S21.E10: Hollywood Week Part 4 - Showstopper/Final Judgement Part 2

[Ms Blue Jay]

609:  Showstopper/Final Judgement Part 2.

Original Air date:  April 10, 2023.

 

Why does nobody start the topic if I am not here 😄

[Annber03]

I would, but I don't know the protocol around that :p. 

I had to laugh at some of the contestants' facial expressions as they waited for the judges to tell them whether they were staying or leaving. The judges kept going on about how this was their best group of contestants and it was really hard to choose and blah, blah, blah, and you could practically see some of the contestants' thought bubbles saying something like, "...yeah, can you just get on with it already?" :p 

Interesting cover of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World". I respect the attempt to change it up in and of itself, but I'm not sure it really landed well. And the radio girl who came out and did the back and forth with the crowd - like, all for getting some stage confidence and all that sort of thing, but maybe dial it down just a smidge. It ultimately worked out for her, though, so hey...

It is interesting to see which people who were supposed surefire finalists struggle and flail, while there were those who might have struggled in their auditions, but came through in these rounds, or at least improved a little more. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

When they had the 3 spots at the end for Iam, Matt Wilson, and Colin, (The sweet kid who cried after his audition), I thought it made sense because Matt Wilson picked a Chris Brown song and did not exactly perform it well.  I had high hopes for Matt but but oh well, and I assumed that he was the person who was eliminated by Katy when she wanted to push through PJ and Malik.  But then Matt and Colin made it through anyway, LOL.

Iam is just amazing, I am a fan for life.

Going back through the episode to try and pick up some names.

The Broadway singer was amazing - Ella.  I kind of have always found her earlier auditions suspicious because she wore smeared makeup and ugly clothes but sung amazingly lol.  But she just always likes wearing smudged eyeliner, that's her "style" I guess.  

The one I was most surprised/impressed by was Elise Kristine.  Holy shit.  Where has she been? I don't even remember her from before but she blew me away.  The redhead, Olivia Soli, who has been in movies I think, hmmm.  I was not that impressed with her showstopper and it reminds me of how annoyed I was at what she did to Lionel's Hello.

Oh the volleyball girl.  Hannah. I feel bad, but i don't really get her!  I did not really get her performance.  And what did she mean, she's representing people who aren't normally represented?  Athletes?

 

[KWalkerInc]

If ABC wanted the additional two contestants making it to be "shocking," maybe they shouldn't have titled the next episode "Top 26 Perform in Hawaii" (or something like that) and posted it weeks before this episode aired?  😄  I had just looked to see when they were starting Monday episodes.  They could have just still said "Top 24" in the title and then changed it later. 

[peachmangosteen]

6 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

The Broadway singer was amazing - Ella. 

Emma.

6 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Oh the volleyball girl.  Hannah. I feel bad, but i don't really get her!  I did not really get her performance.  And what did she mean, she's representing people who aren't normally represented?  Athletes?

I fast forward a lot so I missed this; seriously what does she mean by not being normally represented lol?

[JayDub1987]

I'm not even going to try to get everybody's name right. I'll start doing better once we shift to the top 24....urm....26. 

I'm still unsure of the criteria for getting through. I think if you have a sad story, your chances go up considerably, but then some sad stories who came with better vocals got sent home. They keep saying "BEST SEASON EVER" but I could sit down and tell you at least 15 of the top 26 who have 0 chance of winning. I can't do it by name, but if I had pictures of them, I could eliminate them based on what they've sounded like thus far. 

And until she's gone, I will end all of my AI-related posts with "Eliminate Nutsa." That is all :-D

[Meowwww]

Iam and the girl with the baby voice when she talks/amazing voice when she sings are my two favorites.  

[snarkylady]

9 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

 

The Broadway singer was amazing - Ella.

 

 

3 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

Emma.

 

Oh my, a Friends reference.  I found this to be a hilarious coincidence. 

 

11 minutes ago, Meowwww said:

Iam and the girl with the baby voice when she talks/amazing voice when she sings are my two favorites.  

Me as well.  You have excellent taste.

 

I did not appreciate their having Iam singing the last few moments when he deserved to be celebrating with everyone else.  They put him on the spot and they have singled him out repeatedly.....and yes, he is a star already....but I fear it will backfire in one of those surprise eliminations too early in the season.  I know they are going to Hawaii next and he is a representative but giving him an IZ song so closely associated with the islands and a great artist in his own right, too much.  Also, perhaps he wanted to sing Somewhere Over the Rainbow during the show.  I know I'm ranting but this is the first contestant in years that I have really liked.

As it stands I don't see him winning, wrong style and wrong look, but I hope he reaps the benefits of being on the show for the rest of his life. 

[Back Atcha]

18 hours ago, JayDub1987 said:

And until she's gone, I will end all of my AI-related posts with "Eliminate Nutsa." That is all :-D

I second that emotion.

[sempervivum]

Yes, Nutsa can follow Fire out the exit door. 

Some really, really terrible song choices again: Hannah (I Don't Wanna Be), Olivia (All By Myself), and Cam gets the prize (and the boot) with-for Petes sake- 'Impossible Dream'.

Show still thinks the audience is dying see the judges making faces, standing o's, waving arms, etc., instead of letting us watch/hear the contestants. 

[thesupremediva1]

23 hours ago, sempervivum said:

Yes, Nutsa can follow Fire out the exit door. 

Some really, really terrible song choices again: Hannah (I Don't Wanna Be), Olivia (All By Myself), and Cam gets the prize (and the boot) with-for Petes sake- 'Impossible Dream'.

Show still thinks the audience is dying see the judges making faces, standing o's, waving arms, etc., instead of letting us watch/hear the contestants. 

Nutsa is a Bargain Basement J. Lo. That’s not a compliment. So many unnecessary distractions. She’s doing poor imitations of icons, which I find grating.

Many performers were horrendously off key. I’m a singer but I have no formal training or perfect pitch. So, if I can tell it’s off, it must be reeeeeeally bad. Some of these people were cut but many got through.

This isn’t the best season ever by a long shot. Seasons 5, 7, 8, 10, and 11 of OG Idol were stacked. I’d say this is the weakest Idol 2.0 season yet. 

[Maya]

I am very impressed with how genuinely kind Lionel and Luke are. 

[PhD-Purgatory15]

It hasn't been mentioned yet on this thread, so I'll keep it spoiler free and say the late breaking news about the Top 26 made me very happy.

Nutsa can indeed go away. The sooner the better.

Hearing all of the Fire stuff, reminds me again of the power of the Edit. In many ways, the show's editors have more power than just about anybody associated with AI

Matt & Iam had no business being in the last 3 guys in the room. They both earned their spots in the Top 6 or 7 guys easily. Cole, not so much after listening to his very shaky Showstopper performance. I also thought that after her showstopper performance, Hannah (the former Volleyball player) was very fortunate to qualify for the Top 26. I guess in the same vein as Zachariah, she was in the the producer's Top 24(ish) from her blind and it didn't really matter what she did in Hollywood week.

Based on recent Idol trends, I would say if Warren and/or Oliver aren't in the Finale something has gone wildly off the track.

Not a lot of true country singers represented, honestly. Warren does his Chris Stapleton thing, and Mariah is sort of a female equivalent/adjacent of that. Really just Mary Beth Bird & Cole are more in the sound of what you would call modern Nashville in the 2020s.

Again, almost no rock represented. Zachariah has the theatrical rock element to what he does, and I actually think Kaeyra sounds really good singing rock songs..but I don't know if that's something she'll continue to do or not..

[ForReal]

On 4/11/2023 at 9:36 AM, snarkylady said:

I did not appreciate their having Iam singing the last few moments when he deserved to be celebrating with everyone else.  They put him on the spot....I know they are going to Hawaii next and he is a representative but giving him an IZ song so closely associated with the islands and a great artist in his own right, too much.  Also, perhaps he wanted to sing Somewhere Over the Rainbow during the show.  I know I'm ranting but this is the first contestant in years that I have really liked.

As it stands I don't see him winning, wrong style and wrong look, but I hope he reaps the benefits of being on the show for the rest of his life. 

I felt the same way when they asked him to sing that song, it really hit me wrong. I am already listening to him on Spotify, so there's that, because I agree that he's not the package AI likes, even though he is an amazing singer.

I wonder if any of the young people who were sent home will come back in future years when they are a little more mature and more resilient. I felt bad for Cam, he just got lost along the way.

Edited April 15, 2023 by ForReal

[Vermicious Knid]

The spoiler thread had a purported top 26 list and Iam wasn't on it. Which made me wonder what had happened, but no the list was just wrong. Even if he flames out on AI though, the Hawaiian music industry is pretty vibrant if self-contained. I expect him to be snapped up by a record label ASAP. Las Vegas is known as the Ninth Island because it has the largest population of Hawaiians outside the Islands. There are always Hawaiian and Polynesian acts coming through who have no problem selling tickets, even if the general public have no idea who they are. Pure Aloha is a festival held twice a year, just happened last weekend. Here's their concert lineup, and that's just one regional festival. This should be the beginning of a great career for Iam. And if he makes it to the Finale it would be awesome if they got Jake Shimabukuro to play with him. 

The fewer country acts the better as far as I'm concerned. 

[Back Atcha]

On 4/13/2023 at 11:26 AM, thesupremediva1 said:

I’m a singer but I have no formal training or perfect pitch.

Me too, Supreme...and I've wondered all of my life (many decades--and I'm not special) why others can't hear "the professionals" hit so many off-notes.  I

[redpencil]

15 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

The spoiler thread had a purported top 26 list and Iam wasn't on it. Which made me wonder what had happened, but no the list was just wrong. Even if he flames out on AI though, the Hawaiian music industry is pretty vibrant if self-contained. I expect him to be snapped up by a record label ASAP. Las Vegas is known as the Ninth Island because it has the largest population of Hawaiians outside the Islands. There are always Hawaiian and Polynesian acts coming through who have no problem selling tickets, even if the general public have no idea who they are. Pure Aloha is a festival held twice a year, just happened last weekend. Here's their concert lineup, and that's just one regional festival. This should be the beginning of a great career for Iam. And if he makes it to the Finale it would be awesome if they got Jake Shimabukuro to play with him. 

The fewer country acts the better as far as I'm concerned. 

No, he was on it. He was just listed as William.

[JayDub1987]

On 4/15/2023 at 5:02 AM, Back Atcha said:

Me too, Supreme...and I've wondered all of my life (many decades--and I'm not special) why others can't hear "the professionals" hit so many off-notes.  I

Add me to the list of amateurs, even if it is as a musician more than a vocalist. I’ve sat in with some professional acts over the years, including Mandisa once. 
 

They let a lot of people who were out of key through and then tried to sell it as the “best season ever.” Even more than the pitchy singer annoyed me, the number of people who aren’t vocally strong enough to stand out from a full band killed me. Several of them were just “lost in the shuffle” during the show stopper performances. 

[gingerella]

Thank you @JayDub1987! I long for the days when Randy would snicker and say, 'It's a lil' pitchy for me dawg...yeah. singin aint your thing' At least the OG judges didn't blow smoke up everyone's ass, telling them they're Top10 loke they were dollong out candy. It's like a freaking Oprah show now - You're Top 10, and you're Top 10, and everyone's a Top 10! 🐮💩