About Masterclass Lady
Rosanne (Giallonardo) Simunovic began her musical career in Timmins, Ontario. She studied piano with Anne Pizzale and later, at an advanced level, with Soeur Anita Vaugeois (Sister Cecile of Les Soeurs De L’Assomption in Timmins). Her vocal and accompaniment skills were nurtured by her aunt, the late Dorothea Mascioli.
When Rosanne graduated from O’Gorman High School, she moved on to the University of Toronto where she continued her piano and vocal studies while attaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree. She was hired as a piano accompanist for several musical companies, most notably, the National Ballet Of Canada. She presently holds an A.R.C.T. Teacher’s Diploma in Voice from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.
Rosanne has studied choral conducting with numerous well known Canadian Conductors, including Wayne Riddell of Montreal, Quebec and the internationally renowned Dr. Elmer Iseler.
She has been a founding member of numerous community-based arts organizations: the Timmins Arts Council, later known as Arts & Culture Timmins, the Timmins Symphony Orchestra, and, the Timmins Youth Singers…as well as the TYS Alumnus choir, the Timmins Concert Singers. In 1987, she was also selected to be the conductor of the Timmins Board Of Education Choir, comprised of talented students from Grades 5 to 8.
In 1988, she was elected to the Board Of Directors of the Ontario Choral Federation (now known as Choirs Ontario), where she served as Chair of the Festivals Committee for six consecutive seasons. In 1996, in honour of the Ontario Choral Federation’s 25th Anniversary, Rosanne was selected as one of 25 recipients of the OCF’s Distinguished Service Award for outstanding contribution to the choral art. The ceremony was presided by Lieutenant Governor, Hal Jackman.
In November 1997, Rosanne Simunovic was selected by the Rotary Club Of Timmins to receive the prestigious Paul Harris Award for her years of dedication to the artistic development of young musical talent in Timmins.
In August of 2002, Rosanne Simunovic was selected by the Board Of Directors of Choirs Ontario to serve as Conductor of both the Provincial Junior and Teen Choir Camps, now renamed in honour of the Camp Benefactors, Don and Lillian Wright.
In November 2002, Rosanne was the one of the recipients of the Commemorative Medal for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, honouring her work in the development of the arts in Timmins.
Under Rosanne Simunovic’s direction, the Timmins Youth Singers and the Timmins Concert Singers have been featured in numerous choral festivals and performing opportunities outside of Timmins. In 1985, they were selected to partici
April 19, 2012 
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Nope never liked Kris Allen and still believe never in a million years should he have won. His voice is limited at best. Strained most of the time. Not a fan.
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Aubry:
Well, if his voice is strained, then what does that make the vocals of Joshua Ledet?
I also believe that MCL would pleasantly disagree with you about Kris Allen.
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I’m not sure who will be eliminated tonight. What I’m really disappointed about is the judges showing partiality. I’ve actually lost respect for them because of this. I am voting for Hollie due to their nasty treatment of her. Their fawning over Joshua is just appaling. I find his voice to be very average. Like you said Masterclass Lady, screaming is not singing!
IMHO the best singer to ever be on AI is
DAVID ARCHULETA!
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MCL has the right to her opinion as do I. I have see Kris in concert and he isn’t a good singer or good performer. I won tickets to see Kris, Adam and Allison in NYC at the Rock Your Town concert. Kris was to my standards the worst singer of the 3. His range is probably a step8 or step7 which is really minimal. Good singers are usually 12+ such as David Archuletta, Adam Lambert etc. I am not a fan of Joshua’s either. He gospelizes or screeches everything. I much preferred Adam Lambert’s a Change is Gonna Come. It was much more emotional and moving IMO.
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Kris Allen was a big surprise for me. He’s not meek, reserved performer he was in season 8. He had real charisma and stage presence tonite.
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Thank God for mute buttons on remotes…!!!
I think Colton will also be in the bottom and I think he will go home…I’m still confused about only one going home, cause they started with a top 13 this year instead of a top 12
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LMFAO…was who I muted…loved Kris!!!
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Yes he did Malden. I loved him.
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Vonnie,
The week that Shannon was eliminated, Jermaine was also disqualified. So two people went home that week. They would have had to end the show a week early if they didn’t use the save. This way it comes out right on time. This week makes up for the two leaving earlier
I have been following the results online since I am out on the west coast. Now this is a shocker! Colton goes home! A guy who was never in the bottom is gone! Wow!
Everyone knows what I said. I said that if there was justice, he would go home because he was that bad. Just for destroying EWF’s “September”, but also the Lady Gaga song wasn’t much better.
So Jessica and Joshua are safe. The pimping for Joshua worked. Bad news – Hollie was in the bottom two with Colton, Elise was in the bottom three.
So it’s four girls to two guys! Making history!
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WOW! I wasn’t expecting that result tonight! I voted up a storm for Hollie last night, and also voted for Jessica, so I’m happy they are both safe. I know Colton didn’t have a great night, but am going to miss him. I could see that Hollie was feeling quite sad. Well, I’m rooting for Hollie next week as well. I’m really hoping she can at least get to the Top 3!!
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Idol Producer Nigel Lythgoe tweeted this just after the show started:
“Yes, we have another BIG shock on #AmericanIdol tonight. Wow, we are going to have a lot of unhappy people tonight.”
Being on the east coast with the show now over, I can confirm that tonite’s result was indeed a MAJOR shock. One of the frontrunners goes home tonite.
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Mindy,
Thank you, I couldn’t get my head wrapped around why only one was going home, but that makes total sense to me now!!! 🙂
I think Coltons choice last night of Bad Romance may have done him in…wanting to be a Christian singer and then choosing that song maybe confused alot of people…I know it did me!
Do you know the theme for next week?
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Rosanne-It drives me nuts as well that the judges and Jimmy never say anything negative about Joshua’s screeching. If it wasn’t for that, his performances would have been stellar. That screeching could cost Joshua the title, but I guess that’s just going over Jimmy’s head for some reason!
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Anita – watch the judges throw him under a bus or something next week. They have to do something to spice things up. Every one of the singers are criticized except Joshua and Skylar. They may be wonderful performers but they are you g and far from perfect. There is a sameness to their performances each week because they feel they have this in the bag. They haven’t been challenged.
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I really loved Kris Allen’s performance! That’s the first time I’ve heard the song. His falsetto needs some work though. He could barely get any sound out. I’m getting stoked for Kris’ new album. I think the title is so cool, and unique!
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I am extremely saddened by what happened tonight, and, the way this elimination will affect the iTune sales will be interesting. Colton is trending world-wide right now, as well as “WTF America!”. I honestly, in my heart of hearts, believe, the Producer’s saw an opportunity to get rid of one of the leading male contenders, due to the fact that he had such a lousy performance last night, and they did what they had to do. I do not believe, for one minute, that Colton had the least amount of votes.
Colton has never been in the B3, yet, Joshua has 3 times, Elise has 3 times, and you’re telling me, they had more votes than Colton, who never has been? Nada.
Regardless of a good or bad night, Colton still had his fanbase, who were probably voting in droves, but, if Colton continued to move on, redeemed himself next week (which he probably would have), there would of been no chance in hell for a female victory this year. Now, the only chance is for a female victory. Anyone that thinks the Producer’s do not pull the strings in this show are sadly mistaken. It actually would be interesting to see the honest results, of not only this vote, but many in the past, and how it actually went down.
Elise and Phillip will be next. Phillip will be the next male (he is a threat) to go. They have paved the way for a Jessica/Skylar finale now. That’s what they want, that’s what they’ll get. Unfortunately, this week, Idol’s ratings went down, and I believe, they will be down even more next week. Honestly, this show has no credibility left.
Congratulations Jessica, your threat is gone!
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Kris Allen was SO much better than some of the other pop stars/groups they have as guests on the elimination show.
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Chad. Standing O. You said pretty much everything I was thinking. I was hoping for a Hollie/Jessica finale but the producers and judges do not like Hollie. Plus country Skylar will be better for ratings but Jessica will win this mess of a show.
Watch Joshua and Philipp come under the gun now. Should be interesting. But they need to keep the shock factor going so nothing is beneath them.
Votes? What are votes? They are meaningless although without them the singers have no clout whatsoever. Although, apparently, after tonight’s fiasco, that doesn’t seem to matter as long as the producers’ agenda is fulfilled.
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I came here because I wanted to read what MCL has to say about Joshua and I really trust her opinion. I was beginning to think I was the only one that did not appreciate his screaming every week. I’m glad to know it’s not just me. I am wondering if so many people feel this way, why are the judges drooling over Joshua every time he opens his mouth? Can the rest of America be drinking the Koolaid the Judges are serving?
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Sev – it’s hard to say what is happening out there. The judges are not only confusing the singers but also the voting public. This show needs a huge – and I mean huge – overhaul.
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As much as i did not care for coltons style did not mean he did not have the fan base so look if anyone still believes americas votes count you are living in a fantasy place, we have no control over who stays and who goes the producers do and if they think it was america that let colton down how dare they blame america it was the producers and not american idol should be honest
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Ditto Christine. Been saying that forever but, with Colton’s elimination, it is confirmed. And didn’t Jimmy say that he had a huge fan base? Really? Oops! Forgot to edit that clip.
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You’re right Christine. If Colton had done alright last night, and, Phillip had performed another ‘mediocre’ performance, Phillip would of been the one booted tonight. They got rid of the save last week so that none of the boys could be saved this week. Nigel knows exactly what he’s doing, and, how to do it. He’s had a lot of practice.
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Rosanne-I hope they don’t throw Joshua under the bus. That would be cruel. They have been so unfair to him by not pointing out his screeching. You’re right. No one says ANYTHING to either Joshua or Skylar that is negative, so they don’t challenge themselves to get better. By saying the show needs a major overhaul, do you mean by getting rid of the three judges for instance? That just might be a good thing! Randy is I one who irritates me the most, sad to say. I expect so much better from him, because he’s the veteran! Well, I’m still hoping for a Hollie/Jessica Finale, so we will see!
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Sev,
There are people who happen to enjoy Joshua, including myself, and I certainly don’t drink the judges Koolaid. I honestly find it interesting because his style is very much like Fantasia who won Season 3. I didn’t care for her a lot because I felt she was too over the top and screamed, but for one reason or another, it doesn’t bother me about Joshua. I surely don’t think he’s going to win the title, but I do enjoy his performances very much. None of us agree on everyone, so it’s not such a stretch to think that there are others out there who like Joshua too.
I wasn’t at all a Colton fan, and I am most definitely not a fan of Skylar, although I have acknowledged that both of them have a lot of talent. It’s just personal preference.
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Anita – by a major overhaul, they just have to stop playing games. Be honest and constructive and let the chips fall where they may. They need to get back to the innocence of Season One and Two and then maybe people will start taking the show seriously again.
Also, enough with the teens. Have a mixture of twenty-something and teens. Then, there is truly someone for everyone. I know many people my age have a difficult time becoming invested in adolescent singers. Not me because I teach this age group. Just the general public.
And,truth be told, older singers bring experience and finesse that an older audience can relate to.
There are exceptions -David Archuleta, DeAndre, Jessica, Hollie, – but it makes for a better show when there is a mix of singers.
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Reminds me of when Siobhan went home. At least a little bit. Elise is still in!!! Think I’ll vote again next week AND vote for Hollie at same time. No logic in my world.
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Jimmy said something tonight that I actually agreed with with he made refence to finding more age-appropriate songs for Jessica to sing. That occurred to me last night and I thought that Simon would surely have commented about that with her song choices. Without Simon on the show, it seems that no one cares about that.
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Hey my avatar is back. *Happy Dance*
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Vonnie-I didn’t listen to LMFAO either. I was saying to the TV “Bring Kris back out to sing another great new song for us.” Kris was so much better!!
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Completely off-topic remark: anyone interested in some really fine singing should check out CD by opera/classical singer Thomas Quasthoff “Tell It Like It is” – he goes into popular music field – really really good. Shows what English can sound like when it sung well.
Also very glad to hear Kris did well tonight. I have it on TiVO (I’m still in my office) so will listen when I get home. Thanks!!
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Rosanne-Yes! The game playing NEEDS TO STOP!!! Right now , they are confusing the contestants, and the voters. They just aren’t being fair. But for as many tricks as they play, I just cannot get myself to believe that the producers would tamper with the votes. Perhaps I’m naive, but for some reason I want to give this crazy show the benefit of the doubt!
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In the beginning, I thought Colton had a chance for TOP 3 but he seemed to change. His comment regarding the judge’s comments, “I don’t care.” turned off a lot of people. I am happy he did apologize! With some vocal training, he’ll have a chance with a Christian recording company.
Just a reminder…SIOBHAN MAGNUS was never in the Bottom 3. She went out at 6th place because of the save for Big Mike. These things happen.
The written phrases about power voting appears at the end of the show. It give the producers the right to eliminate any votes THEY consider not eligible. This can cause an adjustment in the actual vote totals. Read the wording…producers’ decision!
I am not a fan of Joshua’s either. At first he looked very promising. That changed this week. Out of the Idol’s versions, I think I prefer Syesha Mercado’s, “A Change Is Gonna Come.” It is absolutel;y gorgeous! Sam Cooke’s version is powerful passion. I think Adam Lambert is probably the most talented performer to appear on Idol. Taylor Hicks is pure joy for me. David Archuleta sang my favorite song, both on the show and on the tour. STAND BY ME!
Kris was fine with his song, but there were better in Season 7. WOW! So wonderful to see Taylor finally getting some attention from Idol! Loved that moment!
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To Chad, Christine and anybody who thinks this show is “rigged” why do you think it is unlikly that Colton went home tonight? I have a perfect logical explanation:
1. Hollie and Phillip had a good night
2. Jessica had a bump from the save
3. Joshua was in the bottom 3 once last week. He was in the bottom 3 males top 13 week which means he could have been as high as 7th. He got a bottom 3 bounce
4. Skylar has the country fans all to herself while all of the other singers split votes due to their genres/singing styles
5. Elise was criticized heavily last night. As we saw with Hollie last week harsh critiques= more voting
6. Colton sang a Lady Gaga song for his first song and did in a very weird over the top way. He has many Christian fans that probably did not like the lyrics about “wanting love and wanting a disease”. His second song was out of tune. Also, he is splitting votes with Phillip. About the first time in the bottom 3- in season 4 there were two rockers- Constantine and Bo. Constantine was the first time bottom 3 and eliminated top 6 with a week performance. I actually see this season as a lot like season 4 with the country girl winning
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Mika – you raise some interesting points. But, if another country artist wins this competition, I am going to throw in the towel. This is not Country Idol.
Over on DialIdol.Com, Colton and, at times Skylar, have been trailing the bottom. Now, I know DialIdol doesn’t measure text messages, but still…. Maybe he didn’t have the fans that everyone thought he did.
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Mika, I never made statement that the show is “rigged”. I stated that if anyone thinks the Producer’s don’t manipulate/pull strings, that would be naive. I am the first to admit (and if you read my assessment of the show last night, you’d know – it’s in the Top 7 Performance Discussion here) that Colton had an “off” night. Wrong song choices, wrong styling – definitely – but there is no way you can tell me that because of one week’s performances he had the lowest amount of votes. I just don’t buy that. He’s been riding a wave of momentum for the past six weeks, and of all the contestants, he was topping iTunes/Twitter/Youtube. Actually, the Las Vegas betting odds named Colton as the favorite to win, this past weekend, based on popularity, and however else they measure a contestant’s popularity.
It’s very well known, not only from comments by the judges before the competition began, but, comments from the Production staff themselves, that Idol really wants a female winner. Jimmy really isn’t that diplomatic. With that in mind, the path has been cleared.
I do not believe the tween girls were/are voting for Jessica/Skylar/Elise over DeAndre, Colton or Phillip. I do not believe the tween girls are voting for Elise over any of the remaining males, especially Colton.
What really bothers me the most about this show is the blatant manipulation that goes on, and how the Idol powers-that-be think that we, the viewing audience, are a bunch of hicks that don’t know any better.
I, myself, never wanted to believe that such a thing would occur on a show like this, but, after the way the David-Squared year went (and I like David Cook, do not get me wrong), the way that the Producer’s played the ‘sympathy’ card to take momentum away from Archie, was down right disgusting, and to watch the judges buy in, was even worse. This is another topic in and of itself. I had the honor of talking to Archie in person, and to see first-hand how genuine he is, and how truly happy he was for David Cook. The point I’m making is, I’ve learned not to be naive, and, whenever there is a shadow of doubt, or even an idea of manipulation or conspiracy, generally, there is always some truth to the matter.
I’m not saying that’s the way it is Mika, I’m just stating my own opinion. I truly don’t wish to offend anyone.
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Loving this discussion, by the way. But let me say: when comments are made about show not being fair, I think: life is not fair. Something very unfair happened to me recently. It had nothing to do with music or singing but it broke my heart. It’s the way life is. These contestants, at this point, should know that they are entering a chaotic process that is being manipulated. What they can do is what Hollie did last night – sing from the heart & let the b-s go over her head. They are best when they are themselves. It’ll be an interesting process from here on out & I hope that singers like Elise & Hollie make the most of it so they can shape a career out of it. Siobhan Magnus has put together an impressive first full CD. I know it took a lot of hard work on her part. These young, talented, energetic singers can do it too. *Fingers crossed*
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I think Colton’s fan base may not have been as strong as we thought. His 2 performances last night were pretty bad, the worst of the night, IMO. Skylar gets a lot of praise from the judges for her energy and stage presence but I didn’t care for her singing or her song choices last night. She tended to sound almost flat at the end of her phrases. P2 gave another boring performance. I don’t get him or his praise. He is so uninteresting. Another Lee. I like Elise because she is always interesting even when she has an off-night. I liked Joshua’s performances. They were not his best but they were strong enough to keep him in the top 6. The question is Colton’s fan base. Will they continue voting for another contestant or will they drop out? Jessica, Hollie, Skylar, Elise and Joshua will have to work their butts off to beat P2s fan base. This is going to be interesting.
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Tween girls barely watch this show any more. The average age of an idol viewer is 48. The people that control the show are white, older, Christian women from the south. I agree that this show is incredibly manipulated.They do want a female winner and will try everything they can to get what they want (by putting certain singers early/later in the show, giving certain people better lighting and effects in their perfomances and like you mentioned by manipulating the judges comments). However I doubt they actually mess with the votes. The producers usually get the winner they want (e.g. Fantasia, Carrie) However, sometimes there are surprises (Taylor, Kris). I am sure that if the producers did fix the show they would never let Taylor Hicks win
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Vonnie and everyone,
The theme for next week, get ready (drum roll!) – QUEEN! Yes, you heard it here first. There will be Queen band members playing with the contestants as the perform. It’s all on MJ’s blog.
Regarding the discussion, whatever disclaimer the producers put at the bottom of the show on the credits, I still believe that they protect the integrity of the voting process. As has been said, Taylor Hicks would never have won if they had anything to say about it. Also, if they are manipulating votes to get who they want, they are doing a very poor job! The last few winners have not had much, if any, commercial success. That’s why they were practically foaming at the mouth with Scotty. They could see the green from all the money he would make for them!
A record company wants artists who will sell records. Listening to Jimmy lets us get a peek inside the mind of a major record comany studio exec. It’s all the bottom line with them.
I also think that Vonnie and one or two others might have touched on a reason that many didn’t think of regarding Colton’s elimination. It’s true that his fanbase is Christian voters and they would not take kindly to hearing him sing something as blasphemous as that Lady Gaga song. I think it was a combination of things that caused this to happen. I don’t care if he is trending on twitter, has tons of facebook fans or whatever. That doesn’t necessarily translate into votes.
I do think that Hollie and Jessica’s fates are intertwined. Last week Hollie was safe and Jessica was voted off. This week Jessica was safe and Hollie was in the bottom two. That’s why they have been trying to get rid of Hollie. They have to know that these two young women are competing for the same fanbase. With Hollie gone it would solve one big problem for them. However, they were too heavy-handed in their approach, so now they will be more subtle.
Every week I expect Hollie to go home. I am ready for it. I know that I have done my part by voting for her for two whole hours. These last two weeks I have been pleasantly surprised. Next week I will go through it all again. I am going to enjoy every week that she is on the show. She is getting great exposure and will learn a lot going on tour. I am just so proud of her for showing America what she’s got! That’s all I want her to do – go out there and sing her face off and show everyone. As long as she gives it her best, then I am okay with whatever happens. I know she isn’t going to win or get to the final 3, but I am going to enjoy every minute for as long as it lasts.
I actually think that Jessica and Hollie could kill a Queen song! Elise should do well with this, too! But she really needs to lose the attitude and fast. I like her, but it’s not good for her to complain about not getting respect, about how hard she has worked, blah, blah, blah. As Darlene said so well, life is unfair! Make the most of your opportunities and be happy that you have them!
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Every time I start to convince myself that Idol has manipulated the votes, someone here writes a good explanation for why the person was voted off. And, yes, the perfect example of why Idol does not manipulate votes is season 5. I cannot believe that they actually wanted Chris Daughtrey eliminated leading to a Taylor Hicks win. I, myself, was a huge Taylor fan and I loved seeing him in the audience last night. He looks better than ever!!!
I agree with what was said about Colton. I thought Wednesday night was his worst night, and his Christian fan base probably didn’t appreciate the Lady Gaga song. If people were watching and voting for the first time, I doubt they voted for Colton.
As for the final, I think TPTB will probably want a Jessica/Skylar final (which reminds me of the big contest between Clay and Reuben). But if that happens, I can definitely see Skylar winning. I’m honestly a little surprised that Jessica is still remaining. Her immense talent is keeping her there, because I’ve noticed in the past that any time a contestant shows any sign of being not totally “American” they get voted off. Unfortunately, that’s why I think that Skylar has a big chance of winning this contest. And, I’m right there with MCL–if she does, it will seem like American Country Idol!!!!
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I read here so I don’t have to waist my time watching this show. Lol I have read several articles of past contestants being interviewed. Serveral have stated that the producers only use the votes as a base line to make their own decisions on who goes home each week that will best fit what they want the final results to be. So, no they don’t mess with the votes but they don’t necessarily pay attention to them all the time. I think with Hicks the votes were so…high for him they couldn’t send him home. = )
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Can you delete this and my last comment? Thanks!
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Meaning the Julaine and the simplyapaddlingpilgrim one? Thanks!
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Love all of the great comments!
Mika,
LOL, I loved your comment, I am 49, southern Christian lady, white!!! That tickled my funny bone!
I went to see Taylor in concert after he won idol, and was amazed, it was all the age bracket you mentioned sitting in the audience.
But I agree one hundred percent! And yes Coltons choice of Bad Romance was a bad one! Many other songs he could have sang.
Mindy,
Thanks for the theme…should be some good performances next week!
Kariann and Louise,
I loved seeing Taylor also, he looks awesome! What a sweetie!
Darlene,
I’m thinking of you and praying all is well with you! Did you get a chance to listen to Jason Gray?
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Chad said:
“I do not believe, for one minute, that Colton had the least amount of votes.”
I understand why many would feel the Idol producers monkey with the vote results. However, I would like to make a case for the opposing view.
There are two main factors that cause me to feel it is very unlikley that Idol fakes the vote results:
(1) Risk of exposure
Idol uses a company called Telescope to handle the vote tabulation. Below is a link to a page on Telescope’s web site that has some interesting information about Idol voting:
http://www.telescope.tv/americanIdol2.html
Quote:
“As well as standard ‘total votes per contestant’ reports, the systems also provided numerous other reports including most frequent voting numbers, votes by State, votes by city, number of unique voters etc.”
If the vote tabulation process was set up in such a way that producer Nigel Lythgoe was the only person to know the vote results, it would be easy to imagine he would be tempted to fake the results. This kind of system would be easy to set up. For example, the show could employ two different companies to tabulate the results, one to handle the eastern states, one to handle the western states. No one at either company would know the full results. Each company would report their results to Nigel, and only he would know the full results. Nigel could ignore the correct votes and decide himself who to send home, and no one would ever know about the fake results.
But because Idol uses only one company to tabulate the results, there are undoubtedly numerous people at that company who know the full, correct results. And each of these persons will have many friends, relatives, and co-workers who the information could easily leak to.
If the announced results are different from what the company reported, there will be many people who know that the show has engaged in fraud. There is a great risk that the fraud would be exposed. This would create a huge scandal, destroy the show’s credibility, and probably cause it to be cancelled. Idol is the most profitable show on TV, and this is not a risk that Fox and Idol would likely take.
The Idol producers no doubt often have a strong preference about who should be sent home. But far more important is their desire for the show to be successful at making lots of money. In my judgement, they would not risk losing everything by faking the vote when there is a great risk of the fraud being exposed.
(2) Season 8: Adam vs. Kris
Season 8 provides some useful evidence about the issue of faking the vote results. There has never been an Idol season where it became more obvious who the producers and judges wanted to win. Kris was a classic example of a “cannon fodder” contestant who they expected to be eliminated early. They saw Adam as a future superstar who would help give Idol credibility.
Idol fans have often talked about the “clause” that appears in tiny print at the end of each show that allows Idol to disqualify any votes that, in the producer’s judgement, appear to be questionable for any reason. Given how strongly the producers wanted Adam to win, if they had any inclination to monkey with the vote results, they could have easily invoked the clause, disqualifying just enough Kris votes to make Adam the winner. (Remember those stores about shady power voting in Arkansas?) And they could have done this without even disclosing that they were invoking the clause. A victory by Kris would be a huge disappointment to the Idol management, and it was a perfect opportunity for the producers to monkey with the votes to get the result they wanted.
But we know they did NOT do this. They did NOT invoke the clause and give the victory to Adam even when they desperately wanted him to win. To me, this is persuasive evidence that the Idol producers do not fake the vote results, even when they are very unhappy with the vote and would have a strong incentive to monkey with the results.
In my view, the bottom line is this:
The Idol producers are willing to engage in almost any kind of manipulation to get the results they want, EXCEPT for faking the vote results. It would be reckless, foolhardy, and almost certain to be exposed by at least one of the numerous people who would know that fraud took place.
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Malden – thank you for providing the link to Telescope. Going to visit it ASAP. And thank you also for your comments. Very helpful.
The one thing that perhaps no one has factored in is this: can the Idol machine power vote? What’s stopping them? They have the money, they have the equipment. Just a thought.
But, yes, if the voting was rigged then would Lee DeWyze, Kris Allen or even Taylor Hicks – whom I adore, by the way -had won?
And, speaking of Season 5 – that boasted a great line-up such as Taylor, Katharine McPhee, Kellie Pickler, Daughtry – that was an example of diversity in age and genre that truly worked.
The same can be said for Season 7 -the David’s, Jason Castro, Brooke White, Michael Johns, Carly Smithson, Syesha, Chickeze, etc.
Perhaps Idol should look at past track records and see what worked. Each of these singers were able to remain true to their genres, there was little yelling or screaming – just really great singing.
They have to go back to this. We need artists of all ages.
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Wow! Normally my email alerts me to every post that comes here at MLC, but I haven’t heard anything since my last comment about Hollie. Then I came here and and see everything’s still moving . I kind of hate I missed all of the conversation. I hope it not because of my comments.
Okay , Last nights results show:
The only people that were on schedule to be voted off , were Elise, Hollie and Colten.
It couldn’t be anybody else … as …mark my words, as I predicted early off , Phil and Skylar will be in the Top 5 and so will Jessica and Joshua as I said in the other post , so none of them were in jeopardy of going home. That only leaves Elise, Hollie and Colten. Elise’s judges reviews were low and so her fans came to her rescue. Hollies reviews were high this week so they didn’t vote this week like they did last week. And Colten …since he’s never been in the bottom and everybody else had, his fans assumed it was going to go as normal and he;d be safe. And thats why he there and for no other reasons. This is numbers game. Its not about talent.
Everybody seems to think because somebody gets voted off or are in the bottom, that they are not liked by the judges or they’re there because they deserve to be. I believe thats just so wrong.If they ALL had great nights, and ALL of their fans supported as they normally do, someone would STILL be going home. None of them gets the exact same number of votes than the other. And as far as the judges liking them … the judges picked them BECAUSE they do like them. If it wasn’t for the judges, none of them would be there. When someone goes home I don’t think it’s always because they had a bad night or the judges doesn’t like them.
Do the judges like some more than the others? Of course they do. Every listener has someone they like better and they’re going to judge according to what appeals to them. For me …I’m not drawn to rock or country at all. I like R&B. Some people like country and rock. So of course a person a person who prefer’s one over the other is going to speak more positively about the one he prefers. ????? If you don;t like gospel, of course you’re going to see Joshua’ as one who seems to be screaming. But if you know anything about gospel , then you know, thats what the most popular gospel singers do… they scream , just like rockers and most trainers disapprove with the way they sing, yet they are still successful. To me, Phil just screams …its hard for me to take him sometimes. It seems like he never hits his notes. However it should be no surprise that I don’t care for his singing because I’m not a fan at all of that kind of music. I grit my teeth every time I hear him but I must say I really enjoy WATCHING him sing. I LOVE his show. He seems to just get all in. I feel the same way about Skylar. While neither of them sings styles I like I’m resolved that both she and Phil will be in the top 5. Not because there is some conspiracy or that the judges are somehow unfair. I just think they sing a style of music that the Idol audiences have showed season after season, they love the most.
As far as Hollie being in the bottom this week. I said that would happen in the other post I spoke on about Jessica and Hollie and I said why. Last week when her fans heard her judges reviews, which were very low , they came to her rescue and fought for her, as fans should and that extra fight kept her out of the bottom last week. This week all the judges raved about Hollie. Fans saw it, felt she was safe and didn’t have to vote as many times and now she in the bottom. How could that be if she had such a great night? Thats how it works. Because its not about how well she did, or anything the judges said. Its about her fan base.
The judges SAID Hollie was awesome this week. They finally saw what he fans saw. Shes safe, So why vote.Thats what happened to Jessica last week.. The judges raves (or as I call it the judges curse), worked against her and caused her fans to think she was safe, so why vote as much. When they realized how it hurt her, they came back for her support the same as thy did for Hollie last week. Its not because she did much better this week. To me, she is always incredible. She was out of the bottom BECAUSE her fans got her out of the bottom. Hollie fans could have done the same, but being swayed by the judges, believed she was safe,and her fans let her down
I keep saying it and I’ll continue saying it. This is not about talent or who the judges like best …its about numbers, fans and anybody who thinks it going to be the best talent that will win .. is nuts. Somebody who is too lazy to give the person they like the best, that extra half hour of voting shouldn’t expect the person they like, to be in the top …because they are not helping them get there. They just sit back thinking the world can see who the greatest talent is and will just vote or else just sit back and say the show is rigged.
I love this show. I don’t think its rigged or that the judges are unfair. I think they’re just giving their opinion like everybody else. People just get annoyed when others don’t see things like they do. I’ve observed this show so closely that I can just about tell from beginning auditions who’s going to win. I’ve said it on my site. While my predictions are usually correct its almost NEVER the person who I think is the most talented. Not because I don;t know talent because I really do .. its just that I’ve been watching so long that I can just tell the styles Idol audiences love and that overall audience is just not a audience who likes the type of music I like ….they don’t have to just like what I like however for me to enjoy this show. When I see somebody has a shot to get more exposure, I vote. You don’t have to be the winner. There are many who have been on this show who have done better in their careers then the actual winners .
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Brotherkarl makes SO much sense!!!! So which one do you think will win this year? I’m thinking that it will be Skylar.
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I think that anyone who professes to know who will get into the finale at this point, is kidding themselves. I also think it’s a bit simplistic to think it’s just a numbers game. Also, precisely why would Colton’s fans think he would be safe after what happened to Jessica and with the save no longer available? Anyone who has watched this show for a period of time and seen the shock boots, should realize that nothing is to be taken for granted! Not with this show.
Of course it’s about the fan bases voting in the greatest numbers. There is nothing new or earth shattering about that revelation. However, I do not believe that complacency on the part of his fans is why Colton was eliminated. This is the part of the season where many of the so-called “casual” viewers tune it for the first time. Colton had a bad night with one performance that was just wrong for him totally and did not work on any level and another performance in which he butchered a beloved song that many viewers remember well. I also believe that Vonnie and others are right about Colton’s Christian base being turned off by the Lady Gaga song. Colton said it himself. He realized what he did wrong and that’s a good thing for him and his future in the music business.
As far as Skylar doing a Lady Gaga song, she countrified it and made it acceptable for her fanbase. It’s not the same as the song that Colton did. He didn’t change it up and tried to be something he wasn’t.
I also don’t need to be told to vote until my fingers wear out. I have been doing that for a few weeks now for Hollie. The reason it’s up to the fanbase this season, is because of the depth of talent in this group. The voting has been extremely unpredictable with two huge favorites being the lowest in votes for two straight weeks. So anyone who thinks that they have a formula or the secret to knowing how it will all play out, is fooling no one but themselves. No one knows how this will come out. Many thought that Colton and Philip were shoo-ins for the finale, given the voting history on this show. Make no mistake, there is some history that has been made this week. When was the last time we saw a guy who was considered one of the favorites, get voted off in the #7 spot!
I think it will depend on the performances and the fanbase. I think the judges have become a non-factor now. America isn’t listening to them, because they are not being honest and keeping it real. Notice that the judges didn’t give any critical comments to Colton after either of his performances. America isn’t stupid. They watched him and made their own conclusion. The judges are not doing their jobs. It’s not about hating on them or thinking they are biased. It’s about their responsibility to be as honest as possible, fair to all the contestants and calling out issues for all the contestants, not just some of them. They didn’t call out Colton for his two poor performances, but America made its judgment.
Anything can happen. Who would have thought that there would be four girls left to two guys? Maybe America wants a female winner. I am also happy that the one contestant who did not bring it was deservedly voted off. That’s how it should be.
I think this could be very interesting as we move forward. The dynamic has changed with Colton out of the competition. Now people are saying that Philip is a sure thing for the finale. But people were saying that before this week about Colton.
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Here’s a link to a Colton interview, for those interested;
http://thexfactorforums.com/index.php?/topic/2254-american-idol-season-11-main-episode-discussion-spoilers-permitted/page__view__findpost__p__128278
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Mindy –
I can’t speak for anyone else but for me I don’ KNOW who the winner will be I;m just predicting just like everybody else. And I definitely have not gone as far as all those people you speak of who are already saying say its going to be Phil. I’m not that good But I think he’ll be in the top 5
Its because of all the surprises down through the years on this show that I am making my predictions. Its not a formula. Its just an observation on how things usually go on this show. If I was never right on my predictions I wouldn’t be sharing. This season I made a prediction about every person who they showed on TV that auditioned all the way up to the top 10. It was close to a 100 people (I logged them all on a site I have) and with the exception of about 3 people, everybody I said would make the top 10, did. Its just kind of fun testing some of my theory’s. Just testing them though. If I knew, I wouldn’t have to test.
And as far as Colten having a bad day. Its a matter of opinion. It didn’t seem like he had a bad day to me. That guy can sing. I’m also very much a christian and I didn’t have any problem at all with him singing lady gaga. If a fan is going to hold a vote back from a from their favorite contestant just because of a song choice … wow!! I have to ask …what kind of fan is that? I can’t speak for everybody else though, but I didn’t vote for him the other day because I thought he was safe (at least for now) but I was somewhat shocked. Its not a secret who I was pretty certain was going and I was wrong. Nor do I have any idea who will be going next week because I don’t whats going to be said or whats going to happen. I will say this though …IF …..(and thats a big IF) ….IF things go the way they normally do with this show …. Trust me …. it will be either Hollie or Elise …. That is IF things go like they normally do.
We’ll have to see …. One things for certain I;d be shocked if the persons I’m voting for the most end up in the top 2. I’m hoping and I’m voting.
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It would appear that my pairing theory has come almost into full bloom. This could be called the Idol “battle rounds.”
To recap:
Round #1 Elise vs Erica winner, Elise
Round#2 Joshua vs DeAndre winner, Joshua
Round#3 Phillip vs Colton winner, Phillip
Round#5 Jessica vs Hollie winner to be determined
Skylar is unopposed at this stage of the game, which is one reason I like her for the win.
So, the following will likely make the top five.
Elise
Joshua
Phillip
Skylar
The final “battle round” is too close to call at this point, but if you are voting for both Jessica and Hollie, it’s time to pick a favorite. I said several weeks ago, and I still think it’s true that none of these pairs will survive into the top five. No crystal ball, but it’ shaping up that way.
People perceived to be foreign haven’t fared well in past years and Hollie was quadrupley foreign last week. She sang two songs from (two of my favorite) British artist. Had the British soccer team wish her well and referred to England as “back home.” If I were Hollie, I’d give a shout out to the folks down home in Texas next week. The producers cleverly matched her against another contestant who could be
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Master Class Lady
I guess I wasn’t around when you initially did your pairing …… but I must say while those competing duo’s were not in the forefront of my mind, when I saw your listing just now I thought … its seems like they were definitely there in the back. I guess it does look like its down to Hollie and Jessica and while my pick between the two is Jessica, I am totally surprised at how far Hollie has come …. so you never really know whats going to happen.
Now Skylar …… definitely not who I’d pick but it surely looks like who the audience is picking . So I’m with you on all 3 of the above for top 5. Elise…I’m really sure … but know this… next to Jessica (who’s my favorite) I think Elise is the next best girl left. If she made top 3 I’d just be shocked not because of her talent but because she’s always in the bottom …and she doesn’t seem to have the fan base. But who knows maybe she’ll pick up some of Coltens votes
Wouldn’t that be the surprise? Here she keeps ending up in the bottom 3 and then ultimately end up in the top 3. In my book, the 3 most talented people left are Elise, Joshua and Jessica. On my scale of 1-10 when I initially saw them .. I gave all 3 of them 8’s. Everybody else left were 7’s and below.
I love this show! And I love coming to your site talking about it with people who love it as much as I do.
The Four I predict will be in the top 5
Phil
Skylar
Jessica *
Joshua *
From my list that leaves Hollie and Elise … I’m excited!!
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Gene
I’m sorry. I thought Master Class Lady did the pairing and made the prediction just before my post. Well anyway …. I’m with you on 3 of those you picked for Top 5.
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Hi Karl,
No problem. I’m an Elise fan but am surprised every time she makes the cut. I would be doing something wrong if my favorite ever won.
You made a point earlier regarding hollering that I wanted to bounce around a little bit with you. Specifically in Joshua’s case. I think he has a very good voice as you have said, and there are others here that like him as well. It’s my opinion that what we could agree to call hollering in gospel music has evolved over the years to a much more charismatic style than that of the 50s and 60s. There is a lot of gospel music sung in this style here in my home town so I have seen a lot of it performed as well as heard it over the years. It seems that the music of the earlier days that would have informed the great Sam Cooke, and a little later Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight and so on, was more restrained than what we see today and may account for the differences that we hear and see in the younger artist of today like Fantasia, Jacob Lusk, or Joshua. I believe Joshua could reach a larger audience by moderating his “Mantasia a little. I didn’t like his “A Change is Gonna Come” at all but I was excited when they first announced it. I like the arrangement and vocals of Otis Redding’s version possibly more than Sam Cooke’s original.
Aside from that, MCL is right about the degree of hollering in this competition. It appears that the judges and mentors encourage it but there is slight chance that the mean want them to take their performance up to the next level rather than just stepping on the load pedal. One thing is for sure, they don’t discourage it one bit.
The pairings is something I came up with a while back and it wasn’t long after that you would hear Jimmy allude to them in his comments. They are trying to keep current and competitive with the Voice and X Factor. The larger production numbers on performance night is a reflection of the X Factor being in the market. Idol does it much better though. The kids came out of the starting gate this year at a higher level of readiness; more like the Voice and of course the battle round pairings could be said to be an answer to the battle rounds on the Voices. It really serves Idol well. It allows the judges and Jimmy to focus the audience on segments of the field rather than the whole field and get the voters to eliminate who they want to go.
If it were not for my pairings theory I would agree with you that Hollie and Elise were in the bucket this week. We will see.
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Gene and Brotherkarl – thanks for holding down the fort here on this Saturday night. I am quite anxious to see what happens this week. Each singer will sing two songs – one from the Queen catalogue and another chosen by them.
Gene – for all we know, Jimmy read your comments re the combos and decided to run with it. Lol .. You are a star!!! It is a great theory though and seems to be working.
BrotherKarl – glad you are enjoying the discussion here. Your feedback also makes for lively talk here so thank you.
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Gene;
Lets see where do we start…. what about Joshuas screaming and hollering (LOL). For me … I love it. I’m a church boy. Grew up in a traditional black church. As a kid a directed choirs and played for several churches and in those churches the more singers screamed, squealed and growled the more they liked you. To get the rise you had to go there. The Bobby Jones gospel show is THE most popular gospel music show on TV now for over 30 years and if you listen to it, 90% of the singing is screaming. Almost every singer who has aspired to be a famous gospel singer has watched this show and I;m sure Fantasia, Joshua and Jacob all grew up listening to it and imitating the singers on it (and every famous singer in gospel has been on it.). If you go on You Tube and listen to singers like Karen Clark Sheard and Vanessa Bell Armstrong. they are two of the biggest divas in gospel and the screaming and growling is almost unbelievable (LOL) . So I;m use to it, but I DO understand the folks that don’t like it. You have to have a stomach for it. For aome folks … its just not there thing.
Like rock music. and singers like Steven Tyler … I just don’t get it. I can;t stand it. People literally just a hollering and busting up guitars …. I just don;t get it, but the people who are in to that kind of thing love it. Remember when Steven sang the National Anthem a couple of months ago. Some folks loved it ….but the folks not into that, hated it and wrote about it in papers all around the country. To me …everybody just has different taste and Joshua is not one that a lot of folks are into. I am.
I must say the MANtasia thing concerns me a little as most guys don’t generally try to imitate women. For me …there’s more “tasia” in it then there is “Man” . I do like him though … I think he is very talented ,I just don’t its something America would buy.
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That’s pretty funny. 🙂
Actually, I think Jimmy gets all of his material from the web, so maybe he did rip me off!
The competition between Idol and the Voice is ongoing, for example when Adam Levine said “I didn’t want to be the guy who says your pitchy,” in reality, he WAS being that guy AND taking a shot at Randy, and looking too cool for school at the same time. May he be richly blessed for the second part. I also think that the surprise team capitan’s cut was an effort to steal back the headlines from Idol’s surprise elimination. That is probably the mainstream point of view but I haven’t looked into it. Did they cut a week from their schedule by making those cuts?
I have another theory about the kids who have returned from last year being used as the cannon fodder for the places between top ten and top five. I’ll have to see what happens this week to have a better idea about it.
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Sorry,I meant to adress MCL with the post above.
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Karl,
Thanks for the reply. I’ve wanted to pose that question for a while and what you have said on other topics suggested that you would know more about it than me. I think I’m going back a few decades further than what you referred to though. It seems that Aretha stopped just short of her eyes rolling back in her head when singing secular music, but I’ve never seen her sing in a church. She may have just left a little more of the gospel wail at church than someone like Jacob is doing today. I’m not really sure that Jacob has ever declared what his chosen genre is for his post idol career, whether Gospel or R&B. R$B has a broader audience. I do recall him saying that he was going to take all of his songs to church after one of the gushing reviews from the judges. So, it appears that you are saying it has always been that way. I appreciate your thoughts on the topic.
More Tasia than man. Excellent. I’m glad that you said that instead of me. I noticed this week he made a point of saying he had his eye on J Lo’s abs while he was singing, so maybe he was declaring which team he was playing on. His voice stood out in the group performance this week.
With age is supposed to come some degree of wisdom. Steven Tyler must have been doing something else when his was being issued, otherwise he would never have taken a gig singing the National Anthem. That was disgraceful. He is not a universal singer. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate a well placed rock wail now and then. It’s a lot like the gospel scream in that you have to be in the moment to fully appreciate it.
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Gene,
I appreciate very much how you brought up the different style of singing in the 50’s and 60’s. I have been posting on MJ’s blog and trying in vain to make this point to all the young kids on that site. Sam Cooke was a master of when to pull back and when to go for more. He was so restrained in his singing and his masterful phrasing has been studied by the best of them. The way he sang his last song “A Change is Gonna Come” is for me the only interpretation. I have not heard Otis Redding’s version. I may try to check it out, but you know how I am when it comes to my guy, Sam Cooke. I have never gotten over his death and still miss him to this day.
Aretha was another great example. If she had really gospelized her songs and gone to the nth degree, I don’t think she would have had the incredible success she had. She can do the church thing, but not go way over the top. I know that Sam Cooke started with the Soul Stirrers in the early 50’s and was trained to take over as lead singer. That’s why I am so impressed at how he was able to instinctively know when to hold back. The way that Joshua sang his song, is not the way it should be sung and not the way he did it. The song, the words, are so powerful that the voice should ring with emotion and power and forget about the caterwauling, screaming, runs, whatever.
I don’t see gospel flavored singing as being very commercially successful today. That’s one reason why I think they had Joshua sing Bruno Mars. For me, I thought it was a waste of his voice. But I get what they were doing. This would be his path to commercial success in the music business. I think it’s really tough to succeed in r&b. Fantasia hasn’t had much success and Ruben Studdard didn’t do well either.
You bring perspective to the discussion and that’s a good thing. You have to understand the roots of music, what came before, to fully understand how it has evolved.
Finally, I love your pairing thing! Now what I want to know is, will Hollie make the top five? It’s tough because she and Jessica are splitting the fanbase. But I am going to be voting for only Hollie. I have made my decision and she’s the one.
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Hi Mindy
I get it and your are absolutely right on ALL of your points I’m an R&B’r and I like gospel too. If someone asked me what my favorite music is, I’d say those two and in that order. Where I agree with you is … what you say about “gospel favored music” (love that description). You are absolutely right. That style of music it is not “commercially successful” when you compare it to many of the other styles of music. You are also right about Aretha. Had she went all the way there without any restraints, we wouldn’t know who she was today. I have two gospel records by her … one when she was about 14 and one she did about 25 years after that. In neither of them did she reach the real “growling and screaming” levels that Mahalia Jackson sometimes reached (Ou-wee … I’m really dating myself now..thats that real old stuff-LOL) . Thats because Aretha was coached by some of the best, which she speaks of. Her father was a very famous preacher here in Michigan which brought her places and people she would have ever known (today we’d say he had a mega church). So by the time WE knew her ..that real real “churchy sound” had been turned into a sound that would sell.
Joshua is young. Just 19 years old. It doesn’t come from a mega church.No where near. I haven’t heard anywhere that he’s had that kind of coaching throughout his life that Aretha had.He seems to only know what works for him at his church and thats what he’s bringing. Even if Jimmy or any of them told him to hold back a little, I think it would break his confidence because he’s not use to holding back and still having success. I’m sure when he hears the words “bring it” he hears “like you do at church” … and then he goes there. That doesn’t mean it’s not something he can learn. He can .. but I don’t think he wants to experiment on a national stage in a competition like Idol. He’s fighting for his life. Trying something you’re unfamiliar with is too risky. Even if it would work, he wouldn’t know it until he tried it and if it failed he;d be bounced. Thats what happened to Colten. I heard him on an interview the other day and he say something to the tune of .. he tried something that he thought would work and it failed. The Idol stage is not the place to be trying unfamiliar territories. After this is all over …..he can start training for commercial success. I just don’t think the Idol stage is the place. Almost on every season where the mentors start coaching and the singers start listening to everything they say,and start changing things … the singers lose their confidence and almost immediately go home.
As far as Fantasia (who I really enjoy ….summer…… timmmmmmme and the living) ..anyway she was only 19 when she came to Idol. And while she won, I think it did her talent a dis-service. She’s convinced that “hollering” is the way to go and so thats literally almost all she does now and as a result … well lets say …she’s not reaching the kinds of success levels she could reach commercially. Gospel music audiences love her. Unfortunately gospel singers , while they can make a decent living, they don;t have the audiences that a mainstream singer does. The best gospel singers out don’t even make close to the money the Streisand’s and the Dion’s earn. But for some ….thats what they enjoy. Rubin, Mandisa. They all tried the gospel thing. Everybody is not interested in going mainstream. I’m sure you’ve heard of the gospel group the Winans family. They started building a church here in Michigan about 9 years ago …I pass it everyday ….After 9 years. its not even half finished. But they’re famous, have been very successful in the gospel music business. Their oldest brother (the most famous singer among them) preached Whitney’s funeral. They;re not billionaires … but they’re doing what they love. Even if its not something that everybody else loves.
I guess I said all of that Mindy …just to say …you’re right about all you said. Thats why I’d be surprised if Joshua won …as much as I like him
Randy was on “The Talk” Monday and he said who he thinks will be in the top …are Phil, Skylar, Jessica and Joshua.. Those are the same 4 I have said all the long. That doesn’t mean they’re necessarily the best . Its just who the audience seems to be rallying around.
Let me say this about Hollie though. I never would have thought she would have made it this far. Never. That fact that she;s still there speaks VOLUMES for her talent and her fan base. For me she has changed my game. Not that I like her better now ..only in that there is a fan base out their in Idol land that really sees something in her talent … because if they didn’t she wouldn’t be there. So for me ….shes changing the game. Just because she’s not MY cup of tea, doesn’t mean she can’t win. If she’s there after tomorrow … then I’ll have to start looking at this differently. There’s definitely something going on there with her that some folks are not getting She definitely can sing …up until this week I’ve just had a hard time as seeing her winning. The same with Jessica and Joshua..
Okay enough already. After today I;m going to work on making these much shorter (LOL)
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Hi Mindy,
I apologize for leaving your post hanging unanswered for so long but I’ve been on a motorcycle trip for the last week and a half and didn’t have the time, or energy, to respond.
I know you love Sam Cooke and I too think he was great. The thing that I like about Otis Redding’s version of “A Change is Gonna Come” is that it’s a little grittier vocally, but more than that, the accompaniment is not over orchestrated as it is, IMHO, in Sam Cooke’s original. I particularly dislike the strings. I think it is just too slick and polished for the lyrics. He was an unfortunate victim of the times in that regard. The same thing was happening in Nashville with the Nashville sound that we’ve talked about before. For me the grittier vocal fits the message of the lyrics better, like in the opening line when he says “I was born on the river” I feel like I’m on that old river when I hear Otis sing it. There is no doubt about the fact that Sam Cooke was a master vocalist. I actually got excited when they announced that Joshua was going to sing this because he has the ability to do it justice, but it didn’t turn out like I had hoped. I still believe he is capable of doing a good job with it though. Jessica also disappointed me with her rendition of “Try a Little Tenderness”, which she also has the ability to do better. I disagree with Jimmy about her song choice. I good song is a good song in the hands of a capable vocalist. The arrangement was poor on this song as well. The whole second round was a bust for me when you get down to it.
I think some of the instinct to hold back on the “gospelization” of secular songs in the early days came from the opposite side of the isle that it comes from now. In those days the church folks were up in arms about the gospel style being used for road house blues and that devil rock and roll. Today the issue arises more from a secular audience that doesn’t want to hear anything that sounds like it came from a church. Of course gospel is a broader category than just the style that is heard in black churches, but that is the style that is the foundation of Joshua’s style. After Idol he may need to either make a choice between being a gospel or an R&B artist or do separate albums of the two styles. I agree that he is limiting his audience by mixing some of the gospel elements into his secular music on Idol.
The question about Hollie or Jessica is passé now but I will add my thoughts anyway. I’m not sure anymore which of these two will go further in the competition. I’m beginning to believe that it will be Hollie. It’s a win win for Idol. The title of American Idol can be a powerful marketing tool but on the other hand the contract these kids sign sets the scale for recording contracts, should they choose to sign any of the contestants, and of course it’s decreasing scale according to how you place. In other words, using last year as an example, they signed Pia for peanuts, and Haley for much less than Scotty. Haley will probably out sell Lauren Alaina, so the profit margin is higher for the label if the sign someone who doesn’t place as high in the contest.
The pairing theory has almost come to fruition. All of the pairs have resolved themselves except for Hollie and Jessica and that may happen this week. I thought it would have resolved itself last week, and it probably would have if Elise hadn’t decided to commit suicide by singing an obscure Jimi Hendrix song. I’m a Hendix fan but that was a serious mistake, especially in a week that was her’s to lose. I will miss her on the show. Maybe Jessica will bring more of her gritty side or we will see something entirely new from Hollie to keep it interesting.
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