S15.E18: Top 6 Perform

[MarkHB]

As the competition moves forward, Idol hopefuls have limited time to make a name for themselves. Find out who will move on and who has reached the end of the road.

[mojoween]

I had all sorts of thought but then Ryan said Adam Lambert will be there next week and I forgot everything but that.

Oh! I remember one thing - I do not like Tristan and they can't make me.

[Diana Berry]

Am I the only one not impressed by nick's debut song?

[AshleyLyn]

Dalton was awesome in each peformenace, Eleanor Rigby was better but both were still good.

Trent did very well. Glad to see my two go through. Keep on boys.

I knew Sonika was gonna do Whitney. The way she was dressed and i was like... Whitney. And i was right. Damn it. And of course she gets saved. Would have preferred Avalon.

Oh and La Porsha did very well.

Edited March 11, 2016 by AshleyLyn

[27bored]

Trent is probably gonna win, but he needs to stop dressing like a cool lesbian at a speed dating event and go back to dressing like a country hipster.

 

La'Porsha is too overrated. I think she could make a record that I would listen to, but live it always seems like her voice gets swallowed up by the production, and she kind of defaults to the runs for no reason.

 

I want AI to keep showing clips of David Cook, Chris Daughtry, and Caleb Johnson. These are rockers that can sing. Wimpy singer-songwriters and boy-band rejects like Mackenzie and Dalton are BOOOOORING.

 

I'm kind of glad Avalon and Lee are gone. Like I said, AI is not the stage to get up and take a chill pill. Avalon kept wanting to do high-school-glee-club renditions of millennial heartthrobs and I just...can't. Lee's got moxie, and I think he could make an interesting album one day, but yeah. Not for this stage.

 

Y'know, this show is getting kind of sad. Like, there's a low-key mirthlessness to this show that is really making it hard to enjoy even the parts that are still entertaining.

Am I the only one not impressed by nick's debut song?

 

Yeah. I want to hear the record before really making a determination, but that performance wasn't great. But then, none of Nick's performances are that great. He's in the pocket when he's doing Edwin McCain and Rascal Flatts, but when the arrangement gets too busy and melodic, Nick starts singing out the side of his mouth and the shit just goes left.

[Ketzel]

Am I the only one not impressed by nick's debut song?

I'd be more surprised to hear anyone was impressed! Mediocre singing of a lame boy-band style song, with heavy-handed bedroom references to make the young girls squeal and blush. And he still looks like a young forty to me.

[TheGreenKnight]

I hate the duets. Rarely have any duets on this show been any good. Dalton and Mackenzie was one of the worst I've ever seen. From the embarrassment of the song down to the awful vocals--mess.

 

Sad to see Avalon go, but I was glad they saved Sonika even though singing Whitney is a huge mistake for any contestant. Her performance was better than last week's, but she better deliver next week if she even survives. I'm guessing she, Tristan, and one of the guys will be the bottom three next week, with Tristan being saved (ugh). Looks like La'Porsha will be the only shot for the girls. Ha. The girls never had a shot.

 

Even though I'm not a fan of Tristan, she seems like a sweet girl. She was adorable in the video of her when she was younger. She has such an odd thing going on with her eyes, which makes her look cross-eyed all the time. Her performance was decent, but nowhere near Jordin Sparks' version of the song or Martina.

 

I've heard a lot of people say they found Nick Fradiani hot, but I never got it before tonight. Still a little sleazy-looking though.

 

Also--who structured this episode? All the duets at the beginning, two solo performances, a guest, then the rest of the performances? What a trainwreck. Someone please give JLO some tape or band-aid for her nipples next week.

Edited March 11, 2016 by TheGreenKnight

[TiredMe]

I am a bit bored now and I feel like I'm watching out of obligation. But I'm gonna stick it out until the end. And if Adam is on, I'm in! My fav male contestant of all seasons.

Lee just wasn't ready and I got bored by Avalon. But I cannot even with the tweenish duo of dalton and macKenzie. It's utter torture. Lol

I still rooting for La Porsha, Trent and Sonika.

[rereader2]

Am I the only one not impressed by nick's debut song?

 

No.

 

Also, that was way pitchy, dawg.

[TeeMo]

When I saw the bottom three, I knew Lee was out and suspected they would not save Avalon because being in the bottom two weeks in a row makes it sort of clear that you aren't winning this thing.

I like both Avalon and Sonika and would have preferred that someone else go home but I think they made the right choice between the two.

At this point I am all in for Trent. I like him more every week and his is the only voice that keeps me interested.

I laughed when Harry asked Dalton and Mackenzie about what that BSB song meant and wondered if he was going to offer a theory. I was glad to hear that he also has no idea what it is about. I actually thought Mackenzie fared much better in that duet than Dalton did which was surprising.

[perfectstorm]

Am I the only one not impressed by nick's debut song?

Hardly.  In the on-line blogging of show, fans were ripping him apart; saying he actually gave the worse performance of the night.  I do not know what Borchetta was thinking with this single.  The song sounds nothing like Fradiani.

[HelloLucy1]

I didn't care much for the pairing..but Trent & La'porsha did very good, vocals were on point. Dalton & McKenzie was a snooze fest, Tristan & Lee were okay..Sonika & Avalon were also okay..& just that.

The solo performances:

1. LA'PORSHA- I was nervous when I found out she would be singing Come Together, but she did her thang. I loved that she worked the stage & sounded amazing do it..so much confidence everytime she performs an uptempo song, I loved it.

2. TRENT- What can I say...That boy can sing. It was a lol predictable..but given the theme..I'll give him a pass. He reminds me a lot of Clark..which I hate because although I loved Clark..I don't Trent to get stuck in box like Clark did.

3.MCKENZIE- His voice was perfect for that song..it was boring..but he still pulled it off.

4. DALTON- the performance was boring & tragic IMO. He needs to change it up & show us something we haven't seen from him. He easly had the worst performance out of the top 6.

5.TRISTAN- Her voice is coming back around..the song choice was good, although I'm sick of the ballads she keeps giving. She just needs to focus & not be so forceful with her lyrics.

6. SONIKA- I didn't love nor like her rendition of the song. She was okay, and that's only because she has a naturally beautiful singing voice.

BYE bye: Lee & Avalon..I wanted more out if both of them..but it's simple, Lee needs more time & practice..although his voice is so smooth at times..he still needs time & guidance. Avalon, I liked her..but she was very mediocre & never switched it up.

[Sparkling Beth]

I knew Avalon was toast the minute it said on the screen that she was singing Pretty Young Thing.  Seriously, Avalon?  That's a cheery little novelty song that does not show off anyone's vocals, even Michael Jackson's.  It's fine as filler on an album like Thriller (oh, look, I made a rhyme!) but it's hardly sing-for-your-life material.  I think the judges made the right choice, because Sonika really does have a beautiful voice. 

 

I still can't help liking Dalton but am forced to agree with those who say he is coasting mostly on his looks and personality.  He's got a decent voice, but put it up against Trent's and it's just not as versatile or compelling.  But I'm still voting for him because Hey, America, I'm shallow!  I can't resist those eyes!  (Looks as if he inherited them from his mom!)

[LotusFlower]

I laughed when Harry asked Dalton and Mackenzie about what that BSB song meant and wondered if he was going to offer a theory. I was glad to hear that he also has no idea what it is about. I actually thought Mackenzie fared much better in that duet than Dalton did which was surprising.

I usually agree about knowing and connecting to a song's lyrics, but sometimes a dumb pop song is just a dumb pop song, and it can still be fun. BSB's song was a huge hit, and I'm sure their fans loved it when they performed it. It doesn't have to be so deep. That said, Dalton and Mackenzie's performance was bad, but I don't think it was the fault of the song. I thought all the duets were bad, and Harry's putting too much emphasis on lyrics. Such as....

....when he later asked Tristan to explain her interpretation of Martina McBride's song, telling Ryan he thought the contestants were smart, and he knew she'd have an answer. Only problem - she didn't. She said she had no idea. Stop quizzing them, Harry! They're really young - they don't go that deep into lyrics.

[Padma]

Why did HCJ criticize Lee and Tristan for the arrangement?  I really didn't think they had any control over that, do they?

 

Mackenzie and Dalton were lucky elimination wasn't based on their duet. That was probably not really their fault as it was a bad choice to begin with, but I was still surprised how bad they both were on it (off key, flat, emotionless, you name  it.)  And Dalton was really struggling to bring a different kind of darker rock edge to "Eleanor Rigby". Sadly, I disagree with the judges. I thought he failed with it, that the vocal struggled and had no musicality for me at all. I liked him before, but I'm over him now. Probably a nice guy, but if he' not better next week, I think he should go.

 

The maturity of The Voice's artists is quite a dramatic difference from AI.  Sorry its a short season, but it's probably for the best, putting it out of its misery, past its prime.

Edited March 11, 2016 by Padma

[Pepperminty]

I finally like Tristan.

I really liked Lee Jean but he was wobbly on the solo and it wasn't good.

Dalton is OK, I'm basically voting for his eyes at this point.

The others are meh.

I'm tired of LaPorsha and was scared of her outfit tonight. Yikes.

[ShutUpFlanders]

God I hate this theme. The Idols who chose songs outside of their comfort zone made the night so much better.

 

From Best to Worst – Duets:

 

La'Porsha and Trent – The rare Idol duet that's relatively lovely and professional sounding. Nothing will ever beat "Moanin'" by S10's Casey and Haley.

 

Avalon and Sonika – They sounded pretty good together. I liked it.

 

MacKenzie and Dalton – The definition of meh.  This was a classic case of the Idol bus.

Lee and Tristan – Just no. This was so freaking stupid to give them. You know they set these two up as a duo because every other contestant can sing circles around Tristan.

 

From Best to Worst – Solos:

MacKenzie – I think this was necessary. He connects to the emotion of the songs he sings very well. Lovely. He really could win the show.

 

La'Porsha – Strong performance, good out of left field song choice for her. She always makes it seem so easy.

 

Trent – Apparently the Idols all came out to play tonight based on the first three solo performances, because damn. Trent, La'Porsha, and MacKenize all chose songs that worked so crazy well for them.

 

Dalton – I have mixed feelings on this. It was Colton Dixon lite. Good, solid vocals. But I think he's clearly a middle packer whose going to finish higher than some others. It left me a bit cold but I recognize that it was pretty strong.

 

Avalon – First of all, girl was robbed. I get what the judges mean by the "urgency" factor.

 

Tristan – And we are likely witnessing Idol's final "is only still here because of the pimp pieces back in the audition phase" contestant. She miffed a few notes, but that was her best pure pop-country performance on the show.

 

Sonika – Pretty girl sings Whitney Houston in tune. I'm starting to think "Bring Me to Life" was simply a song choice fluke.

Lee – And here's our trainwreck of the evening (guess they all couldn't have strong solos). I feel bad saying that because it probably has to do with being in the bottom 3 and not having his guitar for the first time. Kid's got a fierce tone and hopefully in about 3 or 4 years he ends up in a cool indie pop band or something.

 

Should go home – Tristan. I'm willing to give Sonika one more chance over her.
Will go home – Sonika. I thought she was the weakest of the surviving six.

[Rick Kitchen]

JLo couldn't find her clothes and had to wear the negligee she slept in, huh?

 

Trent and La'Porsha are not a good mix. Lots of melissma there, La'Porsha.  And Trent really needed to sing in a lower register.

 

Avalon and Sonika's duet was really pretty.

 

Dalton and MacKenzie were a little weak. That song is beloved?  smdh

 

Lee and Tristan were fun.

 

I like rock and roll La'Porsha!

 

MacKenzie was great.  But what is up with his hair?

 

Didn't like Fraddiani last year, still don't.

 

Trent was good.

 

Harry is always trying to impress us with how smart he is.

Dammit, Clark!  You should have won.

 

Tristan's hair makes my head hurt.  But she was good. Steel guitar ftw. Oh, good Lord, Harry, stop trying to make the singers look stupid about what the song is about.

 

I don't believe for a minute that Dalton was in the bottom four.

 

Dalton KILLED it. Though he did use a pseudo-English accent.

 

Avalon was really nice.

 

Lee has been progressively getting worse each week.  He also seemed really nervous.

 

I'm disappointed we didn't get a real glory note from Sonika.

 

Damn, I wanted Avalon.

[niklj]

So glad they saved Sonika. Still waiting for her "Alone" moment, but I think it might come. 

 

Can't believe there's so few contestants left. I hate this shortened season, what a sucky finale season.

[viajero]

AI really is phoning it in this season.  I wonder whose bright idea it was to force the contestants to do a bunch of songs that have already been done to death?  Not surprisingly, I wasn't blown away by any of them. Every one of those songs has been done better (usually much better) by past contestants on AI, The Voice or both.

 

Having said all that, the only solo performance that I thought was clearly pretty bad was Lee's.  The other seven solo performances all had both positives and negatives and I'm hard pressed to give much of an edge to any one of them over the others.  A few things that stood out to me:

 

I liked the attitude that La'Porsha's brought to her performance, but was not nearly as impressed with her vocals as I usually am.  This time her choices didn't quite work for me.

 

Dalton was something similar.  I liked the arrangement and the artistry he brought to his performance, but his vocals just didn't match up to what he was trying to do, even it he did hit the big note at the end.

 

I actually have no major faults with Tristan's performance.  It was one of her best so far.   The only problem is that it paled in comparison to at least 3 previous covers of that song I can remember of the top of my head from past seasons of these shows, including some by long forgotten also-rans, like The Voice's Holly Tucker.  But then the same could be said about all the others as well.

 

Sonika tackled probably the toughest challenge of them all.  While parts were not bad, I think being in the bottom-3 brought back that deer in the headlights look she had earlier in the season.

 

I found Trent’s performance to be pretty dead, except for when he did some of those runs using his falsetto.  But one cannot live on falsetto alone.  I also kind of agree with Jennifer that I miss his original weird country hipster style.

 

Avalon was just plain fun, as she always is.  But this was not her best performance, perhaps not surprising given the song.  I'm really sorry to see her go.

 

As for the duets, we got two fairly good ones and two that were pretty bad.  I probably liked Sonika and Avalon the best because of the way their voices combined so well. La’Porsha and Trent also did a competent job, but more due to the fact that they both can sing than any real commitment to the song.  It's probably better to just forget the other two duets, which were pretty bad.

 

I'm rapidly loosing interest in this season.  If Sonika goes next week (which I suspect she will), I'm not even sure I'll stick around until the end.  Last season I didn't even bother watching the final two weeks and I'm not sure I will this season either. 

[whatsatool]

JLo really? Wearing a bathing suit?

[karenc3]

Am I the only one not impressed by nick's debut song?

 

 

No your not. I liked Nick on the show, and love his music with Beach Avenue.  Just not feeling this new song.   I did hear live versions of some other songs that will be on the album and I liked them better.

[OakGoblinFly]

So let me get this straight judges - every pair sang their duet song without changing it and the only ones who get called out are Dalton and Mackenzie?  Alrighty then.  And Harry, you only ask Mackenzie and Dalton what their duet song means?

 

Simon Cowell would have called La'Porsha's performance "indulgent" and the very definition of “karaoke.”  I didn’t like a thing about it; and unless she’s adding runs on every line, her vocal ability is rather ordinary.  I’m bored with her already.

 

I can’t believe I am going to agree with Jennifer Lopez (who looked stunning but was dressed horribly) – since they’ve “made over” Trent something seems to be missing from his vocal performance.  He’s still good; it’s just that he is missing that little something extra that made him rather special.

 

Oh Keith, don’t you remember David Cook’s wonderful rendition of Eleanor Rigby?  Dalton’s version was the first time you thought about the “dark” undertones of the song?  Nice performance by Dalton; vocals weren’t particularly strong (then again he’s not the best vocalist out there) yet I found it very enjoyable.

 

I really enjoyed Mackenzie’s take on You Are So Beautiful: I thought that was the best he’s sounded during this entire season.

Sorry show, nothing you do (even using her Grandpa) will make me like Tristen (something about her rings false and highly calculated)  – she ain’t no Martina McBride and I thought she missed the connection to the song (despite the fact that Harry was feeding her lines).  There’s a rather flat, nasally quality to her singing that I do not like.

 

Avalon seems like a really sweet person and I adore her rather laid back vibe; I don’t know why she wasn’t connecting to the audience.  I wonder if song choice played into it at all.

 

I really like Sonika; I like that she’s shy and awakward and complexly unsure of herself.  I’m not bothered by her “woodenness” (and frankly no one will ever beat the wooden queen that was/is Carrie Underwood).  The girl can sing, she has a radio friendly voice, and I think she has a chance at becoming a legitimate pop star (I thought she sounded the best when singing next to Demi Lovato).  It's too bad that the show seems to be pushing for a Tristen (if not La'Porsha) win.

 

Lee seems really sweet – he’s wasn’t ready for prime time.

[IrishImport]

I actually enjoyed the show and some of the performances for the first time this season. Thank heavens! Been sad to see such a "let's get it over with" train wreck so far. Used to look forward to the show. Now I dvr it and watch the next day just to say I tried.

I even ran a few back to watch again. Rather than FF after the first few boring seconds of most each week.

The judges are actually offering real feedback and spot on advice... even Jennifer! So much better than the Nikki/Maria debacle, speaking of train wrecks.

Actually liked Trent and LaPorsha's duet. They sounded great together and it had life and fun and was different. Even Harry said their voices went well together.

On the solos it seemed like they suddenly settled into their lanes and did their unique thing that got them there in the first place.

Yes, AI dragged out the old song chestnuts for performance one more time. But at least I recognized these.

LaPorsha has attitude but for Pete's sake somebody has to. Too many blushing Tweens. Work those plus size leather pants, sister! Loved how she turned her back at the end and kept walking. Perfect.

Dalton is getting very one note. Literally. Boring.

I didn't like Trent at all at first but I think Keith is right, he is growing and he obviously just gets into songs and sings them as they overtake him and does his thing ...that's what is fun to watch. You don't know where he is going. But he's feeling it! I actually like his new look, don't miss the scarves.

Sonika is a pretty voice in a groomed Barbie doll and just boring. Nothing different.

I always liked Lee, yes, lovely tone, but he is so young. I know they wanted him to "stretch" but I thought bandzilla killed his Let It Be. Let him back in his lane. It would have been gorgeous if it was just him on a stool with his guitar and a single spot and singing Let It Be so that you could hear the sweet spot in his tone. I feel robbed. He could have had his Moment. Before he left. Does no one learn from Phillip Phillips? I still watch his Volcano and his other "moments."

Still have no idea how Nick "won" last year. I blamed Wilson's Leather Discount Rack oil-slick Borchetta. But even he doesn't seem to know what to do with him.

[IrishImport]

PS. Oh, the reason I'm starting to like Trent is that at least he singing the song and feeling it and letting his voice do his thing. That's inviting us in to share the passion, as the judges say.

Unlike Dalton, who yes, has great eyes, but all I see in them now is him thinking, three steps to the left, spin, wave hand, shake hair, repeat.

And that's his lane.

Give me a singer lost in his song instead.

[waving feather]

PS. Oh, the reason I'm starting to like Trent is that at least he singing the song and feeling it and letting his voice do his thing. That's inviting us in to share the passion, as the judges say.

That's the reason I've liked Trent since the beginning. Trent gives a lot when he performs, - the vulnerability, the good, the bad, and the ugly (faces). Heh. Actually I don't mind the faces at all, but I do notice he has become less extra with them. He still gives face when he gets into the song, but he's no longer doing them for the sake of doing it. Why do I feel like he's holding back some of his talent, though? I bet he can wail and let go even more.

 

I want him to bring the hats back though. I love the hats.

[ramble]

My oldest walked through the room as AI was starting, saw JLo come onstage, and asked why someone would wear a pair of overalls with a bra stapled on as the bib. Good question. I thought the majority of the contestants were dressed horridly as well. Some really ugly outfits & poorly fitting clothes. As for the singing? Meh. No one makes me want to rush to download anything.

[Primetimer]

Another double elimination sends two favorites home, while the duet performances have the judges showing some bias.

Read the story

[Neet]

I can't remember ever loving the duets, even when there were more potentially interesting pairings, but having them for the past few years really exposes the thin roster. I guess they have to fill time one way or another, but even the better duets don't really do anything for me whatsoever. The only one I want to comment on is Dalton/Mackenzie; holy hell, that was awkward and bad.
Dalton's trying to play to the crowd while Mackenzie is stationary at the mic stand and strumming a guitar, and they're both firmly planted in their near-monotone pitch, sounding the exact same while trying to each do a different performance. I also thought it was weird how Mackenzie pulled Dalton in for a quick half hug or whatever after they were done, but he seemed to grab Dalton by the collar and yank him.

Plus he kept smiling with his mouth open fairly wide as the judges crapped all over the whole thing. Maybe I was just overthinking because the performance itself had nothing going for it.
___
 

La'Porsha was forgettable. I feel no investment in her despite her voice, even though it was a step back from her usual work. I'd prefer if she left soon, though that's mostly because I don't care about her.
 

Trent was okay. He's probably the most talented one there, but his song choices are always difficult to remember soon after he's done. I guess that's at least better than the usual done to death songs everyone else does.
 

Mackenzie is stuck in his lane and isn't coming out, that's for sure. He did a fine job, I guess, but it's pretty much what you'd expect. He doesn't innovate.
 

Dalton was my favorite of the night, which I didn't expect. His range is limited, but thank God he actually went for bigger notes for once. The theatrics fit very well, IMO, though I can also see how others would think it was corny. I think he'll do a lot better if that passion (or even anger, hopefully) comes out in the future, contrary to his preferred style of "sing regular song at 75% speed and look mopey".
 

Sonika is so freaking boring. Even though she's a good singer, the pageant bot routine is very stale and I don't believe many people buy into that if there's no personality being brought forth. It's probably large in part to her not having a personality, but I think Sonika looks extremely dumb and always has some blank look on her face. I used to be criticized for having a gap in between my front teeth, so maybe hers is part of it, too. Not trying to be a douche, I just hate looking at her face because all I see is a sign that says "no soul here", and singing well doesn't make up for that at all.
 

Avalon leaving was the right decision, even though I prefer her over Sonika. Her vocals always sound like she just got out of bed and her stage presence reminds me of how you find yourself walking around in a circle while talking on the phone. If she didn't stand out for being a tomboy and all that, I think she would've been cut much further back.
 

Lee sucked, though I almost always think he does poorly and can hardly see where so many of these comments of "wait a few years and he'll be great" come from. One thing I remember about him was how in that "I Am" clip at the very start of the show, the description of him was "baby face" and "vertically challenged". I wonder if that came from him, because it would otherwise be rude. Then again, he does plenty of awkward shit like trying to shake Ryan's hand while he's busy, or making jokes about his height like three times before and after the duet, so I wouldn't be surprised if he was behind it.
 

Nick was pretty lame, and I feel for him having to tour with that song night after night. The guy doesn't have much energy or facial expressions, it's like his mood can't go higher than "I'm okay, brah", so one song isn't much fun, nevermind a whole concert.
 

Hours after the show's over, it's hard to remember everything that happened too well. A minor thing I wish they'd bring back is the montage of every performance along with everyone's voting numbers. It was a great refresher that somehow covered 2 hours of stuff within 30 seconds, but then again, that'd be 30 seconds without Ryan, Keith, and Harry kissing J Lo's ass or hearing her interrupt somebody with useless nothings. Despite Harry covering it up with fake sass, I bet he's actually pissed off that she cuts him off repeatedly, as he should.

ETA: I don't know why I mentioned Trent not doing a done to death song, considering he picked "Stand By Me". I may have thought Lee Jean did it, though Trent usually does pick at least slightly more obscure songs in general.

Edited March 13, 2016 by Neet

[Sparkling Beth]

 

I don't believe for a minute that Dalton was in the bottom four.

Pretty sure the order that the safe contestants were called is not supposed to be indicative of where they finished in the voting.  Dalton was safe; they only put him in the group of final four to do the dramatic "..and the last one saved is--" thing.  The producers know he's a fan favorite with those of us who are mesmerized by his eyes so they called him last this week in order to make viewers sweat it out, but he could have finished first, second, third, etc. as long as he wasn't in the bottom three.

[proserpina65]

The only duet which was good was La'Porsha and Trent, but I hate that song so yeah, the duets sucked.  Particularly Dalton and MacKenzie, I'm very sorry to say.

 

As for the regular performances, the songs were way overused on AI and I could've done without hearing most of them ever again, but here's my rankings from best to worst:

 

- MacKenzie was terrific, really emotional connected to the lyrics, and wisely chose the least overperformed song of the night.

- Trent was second best of the night, even if I didn't always like the arrangement.  But hey, fewer Torgo faces!

- Dalton did interesting things to the arrangement, even if his vocal was a bit sub-par and wasn't a patch on David Cook's version.

- Avalon was ham-strung by a bad song, but her delivery of it was pretty good.  I'd have chosen her over Sonika.

- Tristan started that song too low, but was okay by the end of it.  She had a little better emotional connection than usual, but she's still my least favorite of the top 6.

- Lee, man I usually like his vocals even if I think he's too young and immature for the contest, but that was not good at all.  He seems like a really sweet kid, so I hope he does find his way musically when he matures.

- Sonika was a singing robot, nice voice but no emotion at all.  That performance was the textbook definition of pageant.  I would've let her go if I'd been a judge.

 

I left out La'Porsha because I cannot objectively judge her performance of a song which I loathe with the fire of a thousand burning nuns.

 

My pick to go home next week if they send two home: Tristan and Sonika.  I can't imagine the judges would pick either one over Dalton, Trent or La'Porsha, and I can't imagine the votes putting Dalton or MacKenzie in the bottom 3.

Am I the only one not impressed by nick's debut song?

It seemed more R&B-ish than what I thought his music would sound like, but I kinda liked it.  But yeah, it wasn't especially great.  Too bad, 'cause I generally like Nick's voice.

[proserpina65]

On a non-performance related note: what the hell was J.Lo wearing?  It looked like a bra with a napkin attached to the bottom with giant push pins.  And the pants they put on La'Porsha for the duet were horrendous.  Large women should never wear tight, tapered, shiny pants to begin with, and those also fit badly in the crotch - what's the opposite of camel toe?  It's like there was way too much cloth there.

I actually thought Mackenzie fared much better in that duet than Dalton did which was surprising.

 

That performance exposed how weak Dalton's voice actually is.  His tone is nice but there's not a lot of strength to his vocal.  He definitely knows how to work the stage and the audience, though.

[Sparkling Beth]

On a non-performance related note: what the hell was J.Lo wearing?  It looked like a bra with a napkin attached to the bottom with giant push pins.  And the pants they put on La'Porsha for the duet were horrendous.  Large women should never wear tight, tapered, shiny pants to begin with, and those also fit badly in the crotch - what's the opposite of camel toe?  It's like there was way too much cloth there.

 

That performance exposed how weak Dalton's voice actually is.  His tone is nice but there's not a lot of strength to his vocal.  He definitely knows how to work the stage and the audience, though.

Dalton should take vocal lessons.  He does have a decent voice, but I'll bet some professional training could help him bring power and nuance to it.  At that point he'd be unstoppable.

[rereader2]

According to Tristan, no judges save next week. So, yay?

[Aquariuz]

LaPorsha and Trent's duet is awesome. They are the only ones capable of holding notes without crumbling like a cookie. (Lookin' at you Sonika)

I wish next week they have triple elimination, and then just go straight to grand final then crown the winner all in a span of an hour since they basically just do whatever they like with the format now.

[ari333]

I don't hate Nick, but that was bad. The dancing guitar player in the back was good. The backup singers were good.

 

Dalton is really meant to be in a boy band. His voice has no power, but he looks good and sort of dances around and poses - which is sometimes all that matters. :-)

 

Shouldn't these hamsters know to look up the meaning of the lyrics and have some kind of answer when HCJ asks? and he always does.

 

That Lee/Tristan song was chosen only for Tristan. BAH

 

Has JLo always been that size in the breast-tah-sizz area?

Toe jam football!

[bluwater]

I just hate that they are rushing this season...you'd think they'd want to draw it out as long as possible, as they always HAVE.

 

Dalton - Fantastic performance! He brought the drama and darkness, which I love about him. He's battling a sinus infection still, so I am wondering if that is why his voice isn't as strong as it has been in the past weeks. Also, loved that growl at the end. I am dying to see him do an acoustic performance.

 

Trent - He looked nice, but I agree...missing the "farm" version of Trent. His voice was strong and he did some interesting things with SBM. The wah-wah's cracked me up. LOL He's got such a sweet personality.

 

Tristan - There were some pretty notes in there and a few yuck notes, towards the end. She has an interesting, lower voice, but I feel like she needs some more life experience and practice. I really wish they'd stop putting people under 18 through to these things though.

 

Avalon - I like PYT and she sounded pretty singing it. She has a nice, melodic voice...sorry to see her go.

 

Mackenzie - LAWD, this song goes NOWHERE. I hate it. Mac sounded good, I just despise this boring-ass song. Ugh.

 

Sonika - My favorite WH song and she sang it on key. Nice. Otherwise, there's nothing THERE. "I have NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING...if I don't have YOU!" Passion, it was lacking.

 

Lee - He sounded so timid, poor guy. Lee seems like such an adorable, sweet kid. I hope he continues to grow. I liked some of the notes and runs he did in this song, but overall, I don't care for the song itself, so anyone singing it would have been a meh for me.

 

The duets...the only one I liked was Sonika/Avalon. I wonder who chose the songs because Mackenzie seemed to hate IWITW. It grossed me out hearing Lee and Tristan sing DWMAT. Couldn't get past the lyrics and them singing that to each other, being teens. Ewww.

[Ohwell]

Dalton doesn't have to have that great of a singing voice because of his stage presence--and those eyes.  

 

Overall though, this bunch is rather pitiful but I think it's mainly the fault of AI producers.  For some reason, they seem to have decided to go out with a whimper, instead of with a bang, and I actually think the contestants sense that, too.

Edited March 11, 2016 by Ohwell

[TheGreenKnight]

La'Porsha and Trent – The rare Idol duet that's relatively lovely and professional sounding. Nothing will ever beat "Moanin'" by S10's Casey and Haley.

 

Lee and Tristan – Just no. This was so freaking stupid to give them. You know they set these two up as a duo because every other contestant can sing circles around Tristan.

They were the best of the duets, but I can’t say I was particularly fond of it either. The only duets on this show that come to mind that I liked are Lee and Crystal’s “Falling Slowly,” Amber and Candice’s “A House Is Not a Home,” and Bo and Carrie’s “Up Where We Belong.”

 

And so true about Tristan/Lee. I knew they put her with him to make her sound good by comparison.

 

I'm just grateful this show is over very soon now. Avalon gone, now Sonika to follow, with MacKenzie as the new winner--way to go out with a whimper, Idol.

[ari333]

This whole thing feels sad to me. At least they could make some bit of effort to go out with a bang since many people were kind of into this show for many years ... or some years...The short season... the two boots per show... it just blows... for me.. for you.

 

Whoever dressed La Porsha should be taken out back. Same for JLo and I say that as a  JLo fan.

 

Also, many of those songs were done to death already . BOO HISS. and the new one/s I hated anyway.

 

Only Michael can do PYT imo.

[LoveLeigh]

I love La'Porsha but I think she is coming close to becoming a parody of herself. I think the way she was dressed was just crass and she should be more classy. Her talent and voice should be enhanced by her clothes and her clothes are like distracting costumes at this point almost designed as a 'be proud of your body" campaign.  

 

I love Tristan more. I loved her from the start. I think she could have won, but I think La'Porsha is the woman who is being groomed for this final win. She is who they want. 

Edited March 11, 2016 by DakotaLavender

[Sparkling Beth]

I expected this season to be a giant celebration of 15 years of Idol.  Instead it feels like, "Let's get this over with as fast as we can."  I just don't get it.  They could have had something special. 

[WhineandCheez]

Dalton should take vocal lessons.  He does have a decent voice, but I'll bet some professional training could help him bring power and nuance to it.  At that point he'd be unstoppable.

 

Dalton IS a vocal coach!  How's that for irony!! I think his voice is subpar, Yes, I agree above, its a voice meant for a boy band or ensemble singing.  His eyeliner has more weight  than his voice.

 

IE La Porsha's clothes.  She looked good in the jeans outfit, made her look 30 pounds less then those big caftans.I get a lot of various women's magazines and the trend now if to NOT try to hide your figure flaws.  Its what I grew up with and what i'm used to doing but the trend is opposite now.  Have big ole legs?--wear a short skirt if it makes you feel good.  I don't like the trend, but I won't do stripes with floral,, etc, the other way things have changed also.

[ari333]

Dalton needs to join.. re join? a boy band. He needs others to sing with him and he could do some nice soft harmony. He has no power. imo.  He's sexy and has stage presence and that counts for a lot in this day .

Get off my lawn :-)

 

I wish HCJ (and I am a fan) could have explained those Come Together lyrics for me. THAT ... I'd like to hear.

[Sparkling Beth]

 

Dalton IS a vocal coach!  How's that for irony!! I think his voice is subpar, Yes, I agree above, its a voice meant for a boy band or ensemble singing.  His eyeliner has more weight  than his voice.

OMG, I had forgotten that!  Well, then, maybe this is as good as it gets for him.  I still like him.  There are many professional singers who have worse voices and successful careers *cough*TaylorSwift!*cough* so I won't be upset if Dalton wins this thing.  He just radiates "star" to me and that's half the game.

[Jextella]

Trent is probably gonna win, but he needs to stop dressing like a cool lesbian at a speed dating event and go back to dressing like a country hipster.

.....

I want AI to keep showing clips of David Cook, Chris Daughtry, and Caleb Johnson. These are rockers that can sing. Wimpy singer-songwriters and boy-band rejects like Mackenzie and Dalton are BOOOOORING.

 

I'd forgotten just how good past singers have been (not just these 3).  Having them come back is  good reminder.  Say what you will, but Idol has found a lot of amazing talent along the way.

 

copying the comment about Trent only 'cause its hysterical.  I prefer the country hipster, too.

[ari333]

Curvy thick chicks (I think I qualify as one) don't need to rock the leather (?) shiny faux leather pants. That was scary and the top too.. yikes...  The woman does have some power in her voice. HATE THE EFING RUNS> Make it stop, Jesus.

I expected this season to be a giant celebration of 15 years of Idol.  Instead it feels like, "Let's get this over with as fast as we can."  I just don't get it.  They could have had something special. 

 

Yes, it could have been epic and amazing.... *sigh* Im only watching bc I like to read these threads... no really.

OMG, I had forgotten that!  Well, then, maybe this is as good as it gets for him.  I still like him.  There are many professional singers who have worse voices and successful careers *cough*TaylorSwift!*cough* so I won't be upset if Dalton wins this thing.  He just radiates "star" to me and that's half the game.

 

Me too. I'd be fine with that.

And side note, I agree about Swift. Good lord in heaven that girl sounds god awful live. God bless auto tune.

She should really just write songs and not sing them. [/end rant] Further rants shall appear in small talk. :-)

Edited March 11, 2016 by ari333

[Rick Kitchen]

And side note, I agree about Swift. Good lord in heaven that girl sounds god awful live. God bless auto tune.

She should really just write songs and not sing them. [/end rant] Further rants shall appear in small talk. :-)

 

There is a whole thread about Taylor Swift in the Music forum, if you are so interested.

Edited March 11, 2016 by Rick Kitchen

[Sparkling Beth]

 

She should really just write songs and not sing them.

I agree.  I think she's a very good songwriter.  Her line in Mine--"You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter" is so brilliant.  In ten words she says so much about who this girl is, who her father is, what their relationship is, and what her relationship with the boy is.  I love it when writers can impart paragraphs of information in one line.  But she just can't sing.  Hasn't done badly for a lousy singer, though! #Understatement

 

ETA: Sorry, Rick!  I was writing my post while you were posting yours.  I apologize for going off-topic.

Edited March 11, 2016 by Sparkling Beth

[Adusk81]

The whole time Nick was singing I kept expecting to hear "just bust a move" that song was blatant plagiarism. It really highlighted just how little vocal ability he has.

Speaking of lack of vocal ability, Dalton. Dude can't sing. Sorry he can't. He is not good. He has methods of distracting from this and he is very endearing but I officially take back my prediction of him as the winner.

Speaking of predictions, Laporsha/Trent. I'm thinking this is our final 2. And that's cool. They deserve it and they are both talented. They both could tone down their runs and gymnastics and just sing a damn song but hey, they are who they are.

I like Mackenzie but he is so one trick it's getting really boring. I think it's because his voice is quite limited and he sounds nice doing the coffee shop thing but it's not exciting. It's great for listening to on a cold rainy day sipping tea.

Sonika could be great but she's way too basic. It's predictable and bland. Sad because she's the best singer there. I'd love to hear her do something totally unpredictable and manic. Bring me to life should have been a preview, not a side show.

Tristan. Come on. Just stop. Nobody is buying it.

Lee. Later man. Seem like a cool kid but singing is not your thing.

Avalon. Let's hang out. You seem like a lot of fun.