2016 LIVE SHOW 7: Movies

[aradia22]

Hmn. I'm not too excited about this one because it's so open ended. But we'll see what happens.

[Kaoteek]

I'll make this one quick : Ryan, 5AM & Honey G were unmemorable, bordering on mediocre ; Sara was fine, but looked... wedding-cake-ish ; I really liked Matt's Writing's on the Wall ; and Emily's song left me cold.

My guess is Ryan is finally gone, this week. Though I could see Sara's Titanic not connecting with the crowd.

EDIT :
Results :

Spoiler

Honey G vs Ryan, Honey G saved. Sigh.

Next week : Louis' favs. Double sigh.

 

Edited November 21, 2016 by Kaoteek

[aradia22]

Random Fitbit sponsorship. But it made me realize we see much less of them in the house. I feel like we used to see more of them practicing and working out and whatnot. Sharon is bonkers. What is up with her? She still has the talk show right? Maybe it's all the flying back and forth.

Ryan Lawrie: Jailhouse Rock was an interesting choice for Ryan. He does One Direction kind of light rock/pop songs but this was more rockabilly which isn't his thing. It felt like something they'd throw at Only the Young. Also, I feel like I missed every 3rd word he sang. I don't know why they keep playing with his hair. He was decent. I think the issue is... there are rock songs and there are rock songs. He sounded fine but it left him exposed in a way that made his voice sound thinner. 

5 After Midnight: This is still such a stupid band name. Look, is it the best ever version of Try A Little Tenderness? Of course not. Of course not. But this is one of their best vocal performances. They don't have big voices. But the riffing helped add some interest. Kieran is really stepping up his stage presence. The rap section was OK. I think maybe they should add more of that to give them a break from the singing. I think the dancing was a little out of sync this time but it was back to being a great moment in the middle of their performances. They have some edge and individuality but they also have that clean, nonthreatening X Factor polish. I still don't think they have the greatest voices but they've been working hard and I think this could actually work. I mean, outside of X Factor. I have no idea if they'll win but they might get a single or two to chart.

Saara Aalto: For some reason, Saara's VTs always come across so fake. The vocals were not horrible. But opening herself up to comparisons to Celine made me notice weaknesses in her voice. She doesn't have the same control and smoothness. It sounded very quavery and breathy to me. Which is a valid way of singing but not as technically proficient. Also, she doesn't have a big voice. She just kind of shouted her way through the big notes, not in a grating way but not like, I'm reaching deep down and singing those big notes naturally because I'm a belter.

Matt Terry: I don't like Bond and I don't like Sam Smith so I don't know this song well. I feel like they could have put Matt in a better suit. I know they like to do at least one of these things where they dress the guys up but he needed a sharper suit. Eh. I thought was annoying. Weak. Thin. The falsetto wasn't doing him any favors in a song like this and the big notes didn't have that rounded, grounded weight to them. Those kinds of notes are when you want soul singing or theatre singing which he does not have. And he still hasn't found his stage presence.

Honey G: She wasted a full 30 seconds with complete silence again this week. COME ON NOW. Her flow is awful. Fred Schneider is better at speaking in rhythm to a beat than she is. The Will Smith song was slightly better but that might be because she was talking less. The dance break was horrible. Group fitness classes have better moves than that.

Emily Middlemas: Ahaha. I love that Simon sits in that office facing a giant painting of himself. I got excited because I thought we were getting pop Emily back. I think the vocals sounded better though. She was still changing the notes but the underscoring was so sparse, you couldn't tell unless you knew the original melody. The weakness of her vocals sounded more intentional. I still don't think she's a great singer but this was well managed. Again, it sounded like she was singing this way intentionally instead of well, she doesn't have a powerful voice or control and can't hit all the right notes or the high notes. My one big criticism is that the performances still have no momentum. The song can't go anywhere because she's not capable of a key change or more power and she doesn't want to dance or anything so something just changes in the music or they add backup singers but she sings in exactly the same way through the whole song. She's very limited but I think with the way music is, if they manage her VERY carefully, she could do OK. I don't know how someone like her goes on tour though.

[aradia22]

RESULTS

Spoiler

SAFE: 5AM, Saara, Matt, Emily

BOTTOM 2: Ryan, Honey G

Can't say I'm upset with the bottom 2 though I think Ryan was decent this week and he has been improving. But finally... Honey G in the bottom 2!

SING OFF: Off, Ryan so flat! It got better but it stayed in this mediocre place. (Nicole said he was sick.) There's a big difference between someone who can sort of sing and someone who is actually capable of being a professional singer/performer.

Honey G was not great in the sing off. She's never going to be great. But for her, this was a decent showing. It's more effort than she puts in for the live shows. I thought it was nice of Jordan from 5AM to play along because I was getting the vibe from the other contestants that they don't like her.

ELIMINATED: Ryan Lawrie (Nicole was the only one who voted to keep him)

Side note: I loved Sharon's earrings.