So last night’s completely anticlimactic episode of American Idol ended with the Battle Of The Davids officially beginning, a development that I was hoping would be derailed at the last minute for the purposes of filling out Fox’s DVR-killing one hour and two minute runtime. (Thanks for ruining my recording of Top Chef, guys!) But alas, it was not to be, and the producers are probably still drunk on celebratory “our plan worked!!” champagne. In an effort to make things interesting, there are apparently conspiracy theories floating around about David Archuleta (or his people) wanting to sing a “hip-hop ballad” version of Dan Fogelberg’s “Longer” but being denied by the producers; Archie’s crazed fanbase is seeing it as more evidence that the powers that be want David Cook to win, but honestly, they probably made the right decision on that front. (Guys, go back and listen to your golden boy say “boo,” and count your blessings.) And speaking of hip-hop, how about Fantasia’s performance?
I kind of like this song–it sounds like a vintage Paula Abdul jam that’s been tweaked into a bed for Fantasia’s crazy vocals. But note Simon’s reaction shot around the 2:40 mark. Dude looks absolutely flummoxed–in a somewhat familiar way:
Oh, come on, Simon– I can understand making that face at Kady Malloy’s Britney impersonation, but this at least brought a little bit of fun into the deadly long results show.
Fantasia performs [RedLasso]
[50 Cent image via Fluxblog]
@Tauwan: Holla
@tubby: Actually it was “One Big Holiday” from It Still Moves.
@VivaLaMainstream: How about a futuristic performance of Livin’ on a prayer with a faux vinyl intro and a beatbox vs. drummer showdown?
@Tauwan: Agreed that it was ballsy, so
points for that, and I’m all for a treacle moratorium. But I can’t tell
if you’re saying it was awesome-good or awesome-trainwreck, because I
can only cosign on the latter.
I’ve never been a fan of Fantasia’s Macy-Gray-accidentally-put-her-hand-on-a-hot-iron wailing, but she kinda rocked it last night. She gets points alone for having more energy than the three finalists put together, through nine songs, had on Tuesday night. But what really made it was Simon’s WTF?! expression. Leona Lewis, she is not.
Notice how Ryan didn’t even ask the judges what they thought afterwards? I thought they usually did that when former contestants came back to perform.
HA! Simon’s face during Fantasia - I think we rewound to watch it again at least five times last night.
I loved everything about Fantasia’s performance. This is what I’ve been dying to see for the last 4 months: distinctive vocals + solid music + dancing + energy + the element of surprise. She had it all, she’s always had this in-your-face attitude where it looks she doesn’t give a damn who’s in the audience, she does her thing and move on. Brilliant!
I expect critics to pile on the Fantasia performance today (the usually reliable Craig Berman at MSNBC already has), but I’m with you - I thought it was a cool hard-R&B song that didn’t sound great live but makes a killer pop recording. Will be interesting to see what kind of iTunes business it does over the next week.
I’m catching up with the show via youtube. Was that My Morning Jacket being played during David A’s homecoming film? It would be cool if David A was asked to sing MMJ- it’s actually in his range.
Also, David Cook singing “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now” sounded a lot like Michael McDonald. Maybe he’ll get some of the granny vote after all.
Fantasia last night=(Mary J Blige + P!nk + Janis Joplin)- Sexy
==TJ==
@saturn: Yup, it was MMJ. I think it was something off Z. At least someone involved with the show has heard of music recorded in this decade. Of course cut to David Cook and Bon Jovi is playing. Though I’ll never complain about the Jov.
@tubby: While far be it for me to bash either David Cook or Bon Jovi, things that shouldn’t happen ever again include an ACOUSTIC version of Livin’ On A Prayer.
==TJ==
OH COME ON! The LL Cool J ringer whose mic went out halfway through
his verse? The cheesy funk-lite production values? The unsexy, all over
the place vocals?
It was an orgy of bad taste. Epic, Scherzinger-starring-in-a-Caligula-remake-directed-by-Brett-Ratner bad taste.
@Bob Loblaw: “Scherzinger-starring-in-a-Caligula-remake-directed-by-Brett-Ratner”
i disagree with you (i want to hear the song on record) but WOW. that image.
@Bob Loblaw:
Nuh uh uh. Not so fast. That performance was on point. here’s why:
(1) She could have easily sung some treacly ballad or roped it all in. She didn’t.
(2) That hair.
(3) That form fitting -velour?- and shimmering pants suit.
(4) The background dancers.
(5) Did she almost make her “knees touch her elbows” on the American Idol stage? Yes, yes she did.
(6) Simon’s face throughout the performance.
(7) The bewildered “what should I do to this” look of the young ladies in the audience during her performance.
(8) The song ending choreography with her back up dancers. Complete with points to the Lord and exits Stage Left.
(9) For doing what the producers wanted Syesha to do with that Happy Feet song.
(10)(10) And finally, for once again bucking the trend and giving the Idol audience less Whitney/Mariah, and more Janis/Tina/Mary J. That’s what’s up.
I mean COME ON! And Fantasia and She who fronts that group of live action Bratz dolls masquerading as full fledged entertainers should never be mentioned in the same breath. Just saying.