MBADC American Idol
Armchair Quarterback 2007
American Idol from
the perspective of someone who's booked artists at the national-level: who we like in the
competition, what works, what doesn't work, what contestants can do to improve
their chances of success, and advice you can apply to your own performances.
Season 6: The Top 7 Perform
Country Songs
Air date: Tuesday,
April 17, 2007
Guest: Martina McBride
Phil Stacey: Phil Stacey’s version of Keith Urban’s “When the
Blacktop Ends” was one of his best performances. He had good pitch and tone,
it was a great song selection for his voice and style, and his wardrobe was
great, too. We agree with Randy that he could have a career in country…and
we like his voice a lot better than Kenny Chesney’s. Tips for Success:
The only thing we can say negatively about Phil’s performance tonight
is, he needs to project more presence and charisma. More live performance
experience can help him do that, as well as watching concert videos of a
various artists known for great live performances. (For a start, try Bon
Jovi, Shania Twain, Keith Urban, Sugarland, and Garth Brooks.)
Jordin Sparks: Jordin Sparks’ version of Martina McBride’s “A Broken
Wing” had some terrific, huge notes, but she had some pitchy moments
too…especially when she tried to get too fancy with the song. Overall,
though, it wasn’t bad, and the good moments far outshined the bad.
Image-wise, although the dress looked great, it was wrong for country night
and she should have saved it for another week. The hair, makeup, and jewelry
were right on, though. Tips for Success: Your wardrobe and style of
music should go together. Having the total package is important; when
something about your appearance doesn’t register with the audience’s sense
of expectation, they pay less attention to your music.
Sanjaya Malakar: Sanjaya Malakar attempted Bonnie Raitt’s “Let’s Give
‘Em Something to Talk About”. We have no idea what the hell to say. Tips
for success: Sometimes, good artist management is knowing when to throw
in the towel. We give up.
LaKisha Jones: Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take the Wheel” wasn’t a good
song selection for LaKisha’s voice and style because it didn’t highlight the
best parts of her voice. It was very pitchy in parts, the arrangement didn’t
suit her style, and the Bland Band’s rendition of it didn’t help because
they were off, too. We’re with Randy in that if she’d done it as a gospel
arrangement, it might have worked. Tips for success: Liking a song or
relating to a lyrics isn’t enough; you also have to know your voice well
enough to understand what works for it.
Chris Richardson: Chris Richardson’s version of Rascal Flatts
“Mayberry” was too nasal in parts, and his timing was off, making some
of the song a bit of a mess. He can sing, and with some coaching, he could
probably pull off country, but his country technique needs improvement, and
it just wasn’t the song for him. (To top it off, the Bland Band was
particularly bad on this one: at one point, the band was off plus
they and Chris weren’t together.) And his defensive comment that
“Nasally is a form of singing” was just lame: in country circles, a little
nasal sound goes a very long way. We lost all respect for Chris with that
comment. Next! Tips for success: Acting like a snot-nose brat in
front of people who are trying to help you is never a good idea if you want
respect. Ya gotta show some to get some. Parents, please teach your kids how
to take constructive criticism.
Melinda Doolittle: Melinda Doolittle’s version of Julie Reeves
“Trouble is a Woman” was fabulous! It had a great vocal, excellent lyric
translation, and she’s riveting to watch and listen to. And it was the
perfect song selection for her. The negative? We weren’t crazy about her
hair or wardrobe this week: her wardrobe didn’t match the level of her voice
and performance skills. Tips for success: Being humble is cool, but a
star-quality voice demands imaging to match. Stars don’t look like the girl
next door.
Blake Lewis: Blake Lewis’s version of Tim McGraw’s “When the Stars Go
Blue” was pitchy in spots, and the Bland Band wasn’t great on it.
Despite the problems, it was an excellent song selection and arrangement for
Blake, and was a great illustration of how to rearrange a cover of a
different musical genre than your own to make it work for your style. In
fact, Blake could record it with this alternative pop arrangement and
probably do great with it at radio. (It’s right up Los Angeles radio station
Star 98.7’s alley.) Great stage presence and imaging, too. Tips for
Success: Watch your pitch, watch your pitch, watch your pitch!
We voted for: Phil Stacey, because he came closest to having the whole
package this week. (Had Blake not had pitch problems, we would have voted
for Blake.)
Ryan Seacrest Smart Quip of the Night: None; Seacrest was trumped by
Simon, who made us laugh out loud when he said, to Ryan, “Who rattled your
cage?” Cowell’s delivery was perfect.
American Idol
Armchair Quarterback
The MBADC American Idol Armchair Quarterback is intended as commentary and
is not affiliated with Fox Television, American Idol, or its producers or
judges in any way. Tips should be taken as a suggestion only and are not
intended as a substitute for qualified vocal coaching or artist management.
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