January 28, 2009 
Salt Lake City, Utah! Home to Season 7 Runner-Up, the extraordinary David Archuleta. More than anything else, I am excited to see if David will be featured on the Salt Lake City episode. I am thinking not, as his career is jam-packed and enjoying the skyrocketing ride reserved for emerging superstars.
However, according to the teaser at the end of Tuesday’s Jacksonville’s Audition show, Salt Lake City is a “happening” place. Paula Abdul stated that she wanted to move there and Ryan’s voiceover indicated that Salt Lake City was the city that captured the attention of the judges during this very long audition process.
This article will be written in real time and published immediately after the end of the 1-hour show. Therefore, unlike the full-length Vocal Masterclass articles for the Top 12, my first impressions from the Salt Lake City Auditions will be abbreviated. I will leave it up to you to fill in the blanks and add your comments.
Well, the show has started and there is my man, David Archuleta during an abbreviated trip down Archuleta lane. Great memories of a superstar!
However, it’s another season and Randy is not sure where he is, so everything is normal as always. haha Just kidding. The judges must get disoriented after all the traveling.
Well, lookkee here, David Osmond of The Osmonds fame is the first singer to audition. He is a real heartthrob and, oh my, he has inherited multiple sclerosis from his Dad. This is quite the story. He has used a wheelchair in the past, but is in remission as of this writing. He sings a Take Six song called “Something Within Me” and he has a beautiful voice, very smooth and silky.
However, the judges give him a lukewarm golden ticket to Hollywood. Hmmmm – I like him – better than some of the singers I saw last evening in Jacksonville, but, I sense that the judges have another agenda happening here. Don’t know what it is, but I can’t see this talented, genuine young man going very far past the Hollywood rounds. The judges are not “gah, gah” about him. Too bad! I love him.
After commercial break, we are faced with a very scary Tara person, who tries to sung a song from “Moulin Rouge”. (something about flying away – but she never does, unfortunately). Okay, that’s enough of her – “off you go”!
Chris is a 26-year-old male singer that brings along a friend dressed as a bunny. Why? Who knows? Who cares? Just sing the song, dude. The guy can sing, but the shtick was crazy nuts and he does not advance to Hollywood. Big surprise!
Okay, so 18 minutes into the show and only David Osmond has impressed me so far. I don’t like the fact that, during this episode, he was the first singer given a gold ticket. Just like the performance order in the semi-finals and Top 12 shows, a singer that appears at the top of the hour is usually not a judges’ and/or producers’ favorite. You “tune them out” as the hour ticks away and the best (translate favorite) singers are saved for the end.
After we see a collage of “rejected”, but very polite, singers, 24-year-old Frankie Jordan comes along. She is quite the confident young lady. I love the retro sound of her voice; it is really distinctive. She has a great sense of style when she sings. She should advance far during the Hollywood rounds
Megan is a 23-year-old mom sings a favorite of mine “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man Of Mine”. I wasn’t too sure whether I loved her voice, but she has a neat style that is quite unique. The judges love her, but her voice is quite a disaster right now – very throaty and tense. And, rhythmically, she was all over the place. However, the judges find her refreshing and different and glowing and all that jazz, so she advances to Hollywood.
After commercial break, Megan gets another plug in front of the camera. Boy, do they love her!
Austin Sisneros is 17-years-old and he is so sweet. I love his gentle speaking voice, so I am intrigued to hear his singing audition. He sings “Look At The Sky” and he is really, really good. His tenor voice is beautiful, so I am non-plussed over the judges’ lukewarm reception.
So, he then sings a Raffi song and he is very good, well-trained. The judges then decide they love him, but caution him about his song choices in the future as they send him on his way to Hollywood. Whew! Close one, Austin! Do your homework and “lighten up” the song selections for Hollywood.
After commercial break, I notice that there are only 15 minutes remaining in this episode. Time seems to be moving quickly this evening. I am anxious to see who they have saved for the end, aren’t you?
After we endure another round of “terrible”, someone with real talent comes along in the form of 16-year-old Taylor and she is a tall young lady. Quite a beauty as well! And she sings, “Joyful, Joyful” – a very well-known hymn- and she is really good, but I wish I could have heard more singing from her. I only heard four bars -too short to get a sense of her style.
And how come she and Kara DioGuardi were bumping into each other a few times in the washroom? Seems suspiciously strange. You would think that the judges would have their own “resting place”, away from the contestants. Plus, she was talking to her in the washroom and sensed that Taylor really wanted to succeed. I smell “fish”.
Seventeen-year-old Rose is a lovely young lady and, through her television bio, I instinctively love this young lady. She lost both of her parents at a very young age and she exudes a quiet strength of character. Just lovely! I would advance her to Hollywood based on her genuine and sweet personality.
She sings Carole King’s “I Feel The Earth Move” and she is very good. She needs some help with her technical skills and the judges quickly state this fact. The judges love HER more than the voice, and Simon loves the whole Rose vibe. So, she is off to Hollywood and, just like that, the show comes to an end!
Now, to you the readers, this is your forum as well. What say you? The Masterclass doors are now open.
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Overall, I thought it was miles better than last night’s auditions. Some good singers but I think Simon was overrating Megan’s audition. I personally didn’t care for her voice & found her extremely overrated. I did like David Osmond & Taylor…gosh, she is so tall but I wish she would’ve sung more. Liked her voice, didn’t like the song…too religious for me.
Another thing: NO David Archuleta’s!
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Definitely no David Archuleta clones. That’s because they don’t exist. His talent is singular and extraordinary – it stands alone. That’s what makes him so special – that, plus his beautiful soul and spirit.
Thanks for your comments, Erin.
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No problem. Although I definitely think Utahans are nice people. Seems like the judges prefer the singers with bad technique over the ones with good technique. Thats very sad to me.
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Agreed. No Archuleta clones were present! However, I have to say that tonight’s talent pool was much better than last night’s. I must admit, though, that I thought the judges seemed a bit off tonight. I actually thought David Osmond did an excellent job. It is strange to me that the judges criticized him for not being contemporary, but when Megan comes in and sings (in my opinion) a very non-contemporary song, they seem to like it. I just get the feeling that they just plain are not that crazy about David Osmond as a person. Well, I’m pulling for him. I think he looks like a star, he’s got an inspiring story, and HE CAN SING! I hope the judges give him more of a chance during Hollywood Week.
The other person I really liked tonight was Taylor. She is very unique and (from what little I heard from her) seems to have a powerhouse voice. Honestly, I actually enjoyed her rendition of “Joyful, Joyful.” I like it when a contestant isn’t ashamed to sing a great Christian song. She could possibly be a female front-runner.
And, Masterclass Lady, I definitely agree with you that Kara DioGuardi’s comment about meeting that girl in the restroom was a bit . . . strange. I have no clue what it means or if it even means anything, but something did seem “fishy” about it.
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There is ONE David Archuleta. 4Ever-Amen!
Imitations can’t come remotely close.
But I have to disagree…I felt there were a few purposely contrived “clone-like” aspects throughout these auditions, in order not only to channel Archuwonderful, but also what I thought was Idol’s best group of hopefuls ever, last year. The wholesome David Osmond,(and I too liked him), thanking his way through the criticism…sincere as it may be, still appeared to play on what America fell in love with in DA…the humility and politeness. Idol even poked fun at all the
Aw-shuckness in Utah last nite…anyway to bring us back to last year’s best. Austin also had that quality. I do think Idol has tried to highlight and play on what created such a stir last year in David Archuleta. By highlighting those wholesome, polite, types. (A few hippie (Brooke), tatoo’d (Carly) types too–all contrived versions of last year’s best to me.) So to me there have been ONLY clones…very few stand-out originals like last year. Shows Idol’s desperateness I think.
And sincerest form of flattery to one David A….and I do mean ONE. 🙂
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LOL! It’s Idol Wars Season 8: Attack of the Clones!Good points, Amy! I also noticed that there was a Brooke look-alike and Carly look-alike last night! Wasn’t there also someone who people said reminded them of David Cook in an earlier audition? I don’t think the Idol producers are trying to produce a clone of last season, but there sure were a lot of people there who reminded me of last year’s contestants! I also know what you mean about there were a lot of people in Utah who were very polite like David was. However, I don’t think that was contrived. Since David was from there, it makes sense that other people from Utah would have similar pleasant dispositions. I don’t know what it is about the place, but everyone just seems so nice. Maybe it’s something in the water . . .
Anyway, I also agree that season 7 was the BEST Idol season by far! I do not expect this current season to top it, but I am trying to stay optimistic. Hollywood Week is where the front-runners will surely be revealed, so I look forward to that. So far, I think this will be an interesting season though. I have seen a lot of people with excellents stories and personalities, not to mention very good voices. I just hope that when it gets down to the bottom 2, America makes the right choice this year. No offense to David Cook (I am a huge fan), but Archuleta deserved to win it hands down.
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Galen, yes…last week there was a guy with a “Cook-like” haircut, and deep blue eyes…good looking, charisma and can sing…he’s one to watch because of that. But the comparisons work against anyone being original….I don’t think a Cook-a-like will be able to win. But who knows!! Anything can happen….because I agree with you on last year…liked Cook too…but it was David Archuleta who owned the season! (I think not having the title will actually work for him in the end, so he can be the artist he is meant to be without the Idol label…meant to be.)
And yes…agree with you…I think the niceness in Utah is real. I just find Idol to be “contriving” more of everything this year, forcing stuff more than the usual “drama.” Last year was the best, with authentic, outstanding originals emerging from it. This year can still be entertaining tho’…so we all stay tuned anyway……:)
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I got the impression that Simon was having a lot more fun this season. He seemed in better spirits and really tried to be nicer than in the past. I didn’t like him last season because I thought that he was too cruel and heartless. He seemed to really like the contestans this year. Even the ones that couldn’t sing. I wonder if he will continue to be that way during the actual Idol judging? I would be a nice change!
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Amy, I definitely agree with you about David Archuleta. I think that, in the long run, being independent of Idol may actually benefit him more than being forever tied to it. As for the clones this season, I agree also that I don’t really want a clone of one of last season’s contestants to win. I want a new, original American Idol this year.
Sharon, I kind of get what you are saying about Simon. Compared to how he has behaved some seasons, he does seem a bit more docile this season so far. I like how he even called that girl’s boss and helped her get her job back. Of course, we all know that he will probably be a bear in Hollywood Week, but that really is what Hollywood Week is about–pushing potential contestants to the brink and hopefully making them stronger for it. You know, when it is all said and done, Simon is Simon. I have honestly never thought of him as being relentlessly cruel (like that Hell’s Kitchen guy is). He tells the truth. Period. Unfortunately, sometimes the truth hurts, but it is always for the good of those who hear it. Can he be a bit mean sometimes? Of course. But in all fairness, I think we can all be a bit mean sometimes, so we can’t really judge. Anyway, I hope he continue to just be himself, because that seems to work best for the show.
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Hello… 😉
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