April 24 – An Inspired Choice
American Idol 6, April 24 – An Inspired Choice by Betsy Wasser -- 04/25/2007 It’s time for a special episode of American Idol, in which the performers choose inspirational songs. It’s all for the good cause of Idol Gives Back. Who will have viewers racing to their phones? Ryan Seacrest welcomes us from the control room of American Idol, which is a cool effect. He says that this show is a special one – our calls will not only save contestants, but also lives. “This,” he says, “Is Idol Gives Back!” Ryan explains that American Idol is launching its new charity, Idol Gives Back. Viewers will watch the show and vote as usual, but this time, corporate sponsors will donate to charities. During the results show, viewers will have the opportunity to call in and pledge money. Plus, the contestants’ mentor is none other than Bono. Unfortunately, we won’t be hearing from Bono tonight, so hopefully he’ll be featured prominently on Wednesday’s show. Ryan reminds us that he and Simon took a trip to Africa together. We see shots of both devastating poverty and absolutely beautiful children. Ryan tells us that he met a 12-year-old boy who, since his parents died, is running the household. Ryan admires the boy’s strength and courage. “This is just intolerable,” Simon tells us, and for once he’s not referring to a bad audition, but rather to the conditions that people are living in. They visit a place where people are treated for malaria, still a major killer in Africa. Ryan reports that despite the poverty, the people they met showed amazing spirt. The contestants this week will be singing inspirational songs, and Chris Richardson is up first. He says that his song, “Change the World,” defines the theme of the show. One person can make a difference. Chris sings the song with lots of different runs, as he usually does. It’s not my cup of tea, personally, but he did a good job for what it was. He also performed the song very well, with emotion, a great smile, and a positive attitude. Randy: For the first time in a long time, Chris seems to be “in it to win it.” Paula: It was a great song choice. Paula is impressed with the progress Chris has made throughout the show. Simon: Simon feels like the competition starts in earnest tonight. I can’t help but wonder if that’s due in part to the fact that there is no longer a performer who many people consider a punchline. Simon thinks that Chris’s performance was “soulful and sexy.” Ryan explains that American Idol will be giving money not just to people in Africa, but in the United States as well. Randy visited his home state of Louisiana, where people are still feeling the after effects of Hurricane Katrina. We see kids in Kentucky who need educational materials, Navajo kids, and people in Atlanta who are homeless. Ryan and Paula visit a mobile health unit and hug adorable kids who would not otherwise have health care. Melinda is up next, singing “There Will Come a Day.” She likes the song because although it speaks to the problems in the world, it has a message of hope. The song is by Faith Hill, but the way Melinda sings it sounds like a powerful gospel song. As usual, she sings with power and emotion. It’s hard to be critical of Melinda’s performances because she’s such a pro, but I feel like she needs to do something to take things up another notch. Maybe she needs to tackle the sacred cows of this show, the Whitneys, the Mariahs, to really prove that she can hold her own. Otherwise, I fear her fans might become complacent. And yes, I did just call Whitney and Mariah cows. Randy: Melinda is so great he just doesn’t know what to say anymore. Paula: It must feel good to hear all of this praise, and Melinda deserves it. Simon: Simon reminds Melinda again not to look surprised. He then tells her that her song came across as truly original, like it was her hit, not someone else’s. It was a vocal master class. It’s time for a softball question, this time for Blake. Ryan asks him what he’s had to sacrifice because of coming on the show. Blake admits that he misses his family and friends, adding that they have been very supportive of him. He then says that he is “honored” to be singing “Imagine” by John Lennon. Blake says that he loves the story of an ideal world. As for the performance, it is simple and pretty. Blake is feeling the emotion of the song and really connecting with it. It’s not a flashy performance, but it rings true. Randy: It was a good song choice, but the performance was “just okay.” Paula: Paula says that at first, she thought what Randy did. But as the song went on, she came to really like the sensitivity that Blake displayed. Simon: It’s an iconic song, and not one you can really belt out. But it felt sincere, and that was important. Ryan tells us about a feeding center that he visited in Africa. One third of the children there are malnourished. Without feeding centers like the one he saw, these children wouldn’t have enough to eat. After all, Angelina Jolie can only take so many of them. LaKisha has made the bold decision to sing another Idol’s song, in this case “I Believe” by Fantasia. I can’t believe she did that, after the beating she took last week for choosing a Carrie Underwood song, but there you have it. LaKisha is much more suited to a song for Fantasia than she is a country song, and she does a respectable job with it. Randy: There were some pitch problems, but it was good. Still, it’s awfully hard to follow Fantasia. Paula: LaKisha is a powerhouse, no doubt about it. But just as it’s hard to sing a Whitney Houston or Celine Dion song, it’s hard to take on a Fantasia song. Simon: Simon thinks that Paula simply prefers the Fantasia version of the song. He thinks LaKisha was very emotional, but had a tendency to shout. Phil has the other audience question this week. What does he miss the most about home? Of course, he misses his two little girls. Phil explains that usually they’re with him, but right now they are staying with their grandparents. It’s hard to be away from them, but he believes it’ll be worth it in the end. Ryan adds that’s because “Daddy is getting famous.” Phil sings “The Change” by Garth Brooks, explaining that the song inspired him after the Oklahoma City bombings and reminded him that everyone can be a hero. I’m not that excited about this performance, but I have to say there was not a thing wrong with it. It’s good, but not a wow for me. Randy: Phil has done a great job of showing us who he is. Very nice vocals. Paula: With these two country songs, Phil has found his comfort zone. Simon: Simon says that he likes Phil and likes that he’s showing more confidence. He suggests that Phil really embrace the country tone, that people will really like that. Simon tells us about visiting America’s Second Harvest, a food bank. He’s amazed that there’s a place like that so close to his home and that there is such a need for it. Simon is also impressed by the fact that the place operates so inexpensively, thanks to volunteers and donations. He talks to some of the people working there, explaining, “I’ve never met nice people before.” Jordin Sparks closes out the show with “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” She says that the song has a great message of hope, one that she hopes people will find comforting. It is another truly fantastic performance by Jordin. She really connects with the emotions of the song and just sings the hell out of it. This girl is amazing. I feel like this season of American Idol has been pretty boring because it has in so many ways been the Melinda show. Melinda is a fantastic performer, and although she’s not my favorite, she is arguably the best. I feel like since the top 12, if not sooner, we’ve just been kind of killing time until her inevitable win. But Jordin could be a spoiler. She is really surging and could wind up stealing that crown right off of Melinda’s head. She’s always good and she’s never boring. Randy: Best vocals of the night, possibly ever! Paula: It was a great song, one that you have to be a very strong singer to do well. Jordin pulled it off. Simon: Even though it’s a 60 year old song, Jordin could make it a hit today. Well, that’s it for the performance episode of Idol Gives Back. And can I be honest with you, Internet? Okay, here goes… It was boring. I think it’s wonderful that American Idol is using it’s influence to spread such an important message. There were no clunker, cringe-inducing performances. (Hmm, what changed from last week?) The judges were nice and gave helpful and positive feedback. The songs were sincere and meaningful. It was all really dreary and… boring. Couldn’t we have heard something a little more modern, a little more cool? Maybe some Coldplay? John Mayer? Or, dare I say, U2? Imagine what Blake could have done with “Pride (In the Name of Love)” just to give one example. It also seems like a gigantic bummer that tomorrow, we’re going to see this all-star event, spread all of this hope and love… and boot somebody off. But hey, now is as good of a time as any to predict who it’ll be. Here’s how I rank tonight: Jordin Melinda Blake LaKisha Chris Phil I think LaKisha sealed her fate by singing two songs in a row by American Idol winners. She’ll be the one tearfully listening to Chris Daughtry at the end of the night.
American Idol 6, April 24 – An Inspired Choice by Betsy Wasser -- 04/25/2007 It’s time for a special episode of American Idol, in which the performers choose inspirational songs. It’s all for the good cause of Idol Gives Back. Who will have viewers racing to their phones? Ryan Seacrest welcomes us from the control room of American Idol, which is a cool effect. He says that this show is a special one – our calls will not only save contestants, but also lives. “This,” he says, “Is Idol Gives Back!” Ryan explains that American Idol is launching its new charity, Idol Gives Back. Viewers will watch the show and vote as usual, but this time, corporate sponsors will donate to charities. During the results show, viewers will have the opportunity to call in and pledge money. Plus, the contestants’ mentor is none other than Bono. Unfortunately, we won’t be hearing from Bono tonight, so hopefully he’ll be featured prominently on Wednesday’s show. Ryan reminds us that he and Simon took a trip to Africa together. We see shots of both devastating poverty and absolutely beautiful children. Ryan tells us that he met a 12-year-old boy who, since his parents died, is running the household. Ryan admires the boy’s strength and courage. “This is just intolerable,” Simon tells us, and for once he’s not referring to a bad audition, but rather to the conditions that people are living in. They visit a place where people are treated for malaria, still a major killer in Africa. Ryan reports that despite the poverty, the people they met showed amazing spirt. The contestants this week will be singing inspirational songs, and Chris Richardson is up first. He says that his song, “Change the World,” defines the theme of the show. One person can make a difference. Chris sings the song with lots of different runs, as he usually does. It’s not my cup of tea, personally, but he did a good job for what it was. He also performed the song very well, with emotion, a great smile, and a positive attitude. Randy: For the first time in a long time, Chris seems to be “in it to win it.” Paula: It was a great song choice. Paula is impressed with the progress Chris has made throughout the show. Simon: Simon feels like the competition starts in earnest tonight. I can’t help but wonder if that’s due in part to the fact that there is no longer a performer who many people consider a punchline. Simon thinks that Chris’s performance was “soulful and sexy.” Ryan explains that American Idol will be giving money not just to people in Africa, but in the United States as well. Randy visited his home state of Louisiana, where people are still feeling the after effects of Hurricane Katrina. We see kids in Kentucky who need educational materials, Navajo kids, and people in Atlanta who are homeless. Ryan and Paula visit a mobile health unit and hug adorable kids who would not otherwise have health care. Melinda is up next, singing “There Will Come a Day.” She likes the song because although it speaks to the problems in the world, it has a message of hope. The song is by Faith Hill, but the way Melinda sings it sounds like a powerful gospel song. As usual, she sings with power and emotion. It’s hard to be critical of Melinda’s performances because she’s such a pro, but I feel like she needs to do something to take things up another notch. Maybe she needs to tackle the sacred cows of this show, the Whitneys, the Mariahs, to really prove that she can hold her own. Otherwise, I fear her fans might become complacent. And yes, I did just call Whitney and Mariah cows. Randy: Melinda is so great he just doesn’t know what to say anymore. Paula: It must feel good to hear all of this praise, and Melinda deserves it. Simon: Simon reminds Melinda again not to look surprised. He then tells her that her song came across as truly original, like it was her hit, not someone else’s. It was a vocal master class. It’s time for a softball question, this time for Blake. Ryan asks him what he’s had to sacrifice because of coming on the show. Blake admits that he misses his family and friends, adding that they have been very supportive of him. He then says that he is “honored” to be singing “Imagine” by John Lennon. Blake says that he loves the story of an ideal world. As for the performance, it is simple and pretty. Blake is feeling the emotion of the song and really connecting with it. It’s not a flashy performance, but it rings true. Randy: It was a good song choice, but the performance was “just okay.” Paula: Paula says that at first, she thought what Randy did. But as the song went on, she came to really like the sensitivity that Blake displayed. Simon: It’s an iconic song, and not one you can really belt out. But it felt sincere, and that was important. Ryan tells us about a feeding center that he visited in Africa. One third of the children there are malnourished. Without feeding centers like the one he saw, these children wouldn’t have enough to eat. After all, Angelina Jolie can only take so many of them. LaKisha has made the bold decision to sing another Idol’s song, in this case “I Believe” by Fantasia. I can’t believe she did that, after the beating she took last week for choosing a Carrie Underwood song, but there you have it. LaKisha is much more suited to a song for Fantasia than she is a country song, and she does a respectable job with it. Randy: There were some pitch problems, but it was good. Still, it’s awfully hard to follow Fantasia. Paula: LaKisha is a powerhouse, no doubt about it. But just as it’s hard to sing a Whitney Houston or Celine Dion song, it’s hard to take on a Fantasia song. Simon: Simon thinks that Paula simply prefers the Fantasia version of the song. He thinks LaKisha was very emotional, but had a tendency to shout. Phil has the other audience question this week. What does he miss the most about home? Of course, he misses his two little girls. Phil explains that usually they’re with him, but right now they are staying with their grandparents. It’s hard to be away from them, but he believes it’ll be worth it in the end. Ryan adds that’s because “Daddy is getting famous.” Phil sings “The Change” by Garth Brooks, explaining that the song inspired him after the Oklahoma City bombings and reminded him that everyone can be a hero. I’m not that excited about this performance, but I have to say there was not a thing wrong with it. It’s good, but not a wow for me. Randy: Phil has done a great job of showing us who he is. Very nice vocals. Paula: With these two country songs, Phil has found his comfort zone. Simon: Simon says that he likes Phil and likes that he’s showing more confidence. He suggests that Phil really embrace the country tone, that people will really like that. Simon tells us about visiting America’s Second Harvest, a food bank. He’s amazed that there’s a place like that so close to his home and that there is such a need for it. Simon is also impressed by the fact that the place operates so inexpensively, thanks to volunteers and donations. He talks to some of the people working there, explaining, “I’ve never met nice people before.” Jordin Sparks closes out the show with “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” She says that the song has a great message of hope, one that she hopes people will find comforting. It is another truly fantastic performance by Jordin. She really connects with the emotions of the song and just sings the hell out of it. This girl is amazing. I feel like this season of American Idol has been pretty boring because it has in so many ways been the Melinda show. Melinda is a fantastic performer, and although she’s not my favorite, she is arguably the best. I feel like since the top 12, if not sooner, we’ve just been kind of killing time until her inevitable win. But Jordin could be a spoiler. She is really surging and could wind up stealing that crown right off of Melinda’s head. She’s always good and she’s never boring. Randy: Best vocals of the night, possibly ever! Paula: It was a great song, one that you have to be a very strong singer to do well. Jordin pulled it off. Simon: Even though it’s a 60 year old song, Jordin could make it a hit today. Well, that’s it for the performance episode of Idol Gives Back. And can I be honest with you, Internet? Okay, here goes… It was boring. I think it’s wonderful that American Idol is using it’s influence to spread such an important message. There were no clunker, cringe-inducing performances. (Hmm, what changed from last week?) The judges were nice and gave helpful and positive feedback. The songs were sincere and meaningful. It was all really dreary and… boring. Couldn’t we have heard something a little more modern, a little more cool? Maybe some Coldplay? John Mayer? Or, dare I say, U2? Imagine what Blake could have done with “Pride (In the Name of Love)” just to give one example. It also seems like a gigantic bummer that tomorrow, we’re going to see this all-star event, spread all of this hope and love… and boot somebody off. But hey, now is as good of a time as any to predict who it’ll be. Here’s how I rank tonight: Jordin Melinda Blake LaKisha Chris Phil I think LaKisha sealed her fate by singing two songs in a row by American Idol winners. She’ll be the one tearfully listening to Chris Daughtry at the end of the night.