I'm excited! Here we go.........
Simon seems frightfully pleasant, and in denial about last night. Maybe it's cuz he gets to see all the pretty girls tonight?
Stephanie Edwards - I like her pre-performance review. Pretty and well-dressed, with very good vocal styling. The mixing has her voice too low again, so I don't feel her presence as much as I'd like. I don't like the mics on the judges, either, for that matter. Simon nailed it in that she was definitely better than almost anything last night.
Amy Krebs - Pre-performance audition clips don't have me very hopeful. I wonder how she got through. Motionless beginning...I hoped to see her break out at the bridge, but no. The voice is pretty good, if pitchy in spots, but the 'performance' factor was not there. The judges seem to agree. Despite his sucky candle analogy, Simon is correct. He went too far in attacking her hair, which looks fine, to me, but, having turned in his black shirt for a grey one, I suppose he feels entitled. Maybe wearing grey accounts for the improvement in his mood. The colours one wears can definitely have an impact on one's mood, and black is a challenge for anyone.
Leslie Hunt - Badly pitchy for the first part of the song, but very engaging performance overall. She knows how to connect with the song and the audience, and the middle and ending made up a lot for the shakey start. Simon tries to correlate the dogwalking part of her with her stage mannerisms, but I don't think it applies. I think her unpolished movements are actually very honest body language, and I find them endearing, rather than indicative of her former status as a dogwalker. It wasn't as bad as Randy suggested. If she'd been stronger in the beginning, she would have pulled it off quite admirably.
Sabrina Sloan - Brings it from the start. Nice outfit, hair, and presence. I thought it was great, though I think she pushed the volume (yelling) at times. Still, I agree with Simon that it was clearly a great performance, if not the best so far. Still, no chills on this one.
Antonella Barba - Here come the chills. Occasional non-fatal pitchiness at the start, but very nice, overall. Randy asks a question, so we know what's coming. I don't think it was as bad as Randy or Simon say. Certainly it was better than Sundance, and it didn't at all strike me as the worst I've heard tonight - certainly as good as Amy or Leslie, but getting less appreciation, for some reason.
Jordin Sparks - The AZ girl - picked a 'nasty' song to avoid Simon's sweetness objection. The arrangement was twice as fast as the original, but she pulled it off, and gave me chills with her closing note. I liked it a lot, and the judges agree. I really enjoy her enthisiastic attitude. She looks like an Amazon standing next to Ryan, and I like how he put his hands on his hips to equal her stage presence...LOL!
Nicole Tranquillo - Trying too hard - pushing the song instead of connecting with it, and her facial expressions reflect that. I felt a hernia coming on just listening to her. Worst of the night so far, for me. Simon said it well, though I'm not sure what he meant by indulgent, unless he meant 'excessive', and Paula was way too generous, in my opinion. I also saw her lip curling in anger when Ryan asked her to respond. I don't like her at all. I think she's a basically dishonest (with herself, and therefore, others) person with a lot of anger issues, and it shows in her performance.
Haley Scarnato - A bit pitchy at one point at the beginning, but turns it on a bit more at the bridge, giving me some chills, but she didn't bring it as I'd hoped. Again, the mic seemed 'off', and not loud enough. As I listen more closely while the judges speak, there's a HUGE amount of static being picked up, which just isn't right for an audio-focused performance. She actually sounds better on Ryan's mic at the wrap-up.
Melinda Doolittle - I'm hoping this backup singer can step up to the spotlight. OH YEAH! She brings it right from the start, and carries it through. Lots of chills for this one, and what an ENDING! Brilliant! Definitely the best of the night for me, and definitely a top 12 contender and likely finalist, if not the winner. Hear me now, and listen to what I'm saying... ; )
Alaina Alexander - I already like this one, but let's see how she stacks up against the powerhouses so far. Either the band sucked on this song, or her mic sucked or something. Why do I hear more treble when the song stops and the applause begins? It was just a'ight for me.
Gina Glocksen - Again, the mic sounds muffled and lacking treble. 'All By Myself' requires precise pitch and phrasing, and she pulls it off with only minor exceptions. Definitely gave me chills in spots, but not for as long as the original did. Simon says it well. Still, one of the better performances, and she deserves to feel as proud as she does.
Lakisha Jones - Big voice right from the start. Brave choice of song, and she handles it very well. She definitely deserves to stick around, but I didn't love it quite as much as the judges. I want to hear her take on a less agressive song.
I agree with Randy about 4 guys, 8 girls.
Top picks: Melinda Doolittle, Lakisha Jones, Jordan Sparks, Sabrina Sloan, Gina Glocksen, in roughly that order. I'm adding Stephanie Edwards, though I don't remember her performance after the latter ones blew everything out of my memory.
Most likely to be cut: Nicole Tranquillo, Amy Krebs, in that order.
See you at the beheading!...
...John
