Your phrasing was just beautiful and your sustaining power even more so.

You moved very gracefully on stage. Also, the key selection of your song was perfect and allowed you to sing and move with comfort and ease. So many other performers need to realize that the key selection is imperative to a confident, polished performance. If one doesn’t sing a song that blends with one’s singing range, then one will definitely encounter vocal and performing problems along the way.

I sensed that you were internalizing the emotional aspects of this song quite well; it appeared that you were trying to fully communiate the storyline to the audience and for that I give you a strong “thumbs up“.

Your voice is naturally resonant; it possesses a sparkling quality in the vocal mix, evidence that you do maintian some level of head voice throughout your vocal range. for this reason, your pitch always appears centered and accurate.

Like Jacob, I hope you retain many of the wonderful elements you incorporated into this week’s performance and apply them to future performances. Your phrasing was more seamless and musical, the vowels more pure and the breathing not as labored.

What an improvement in one week! Brava Lauren!

Critique: Lauren –make sure you continue to work on keeping your throat open and free. This will allow you to access your upper range with increased security and consistency. This is one aspect in your vocal technique that is causing you to struggle.

In one fleeting moment during this song, you approached a higher note and it came out as a whisper. You need to make certain that your diaphragmatic rib cage muscles are directing your vocal sound to the front of your vocal masque (face). Plus a little bend in the knees will allow the soft palate to rise, thus liberating the throat muscles.

However, this was an overall solid performance and, as I said above, my personal favorite of yours to date. Kudos!

Strengths: Naima – how clever are you? You did a wonderful job arranging this song to a reggae beat. And, you added the accent to boot! Loved it! Creativity is my middle name and so I could fully appreciate the work and effort you invested in this Top 11 performance. It was just wonderful and I hope to see more and more of this from you.

Like last week, your key selection was absolutely perfect. It highlighted the lovely, rich quality of your contralto voice and so you steered yourself away from the pitch problems you encountered when you showcased a song that sat too high for your natural singing range. You are one smart cookie!

All singers must realize that they must showcase their strengths and work within those boundaries until the advancement of their technical skills take them to the next important level of their singing careers. You have already learned this lesson and applied it beautifully over the last couple of weeks.

Also, you moved with rhythmic ease and confidence on stage. You have so much style and presence on stage and, of all the remaining singers, probably have the most creativity. I love the artistic risks that you continue to take – that’s what performing is all about!

Brava Naima!

Critique: Naima – watch that spread mouth – it makes you push far too hard from the throat and we loser the centered clarity of your head voice. We need to hear this characteristic in your vocal delivery. That “head voice” element would add a ringing quality to your lower range while giving you the security to explore and highlight your upper range.

As much as you love bathing in the beauty of your lower voice, you need to now work on expanding your range, one or two notes at a time, making certain that the diaphragmatic rib cage muscles are guiding the process. Added to this, your mouth must maintain a circular formation so that you can sustain the melodic line on pure vowels – bel canto style.

This expansion in your vocal range will only heighten the creative approach in your singing style, allowing you to accomplish even more exciting vocal possibilities during your performances. So it’s all wise and good.

Great, great work, Naima! Loved it!

 PAUL McDONALD : “Rocket Man”

Strengths: Paul – I love this song and, overall, I thought that it was a good choice for you. And I also enjoyed the melodic twists you incorporated into the melodic line.

You are a genuine performer; no one can take that away from you. You have an extremely likeable quality on stage and I am always rooting for you to “go for it”! To a certain extent, this song liberated you and you added more punch to the nmelodic line than I have seen in past performances.

Good work, Paul.

Critique: Paul – presently, you sing with a lot of air in your vocal mix. You need to really work on the correct projection of your voice.

I don’t mind the softer vocal quality, so long as you mix it up with some stronger vocals. Technique will assist you with this. Grab your vowels and make certain that you are sustaining the notes in your melodic line on these pure vowels.

Additionally, access the power and security of your diaphragmatic rib cage muscles, making certain that you are breathing deeply from the diaphragm and not through the chest cavity. Presently, you are incoporating a shallow method of breathing, which certainly is not helping your voice to stretch and grow.

Also, make certain that the key selection of your song is sitting comfortably in your singing range. While listening to you perform, I was wondering if a different key(lower) would not have added some depth and security to your vocal delivery. However, too low can be problematic, as it has given you problems in past performances. Experiment with different keys – insist on it during rehearsals.

Also, while your smile is contagious, it is interfering with your technique. You need to smile with your eyes, while maintaining a circular mouth position on all the vowels and a relaxed jaw. This is going to require a great deal of work on your part, as it works against everything you are doing now. But, the effort will be well worth it and the improvement will be undeniably noticeable.

Good luck, Paul!

 PIA TOSCANO : “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”

Strengths: Pia – you moved! You walked forward! And, because of this, you were physically more in tune with your song.

There was definitely more visual dimension to your performance this week and I feel that the audience at home and in the theatre responded favorably to this. Good for you! Now, we want more – much more. But, given the passionate nature of the song, you got it just right this week.

This was a passionate performance. and I loved the melodic flexibility you incorporated to the arrangement. It definitely enhanced this frequently performed number.

You have an elegant and refined manner on stage, very poised and stylish. You are lovely to watch and your voice is surely a naturally endowed instrument which you, generally, use wisely and carefully.

Good work, Pia!

Critique: Pia – I implore you: don’t raise your head for the upper notes. All this does is create more tension in your throat and cause you to push through your upper voice. Plus, the communicative aspects of this song are diminished because you are looking up to the ceiling rather than engaging the audience with your eyes.

Have you not encountered the “knee-bending” plus “butt-squeezing” trick? As you approach your upper range, slightly bend those knees and squeeze the tush and watch the magic begin. Of course, this is taking into account that you are breathing diaphragmatically and maintaining a relaxed jaw and throat.

Overall, I would have preferred another song selection. This number is becoming very tiresome to hear year after year on this show and, given the limitations of the song selections, I guess you didn’t have much choice to begin with.

Great work, nonetheless, Pia! Keep it going and let’s see your eyes next week!

SCOTT McCREERY: “I’m Thinking About Country Comfort”

Strengths: Scotty – who knew there was a country song by Elton John? Well, apparently you did and given your ability to nail country music, this was a serendipitous find in the Elton John catalogue.

As always, I loved your comfortable style on stage; you have an endearing, genuine manner that connects you to the audience with incredible ease. 

Your distinctive baritone voice, resplendent with “head voice” clarity and centered pitch, embraced the melodic line very well.  And, as always, you communicated your story with sincerity and conviction.

This was a wonderful performance, Scotty!

Critique: Scotty –  we need to address some technical issues that are, presently, reducing your effort to grow and expand as an artist. First of all, given your young age, you are so fortunate to possess such a rich, robust sound in your lower range. 

However, that being said, you are presently using only a portion of your God-given talent. The clarity we are hearing in your voice, the beautiful implementation of your natural head voice, the pitch accuracy – all of this will disappear over time if you don’t work hard to expand your very green technical skills. Presently, all these wonderful vocal elements are a product of your youth and you must work very hard to preserve them.

For instance, that upper note toward the end of your song was very strained. You approached it the wrong way. You were physically and vocally reaching for it, rather than singing over the note. This is a mental process that really works, Scotty. Always think down when singing up and vice versa.

And, never, ever raise your head. All this does is cause you to tighten your throat and use all the wrong muscles to produce your vocal sound.  Your voice needs to be guided from the diaphragm and your facial muscles need to be open and relaxed. 

Also, while sustaining your melodic line, you need to work on your vowel placement, making sure that you are singing only the pure vowels in your words and not all the vowels in your diphthongs . Relax your throat and jaw, remembering to adhere to the circular mouth formation on all the vowels. This will encourage you to make stronger use of your diaphragmatic muscles.

And don’t forget to relax and bend those knees. This will keep the soft palate elevated and the throat unobstructed.

Also, your signature method of ending your songs with a lower note is becoming very predictable and predictable is never good in this competition.  You need to come up with something different – perhaps a high, falsetto note or two or three?  Anything but the low, low note.  Time to give that a rest.

Finally, you need to correct your tendency to lean sideways with your body when you sing. It detracts from your stage presence and really inhibits your vocal technique.

I have given you lots to think about Scotty because you have enormous potential in your voice. Take it one step at a time and let’s see one or two changes next week.

STEFANO LANGONE: “Tiny Dancer”

Strengths: Stefano – once again, you gave a beautiful vocal performance. It was great to see you elevate the visual aspect of this song as you vocalized through the bridge.  Even more, your connection with the judges at the end of this number was the perfect finishing touch to this number.  Now that’s connecting, right?

Your voice is just so gorgeous, so rich and clear and your pitch is always centered and true. Your technical control was, once again, exceptional and, yet, you exhibited more freedom in your performing style this week. 

 In the opening remarks before you performed, it was obvious that you took the judges’ comments very seriously last week and worked extremely hard to engage your audience and internalize the emotional aspects of the song.

This was a very solid and refined performance, Stefano!  Bravo!

Critique: Stefano – you must remember not to raise your head when you sing, especially since you are trying  to establish a strong connection with your audience. But, more than this, it works against your technical skills, causing your throat to tense and reducing the liberation of your vocal skills.

You need to implement some deep knee bends when accessing your upper range and move the body forward, toward your audience. Not only will this relax and free your upper range, but the forward tilt will add positive visual impact as you move toward your audience, while in effect, staying in one position. 

Singers must realize that you don’t necessarily have to travel the entire stage to make a connection to their listeners – a forward tilt of the body (while maintaining an elevated posture) and/or a few steps  forward and to the side is all it takes, so long as they are totally immersed in the song.

Good work, Stefano. Your voice is truly beautiful and I know you are going to enjoy a wonderful career beyond American Idol. Kudos!

THIA MEGIA: “Daniel”

Strengths: Thia – this was a beautiful and sensitive performance. I absolutely love the tone of your voice- the vibrato makes it so distinctive and, yes, you know how to control that lovely vibrato just perfectly.  Don’t change a thing! Ever!

 Your phrasing was so musical and so heartfelt. I could feel your passion and expressiveness so very well.  You wear your heart on your sleeve when you perform and it endears you immediately to the listener. Your eyes mirror your sensitive soul so well. More than any singer in the Top 11, I can see the emotion in your eyes and you are not afraid to show it. It is just there!   Simply beautiful.

This was  an inspired song choice for you, Thia, and an exceptional performance.

Critique: Thia – you need to work on accessing your upper range with more clarity. The falsetto section of the song sounded

very tentative and vague, almost airy.  Always remember to summon the power and strength of the the diaphragmatic muscles to direct and project your head voice.

Also, make absolutely certain that  you maintain a consistent circular formation on all your vowels and you will notice considerable improvement in the seamless quality of your voice. Presently, you still sing with a bit of spread in your mouth. By rounding the corners of your mouth, you will definitely increase the richness and focus of your voice and, additionally, gain confidence in singing through your upper range with ease.

However, I feel that you have improved each and every week.  Congratulations for bringing such a strong work ethic to this competition. Brava, young lady!

For all the latest American Idol News, visit SirLinksalot: American Idol or the American Idol Official Site .

Memo to self: always use a Word or Pages format and then copy and paste it to your blog.  My apologies everyone.

UPDATE: Thanks to  WordPress for storing my previous revisions.  All my evaluations were saved in their system.  I am back on schedule. The mystery still continues re the Ipad 2/Wordpress mix-up.

I missed the entire show last evening, but had to include this as a blog topic. Adam looks and sounds fantastic, doesn`t he?  His words are crystal clear and he pours so much emotion into this song. I loved this performance so much.  But, easy on the screaming, Adam. It sounds very strained.  Keep that throat open and free from constriction.

Before we begin, I would like to say that the Top 13 Vocal Masterclass evaluations will be shorter than those you will read as the season progresses. 

As I begin more familiar with the singers and, hopefully, notice changes in their vocal and performance technique, then the critiques will become more detailed and comprehensive 

Now, let us move forward to my Vocal Masterclass evaluations and I welcome your commentary and suggestions after the read! 

Here are my evaluations and, remember, I am reviewing each singer in (first name) alphabetical order. Your comments are always welcome. To quickly access individual singers, simply click on the singer’s link below.
  

Ashthon Jones, Casey Abrams, 

Haley Reinhart, Jacob Lusk, James Durbin, 

Karen Rodriguez, Lauren Alaina, Naima Adedapo, 

Paul McDonald, Pia Toscano  

Scott McCreery, Stefano Langone Thia Megia 

Strengths: 

Ashthon - this was a beautiful selection and you exuded a lovely charisma on stage. There were some moments where I was treated to the pure quality of your head voice. It was so translucent and light – really lovely.
  

Critique: Ashthon – be careful not to raise your head, especially when powering through your upper voice. All this does is to create additional tension in your throat, which should be open and free at all times. 

Also, keep that head voice as a central element in every vocal dynamic you choose to use when singing your songs. This is what generate an aesthetically beautiful vocal sound at every level and will keep your voice steady and tuned. 

 CASEY ABRAMS: ” With A Little Help From My Friends” by the Beatles 

Strengths: Casey, Casey, Casey – this was pure brilliance. Pure and simple! I don‘t think we have seen anyone like you on American Idol before. You are unique, you are distinct and I love how you embrace your music with artistic intensity and passion. You communicated this song perfectly and I especially loved the mix of rustic and pure vocals in this performance. You were a strong rhythmic presence on stage. Why can’t everyone perform like this? Why? 

 Critique: Casey – you like to growl and snarl through your songs a la Louis Armstrong. You know, that was his signature sound and this will definitely be your s as well.
 

However, be very careful of the tension in the throat when you use this technique. Try to keep the diaphragmatic support central to your vocal projection, allowing your throat to be a free and liberated gateway to an effortless vocal delivery. You have the head voice – now incorporate it through every dynamic level and you will come to appreciate the ease and effortlessness of your vocal sound. 

 HAYLEY REINHART: “Blue” by LeAnn Rimes 

Strengths: Hayley –I loved this song choice. And, boy, you sang this song so well. This is not an easy song to sing – you need that head voice and you, Miss Hayley, have this element in spades. Your voice sounded so smooth and seamless; it just flowed. 

Performance wise, I loved your understated presentation of this number. Even your gestures weren’t as bothersome to me this time around. They actually complimented the loose, free, melancholy vibe that is central to the mood of this song. 

Great work, Haley. 

Critique: Hayley – I think you could have created even more impact if you had moved away from the mike stand at some point in this number. The stationary position during these vocal numbers is never a good idea, especially during a ballad. You don’t need to be turning somersaults; a few steps forward would have done the trick. Try it, you’ll like it and your audience will feel more connection to you as a performer. 

JACOB LUSK: ” I Believe I Can Fly” by R. Kelly 

Strengths: Jacob – you pour so much into each and every song. All those runs and that full head voice were pretty incredible elements in this performance. You have undeniable passion and intensity when you sing and, although you were surrounded by a gospel choir, you certainly didn’t need it. You were a choir all by yourself. The melodic twists and turns you added to this song were risky, creative and inspiring. Excellent work, Jacob. 

Critique: Jacob – you have to be careful that your overwhelming passion doesn’t overwhelm the correct projection of your voice. You were really pushing the limit in terms of solid vocal production vs. oversinging. You need to realize that your persona and expressiveness have to play a part in your vocal delivery and it isn’t necessary to be super flamboyant with the vocal gymnastics. 

You do take vocal risks, I grant you that! However, this week, in doing so, you hit a few landmines and your pitch suffered at various points throughout this number. At one point in the song, it didn’t sound like you were singing in the correct key as the band and choir. 

You have a tremendous gift, Jacob, but use it wisely and cautiously. Don’t push the envelope. The old say that “less is more” really applies to you more than anyone else in this competition. 

Good work though Jacob. 

JAMES DURBIN : ” Maybe I’m Amazed “ by Paul McCartney  

Strengths: James – you are a monster. What can I say? What? You ooze music, you ooze passion and you ooze artistry. And what was that pure “oo” falsetto at the end of the song following those power vocals? Your vocal control, your musical phrasing, the seamless quality of your voice and undeniable stage presence are extraordinary and very, very special. 

Bravo James! Yours was the best performance of the night. You are a star! 

Critique: James – I am at a loss here. This performance was just too good. Let’s just leave it at that – for now! Bravo! 

 KAREN RODRIGUEZ: ” I Could Fall In Love” by Selena  

Strengths: Karen – this was a difficult song and you sang it very well. You looked lovely on stage and exuded an exquisite charisma. I also appreciated the fact that you never pushed your voice through the stronger sections of the song. Your vocal sound was always pure and perfectly placed. Good work, Karen 

 Critique: Karen – you suffered from poor song selection. It just didn’t work and, at least to me, was not too familiar to the listener. The melody was vague and ambiguous so the song never really moved forward or toward a climax. 

You also looked more uncomfortable than last week during the Top 12 female performances, so I feel that something was amiss during this performance. Select your songs wisely in the future. I cannot emphasize this enough. 

LAUREN ALAINA: ” Any Man of Mine” by Shania Twain 

And so tomorrow, the magic begins. And what a season it promises to be!

The majority of these Top 13 Finalists for American Idol Season 10 are enormously gifted, possessing exemplary talent the likes of which we have not seen since American Idol Season 7. 

At this pont in time, it really is very hard to discern which singers will be the last two standing. 

It is anybody’s game, although, there are some singers that I feel right now could have long, exciting and rewarding musical careers. 

 In fairness, I won’t name names; there is no sense in biasing the viewers and so many surprises can happen as this competition evolves. 

For now, I think we should all delight in the rejuvenation of American Idol, courtesy of producer Nigel Lythgoe, judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler and record producer, Jimmy Iovine. 

They have all done a splendid job in ensuring the credibility and longevity of this show.  

Congratulations to all! Enjoy the show everyone and please come back to add your informative and insightful comments.

American Idol Season 10 Top 13 Finalists

I think it is pretty safe to say that we’ve got ourselves a ballgame ! 

 Judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler have discovered some pretty unbelievable talent for this year’s American Idol season. 

Last week, the public voted through 10 remarkably gifted singers to the Top 10:  Lauren Alaina, Thia Megia, Haley Reinhart, Jacob Lusk, Karen Rodriguez, and Scotty McCreery. 

Following this, six wildcard singers were asked to perform on live television and, based on their performances were selected by the judges  to be included in the Top 13.  They are: Naima Adedapo, Ashthon Jones and Stefano Langone.   

Of the three, Stefano Langone demonstrated the most promise of moving far in the competition. His performance was vocally and expressively brilliant,  as close to perfection as anyone can achieve when put on the spot to perform on live television.  

He is an extremely musical and gifted young artist, the likes of which I haven’t seen since I heard David Archuleta perform during Season 7. 

Additionally, Pia Toscana is another one to watch. Her grace and musicality, when coupled with her strong vocal presence, is truly something special.  And, following closely behind are the undeniably talented James Durbin, Jacob Lusk and Thia Megia.  This is going to be a race to the finish and many talented hearts will be broken along the way. However, many stars will be born in the process and that is always an exciting experience to witness. 

Congratulations to the  Top 13. My Wednesdays and Thursdays just got brighter because of your sparkling talent.

Good evening all! I managed to watch the female singers tonight. It was a long day of travel by car, so I am keeping the comments short and, hopefully, they will be coherent.

1. Ta-Tynisa Wilson – “Only Girl (In The World)” by Rihanna

Ta-Tynisa Wilson – great foot work and lovely stage presence. But, you must have been nervous and over- pumped because you did encounter major pitch issues.

Be very diligent when adding your stage movements. Make certain that your voice is technically secure and that your stage movements compliment rather than detract from the overall performance.

Good effort, nonetheless!

2. Naima Adedapo – “Summertime”

Naima – I really loved this free and bluesy version of Summertime. You looked and sounded gorgeous.

However, your adaptation of this song was not true to the original context in which the song is customarily performed. It is supposed to be a heartwarming lullaby and this was a swingin’ upbeat fun adaptation that didn’t sit right with me.

But, stylistically, you are certainly one to watch.

3. Kendra Chantelle – “Impossible” by Christina Aguilera

Kendra – I was not too crazy about your song choice, but you performed the song very well. You are a great performer but, quite honestly, this song did not do you any favors. I was left wanting more.

You appear to be a passionate and committed young artist but you must learn to delve deeper when selecting your repertoire.

4. Rachel Zevita – “Criminal” by Fiona Apple

Rachel – I loved this sultry performance. And you had the courage to move off stage and toward the judges.

However, you did encounter some pitch problems on your journey which means that you must work on maintaining a cohesive balance between the vocals and the choreography.

5. Karen Rodriguez – “Hero” by Mariah Carey (sung half in Spanish)

Karen – I loved your bilingual version of this song. You sang this song so beautifully. I never tire of this song. The lyrics are so inspiring.

I loved the gentle way you navigated your head voice. It was clairvoyant and absolutely perfect.

Brava Karen. You adapted this song to suit YOU and all singers should take a page from your artistic book and follow suit.

6. Lauren Turner sings “Seven Day Fool” by Etta James (Jully Black’s version)

Lauren – I love this song like crazy. You gave a passionate, energetic performance but, vocally, your voice sounded very forced. I am so accustomed to the rich, free timbre of Jully Black. You have a great voice, but you need to work on projecting your vocal sound from the diaphragm and with a relaxed open throat.

7. Ashthon Jones – “Love Over Me” by Monica

Ashthon – you gave a wonderful performance of this song and matched this vocal performance with incredible stage presence.

However, I would like to caution you to deliver your power vocals from the diaphragm. Don’t push from the throat and eliminate that horizontal mouth position when sustaining your vowels in order to create a richer, freer vocal sound.

Overall, though, this was a confident showcase. Excellent.

8. Julie Zorrilla – “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson

Julie – you selected a very challenging and iconic song.

It is one if Kelly Clarkson’s biggest songs, so you had big shoes to fill.

And you know what? You did personalize the song and I appreciated this very much.

However, you did encounter some pitch issues and that muddied the waters a bit.

Also, I found the key really, really low and, because of this, the song had less impact and drive. Be very careful with your key selections. Even a half tone higher would have made a positive difference in your performance.

9. Haley Reinhart – “Fallin” by Alicia Keyes

Haley – this was a great performance. I loved the mix of rustic and pure vocals. Stylistically, you nailed it, m’lady.

However, you are going to have to watch to not overdo the stage mannerisms. Sometimes, it seemed to be a distraction to the performance and not entirely genuine.

10. Thia Megia – “Out Here On My Own” from Fame

Thia – I love your voice like apple pie. And that a cappella beginning was beyond gorgeous. And then the whole song took flight. This was just a beautiful, tender performance. Brava Thia!

11. Lauren Alaina – “Turn on the Radio” by Reba McEntire

Lauren – this was a tremendous, crazy performance. Your power vocals were seamless and true.

Your stage movements were well rehearsed and, yet, appeared relaxed. The whole performance looked and sounded effortless. Great work!

12. Pia Toscano – “I’ll Stand By You” by The Pretenders

Pia – I loved your song choice and you performed it so very well. What an exquisite, perfect ending to the Top 12 show. And a standing “O” ? Wow wow wow. You are an amazing vocalist and I cannot wait to hear everything that you are most capable of achieving.

Phenomenal work, Pia! Phe.no.me.nal.

Clint Jun Gambo: Superstition

Clint – I found you were screaming a great deal throughout this number – definitely more scream than singing.

Your voice is light and doesn’t have enough muscle for this song. Hence, your tendency to scream to hide vocal power and skill was problematic for me.

However, you brought a lot of energy to the song and that was good to see.

Jovany Barreto: I’ll Be

Jovany – you have a beautiful tone to your voice. Just gorgeous. And great vocal skill. You phrased your song so musically and the vowels were so focused. I also loved how you seamlessly entered the key change. It was effortless.

However, I agree with Randy. A new melodic twist would have been a great artistic move.

Beautiful singing, nonetheless!

Jordan Dorsey: OMG (Usher)

Jordan – I loved the strip tease at the beginning of this number. You are a great, great performer. However, you did encounter some pitch problems, especially with your head voice.

Always remember the importance of balancing stage movement with vocal delivery so one doesn’t adversely affect the other.

However, I did enjoy watching you- you are an energetic, committed performer.

Tim Halperin: Street Corner Symphony (Come On Over) (Rob Thomas)

Tim – I really loved your performance. However, the song selection was not an inspired one. It just didn’t seem to be an ideal fit for you, both stylistically and vocally.

Also, you did have a few pitch problems because of the spread in your mouth position. As a result, your voice had a thin, less focused quality.

Additionally, performance-wise, you didn’t appear relaxed. It seemed like you were working far too hard on stage.

You seem to be a very diligent and disciplined musician and I hope that, in the future, you use these resources to select songs that suit your personal vision as an artist.

Brett Loewenstern: Light My Fire – Doors

Brett – you are a strange one, aren’t you? But it is good strange. You are a true individual- the look, the voice, the artistry. This performance was great fun. And innovative! You creatively adapted the song to suit your personal style. Bravo!

You were totally immersed in the music and connected so genuinely with the audience.

You need to relax that throat, but, overall, your vocal tone was nuanced and expressive. I. Loved. This. Performance. Good for you, Brett!

James Durbin: You Got Another Thing Comin’ by Judas Priest

James Durbin – you are a star! You owned the stage.

Your vocal control was stellar. The performance was natural, authentic and passionate.

You have a very special connection to the music. You incorporated a tasteful mix of nuance- wonderful sustained singing with powerful rock vocals.

Your energy and enthusiasm for the music was a joy to behold.

Phenomenal work! Bravo!

Robbie Rosen: Arms Of An Angel by Sarah McLachlan

Robbie – this was an excellent song selection. You are so musical and so sensitive as an artist.

You added your personal signature to this song and I appreciated that.

At times, however, your voice sounded a little constrained, due in part to that nasty horizontal mouth position.

Try to use a circular mouth position when you sustain your vowels. You will gain depth and resonance in your vocal timbre.

Also, I do agree with Randy that some of those melodies were excessive. A little goes a long way with this vocal skill. I was aching to hear some sustained singing at various points in the song.

Good performance, overall, however!

Scotty McCreery: Letters From Home – John Michael Montgomery

Scotty – I am such a huge fan of your bass-baritone voice. You certainly know how to tell a story. You communicated this song with authenticity and sincerity.

I hope you work on your phrasing – try not to breathe so often. Become inventive in how you approach your musical line.

However, you do have a natural performing gift and your throwback country style will carry you very far in the music business.

Stefano Langone: Just The Way You Are – (Bruno Mars)

Stefano – you possess a gorgeous voice. This was a great performance of this current cover song and a passionate, heartwarming showcase.

Your upper voice generally was well focused and resonant. Be careful that you don’t push your voice to the front-use your diaphragmatic muscles and allow your facial muscles to relax.

Great work, Stefano!

Paul McDonald: Maggie Mae by Rod Stewart

Paul-this was a stellar song choice. Technically, your vocal delivery is all wrong but, artistically, it is first class all the way. You are such a quirky, relaxed, fun-loving performer. Who could not love you?

Now, if I can encourage you to gently adopt a circular mouth position, then your vocals would truly soar and gain in resonance.

Loved this performance!

Jacob Lusk: House is Not a Home

Jacob – I am glad you were more restrained with this song than what I saw and heard during the Hollywood rounds.

This was an absolutely beautiful performance and your technical skill during this number was astounding.

You sing with impeccable feeling and sincerity. Your spiritual connection to the music was inspiring. It was a vocal prayer.

Thank you for this extraordinary and memorable showcase.

Casey Abrams: I Put a Spell On You

Casey, Casey, Casey – you are something else! You put a spell on me and a smile on my face. Finally, a jazz-inspired artist on that Idol stage. As the saying goes, if you live long enough….

You live the music. You breathe the music. You internalize the music. You need to relax your throat. Gotcha! Yes, try to utilize your diaphragmatic muscles to project your power vocals and keep your throat open and free.

Bravo Casey!