S16.E09: Top 24 Solos

[MarkHB]

Quote

As the pool has been narrowed to the top 24 contestants, 12 of the top 24 finalists perform duets with celebrity partners at Academy LA in Hollywood during this week in the competition, as the search for America’s next superstar continues on its new home on America’s network.

Performing during this episode are contestants and celebrities:
• Brandon Diaz with celebrity duet partner Luis Fonsi
• Cade Foehner with celebrity duet partner Bishop Briggs
• Catie Turner with celebrity duet partner Andy Grammer
• Dennis Lorenzo with celebrity duet partner Allen Stone
• Dominique with celebrity duet partner Aloe Blacc
• Gabby Barrett with celebrity duet partner Sugarland
• Jonny Brenns with celebrity duet partner Andy Grammer
• Kay Kay with celebrity duet partner Pat Monahan
• Layla Spring with celebrity duet partner Sugarland
• Michael J. Woodard with celebrity duet partner Pat Monahan
• Michelle Sussett with celebrity duet partner Luis Fonsi
• Trevor McBane with celebrity duet partner Bishop Briggs

[librarianbeck]

I missed the first few performances,  but really,  Cade is just amazing.  He doesn't sound at all like an amateur.  He could very well win this. His cheekbones, combined with that long,  curly hair,  remind me of Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder.

I am still not hearing an amazing - or even very good - voice out of Michelle Sussett (spelling?), though I can't argue she has stage presence. 

[SnarkAttack]

Dominique had the best performance.

I like Dennis but it wasn't a good song choice.

Michael is a sweetie.  Don't know why he wore a mechanic's jumpsuit though.  Lol.

The rest, meh.

[lyric]

Cade and Dominique were nice bookends to this meh show - they were both really good.  Katy is cringe-inducing too often for me. 

Did these judges really lose their shit over Catie pulling a rubber band out of her hair?   GIrl, please.

I don't know if I can make it through this season, honestly.

[PhD-Purgatory15]

Let the culling begin!

Dominique: So you are just about the least seen of the Top 24 (in with Kay Kay, Brandon, and Amelia for that honor)....and if you get to go 1st in a two hour showcase. Thinking the writing is on the wall that Dominique will be one of the five going home tomorrow. He has a nice voice, and Ain't Nobody was fun....so I might be surprised, but I doubt it.

Layla: Pickler 3.0. Bigger voice than you sort of expect and she's absolutely comfortable on stage. At this point, I'll be surprised if she doesn't advance.

Catie: I just couldn't bring myself to watch any of her package or performance. In my head, it makes perfect television if the final spot comes down to her and Michael Woodard.

Dennis: Magic!? Poor guy may have song choice'd himself right out of the competition. That was the vocal equivalent of bringing a nerf sword to a gun fight. I think he's gone now, which is sad because I really liked most of what he's shown us so far.

Michelle: No Katy, if Michelle has an "ace" it's not being a bilingual singer...it's being the closest thing this group of 24 has to a Bruno Mars like entertainer. Putting the onus on Michelle's voice instead the entire "package" of what she can do on stage is a surefire way to end her chances. Which I think just happened.

Michael: I just can't quite figure him. He has given us evidence of a gorgeous voice (in his initial audition and the Cabaret song...but Alanis and this Beatles song he just sounded a little off on. To me he's borderline to advance (but that could just be wishful thinking on my part).

Trevor: Luke (and the other two judges) was right. Everything feels very constricted because he very rarely moves around and has a pained expression while he sings most of the time. I really loved the song choice though and thought he was pretty good at it. I wonder though if Layla and Gaby are in the Top 7...would they put another country singer through too? I feel like they wouldn't.

Jonny: I will pay him a mild compliment. He was better than he's been up to now. That being said, if he's in the Top 7...it's solely because the show feels like he's the teen heartthrob (and maybe that doesn't bode so well for Garrett next week), and they love to milk the family (dad) drama story. IMO he'd rate 10th or 11th in this group on this night.

Kay Kay: Her interview with Bobby doubled her entire screen time so far. So make of that what you will. She's young, and very polished as an R&B/Urban singer....to me that seems worthy of a spot in the Top 7.

Brandon: I felt like he was fodder coming into tonight, and I still feel that way. The judges lukewarm praise (when usually they flood someone with praise after taking on one of their songs) seems to put the writing on the wall that even an awesome duet performance with Luis Fonsi won't necessarily be enough to save him tomorrow.

Gaby: She's a mimic. When she sings Carrie...she sounds a lot like Carrie. When she sings Maren....she sounds a lot like Maren. She would not be in my Top 7, but I think she will be in the judges.

Cade: Utter lock for the Top 7. Over on Cade island we get pretty "pro" sounding pieces of a rock concert every time we hear him. I do wonder how he will do at Cade-ifying songs from tricky theme nights (like maybe Disney night)....and whether all his songs will start feeling "the same" if he doesn't thrown in the odd slow song or ballad from time to time.

**I think my Top 7 from this group would be Cade, Kay Kay, Layla, Dominique, Dennis (based on previous performances), Michelle (just because she has the ability to do stuff no one else left in the cast can), and I guess, Trevor. However, I feel like the show is going to move Cade, Catie, Layla, Gaby, Michael, Jonny, and Kay Kay forward...

Edited April 9, 2018 by PhD-Purgatory15

[Annber03]

Brandon kinda reminds me a bit of Constantine Maroulis. 

Michelle, Cade, and Michael were my personal picks from tonight. They were some of the stronger contestants.

Also, Michelle's red skirt she was wearing was cute. 

[jette]

Katy Perry is insufferable. Leave the boys alone. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

I'm a big fan of Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody" so I thought that Dominique was bad.  Seems like that's not a popular opinion.

On the other hand, I didn't think the guy (Brandon) who sang "Hello" by Lionel was as bad as the judges said, so I guess I'm just a very strange judge.  I liked it.  I'm sure people think David Cook retired that song, though.  I guess the editors on this show hate Brandon, because I don't remember meeting him before.

I thought the woman who sang Beyonce (Spanish speaker?  Michelle?) was soooooooo bad.  Why didn't they say anything about it?

The guy who dressed as the funeral director, Catie, and Cade were good.  The guy with the Daddy issues was better than I expected.

Edited April 9, 2018 by Ms Blue Jay

[sharifa70]

Who is the guy talking to the contestants in their pre-performance segments? Catie called him a “famous person”...?

[LoveLeigh]

1 hour ago, jette said:

Katy Perry is insufferable. Leave the boys alone. 

If a male judge behaved (after a female performed) like Katy Perry does after Cade performed, what would the reaction be? Why do we have a double standard here and why is nobody else calling Katy out for her unprofessional behavior? Just imagine if a male judge on any singing competition show swooned and got so flustered and pretend fainted after a female sang how he would be called out. 

Katy Perry is ridiculous and Cade seemed embarrassed.

Edited April 9, 2018 by DakotaLavender

[Nessie]

I watched every episode of the old show, but I've been very on the fence about watching this reboot, and didn't decide until tonight to watch it, so this is the first time I've seen any of these contestants.  I really wasn't feeling anyone until Cade...guess I've found my horse.

Can someone explain Catie to me?  I guess she's the "quirky" girl?  She shows up looking like she just rolled out of bed and threw on a dress her mom made for her out of dirty sheets, then the judges lose their minds when she takes her hair out of it's sloppy ponytail?  "You only learn a hair flip in Hollywood" Katy?  Really?  I do it practically every day in my bathroom here in Virginia.  You can take several seats.

6 minutes ago, DakotaLavender said:

If a male judge behaved (after a female performed) like Katy Perry does after Cade performed, what would the reaction be? Why do we have a double standard here and why is nobody else calling Katy out for her unprofessional behavior? Just imagine if a male judge on any singing competition show swooned and got so flustered and pretend fainted after a female sang how he would be called out. 

Katy Perry is ridiculous and Cade seemed embarrassed.

No kidding.  That was ridiculous.

They may call this a reboot, but other than new judges, it's just more of the same.  Way too much filler, way too many commercials.  I FF through most of the intro packages and judges yammering, and got through it in less than 45 minutes.

[Silver Raven]

Is this Bobby Bones's attempt at national fame so he can pursue his plan to run for Governor?

Meh. Dominique doesn't do anything for me.

I liked Lyla.

Who thought that that dress did Catie any favors?  ick.  Her low end wasn't very good.

OK, I liked Dennis.

Michelle Sussett has weird pronunciation of words.  She needs to clean up her enunciation, too.

Michael J. Woodard sang one of my favorite songs.  And I liked his tone.

Dang, Trevor has it.

I was wondering if they were going to have a WGWG and then Jonny Brenns showed up (sans guitar).  He will certainly appeal to the tweens.

Kay Kay slayed.

Loved Brandon's take on "Hello". His voice kind of cracked in places, though.

Gabby is the whitest person I have ever seen.  And she sings like it.  Meh. Not even meh, more like ugh.

I'd like to see a rocker like Cade win it.

My favorites were Kay Kay, Cade and Michael J. Woodard.

1 hour ago, sharifa70 said:

Who is the guy talking to the contestants in their pre-performance segments? Catie called him a “famous person”...?

Nashville/syndicated DJ Bobby Bones.  He's in the Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

[goldenpuppy]

11 hours ago, DakotaLavender said:

If a male judge behaved (after a female performed) like Katy Perry does after Cade performed, what would the reaction be? Why do we have a double standard here and why is nobody else calling Katy out for her unprofessional behavior? Just imagine if a male judge on any singing competition show swooned and got so flustered and pretend fainted after a female sang how he would be called out. 

Katy Perry is ridiculous and Cade seemed embarrassed.

 

There are several obvious blind items about Katy Perry being stoned on coke , and I believe based on her ridiculous behavior !  She has had a history of unstable behavior, and yes, she’s successful, but she’s a lousy vocalist . 

The show has Ryan who they are paying a fortune, and whose legal problems are not over , the woman has now went to the police , and Katy sexually harassing male contestants!

What a mess ! 

I do like Lionel, but Luke is dull! 

Edited April 9, 2018 by goldenpuppy

[Suzysite]

Quote

Gabby is the whitest person I have ever seen.  And she sings like it.  Meh.  Not even meh, more like ugh.

What?  I can't even imagine that sentiment if you were talking about a black or brown person.      Not okay at all.

Gabby is country, and speaking as a non-country fan, I think she's pretty decent at it.    Cade, however, is a pure pro.  I try to not pick my horse this early, but he's in a league of his own. 

Edited April 9, 2018 by Suzysite

[mamadrama]

2 hours ago, goldenpuppy said:

There are several obvious blind items about Katy Perry being stoned on coke , and O believe based on her ridiculous behavior !  She has had a history of unstable behavior, and yes, she’s successful, but she’s a lousy vocalist . 

 

I am no Katy Perry fan but I've heard some of her early stuff, early as in back before she was even singing pop music at all, and she is a surprisingly good vocalist-way better than average. it doesn't come across in any of her popular songs. 

I had a hard time with Bobby Bones on this episode. I am a die hard country music fan and he is a very polarizing figure on the scene. I mean, this is a DJ that towns and regions actually created petitions against to keep him out of their markets. This is someone who has been blatant about the fact that he didn't know anything about country music before accepting the DJ position a few years ago. He has behaved like a real ass to some of the singers who have been around for a long time and now, suddenly, he's on AMERICAN IDOL as a mentor? I sat there scratching my head for a long time. 

[SnarkAttack]

Caleb Johnson, season 13 winner, was a rocker.  Radio doesn't play (current) rock and roll.  If they pick Cade as the winner, who will play his music?  

[Babalooie]

Last night I was wondering about Michael J. Woodard's knowledge of so many different genres and I found this.  It's not his first rodeo, although in his first audition Lionel said, "You have no experience at all."   I like him.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Michael+Woodard+Majors+and+Minors&&view=detail&mid=5397AE08C8929A18B3665397AE08C8929A18B366&&FORM=VDRVRV

Edited April 9, 2018 by Babalooie

[PhD-Purgatory15]

Caleb was Jack Black in Tenacious D or School of Rock, rock. It bordered on self-parody at times. That said, I totally take your point. If Cade wins this whole thing, I don't think the path that existed when Chris Daughtry finished 4th and then went radio supernova for a few years really exists now for him. It would be very interesting to see how he'd be marketed post-AI as the winner...

[incandescent]

I can't believe there's a man in the music industry called Bobby Bones and he's not the drummer for a punk band. Waste of a name!

 

Anyway, I think Michael's become my number one. To be honest, I hope he ignores the advice to find his own niche because one of my favourite things about him is how diverse his choices have been. Maybe that's not gonna be an asset after the show, but it's what captured my attention in the first place.

[librarianbeck]

I don't know,  there seem to be plenty of rock stations on the radio here,  and there are several rock stations on SiriusXM.

[WhineandCheez]

Is there ANY way they won't pick Catie? I kinda think it's coming down pretty quickly to her being subtlely being made fun of. For example:  They let her go on stage looking like that.  In a Minnie Pearl dress.

[AnnieHeights]

This is the first time for me to see Katy's parents.....I have to say I was quite shocked at her father.  I had always pictured them ultra conservative and at first I thought he was Jimmy Iovine trying to look like a rapper.  Not at all what I had pictured.  I also thought Katy dialed up her 'schtick' to an 11 because they were there.  Poor Cade.....he looked confused as to what to do while she took 10 solid minutes to do her routine. 

Layla.....I still like her as a singer but I absolutely cannot stand her wide eyed country bumpkin routine (as I have stated before). 

Dominique....not the best song choice for him but he can sing!  I am worried with such little air time that he will not be chosen to move on.    

Catie......Oh folks, I just can't with her.......the sloppy clothes, the quirkiness that I am convinced is hiding a cut throat competitiveness, she doesn't even look clean half the time.  Ugh.

Trevor........ love him a lot.  I don't have to have someone flailing around to enjoy their performance. 

KayKay...... she is beautiful and can sing.  Girl can change up her look...

Brandon......I thought he did better than obviously the judges did.

Gaby.......She can sing but does nothing for me.

Michelle.....entertaining but her singing is meh.

Michael......such a cutie and so sweet....love him and hope he makes it through.

Jonny...... leaves me cold....had to look back to the first post to remember he was even there.

Dennis.......so likable but not a memorable performance.

Cade.......Total favorite in a very long time.  I love him.    

I do like the new format....I feel like we are getting to see so much more from the top 24 than in years past. 

Bobby Bones is adorable! 

[thesupremediva1]

There was Cade, and then there was everyone else.

I was invested in the competition, and then Cade took the stage and made it look like amateur hour. 

I do not even care for rock all that much, but thanks to 13 seasons of watching Supernatural and a love for Sirius XM, I've moved out of my pop bubble enough to know and appreciate the rock classics that Cade sings. If a pop princess like me is on board, Cade can totally win this thing and go on to a Daughtry-like career. He's also not a mimic - he has real vocal DNA.

I won't call him my pony until we see the second half, because I still need to hear Effie, Caleb, and Ada Vox, but this is the stage when I usually attach to someone, and I'm having a hard time thinking it won't be Cade. Seeing him tonight reminded me of when Kelly came out all those years ago and belted out Respect and I knew I was looking at the winner.

I don't mind any of the judges. I think Katie is adorable and I like the three of them together. There's a good vibe there. It's the best combo since the original legendary trio. 

[twilightzone]

Idol is desperate to launch a successful winner.  If Cade wins, it is looking at another Caleb Johnson situation.  Both are good at what they do, but there is really no place in modern music for their classic, hard rock sound.  Rock radio rarely welcomes any new acts as is.  To complicate matters, the label this year is Disney/Hollywood records.  Their roster consist of mostly boy bands or those that came through the Disney route.

The Daughtry, Kelly comparisons aren't applicable, since both always had more of a mainstream sound and their launches were at a time when the music industry was very different.

[worleybird]

I don't give a flying you-know-what about who's going to win, just let me see more of that guitarist in the band. The one with the frizzy Afro. The tightly trimmed beard. Wearing all black. With a low hanging cross hanging on a leathery necklace.  That man is sex-on-a-stick. He had a huuuuge smile a few times when he was in the shot when Ryan was taking with a singer and I just about melted!!

[proserpina65]

My initial thoughts:

I loved Kay Kay's lower register, even if I found there was too much going on in the song itself.

Layla's too young for that song, although she sang it well enough.

Gabby needs to cut the twang - you're from Pittsburgh not Alabama.

Michelle sounded okay at the beginning but hit some rank notes later on.  She really isn't that great a singer.

I listened to Catie rather than watching her, and while it doesn't come close to the version of Call Me that Hailey did, it sounded very good.  But her personality drives me insane; she acts like she's 12 years old and I just can't with that.

As much as I love Chaka Khan, I wish Dominique had done something more contemporary.  That said, he was terrific.

I'm not really sure how I feel about Michael's performance, but it was interesting as hell.

Trevor did not sound good at all.

Brandon was good at the beginning and the end of the song, but was all kinds of flat in between.  This was no David Cook-style Hello breakout performance.

Jonny was good, but I'm not sure it was good enough.

Same with Dennis.  He has more presence on stage, but his performance wasn't anything particularly special.

Which brings us to Cade, whose vocals might be less stellar than some of the other men, but damn! that boy has presence and knows how to perform on stage.  And the balls to do Jimi Hendrix's version of All Along The Watchtower.  (Although it seems to me, due to lyrical condensing, that he had the wild cat prowling along the watchtower, rather than the princess watching from there.  Whatever.)  Best performance of the night by far.  I could've done without Katy Perry's histrionics, though; that's the only downside to Cade's guaranteed advancement to the next round.

[proserpina65]

6 hours ago, Suzysite said:

Cade, however, is a pure pro.  I try to not pick my horse this early, but he's in a league of his own. 

Absolutely.  I very rarely manage to pick a horse this early myself, but the last time it was David Cook.  I feel pretty good about Cade's chances.

[Mu Shu]

Why was KP dressed like a golden girl, and is she having hot flashes?  Why would a young woman present herself this way?  I get she’s older than the contestants, but she’s still young.

i thought that blondie song was awful, and weird Catie sounded weak. 

Michelle gives me second hand embarrassment.  She’s cringy to watch IMO.  It’s like a Gloria Trevi circa whenever she wasn’t in prison schtick to me.  Unless she makes a video swimming in poop, she can just go home. 

I cant stand Luke Bryan either. Meh. 

[Jillybean]

I was underwhelmed by all of the performances last night.

I am a big fan of rock. I think Cade is good, but he doesn't blow me away like he does apparently everyone else posting here. I don't think a "rocker" can win AI. 

That Bobby Bones -- whoever he is -- did not seem to have any credibility as a "mentor" and mostly seemed to offer a free therapy session to each contestant. Thank goodness we watch on a delay and fast forward through all the fluff and crap (and some of the performances). 

The judges really bug me. I find them sitting in lounge chairs rather than at a table -- singing, dancing, standing, clapping -- to be very un-judgey of them. I get that this is no longer American Idol as we once knew it, but it's disappointing to have fanbois and fangirls instead of actual judges. Katy acts ridiculous and Luke just doesn't make sense. Lionel seems very kind, but not especially helpful.

I hope this season picks up or I won't bother to keep watching.

Edited April 9, 2018 by Jillybean

[marketdoctor]

Quote

Thank goodness we watch on a delay and fast forward through all the fluff and crap (and some of the performances). 

I stopped watching most of it live, and it's now a significant number of hours of my life I've gotten back fast-forwarding through the backstories, the "mentoring", and most of the judging.  From that perspective, I liked the performances, but there were none yet where I felt like I had to get the album.  There was a lot of potential, but also a mix of singing to win, and singing not to lose.

[WhineandCheez]

Katy Perry's outfit stank, a long sequined cardigan with a short different kind of sequin dress.  I missed her parents--damn.  Isn't he a minister?? Why did they pick the country judge?  I mean there's low key, but come on! 

Cade is so different than Caleb Johnson, who was an incarnation of Jack Black in School of Rock, a caricature.  If Cade can do contemporary stuff and is versatile, I'd love for him to win.  He seems mighty respectful, M'am.

Edited April 9, 2018 by WhineandCheez

[LakeGal]

I do wonder if Catie is putting on an act.  I just don't buy what she is selling.  

I love Cade.  He is my pick.

[Silver Raven]

Quote

The judges really bug me. I find them sitting in lounge chairs rather than at a table -- singing, dancing, standing, clapping -- to be very un-judgey of them. I get that this is no longer American Idol as we once knew it, but it's disappointing to have fanbois and fangirls instead of actual judges. Katy acts ridiculous and Luke just doesn't make sense. Lionel seems very kind, but not especially helpful.

 

It's the The Voice influence.

[Jillybean]

33 minutes ago, Silver Raven said:

 

It's the The Voice influence.

We don't watch The Voice for the same reason.

[SnarkyTart]

7 hours ago, Babalooie said:

Last night I was wondering about Michael J. Woodard's knowledge of so many different genres and I found this.  It's not his first rodeo, although in his first audition Lionel said, "You have no experience at all."   I like him.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Michael+Woodard+Majors+and+Minors&&view=detail&mid=5397AE08C8929A18B3665397AE08C8929A18B366&&FORM=VDRVRV

Wow, now that I watched that, I do remember him on Majors and Minors (a show that I loved).  On American Idol I've been wondering if he's on the autism spectrum, whereas on Majors and Minors I thought he was ADD. 

[Ladyrain]

3 hours ago, Jillybean said:

I am a big fan of rock. I think Cade is good, but he doesn't blow me away like he does apparently everyone else posting here. I don't think a "rocker" can win AI. 

No, not everyone here.  I'm not blown away by him either, but I'm swimming against the tide on that one, it seems.  Though he looks nothing like him, I get a distinct Caleb Johnson vibe from Cade, and that's definitely not a good thing.  CJ's career has gone nowhere (I don't think) and as was mentioned above, there really isn't a big market for rockers anymore.  Caleb, Nick Fradiani and Candace Glover don't seem to have capitalized on their Idol wins, for whatever reasons.  But, whoever wins this thing this year, I would love to see her/him attain Carrie U. or Kelly C. levels of fame.  We haven't had that in awhile.

[twilightzone]

1 hour ago, Ladyrain said:

 But, whoever wins this thing this year, I would love to see her/him attain Carrie U. or Kelly C. levels of fame.  We haven't had that in awhile.

That's not going to happen regardless of who wins.  If Kelly and Carrie had to compete on Idol today, their careers would be very different.

[thesupremediva1]

2 hours ago, Jillybean said:

We don't watch The Voice for the same reason.

I enjoy The Voice on a much milder level, but American Idol is iconic for a reason. The Voice is all about the coaches, mostly at the expense of the contestants. Everyone is constantly kissing the judges' asses, and it annoys me to no end. The constant practice of overpraising mediocre contestants and offering little constructive feedback has always been a mark against The Voice, and one of the reasons it has never produced a hugely successful winner.

American Idol is not The Voice. I don't want it to be The Voice. And it better not turn into The Voice. The season with Mariah and Nicki, it very nearly did, which is why next season they overpaid J.Lo to come in and attempt to right the ship. Even with huge names, most of the AI judges took their roles seriously and let the show be about the contestants. This trio hasn't broken that covenant yet, but if they do, I'll be the first one calling for a recast. Katie does sometimes come dangerously close to J-Hud territory with the OTT theatrics with the men. But I'm sure she's getting feedback and can tone it down by the live shows.

Yes, I know Simon was sometimes harsh and mean. I know everyone prefers the positivity and frothiness of the non-critiques offered by The Voice, and that's why it's won Emmys. However, ratings-wise, the original Idol was the Superbowl of TV. And results matter. I'd rather Katie Perry be slightly harsh on a young contestant so she gets it together and toughens up for the business. Kelly Clarkson is doing just fine and Simon never went easy on her. 

I'm now at the point on Idol where I'm remembering first and last names of singers who I can point out as my favorites. On The Voice, all I can tell you is who's coaching this season. They're a wash of faces and teams until the final 6 or so. 

[SnarkyTart]

1 hour ago, Ladyrain said:

No, not everyone here.  I'm not blown away by him either, but I'm swimming against the tide on that one, it seems.  Though he looks nothing like him, I get a distinct Caleb Johnson vibe from Cade, and that's definitely not a good thing. 

Me three.  He's an adequate guitarist, a mediocre vocalist, and a slightly above average (for this show) showman.  But, when it comes to "rock", as a vocalist he isn't the equal of any of the past Idol "rock" singers - Chris Daughtry, James Durbin, Caleb Johnson, and throw in the arguably rock singers David Cook and Adam Lambert.

Katy Perry has reached unbearable levels of embarrassment, and none of the three judges seem capable of offering honest or helpful critiques.  With Catie Turner looking to be a frontrunner, this reboot isn't encouraging.

[Jillybean]

1 hour ago, Ladyrain said:

No, not everyone here.  I'm not blown away by him either, but I'm swimming against the tide on that one, it seems.  Though he looks nothing like him, I get a distinct Caleb Johnson vibe from Cade, and that's definitely not a good thing.  CJ's career has gone nowhere (I don't think) and as was mentioned above, there really isn't a big market for rockers anymore.  Caleb, Nick Fradiani and Candace Glover don't seem to have capitalized on their Idol wins, for whatever reasons.  But, whoever wins this thing this year, I would love to see her/him attain Carrie U. or Kelly C. levels of fame.  We haven't had that in awhile.

Funny, I had completely forgotten about Caleb when I said I don't think a rocker can win AI. 

[Annber03]

36 minutes ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

Not really American Idol's fan base but I don't think many music purchasers really are.  

I think that's a large part of it, yeah. In my experience, some rock fans tend to be kind of...snobby about shows like "Idol", and won't really take any rockers who come from that show all that seriously as a result. It's not "cool", and they feel the "Idol" rockers haven't really "earned their way", so to speak, since they went on an audition show instead of playing in bars and toiling away on the road and things of that sort (never mind that I seem to recall that many of the rockers who've appeared on here have done that at some point in their attempts to get a career going, but that's the perception from some all the same). 

Obviously that isn't the case with all rock fans, of course, and there have been some viewers who did respond positively to the few rock artists who showed up on here. But I do think the "Idol" bias does affect rockers' success on this show to some degree as a result, unfair though it may be. 

Edited April 9, 2018 by Annber03

[dizzyd]

I too am in the minority, I'm not feeling Cade. I watched it again online today to see if I could hear what most of you did and I still didn't. He's nowhere near Caleb, Bo or Chris, who I dug immediately.

Looks like Michael has a thing for overalls.

Am I the only one surprised Ryan can carry a tune?

[Ladyrain]

1 hour ago, dizzyd said:

Am I the only one surprised Ryan can carry a tune?

I know!  Mr. Rain and I looked at each other and said, "Whaaaa???"    -    Who knew?

[SnarkAttack]

8 hours ago, worleybird said:

I don't give a flying you-know-what about who's going to win, just let me see more of that guitarist in the band. The one with the frizzy Afro. The tightly trimmed beard. Wearing all black. With a low hanging cross hanging on a leathery necklace.  That man is sex-on-a-stick. He had a huuuuge smile a few times when he was in the shot when Ryan was taking with a singer and I just about melted!!

Lol lol lol lol.  I see him!!

5 hours ago, Jillybean said:

We don't watch The Voice for the same reason.

Hate The Voice.

[marykat71702]

At the beginning, I thought they just kept showing Ryan.  Oops!

Dominique-I think he might be the dark horse of the competition. I liked it.

Layla-Meh. She needs to learn when and when not to use the gritty part of her voice.

Catie-Can go any time. When Luke said he couldn't look away, I immediately thought "yeah, like a car wreck-you don't want to look, but you can't look away".

Dennis-Nice, but wasn't a knock-out performance. Seemed like a "safe" choice of song.

Michelle-Sings better in Spanish than English.

Michael-I like his voice, but he's kind of hard to watch. Is it just me, or does he move very awkwardly? I wish he would figure out what to do with his arms.

Trevor-I want to like him, but I'm not feeling the connection.

Jonny-Good to see him relax a little bit, but I still don't think he should have made it to the top 24 over some of the others that were cut.

Kay Kay-Impressive.

Brandon-Wow, just wow. He got me right in the feels! I'm kind of disappointed that Lionel didn't stand up for him.

Lionel sounds like he is doing a karaoke version, but that was awesome!

Gabby-Impressive vocals, but again, I don't feel any connection with her.

Cade-Yes! I like him. He kind of has his own little spot/niche in this competition--I can see him going far. Keep rock alive!

Am I the only one who didn't recognize half of the people they are dueting with? However, I also had no clue who Bobby Bones is, so maybe I'm just getting old...

The ones I don't see going through are Layla, Catie, Michelle, Trevor, Jonny, and Gabby, but we'll see.

Edited April 10, 2018 by marykat71702
Got a name wrong again

[marykat71702]

6 hours ago, dizzyd said:

Am I the only one surprised Ryan can carry a tune?

Nope--I was surprised and impressed. Who knew? Hidden talents. :)

7 minutes ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

I miss a judge who’d say honest things like ‘bad song choice’, ‘bad styling’ or ‘that was awful’.

This.

[mamadrama]

16 hours ago, AnnieHeights said:

 

Catie......Oh folks, I just can't with her.......the sloppy clothes, the quirkiness that I am convinced is hiding a cut throat competitiveness, she doesn't even look clean half the time.  Ugh.

 

Catie reminds me of a girl I went to high school with. She cultivated this "quirky" personality and seemed to go out of her way to be weird. However, once you got past the wacky clothes and silliness she was actually a real bitch and just as much of a Mean Girl as the school snob. Reginas come in all shapes and sizes. 

[proserpina65]

15 hours ago, Ladyrain said:

No, not everyone here.  I'm not blown away by him either, but I'm swimming against the tide on that one, it seems.  Though he looks nothing like him, I get a distinct Caleb Johnson vibe from Cade, and that's definitely not a good thing.  CJ's career has gone nowhere (I don't think) and as was mentioned above, there really isn't a big market for rockers anymore.  Caleb, Nick Fradiani and Candace Glover don't seem to have capitalized on their Idol wins, for whatever reasons.  But, whoever wins this thing this year, I would love to see her/him attain Carrie U. or Kelly C. levels of fame.  We haven't had that in awhile.

The music industry has completely changed since Carrie Underwood won.  It's my opinion that we're never going to see another winner reach that kind of success, but there are different levels of success in the industry, and with the proper promotion this year's winner can do well.

Keep in mind, though, that this is first and foremost a tv show, and the winner will chosen by the viewers who are moved to vote in sufficient numbers.  It has nothing to do with who might be commercial enough to succeed in the industry, and everything to do with who the voters like to watch on the show.

[ladymon]

7 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

I liked Cade ok previously but not this performance.  Too cheesy and poseurish and the vocal was so-so.

For me (for you) hehe.... Cade is an SNL sketch waiting to happen.  There's a Matthew McConnaughey-esque quality to him.  When Katy was done flailing around I was waiting for an "alright, alright, alright".  I just can't get past that.

[twilightzone]

8 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

I liked Cade ok previously but not this performance.  Too cheesy and poseurish and the vocal was so-so.  I didn’t really love anyone this week, though.   

I miss a judge who’d say honest things like ‘bad song choice’, ‘bad styling’ or ‘that was awful’.   

And Katy Perry got $25M for this?  If the show comes back, that should be the first cut to the budget.  Her reviews have been so-so.  And the ratings aren't any better than Season 14, when the show got cancelled.