American Idol 8: Third Group Performs

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

As the first half of American Idol 8’s Top 12 looked on, a dozen new hopefuls took to the stage to sing out their hearts - and hopefully, to win ours.

During the pre-performance banter, host Ryan Seacrest talked about Simon Cowell’s penchant for picking on contestant song choices. Seacrest asked the judge why he doesn’t simply pick the songs himself. “Well, I will,” Cowell responded. “We’ll have a Simon Cowell week.”

I’m getting a vision of the greatest Idol week ever. But before that happens, we have to get through this last group of Top 36 contenders.

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American Idol 8: Three Left Standing in Second Group

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

Twenty-five million votes were tallied up to create Thursday’s live show, but did all the results go as expected? American Idol watchers were treated to montages, recaps and four performances - and at the end of the night, half of the Top 12 was firmly in place.

Alexis Grace, Danny Gokey and Michael Sarver waited through the group performance (it was a song I’ve never heard before and didn’t at all like…the best I can say is that it was better than last week’s group) and tons of other filler before real results were featured.

Ryan Seacrest spent a few moments chatting with the current crop of competitors before getting down to business. When asked about his future, Nick Mitchell said, “I’m looking for employment, always.” Jesse Langseth finds selecting songs “awful” and “very hard.” Jeanine Vailes admitted that “less could have been more” with her performance.

But eventually, even the time for chitchatting was over.

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American Idol 8: Top 36 Announced

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

Fifty-four sat in the holding room of a “mansion” - or set - in Los Angeles last night on American Idol. Only thirty-six would leave the judging area with smiles on their faces. A few would be made to sing one last time, but all would have to make the long walk through the gardens and down to the throne room where their fate would be decided.

Anoop Desai was the first to make the stroll. “Anoop is in the house,” Randy Jackson cried, after Kara DioGuardi told Desai he’d made it into the competition.

Things started to move fairly quickly after that.

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American Idol 8: Hollywood Week Continues

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

Seventy-two hopefuls crowded the Kodak Theater for their solo performances in front of the American Idol judges. For this all-important audition, the very last they’ll have on Idol, the singers were allowed to sing with the band, their own back-up singers and instruments of their own choosing. The show began with the judge deliberation, showing them scattering photos around their table. The day’s events were re-told, flashback style, for our amusement.

The solo singing started with Adam Lambert, who has already completely impressed me with his amazing voice. Lambert put so much power into “Believe,” a song choice which should have been terribly strange and awkward, I was absolutely stunned. I thought this guy was a David Cook rip-off in the beginning, but now I’m not so sure he isn’t a complete original.

Matt Giraud lovingly played piano as he sang “Georgia” by Ray Charles. He put a ton of soul into the performance, winning a standing ovation from the watching crowd.

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American Idol 8: Island Auditions

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

American Idol 8 tried something brand-new last night: two audition cities in the same episode. Using a West Side Story theme, the show featured try-outs in New York City and San Juan, two very different islands which are many, many miles apart.

The episode opened in New York with Adeola Adegoke, from the Bronx. This very pretty girl quit her job, confident that she would soon be starting a new life in Hollywood. She sang a Jennifer Hudson song in very accented English. Her voice was off key, and the audition was not good. Simon Cowell said “it was shockingly bad.” Kara DioGuardi kindly explained that “you have to keep your day job.” Ryan Seacrest called Adegoke’s boss, put him on the phone with Simon Cowell, and between the two of them managed to get the girl’s job back for her.

How many more lives would be changed…or not changed as the days wore on?

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