rollerblade

The singers make their own song choices? Do the judges know their song selection before or after pairing? So much shenanigans.

Heh, maybe it was edited out.

Oh look, it's Chandelier again. I'd feel bad but the song is for Jean Kelley hah, and she gets paired with lightweight Menlik.

Haha, I was shocked when they said she was 25 at Blinds, where her styling was easily 30 years younger than what she wore yesterday for Battles. It's like she was trying to look like Professor McGonagall for some reason.

Blinds are filmed over 4 days I think? Judges were asked to wear the same outfit for easy editing... the order of picks in reality isn't what's shown on TV. Yea he did come across as a monotone Buble. Not bad though, but I'm already against him because of the "one name" shit. At least he didn't all-caps like MEGG lol.

I think that if people are gonna make the songs their own, it has got to stand out from the original version; whether it's better, fresher, more interesting etc. Everyone's taste is different, so the definition of better/fresher/interesting differs. I love Tessanne's version of Bridge over Troubled Waters, but many find it too screamy or too gospel-y. On the flip side, Christian Porter's Sexy and I Know It.... the judges were like "omg so unique and different, imaginative arrangement, you take such big risk" blah blah blah, when it's a total copycat of Noah Guthrie's version. Certain rendition of certain songs are untouchable to certain people, that includes the judges. Or cynically.... the whole thing is rigged, and half of each teams are pre-selected, the rest are fodders. As long as the pre-selected people don't poop on stage Avery style, they are guaranteed to make it to Lives.

What an unfortunate opening sentence - Gillian Anderson will be devouring a bigger piece of Hannibal... Or is it? Is that supposed to be a hint that Hannibal is up for consumption?

Blind audition, literally. Still in love with Pharrell, but the butterflies has waned a bit.

Why? If these kids don't want to feel the sadness, maybe pick the right song that highlights their abilities at the beginning? (It's already "forgiving" enough that they get to sing until the end, versus a resume where your app will be tossed if you can't impress in the first 2-3 sentences). And I say kids, because adults should be able to handle rejection. In this industry! Heck, parents can encourage and praise their kids singing all they way, but they should also prepare them for the real world - "you are not going to get a yes every single time." I have no idea how the singers pick their songs. Do they select from a list of "approved" songs, or can they sing whatever they want? To a certain extent, of course; no one is gonna be allowed to sing a song filled with inappropriate words. For the luckier ones who got a chair to turn despite their shitty song choice or shitty singing, maybe the judges didn't hear anything they cared for until a glory note toward the end, or an amazing run after the chorus, or a pity button press. I know for me, that one girl who sang Jewel's Foolish Games - 5 notes in, I was saying to myself "wrong song, girl". She may be an amazing singer, but I'd never know because she picked the wrong song for her voice; plus there's nothing in her presentation+personality that made me want to go youtube her name. In fact, I found her bitch-face right after singing to be rather off putting. And then there's shenanigans like Matthew Schuler, a 4 chair after like 8 seconds of singing.

Pharrell is so smooth, he could sell bacon to vegans. I think this season is absolutely his to lose.

Mara has one style - loud; zero variation, zero deviation. She's like a bad mash-up of Diana Degarmo + Kimberly Caldwell.

Will there be only one winner this season? Or are they still doing the male winner and female winner thing?

Oh gotcha, thanks. I'm behind in all the shows I watch, and just finished S4 this week haha.

What happen to the individual episode threads? Was I seeing things?

Been-there-done-that choreography aside, these dancers lack personality. Looking back to season 7, there are so many stand-out performances. Loved the meet your contestants group dance Fame, loved the finale opening group dance Ra. Junior high Chacha with Kent Boyd was entertaining, My Chick Bad was fantastic, Mad World was sublime, and everything Alex Freaking Wong did that season was incredible. I even like the plain-jane Boogie Shoes that judges hate. Those dancers stand out from each other. This year? Hate to say it, Alex's hands-only dance in S7 finale had more personality than all S11 dancers combined. Ok, that may be overly harsh, but really, these guys are so bland! Oh judges, how do you expect me to vote when I can't even tell them apart?!

Someone please please please tell me Tara Annoying Lipinski is guest judging only for these call backs. The only "celeb" guest judge I like is Jesse Tyler Furgerson. I'll even tolerate Christina Applegate, but that's my limit.