S19.E17: Coldplay Songbook & Mother's Day Dedication

[peachmangosteen]

Quote

The Top 7 contestants are live coast-to-coast. Each performs a song in honor of Mother’s Day and a second song from the Coldplay songbook, mentored by the band’s lead singer, Chris Martin. Coldplay performs their recently announced new single, “Higher Power.” Voting starts at the beginning of the episode and the Top 5 finalists are revealed at the end.

Airs May 9th.

[TheGreenKnight]

Something about tonight’s show felt like this season has gone off-the-rails for some reason. I guess with Arthur there, Casey (who felt like a frontrunner in the past) sort of bombing, and so. many. guitar guys…. It’s like only the group of decent / good contestants have been losing numbers week after week while *all* of the bad ones are still here, ugh. Why why why did Caleb have to survive, if only it had been him and Arthur. Ugh. That aside, I was grateful Grace actually performed a Coldplay song I know… Never heard any of the others.

I knew Casey would survive this week since she performed first and wasn’t too worried this would be the end for her yet, but she’s got to pull it together. While Grace has always been my favorite, I was reluctant to bet on her chances, but I feel like she’s stolen Casey’s thunder these past two weeks to be the best chance for the women this year. She was really polished and pretty tonight. (I think her face / hair is very similar to Katharine Heigl.) I really thought Hunter would survive since going last is usually a boon in the voting. That kind of surprised me. I sort of expected it to be Willie and Caleb (possible Arthur) since they were all sandwiched in the performance order.

[Annber03]

Well, so much for the "bring back a former contestant" idea going off well, huh? 

Those were some....interesting covers of Coldplay songs tonight. I like that band, so I was curious to hear how everyone would tackle them. Grace's was the best, I think she did well at keeping the emotion of "Fix You" intact, and Arthur...I respect what he was doing with his version of the song, kudos to him for changing it up a bit...but yeah, there's a beauty to "In My Place" that I really love and which I did feel was missing from that performance. 

The others were...weird. And Casey-I could've seen "Paradise" working for her, but something about the arrangement, I think she got swallowed up by the song. 

I think the second hour was generally stronger, though some of the songs people chose to dedicate to their moms were odd ("Ironic"?). Again, I think Grace did really well-I think she had the strongest night tonight, and I liked Willie's take on "You Are So Beautiful". 

As understandably controversial as the whole "bring a former contestant" back element is, I still would've kept Arthur over Caleb, myself. I just like Arthur's style better. But Caleb aside, I'm good with the remaining group. 

[escape]

I have bad feeling that Caleb Kennedy will win.  The Country fans must be throwing him all the votes.   How else does he keep going through.  There is nothing memorable about his performances.  He is void of any personality.  He is always stone faced.  Gawd, I can imagine him doing interviews if he won.  Not good.

[Diana Berry]

40 minutes ago, TheGreenKnight said:

Something about tonight’s show felt like this season has gone off-the-rails for some reason. I guess with Arthur there, Casey (who felt like a frontrunner in the past) sort of bombing, and so. many. guitar guys…. It’s like only the group of decent / good contestants have been losing numbers week after week while *all* of the bad ones are still here, ugh. Why why why did Caleb have to survive, if only it had been him and Arthur. Ugh. That aside, I was grateful Grace actually performed a Coldplay song I know… Never heard any of the others.

I knew Casey would survive this week since she performed first and wasn’t too worried this would be the end for her yet, but she’s got to pull it together. While Grace has always been my favorite, I was reluctant to bet on her chances, but I feel like she’s stolen Casey’s thunder these past two weeks to be the best chance for the women this year. She was really polished and pretty tonight. (I think her face / hair is very similar to Katharine Heigl.) I really thought Hunter would survive since going last is usually a boon in the voting. That kind of surprised me. I sort of expected it to be Willie and Caleb (possible Arthur) since they were all sandwiched in the performance order.

“ fix you” always gets me emotional no matter who sings it because of the back story.  That being said, Grace did really well on both songs.  Yes, she does look like Heigl or a young Kate Winslett.

I thought Casey was pitchy on both songs.  I just don’t think she gets the emotions of any song she sings.  After smiling through “when she loved me” last week , she hasn’t improved.

did Caleb’s original sound like Tim McGraw’s  ‘ live like you were dying?’ 

[Annber03]

1 minute ago, Diana Berry said:

“ fix you” always gets me emotional no matter who sings it because of the back story. 

Same. For me, there's just something about that "Lights will guide you home..." part that really gets to me. 

[LexieLily]

1 hour ago, Annber03 said:

I think the second hour was generally stronger, though some of the songs people chose to dedicate to their moms were odd ("Ironic"?). Again, I think Grace did really well-I think she had the strongest night tonight, and I liked Willie's take on "You Are So Beautiful". 

Oh, one of my favorite subplots of Idol when I watched used to be the dedication/inspiration nights and how the songs chosen either didn't fit or created strange backstories. The best one was way back in the semifinals of season six, when Jared Cotter dedicated "Let's Get It On" to his parents.

[Diana Berry]

39 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

Same. For me, there's just something about that "Lights will guide you home..." part that really gets to me. 

Side note.  I also liked that Martin pushed her to sing it ( I would have been crushed if she had chosen the other). You could see  he was thinking ‘ Grace you can have moment with this song...take it’ .  

 

[Meowwww]

I’m really only feeling it with Willie.  That said, I hope he doesn’t win due to the contract the winner deals with. 
Casey is my second favorite.  But tonight’s performances, other than Willie, were underwhelming and almost karaoke-ish. 

Edited May 10, 2021 by Meowwww

[Annber03]

20 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

The best one was way back in the semifinals of season six, when Jared Cotter dedicated "Let's Get It On" to his parents.

Ahahahaha, YES, my mom and I were just talking about that example earlier tonight :D. I remember some show talking about that moment once and they basically described the whole thing like, "This guy's talking about how supportive his parents have been and how he wants to show his appreciation to them for all they've done for him and all that, and the audience is like, 'Awwwwww, that's so sweet...'

...and then the opening notes of "Let's Get it On" come on and Simon Cowell's sitting there like, O__O." :p.)

[LexieLily]

15 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

Ahahahaha, YES, my mom and I were just talking about that example earlier tonight :D. I remember some show talking about that moment once and they basically described the whole thing like, "This guy's talking about how supportive his parents have been and how he wants to show his appreciation to them for all they've done for him and all that, and the audience is like, 'Awwwwww, that's so sweet...'

...and then the opening notes of "Let's Get it On" come on and Simon Cowell's sitting there like, O__O." :p.)

I remember thinking something like 'uh, I do not want to know what kind of relationship this guy has with his parents, thanks," xD

[OLynn33]

I tuned in kind of late and didn't recognize Caleb sans hat sitting in the back. Figuring more AI trickery my last pandemic nerve was triggered. Who the f**k is...what are they....oh wait....

1 hour ago, escape said:

Gawd, I can imagine him doing interviews if he won.  Not good

Yep. Nope. Shrug. Glare. It will be amazing. 

[leocadia]

2 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Well, so much for the "bring back a former contestant" idea going off well, huh? 

While I think it made sense that he was sent home --I prefer him to most of this year's crop, but I know many do not and think it was unfair to bring him back in the first place -- it really seemed like (for the second week in a row) the judges celebrity cheerleading panel were throwing him under the bus.  Every other contestant got a "Wow" "Great"  "Unbelievable" review and he basically got "You did your thing, good for you."  Now was that because they really didn't like what he did or were TPTB just frustrated with dealing with him wanting to go his own way all the time?  In any case, I wish him well in his future endeavors.  I'll buy his music when/if it's available and I can't say that for most of the others.

Not being much of a Coldplay fan, I expected the first hour to be kind of boring (and the performances were) but I have to say that Chris Martin was very warm and showed a lot of grace with all of the contestants.  He seems super humble and was really supportive.  It seemed like he actually cared about the contestants more than his own celebrity, Bobby Bones should take notes.

I didn't care much for any of the "original" songs and thought Chayce in particular was doing a whole lot of pandering with that song for Mother's Day, but obviously the voting audience felt differently, lol.  Add me to the group that is irritated to see Caleb moving forward.  Would it kill the kid to smile or pretend that he cares about something...anything??  Hunter is not my cup of tea, but I like him a whole lot more than Caleb.

 

Edited May 10, 2021 by leocadia
punctuation is important

[Blissfool]

UO: I enjoy Caleb a whole lot. I think he's extremely talented and whatever happens with AI, I think he will make a career in music.

I loved all 3 original songs and watched each one a few times. 

Ironic was a strange choice for mothers day.

Sad to see Hunter go, but he seemed to come to terms with it beforehand so that's good.

I wonder why we didn't see Caleb's mom on screen.

Grace gave me Jessica Rabbit vibes with her red dress.

Arthur is awkward.

Chris Martin could give Dave Grohl a run for his money for nicest guy in rock music.

Edited May 10, 2021 by Blissfool

[Diana Berry]

I think Dakota Johnson has a winner.

[cinsays]

10 hours ago, escape said:

I have bad feeling that Caleb Kennedy will win.  The Country fans must be throwing him all the votes.   How else does he keep going through.  There is nothing memorable about his performances.  He is void of any personality.  He is always stone faced.  Gawd, I can imagine him doing interviews if he won.  Not good.

yeah, either stone faced or scowling and he is nothing special at all, but the country fans are not picky, i guess. 

loved grace, willie and arthur's first performance.

i don't see any connection with casey and her songs, no emotion.

 

[peachmangosteen]

10 hours ago, escape said:

I have bad feeling that Caleb Kennedy will win.  The Country fans must be throwing him all the votes.   

Yea, I'm afraid that's where we're headed. I mean, Caleb is fine and I think he probably has a decent chance to have some kind of success in country music, but I just personally like everyone else more lol. I'll probably vote next week in an effort to maybe keep him out of the finals.

10 hours ago, Annber03 said:

I think the second hour was generally stronger, though some of the songs people chose to dedicate to their moms were odd ("Ironic"?).

 

7 hours ago, Blissfool said:

Ironic was a strange choice for mothers day.

I figured maybe Ironic was just one of her mom's favorite songs.

[thesupremediva1]

Some things became very clear to me this week about where votes lie, things about which I hope to be proven wrong...

Some folks are worried about Caleb winning... I'd say it's looking more likely every day that Chayce takes this whole thing. I'm a fan of Chayce and I've voted for him, but in about two months of competition he's never once reached for a big note, stepped outside his comfort zone, or had a moment. In fact, he typically is near the bottom in terms of singing, IMO. Where he shines is in his comfort on stage. And yet, he is typically called safe early in each ep.

I truly thought that bringing in Arthur would lead to Chayce's exit - Arthur has a huge fan base. Chayce, I figured, I was already splitting the "TV boyfriend" vote with Hunter, and now would be competing with (arguably) a better guitar-growling stylist. The fact that Chayce has now outlasted both of them - and is likely to be the sole recipient of their  fanbase's votes - means Chayce will likely see a bump next week. This is all conjecture on my part but I think these theories warrant discussion. 

Caleb has had his max fanbase for awhile now - he's the sole recipient of the country block. And it's huge. But even Ryan said the votes were really close last night. Meaning Arthur or Hunter had a chance to take Caleb's spot. So, Chayce is the one I'd see as a bigger threat now. I have to admit, I threw Caleb some votes for the first time ever last night, solely for picking Violet Hill - my fav Coldplay song (criminally underappreciated in their catalog). He didn't slay the middle of that rendition, but I thought the choice itself was inspired. 

I like Arthur a lot, but I think he went out on a high note, and I suspect he's glad to be out of this socially awkward situation. I do not believe he had any time or use for people who kept harping on him about switching up arrangements - a tactic that used to be lifeblood of anyone hoping to win this show. 

Last night was the first time I've ever truly enjoyed Hunter. I thought his original song was awesome, but it was his time to go. Just goes to prove that singing last is no longer helpful in this format (a lot of things are not helpful in this stupid format). I have to say, though I adored Chris Martin as mentor, I think Hunter got bad advice - that key change was too high for him and made his voice sound weak, on a night where no weaknesses would be passable. 

Casey, for me, was just sloppy last night. Her on-stage presence was sloppy, the vocals were sloppy... she just seemed all over the place and unfocused. I cannot understand the adulation she receives. 

Willie had his best night ever. His Yellow performance was a true Idol moment, as was You Are So Beautiful. His voice sounded stronger than ever, and he made his arrangements nuanced enough to seem original but not out of left field. I will rewatch those two songs at some point. I hope they're enough to get him to the finale, but I'm thinking we see shock boots next week of the best singers.

Grace, what can I say? Two more masterclass songs. I loved every moment. Her red dress made her look like Jessica Rabbit and whoever styled her hair deserves an award. She was stunning, and the performances were captivating. Thank GOD for Chris Martin. What cool, nice guy who came to the show with his A-game. I didn't like the new single, but he can mentor on my TV anytime. He gave Grace the best and most necessary coaching - something those three yahoos at the table haven't managed in months. Fix You is one of my favorite songs ever - only a soulless bot could sing it and NOT inspire tears. The fact that she was even considering "Hymn for the Weekend" tells me she needs a course in musical taste, because though I enjoy the song, lyrics about "feeling drunk and high" could never play as well on Mother's Day as "lights will guide you home."

Chris made a great point about Grace's talent being so enormous that you can't connect to it. He's totally right. We know all the notes she can hit - she doesn't have to sing the hardest song of all time every week. She needs to connect with viewers if she has a prayer of outlasting the likes of Caleb and Chayce. The quieter, softer moments of Fix You, where she used her head voice, were glorious. 

Ryan looked awesome in his purple suit. I love that man. I hope he got some sleep on his red eye to New York.

[radiochik]

I started out the evening voting for my favorites (Casey and Grace) right off the bat because I was so tired that I knew I wouldn't make it through the whole show.  By the time I went to bed, I threw votes to someone I hadn't voted for yet: Willie.  He has a great voice but I've been a little bored with him.  But his version of Yellow - WOW.  That was a moment.  

I'm not the biggest Coldplay fan but I've loved Chris Martin after seeing a documentary on the band.  He seems like a good dude.  I loved him as a mentor, especially when he pushed Grace toward Fix You.  That was a moment for her too.  I agree though that he gave Hunter bad advice.  It was too high for him and it was bad.  

I'm just glad both women survived because they were the only 2 left in a sea of unremarkable men.  

I have no idea who will win this thing.  Probably Chayce or Caleb for all the reasons already mentioned.

[Jillybean]

It seems I am alone in my "meh" opinion of Grace's rendition of "Fix You" -- a song that, to me, is not to be trifled with. I hated that she called it "a cry song" and I just didn't care for the spin she put on it. She is obviously extremely talented but I didn't think she connected with the song at all.

[TheGreenKnight]

3 hours ago, thesupremediva1 said:

Some things became very clear to me this week about where votes lie, things about which I hope to be proven wrong...

Some folks are worried about Caleb winning... I'd say it's looking more likely every day that Chayce takes this whole thing. I'm a fan of Chayce and I've voted for him, but in about two months of competition he's never once reached for a big note, stepped outside his comfort zone, or had a moment. In fact, he typically is near the bottom in terms of singing, IMO. Where he shines is in his comfort on stage. And yet, he is typically called safe early in each ep.

I truly thought that bringing in Arthur would lead to Chayce's exit - Arthur has a huge fan base. Chayce, I figured, I was already splitting the "TV boyfriend" vote with Hunter, and now would be competing with (arguably) a better guitar-growling stylist. The fact that Chayce has now outlasted both of them - and is likely to be the sole recipient of their  fanbase's votes - means Chayce will likely see a bump next week. This is all conjecture on my part but I think these theories warrant discussion. 

Caleb has had his max fanbase for awhile now - he's the sole recipient of the country block. And it's huge. But even Ryan said the votes were really close last night. Meaning Arthur or Hunter had a chance to take Caleb's spot. So, Chayce is the one I'd see as a bigger threat now. I have to admit, I threw Caleb some votes for the first time ever last night, solely for picking Violet Hill - my fav Coldplay song (criminally underappreciated in their catalog). He didn't slay the middle of that rendition, but I thought the choice itself was inspired.

Oh, I can totally see Chayce winning. He's reminded me a great deal of David Cook since the beginning. Not so much his voice exactly. I guess they are similar in a way, although David Cook was clearly more talented, but more that they seem similar in personality. I generally see any WGWG as a threat when they get to the finale. Especially since this year's finale will be three people instead of five last year, I think it's likely one of them will win. Only a miracle would give us a finale of Grace, Casey, and Willie (please deliver us that miracle, God!).

As for Hunter, I think last place is still beneficial. Hunter is just one of the exceptions to the rule. It shows how fragile his voting bloc was and why the show was propping him up so much--he couldn't even survive going last place. It reminds me of how they tried to push Sam Woolf years ago. (I so wish Sam Woolf had won instead of the Meatloaf guy.)

Edited May 10, 2021 by TheGreenKnight

[sempervivum]

7 hours ago, Diana Berry said:

I think Dakota Johnson has a winner.

I know, right? What was Gwyneth thinking!

I'd be shocked if Grace and Willie aren't in the final. It's the third party I'm stumped by. Almost certainly not Casey; but will the WGWG or the country contingent push their boy to the end?

Forgot to add: Wow, Idol got Finneas for next week's mentor- that's a big deal, He's the reason Billie is a household word, imo. We'll see if he can 'produce' the contestants the way he did with her.

Edited May 10, 2021 by sempervivum

[Ms Blue Jay]

Nobody in this group even remotely touches Arthur in terms of my interest or intrigue.  Every time he performs I'm sucked in.  It's like what Luke said, he brings the audience to him, he doesn't go to the audience.  And my second favourite in the cast was Hunter!  I think Hunter's Coldplay performance was really wobbly but I just really like his voice and his performances for the most part.  

13 hours ago, escape said:

I have bad feeling that Caleb Kennedy will win.  The Country fans must be throwing him all the votes.   How else does he keep going through.  There is nothing memorable about his performances.  He is void of any personality.  He is always stone faced.  Gawd, I can imagine him doing interviews if he won.  Not good.

I have never watched any of his performances since maybe his first solo.  Always fast forward.  Can't bear him.

3 hours ago, cinsays said:

i don't see any connection with casey and her songs, no emotion.

"Ironic" is pretty easy to understand and yet she sang it like she had absolutely no idea what she was singing about, that's so funny.  I guess that's what people my age or younger look like when they sing the 70s (Arthur) but to me he sounded amazing because I didn't live through that era like I lived through hearing "Ironic" every day of my adolescence.  

Edited May 10, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay

[Ms Blue Jay]

11 hours ago, leocadia said:

Not being much of a Coldplay fan, I expected the first hour to be kind of boring (and the performances were) but I have to say that Chris Martin was very warm and showed a lot of grace with all of the contestants.  He seems super humble and was really supportive.  It seemed like he actually cared about the contestants more than his own celebrity, Bobby Bones should take notes.

He was great.  I thought that his segment with Arthur was SO funny, though.  Chris said in about 50 different (completely polite, diplomatic ways) "Are you really going to change the song that much?" and Arthur just smiled and nodded.  Hilarious.  

[Blissfool]

1 hour ago, Jillybean said:

It seems I am alone in my "meh" opinion of Grace's rendition of "Fix You" -- a song that, to me, is not to be trifled with. I hated that she called it "a cry song" and I just didn't care for the spin she put on it. She is obviously extremely talented but I didn't think she connected with the song at all.

I cannot comment on Grace's version because I'm not a fan so I do other things while she performs mainly because I cannot stand the faces she makes. However, I feel the same way about Yellow. As far as I'm concerned only Chris Martin does it justice and I was not impressed by Willie's version.

[Blissfool]

 

3 hours ago, thesupremediva1 said:

But even Ryan said the votes were really close last night.

Ryan lies just like he lied when he said Arthur's mom was giving him a standing ovation. 🤣

 

 

[cpcathy]

40 minutes ago, Blissfool said:

I cannot comment on Grace's version because I'm not a fan so I do other things while she performs mainly because I cannot stand the faces she makes. However, I feel the same way about Yellow. As far as I'm concerned only Chris Martin does it justice and I was not impressed by Willie's version.

The beautiful thing about Yellow is that it’s not an overdone song. The guitars provide any drama and Chris sings it like it’s what he really feels, like it would be a spur of the moment thought. Even when he does sing it slowed down, it’s not over sung or melodramatic.

[TheGreenKnight]

^ In comparison, "Fix You" is performed all the time. The most notable version I remember is when Javier Colon--winner of the first season of The Voice--performed a version. He had a beautiful voice, too. I only watched the first couple of years when Christina was there regularly, so I'm sure there have been many more covers on both that show and Idol of that song. I was hoping someone might sing "Viva La Vida," since that's another one I know (and I actually like that one, whereas "Fix You" is just a'ight for me).

[cinsays]

2 hours ago, Blissfool said:

I cannot comment on Grace's version because I'm not a fan so I do other things while she performs mainly because I cannot stand the faces she makes. However, I feel the same way about Yellow. As far as I'm concerned only Chris Martin does it justice and I was not impressed by Willie's version.

yeah, but you don't have to watch somebody when they sing.

at least she doesn't scowl or look bored like caleb does

[Blissfool]

57 minutes ago, cinsays said:

yeah, but you don't have to watch somebody when they sing.

at least she doesn't scowl or look bored like caleb does

Scowling and bored is my vibe. 😐

🤣🤣🤣

[UniqueHandle]

I thought Chris Marin stole the show last night. He was so kind. I've never been a fan as Coldplay isn't my kind of music, but he really made me a fan last night. I almost wet my pants when Ryan said Finneas is going to be on next week.  *squee*

I can't believe Caleb is still there. I didn't like his original song ("my mama said not to go into bars"... dude... you're 16). He was really nasal-y last night.

I have to agree with @leocadia - the judges were "great job" and "awesome" to everyone but Arthur... he was "it is what it is"... especially by Katy. I was under the impression last week that Katy wasn't thrilled with Arthur coming back. I think she really wanted Makayla Phillips  back.

I still wish they would invite Just Sam back to sing on the big stage. She really got ripped of that last year.

I got a giggle at the moms' names being listed in the credits last night. Cute touch, American Idol. 

[ljenkins782]

6 hours ago, thesupremediva1 said:

Some things became very clear to me this week about where votes lie, things about which I hope to be proven wrong...

Some folks are worried about Caleb winning... I'd say it's looking more likely every day that Chayce takes this whole thing. I'm a fan of Chayce and I've voted for him, but in about two months of competition he's never once reached for a big note, stepped outside his comfort zone, or had a moment. In fact, he typically is near the bottom in terms of singing, IMO. Where he shines is in his comfort on stage. And yet, he is typically called safe early in each ep.

I truly thought that bringing in Arthur would lead to Chayce's exit - Arthur has a huge fan base. Chayce, I figured, I was already splitting the "TV boyfriend" vote with Hunter, and now would be competing with (arguably) a better guitar-growling stylist. The fact that Chayce has now outlasted both of them - and is likely to be the sole recipient of their  fanbase's votes - means Chayce will likely see a bump next week. This is all conjecture on my part but I think these theories warrant discussion. 

Caleb has had his max fanbase for awhile now - he's the sole recipient of the country block. And it's huge. But even Ryan said the votes were really close last night. Meaning Arthur or Hunter had a chance to take Caleb's spot. So, Chayce is the one I'd see as a bigger threat now. I have to admit, I threw Caleb some votes for the first time ever last night, solely for picking Violet Hill - my fav Coldplay song (criminally underappreciated in their catalog). He didn't slay the middle of that rendition, but I thought the choice itself was inspired. 

I think Chayce also thought Arthur's entrance could lead to his exit. His expression at the end of the show was all "holy shit, he's gone!" I'm sure the contestants have their own thoughts about the fact that Arthur had prior exposure and is carrying over fans from last year, some of whom surely feel bitter over his second place finish, so they were probably resigned to Arthur's continued presence thanks to that fanbase.

I was actually really rooting for Caleb to get that last spot. I don't find him scowling or unemotional, he seems like a young, shy kid. He kinda reminds me of Heath Ledger's character in Brokeback Mountain, he's got the same lock-jawed reticence. But it doesn't strike me as angry or arrogant, and I do think he's got talent in songwriting and I like his voice. 

Casey is the one that I don't get at this point. Her voice does nothing for me and she isn't commanding the stage. I understand why she seemed like such a "find" in the beginning with her look (very pretty with no adornment, so basically ready for a glamor makeover) and allegedly having never sung anywhere but her bedroom into a hairbrush (which I have serious trouble believing). But she's really fizzled and I haven't connected with any of her performances. 

Quote

I'm not the biggest Coldplay fan but I've loved Chris Martin after seeing a documentary on the band.  He seems like a good dude.  I loved him as a mentor, especially when he pushed Grace toward Fix You.  That was a moment for her too.  I agree though that he gave Hunter bad advice.  It was too high for him and it was bad. 

I only like a couple of Coldplay songs, but I saw Chris Martin on a talk show and playing himself on an episode of Modern Family and he was delightful, so I became a fan of him as a person.

He was a fantastic mentor, so positive and constructive. 

And some of these renditions made me think that Chris Martin is actually a good songwriter and those songs are good, I just never liked the performance of them enough to enjoy the lyrics and the sentiments. Hearing them sung by different voices made me hear the songs in a different way.

Willie's performance of Yellow, in particular, gave me a new appreciation for that song, which I never liked. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

"Don't Panic" and "Speed of Sound" by Coldplay are my favourites by them.  Hope it's okay if I share here.

 

 

[peachmangosteen]

 

5 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Nobody in this group even remotely touches Arthur in terms of my interest or intrigue.  Every time he performs I'm sucked in.  It's like what Luke said, he brings the audience to him, he doesn't go to the audience.  And my second favourite in the cast was Hunter!  I think Hunter's Coldplay performance was really wobbly but I just really like his voice and his performances for the most part.  

This. 

But I still like everyone else left. I'm a broken record with this but this is really rivaling Kris Allen's and David Cook's seasons as my fave.

You make some good points about Chayce, @thesupremediva1. Honestly, I am perfectly fine with Chayce winning. I love him. I'd rather see him win than Caleb. But Caleb winning could be funny if he has the same 'I don't give a shit' reaction to it that he has to everything else lol.

 

[cpcathy]

1 hour ago, UniqueHandle said:

I thought Chris Marin stole the show last night. He was so kind. I've never been a fan as Coldplay isn't my kind of music, but he really made me a fan last night.

I met Chris and the band at meet and greets two nights in a row. He was charming and funny and is absolutely dreamy in person. Such a thrill.

[Lady Whistleup]

I saw this episode and this is mean but I could instantly tell why Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow consciously uncoupled. Chris seems like a very laid-back, down-to-earth person.

I enjoyed this episode. I feel like Coldplay is the kind of music Idol contestants do well as the music has a simplicity that they can handle, if that makes sense,

[Annber03]

Good picks, @Ms Blue Jay :). This is my favorite song of theirs-I remember hearing it all the time when I was in high school, and I've always loved it. The video's interesting, too:

I'm actually surprised none of the contestants tried their hand at that song. That one might've been a better fit for a couple of them. 

(The whole album that song is on is good, too, by the way.)

48 minutes ago, ljenkins782 said:

Willie's performance of Yellow, in particular, gave me a new appreciation for that song, which I never liked. 

Yeah, I think he did a nice job with that song :). 

I still remember when I first heard that song. I can't believe it's over 20 years old now :/. 

[MarylandGirl]

3 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Good picks, @Ms Blue Jay :). This is my favorite song of theirs-I remember hearing it all the time when I was in high school, and I've always loved it. The video's interesting, too:

I'm actually surprised none of the contestants tried their hand at that song. That one might've been a better fit for a couple of them. 

(The whole album that song is on is good, too, by the way.)

Yeah, I think he did a nice job with that song :). 

I still remember when I first heard that song. I can't believe it's over 20 years old now :/. 

Also surprised no one did that song. I quite like Aimee Mann's cover.

And I also remember the first time I heard "Yellow." Was driving to my then-boyfriend's house and had this thought of "alternative/indie music is back." Thought Willie did a good job with it, too.

Edited May 11, 2021 by MarylandGirl
added a thought about "Yellow"

[Blissfool]

 

4 hours ago, ljenkins782 said:

I was actually really rooting for Caleb to get that last spot. I don't find him scowling or unemotional, he seems like a young, shy kid. He kinda reminds me of Heath Ledger's character in Brokeback Mountain, he's got the same lock-jawed reticence. But it doesn't strike me as angry or arrogant, and I do think he's got talent in songwriting and I like his voice. 

I agree. He's a kid that doesn't know how to act on stage and doesn't put on a facade (although, I do agree that it would benefit him.)

I think Caleb is the true musician of the group. Whatever happens, music will be his career. The others will probably have it more of a hobby or weekend gig.

 

[Annber03]

Thanks for sharing that cover, @MarylandGirl. Listening now-I like it, too :). 

[pezgirl7]

Just popped in to say that I was really impressed with the three original songs. Normally I don't like when the contestants sing originals, but these had good melodies and lyrics. I do think Caleb should try to show a little more emotion, but I'm guessing he's not like that in real life. And I think he likes wearing a hat to cover up his eyes that are a bit off. So it could just be his age and insecurities that we're seeing on stage.

I like Arthur, but I really wish he hadn't changed In My Place. I wanted him to win last year but didn't mind him getting voting off this time. I'm still hoping for Chayce to win, and I thought he had his two strongest performances last night. Grace is probably my second fav, but I wish she didn't try to be so perfect.

I saw Coldplay on their first US tour before anyone really knew who they were. Chris had a cold and you could just tell he was miserable, but even though it was a cold February night in Chicago, he still stood in the doorway of their tour bus and signed autographs for everyone. I don't think he's changed too much in 20 years!

Edited May 12, 2021 by pezgirl7

[xtwheeler]

On 5/9/2021 at 7:50 PM, Annber03 said:

Same. For me, there's just something about that "Lights will guide you home..." part that really gets to me. 

SAME.It is such a beautiful moment of true, confident, optimism in a song that is so tentative and vulnerable. 

I'm going through some shit right now, and I'm pretty emotionally numb--Grace's performance absolutely shook me and flooded me with emotion. It was powerful not just because her voice is powerful (obv it is). The emotion and vulnerability she showed were equally moving to me. Wow. (sorry if that is too personal) 

[peachmangosteen]

10 hours ago, pezgirl7 said:

And I think [Caleb] likes wearing a hat to cover up his eyes that are a bit off. 

Yea, he said exactly that in one of the episodes. I think he even mentioned what exactly was wrong with his left eye but I don't remember.

[Lady Whistleup]

This is my favorite Coldplay:

And this:

 

[Jillybean]

5 hours ago, xtwheeler said:

SAME.It is such a beautiful moment of true, confident, optimism in a song that is so tentative and vulnerable. 

I'm going through some shit right now, and I'm pretty emotionally numb--Grace's performance absolutely shook me and flooded me with emotion. It was powerful not just because her voice is powerful (obv it is). The emotion and vulnerability she showed were equally moving to me. Wow. (sorry if that is too personal) 

I re-watched it after reading your post and my reaction is the same as in my post upthread. I don't care for her performance of the song at all and I still find it disconnected -- and the belt loops across her breasts were very distracting. That being said, the beauty of "art" is we all interpret it differently. Her performance spoke to you during a difficult time and that's wonderful. 

[Annber03]

8 hours ago, xtwheeler said:

SAME.It is such a beautiful moment of true, confident, optimism in a song that is so tentative and vulnerable. 

That makes perfect sense. I think you nailed it with that description :).

I'm glad Grace's performance proved cathartic for you. I hope things get better for you with time. 

[ForReal]

This is cynical of me, but this season feels like everyone is dancing around wanting to stay in the competition as long as possible but not necessarily win (because we all know that winning AI is not necessarily a good thing career-wise). That the WGWGs keep singing original songs (not something we usually saw at this point in the old days) says to me that they are trying to make the most of their exposure on the show rather than worrying about winning it. Willie and Grace keep showcasing their big voices, and I think their success will depend on that, because I don't expect to hear either of them on the radio. Casey has an incredible talent, but her age is showing now and I think she is falling behind. I don't think it matters, because she has a lot of years ahead to grow her talent into a career. Same for Caleb.

Arthur...I liked him last year, I felt sorry for him this year, and I wish him all the best. I think he got chewed up and spit out by the AI machine. I hope he finds success away from the show.

 

[ljenkins782]

9 minutes ago, ForReal said:

This is cynical of me, but this season feels like everyone is dancing around wanting to stay in the competition as long as possible but not necessarily win (because we all know that winning AI is not necessarily a good thing career-wise). That the WGWGs keep singing original songs (not something we usually saw at this point in the old days) says to me that they are trying to make the most of their exposure on the show rather than worrying about winning it. Willie and Grace keep showcasing their big voices, and I think their success will depend on that, because I don't expect to hear either of them on the radio. Casey has an incredible talent, but her age is showing now and I think she is falling behind. I don't think it matters, because she has a lot of years ahead to grow her talent into a career. Same for Caleb.

Arthur...I liked him last year, I felt sorry for him this year, and I wish him all the best. I think he got chewed up and spit out by the AI machine. I hope he finds success away from the show.

Well, there can only ever be 1 winner, so people trying to make the most of their exposure while they're still there only makes sense. It's not an indication of not wanting to win, it's just a pragmatic approach to say "hey, I may not be the last one standing, but I want to show what I've got while I have this nationwide exposure." 

I think the top finishers have some sort of contractual obligations (meaning they might not necessarily get a choice whether to say no to deals), so I never really buy into the "they don't want to win" theories. There are winners who've had incredible success and losers who've had incredible success, the contract itself isn't necessarily the boon or the bane.

 

[KHenry14]

Some random thoughts...

1)  Don't really know Coldplay other than Fix You.....but then again I dont know most of the artsts they cover. 

2)   Willie needs to sing some thing other than a ballad. Something like Superstition or Do I Do by Stevie Wonder should be right in his wheelhouse.

3)   I agree with the many who think Chayce is going to win, this despite him being the weakest singer left. And is it me or does his performances seem to all sound the same?

4)   Is Caleb enjoying any of this? Because he sure doesn't seem like it. But its clear he has a big future ahead, even if its just as a songwriter

5)   Casey is interesting, but I feel the themes hasn't done he any favors. I'd wish she'd get the chnce to really cut loose on a real rock song. BTW, her time with Chris showed her inexperience when she mentioned not knowing what to do with her hands

6)   Grace has the biggest voice, but i'm having trouble seeing what kind of artist she'll be. 

 

 

[ForReal]

23 minutes ago, ljenkins782 said:

Well, there can only ever be 1 winner, so people trying to make the most of their exposure while they're still there only makes sense. It's not an indication of not wanting to win, it's just a pragmatic approach to say "hey, I may not be the last one standing, but I want to show what I've got while I have this nationwide exposure."

Sure, but I don't recall feeling in the past that contestants aren't so much competing to win the show as trying to make the most of their exposure. Of course, they aren't getting any advice from the judges, so there's no way to see if they are trying to steer a course towards winning. In the past, singing an original song was deemed risky, but now it feels like they might just as well go for it. Might be a better strategy for success.