This year’s American Idol semifinals round is shaping up to have more unexpected twists and turns than an entire season of Jennifer Lopez’sShades of Blue. (OK, admittedly, that’s not the most appropriate analogy. I’ve never even seen that show. Is it still on the air?)
This is what I’m trying to say: After initial spoilers indicating that only twoof this season’s top 10 finalists, the “Wild Cards,” would be elected by America – and that J.Lo and her fellow judges would pick the other eight – Fox’s powers-that-be apparently decided to make Idol a democracy again. Sort of.
True, Season 15 is hardly on par with past seasons, when the voting lines opened during the top 24 or even top 36 round. But at least now viewers will get to choose six, not two, of this season’s top 10 finalists. On Wednesday, the judges utilized their “Fast Pass” power to automatically advance four of the top 14 contestants, and then the remaining 10 contestants competed for America’s vote for the first time this season.
As for the four “Fast Pass” singers announced on Wednesday, I can’t really quibble with the judges’ unanimous decision. Three of my top picks of the entire season (punk-pop Broadway baby Dalton Rapattoni, Kelly-Clarkson-in-training Olivia Rox, and Southern indie-soul crooner Trent Harmon) made the cut, along with, thankfully, La’Porsha Renae – this year’s only R&B diva, one of Season 15’s straight-up best belters, and one of the few contestants who doesn’t seem like she just graduated from middle school and is trying out for American Juniors. These four contenders would have had my vote anyway. So… good job, J.Lo and company! Thanks for not messing that one up.
As for the other six I’ll actually be voting for this week, they are, in alphabetical order but for very different reasons: Jenn Blosil, MacKenzie Bourg (I’m actually surprised he didn’t get a Fast Pass), Tristan McIntosh, Jeneve Rose Mitchell, Thomas Stringfellow, and Avalon Young.
Yep, that’s a lot of indie – an assortment of my usual favorite Guys With Guitars and Quirky Girls – so I doubt I’ll totally get my way. But if I didget magically, miraculously get my way, Season 15 would be the most Reality Rocks-ish Idol season ever. And wouldn’t that be a nice farewell present to me, after all the nights I’ve sacrificed (cue Amelia Eisenhauer’s tiniest violin) to blog this show since 2007, when this column started?
But I’m getting ahead of myself. After the “Fast Pass” announcement at the top of Wednesday’s hour-long episode, there were 10 more performances to power through in the remaining 56 minutes. These performances were somewhat anticlimactic, since they were all reprises of previous numbers; I would have much preferred if the contestants had showcased new sides of themselves. But, like I said before, I don’t always get my way when it comes to Idol.
Here’s how it went…
Manny Torres
Manny did “Master Blaster” by Stevie Wonder. It wasn’t a blast. It was a competent karaoke performance. He didn’t impress me the first time he did this, and he didn’t impress me now. I think Manny should just be happy that, no matter what, he’ll go down in history as the final golden ticket recipient in Idol history. But now it’s time for him to go.
Gianna Isabella
When Gianna did “I Put a Spell on You” last week, it was vocally great, but lacking the grit, mystique, and element of danger that this devilish, creepy Screamin’ Jay Hawkins classic requires. This week, I have to say, Gianna dug a bit deeper. She wasn’t exactly at a Quentin Alexander or Casey Abrams level (and don’t even get me started on what the unimpeachable Annie Lennox can do with this song), but she seemed to have a better understanding of the song’s lyrics. This was a moodier, more vibey, more mature attempt, with her cutesy pageanty smiling mostly under control. I was impressed with her quick progress. Maybe there’s potential for Gianna after all… if she makes it through.
Thomas Stringfellow
Thomas hit the stage warbling One Direction’s “Story of My Life” like he was auditioning to be Zayn Malik’s replacement. It was too pure pop for my tastes. I missed his guitar; I wasn’t into his Bieber-wear (my gurl Avalon Young pulls off that look much better); and I really wish he’d reprised Radiohead’s “Creep” instead. (The recently dumped Thomas shines on angst-y ballads, not on peppy boy-band fare.) “Cracking almost every note at the end, you have to stop. It’s too much, all the time, unless you’re the lead singer for the Cranberries,” grunted Harry Connick Jr. All right, that settles it – if Thomas makes it through to the top 10 (and I’m still rooting for him, although I’m worried now), then hetotally needs to do “Zombie” next week.
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