We had a just alight night with the guys yesterday but, for my money, the girls this season are a notch above their male counterparts. As I always do, I’ll rate each song on a scale of 0-5 along with a short blurb and then pick my favorite and least favorite performances of the night.
Tyanna Jones (“Rockin’ Robin” by The Jackson 5) – * * * * ½
As I stated in a rant introduction yesterday, the Motown catalogue has a way of making many contests seem old-fashioned and outdated. But these songs are absolutely perfect for Tyanna who has been a throwback soul singer from the get-go. Her “Rockin’ Robin” was pretty spot-on vocally and Tyanna brought a really fun, infectious energy to the song. Was it throwback to the point of karaoke, though, is to be debated.
Loren Lott (“I Wanna Be Where You Are” by Michael Jackson) – * * * ½
Although the judges loved Loren, I wasn’t quite so gung-ho. The song, a lesser known Michael Jackson cut, just wasn’t very melodic or memorable and Loren’s vocals dipped into screechy territory at the high end of her register.
Maddie Walker (“I’ll Be There” by The Jackson 5) – * * * ½
Maddie is absolutely gorgeous and has this gorgeous feathery vibrato that’s just as comforting and delicious as a big ol’ slice of southern peach pie. But she seemed nervous on stage and delivered a performance that was very capable but more than a little dull.
Joey Cook (“Shop Around” by The Miracles) – * * * *
I’m shocked and giddily happy that America voted Joey through. She’s an odd duck but this season of American Idol could use an odd duck or two, especially if they are as talented as Joey. Her stripped down, jazzy “Shop Around” was very cool and showed a wider vocal range than her Keith Urban polka last week. If she stays around, I hope Joey will keep her original arrangements but tone the performances down just a little. A little more restraint and maturity would go a long way.
Sarina-Joi Crow (“You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me” by The Miracles) – * * * * ½
I loved this. I loved that Sarina-Joi sang with only an electric guitar to back her up. I love her silky, soulful voice and the immaculate vocal control on her runs. Her pitch didn’t bother me quite as much as Harry, but it was an issue that brought her rating down from last week.
Adanna Duru (“Hello” by Lionel Richie) – * * * * ½
Adanna’s not just a great singer; she’s a great actress. In this round, where many times the singers feel like they are on autopilot, making Motown lyrics relatable is a really great skill. And I believed every single word Adanna sang. Was it a perfect vocal? Not by a long shot, but it made me feel something and that’s important too.
Jax (“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell) – * * * * ½
I get what Jenn and Harry are saying but at this stage of the game I’d rather a unique interpretation that doesn’t fully work to a karaoke copycat. As always, Jax brought her unique rasp and hip delivery to this Motown classic. I just can’t wait to see what she’ll do each week.
Alexis Gomez (“I Can’t Help Myself” by The Four Tops) – * * ½
I wish Alexis had pushed the country twang in her Four Tops arrangement and I wish Alexis had much better control of her vocals. While I could overlook a few unstable moments in the last few numbers, I couldn’t help but be terribly distracted by Alexis wobbly pitch. It’s too bad, with a quirky backstory and a beautiful look she could be a frontrunner but her progress just seems too slow.
Show VIP: Tyanna (I’m going rock-solid vocals over ingenuity tonight)
Who Should Go Home Next Week: Maddie & Alexis
Who Went Home This Week: Lovey James, Katherine Winston, Shannon Berthiaume & Shi Scott