The AI Season 5 launch party was last night. Check out the pictures at Getty Images and Wire Images. Constantine Maroulis performed there last night, and I have an update via my homeboard (thanks gr) via Constantine message boards.
Constantine performed “My Funny Valentine, ” “Hard to Handle, ” “Want Someone Badly, ” (Jeff Buckley tune) “Down to the Nightclub, ” (Tower of Power) an original tune called either “I Came to Thank You” or “Thank You, ” and “I Think I Love You.” Prior year Idols in attendance: Justin Guarini and Jon Peter Lewis. More news will be forthcoming as I find it. eta: a couple of edits necessary to add and edit song names…thanks con fans.
Song Spoilers for the girls have shown up on a few message boards. These appear credible to me, so I’m going to post them:
These come via Television Without Pity and Live Daily via a poster a Idol Forums who attended the taping:
- Mandisa – “Never” originally by Heart. Mandisa was first. Randy said, ” Wow wow wow..what a way to start off the show..that was hot!” Simon said it wasn’t a “perfect vocal..particularly in the middle.” but to expect her in the final rounds.
- Stevie Scott – “To Where You Are” – originally by Josh Groban. Simon said ” I think you completely and utterly messed that up”.
- Paris Bennett – “Midnight Train to Georgia” – originally by Gladys Knight and the Pips. Paula said she reminded her of Fantasia. Simon said she ” had the likeability factor. It’s not about being good, it’s about being great…and that was great!”
- Lisa Tucker – “I’m Changing” – originally by Jennifer Holiday. Simon said “she made the girls who are 5 or 6 years older than her look ordinary.”
- Kellie Pickler – “How Far” – originally by Martina McBride. Simon said she started off better than she ended it. (she was very nervous) but said she has the “likeability factor” and that her song “was important to be heartfelt and it WAS heartfelt–it felt sincere–and that’s what we’ve always liked about you” also she “potentially has a very good voice” and he “thought she did very very well.” Sounds to me like she was fair-to-middlin’ but Simon praised her anyway. Can you say PIMP? I knew you could…
- Heather Cox – “When You Tell Me That You Love Me” – Crappy group Idol song from last year. Simon said she played it safe. He said, ” No one will remember that performance.”
- Becky ODonohue – Because the Night – originally by Patti Smith. (and co-written with Bruce Springstein who once said he wouldn’t let Idol use his songs) The judges thought she did well–better than they imagined. Simon thought she was just OK and that “quite good” isn’t good enough. unless you are kellie pickler….
- Ayla Brown – “Reflection” – originally by Christina Aguilara. Randy was pleasantly surprised. Simon thinks she’s a “hard worker” but that the song revealed her vocal limitations. But, for the first time, he saw some emotion in her.
- Brenna Gethers – “You are the Sunshine of My Life” – originally by Stevie Wonder. Randy thought it was a safe performance and that she needs to stick to her “attitude”–that’s why people like her. Simon thought she did horribly. He compared her to a “wild cat that was forced into wearing gloves.” And apparently, Brenna was constantly mugging for the camera.
- Kinnik – “Get Here” – Originally by Oleta Adams. Had the next to the last spot (I’m not sure of the others, these aren’t in order except where noted). Randy said she was sharp in the middle. Paula said despite the few pitch parts, she’s a classy woman regardless. Simon said, ” we’ve seen 1 or 2 quite stunning performances from very young girls who we got really excited about–and with somebody like you, who’s 28 years old, very elegant, very real–it was a very cabaret performance and we’ve heard this a million times across American Idol. Not once did I sit here and think–wow, where did this girl come from?”
- Katharine McPhee – “Since I Fell For You” *I believe this was originally by Lenny Welch. Katharine had the “Pimp Spot” at the end of the night. Simon said there were 4 really good performances, and that hers was the best.
*I did some research–“Since I Fell For You” has been recorded many, many, times starting with Buddy Johnson and his Orchestra, with vocals by the great Ella Fitzgerald, in 1947. Buddy Johnson also wrote the song.
Poor Melissa McGhee. I’m sure she sang last night, but I can’t find any spoilers that mention her! She’s doomed…
ETA: Finally found some info on Melissa’s song, from Idol Forums (poster there did a real nice job recapping the performances):
- Melissa McGhee – ” When The Lights Go Down” originally by Faith Hill. Randy thought she started off a little shaky with pitch problems but pulled it through in the end–he thought it was just alright. Simon said, “before your performance tonight, I just never would have remembered you for whatever reason.” Melissa said that he didn’t remember her because she never got air time. He said, “Apart from that, I think you’ve been overshadowed by some of the bigger personalities…that may be your problem, because I think you actually sang that better than a lot of the other girls tonight” And also, ” You’re sort of lifeless…and that worries me…..but you sang it well.”
The guys tape tonight. Spoilers so far for the guys:
- According to a source, Bucky Covington will be singing either the Elvis tune “Suspicious Minds” or Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Simple Man.
- According to Taylor Hicks’s brother, Taylor will be performing Elton John’s “Levon”
- Sway is rumored to be singing “On Bended Knee” by Boyz 2 Men.
Sidenote:
Some ratings news. So far, Idol is pwning the Olympics. From an AP wire story via ABCnews.com:
“The winter Olympics proved no match for television’s gold-medal winner, “American Idol.” Fox’s phenomenally successful contest crushed the Olympics in head-to-head competition on Tuesday night, 27 million viewers to 16.1 million, according to Nielsen Media Research. The Olympics recovered a bit after “Idol” went off the air, but its overall audience of 18.6 million was the least-watched winter Olympics telecast since Nagano’s closing ceremonies in 1998, Nielsen said.”
The overall ratings for the Olympics have been running well below the 2002 Salt Lake City games in viewership, according to the article.
