S17.E16 : Top 8

[parrotlover]

43 minutes ago, cinsays said:

Very disappointing performances. 

I thought Walker and Laci were the best last night and they have been my least favorite in past performances.

Madison was pretty good, but, as someone earlier pointed out, she showed the wrong emotion for this song.   I still want her to win, but I doubt that that will happen.  Laine will likely win just because this is really just a popularity contest and he is cute.

Did not think any of the others were good.  

I sure hope this is the last season for Katy Perry.  She brings nothing to the show but her constant need for attention and it is really annoying.  They should have just let her lay on the floor. 

I watched Idol from day one, every season, and only quit about 5 years ago when I couldn't take JLo's making it all about herself, and some of the other judges and judging that I was annoyed with. Felt like after Simon left, so did any real criticism. Anyway, couldn't find anything to watch last night and tuned in for a few minutes. Oh Lord - I thought JLo was an attention whore, but Katy Perry definitely has her beat. I read that her last album and/or tour was a bomb so I'm sure that's the only reason she's sitting there collecting a big fat check, and as my daddy used to say, "Acting like a damn fool".

I admire you people who are still watching and can put up with her twice a week.  Also as luck would have it, my few minutes included Wade "singing". When I heard all three judges praise this guy, for what to my ears sounded like talking, confirmed for me that I made the right decision 5 years ago.

[JennMatMusic33]

Wade should have been gone. Period. I haven't minded his past performances as much, but last night he was downright awful. Would have swapped Wade for Walker. I did not mind Alyssa going at all; as I have said for awhile, she already thinks she is a pop star and that made her come off as smug and entitled. To me, I could easily find someone with her voice in the local high school's a Capella group. 

The audio was all over the place tonight as well and made some singers hard to hear. How come the producers or whomever have not figured that out yet? No one has told them? 

I'm still no fan of Laci. During her duet with Laine, she sounded like she was really straining to get any power in her voice, and it sounded off. During her solo, I couldn't understand every other word. Some of the audience must enjoy her obviously, but she's not my cup of tea.

This was actually one of the few weeks that I have actually enjoyed Laine. I'm still not fully on the Laine Train, but maybe I'm freighthopping? 

[incandescent]

47 minutes ago, WhineandCheez said:

I loved Lionel telling Alyssa to , basically, not lose the terrible desperation she has about 15 minutes before getting cut. No one really likes her, do they?

I like her. Enough people liked her that she got voted through above Uche and Dimitrius.

[AnnieHeights]

Shallow note but I like Adam better with dark hair.......it just showcases those ridiculously beautiful eyes of his!  He is still pretty regardless.

Wade!  I like him more than most on this board but I could NOT defend him on WATC!  It was downright awful.  I was shocked he went through based on that performance.

Walker telling Adam he looked like a pirate😂  I was sorry to see him go....I knew he wasn't going to win but still he was better than WADE! 

Laci was beautiful last night and was better than the last couple of weeks.

I need Alejandro to step it up a bit...... 

The first time I like Alyssa and *poof*

Adam truly can out sing anyone on that show.  

I liked Laine better in the duet than Fat Bottomed GIrls.

Madison can sing but I just do not feel anything.

Jeremiah....I felt uncomfortable for his parents.  He was good but fairly boring.

[MarkHB]

1 hour ago, JennMatMusic33 said:

This was actually one of the few weeks that I have actually enjoyed Laine. I'm still not fully on the Laine Train, but maybe I'm freighthopping? 

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!  (Seriously, a few years ago some teenager did exactly this on a rail line close to my house and lost a leg.)

[sempervivum]

I've been trying to figure out if Laine, who seems fated to win, is like any previous winner. Scotty, sort of- unthreateningly cute and relatable, moderately good voice, strongly in his lane (so to speak). I don't see any of the remainders beating him.

Next week (May 5) we go down to 4, then May 12-not sure if they're going to 2 or 3 finalists. I assume 3 like last year. Laine and who?

[escape]

What happened to Adam Lambert?  He seem to have put on a lot weight.  It also looks like he stopped dying his hair.  Not digging the grey.

[Porkchop]

Adam Lambert is amazing! What a beautiful voice, what a beautiful man! I have just watched all the Adam videos posted above with a big grin on my face. I'm so glad he and Queen found each other! 

Each year I tune in to American Idol expecting/hoping to see someone with talent to equal Adam's, and every year I'm disappointed. It's fun to see young singers get a chance at stardom, but not many of them seem to be stars to me.

[mansfolly]

3 hours ago, Eolivet said:

Walker looked so surprised he was voted off. I think it's the first time he's been told "no" in his life.

Yes, yes, yes! I feel the same way!

[mansfolly]

Did anyone else notice the awkwardness when Jeremiah greeted his parents? His mom hogged him, while his powerless father couldn't even get in for a tiny hug. Kinda embarrassing.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

44 minutes ago, Porkchop said:

Adam Lambert is amazing! What a beautiful voice, what a beautiful man! I have just watched all the Adam videos posted above with a big grin on my face. I'm so glad he and Queen found each other! 

Each year I tune in to American Idol expecting/hoping to see someone with talent to equal Adam's, and every year I'm disappointed. It's fun to see young singers get a chance at stardom, but not many of them seem to be stars to me.

Well said and I completely agree!  Loved his “new” look, the hair, those eyes and he is so kind and gives such great feedback!  He should have been a judge although he is a great mentor!  Can’t wait for tonight’s show about him and Queen!

Oh and Katy trying to grab all the attention yet again going out of sight behind the judge’s desk and hearing Lionel who’s mic was still on LOL saying GET UP KATY!  She should be embarrassed for her behaviour as I am sure her fellow judges are for her!

Edited April 29, 2019 by Foghorn Leghorn

[Jillybean]

1 hour ago, escape said:

What happened to Adam Lambert?  He seem to have put on a lot weight.  It also looks like he stopped dying his hair.  Not digging the grey.

Wow, I thought he looked great! I'm not much for facial hair, but he still looks very handsome to me, especially with those piercing eyes. His hair appeared to me to be highlighted blonde. I didn't notice any gray.

[observer]

Katy, here's an idea.  Just stay down and behind that frigging desk.  DO NOT come back up or speak.  You are not AT ALL adorable, just tiresome, dreary and boring.  And predictable.

[sempervivum]

1 hour ago, escape said:

 What happened to Adam Lambert?  He seem to have put on a lot weight.  It also looks like he stopped dying his hair.  Not digging the grey.

He is closing in on 40, isn't he? I've seen him looking sort of portly on a few photo sites (Lambert Brown Suit) , so his 'camouflage' layering didn't surprise me. Didn't see any grey hair either- I thought he looked rather dashing, and I used to hate him. (Remember how he was always sticking out his tongue during his S8 performances? Ick). 

[observer]

American Idol Recap: Were the Right Singers Dethroned on Queen Night?

Quote

American Idol‘s remaining eight finalists took on some of Queen’s greatest hits on Sunday, and by the end of the night, only six were left vying for the throne. But eight solo performances do not a two-hour event make, so Idol‘s final eight were also paired up for a series of (mostly successful) duets from other artists.

[WhineandCheez]

Quote

 What happened to Adam Lambert?  He seem to have put on a lot weight.  It also looks like he stopped dying his hair.  Not digging the grey.

He is closing in on 40, isn't he? I've seen him looking sort of portly on a few photo sites (Lambert Brown Suit) , so his 'camouflage' layering didn't surprise me

I thought too he had gained weight. He was doing to shirt over the pants thing overweight men do. During his AI backstory, didn't he say he was an overweight child/teen and lost a bunch of weight???

[HappyDancex2]

I have this on in the background while I'm working and it's even more hideous the second time around LOL.  

I forgot to add last night that the duet with Laci and Laine was distracting because of the huge old style radio mics that were covering their faces.   The camera kept trying to shoot side angles because it was just so weird.   Don't they block before the show?

And Wade.....it's pretty tremendous on the rewatch.   The complete and utter butchering of We are the Champions.   The fact that he's subjected to people around the country to that song is tragic.   He should have picked something else.   Halfway through he should have launched back into the song from Toy Story and stuck his shoe out.   Eek

[observer]

What the what?  I either forgot or missed that Wade was a vocal coach.

'I want to be remembered for something': Phoenix native makes American Idol Top 20

Quote

By day, the 27-year-old Phoenix native was a vocal teacher. When one of his students wanted to audition for American Idol, Cota decided he would too. It came 10 years after his first Idol audition, which he admits he wasn’t yet ready for.

[twilightzone]

Maddie said she has not been asked to perform at the Finale, even though her debut album will dropping that week.

So that awful Disney duet is all she got.  Welcome to winning Idol!

[observer]

Katy Perry Sucks: An Analysis

Quote

Upon hearing that he had not, and was saving his first kiss for a relationship so that it was “special,” Perry immediately insisted on kissing the young man. The seemingly innocuous request for a kiss on the cheek rapidly devolved into two kisses, during the second of which, Perry turned her head to kiss Glaze on the lips. The boy immediately fell to the ground and was clearly rattled.

This incident still bothers me.  Had Lionel or Luke kissed a young female contestant on the lips without consent, I really feel the response would have been different.  Instead

Quote

(italics mine)

While overwhelmingly the general public stood behind Glaze and condemned Perry’s tasteless and disrespectful actions, a large portion of the conversation surrounding the event called out Glaze for not “enjoying” a kiss from the pop star turned judge. Twitter users and other social media engagers questioned if Glaze might be gay if he had not appreciated such attention from the singer, and others simply claimed that everyone was overreacting. The inherent problem in these reactions is the common exclusion of men and male victims from the feminist movement. Though it’s true that the majority of the now infamous #MeToo movement regarded female victims of sexual assault and harassment, the premise of the movement was based upon the basic need of recognition of sexual autonomy and truly, just straight up human decency. These concepts apply to humans regardless of gender, race, class, creed, or any other identifying characteristics.

[SnarkAttack]

I'm surprised there wasn't a strong country contestant this year.  

[Babalooie]

22 minutes ago, SnarkAttack said:

I'm surprised there wasn't a strong country contestant this year.  

It's "Supposed" to  be Laine.

4 hours ago, escape said:

What happened to Adam Lambert?  He seem to have put on a lot weight

I remarked to Mr. B. that it looked like he's had Botox in his face.  Didn't pay attention to much else other than the pirate shirt.

[limecoke]

This season has fallen completely flat for me.  I like Walker but his song choices the last three weeks have been strange.  He lost what he showed in his audition. Still, he wasn’t the worst this week and should have stayed.  I hope he goes back to school, gets his degree and keeps singing.  Very talented young man.

Alyssa’s neediness turned to desperation.  Nice voice but I’m glad she’s gone.  I always said there was only one place for that kind of voice and Madison was far and away the better vocalist.  America got that right.

Jeremiah has tons of talent but I’m so weary of his backstory.  Still, he’ll make it to the end.

Still not feeling Laci but figure she’ll be top two.  Laine is predictable and is staying cemented to his wheelhouse but he does what he does well so I’m ok with him in general.

Wade.  Wade.  Wade.  That, right there, is who should have gone instead of Walker.  Awful voice, fake and not in a good way.  Seriously, can Vote For the Worst still be a factor?  Nothing else explains this.

Then there’s Alejandro.  Nice guy and very talented on the guitar but I’m not hearing what these judges (and, apparently, America) are hearing.  He doesn’t seem to want it that much either.  What are the judges hearing that make them think he’s some sort of vocal genius?  

I think I may be done with this season and if they don’t replace Katy Perry, I’m done entirely.  She wears me out.

[Annber03]

30 minutes ago, Babalooie said:

It's "Supposed" to  be Laine.

Yeah, they seem to have turned him into a rocker of late. 

(On the note of Laine, am I the only one who keeps seeing a slight resemblance between him and Joseph Gordon-Levitt? I dunno if it's the hair or what, but from some angles that comparison immediately comes to mind for me and throws me off every time :p.)

[HappyDancex2]

It's weird that since the live shows have started the quality of amazement aka singing has gone down the tubes for me.  I thought things would be more enhanced with good hair and makeup...killer lighting and backdrops....and what I've gotten is a huge array of Meh.

I was the one complaining that these live shows were too short in that getting rid of 2 at a time after sitting through months of backstory was just cheating the viewer.   Now I'm glad.   At this point they should just crown Laine and then let Katy, Lionel and Luke sing and it would be a better production.   Actually let Katy sing twice because....well you know.....

[silverspoons]

I feel like there is really no one to root for. I have not liked anyone from week to week. It is obviously Laine's to lose. It is like America's got talent, you can see who the winner is from early on and there is not real competition. 

It is also very hard to watch so early 5-6 pm on a Sunday if you want to vote based on performance. I know they are doing Sunday night for Ryan's schedule but it sure is not viewer friendly. I know families where I live have Sunday night dinners or if you are like me you are making sure your kids have everything ready for school on Monday. I could not finish the show when voting was about to end so I through a few votes to Madison, even though I do not think she was the best last night because I wanted to make sure it was not an all make finale and Madison had done well previous weeks. 

I think if the show comes back next year, they need to get rid of Ryan or make him take a day off from the Kelly show every week and have better show times and we need to go back to one person gone a week. There is not that much new TV on networks that there should not be a problem having a few extra weeks of AI in the schedule. 

[HappyDancex2]

2 minutes ago, silverspoons said:

I feel like there is really no one to root for. I have not liked anyone from week to week. It is obviously Laine's to lose. It is like America's got talent, you can see who the winner is from early on and there is not real competition. 

It is also very hard to watch so early 5-6 pm on a Sunday if you want to vote based on performance. I know they are doing Sunday night for Ryan's schedule but it sure is not viewer friendly. I know families where I live have Sunday night dinners or if you are like me you are making sure your kids have everything ready for school on Monday. I could not finish the show when voting was about to end so I through a few votes to Madison, even though I do not think she was the best last night because I wanted to make sure it was not an all make finale and Madison had done well previous weeks. 

I think if the show comes back next year, they need to get rid of Ryan or make him take a day off from the Kelly show every week and have better show times and we need to go back to one person gone a week. There is not that much new TV on networks that there should not be a problem having a few extra weeks of AI in the schedule. 

I agree with the timing.  This slot seems odd to me.

In the beginning I was rooting for Alejandro and Wade and Uche.  What I don't like is if you tuned in this week I would look like a complete doofus.  How can someone look at least "interesting" and the ability to sing...oh......in tune...one week and then be a complete musical mess?

Forget that Wade came in wrong at least twice so it threw off his lyrics but when he first started he was on beat and he actually warbled in the wrong key change.  It's a head scratcher.  Or maybe that's what threw his off....I dunno.

Alejandro had such a smooth and melodic voice....it had strength and some character.  I'm beginning to wonder if since I was only hearing 15 second to 45 seconds at a time if I was duped.  Trying to recall his performance in Hawaii since that was longer.   I missed a few episodes along the way but I seriously feel tricked.

I agree with your choice with Madison....wasn't a blip on my radar but has won me over in the last 2 weeks.  She seems raw and earnest.   I respect that.

[HappyDancex2]

24 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

Yeah, they seem to have turned him into a rocker of late. 

(On the note of Laine, am I the only one who keeps seeing a slight resemblance between him and Joseph Gordon-Levitt? I dunno if it's the hair or what, but from some angles that comparison immediately comes to mind for me and throws me off every time :p.)

YES TOTALLY.   Noticed this from the start.   Not sure if it's good or bad but he's wholesomely good looking.  Still looks like he has a mouth full of slightly too large teeth though.

[proserpina65]

That was less of a clusterfuck than I expected but still, I wish Idol would stay away from Queen.

I've never been a fan of Adam Lambert, but I have to admit that he made a really good mentor.

Walker - Crazy Little Thing Called Love - That was weak.  He's not a pop star.

Madison - The Show Must Go On - She's got a powerful voice, but her lower register isn't as good.

Jeremiah - Who Wants To Live Forever - He was right to lose the guitar.  I loved the arrangement, and appreciated how the vocal built to the climax.

Alejandro - Under Pressure - The fact that I couldn't remember what song he did says how forgettable his performance was to me.

Laine - Fat Bottomed Girls - The rollicking beat of this song worked for him, and he showed more personality.

Laci - Love Of My Life - This was quite lovely.  It was a great song choice, and she really connected to the emotion.

Wade - We Are The Champions - I don't know if there's a Queen song on which Wade's voice would've worked, but this was not it.  This was a disaster, vocally.

Alyssa - Somebody To Love - This was a mistake for her.  It wasn't bad, but this song is one which really showed off Freddie Mercury's range, and the arrangement for her voice just highlighted her lack of range.

Duets: Laine & Laci - Jackson should've been perfect for both of them, but Laci really outshone Laine on it, and showed a lot of personality. 

Wade & Alyssa - Ain't No Mountain High Enough - meh, their voices really don't go together. 

Jeremiah & Madison - I don't know this horrible song, and I don't want to, and they were just okay singing it. 

Alejandro & Walker - Mrs. Robinson - oh dear god, why this terrible arrangement?  What did did Simon & Garfunkel ever do to Alejandro?  Plus, I could barely hear them over their guitars, never mind the band.

My picks for the top 6: Laci, Laine, Jeremiah, Madison, Alyssa, and I guess Walker.  I don't know why Alejandro and Wade made the cut, but I don't think either is top 4 material anyway, although the judges would use the save for Alejandro.

[proserpina65]

21 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

I don't much about Katy Perry on American Idol but is she always this thirsty?  

Yes, on every single episode.

10 hours ago, WhineandCheez said:

That's like saying let all the models in Vogue just wear their own clothes from their closet or laundry room. 

Except that models are hired for the job based on their appropriateness for the clothing.  That isn't how theme weeks work on AI.

[proserpina65]

2 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

agree with the timing.  This slot seems odd to me.

Idol's always been on at 8, eastern time.  But the format does stink.  It worked better with either a short results show or eliminating people at the beginning of the next week's show.

[HappyDancex2]

Again I'm new again to the new AI but has there been a distinct change in wardrobe since they hit ABC?   They seem styled by the same people who sew for DWTS.  You can basically order up anything you want in sequins and rhinestones and studs.

[Retired at last]

This was the first time I had watched in years, but I love Adam and Queen so I checked it out. HORRIBLE! The one thing I was sure of, having not seen any of these contestants or know any of their back stories (and don't care), was that Wade and Alejandro were the worst of the worst and should be gone. What am I missing? Or, more like, what are those people voting for????

Also, not impressed with allowing/encouraging that child to sing that totally inappropriate song. Clearly his parents have convinced him that he is a special, special snowflake, and shall never hear the word no. I was appalled - why would they let a child sing a line about wishing he had never been born?

[ForReal]

Laci and Laine have been my favorites from the start. Laci's performances have been weak in the past weeks, but I thought she did a good job this show. Her voice is unique and quiet so she is at a disadvantage when she needs to belt, but I think and hope she will have a successful career regardless of where she places in the end. Laine is a bit of a mystery to me -- sometimes it seems like he's too cool and doesn't care, other times he seems shy and reserved. I do consistently enjoy his performances, though, and I would be fine if he wins.

I think Madison is super talented, but I think she is too young to connect with the songs, or at least her versions don't connect with me. I think Jeremiah is super talented as well, but his performances are starting to sound the same to me and I don't think he will win the whole thing.

I liked Wade initially but don't believe he has what it takes to win and succeed. He was just terrible on this episode and I don't understand why they gave him a pass on messing up the lyrics; that shouldn't happen at this point. I can't believe he got voted through. Alejandro I also liked initially, and still do, but his performances started melting into one sound for me awhile ago and it's not even such a good sound to me now. I did not care for what he did with the arrangements on the songs he sang.

Alyssa -- nice voice, but she never won me over. I could see her singing on a cruise ship or something, but I don't expect to hear her on the radio. Same with Walker.

[marykat71702]

Ok, they need to never, ever, EVER do Queen night again! Most of tonight had me cringing.

They should have had Adam perform.

For once, I was right in thinking that Walker and Alyssa would be gone, although that wouldn't have been my choice. I would have kept Alyssa over Wade or Alejandro, but Walker has made too many bad song choices in a row.

Alejandro- for Pete's sake, man, learn the freaking lyrics!  

As far as the duets go, I knew that Katy was going to imply that Laine and Laci should be a couple. Ugh.  However, their duet was probably the best of the four, but that's not really saying a lot...

I still like Madison, but I agree that she needs to connect more emotionally.

Laine seemed to have trouble with breath control.

I didn't hear Wade mess up the lyrics, because I just couldn't force myself to listen to the whole song. For the first time ever, I had to ff through a couple of performances tonight. 

Edited April 30, 2019 by marykat71702
Added something

[marykat71702]

On 4/28/2019 at 9:03 PM, HappyDancex2 said:

What the hell was up with the audio tonight?  I could barely hear any of Alejandro's performance or his duet.   That was awkward and horrible.

Alej butchered Under Pressure.  Wade Cota butchered We are the Champions.

I don't think it was an audio issue, I think it's just his voice <shrug>.  And yes, it was.

I agree 100% 

[Jayohgee]

13 hours ago, WhineandCheez said:

That's like saying let all the models in Vogue just wear their own clothes from their closet or laundry room.  AI is about SELLING SELLING SELLING. They did Disney because Disney wanted to market a movie, and their non-singer mentor has a new movie coming out (prob. by a Disney company.) They did Queen because, low and behold, there is a Queen special on tonight (I am DVRing it, thanks AI) I'm sure that if some Gregorian chanting record company give them enough money, all the contestants would be rockin' in Latin.

I understand WHY they do the theme nights; I'm just saying I don't like them because they don't allow contestants to present themselves to the best of their abilities.  A great country singer can get voted off because he/she sucked at singing "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Bohemian Rhapsody".  It's just another reason why this isn't truly the "singing contest" it's purported to be.

[Ilovepie]

This was so mediocre. Across the board. These are “the best idol top 10 ever”?!? Bullshit. 

Adam is everything. He gave more actionable advice in two hours than “the judges” or Bobby Bones have given all season. Maybe if someone was actually helping these finalists hone their vocals and performances they might actually get better, but instead we have three idiots giving everyone standing ovations and telling them they’re amazing (they are not). The only thing that would have made this show good is if Adam and Queen had performed. Really sorry Uche and Dimitrius were eliminated before this week - they more than any of these people were suited to this theme. I would have loved to see Adam and Uche together!

Someone needs to tell Madison to show some emotion when she sings. She is so blank. Maybe that’s not possible because she is only 17........

Someone needs to tell Alejandro that mumbling and whispering is not a good way to “sing”......

I am fine with who went home; honestly I’d probably be fine no matter who it was- I am at a point of not caring who wins this thing......

[InternetToughGuy]

I was somewhat excited for Queen night ("excited" isn't really the proper word to use to describe a show that is usually boring), but it was pretty disappointing. I never realized how many Queen songs have such a slow tempo. On a sidenote, I thought I was going to go deaf from the amount of teenage girls screaming when iconic Queen drummer Roger Taylor came on screen (sarcastic, of course).

Walker - Crazy Little Thing Called Love: Once again, the opening song has the "get up and clap" vibe, where the performance is more about "having a good time" than showing off vocal talent or charisma, so it's no wonder he went home, although I thought he should've left long ago. 

Madison - Show Must Go On: I've always been curious what a man singing this song would sound like, since between Freddie, Elton, and Adam, it hasn't happened yet (JOKE). Anyways, I wish Uche would've gotten to sing this, since it's one of the only Queen songs I like and it sounds best with a lot of character in it - I actually like Elton's version better than the original. I don't think Madison's great singing voice is the same thing as having great stage presence, so this was disappointing. 

Laci/Laine - Jackson: I thought this was a pretty good performance, especially since they have similar voices, which were a good fit for the song. I would hope nobody wants to be the next Caleb and Maddie, at least in the way where Laine follows Laci around after losing this season. 

Jeremiah - Who Wants To Live Forever: A song dedicated to Katy, who is aging rapidly. In all seriousness, I don't remember how this performance went, even if I just watched it an hour ago. Jeremiah's sob story continues, which is making me like him even less, and my baseline was already at zero. His family (Dad, especially) being brought on TV makes it seem like he's supposed to accept his son on national TV or face mass public backlash. Personally, I don't see why he has to accept anything his son does - I don't want to see a singing show turn into a place to air family grievances either. 

Alejandro - Under Pressure: I don't like him, but I am unsure if my complaint should be objective or not; covering songs as they are can make it just sound like karaoke, which can be boring, but the original arrangements usually don't sound as good as the original. Also, the fact that Alejandro alone gets the "special" rendition is very annoying - I remember years ago when Jessica Sanchez was given such praise every week, which was irritating, though she didn't win. It's hard to imagine anyone other than Alejandro winning.

Alyssa/Wade - Ain't No Mountain High Enough: These kinds of songs that are on the verge of being public domain are such a snooze no matter who does it. Katy seemed to be on her best behavior up until this point where she ducked under the table like it was an earthquake drill. What a nuisance.

Jeremiah/Madison - A Million Dreams: I've heard a lot of references to The Greatest Showman in the past year or so and it took me a long time to realize it was a movie. I'm not an old man with no internet, so maybe I'm just stupid. Wasn't really a fan of this performance either; I usually write my posts to sound sarcastic or "comedically critical" rather than outright negative, but I do find a lot of the performances to be boring.

Laine - Fat Bottomed Girls: This may be my least favorite Queen song, especially since I don't think there is a way to perform it that would make anyone sound powerful. Laine was told to be more energetic, yet he sounded just as bored as ever - not sure if "bored" is the right word, but the songs he does mixed with the voice he has never make him sound very electric. Every year as the top 40 gets whittled down so much, I go from having favorites to having to pick people to "pity like" - I guess Laine is one of those.

7 year old kid - Bohemian Rhapsody: No idea why the producers chose to have this, since if they needed to fill up one minute of air time, why would they choose to fly a kid in and get a giant piano on stage? Much like America's Got Talent when a subpar or outright crap act can be excused by them being however old or young, this performance was just embarrassing. Not sure what you'd expect from a 7 year old, but there was no point of having this on.

Laci - Love Of My Life: I think these songs that have more of an emotional impact are really dampened after having a whole evening full of forgettable snoozes, which is a shame, because she has a nice sensual vibe that makes her performances more believable. I have a hard time envisioning the kinds of people her fanbase consists of, so I'm glad she went through.

Alejandro/Walker - Mrs. Robinson: Bobby said to Walker something to the effect of "Alejandro does his own arrangements, so you'll have to keep up" - why the hell does Walker have to cater to the entitled dingbat? I was annoyed by that comment so much, I just zoned out through the whole performance.

Wade - We Are The Champions: He screwed up a lyric, but it's all OK according to Luke. Apparently it doesn't matter that he sounds like an animatronic frog 95% of the time either, since him displaying a "real voice" is considered a treat. I also hate how for every results segment, him making it through isn't met with excitement, it's just him dumbfounded how he could once again slip through. One would think when it comes to "trimming the fat" Wade would've been the obvious choice.

Alyssa - Somebody To Love: She was one of my favorites, even though she doesn't seem to display much power in any of her performances, which helps to make her largely forgettable. In that sense, I can see why she got eliminated, though in a competition where Walker can make it this far, it proves you can be "eh" at most things and it doesn't matter. Alyssa is still a total dollface, if that's any consolation (she's not reading this). 

Walker getting eliminated was the right call, though I think he should've been gone LONGGG ago. Wade doesn't deserve to be there either. Laine has such weak performances, I think he's largely getting through because young girls think he's attractive.  I think the rest of them are more memorable now only because they're in the top 6, rather than them being memorable on their own, if you get what I mean. I'm not American, so I can't vote for any of them, but I can't imagine being compelled to get any of them through to the next round. 

Edit: Listening to a performance of Adam with Queen (ignoring the fact this is after years of touring professionally, his charisma was at a similar level on Idol) - the fact that the top 6 of American Idol is now this unmemorable and lacking in true stars is pathetic and embarrassing. This only makes me miss Uche more, since he was head and shoulders above everyone else. 

Edited April 30, 2019 by InternetToughGuy

[Neet]

One of the weakest episodes of the season so far IMO, even though the season as a whole has been on a steady decline since Hawaii. I guess I get the hype about Adam Lambert, since he's one of the best (if not, the best) singers Idol's ever had and he's gone on to great success in the years following, but I never clamor for him to keep coming back to the show. Once he's there, it's just like, "whatever". At least his mentorship actually made sense and meant something, in contrast to Rebel Wilson's barely apparent music career...and evidently, comedic talent as well.

Walker - I can't stand his little IRL Harry Potter nerd shtick, his predominant fanbase must be made up of the extreme ends of the spectrum; that being 10 year old girls and 75 year old women who want him as a grandson. Not an insult, but I suspect he could be gay, and Idol doesn't want to mention it since they already have Jeremiah with that as part of his story. (the whole story, to be specific) Similar to how Cade and Gabby were the it-couple during last year's season and Caleb/Maddie didn't want to take their spotlight by announcing their own relationship. Anyway, the song he did had the usual rhythm of "what a way to get the crowd moving!" that most opening numbers have, usually sacrificing vocal chops in favor of getting everyone's toes tapping. It can result in a very diluted performance just to structure the show better. At least he took Adam's advice of moving around the stage, regardless of how stilted and awkward it appeared. The situations aren't exactly the same, but how was Eddie Island being quirky something to rectify (which I don't disagree with) and Walker looking like a dweeb doing jazz hands through every song simply "who he is"?

Madison - The focal point of her video package was about putting emphasis on the meaning of the lyrics she's singing via stomping her feet or doubling over while belting to show difficulty, etc.. and then she goes and does the entire song while smiling. That was enough to ruin it for me, I think almost every performance she'd had in the past several weeks has been pageant-like in a different flavor than what Riley was doing.

Laci/Laine duet - Laine sounded near inaudible, he could've been impersonating Elvis dancing the entire time Laci was singing and it wouldn't have made much of a difference. It was fine, otherwise.

Jeremiah - I liked a lot of his previous performances, this one was just okay. The vocals were great, but it didn't really feel like he was connected to the song until the end. He looked spaced out.

Alejandro - This guy has been riding the coattails of his first two performances for the rest of the competition. My fandom fell off a cliff when it was apparent he was doing to be doing kicked in the balls sounding whispers for every future performance and become over-reliant on playing guitar. A lot of songs that get rearranged on Idol sound terrible. It's one thing to do a song as-is and come off as karaoke, and it's another to "make it your own" in an unintelligible manner that stifles the charm of the original.

Alyssa/Wade duet - Nothing to say, really. Serviceable performance at worst.

Madison/Jeremiah duet - It was good, but again, there's not much to say because the duets feel like filler on a show that already doesn't have enough episodes for a growth arc to take places and is rushing toward the finale before the audience remembers everyone's names.

Laine - This guy constantly comes off as a joke, but unlike Eddie or Walker, it's apparently supposed to be played straight. Most of his song choices sound like they'd belong on a compilation album of music to play beer pong to, so it's hard to picture him as a serious artist. The song choice sucked, but his ability to work the crowd was good. Vocally, not that great, but Lionel claims that singing doesn't matter so often, we may have to look forward to the show being based on lip syncing and pantomiming in the future.

Live action Arthur Read - Never heard of this "viral sensation", but the term viral is misused so often these days, I wouldn't be surprised if that's severely overblown. He butchered quite a lot of Bohemian Rhapsody for how condensed it was.

Laci - I'm trying to be a fan of hers, mostly because despite enjoying the season overall (regardless of complaining about everyone tonight), I don't know who to root for. She seems to have a sizeable fanbase, although she doesn't reveal much about herself in terms of personality and her voice can be rather hard to hear. A lot of her performances make her out to be portraying a downtrodden country wife of yesteryear (like Lurleen Lumpkin from The Simpsons), which isn't meant to be an insult or compliment, it's one of the only characteristics that comes across to me when watching her. I've seen a lot of people poking fun at her exposed gums, but I don't think they're that bad since her teeth don't look horse-like. What I always notice is how wide open yet dead her eyes appear, it makes me think she's an AI program that communicates via blinking. Maybe that's why I feel she can at times say a lot while singing, but not demonstrating any of the emotion through body language. Her performance was alright, though.

Alejandro and Walker duet - Total trash. Was this a technical issue or were they supposed to be whispering at 5 decibels and sounding like they were playing a game of telephone? If I didn't know the song already, I wouldn't have been able to make out what they were saying at all. Perhaps they're catering to Lionel's whims and trying to project such little volume, they no longer qualify as singers. Alejandro already sings like he has emphysema, but why was Walker matching his lack of volume?

Wade - He apparently missed a lyric, but I didn't notice because I wasn't paying attention. Perfect karaoke song for his pack-a-day affected voice, really nothing to see or hear again.

Alyssa - How did she need to be told it was alright to act like a diva? She already does that. As usual, she didn't come across as connecting with the song and was utterly forgettable. Lionel and Luke's critiques sounded like they were preparing her for elimination right after singing.

Is Wade's abusive father making it up to him by voting a million times with several thousand burner phones scattered around his house? I don't get how he keeps making it through to the next week and what demographic could possibly be voting for him. Aside from the fake voice, he's not really that charming or personable unless he's in a comparison with Dimitrius the statue. Alyssa probably deserved to go home, and Walker wasn't exactly a hard sell on leaving, either. The season is so short, I'm really not attached to any of them anymore.

Also, Katy continues to drag down the show even more with her incredibly unfunny attention-whoring antics. Lionel seems fed up with her shit these days.

Edited April 30, 2019 by Neet

[Meowwww]

I thought many of them sounded terrible.  But Queen’s hard to do. 

Alyssa, girl, check the ego at the door.  It’s not attractive.  What was she saying “my throat is so dry, I just need water   But thanks anyway!”  

I don’t get the hype over Alejandro.  But the judges are clearly saving The Save for him.  I just don’t get the hype.  He whispers, he doesn’t hit big notes, ugh.  

Laci.   She has a pretty tone to her voice.  Laine.....I want his teeth.  For me. 😜

Wade is cute and humble and comes off as a teddy bear, I think that’s what gets to America.  

Jeremiah is my pick to win....second place so he’s not tied down by the contract.  Madison smiley-girl can be first place. 

Eta no more Katy.  I am over it being ALL ABOUT HER.  

Edited April 30, 2019 by Meowwww

[pezgirl7]

21 hours ago, Babalooie said:

It's "Supposed" to  be Laine.

I'm not sure if that's true. He's yet to sing a country song. I think he's more of an Americana/bluesy/rock singer. I don't like straight country music, which is why I like him. lol But there are so many different types of country music, and I'm definitely not an expert. I discovered that he has four songs on Spotify. They're all a little different. One definitely sounds like a "regular" country song to me. My favorite is Hurricane, which is what he auditioned with last year. It's by Band of Heathens, which according to Yahoo is: "Americana, Folk rock, Country music, Blues, Jam band, Roots rock, Blue-eyed soul". I guess that's the vein I see him going in.

Also, add me to the 'No more Katy' group. I just can't stand her immaturity and attention-seeking ways. Immature grown ups can be fun, but she just takes it to a whole new level. I have no idea how Orlando can put up with her. I can just see his son coming home from school and showing off a drawing he did and Katy being all... BUT LOOK WHAT I DID TODAY!!!! *shows off her glittery nails*

Edited April 30, 2019 by pezgirl7

[kelslamu]

Wade should have never sang the song that he thought would be his "triumph".  It usually never goes that way and didn't.                                                                                                                                                                       I  have trouble with Jeremiah.   First, lay off his backstory.  I think he wants to lay off it as well.  Secondly, while he sings well I never really see much expression.  Even when they talk to him he seems so blah.  Lay off his parents too people!     He is a good singer in a broadway type of way.                                                          

Katy just stop.  No one likes your little girl antics. 

I just can't with Alejandro.  I know people love him, but he bores me to tears.  Can't hear or understand half of what he says anyway.

Laci isn't my cup of tea.  It's just a preference.  I do wish she'd keep her hair down.  Some of those styles age her.  All opinions here for what their worth.

Alyssa puts me off with how she talks to the judges.  She can sing, but doesn't need to overdo the (as someone else said) I'm the popstar you want persona.

Madison.  I really like her.  She does need to work on the correct emotions to evoke while singing, however.  

Laine.  I don't get it.  I don't see anything so special.  I know I don't hear anything special.  He's allright, but I don't understand all the accolades given to him.

Walker needs time and confidence.  

Edited April 30, 2019 by kelslamu

[Babalooie]

17 hours ago, InternetToughGuy said:

It's hard to imagine anyone other than Alejandro winning.

I cannot imagine him winning.  I've been thinking about this and don't think he would want to conform  to what the "Idol Machine" wants him to be.  Similar to Taylor Hicks.  He bucked the system, but has still done okay for himself being in plays and doing his TV show "State Plate".  The machine is looking for record sales.

Edited May 1, 2019 by Babalooie

[librarianbeck]

I just watched tonight.  I still really like Jeremiah. I don't mind the family stuff as it's kind of a huge deal, and one of the most tragic things, to be rejected by your family simply for who you are (whether or not that's entirely the true story, I'm sure his sexuality has made his life more challenging) though he does seem uncomfortable (?) embarrassed (?) by the focus. His duet with Madison was the only good one of the night. I agree with those who've said Laci hasn't shown much in the way of personality. I know she was raised by a single mom and sang since she was a girl, but that's about it. 

Edited May 1, 2019 by librarianbeck

[proserpina65]

On ‎04‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 2:37 AM, InternetToughGuy said:

I never realized how many Queen songs have such a slow tempo.

Queen songs have a huge range of tempos, but some of their most famous ones are slower, surprisingly.  I would've loved it if a contestant had whipped out one of their earliest hits, like Keep Yourself Alive or Seven Seas of Rhye, or maybe something less well known like I Want To Break Free, but obviously the producers wanted them to do the more famous stuff.  I'm actually a bit surprised that Laci was able to do Love Of My Life.

[proserpina65]

On ‎04‎/‎30‎/‎2019 at 2:37 AM, InternetToughGuy said:

7 year old kid - Bohemian Rhapsody: No idea why the producers chose to have this, since if they needed to fill up one minute of air time, why would they choose to fly a kid in and get a giant piano on stage? Much like America's Got Talent when a subpar or outright crap act can be excused by them being however old or young, this performance was just embarrassing. Not sure what you'd expect from a 7 year old, but there was no point of having this on.

If they had extra time, they could've let Adam sing at the end and thus given people a little more time to vote.  I'm not a fan of Adam, but he would've definitely been better than an overly precocious child singing a really inappropriate song.

[Jillybean]

9 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

If they had extra time, they could've let Adam sing at the end and thus given people a little more time to vote.  I'm not a fan of Adam, but he would've definitely been better than an overly precocious child singing a really inappropriate song.

I would have liked to see Adam perform, but I'm sure he wan't even in the building on Sunday. They were lucky to get him as a mentor.

[Jillybean]

13 hours ago, librarianbeck said:

I just watched tonight.  I still really like Jeremiah. I don't mind the family stuff as it's kind of a huge deal, and one of the most tragic things, to be rejected by your family simply for who you are (whether or not that's entirely the true story, I'm sure his sexuality has made his life more challenging) though he does seem uncomfortable (?) embarrassed (?) by the focus. 

Someone posted a link in an earlier episode thread where he basically said the entire storyline has been heavily edited and doesn't portray an accurate picture of his family situation. They clearly haven't rejected him considering they were there in the audience. 

[Babalooie]

35 minutes ago, Jillybean said:

They clearly haven't rejected him considering they were there in the audience. 

IMO, Jeremiah's parents didn't look particularly happy to be part of this embellished storyline.  They're playing along to try to help their son.  Awkward.