American Idol - Elton John Results
Published April 07, 2004
America finally got it right tonight in an hour-long results show that almost made up for last night's largely uninspired performances. Unfortunately, Sir Elton John--whose songs were featured this week--again deigned not to make an appearance, though a performance by AI Season One finalist Tamyra Gray almost managed to compensate for his absence.
As in past weeks, the remaining finalists were forced to stumble their way through a group sing along. While largely uninspired, John Stevens did manage to give us a glimpse of how good he could have been last night had he exercised better discretion in his song choice. While he was unable to deliver the upbeat tempo and dance moves required by Crocodile Rock last night, the few bars of Daniel he sang were truly awesome, nearly at the level of George Huff.
Adding a touch of class to the evening was Tamyra Gray, who, looking for all the world like a young Whitney Houston, performed Raindrops Will Fall, the first single off her upcoming debut album. Tamyra was in top form tonight, proving to America two years after the fact that the voters made the wrong decision picking Nikki McKibbin over her for the number three spot in the show's original run. Even more impressive is the fact that Tamyra is the first AI alum to issue a record of most self-penned tracks. That she authored 12 of the 13 tracks on her upcoming album takes her into a completely different category of performer.
Following Tamyra, the cavalcade of product pimping continued:
- Appearing briefly to shill her upcoming album was Season 2 finalist Julia DeMato.
- Booted Season 3 finalists appeared in short video clips to promote the upcoming compilation of soul classics.
- Lastly, the remaining nine went retro in a short music video in which none of them sang, but rather appeared to make various models of Ford cars and trucks appear from thin air.
- American Idol - Elton John Results
- Published: April 07, 2004
- Type:
- Section: Video
- Filed Under: Video: Music, Video: Performing Arts, Video: Television
- Writer: Scott Pepper
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IluvIdol: Mr. Pepper is good at correctly picking who will be off, but he isn't good at picking the bottom 3, because, as you imply, he doesn't accept the ramifications of voting for who you want to stay on.
On to next week, I hope FOX does a Big Band night to add more controversy. Big Band heavily favors Jon Stevens (it's his natural style), and it heavily disfavors Fantasia Burrino (who already had her natural style weeks in Soul AND Motown).
If we do see Big Band (As we saw in AI1), it could get even more people to vote for Jon Stevens (Assuming he does well. He has to do well. You would think with his voice and how lucky he has been to stay on, that he would blow us away in how good he is next week.), insuring Jon lasts very long into this competition.
The interesting thing in voting is to see what the small fan bases of ousted Idol contestants do. For example, the few people who voted for Camille: Will they automatically go with Jasmine (Scott seems to think so, but I am not so sure), or simply go for the best singer of the night.
On a related note:
"Tamyra was in top form tonight, proving to America two years after the fact that the voters made the wrong decision picking Nikki McKibbin over her for the number three spot in the show's original run."
The thing is, the week Tamyra was off was finally the week Nikki was the best, and Tamyra didn't do so hot (I think she was awful in a rendition of "Simply Irresistible"). Fans of ousted AI1 finalists at the time apparently voted for the best singer of the night, Nikki. Combine that with Nikki's huge fan base and she stays on. Tamyra's fans couldn't compete. I think it's a stretch to say America got it wrong when you obviously don't remember the performances that week when it was down to 4 on AI1. The judges praised Nikki and scorned Tamyra. Since Nikki had the huge fan base + best performances of the night, and Tamyra was one of the worst that night, it makes sense. America didn't get it wrong.
I think it's a stretch to say America got it wrong when you obviously don't remember the performances that week when it was down to 4 on AI1.
Tamyra's first song that night ("New Attitude") was weak, mainly because it wasn't exactly her style, but she came back in a big way with her second performance ("Feel the Fire"). I admit it was Nikki's best night of the competition with stand-out renditions of "Mary Jane" and "Black Velvet," but she had a fan base that would have voted her in over Tamyra no matter how badly she had done.
By the time its down to the top 4, individual performances matter less than each contesntant's whole body of work on the show. They've already acrued most of their fans by then anyway.
And when it comes right down to it, where is Tamyra in her musical career right now, and where is Nikki?
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/14520)
"I cannot see how Camille, Jon, and JPL will be the bottom 3 when you taking the voting system into account.
Wishful thinking? Actually, the voters appear to be quite fickle this season. Having LaToya and Jennifer in the bottom 3 last week could be a call to action for their fans to overtake the JPL and John Stevens groupies. I mean, really, how many of them can there actually be?"
So who was that with the Wishful thinking? I predicted (based on how voting works, not who "should" be in the bottom 3) 2 out of the 3 that were actually in the bottom. Jasmine to me is no surprise because she is doing good, but not in the same class as George/LaToya/Fantasia. Thus she isn't getting nearly as many votes as the stars or the other people who happen to have a large loyal following.
I thought JPL fans would finally die out, but I guess not. It looks like no matter what Jon and JPL are here to stay. Thus one can't help but think that with the two Jon's and their fan base (And the voting system where you vote who you want to remain in the competition), next week's bottom 3, regardless of the singing, will be:
Jennifer Hudson (already a bottom 3 person before)
Diana Diguarmo (already a bottom 3 person before)
Jasmine Trias (already a bottom 3 person before).
If people have already proven they will not rally around these 3 before, what makes anyone so sure that this isn't next week's bottom 3 even before the show airs?
We already know JPL and Jon Stevens fans will vote like crazy so they won't be in the bottom 3, and George and Fantasia always get enough votes to avoid the bottom 3, and LaToya hasn't been in the bottom for a while now, thus leaving Jennifer/Jasmine/Diana.