American Idol 9: Top 8 Girls Perform

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Features, Video,

Two more girls will leave American Idol 9 this week, which gave the remaining eight females only one chance to win the hearts of the nation: Tuesday’s performance round. Only six of them will win a position in the Top 12, when voting becomes a free-for-all for the males and females equally.

As the show opened, Ellen DeGeneres was on Simon Cowell’s lap. “This is quite uncomfortable,” Simon was exasperated with Ellen’s joke. “I would say this is probably the worst night to go,” he said of the upcoming performance round.

The show began with Katie Stevens, who chose Kelly Clarkson’s banner hit “Breakaway.” This was a bold choice, and Katie started out a little hard to understand and weak. She sounded much better when she hit the chorus, but the performance was still messy. Katie was a little ahead of the music, incredibly wooden on stage and she still reeks of insincerity. Randy Jackson found the performance a little “karaoke,” saying “it wasn’t great.” Ellen DeGeneres was pleased with the song choice, but found that Katie was singing but not feeling. “We have people who really know themselves, and people who don’t,” Kara DioGuardi summed it up. Simon Cowell agreed with Kara, saying Katie made the tune “a little bit gloomy.”

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American Idol 9: Top 10 Girls Perform

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Gossip, Video,

After a few changes to the schedule, American Idol 9’s Top 10 girls were ready to sing their hearts out for Wednesday’s performance round. Crystal Bowersox, who was hospitalized Tuesday night, was back in the studio and looked wonderful at the top of the episode. She spent a few moments talking to Ryan Seacrest before the performances began. “I’m a tough cookie,” Crystal promised. I had no doubt she would deliver a great number for the night.

“The guys were hot last night,” Randy Jackson exclaimed. “I’m hoping the girls show up like that tonight.” 

Crystal Bowersox, for whom the week’s line-up was switched around, was the first to be featured. She revealed in her video package that she’s a twin. She picked “Long As I Can See the Light” from CCR, a pretty bold choice, for her Wednesday performance. The bluesy/gospel feel of the song beautifully highlighted Crystal’s vocal talent. It was a great way to start the show. Randy Jackson was enthusiastic about the performance, shouting “that girl is hot!” Ellen DeGeneres loves Crystal’s “pure, raw, natural talent,” saying “you’re amazing.” Kara DioGuardi found the performance to be “effortless,” and compared Bowersox to “the greats.” Be interesting to know whom Kara includes in that category. “I completely misunderestimated you,” Simon Cowell admitted, saying “the vocal was incredible.”

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American Idol 9: Top 12 Girls Perform

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Gossip, Video,

Ryan Seacrest walked down an aisle made by American Idol’s Top 24 of the season to open the show, the first that would mark performances we as a nation are allowed to vote upon. Tuesday’s episode would feature the Top 12 girls only, since time doesn’t allow for all 24 of them to sing at once. The long introduction for the girls was mostly a long parade of blondes, pretty dark-haired girls and standout Lacey Brown.

The Top 12 men (which included Michael Lynche, thought to be ousted from the show) waited on the sidelines as the judges were introduced at the big desk for the first time of the season. “I heard the big news. I saw the New York Post,” Ryan Seacrest smiled to Simon Cowell, calling him out for his prediction that a girl would win this season. Since gossip has held that the producers are determined that a girl shall win the year, consider this so-called banter the first seed that has been planted to sway your vote.

“This is make it or break it right here,” Randy Jackson observed. “You gotta be great, or you gotta be mad at yourself.”

“You’re all good, but now we’re looking at, what’s going to keep people glued to the television?” Ellen DeGeneres explained.

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American Idol 9: Top 24 Revealed

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Gossip, Spoilers, Video,

American Idol 9’s Hollywood session finally came to close Wednesday night, when the remaining members of the season’s Top 24 contenders was slowly, painfully revealed. How close is the reality to the spoilers that were released weeks and weeks ago? There’s only one way to find out.

Michael Lynche, Aaron Kelly, Didi Benami, Casey James, Todrick Hall, Lee Dewyze and Katelyn Epperly were all revealed as Top 24 contestants at the end of Tuesday’s two-hour marathon episode. Wednesday would narrow the remaining 37 would-be Idols down to a mere 17.

Janelle Wheeler was the first to be featured on the episode. The pretty blonde auditioned in Orlando and won her shot to Hollywood on a split decision from the judges. Wheeler was disappointed in her final solo performance in Hollywood, admitting that she “couldn’t take the pressure” once it was all over. Ellen DeGeneres led Wheeler’s interview. “It’s hard to tell somebody that has a great voice that they’re not going to go through,” she said, then surprised Janelle by giving her the good news - Wheeler is indeed in the Top 24.

Tyler Grady, who has something of a Jim Morrison vibe, was the next to face the judging panel. Kara DioGuardi remarked on his 70s-ish performance style, then smilingly welcomed him into Top 24.

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American Idol 9: Hollywood Solo Performances

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Gossip, Video,

Hollywood’s final solo performances are the last chance for the remaining American Idol 9 contestants, a huge field which was narrowed down to the seventy-one at the start of Tuesday’s episode. The show began with the final deliberations, beginning near the end of the process which will give us 24 Top singers who will compete to be our Idol.

Per formula, the contestants were put into three different rooms. Angela Martin was in Room 3 with Hollywood standout Jessica Furney. Martin’s entertaining performance was only passable vocally, though Kara DioGuardi and Randy Jackson both seemed to enjoy it.

Casey James was in Room 1, while his Hollywood Group member Jermaine Purifoy waited in Room 2. Both their solo performances were incredibly enjoyable and vocally strong, though extremely different from each other.

Andrew Garcia, Katie Stevens and Jermaine Sellers also waited in Room 1. Earlier in the day, Sellers made the bold choice to sing “Man in the Mirror,” and some of the notes seemed to escape him. His rather rigid performance might not have won over the judges, but Sellers definitely has a great voice.

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American Idol 9’s Top 24: Spoiler List Updated!

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Gossip, Spoilers,

We’ve already spoiled the Top 24 contenders who will scrape past Hollywood Week on American Idol 9. Now, thanks to new sources, the list has been updated—and we have no reason to believe it’s not completely accurate.

Keep reading to see the names. One of them is the next American Idol.

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American Idol 9: Chicago Auditions

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American Idol 9 visited the Windy City, opening this audition episode with a montage of angry, rejected contestants. It was an auspicious beginning. Shania Twain was the guest judge for this city, a development which seemed to thrill Kara DioGuardi.

The crowds who waited chanted “Yes, We Can,” in honor of Barack Obama, who called the city home until taking up residence at 1600 Pennsylvania in Washington, D.C. Viewers were quickly taken into the story of Katelyn Epperly, a pretty blonde (dyed) with pretty ringlets. Her low, sultry voice quickly proved that there’s more to her than what meets the eye, and Katelyn earned praise from the judges. “I think you have a voice that could sing a hit song, I think,” Shania Twain generously told her. Epperly earned her golden ticket, and the Chicago auditions were well under way.

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Spoiling American Idol 9’s Top 24

Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Rumors, Spoilers,

It’s fun to watch hours and hours of audition footage on American Idol 9, sure…but wouldn’t it be more fun if you already knew which singers will be moving on to Hollywood and beyond?

If you want to know twenty of the twenty-four hopefuls who will eventually sing on the big Idol stage after they breeze through Hollywood Week, keep reading. If you’d rather wait several more weeks until the show reveals things in its own way, turn back now.

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