American Idol- Hollywood Rounds
After 37 weeks of auditions (okay, it just seemed that way), we’re finally at Hollywood Week, AI’s version of boot camp. For golden ticket recipients, the auditions were one thing. Hollywood is quite another. However, this season, Hollywood Week has been changeed. Contestants can play instruments. Also, no one will be cut right way, and will get another chance if they falter during their initial Hollywood auditions. But if they screw up during their second chance, they are out.
Day One
Brooke White, who we met in Philly, is first. She sings “Beautiful” and accompanies herself on the keyboards. Brooke did an excellent job and showed no nerves. Simon said she showed a Carly Simon/Carol King vibe, and I have to agree. Brooke makes it through.
Lorena Pinot Sounds way too karaoke and Amy Catherine Flynn is way off pitch. Fortunately for them, they have another chance to impress the judges.
Remember how memorable Leo Marlowe was at his audition? Sadly, he’s completely disappointing his first time in Hollywood. He’s lucky he gets another shot.
The following contestants following Leo are total non-entities, and I don’t even bother remembering their names.
Jake Melena decides to sing while accompanying himself on the drums. This doesn’t exactly work, especially when he makes a bad song choice and has an unimpressive voice. Next!
David Hernandez showed way too many nerves when he auditioned in San Diego. But he totally gets it together during his first Hollywood auditions. He sings very well and shows some good stage skills. He really gets the audience going. Yep, he makes it.
Amanda the rockin’ biker nurse from Atlanta was in a bad car accident before she arrived in Hollywood but pulls it together. She sings the Doors’ classic, “Light My Fire.” Does she light up her audition? Amanda is probably more suited to fronting a bar band, and I wonder if she’ll ever show any variety in her style. Still, Amanda is comfortable on stage and sets herself apart from the rest of the female contestants. She’s going to the final round.
If Buck Smith, Cardin McKinney and Natasha Black went on the game show “Don’t Forget the Lyrics” they would lose big time.
Latin lover Ghaleb knows four languages (and can’t say no in any of them to paraphrase the wonderful Dorothy Parker). I find him totally skeevy and he lays it on way too thick. I wasn’t too impressed with his audition, and I’m even less impressed with him during Hollywood week. I’ve heard better singers in subway stations. He’s not going straight to the final round.
Car-dwelling Josiah Leming decides to accompany his audition with some keyboard work. He’s still singing with a vague British accent. Josiah is a very earnest kid and seems to wear his heart on his sleeve. I think music is his life blood and you do remember him. He’s also going straight to the final round. And I give him credit for singing Mika’s “Grace Kelly.”
Remember Danny Noreiga, Ramiele Maluby, Carly Smithson and Michael Johns from their auditions? Well, we’ll be seeing more of them because they’ve made it to the final rounds.
Day Two
David Cook has put plenty of time in the bar circuit with his band, but can he make in during AI Hollywood week? He sings “Everything I Do (I Do it for You).” Hmm, he’s probably better off in the bar circuit.
It looks like “Everything I Do (I Do it for You)” is the song du jour because Robbie Carrico, Jessica Brown, Perrie Cataldo, Syesha Mercado and Colton Brown also sing this Bryan Adams ballad. But only Robbie and Colton are going to the final round right away.
AI’s Super Delegate, Kyle Ensley, is quite college glee club when he auditions, totally corny. Simon is in a snit and walks right out.
Day Three
It’s now do or die for Idol contestants who didn’t make it straight to the final round. They are put into groups of ten and are told to sing a capella. Can they handle the immense pressure?
Why am I not surprised that Amy Catherine Flynn brings a vocal coach to Hollywood? Her vocal coach is Angel who was a contestant in season 4. Angel advises Amy to sing “Love Will Bring You Back,” a song Amy is not familiar with. Amy sings it and it painful. Love will not bring Amy back (or anything else, for that matter). This is the end of the road for our favorite abstinence queen. Other familiar contestants like single parents Perrie Cataldo, Suzanne Toon and Angela Martin are also told this is the end of the AI line.
Fortunately, others get good news. Kristy Lee Cook, who sold a horse to go to an Idol audition is going through as is Jeffrey Lampkins. And many others are joining them. However, the torture is not over.
Day Four
On the final day the contestants are not only accompanied by a band, they also get back up singers. This is it. It’s now or never time. Sparkle, kids, sparkle!
Many contestants are having nervous break downs but not David Archuletta. He’s cool and unfazed by all the pressure. He sings “Heaven” and shows some impressive smooth and clean vocals. The teen singers usually don’t do it for me, but I am impressed as are the judges. He’s going through. I’m sure the powers that be hope David can tap into the High School Musical-crazed tweeners.
Kyle Ensley sings “You Raise Me Up.” And though he’s still a bit too glee club, he is better than he was a couple of days ago. The judges also see an improvement and he gets three yeses. And Simon even apologizes for leaving in a huff during Kyle’s moment. Wow, is Simon getting into Paula’s stash? What’s up the niceties?
The high spirited Jeffrey Lampkins who had shown so much promise earlier seriously stumbles during “A Whole New World.” Jeffrey will now being seeing a whole new world on AI, from his couch when he watches the show on TV.
Joey Catalano wakes up with a huge migraine, and after he murders “Ribbon in the Sky,” I’m not feeling so hot myself. He done.
Syesha Mercado’s has been battling some type of bug all week and her voice is giving out. Can she make it through her final audition? Syesha sings “Chain of Fools” and totally pulls it together. The judges put her through. Now get some rest, girl!
Michael Johns sings “Bohemian Rhapsody” and though it could be a trainwreck of epic proportions, Michael Johns does not disappoint. He brings the right rock and roll grit to the classic Queen song. He completely bowls over the judges (and me) and is going through.
Is the luck of the Irish with Carly Smithson? She sings “Alone” and the answer is yes. Carly sings great and shows more confidence in her performing skills. She gets three yeses from the judges.
Asia’h Epperson also gets three yeses, but beauty queen Brooke Helvie will go back to kissing pigs. I will not miss her.
Poor Josiah is crumbling under the pressure. He gets a pep talk from Idol vocal coach Debra Byrd. Josiah decides to ditch the band and the back up singers. I don’t think this will be a good idea. Josiah sings “Stand By Me” and it’s pretty bad. Josiah completely falters and gives a totally charmless performance. He probably should have kept the band and back up singers. However, due to his past performances he’s going through. I hope Josiah realizes how lucky he is. And I wonder if he’s up for the huge pressure of performing on Idol week after week. Enough with the tears. As my nephew Fredrick would say, “Cheer up, emo kid.”
Finally, after triumphs and tragedies, and tears and cheers, we have the final fifty. But only 24 will become semi-finalists. Wednesday night the remaining contestants will do the walk of truth-are they going on to “fame and fortune” or is it the end of the line?
I do have some final thoughts on Hollywood Week. Yes, it was great that the focus was individual singing, but where were the random hook-ups? Where were the alcohol and drug-addled late nights? Where was the fighting, the back stabbing and the scheming that makes Hollywood Week such fun? And what was up with the blue tongues on some people?
I love that she's a rocker, I love that's she different and that she picks awesome music.
I couldn't stand listening to her every week telling me not to have sex.
My mom and I noticed the blue tounges too and were totally weirded out. I'm still wondering about that.
