Amelia Eisenhauer and Kellie Pickler - "Suds in the Bucket" by Sara Evans. Amelia played her fiddle. She still seems a bit shy, but it was a fun performance. The judges liked it and felt it was a good song choice.
Kory Wheeler and Haley Reinhart - "Bennie and the Jets" by Elton John. Kory auditioned with this song. The alternating call and response "Bennies!" made for a fun ending. The judges liked it.
Lee Jean and Chris Daughtry - "Home" by Chris Daughtry. Both played guitar. Lee is a bit too quiet and reserved to belt this the way it needs to be belted. I felt Chris dominated. The judges were positive.
CJ Johnson and David Cook - "The World I Know" by Collective Soul. Both played guitar. It had a kinda rocky beginning and then David dominated. CJ was too quiet. Somehow he seems to have lost a lot of chutzpah he showed in Hollywood Week.
Manny Torres and Jordin Sparks - "No Air" by Jordin Sparks. This was just OK. He did a good job feeling the lyric. Harry said he had good charisma. I just don't feel he's good enough for the Top Ten.
Jenn Blosil and Constantine Maroulis - "My Funny Valentine." This was a cool rendition of one of Constatine's big Idol songs. Both are quirky and charismatic, so they are a good match. She's quieter but sexy. Harry felt it was a shouting match, but Keith loved it - and so did I. But then, I've always been partial to Constantine. Here's some haikus I wrote about Constantine when he was on Idol.
Tristan McIntosh and Kellie Pickler - "Best Days of Your Life" by Kellie Pickler. Kellie drowns her out at first but then it gets better. Why does Tristan only want to do country? I wish she would embrace the Alicia Keyes side of herself that J Lo noticed in her initial audition. Keith said the opening harmony was shaky. J Lo said she needs to feel more comfortable on stage.
Olivia Rox and David Cook - "Light On" by David Cook. Her dress is a bit weird. She can belt ipretty well and hang with David. J Lo agrees with David that if she finds her groove she will be around for a long time. It's a tough song to do, so I give her points for a valiant attempt.
Adam Lasher and Haley Reinhart - "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley. Adam has a nice tone and pace. They are sweet together. Keith felt Adam was stiff.
Dalton Rappatoni and Chris Daughtry - "Higher Ground" by Stevie Wonder. They had good energy. The judges liked it although Harry said it was mostly about the band.
Trent Harmon and Jordin Sparks - "To Love Somebody" by The Bee Gees. This is a good song for Trent and it was my favorite duet of the night. J Lo said,"That was the Trent that I know and love and that surprises us."
Shelbie Z and Constantine Maroulis - "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. This song is a great showcase for her big voice, but it's so bombastic that she comes across like a female Meatloaf. J Lo felt Shelbie got lost.
Sent home - Adam, Amelia, Kory, CJ, Shelbie Of this group, I'm a little sorry to see CJ go. He was great in Hollywood Week but really didn't do much in the Top 24 round. I'm also sorry to see Shelbie leave. I think she deserved a chance to let America decide. She was one of the more polished and likable contestants. Note that both contestants who sang with Haley were sent home. I was never that keen on her but I don't think it was her fault. Read More......
Belated post as I was traveling and had to catch up on Idol...my thoughts on the first half of the Top 24's performances...
Stephany Negrete - She sang "Mamma Knows Best" by Jessie J. She's a belter. She is very pretty, kinda looks like vintage Cher, but she doesn't really connect with the audience. She did a duet with Reuben Studdard on "Superstar", and it was very good and dramatic. They really seemed to be singing to each other.
Mackenzie Bourg - He sang, "Say Something" by a Great Big World. He's a cute kid, likable, and made it his own, but all his performances are in a similar vein. I'm not sure he can stretch for the different themes that will come up during the contest. He did a duet with Lauren Alaina on "I Hope You Dance" and it was pretty good.
Jeneve Rose Mitchell - She sang "Arms of an Angel" and played the harp. She is likable and seemed to really feel the lyrics. Keith said he loves that she takes risks. J Lo was won over and "got goosies." She did a duet with Scotty McCreery on "Gone" by Montgomery Gentry. Sometimes she is hard to look at when she sings. She had a bit of an Elvis lip curl that was unsettling.
Jenna Renae - She sang "My Church" by Maren Morris. She has a big voice and good stage presence. Harry found it a little shouty. She did a duet with Scotty McCreary on "See You Tonight." I feel like she is not as strong as the other country gals in the competition.
James VIII - He sang "Love Lockdown" by Kanye West. I thought it was just OK, kinda one note. He did a duet with Caleb Johnson on "Gimme Shelter", and I felt he was overshadowed by Caleb but the judges praised him.
Sonika Vaid - She sang "Safe and Sound" by Taylor Swift. She had a pretty gown and was emotional but still a bit understated. The judges said they want to see more feeling from her. She did a duet with Caleb Johnson on "Skyfall." It's tough to take on an Adele song and she did OK, but again Caleb drowned out his partner. He made it seem like a Meatloaf song.
Gianna Isabella - She sang "I put a spell on you," I felt there were too many runs, but she was impressive. Her baggy dress was not flattering. She did a duet with Nick Fradiani on his song "Beautiful Life."
Emily Brooke - She sang "I am Invincible" by Cassadee Pope. She had a flat start and didn't wow the judges, who felt she didn't pick the best song for her range; She sang a duet with Lauren Alaina on "Flat on the Floor" by Carrie Underwood. She held her own but she just doesn't radiate much personality-wise.
Avalon Young - She sang "Love Yourself" by Justin Bieber. She has a nice energy and is so comfortable in her skin. She did a duet with Reuben Studdard on Reuben's song "Flying Without Wings." The judges loved it. There's something very likable about this tomboy.
Jordan Sasser - He sang "All by Myself" by Celine Dion, which was a cliched choice. He's good but not really good enough for that song. Harry found it too show-offy. He did a duet with Fantasia Barrino on her Idol coronation song "I Believe. He displayed lots of energy and churchiness.
Thomas Stringfellow - He sang "Creep" by Radiohead. I found it a bit contrived, but it was a decent performance. Harry liked that Thomas felt the lyrics. He did a duet with Nick Fradiani on "Man in the Mirror" which allowed him to emote a bit more.
LaPorsha Ranae - She sang "Proud Mary" by Tina Turner. It was nice to see her move and have fun. She has a huge voice. Harry said, "You're either going to make the other competitors want to get better or make them want to quit." She did a duet with Fantasia Barrino on "Summertime." This was a match made in heaven. There were so many runs - it was a highpoint of the week. They bonded over similar backgrounds. J Lo said the duet was "mindblowing."
After the judges conferred, these contestants were sent home: James, Emily, Jenna, Jordan, Stephany
The only choice that really disappointed me was Jordan, as I felt he had one of the stronger male voices and was quite likable. I might have booted Jeneve or Sonika. Jeneve is such a niche performer that I doubt she will garner enough votes to go far, and Sonika still seems a bit like a deer in the headlights on stage.
From the spectacular Vibiana, a church turned party venue in Downtown LA...the second half of the Top 24 did their solo performances.
Shelbie Z - She sang "Work Hard, Play Harder" by Gretchen Wilson. This song was definitely in her wheelhouse, but it wasn't as impressively vocally as her Heart covers during Hollywood Week. The judges didn't think the key let her show off except for the last note. She definitely exudes confidence and owns the stage.
Manny Torres - He sang "Adventures of a Lifetime" by Coldplay. I found it lackluster. J Lo said he didn't connect with audience enough.
Kory Wheeler - He played piano and sang "Let it Be" by James Bay. He's a cutie with nice eyes, but I'm not sure it's special enough. Harry didn't find it moving.
Amelia Eisenhauer - This pretty redhead sang "Wake Me Up" by Avicii and put her own spin on it. She was poised and confident, but didn't stand out. The judges didn't feel it was a great song choice. Harry suggested she find a quirky song to fit her personality.
Jenn Blosil - The likable oddball contestant sang "Sorry" by Justin Bieber. She kinda reminds me of Bjork, so I wish she had picked a more alternative type song, but she did put her own style to it. The judges found it original.
CJ Johnson - This bar rocker sang "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain. For someone with so much stage experience, I was surprised to find him a bit robotic in his crowd interaction. It seemed like he was thinking a lot about what he needed to do. I thought it was kind of an easy song choice but the judges felt it was in his wheelhouse.
Lee Jean - He sang "Runaway" by Ed Sheeran. He is such a cute kid, with a soulful voice and lovely tone. He actually reminds me a bit of Tracy Chapman. But this is the third or fourth Ed Sheeran song he has done. I think he needs to stretch a bit.
Trent Harmon - The guy who almost had to leave Hollywood Week due to having mono sang "What are You Listening To" by Chris Stapleton. His performance was heartfelt and he has a unique voice. Keith thought it was a cool song choice but an odd one since the song is not well known. I liked it enough that it made me want to seek out the original. He really sang it in a way that you felt the lyric. J Lo said she thinks he will be in the competition a long time.
Tristan McIntosh - This judges' favorite sang "Good Girl" by Carrie Underwood. She looked cute and had a sassy outfit. She seemed a bit stiff and I'm not sure it was a great song choice for her, but I'm sure she will be safe.
Adam Lasher - He sang "Black and Gold" by Sam Sparro, while wearing a black outfit with a gold guitar and gold shoes. He has a nice deep voice and this is his 2nd year in the competition. The judges didn't like the song choice.
Dalton Rappatoni - He sang "Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol in a slow and sexy way and definitely made it his own. The performance reminded me a bit of Adam Lambert in a good way, yet I felt it was a bit silly because it was like he was trying to wring some depth out of a song that has none. That song is about anger and energy, not about its lyrics. Girls in the crowd went nuts because he's such a hottie and the judges loved it. Keith said, "You Daltonized it."
Olivia Rox - She sang "Confident" by Demi Lovato. I didn't think the leather dress was very flattering. I didn't feel she lived up to the song lyrics in attitude, but she did show off a more powerful voice than I remembered seeing in the audition weeks.
Predictions
Thursday's duets could change things but based on these performances - I suspect Adam, Kory, Manny, CJ, and Amelia are going home.
Tonight we saw the Top 51 contestants take the long walk down the hall to see the judges and get the verdict. After 2 hours, Idol unleashed its Top 24 for the final season...
Stephany Negrete - I can't really warm up to Stephany. She looks a bit like a Kardashian. J Lo has complimented her ability to walk on heels more than her voice.
Shelbie Z - Shelbie looks like she could be part of the Honey Boo Boo clan, but this girl can belt. During Hollywood Week she dared to sing not one, but two Heart songs! She performed "Alone" and "Barracuda." She's got a ton of confidence.
Mackenzie Bourg - I've liked this kid since his first audition, when he performed a medley of songs by the judges. With his old-fashioned glasses and plain white shirts and tousled hair, he's a nerdy teen dream. For his showcase performance he sang "Can't Help Falling in Love You" and really made it his own - plus he performed a great original song in the solo round. He's got a beautiful tone to his voice, and chicks are going to dig him.
Trent Harmon - Poor Trent got diagnosed with Mono during Hollywood Week and couldn't be in a group, so they let him sing alone. He displayed a lot of heart and soul, powering through the illness and delivering well in his performances. For the showcase, he sang "Tiny Dancer" and his twitchiness reminded me a bit of Taylor Hicks (and that's a compliment from me)
Jenna Renae - I mainly remember her from her first audition where she wore a fedora and played piano. It was good but we didn't learn much more about her during Hollywood Week.
James VIII - He's likable and soulful with a very unique name.
Kory Wheeler - Kory was a barista but he won't be making coffee for at least another couple of weeks. He's a likable singer/songwriter type.
Adam Lasher - He made it to Hollywood Week last year but this year was more polished and had a more clean cut look.
Jeneve Rose Mitchell - I'm really happy they passed her through. This country girl who lives off the grid stayed true to herself. Her final performance of "Ring of Fire" was very dramatic. She's cute and a bit bizarre - definitely one of the quirkiest to ever make the Top 24.
CJ Johnson - He's a bar singer from Memphis and he's got serious rock and blues chops. Plus he gets song choice points for me for doing "Go Your Own Way."
Amelia Eisenhauer - When she brought a samurai sword to the first audition, we all expected it to be a joke audition - but she's a beautiful girl who can really sing and plays the fiddle too. She's another quirky choice.
Lee Jean - This kid is so cute - J Lo has been saying it since his first audition and he's only become more likable during Hollywood Week, developing a cute friendship with fellow contestant Sarah Sturm. During his showcase, he told the crowd to be quiet twice, and J Lo told him he can't do that again. He may not have the maturity to win.
Avalon Young - She's a tomboy, yet has extremely long hair. She sang "Excuse Me Miss" in the showcase and showed a lot of energy and sass.
Dalton Rapattoni - He's been my crush since his first audition (those eyes!) and I'm so happy he made it! He almost doomed himself by talking too much during the showcase and telling the crowd the competition gave him low self esteem. But his personality-packed performances saw him through.
Manny Torres - J Lo has been rooting for him the whole way since they are both Puerto Rican, and he survived some uneven times. He has a lot of swagger.
Thomas Stringfellow - This kid has boy band looks and revealed the sad tale of being dumped by his girlfriend the night before he flew to Hollywood. They had dated a year and she was afraid he wouldn't be loyal. I think she's a bit nuts to do that before he even makes it on the show and also the timing is cruel, but, hey, Thomas pulled himself together and performed great.
Sonika Vaid - She's pretty and talented, but the judges feel she is missing something. Her performances are a bit understated but she could be a dark horse.
Olivia Rox - This girl is cute with the pink streaks in her hair but the band drowned her out during the showcase. I don't see her lasting long.
Emily Brooke - She made it to top 50 last year, and J Lo said she never saw anyone grow as much in a year. I'm underwhelmed so far.
Gianna Isabella - We don't know her as anything much beyond Brenda K Starr's daughter, and we see a clip of Brenda pissing off musical director Ricky Minor with her stage mom behavior. Gianna even sang her mom's song at the showcase! She's a cute girl with a strong voice but she'll have to cut the umbilical cord.
Jenn Blosil - She's bizarre as hell, but kinda pretty. She forgot the words during her solo performance but she's got such a unique style and gripping voice that she made it through anyway.
Tristan McIntosh - I think we knew this girl would make it through after her first audition when she was compared to Alicia Keyes and her military mom came out and surprised her. I was somewhat annoyed by her crying fit during Hollywood Week when she thought she couldn't sing "What Hurts the Most" because 3 other girls had claimed it. Sure, it had personal meaning for her, but her breakdown was so bad that I wondered how she will hold up during the pressure of the competition. Lucky for her, some girl who got cut gave the song up, and Tristan did deliver a great performance.
Jordan Sasser - He's a worship director who auditioned with his wife and he made it and she didn't, causing a short-lived domestic dispute. He's very likable and handsome, especially when he let his hair down from the man bun for the showcase performance and rocked out. If he wasn't so churchy, he could be another Constantine.
LaPorsha Renae - I feel like they torment LaPorsha. They made her sing last during the showcase and they made her do the final walk with one other contestant to find out who would get the final spot. None of us had any doubt it would be LaPorsha who has such amazing presence, and a voice as big as her afro.
A few cuts that were hard to take...
Michelle Marie - This girl was definitely kind of annoying with her sequined cowboy hat and giddiness, but you couldn't dislike her because she had such pure enthusiasm and a love of the show. She revealed she lives in a trailer with 9 family members and has to sleep in the kitchen! I hope this show will be a platform for her to get some local gigs and get out of that situation.
Colette Lush - Beautiful redhead with a lovely voice. Harry thought she was a favorite during her first audition, but she didn't quite seize the day in Hollywood.
Malie Delgado - This radio personality from Alaska was so likable and I really felt she rocked the house in her showcase performance.
Lindita - She was the final one to be cut, although she gave a sexy showcase performance. She had lost 150 pounds before auditioning. Despite that, there was something a bit off-putting about her.
Next week 12 contestants will perform solo and in duets with former Idols, and 5 will be sent home. This is a diverse and quirky group and I'm intrigued to see how the season unfolds.
I've driven to Palm Springs from LA many times, and often stopped in Banning to visit Hadley's Fruit Orchards for one of their famous date shakes, but I had no idea that the town also housed an incredible Museum of Pinball that was the site of last weekend's Arcade Expo. It's a 40,000 square foot facility situated on 18 acres with 800 pinball and arcade games! The Arcade Expo was a 3-day celebration of pinball and vintage arcade games, with live music, food and drink, vendors, and panel discussions. We were just there for the first day - Friday. Admission was $35 for one day, including unlimited free play on the games, or $100 for all 3 days. We got a groupon that saved us half off the daily admission.
Upon arrival, we spent some time in the pinball room which was a giant warehouse-sized space housing hundreds of @ 500 pinball machines. You can see the full list of pinball and arcade games here. Unlike many arcades, the room was laid out with plenty of space in the aisles to allow for comfortable game play. Machines were arranged by decade so a stroll through the space took us on a tour of pinball history. They had some of the latest machines like Metallica and AC/DC. They even had an "adults only" room that had a couple machines with adult themes like The Sopranos and Sexy Girl, and black lighting. The back corner was reserved for a weekend-long pinball tournament called "It Never Drains in Southern California" and there were monitors above the machines so spectators could watch the competitors. They had Hercules - the largest pinball machine ever produced, and Joust - a two-player game that was set up like a cocktail arcade table where both players could play at the same time.
Another large room housed all the video games and vendors with video game memorabilia. We talked to the guy at the Intellivision booth and checked out the new all-in-one Intellivision machine with all the games built in (and those same shitty controllers!). We had a blast roaming the arcade and playing Dig Dug, Kick!, Breakout, Dragon's Lair and many other games from our misspent youth. It brought me back to the days my mom would drop me off at Showbiz Pizza with a roll of quarters and go do her shopping. Would any parent leave a 10 year old in an arcade unattended these days? We got sucked into Magical Tetris Challenge - a tetris game with Disney characters where both players play at the same time. I said we couldn't stop until I won a game and it took me about 45 minutes to pull that off.
Elsewhere on the museum grounds, there was a food court with burgers, hot dogs, pupusas, and craft beer (including Centipede IPA). We visited a shooting gallery with gun-oriented video games. There was a popular tent that housed pinball vendors and some of the hottest new games including The Walking Dead, KISS, Game of Thrones, WWE Wrestling, and, um, Whoa Nellie! Big Juicy Melons. After seeing so many degrading images of women in the clutches of demons or being rescued by Conan the Barbarian types on all the vintage pinball machines, it was disappointing to see that we haven't in fact come a long way, baby, when it comes to representation in pinball. It's a male-dominated hobby and this is supposed to be kitschy humor. Here's an article with more info on the controversy around this Whoa Nellie! machine.
The day passed quickly. We had a drink in the cocktail lounge but were disappointed that the vintage pong cocktail table machine wasn't working. There quite a few machines not working, but many volunteer techs were there fixing them as quick as they could, so by the time we walked by again, they'd be working. Dave had a rum drink served in a coconut - a fun take on the "ball" theme of the day. We would have hung out in the bar longer, but there was a huge vintage bowling game that was super loud and took up a lot of space in the small bar.
At 9:00 PM, we went to the theater room for a presentation by Walter Day, founder of the Twin Galaxies arcade and related organization that is the authority for video game competitions and world record validation, and Billy Mitchell, world record holder and super villain as portrayed in The King of Kong. I was surprised at how tall Billy was, although I guess a couple of inches come from his hair. They answered audience questions. Billy said he hasn't seen any of the movies he appears in, which surprised me. He hadn't seen King of Kongalthough he's one of the main players in it, and he hadn't seen Pixels, where Peter Dinklage plays a villain that looks a heckuva lot like Billy. I would think curiosity would get the better of him.
Billy showed a short film about Zack Hample, who is best known as a baseball collector but also holds some video game records including Super Breakout and Arkanoid. I was interested as a baseball fan but the video had no content at all about his video game prowess so it seemed an odd choice to show. Billy said the point was that if you could be obsessed and great at catching foul balls and home run balls and become the best in the country at it, that was the same type of dedication you needed to master a video game and be able to play Centipede for 47 hours straight as he had done. They started to show another short film about video game designers, and we went back to gaming.
Later, we ran into Billy and I asked if we could take a photo. He posed for pics with me and Dave and also gave me a box of cookies that I suppose some fan had given him. We debated on the way home if we should eat the cookies or not. If someone felt he was a true villain, perhaps they added ex-lax. Dave ate a few cookies without any negative effects. I didn't find Billy to be at all villainous in person. He was gracious in answering fan questions and posing for pics. I believe he was at the event the whole weekend, participating in panels and doing more screenings.
The crowd got larger as the night wore on, and there were DJs spinning 80s tunes in the video game room. The evening DJ did a "name the TV or movie theme song" game with the crowd and kept everyone having fun. There was also live music in the beer garden area. We saw Timon Marmex - a guy dressed kind of like Dr. Who playing a synth. It was quirky but didn't hold our attention - plus it was damn cold even with the heaters they had set up. Because of the cold, we didn't check out the Starcade - an outdoor gaming area where you could play video games and look at the stars - but it's a cool idea and would be great in summer.
I wish the Museum of Pinball was open all the time, but the owner feels he doesn't have the ability to staff it and keep all the games running. I think it would draw a lot of tourists who are visiting Palm Springs or the nearby Casino Morongo and outlet mall in Cabazon, just as the Pinball Hall of Fame in Vegas draws tourists from the Strip. I would definitely go back to play again. We were there for 8 hours but the time flew by, and I didn't manage to beat Dave at Dig Dug so we have unfinished business.
This was the final Auditions show ever! The judges couldn't tell anyone to try again next year. San Francisco was the location, and it proved fruitful.
The Good
Jessica Cabral - Jessica's parents came from Brazil and were musicians. She's a worship music director - we've had a lot of those this season. She's got a beautiful voice, nice control of it, too. Harry said he would be shocked if she didn't make it far and J Lo said she reminded her of Kelly.
Brian Dale Brown - He's a big goofball who has auditioned 10 times. He did Scooby doo and Keith Urban impressions and sang "Unchained Melody". I thought it was a no for sure because he was so hammy, but the judges thought if he could tone it down he could be good. I'm stunned they sent him to Hollywood. I guess they think the tense Hollywood Week will need some comic relief.
Melany Huber - She's only 17 but has recently battled stage 3 Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and has lost her hair. She had a tough time with chemo but now is cancer free and feels like she wants to go for it in life. She sang "Talking to the Moon" by Bruno Mars with a lot of emotion. J Lo said she naturally emotes.
Rachel Karryn, Caroline Byrne, Bianca Espinal - These three were accompanied on guitar by grandfather, brother, dad respectively. A montage showed they all made it.
Chynna Sherrod - She sang "One Last Time" by Arianna Grande. She had a strong presence, lots of feeling, nice banter with the judges. She's very likable.
Lillian Glanton - She's from a poultry farm. She sang an original called "Country Boyfriend", and it was a clever song, Harry thought she was not good enough, but Keith and J Lo sent her through to Hollywood. She took a selfie with the judges. I thought she was cute and reminiscent of Kellie Pickler.
Kacye Haynes - He is recently sober and has found solace in music. He sang "Brother" by NeedToBreathe. It was a split decision with Keith saying no. He's handsome, has a good vibe. Harry said he reminded him of both John Bon Jovi and Bono.
Zach Person - He sang "Next Door Neighbor Blues" by Gary Clark Jr. He has a unique voice, but I didn't find it that ear pleasing. The judges loved his originality and confidence, but I think America may not be that into it. He's more of a niche personality.
Colette Lush - That's her real name and she has long red hair. She sang "Who's Loving You" by Jackson 5. J Lo said she feels like Carrie Underwood just walked in. It seemed easy and natural. The judges expect her to go far and I do too, if American can overlook its ginger prejudice.
Avalon Young - She's a tomboy, wearing baggy t-shirt and ripped jeans. She was named for the song "Avalon" by Roxy Music and has the words tattooed on her arm. She sang "XO" by Beyonce, and the judges found her very original. She reminded me of Edie Brickell - cute, with a nice folksy vibe.
Usen Isong - His parents are from Nigeria and he's a background actor but ready to move to the forefront. He sang "Not the Only One" by Sam Smith. He's got a big voice and fun personality.
Jaci Butler - Her 3 bandmates live with her and her parents. Their band theme is black and green and they have black and green facepaint. She has lime green hair. She sang "It'll Rain" by Bruno Mars. I thought it was kind of average but the judges liked it. She does have a likable personality and she's something different.
Stephany Negrete - She's a beautiful girl. She looked perfect - wore a great outfit, long straight hair reminiscent of 70s Cher and perfect makeup. She sang "Who's Loving You" by Jackson 5 - a popular choice this season. J Lo observed that she was thinking too much about hitting the notes and not about the words, but all 3 judges felt she was talented enough to go to Hollywood.
Manny Torres - The final audition ever! He's Puerto Rican so he had J Lo on his side immediately. He sang "This Love" by Maroon 5. He's got a cute personality and big voice.
The Bad
Cody Ostrenga - He's a three-time world champion western mounted Horse rider, which is a sport where you ride horses at speeds up to 45 mph and shoot at targets as you go. But he's also a belly dancer. He sang "Proud Mary" and danced. Judges said he was entertaining but his voice wasn't good enough. Well, at least we learned about a new sport.
Gina Naomi Baez - She sang "Lips are Moving". She brought her dog Tinkerbell and they had matching outfits - blue dresses with yellow stars. It just wasn't very special, but she was devastated when the judges said no.
Justin Sullivan - He is obsessed with Kelly Clarkson and even wears T-shirts that say "Mr. Clarkson" on the back. He sang a Kelly song: "What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger." The judges felt it had some moments but wasn't good enough. I think the judges were being too kind to this Kelly stalker.
Tonight's episode skipped around again from Denver to Little Rock to Atlanta to Philly, etc.
The Good
Miranda "Poh" Scott - Her sister Shi made the Top 24 last year, and she wanted to get out of her shadow. She sang "Fairy Tale" by Sara Bareilles and the judges loved her husky voice and confidence. She reminded me a bit of Amy Winehouse, just in the voice, not the persona. She's the one Keith is still thinking about at the end of the day.
Amelia Eisenhauer - This ginger lass brought her fiddle which delighted Keith. She sang "Many Rivers" by Annie Lennox and revealed a big voice. She's quirky. She sings in a family band and brought a samurai sword with her but chose to leave it out of the audition room. She has some geeky appeal.
Joy Dove - This big, bubbly gal was so hyper that I thought she would fail, but she delivered a fun rendition of "Jambalaya" that Harry couldn't resist. J Lo said she was envious of her big voice.
Mackenzie Bourg - This cutie has the same birthday as Harry and he's from Louisiana. He performed a medley of songs by the judges, and the judges ate it up. He has John Mayer type looks, bookish and sweet. He should go far.
Jenna Renae - This pretty gal in a fedora played the piano and the judges found her soulful. I felt she overacted a bit in terms of emotion and gave too many meaningful looks.
Adam Lasher - He revealed a unique take on "Knocking on Heaven's Door." He made it to Hollywood last year, but this year he's back to try again with a more clean cut look. He's a cool dude, but maybe a bit cocky.
Emily Brooke - She made it to Hollywood last year at age 15, but judges felt she needed to develop her gift more. She sang "Careless" by RaeLynn. I felt she had a Taylor Swift vibe. The judges felt she had improved a lot since last year. Harry found her the most memorable of the day.
The Bad
Andrew and Aaron Birdwell - These brothers are self-proclaimed nerds who like board games. They perform a strange duet that Keith calls "a Gregorian acid trip" and Harry calls "a Gregorian can't."
Mario Bonds - Mario is outgoing and likable. He had a degenerative eye disease and went blind at age 10, struggled with behavior issues and is now on solid footing. He sang Natalie Cole's "Inseparable." He had talent but the performance was kinda heavy handed, and pitchy in places. Judges said they love him as a person but he's not good enough for the show. He cried. This was hard to watch. I felt he might have been good enough to go to Hollywood, but he probably wouldn't have made it out of there.
