S16.E16: Top 7- Prince Night

[Jillybean]

Last night was pretty bad for all of the contestants except Maddie. This isn't a very strong group at all. The popularity of Cade, Michael, and Caleb is mystifying. At least with Cade, I realize that long hair + guitar can cover a ton of weaknesses. We think Michael is so awful we cannot even get through an entire performance. Ditto for Caleb. The judges are so, so horrible. At this point if it weren't for Maddie I wouldn't tune in. I'll watch the rest of the season (or until she is inevitably eliminated) but won't return for another season with this joke of a format/"judging" panel.

Edited May 7, 2018 by Jillybean

[MMLEsq]

MY top 5 (not that anyone's asking -- LOL) would have been (in order):  (1) Maddie; (2) Gabby; (3) Michael; (4) Catie; and (5) Journee.  I can't stand Cade or Caleb.  I like Catie, even though I think a lot of her "oh shucks" is kind of schticky.  I've seen people above describing Journee as cold, not connecting, etc. -- that's exactly how I would describe Caleb.  

I am also in the camp of being annoyed that the judges almost as a rule fail to offer any kind of criticism -- generally not even constructive criticism.  The gushing and the frequent standing ovations mean almost nothing because they happen so often.

I doubt I would have gone, but I'm also very surprised that the tour is not coming anywhere in Florida.  There are a lot of large venues in So. Florida, but there are many smaller ones as well -- the Hard Rock Live, Broward Center, Arsht Center or the Jackie Gleason Theater, among other venues.  I would have thought some place in Orlando would have been a no-brainer -- the winner could have done the obligatory "I won American Idol and now I'm going to Disney World!!" thing.     

[Mu Shu]

Oh man that Jurnee Prince thing was cringeworthy.  She sounded thin, and was about as sexy as Maude cozying up to Bass playing Colin Kaepernick.  Poor kid, she’s  got everything but charisma.

[plotpointer]

Catie was a hot mess last night —- and I finally figured out what’s her problem.  She doesn’t connect with the songs that she’s performing.  It’s like she’s a comedian and the songs are just a vehicle to perform her shtick.  The songs are secondary to the Catie Show.

I actually find that most of the Idol contestants this year don’t understand the lyrics or the great singers who performed them.  And Prince was definitely out of their league!

[marketdoctor]

I hope Jurnee makes it to my radio; she's really got a good voice with the right songs.  That said, the judges brought four picks through, and they were all part of the five eliminated by voting--so hopefully they scrap that idea next year.

I thought Catie was genuinely showing what she was, and I wish her well.  I've met other honest people who seemed like they weren't; sometimes I have that problem.  And apparently Lady Antebellum forgot the words to the National Anthem, so it happens to lots of people. 

I'm surprised that they seemed to do better with the Prince songs than the "year you were born" songs.  The baby pictures, for some reason, reminded me of the idea of Supreme Court Babies from A Mighty Wind.

I still like Maddie for the win, but Gabby is starting to win me for most successful post-season career.

[librarianbeck]

I agree that Gabby seems most ready for a career,  but I just really don't like her.  She seems very fake and her style of music and singing doesn't appeal to me at all.  

I love Sinead's version of "Nothing Compares 2 U," so even though Maddie' s was good,  I kept wanting to hear Sinead instead.  I thought Cade actually did a decent job bringing a little funk to his Prince,  which few others did.  I had secondhand embarrassment for Catie.  Again,  not a country fan, but Caleb's "When Doves Cry" wasn't bad, though I again just myself just wishing it was Prince singing. I have watched this show forever,  and I don't usually feel like this. 

Not looking forward to two hours of Carrie songs.  Clearly,  they're hoping Caleb or Gabby will win.

Edited May 7, 2018 by librarianbeck

[AnnieHeights]

I am not a Gabby fan whatsoever but she gave two strong performances last night. 

Caleb was great with "When Doves Cry".... 

I love, love, love Prince but I cringed a bit hearing the teenagers sing his songs which are very sexual.    

Maddie is still my favorite, I love Sinead's version of "Nothing Compare 2 U" as well and IMO nobody can top her but Maddie was still good.

Cade.....the first night I wouldn't have cared if he left, "Who Will Save Your Soul" was horrible and I like "Jungle Love", it is a fun song but he didn't blow me away.

I wonder if any of the top 7 understands what a big deal it is to perform with Sheila E?

Catie with Nick Jonas.....I was embarrassed for her.

Other Katie.....I continue to be embarrassed for her in general.  I didn't think anyone could make me miss Randy Jackson but this panel actually is.

I am glad Michael is safe but he didn't have his best night IMO.

Jurnee......so pretty but agree with everyone else, she doesn't connect.   

[thesupremediva1]

After last night I'm nearly positive Gabby was a fakeout producer plant. Does anyone remember auditions when she sang two Carrie songs and they barely let her through?

Now, miraculously, she sounds totally different and is singing every genre and is almost leading the pack vocally. That, plus the showmance with Cade, plus the Carrie catalog next week = machinations. She's their chosen one. Cade was just a red herring, and a well-placed one at that. 

'Murica got the top 5 right. I like Catie, but whether she messed up the lyrics or not, it wasn't going to matter. I think she and Jurnee were always going home last night. This format has nothing to do with actual performances - votes are locked in before anyone even performs, it seems. Ugh. 

The three judges had great chemistry and criticism for the singers in the audition rounds. Now they are struggling to form sentences. They better get it together soon or this show will be unwatchable. I cringe when Luke speaks, even more than when Katy interjects or word-vomits on people. Poor Lionel. 

I find it intriguing that Michael and Cade nearly always pick "odd" songs and try to arrange them for themselves. Meanwhile, Catie and Maddie pick odd songs and sing them pretty straight, just in their register. Then you have the country folk who (with the exception of Caleb's closer last night) stick to what they're good at and don't push the envelope. Guess who'll be the last two standing this season. 

I actually like all 5 and will have a tough time seeing any of them go next week. But there's no standout anymore. They're all very high degrees of pleasant and middling. No one is really slaying. Cade was in the beginning, when everyone else was at the bottom of their upswing. But he peaked too soon and hasn't sung anything as awesome as Kaleo and Hendrix in a month. If he doesn't hit it out of the park next week, he might be gone. Leaving us with Pittsburgh twang.

[sempervivum]

4 hours ago, radiochik said:

My whole problem with last night's show is that there is NO WAY Prince would have cleared his songs for AI while he was alive. I was surprised Sheila E went along with this. 

Do you mean, Sheila E had something to do with clearing the songs, or do you mean 'went along with' as in 'I approve of this amateur hour use of a genius's work'? She said she wanted a new generation to appreciate Prince, so...

I  assume Prince's family are now the owners of his catalog/rights and are thus to blame for releasing them to AI. Expect to hear Nothing Compares 2 U used for a car commercial soon.

[Guest]

Sheila E also just did a guest spot on a crappy NBC kid's talent show called Little Big Shots.  I only know because it was on in my mom's nursing home.  

[kili]

Quote

My whole problem with last night's show is that there is NO WAY Prince would have cleared his songs for AI while he was alive. I was surprised Sheila E went along with this. 

Prince did clear a song once in Season 5. Paris Bennett sang "Kiss" for the episode with the theme "Year You Were Born" (it wasn't released the year she was born, but a cover was). Apparently, Prince liked her performances. so he cleared the song That was also the season he performed on the Idol finale.

The nice things about themes is they make the contestants stretch a little. Caleb would have picked another stodgy Country song if he wasn't forced out of his box and "When Doves Cry" is his best performance to date. My three favourite performances last night were Prince songs (Maddie, Caleb and Gabby). My least favourte three were also Prince songs (Cade (actually, scratch that, his first song was even worse), Catie (forgetting the lyrics is forgivable, not being able to recover is a disaster) and Michael (that was a mess)).

Cade deserved to be booted last week and this week, but he's got the rock lane to himself and is surviving. He better not make the final 3 because he is so outclassed, but he might. I think it will be tough (not impossible because Season 10 had two Country artists in the final) for both Caleb and Gabby to make the finals (the show seems to prefer Gabby). Maddie should make the finals, but people might think she is safe and she will be the shock boot. She mainly has Gabby as competition. Michael owns his own quirky genre and I think he might make the finals if he brings it on his first song. Cade is the wildcard because he has his own genre (Caleb is his main competitor) which may be enough to propel him to the finals.

I think that voting is going to be heavily influenced by the week before. If your performance resonates (positively or negatively) over the intervening week, it may influence people's voting patterns since many people are voting before you even perform.

[proserpina65]

I groaned when I heard that Nick Jonas was going to be the mentor, but he actually gave some very good advice.  Can he replace all 3 judges?

 

On to the contestants:

Jurnee - 1) Kiss wasn't a bad selection for her voice, but if you're going to try to dance around the stage, don't wear boots you can't dance in.  2) Back To One was also good vocally, but there was no emotional connection in her performance.

Gabby - 1) I Hope You Dance was good for her vocally and there was some nuance to it, but I don't care for her Carriebot performances.  2) I wasn't familiar with this particular Prince song, but I loved the honky-tonk arrangement.  I like spunky, feisty Gabby much better than Carriebot Gabby.

Michael - 1) I Would Die 4 U is a fun song, but not a singer's song.  This did nothing to show off Michael's voice.  2) I hate My Heart Will Go On so much that I could not objectively judge his performance.  Anyone who does that song is dead to me.

Cade - 1) Who Will Save Your Soul was an unexpected choice.  I liked the beginning when Cade was using his lower register, but then it went high and off-key.  2) Jungle Love - see I Would Die 4 U - but hey, Sheila E.!!!!!!  Last night was probably Cade's worst night, imo, but I still wanted him to go on because when he chooses songs in his genre, I enjoy his performances.

Catie - 1) Oops, I Did It Again was fun, and Catie sounded really good.  The arrangement suited her and sounded kind of British Invasion-like to me.  2) Manic Monday - I didn't realize that Catie had forgotten lyrics until the judges said so; I thought she was having problems with her ear monitor.  Too bad about that, because the song worked for her voice, and she recovered decently.

Caleb - 1) I've never liked Lonestar's Amazed, and this didn't change my mind, but Caleb's voice sounded wonderful.  He's got a pretty good range, and stays on key in all of it.  2)  I'm still not sure how I feel about the country/rock arrangement of When Doves Cry, but again, Caleb sounded great on it.  He's definitely much more comfortable playing guitar.

Maddie -  1) Nothing Compares 2 U - the words I wrote down were "flawless" and "sublime".  Best performance of the night by far; the only one which even begins to come close is: 2) If It Makes You Happy - Maddie should be happy with being a singer/songwriter type because she's very, very good at it (not sure why she thinks that label means someone can't sing that well).  She isn't a belter and shouldn't try to be when she can do this as well as she does.  It sounded current and commercial - I could hear that version on the radio today.

 

I would've kept Maddie, Caleb, Cade, Catie and I suppose Gabby.  Not upset that Michael made it, but I wish it had been Gabby going home instead of Catie.

14 hours ago, SnarkAttack said:

Anyone else notice that Maddie wasn't backstage several times when the camera was there; wonder where she went.

I wondered if she was in the bathroom, mainly because that's where I would've been.

[TVFan17]

My aging mind could be revising history, but I thought I remembered Katy Perry being one of the better guest judges during audition rounds of American Idol years ago.   Katy was not quite the mega-star that she is today -- in fact, she might have only had one (possibly two) hit song at that point.     I think Simon was still on the show back then too, but I can't recall if Paula was still there with Simon and Randy, or if Kara had already become a judge.

Anyway, when Katy did her stint as a judge way back then (for one or two episodes), it was during a phase of time when they were bringing in guest judges to join the regulars during the audition process (not the live shows).  I think that Jewel, Olivia Newton-John and Shania Twain also guest-judged for those auditions too.   I know that Katy stood out in my mind as being surprisingly good, and I think I thought that she had some good commentary -- she was not mean, but she also wasn't afraid to point out weaknesses or flaws if they were there, and if improvement was necessary.  She was direct.

So, when new judges were being recruited for the show in the years after that period of time -- the Mariah Carey, J. Lo, etc., years -- I remember thinking "They should bring in Katy Perry -- she was really good during the audition rounds."

And now... all I can say is, be careful what you wish for...

Edited May 7, 2018 by TVFan17

[Annber03]

4 hours ago, plotpointer said:

I actually find that most of the Idol contestants this year don’t understand the lyrics or the great singers who performed them.  

Agreed. I remember that being a critique of other contestants over the years on this show, too-I get that it can be tough to sing songs that you may be too young to personally remember (or which came out before you were born), but if you are assigned one, or pick one from whatever choices they're offering, you should take a little time to properly study the lyrics and try and understand the meaning of the song, and find a way to connect to the words. 

It took me a bit to realize that "Back at One" was the song Jurnee was singing. Part of that may be due to the fact it's been years since I heard that song, but I think a lot of it was that it just felt like it went a lot slower than the original...and the original was a ballad already. 

[yorklee2]

Quote

I had no idea Prince wrote "Jungle Love".

He not only wrote it but sung it as well.

Quote

I agree that Gabby seems most ready for a career, but I just really don't like her.

This. She has talent and stage presence but I just can't warm up to her. I think it's because her confidence sometimes comes across as cocky and arrogant. When they crown winners they always seem shocked and humbled to varying degrees. She strikes me as if she would act shocked but not really mean it because she knew all along she was the best. Or like she was entitled to it. Just my opinion.

[Madding crowd]

My take on the judges not offering more criticism, is that it's a combination of ABC/Disney wanting a different type of show and the fact that a large number of people are leaving each night so giving criticism to people who will have to leave anyway just seems mean. If one person were  sent home each week, the judges would have a lot of time to mentor the contestants. If 2-4 people are leaving no matter what, it becomes harder to bring out the "You have to do this to not get sent home" because several people who do just that will get sent home.

I also don't think its fair to criticize contestants for singing Prince songs because they have no choice and likely have little time to be studying the lyrics to find out the real meanings. Most of their time is spent in rehearsal or doing press conferences etc, so I imagine their isn't much down time. I enjoyed "When Doves Cry" the most of any of the performances because Caleb has a strong voice and I could feel the emotion in the song.. 

Maddie remains my favorite but I think it wlll be difficult to win because her quirky style doesn't lend itself to an easy pop/country genre and she doesn't sing songs which elicit emotional responses. I think Gabby has a beautiful voice and is the likely winner, but for some reason she always seems too different week to week and it bugs me. I knew Journee and Cathie would be voted out last night. Jurnee doesn't sing with feeling and often looks very nervous, and Catie just seems too needy. She always seems to be saying or doing something in the background and acting sillly rather than professional.

I don't have a problem with Cade. I like it that he is different than the rest and i have enjoyed the particular songs he has chosen. I understand he doesn't have the greatest voice, but I appreciate a rocker being among the usual pop and country. Finally have to say, I am disliking Katy Perry more and more. If you  notice, Luke and Lionel dress in normal clothes and don't make everything about them, Katy dresses and acts like  the entire show is only about  her  which really does a disservice to  the contestants.

[yorklee2]

52 minutes ago, TVFan17 said:

My aging mind could be revising history, but I thought I remembered Katy Perry being one of the better guest judges during audition rounds of American Idol years ago.   Katy was not quite the mega-star that she is today -- in fact, she might have only had one (possibly two) hit song at that point.     I think Simon was still on the show back then too, but I can't recall if Paula was still there with Simon and Randy, or if Kara had already become a judge.

Anyway, when Katy did her stint as a judge way back then (for one or two episodes), it was during a phase of time when they were bringing in guest judges to join the regulars during the audition process (not the live shows).  I think that Jewel, Olivia Newton-John and Shania Twain also guest-judged for those auditions too.   I know that Katy stood out in my mind as being surprisingly good, and I think I thought that she had some good commentary -- she was not mean, but she also wasn't afraid to point out weaknesses or flaws if they were there, and if improvement was necessary.  She was direct.

So, when new judges were being recruited for the show in the years after that period of time -- the Ellen, Mariah Carey, J. Lo, etc., years -- I remember thinking "They should bring in Katy Perry -- she was really good during the audition rounds."

And now... all I can say is, be careful what you wish for...

I remember seeing her judge on a episode of XFactor UK. I specifically remember it because of an audition where she was the last judge to speak and out of 4 judges the count was 2 yes and 1 no to send him through, so her vote was critical to whether he went home or not. It was a lot of pressure on her and she was torn. She talked about being 15 when she started and sometimes it took years to make it and then she said, "do I think you have talent..yes you have a seed of it". She waited a few more seconds then threw her hands in the air and said, "yes why not". Turns out the contestant was Niall Horan who went on to fame in One Direction and is now having success as a solo artist in the singer/songwriter vein. Years later she was able to present him (and the band) an award for best video IIRC, so it kind of came full circle.

And I agree she was very laid back but serious in her critiques. None of this OTT antics. But as you said she hadn't blown up real big yet. I think the superstardom has went to her head.

[proserpina65]

6 hours ago, Jillybean said:

We think Michael is so awful we cannot even get through an entire performance. Ditto for Caleb.

Caleb has a very good voice.  He's mostly been in the contemporary Country wheelhouse, and if that's not your thing (it's not mine), I can see him not appealing to you.  But he is talented.

[librarianbeck]

6 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

Caleb has a very good voice.  He's mostly been in the contemporary Country wheelhouse, and if that's not your thing (it's not mine), I can see him not appealing to you.  But he is talented.

I agree with this.  I don't like country,  but he seems to have a very classic country tone to me.  I can appreciate his voice,  even if his songs aren't my cup of tea. 

[TVFan17]

25 minutes ago, librarianbeck said:

I agree with this.  I don't like country,  but he seems to have a very classic country tone to me.  I can appreciate his voice,  even if his songs aren't my cup of tea. 

That's exactly where I am about him too.   I am generally not a big country music fan unless it's very pop-oriented or unless it has a soft rock kind of edge to it (I like The Eagles, for example), but I can appreciate a good voice that fits a specific genre.  Caleb has a great, clear tone to his voice that seems very authentic.  The country music fandom is  passionate,  loyal and supportive, and they might rally behind him and catapult him to the top of the pack.

Edited May 7, 2018 by TVFan17

[PamelaMaeSnap]

16 hours ago, RandomWatcher said:

Catie was acting as though she knew she wasn't going to be picked 

You mean, when she was pointing to herself and saying "it's me, it's me" when the final 3 were standing there?

[librarianbeck]

2 minutes ago, PamelaMaeSnap said:

You mean, when she was pointing to herself and saying "it's me, it's me" when the final 3 were standing there?

I thought she meant "it's me leaving, " based on her body language and saying "no" when the crowd shouted her name. 

[Nessie]

What a completely underwhelming night, IMO.  The only performance I enjoyed was Caleb's "When Doves Cry", which came as a complete surprise to me because I'm really not a country fan, and I haven't been a Caleb supporter so far.  But I thought it was haunting, so good on him.  

The rest?  Meh.  Cade was Cade, which means I enjoyed it for what it was, then promptly forgot about it.  I didn't like Maddie, which makes me sad.  I thought she would slay on "Nothing Compares 2 U", but it felt like she changed up the chorus just to be different from the original, and it felt inorganic and off to me, so that was disappointing, and I've never liked "If It Makes You Happy".  I thought Michael was off, and I can't quite put my finger on why.   

Still haven't warmed up to Gabby, was disappointed in Jurnee, and Catie was there.  All in all a disappointing night.

[proserpina65]

2 minutes ago, librarianbeck said:

I thought she meant "it's me leaving, " based on her body language and saying "no" when the crowd shouted her name. 

Yeah, I thought she seemed upset at the thought that one of the others might be leaving in her place.

[PamelaMaeSnap]

6 minutes ago, librarianbeck said:

I thought she meant "it's me leaving, " based on her body language and saying "no" when the crowd shouted her name. 

Sorry if you guys misunderstood ... yes, that's exactly what I thought she meant ... "it's me leaving" ... I do think she has some humility hidden under all the schtick so she handled her being voted off with some class. I really thought we'd be stuck with her until T3 (I still think Gabby is going to win it all because the first time I saw her I thought a) blerg, I cannot STAND her and b) she's going to win it all). 

I love Michael but I think Maddie is the contestant who can really be a huge star, albeit in her own genre which tends to not have "superstahs." I loves me my singer-songwriters who have gorgeous voices but make songs their own dawgs (for me for you) and she does that. 

[librarianbeck]

16 minutes ago, PamelaMaeSnap said:

Sorry if you guys misunderstood ... yes, that's exactly what I thought she meant ... "it's me leaving" ... I do think she has some humility hidden under all the schtick so she handled her being voted off with some class. I really thought we'd be stuck with her until T3 (I still think Gabby is going to win it all because the first time I saw her I thought a) blerg, I cannot STAND her and b) she's going to win it all). 

I love Michael but I think Maddie is the contestant who can really be a huge star, albeit in her own genre which tends to not have "superstahs." I loves me my singer-songwriters who have gorgeous voices but make songs their own dawgs (for me for you) and she does that. 

Sorry,  yes,  we're saying the same thing.  I see Maddie as having a career like maybe someone like Feist or maybe Regina Spektor? 

[PamelaMaeSnap]

29 minutes ago, librarianbeck said:

Sorry,  yes,  we're saying the same thing.  I see Maddie as having a career like maybe someone like Feist or maybe Regina Spektor? 

Exactly. I confess to not being a huge Regina Spektor fan even though I think I should be ... but absolutely in that category. I could see Maddie's voice and songs being a music supervisor's dream. She'll be all over Grey's Anatomy Season 20 (I hope). I'm probably biased because she reminds me a lot (vocally and in her music style and choices) of Little Snappy who pursued the singer-songwriter route for a few years before deciding she'd rather be on the other side of the biz, the one with just a little less pressure and uncertainty. 

[Lorelei4895]

Is anyone else a little disappointed that Cade didn't tell Ryan to get his mirror?  Or one of the judges?  It seemed like a missed comedic oppurtunity to me.

[ItsHelloPattiagain]

Quote

As beautiful as Jurnee is and as good as her voice is, she is like a cold fish. When she smiles while singing, the smile stops before it gets to her eyes. Whether it is stage fright, shyness or something else, she never really seemed to be comfortable on the stage.

I've been around since the TWOP days and they used to call Katherine McPhee "Dead Eyes". That's my frame of reference when I watch Jurnee.  

Unless there's a different version I've missed, "Jungle Love" was sung by Morris Day and The Time, not Prince. I actually have it on my Itunes and it's a great road trip song (as long as I'm alone, haha). 

Lorelei, the mirror would have been awesome, but I'm guessing Cade has never see the video because MTV doesn't play videos. Maybe VH1 when they run I Love the 80s. . . . I can see that video playing when I close my eyes right now!!

Whoever was dressing Catie made her look like the biggest nerd ever.  Bright pink satin pants? Maybe for Dress Up Day at the senior citizen center. 

Edited May 7, 2018 by ItsHelloPattiagain

[gardendiva]

3 hours ago, yorklee2 said:

She [Gabby] has talent and stage presence but I just can't warm up to her. I think it's because her confidence sometimes comes across as cocky and arrogant. When they crown winners they always seem shocked and humbled to varying degrees. She strikes me as if she would act shocked but not really mean it because she knew all along she was the best. Or like she was entitled to it. Just my opinion.

Oh, this is so true. I started out being a huge fan when Hollywood Week started, but even then her cockiness was starting to get under my skin. But her backstory made me root for her. Over time, she began to show her true colors little by little and my preference for her faded. Last night was the ultimate when she brazenly basically asked Katy Perry on live television for a job as opening act for her tour. How classless! She is pretty young, I know, but still that is not the way to try to “network”. It made her look so full of herself. Turned me off all the way. I took away any votes I had planned to throw her way.

[BogoGog24]

My thoughts on everyone last night:

Jurnee - I didn't think much of her Prince performance and her year of birth song was just alright. One thing I have always liked about her though is how effortless her vocals are (*ahem* looking at the try-hard Gabby, which I'll discuss more on her review). Unfortunately I guess her vocals were TOO effortless, as she never really seemed to connect with the audience. I knew since last week she would probably be gone this week. If she can just dig more emotionally into the performances, she could be a star someday. She has the voice and the look, plus a superstar name.

Catie - I really enjoyed her rendition of the Britney song. But unfortunately she tanked on Manic Monday and I could tell as soon as she flubbed the words that she never seemed to really recover and lost confidence. I don't know if that was what caused her elimination though. I think if she had the fanbase they wouldn't have cared that she forgot the words. I think a lot of people found her annoying and even though she reportedly had the most social media followers, I don't think that necessarily translated into hardcore voting fans. I think the competition will be a lot less interesting without her. I honestly did not expect her to get eliminated.

Cade - Based on who performed best, Cade easily should have been eliminated. He was easily the worst of everyone tonight. His take on the Jewel song wasn't good IMO and it seemed like it had no melody. He can't sing at all and seems to have issues with keeping any kind of pitch. I can only give him credit for attempting to make his own arrangement of that song. And I barely watched his Prince song but I didn't need to, as it was just a very typical Cade performance of growling with some guitar playing. Booorrrinnggg. I'll laugh my ass off if he actually wins because we all know he won't go anywhere in the industry after the show. Also, Katy needs to stop making a fool of herself every time he performs. That got old weeks ago. It's so embarrassing and uncomfortable to watch.

Gabby - She gave a competent vocal for I Hope You Dance but she needs to cut out that damn twang. It ruins everything she sings. And I'm of the unpopular opinion that I didn't much care for her Prince song - she was just yelling, not singing. She has a lot of very bad vocal habits, including yelling and pushing her voice in her upper register. She will damage her voice over time if she keeps doing that. Unlike Jurnee, who always sounded effortless and clean when she sang, never needed to push or strain or yell to produce a good sound. I just cannot get behind Gabby, or Cade, for that matter. They are the only 2 I completely dislike that are left and I'm fine with anyone but the 2 of them winning. Unfortunately odds look like it will be one of them. At least Gabby might have a shot at some sort of success after the show, which I can't see happening for Cade. 

Gabby comes across as very smug and cocky to me. She actually said in an interview that she is her own biggest inspiration to her career *eyeroll* She said in another interview that she can sing as low as Toni Braxton and as high as Mariah. Don't compare yourself to big legends unless you can really deliver on that. The only things I can give her credit for are that she is a good performer and seems the most comfortable onstage. She also sings better when she goes the R&B/gospel route. Next week with Carrie she will be insufferable. It's painfully obvious she is TCO but hopefully that means it'll end up backfiring on them and maybe Maddie or Caleb will sneak up and win. 

Maddie - Speaking of Maddie, I thought her Nothing Compares 2 U was the best performance of the night. I really enjoyed that and I like how she can make an impactful performance by using the subtleties of her voice instead of yelling and screaming, or putting some kind of affectation on her voice, like Gabby. Her Sheryl Crow song was just alright. Too bad her Prince song couldn't have been at the end. But glad she got through. With Jurnee and Catie gone, Maddie is probably my horse in the race now.

Caleb - Amazed was ironically not amazing. It seemed like he had some pitch issues and the performance felt super short. He is lucky he got to close with When Doves Cry. Super different arrangement, but unlike with Cade, it worked. It was a huge risk that paid off for him. He is my second choice to win after Maddie.

Michael - I don't think he had great performances tonight. His Prince song was ok and the Titanic song was better, but it's such an iconic song that you really need to do it just as good as the original or better. Hard to top Celine. I think he got lucky this week with Jurnee and Catie doing worse and he will unfortunately probably get eliminated next week, especially since it's Carrie.


Predictions for next week: No way will Gabby get eliminated during Carrie week. Cade may be a surprise elimination, don't know what he would sing especially since he doesn't have a good range to sing Carrie. I could see him doing one of her rockier songs or maybe because he's a minister, he'll do Something in the Water. Maddie will also struggle due to the range I think. Unfortunately I see Maddie and Michael getting eliminated, resulting in a Caleb/Cade/Gabby finale. Caleb should do reasonably well with Carrie.

Additional thoughts: I thought Nick Jonas was actually a pretty good mentor (better than Bobby Bones a few weeks ago). He had actual good advice for the contestants.

[rr2911]

Just thought I might post who I liked on American Idol last night.

 

1. Maddie Poppe - Great job on both songs

2. Gabby Barrett - She had a strong night

3. Cade Foehner - I thought he did a good on Jungle Love

4. Caleb Lee Hutchinson - He hasn't been one of my favorites, but last night he did a good rendition of When Dove's Cry

5. Jurnee - Being a very pretty young girl with a good voice but with a hint of arrogance isn't going to get you far in AI

6. Catie - She was one of my favorites and I was sad to see her forget the words. Oh man! This wasn't her night so America responded

7. Michael Woodard - I saved the best of the worst for last..lol! He butchered Celine Dion's song,...OMG!! The Prince song he sang, he sounded like a cat was being skinned alive!! And he made it to the next round! Come on America! Really??

 

The judges have been the most disappointing part of this revamped music show. In the taped auditions, their critiques seemed like they were actually looking for the next American Idol. Now, during the live shows, the judges have forgotten how to critique. Everyone is a star and sounds great. Simon Cowell, where are you?   

[Blissfool]

Me:

"Well he didn't sing it so I guess Prince must have wrote I Hope You Dance!"

"I didn't know Prince also wrote Amazed!"

"I didn't know Prince also wrote Oops I Did It Again!"

Lol....i was so confused. I thought it was gonna be all Prince all night. I didn't figure it out til midway through the show.

[PamelaMaeSnap]

Praying they do something similar next week and make it one Carrie song and one song in another category. I couldn't name one Carrie song, period. She bores me to tears. If they make everyone do TWO Carrie songs I'll know the fix is in for Grabby Gabby and probably won't watch any further ... I'll just wait and follow Maddie and Michael on their post-show careers thanks to social media.

[Meowwww]

48 minutes ago, Blissfool said:

Me:

"Well he didn't sing it so I guess Prince must have wrote I Hope You Dance!"

"I didn't know Prince also wrote Amazed!"

"I didn't know Prince also wrote Oops I Did It Again!"

Lol....i was so confused. I thought it was gonna be all Prince all night. I didn't figure it out til midway through the show.

Me too lol!   I turned it on and a non-Prince song was being sung.  I was confused and, as a native Minnesotan, a little upset!

[calipiano81]

Michael frustrates me. As someone who has worked with many singers, I think he actually has a strong voice with a lot of potential. He's a good performer and he has such a likeable personality. But I think he makes the strangest musical choices - not the song picks themselves - but in the directions he takes the melodic line (from monotone lines to jumping octaves), how he clips ends of phrases, the embellishments and additional notes he puts in, and how he pronounces some of the words. Idol wants the singers to "make it your own," but it needs to be done in a way that flows organically and makes musical sense; it can't just be all over the place. I don't know why the vocal coaches and mentors don't work with him to make better musical choices. I enjoy Michael's voice, but the only two song performances of his that I think were well put together were his "Make it Rain" audition and "Maybe This Time" in Hollywood.

IMO, if Maddie, Caleb, or Cade wins this, it will just be another WGWG year (with a twist in gender for Maddie). For me, Maddie and Caleb's voices are pleasant, but nothing particularly impressive. I don't really enjoy Cade's growling that tries to pass for vocal quality. I also like to see stage presence, and as with all WGWGs, I cannot see it if the person is always hiding behind an instrument.

So I guess that leaves Gabby as my pick. I think she has the complete package - great vocal ability, musicality, performance value and confidence on stage. The only problem I see is that she still sounds like as if she's trying to imitate someone or something. It could all be her actual voice, but there are moments that come off as a musical exaggeration and not a natural expression. That said, I feel like she had the strongest pair of performances of the night.

Edited May 8, 2018 by calipiano81

[yorklee2]

Another thing I noticed that they've changed this year, and I don't think it's been mentioned, is that only the top 7 will be going on tour this year. It used to be the top 10. That means Dennis, Ada/m, and Michelle will not be joining them. ABC has really made a lot of changes. I wonder if they will keep everything the same next year or change it up even more.

[Blissfool]

1 hour ago, calipiano81 said:

Michael frustrates me. As someone who has worked with many singers, I think he actually has a strong voice with a lot of potential. He's a good performer and he has such a likeable personality. But I think he makes the strangest musical choices - not the song picks themselves - but in the directions he takes the melodic line (from monotone lines to jumping octaves), how he clips ends of phrases, the embellishments and additional notes he puts in, and how he pronounces some of the words. Idol wants the singers to "make it your own," but it needs to be done in a way that flows organically and makes musical sense; it can't just be all over the place. I don't know why the vocal coaches and mentors don't work with him to make better musical choices. I enjoy Michael's voice, but the only two song performances of his that I think were well put together were his "Make it Rain" audition and "Maybe This Time" in Hollywood.

I'm not a fan of Michael. I fear he might be The Chosen One. If he wins I will be really upset. 

At the beginning of the Titanic song I thought he sounded like a little boy in his living room singing for his mom's friends as they gush on wonderment. 

[mamadrama]

*sigh* I was all over the place with this episode. My husband kept darting in and out of the room and he did a lot of wincing. 

Jurnee - Kiss - Okay, so I agree that she doesn't necessarily "connect" but I like listening to her and I like HER. She lacks the charisma but that may come with time and age. I'd rather listen to her than watch some of the others. 

Gabby - I Hope You Dance - Big Leanne Womack fan here (the rest of her catalouge is stellar) and, to me, she always sounds effortless. Gabby, on the other hand, sounds strained. I hate that Carrie Underwood-style screaming that so many of them do. It makes my own throat worse. I guess I have next week to look forward to...

Michael J - I Would Die For U - Hadn't heard of this song but his performance was fun. 

Cade - Who Will Save Your Soul - Yikes. My husband walked through during a particularly sour note and he actually jumped a little. I told him it eventually got better. And it did. Sort of. 

Catie - Oops I Did it Again - Someone else upthread called it-she is not a singer, she's a comedienne (or a performer). It's fine to have fun with music, it's even fine not to take American Idol that seriously (I always liked Bo Bice's kind of tongue-in-cheek approach to the whole thing) but she is crossing a line of being disrespectful. The schtick is not doing it for me, dawg. 

Caleb - Amazed - Caleb has that kind of bland, nondescript voice that a lot of country men have today. He'd probably do fine on the radio. I hate this song, though. 

Maddie - Nothing Compares to You - Love this song (poor Sinead, someone keep her off social media) and loved Maddie's voice on it. She's the only one I'd buy a whole album from at this point.

Michael J - My Heart Goes On - I am so sick of this song that nothing outside of changing the entire tune would sound anything more than karaoke to me. 

Cade - Jungle Love - Sheila E. was the best part of this. 

Gabby - How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore - I preferred this one over her other song choice. The one thing I AM really digging about her is her new hair extensions. She looks a lot better now that her hair isn't slicked down onto her head. 

Jurnee - Back at One - It was okay. Just okay. The performance was boring, her voice is nice. 

Catie - Manic Monday - It's fine if you forget the lyrics but, for God's sake, RECOVER! Hell, Pryor Baird basically adlibbed Dolly's "9 to 5" over on THE VOICE the other night. When you get caught like a deer in headlights, it makes the whole audience uncomfortable. 

Maddie - If it Makes You Happy - After some of the other performances, this was like a nice warm bath with a handful of chocolates, 

Caleb - When Doves Cry - I actually enjoyed this. What the hell is wrong with me? He's one of those pretty-bland boys that I hate about modern country (looking at YOU, Luke Bryan) singing a song that I love and I actually enjoyed it. Huh.

 

I'm with everyone else about Prince's music being used.He did like cultivating new "talent", but I'd have to say that his family was more than eager to sell out to whoever is paying right now. It makes me sad. I am not a Carrie Underwood fan. I think she has a decent technical voice but it always sounds like she's screaming, to me, and every song sounds the same. If she wants to show emotion, she just sings louder. There are some women like that around where I live. They have technically good voices but give them 20 songs and though they'll hit every note, every single one of those songs will sound exactly the same.  

[marykat71702]

Watching on Hulu, but paused before the results so I could get my thoughts down before I know what happens...

Jurnee-Still leaves me cold, and what was with the picture of the eyes in the background on her second song?

Gabby-I didn't care much for her first song, but I liked her second song.

Cade-I'm over him. Tonight he showed how much his actual singing voice is lacking.

Michael-Tonight showcased, once again, his lack of enunciation. He can't even say "you" correctly, and it was distracting.

Caleb-I can really see him making it on the country scene. When I heard that he was doing When Doves Cry, I was a little scared, but it turned out incredible, IMO.

Catie-Did not have a good night. I wasn't really impressed with her Britney song, and then she forgot the lyrics to her second song. And what was Luke talking about? She forgot the lyrics in her group round, too, if I am remembering correctly.

Maddie-Great job on both songs. Lionel is right, whatever happens on this show, I think she has a career in music.

 

I hope Maddie and Caleb are the top two, but I admit that my tastes are not necessarily in line with what other people like.

My picks for the two to leave tonight are Jurnee and either Cade or Catie, But going on past predictions, I know I'm probably bound to be disappointed.

Now to watch the results...

[marykat71702]

On 5/6/2018 at 9:38 PM, SnarkAttack said:

Anyone else notice that Maddie wasn't backstage several times when the camera was there; wonder where she went.

Yep, I noticed and wondered as well.

[marykat71702]

6 hours ago, ItsHelloPattiagain said:

Unless there's a different version I've missed, "Jungle Love" was sung by Morris Day and The Time, not Prince.

Prince wrote it.

[sas616]

11 hours ago, Blissfool said:

Me:

"Well he didn't sing it so I guess Prince must have wrote I Hope You Dance!"

"I didn't know Prince also wrote Amazed!"

"I didn't know Prince also wrote Oops I Did It Again!"

Lol....i was so confused. I thought it was gonna be all Prince all night. I didn't figure it out til midway through the show.

You were not alone.  LOL.  

[sas616]

8 hours ago, mamadrama said:

 

Caleb - Amazed - Caleb has that kind of bland, nondescript voice that a lot of country men have today. He'd probably do fine on the radio. I hate this song, though

Like Luke Bryan.    (I had to laugh when I saw your last comment on Caleb, Mamadrama.  Great minds and all that.  LOL.

[llewis823]

18 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

Finally have to say, I am disliking Katy Perry more and more. If you  notice, Luke and Lionel dress in normal clothes and don't make everything about them, Katy dresses and acts like  the entire show is only about  her  which really does a disservice to  the contestants.

I agree 100%. I liked her at first - a big surprise to me. But now she has made it all about her at the expense of the contestants. But you know what? They always have the diva - JLo, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj. AI obviously plans it that way.

[Guest]

Yes, it's part of the formula now, I think.  Plus they pay Katy more than the guys combined because she is over the top and zany.  So I'm sure her direction is, "Be over the top and zany! The guys are dull as dirt mostly, make up for it!"  

This is not a subdued personality.  http://people.com/style/met-gala-2018-katy-perry-wings/

She bothers me much less than JLo or Mariah or Christina (on The Voice).  For the most part, I think she's trying to put on a good show and make it successful.  Her ad libs aren't that bad and while I usually hate an over-talker, sometimes when she steps in to put words in Luke's mouth, I'm glad someone did so he doesn't just hem and haw endlessly.  He's a likable guy but his repetitive "good jobs" are getting like Steven Tyler's "beautiful".  

[WhineandCheez]

Quote

the mirror would have been awesome, but I'm guessing Cade has never see the video because MTV doesn't play videos. Maybe VH1 when they run I Love the 80s. . . . I can see that video playing when I close my eyes right now!!

Also the background "oheoeo" was too faint and they needed guys on the balcony doing the side to side dance thingie.  Cade....sucked.  Really his voice is 0% trained.  He's got a good growl but cannot hit a note that well.  Catie....well I think that she is not the type to watch herself years from now and cringe at her behavior, which is good.  She is just soooo...I don't know.. she has no filter.  I had a friend like that she would just walk up to anyone and say anything.  I didn't enjoy it with her and I don't need to see it on national TV, clothed horribly.  Jurnee, with the new hair LOOKS like Beyonce! A tiny Beyonce.  But she's a Seinfeld Bizarro World Beyonce, because Journee has  zero "oomph."  Maddy for the win.  I like Michael but he's soo uneven.

[Guest]

Catie was one of my favorites going into this week but she really tanked not just both songs but her backstage antics.  Her acting utterly clueless on the meaning of "you're going on tour" was too much for me.  I mean, go ahead and act shocked and confused for a second but not as long as it went on.  I kind of felt like even Ryan wanted to push her out of his way to get a new reaction from someone else back there. 

I feel bad for her, she's so young and she knows that acting in these instances isn't her strong suit, but she went for it and flopped.  I hope she keeps a ton of internet fans and does well in life.  

[ForReal]

42 minutes ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

Catie was one of my favorites going into this week but she really tanked not just both songs but her backstage antics.  Her acting utterly clueless on the meaning of "you're going on tour" was too much for me.  I mean, go ahead and act shocked and confused for a second but not as long as it went on.  I kind of felt like even Ryan wanted to push her out of his way to get a new reaction from someone else back there. 

I feel bad for her, she's so young and she knows that acting in these instances isn't her strong suit, but she went for it and flopped.  I hope she keeps a ton of internet fans and does well in life.  

As soon as Catie started her first song, my husband said, "She doesn't want to be here anymore. She's done." I wanted to disagree with him, but...she did seem off and rather defeated right from the start. Her idiosyncrasies seemed more pronounced, perhaps due to anxiety because she knew it wasn't her night. I think she really was shocked about the tour because she was thinking it was all over for her and was then realizing (for better or worse) that it was not all over.

I also thought that Prince wouldn't have given permission to use his songs and now that his family has control and gets the money, it was a green light.

I'm team Maddie and don't even care if she doesn't win, because in the long run that might be better for her career, which I will follow.

[PamelaMaeSnap]

Laughing at the comments about the original "Jungle Love" video and MTV ... brings back a lot of memories. Though MTV launched in the late summer of 1981, we didn't get it on our cable system until very early 1982 (though "Jungle Love" came out a few years later, I believe) ... right around the time I started working with a music PR firm that handled, among others, Prince and Morris Day and the Time (I still have my "What Time Is It?" LP -- I just LOVED him, his whole style). I'm a little surprised none of the girls tackled "Nasty Girl" by Vanity 6, the other "big dog" in Prince's crew and their biggest hit, IIRC, written by Prince himself.