S18.E15: On with the Show: Disney / Mother's Day

[MarkHB]

Quote

The remaining finalists perform 2 songs each: one from the Disney songbook and one dedicated to the mother figures in their lives. Laine Hardy returns to perform “Life is a Highway.”

 

[Annber03]

I'm rooting for Arthur and Sam to be the final two duking it out. If that happens, I'll be fine with whichever one of them wins. 

Arthur's home is really nice-I liked all the decorative stuff in the room where he was performing, and I loved his mom's outfit, too. Such a pretty shade of blue. I also liked the dress Sam had on.

When Fransisco was showing his mom the breakfast he'd made for her, their dog seemed kinda interested in it, too :p. 

All the contestants' comments about their moms/mother figures were really sweet. 

[Sepalma23]

My favs are Jonny and Dillon. Only two I voted for tonight!!!  

[leocadia]

I was surprised to see Laine perform...Alejandro must not have been available.

[DietCokeJunkie]

I totally expected to see mostly guys go through tonight. The only female I think is strong enough to win is Sam.  I’m surprised Julia made it. Both of her songs sounded off. Not a good night for her. 
But really, next week is already the “finale” of this season. The whole thing seems pointless. 

[JMarie99]

Julia Gardano completely ruined one of my all-time favorite Disney songs. I will never forgive her. 

[PhD-Purgatory15]

I think I finally put my finger on what's missing w/ this format. I don't think you are ever going to get the true showstopper performance (Alone, by Carrie, Summertime by Fantasia, Whipping Post by Bo, etc. etc.). The synergy from a live crowd is missing, and I think this year's contestants are really hesitant to belt and crescendo on their front porch...w/ neighbors potentially listening in nearby. Everything is somewhere between a 6.5 and 8 on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of the "good" performances this season.

What do you do w/ Johnny? To me he human embodiment of decent as a contestant (and his Journey attempt last week wasn't even Top 7 worthy)....and yet he probably gives us the single most creative, original thing any of them has given us the entire season with his Amazing Grace mashup original.

Dillon and Arthur are the two most solid, consistent people left. I wouldn't be mad if either one of them won for this season. To me, Just Sam is just a half notch back from those two....she's very competent, but I always end up feeling like there could've (or should've) been a little more there at the end of most of her songs. Then you've got Louis, and Francisco who've coasted through the entire season on their boy-band looks and mediocre voices, and lastly we have Julia who just sort of baffles me. Does she have a rabid pre-AI following that I'm not aware of? Who is consistently voting for her and why is she one of the last two girls standing?

Nice to seem them actually acknowledge the real winner of last season. But seriously, Laine. Life is a Highway is the best Disney song you could come up w/?

Edited May 11, 2020 by PhD-Purgatory15

[Diana Berry]

I’d go Dillon, Arthur or Sam.  I give extra credit for Arthur’s beautiful penmanship on his letter to mom.  Nice performance by Johnny but he just doesn’t wow me.

Just  an aside, All the contestants have a really nice houses. I grew up a lower middle class, just like a block home nothing special , old furniture but had a great family. What would they do if one of these contestants did live in a less than fabulous home?

i thought we would go one week with out the A word as in Alejandro.

is it that expensive to do the remote show ?  Why the short season?

[Stee]

21 hours ago, PhD-Purgatory15 said:

I think I finally put my finger on what's missing w/ this format. I don't think you are ever going to get the true showstopper performance (Alone, by Carrie, Summertime by Fantasia, Whipping Post by Bo, etc. etc.). The synergy from a live crowd is missing, and I think this year's contestants are really hesitant to belt and crescendo on their front porch...w/ neighbors potentially listening in nearby. Everything is somewhere between a 6.5 and 8 on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of the "good" performances this season.

...

To me, Just Sam is just a half notch back from those two....she's very competent, but I always end up feeling like there could've (or should've) been a little more there at the end of most of her songs.

Both of these comments ring so true. I think Just Sam is missing out from that live audience energy, and would be one who would shine and feed off of performing (and transforming) live in front of a studio audience. She STUNNED ME in Hawaii when she had help with hair, makeup, wardrobe - I saw a true star in that moment, but haven’t felt that with anyone since they’ve been signing at home.  For me that was one of the breakout moments of the season.  Her rags to riches story would really shine through on live TV with screaming fans. 

Whereas I think someone like Jonny probably benefits from playing at home and hearing the subtle nuances of his voice. 

Ultimately I’m happy that they decided to continue with this season for the sake of the contestants and I do feel much closer personally to all of their stories, but I'm missing those star power moments like Carrie Underwoods Alone or Fantasias Summertime like you mentioned. 

Also I’m confused: how is next week the finale if we are only voting them into the top 5?

Edited May 12, 2020 by Stee

[Attatude]

Julia took a spot that should have gone to a different woman.  She’s not anywhere near the level of the remaining contestants.  I like Sam and Johnny. They have the best voices, but their performances were so low key, I'm not sure they can win and I’m not sure they should.  I agree with other posts about missing the studio audiences. They all have decent voices but there is no performance.  It’s just some nice, young singers singing at home.  Since they can’t do anything about that, it will probably be another very young man, a different version of Laine.  

When is Katie’s baby due? She looks like it won’t be long.

[Meowwww]

Julia sucked.  She missed the first half of the song with her lack of low register.  

[thesupremediva1]

Why is Julia still there? She has not done anything noteworthy since Hollywood week. Who is voting for her?!

[DaphneCat]

2 hours ago, PhD-Purgatory15 said:

Then you've got Louis, and Francisco who've coasted through the entire season on their boy-band looks and mediocre voices, and lastly we have Julia who just sort of baffles me.

Boy, you know they did a bad job when they get criticism from the "judges."  It seemed like Louis didn't even approach a key tonight.  I literally winced at some of the clinkers he was hitting.  Julia did herself no favors by trying to sing in that really low register - she was also really off key.

[redpencil]

I don't vote, but I thought Julia was great last week, so I'm not surprised she got votes. Doesn't mean she came through tonight, though.

To me, the ones that have the most potential to be a successful artist is probably Dillon and Johnny. Though to be fair, I say that about Johnny mostly because of the original song he did in his first audition. I felt when I first heard it and still feel that it could be turned into a huge hit. I still get that chorus stuck in my head every so often--so catchy. He's really got something there.

[Vermicious Knid]

It's been really interesting to see how these 'live' shows have played out. Idol chose to lean entirely in on the home theme; here are our contestants, and their houses, families, dogs, backyards and porches. See them, love them. While The Voice decided to disguise it as much as possible with over-saturation and strobing effects, pay no attention to that living room wall. The Idol version is working much better. 

As for the performances, um. That could definitely have been better. Although I have to applaud Arthur for following up the reggae by using one of the only Disney songs with a Caribbean beat. Julia was terrible. Sam was not quite there for either song. Francisco was just okay, Louis his usual mediocre boyband self. Johnny and Dillon can't get off my television fast enough.

[MarkHB]

2 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

Although I have to applaud Arthur for following up the reggae by using one of the only Disney songs with a Caribbean beat.

I would have liked to see him in the big studio, getting the crowd going with my all time Disney favorite, "Under the Sea".

 

7 hours ago, Diana Berry said:

is it that expensive to do the remote show ?  Why the short season?

I think the end date was already set, but they lost two weeks of live shows to logistics and padded with the meet the contestants shows.

I wonder what will happen to the videos of the losing contestants' songs.  

[Babalooie]

Dillon's sister looked less than pleased to be sitting there.

I have a feeling that TPTB are trying to avoid another WGWG.  I can see Francisco, Arthur, and Just Sam in the Top 3 in no particular order.  The pretty boys are there to look good and be used for "cannon fodder", which is a term I saw used in the early years of Idol.

[peachmangosteen]

11 hours ago, Diana Berry said:

What would they do if one of these contestants did live in a less than fabulous home?

Probably what they did with Sam; set them up in an apartment in LA.

1 hour ago, Babalooie said:

Dillon's sister looked less than pleased to be sitting there.

Right! So did his brother, but he was also singing along. They kinda always look like that to me though; I think it's just their face lol.

I really like Julia, but fucking hell she just about ruined Beauty and the Beast. And she wasn't great on the Adele song either. I don't think she really had a chance to make the F3 anyway but now she has absolutely zero chance.

I skipped Jonny's Amazing Grace because the song is a trigger for me, but someone saying he did a mashup up has me thinking maybe I should check it out.

I would be shocked if the F3 isn't Arthur, Francisco, and either Just Sam or Dillon.

I don't watch anything but the performances so I missed the explanation, was the voting last night for the winner or is there going to be live voting during the finale next week?

[sempervivum]

1 hour ago, peachmangosteen said:

I would be shocked if the F3 isn't Arthur, Francisco, and either Just Sam or Dillon.

According to MJsBigBlog, they'll be going from 5 to 1(winner) next week. No F3. All 5 will do 2 songs each, and then live voting during the show determines the winner. 5 Down to Winner

Arthur is cute and humble, and has an inspiring story. Personally, I'm sick of his permanently dialed-to-10 grunt/singing, but he fits the AI Winner mold, except for being an immigrant. 

I wonder if the singers who got the onscreen Disneyfied animation, like Sam, actually wanted it? I thought it cheapened those performances. Generally a disappointing night.

 

[SnarkAttack]

15 hours ago, Stee said:

Both of these comments ring so true. I think Just Sam is missing out from that live audience synergy, and would be one who would shine and transform with That live audience energy. She STUNNED ME in Hawaii when she had help with hair, makeup, wardrobe - I saw a true star in that moment, but haven’t felt that with anyone since they’ve been signing at home.  For me that was one of the breakout moments of the season.

Whereas I think someone like Jonny probably benefits from playing at home and hearing the subtle nuances of his voice. 

Ultimately I’m happy that they decided to continue with this season for the sake of the contestants and I do feel much closer personally to all of their stories, but I'm missing those star power moments like Carrie Underwoods Alone or Fantasias Summertime like you mentioned. 

Also I’m confused: how is next week the finale if we are only voting them into the top 5?

Sam has a good voice, but not a unique voice.  I closed my eyes to listen and she could be anybody.  

[proserpina65]

Fucking Disney songs again?  That settles it, I'm out.

[Koalagirl]

It kind of bothered me that they kept saying to Just Sam that “no matter what happens” she’s a star.  I think they said that once to only one of the other contestants.  Is she pulling in the lowest of the top votes and they’re reading the writing on the wall trying to prepare her not to go to the finale or is this some type of subliminal message for people to vote for her?

[peachmangosteen]

4 hours ago, sempervivum said:

According to MJsBigBlog, they'll be going from 5 to 1(winner) next week. No F3. All 5 will do 2 songs each, and then live voting during the show determines the winner. 5 Down to Winner

Thank you! That is ... stupid lol.

[Diana Berry]

37 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

Thank you! That is ... stupid lol.

I was curious,too. So we just have a 2 hour span to vote.wow.

So a previously recorded song will be the coronation song.  My pick for Dillon would be Dylan ‘Times they are a changing’.  

[peachmangosteen]

Just now, Diana Berry said:

I was curious,too. So we just have a 2 hour span to vote.wow.

Hopefully they have it live coast to coast or else the west coasters are screwed lol.

[Maya]

10 hours ago, sempervivum said:

Arthur is cute and humble, and has an inspiring story. Personally, I'm sick of his permanently dialed-to-10 grunt/singing, but he fits the AI Winner mold, except for being an immigrant. 

I do not get the Arthur love. He seems like a very nice person, but his singing is strained and shouty. 

I like Jonny’s voice, but I can’t imagine a more boring winner. I like Francisco but I’m not sure why. Probably because he’s cute. Dillon for the win! 
 

[escape]

The season finale on Sun May 17 will feature a special performance of “We Are The World” by Lionel Richie, fellow judges Bryan and Perry, and many past “American Idol” notables - Alejandro Aranda, Gabby Barrett, Jordin Sparks, Katharine McPhee, Kellie Pickler, Laine Hardy, Lauren Alaina, Phillip Phillips, Ruben Studdard and Scotty McCreery.

[Jeanne222]

I haven't watched American Idol for years but being stuck inside made me think maybe I'll give it another try.  Maybe I'm missing something.

Thinking of the great voices that have come out of the show, I won't list them because we all know their names, I was anxious to see and hear the new group!

Surely this isn't what the show has become!  Not impressed with any of them.  Just Sam was probably the best because of her story, her hair and her neck tattoos!  Her voice could be one at any hometown karaoke night!

It was bad folks.  Really bad!

[ForReal]

17 hours ago, Koalagirl said:

It kind of bothered me that they kept saying to Just Sam that “no matter what happens” she’s a star.  I think they said that once to only one of the other contestants.  Is she pulling in the lowest of the top votes and they’re reading the writing on the wall trying to prepare her not to go to the finale or is this some type of subliminal message for people to vote for her?

Hopefully Lionel will take a paternal interest in Just Sam's career and help her out. He seems to adore her, and I believe she can find work as a sing-ger. I'm just not sure I'll ever hear her on the radio (at least on the stations I listen to).

[peachmangosteen]

1 hour ago, ForReal said:

I'm just not sure I'll ever hear [Just Sam] on the radio (at least on the stations I listen to).

Let's be honest, we're never gonna hear any of these people on the radio.

[ruffy666]

Ms Gargano should get some kind of award for having both the worst and the best performance of the night.  I think her Adele cover was pretty close to perfect!

Personally I don't understand the appeal of Jonny.  His voice is fine but he's an absolute charisma black hole.  I seem to be significantly in the minority but I can't imagine him ever selling out a concert (uh, if concerts ever exist again...)

[silverspoons]

On 5/11/2020 at 4:49 PM, peachmangosteen said:

Hopefully they have it live coast to coast or else the west coasters are screwed lol.

and make sure you have an early dinner ready. Last year when they did it live it was 5pm. 

With such little new TV on, why not have voting be till the next day and have a live reveal? Everyone is just at home, it is not like Ryan has to fly off to be with Kelly like past years. 

[Vermicious Knid]

Because it's always a popularity contest and not about the singing. If they really wanted to be more fair voting shouldn't begin until after the West coast finishes airing.

I would not be surprised if Louis turns up in Simon's next boyband creation.

[worleybird]

Has Ryan been saying how many votes were cast these past few weeks?

[MarkHB]

14 hours ago, silverspoons said:

With such little new TV on, why not have voting be till the next day and have a live reveal? Everyone is just at home, it is not like Ryan has to fly off to be with Kelly like past years. 

Because that would step on the Bachelor spin-off on Monday?

 

12 hours ago, worleybird said:

Has Ryan been saying how many votes were cast these past few weeks?

He said it once, and it was c. 33 million. But, unlike days past they limit the number of votes/person so it's not wide open anymore.

[LoveLeigh]

On 5/10/2020 at 11:23 PM, JMarie99 said:

Julia Gardano completely ruined one of my all-time favorite Disney songs. I will never forgive her. 

I was really shocked at how bad her singing was. What happened? if it was "too low" why in rehearsal was she not advised to change her key or her song choice? 

Also, I do not understand the love for Louis Knight. He is, at best, mediocre. What makes him remarkable? 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2020 by DakotaLavender

[MarkHB]

12 hours ago, DakotaLavender said:

Also, I do not understand the love for Louis Knight. He is, at best, mediocre. What makes him remarkable? 

He's a heartthrob boybander, and there are a lot of people who enjoy that sort of presence and musical style.

[TheGreenKnight]

On ‎5‎/‎11‎/‎2020 at 4:48 PM, Diana Berry said:

I was curious,too. So we just have a 2 hour span to vote.wow.

So a previously recorded song will be the coronation song.  My pick for Dillon would be Dylan ‘Times they are a changing’.  

You picked correctly...!

[marykat71702]

On 5/10/2020 at 11:11 PM, Attatude said:

Julia took a spot that should have gone to a different woman.

I would rather have had Grace over Julia

[marykat71702]

On 5/11/2020 at 10:23 PM, Maya said:

I do not get the Arthur love.

Neither do I <shrug>