S20.E18: Top 7

[peachmangosteen]

Airs May 8th.

[SnarkAttack]

Don't care for Fritz or Noah.  One of the three girls deserves to win.  My choice is Leah Marlene, but she needs to tone down the silliness, ugh.  She really does have a pure sound, as Luke said.

[carrin817]

Glad to finally see Jay go.  Some thing about him just didn't do it for me.  Good singer but maybe not very personable.

Am I the only one who thinks Leah Marlene sounds like Dolly Pardon?  Anyway, I think she will be the next to go.  I think she is good but just not as good as the others.

I can totally see Fritz going the Ed Sheeran route.  That's the vide I get from him.

Huntergirl is either the winner or 2nd place.  She has a distinct sound & I think she will be a hit on country radio.

Like Luke said Noah is gonna aw shucks his way right to the top of this competition.

What a moment for Christian to be asked to sing with his Idol on the finale.  He was always inspirational.

Nicolina sounded great but those outfit choices were no doing her any favors tonight.

I think its time to switch up the judges.  Luke, Katy & Lionel really have nothing constructive to say.  I miss the days of tough love with the contestants.

[TheGreenKnight]

Noah and Nicolina remain the stars of this season. I enjoyed both their performances, but Noah's first and Nicolina's second in particular were amazing. Noah just has it all, imo, the voice, the looks, etc. He's easily the best country guy this show's ever found, I could totally see him doing something post-show and if he doesn't it'll be a real shame. His grandmother's reaction to him picking "Landslide" was so sweet, that felt genuine.

I would've felt bad if Fritz had went home tonight, he's a sweet guy...but the female contestants get screwed on this show all the time, so... I could've lived with it. Jay had to know tonight was his night--then again, I thought last week would be before Lady K got early booted. Like Noah, I could see the possibility of HunterGirl having a small window for success post-show since I liked the original song she performed a couple weeks back. That said, I'm not crazy about her voice and while its weaknesses are sort of hidden on her own material that's written to her strengths, all these covers can't help but expose them; this week's performances were as bad as last one's for me.

I went into this thinking Jay, Christian, and Leah were most likely to go. Then Leah got an opening slot, which meant she was spared this week. I'm glad Christian will get to sing with Buble, that is the artist who I could see him imitating if he got a chance to release music. Hopefully Nicolina and Noah will be in the top 3. I wouldn't care who wins between those two, but I can't help but think that HunterGirl being there could divide the country vote and give Nicolina a shot... I wouldn't be mad if HunterGirl or Fritz somehow managed to win either; I do like Fritz and HunterGirl, again, had a few original songs that were good.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I'm happy for Christian and Jay that they didn't seem devastated to be cut.  They seemed okay.

I really liked Hunter's first performance last night.  About half of the Mom songs were too sappy for me, it felt unbearable.

I did like Nicolina's last performance though.

That being said, I'm not much for any of these remaining contestants.  My favourite of the top 10 was Emyrson, I think.

I wanted Jay to get far simply because he's not white and he's talented and this contest is so unfairly balanced.  

I find it interesting that Hunter did not look happy with the top 5 announcement.  Her face was very different than Leah's or Nicolina's.

I can't bear Leah, she'll probably win though.  I don't see how Nicolina or Hunter win this with the overly cutesy Fritz/Leah/Noah factor.  

[thesupremediva1]

Christian was the best last night so I'm very upset he didn't advance. At least he gets to sing with Buble.

The judges have to start judging or at least offering an impression of ranking. Christian's standing O meant nothing because they'd stood for everything before that, which was good but not as good as what Christian put out. 

For the love of all things holy, Jay - WHY Whitney?! Why?! 

Leah was an off-key nasal-ridden mess on Electric Love. I adore that song but it's not exactly viral. The whole TikTok theme was dumb. Anyway, the glory in that song lies in the production. The singing is incidental and the whole thing was a trainwreck for me.

Fritz is my fav but, as my fiance said, "Does the world really need another Ed Sheeran?"

Why were so many songs so mournful and obscure? HunterGirls is the only one with original songs I'd buy. 

PSA: Noah has made it this far by picking good, well-known songs he can sing straight and sing well. He doesn't tinker with the melodies and doesn't try to do too much. He has no stage presence but he's at ease. That's getting him tons of votes even without a powerful voice or great showmanship. 

HunterGirl and Nicolina keep butchering their big, final notes - much like Grace did last year. As Noah is showing us, these acrobatics are unnecessary. Just sing well within your range, please. 

Song selections are becoming big issues for me. I am tired of hearing originals that depress me. At this point, I'd like Noah to win just to see the pendulum swing back the other way. So many depressing, unknown tunes makes for bad TV. Alejandro was one in a million, guys... we can't recreate that every year.

[Suzysite]

I agreed with the bootees this week, as I have this whole season so far.  America and I are in sync for some reason.   

I normally liked Jay a lot but his song choices this week were terrible.  I mean, mute the tv terrible.  And Christian, as good as his voice is, just doesn't seem as marketable as the others.

I just don't like Huntergirl's voice at all.   It comes across as harsh to me.   

I've been saying all along that Fritz or Noah have this sewn up. The power voting teen girls will see to it.  And I'm fine with either.  

[Maya]

27 minutes ago, Suzysite said:

I normally liked Jay a lot but his song choices this week were terrible.  I mean, mute the tv terrible.  

That’s how I felt about Huntergirl. I was embarrassed for her. 

I have a feeling Fritz had the most votes and they put him last for drama. 

[ljenkins782]

2 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I'm happy for Christian and Jay that they didn't seem devastated to be cut.  They seemed okay.

I was cracking up at Jay massaging Christian's shoulder for the entire long, drawn out Seacrest reveal. It would have been sweet for a second or two but then it just kept dragging on, lol. 

Jay's song choices and his arrangements have been consistently disappointing, but he is so telegenic, he should be on TV somewhere. His mom cracked me up with her "hands clean?" and the not being able to handle him talking with his mouth full. 

I like everyone who's left, this has been a fun season. I wish they'd go back to single eliminations. 

[Blissfool]

Glad Cristian is gone. Sweet guy, but not my type of music.

Im fine with jay being gone, but he couldve stayed and id be fine with that too - just as long as Leah and Fritz are safe.

I've like Leah since her audition. Yes, she's goofy sometimes, but not so much as to annoy me. Her voice is so melodic and soothing to my ears. I didn't used to like Fritz, but he has grown on me and I have liked many if his performances, even his original songs.

4 hours ago, thesupremediva1 said:

 

Leah was an off-key nasal-ridden mess on Electric Love. I adore that song but it's not exactly viral. The whole TikTok theme was dumb. Anyway, the glory in that song lies in the production. The singing is incidental and the whole thing was a trainwreck for me.

I like that song and I like Leah, but I didn't like Leah doing that song. I'd say that song was very viral. Last year, on Tiktok, it seemed like every third video that'd appeared on my for-you-page was that song.

Actually that was the only song that I recognized from Tiktok. All the others were either songs made popular outside of tiktok, or original songs I had never heard. (I have never seen animal tiktoks featuring Whitney Houston. )

[Blissfool]

7 hours ago, TheGreenKnight said:

Noah's first and Nicolina's second in particular were amazing. Noah just has it all, imo, the voice, the looks, etc. 

If Noah was in Oz, he'd be asking the Wizard for a personality.

I think if he'd win, he'd be fine with just going back into obscurity.

 

[peachmangosteen]

20 minutes ago, Blissfool said:

I think if he'd win, he'd be fine with just going back into obscurity.

Which the winner will undoubtedly do lol.

[Diana Berry]

I do think that Noah has a really good voice .  If he sounds that good in a hotel vs all the bells and whistles of the theater , that’s pretty good.  I hope he gets some kind of deal - if he wants it.  He’s just too good to not use it and stay doing construction ( nothing wrong with  the blue collar) just want a little more for him.

[Annber03]

8 hours ago, carrin817 said:

I can totally see Fritz going the Ed Sheeran route.  That's the vide I get from him.

Same. Wishing him and Noah a speedy recovery, too - I'm honestly amazed they were able to be up long enough to talk and do any kind of performing last night. I had COVID last month and I just wanted to rest those first few days. Though Fritz, I think it was, did say he did a lot of sleeping, too, so...

I wish Jay had stayed, but I also figured nobody would dare send Fritz and Noah home while they were sick, so I'm not too surprised at the results. 

I liked Nicolina last night, and Leah's second song was rather nice. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

So both Noah and Fritz actually tested positive for COVID?

[TheGreenKnight]

4 hours ago, Blissfool said:

If Noah was in Oz, he'd be asking the Wizard for a personality.

I think he has enough personality for country... Most country male singers don't thrive on personality the way pop starlets and divas need to. I mean, do Kenny Chesney or, heck, Luke Bryan have "personalities"...? Bryan was always the weakest link on the panel to me although I think he's a nice guy; I think Urban did the country role better.

9 hours ago, thesupremediva1 said:

HunterGirl and Nicolina keep butchering their big, final notes - much like Grace did last year. As Noah is showing us, these acrobatics are unnecessary. Just sing well within your range, please.

I liked Christian more than most did here and he's another one I would've been fine with being the winner if things had went that way. I appreciate a big Buble or Groban-esque male voice as much as a big female voice, although Idol generally showcases more of the latter than the former. I thought he was very strong last night, but I wouldn't say he was the best of the night. As for Nicolina butchering her final notes--she did that to a degree with the Heart song (like that "White Dove" song she did a couple of weeks ago, I think she got overwhelmed by the band), not in her second song though. I don't think she does acrobatics much--she's actually pretty rare as far as their big singer types go in that she tends to go softer and more intimate over "big, big, then bigger" in her performances. That and she seems to love the stage.

I personally found Grace's voice more beautiful and, well, pretty than Nicolina's, overall. I do remember Grace having a couple of bum notes here and there at times, but they were seldom the last one. I believe they even ran her last big note in "Into the Unknown" during Idol's commercials all last year because of how impressive it was.

[peachmangosteen]

13 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

So both Noah and Fritz actually tested positive for COVID?

That's what they said. And since they showed Fritz's rehearsal performances from Saturday while Noah sang from his room, I'm assuming Noah tested positive before they did the rehearsals on Saturday and that Fritz didn't test positive until Sunday. I wouldn't be surprised if more of them test positive in this next week tbh.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I guess that's from the Disney gallivanting?  Not exactly a good look for the show.

[peachmangosteen]

I mean, they're not requiring the audience at the shows to wear masks anymore either so they could have caught it in the studio. Who knows. I'm just surprised it's only 2 of them lol.

[TheMediumBopper]

Jay was my favorite of those remaining, but Whitney was a poor choice for him. Fritz seems like a sweet kid; I wish I understood his music, but his songs feel a little too teen-angsty for me. I'm just not the right demographic anymore. He did look like he was feeling genuinely ill (more so than Noah), so I hope he has a speedy recovery.

Huntergirl peaked early; she hasn't sounded good since she auditioned with that Rascal Flatts song, in my opinion. Nicolina peaked last week when she was channeling Ursula. And Leah peaked in that episode where she was seen jamming with her dad, the ex-80s rocker. Her dad seems cool. Leah, not so much.

I had mixed feelings about Christian; sometimes the "woe-is-me" underdog schtick got to be a bit much, as was the oversinging. But sometimes he sounded good. I think he left at the right time and am glad he'll be performing with one of his idols.

And Noah? I got nothing. Blandy McBlanderson. I suppose that's why America likes him.

[Ilovepie]

22 hours ago, TheMediumBopper said:

And Noah? I got nothing. Blandy McBlanderson. I suppose that's why America likes him.

Exactly why I peg him as the winner; still, I think he's shown the most creativity with his song choices, and for that, I find him interesting. Plus, he sounds consistently good.  I can't believe I've become an apologist for the country guy, but he's won me over.  I hate to admit it, but at this point, he's my #2 after Nicolina.