Kimberley Locke - Based on a True Story

AOL.com is streaming K.Lo's new CD for the week. You can listen to it here and then go out and buy your own copy.



And speaking of K.Lo, she is part of the Season 5 cast of "Celebrity Fit Club: Men Vs. Women". I've never watched the show before (this is Ryan, BTW) but thought I'd tune in to support Kimberley.

She is the Team Captain for the women and has an on-going feud with Dustin Diamond (a.k.a. Screech from "Saved By the Bell"). Dustin is a first-class jerk and although he loves to dish out the shit, he can't handle when it's thrown back at him. There was a clip for the next episode that shows Kimberley cussing out Dustin and calling him a sad, washed-up, broke, camera-hogging child actor! Watch out!

Top 5 Caricatures

Via Pretty On the Outside. Don't worry, I've already left a comment on that site asking for a Jordin Sparks drawing.

What Should They Sing - Bon Jovi/Rock Week

Well, there seems to be a little confusion over what the theme will be this week. Because Bon Jovi is the coach people seem to think it's Bon Jovi week. But there is also talk that it's a more general "rock" week. We'll see what happens on Tues but for now let's assume that it's going to be "Bon Jovi" week. With that in mind I've tried to come up with some song ideas for everyone to sing. Let me know what you guys think.

Chris - Who Says You Can't Go Home. This song is a fun, faster paced song with a country vibe to it. I think he could have a lot of fun with this one and his voice would fit nicely. I was also thinking about this one for Phil because of the country feel but I decided on another instead.

Phil - Blaze of Glory. This was written for the movie Young Guns II. It also has a tiny bit of country in the song. Phil's voice lends itself quite nicely to this week's theme so I think he'll do well with any song he chooses. I was thinking about Living on a Prayer but that octave jump might be a little too high for Phil so settled on this one instead.

Blake - Bed of Roses. There is a great acoustic version on YouTube of this song and I think Blake could that off quite nicely.

Jordin - Always. Another great ballad that Jordin will be able to pull off.

LaKisha - admittedly, this is going to be really hard week for LaKisha. I think she's going to struggle a lot on finding the right tune. But since she's so keen on choosing songs that other Idols have done then I choose Wanted Dead or Alive for her. Chris rocked it out last year so of course LaKisha will attempt it and fail. But in reality she'll probably go for some sort of ballad so I'll say "I'll Be There For You".

Melinda - Have A Nice Day. This is also going to be really hard for Melinda as I don't really see her as a rocker. However, she could pull it off with this song. Lyrically, it doesn't really fit with Melinda's demeanor but if she sings it with the attitude that she used during "I'm A Woman" she could really make this work.

So what do you guys think? Do you agree? Disagree? Have better ideas for song choices?

Idol Chatter Dominates US Workplace

A survey by staffing company Spherion Corp. released on Tuesday found that American Idol is the most talked-about U.S. television program in the workplace for the second year in a row.

Thirty-seven percent of 2,800 U.S. workers named the FOX program as the show they most often discussed at work, up from 35 percent last year, and compared with 17 percent who named medical drama Grey’s Anatomy.

The shows 24 starring Kiefer Sutherland, crime investigation series CSI, and medical series House rounded out the top five.

The survey found about one in five employees engages in Idol chatter on company time, with women more likely than men to bring up the show or discuss its contestants, according to the poll conducted for Spherion by researcher Harris Interactive.

American Idol: Idol Gives Back

CLICK HERE to donate!

This is REALLY IMPORTANT and I think if we all start getting back into a POSITIVE MINDSET we CAN make change happen. Let's put aside our cynicism, pessimism and hopeless feelings and start NOW to make the world a better place. Make a choice to not go out drinking one night this week or not buy that pair of pants you've been eyeing and do some good with your money.

Leave a comment to tell us how much you donated (I gave $100).

Seriously, this is what your money can do:

$20 - Buys a week's healthy food for 15 hungry kids in a US feeding program.
$50 - Buys enough Malaria pills to save 100 kids from Malaria in Kenya.
$100 - Buys a year's worth of food for 1 orphan in Kenya.
$250 - Buys books for a year for 3 kids at a US after-school reading program.

SPOILER!!! Top 6 - Idol Gives Back/Songs of Inspiration

So I was lucky enough to get tickets to tonite's taping of the Top 6 show: Songs of Inspiration/Idol Gives Back. Because of the super 2-hour results/concerts on Wed they will be using Tuesday's normal slot as rehearsal time. So for this week only they filmed the regular show on Monday to air Tuesday night. So I got to see the show before everyone else, and I gotta say it's going to be AWESOME! Personally, I think it's the best show of the season so far. There were great performances and, mixed with the clips of Africa and the US, it's going to be a powerful, great show. I am going to go ahead and do my normal critiques of each performance. If you want to go ahead and be spoiled just highlight the rest of the text. If not, then wait until you watch the show tomorrow and then come back and see what I thought.

Chris - "If I Could Change The World". He chose an uptempo song which I thought was a little odd since it's supposed to be inspirational but when I heard the lyrics I got it. Chris started out just sitting on a chair but by the 2nd verse he was up and doing his normal thing. This was a great song choice for him. He nasality was nowhere to be found and his voice sounded really strong. He had fun with the song and seemed to connect with the lyrics. I thought he did great. Grade B. Judges comments: Randy - Finally the real competition has begun (assuming because Sanjaya is gone). He picked a great song and sounded good. Paula - loved the sexiness he brought to it. Sounded great. Good job. Simon - thought it was a great song choice, no nasalness, finally lived up to the potential they first saw in him at the auditions.

Melinda - "There Will Come A Day" This is a Faith Hill song but I've never heard so not sure if it's more country or pop. If it's supposed to be more country then Melinda really made that song her own because there was no country in it whatever. Instead, we got an amazing vocal and wonderful performance. She was singing her heart out. It was awesome. Grade A. Judges comments: Randy - showed them how to sing. Paula - amazing as always. Simon - loved the 1st half, 2nd half was fantastic. It was a masterclass performance.

Blake - "Imagine". I love Imagine by John Lennon. It's a beautiful, simple song that's meant to be emotional and heartfelt. However, the song does not lend itself to singing loudly and powerful. This both helps and hurts Blake. He sounded fine on the song (however, he's still need to drop his head. He raises his head at the end of every phrase and it stops him from singing fully) but we never get that "amazing" performance. However, his performance was full of sincerity and that definitely showed. Grade B-. Judges comments: Randy - It's hard to live up to the original and not be compared to it. It was good but didn't blow him away. Paula - agreed at first but then realized it's more about the emotional and Blake was full of sincerity so made the song very enjoyable because of that. Simon - agrees with both. It was ok vocally but his sincerity really lifted the performance from just being ok.

LaKisha - "I Believe". When I heard she was singing Fantasia's "I Believe" I was like 'why are you singing another Idol's song? You're gonna get kicked off!'. But then she comes out and has a little shaky start and then really turns it on. She sang the hell out of that song and blew the roof off of the place. Fantasia always performed that song with so much emotion and I think LaKisha did the same. It sounded a little different but the emotion and feeling was there. The audience went crazy for her performance. Grade A. Judges comments: Randy - It's not her best performance. He preferred Fantasia's version better. Paula - So many great singers Celine, Whitney, Chaka, etc. that are so unique. Fantasia is one of them. Hard to take her on. She preferred Fantasia's as well. Simon - Still thinks she's shouting through her song.

Phil - "The Change". Phil chose another country song since that seems to be where he's fitting in the best. He was a tiny bit off on the first few bars but then got into the groove. He improved as the song went on and ended well. However, his song choice is the weakest of the bunch. While I personally love the song, when you throw it in with the rest that have been done it's easily the weakest. Therefore his performance suffered because of it. He sounded good but he was missing some of the spark and connection he had to the song last week. Grade B-. Judges comments: I can't remember what Paula and Randy said, but Simon said that he needs to go back to putting some of the "country" in his voice that he had last week. If he does that and sticks with it he could go far in the competition.

Jordin - "You'll Never Walk Alone". I really only know this song because Kelly, Ruben and Fantasia sang it for the American Idol Christmas special after Season 3. I loved it. Kelly and Fantasia go off on that song. I was excited to see what Jordin would do since we know she has a big voice. Well, she didn't disappoint. She started out softly, had a slow crescendo and then unleashes her huge voice. She was full of emotion and her vocals were top notch. The audience was going crazy about midway through her song. Easily the best of the night! Grade A+. Judges comments: Randy - OMG, amazing! The best performance on Idol EVER! I couldn't hear what Paula said. Simon - Fantastic.

So there you have it, all of tomorrow night's spoilers. I am very excited to actually see the show again. I'm curious to see how LaKisha's performance is because the crowd absolutely loved it and the judges hated it. That was the big dispute of the night. I'm curious to see if she'll sound the same on TV or if she's actually screaming.

My bottom three would be the 3 guys because the women killed it tonite. But, if America follows what the judges say then the bottom 3 will be LaKisha, Blake and Phil. Either way, I think Phil may be going home.

'Life Anthem' Song Week

So this week's theme is 'Life Anthems'...

Let's hope the final 6 keep it upbeat because this could quickly get cheesy. But what do you think?

What should Melinda Doolittle, Jordin Sparks, Blake Lewis, Chris Richardson, LaKisha Jones and Phil Stacey sing?

(Remember, if they make it to Top 5 they generally do 'Big Band' Week and then Top 4 get to sing two songs each)

Bye Bye-ya Sanjaya!

Normally, I don't post anything after elimination nights but I was compelled to do so today. I for one am very happy with the results of last night's show. I was never a Sanjaya fan and was hating him more and more with each passing week. Tuesday night's performance was the last straw. That had to rank up there with one of the worst performances on Idol ever. It was off key, out of rhythm, and had no joy in the performance. He looked like he knew it as well. I know that Vote For the Worst and Howard Stern were trying to keep him in to make a mockery out of Idol, and they did a good job, but it was time for him to go. Now that he's gone we finally have a real competition on our hands. While there are still some excellent singers that will most likely make the finals (Melinda and Jordin) the remaining singers will still add excitement and fun to the rest of the season. I think that's going to be pretty important because this season seems to be so emotionally charged for some reason. First we had all the backlash against Antonella for her pictures. Then there was all the talk about Sanjaya and Sundance sucking so much. Then it was just Sanjaya. Then there was the whole Chris/Simon/V Tech fiasco. I feel like everyone is on edge this season and the show just needs to get back on track and be all about the singing. Hopefully now that Sanjaya is gone we'll be able to focus on that again. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the season.

Top 7 - Country Night/Martina McBride

I am so excited for tonite! I am one of the people that LOVE country music and look forward to this theme each week. I don't really know Martina's songs (other than what's been song on Idol before) but I'm sure she'll be fine. I can't wait to jump right in!

Phil Stacey - "Where the Blacktop Ends". Well right of the bat you can tell that it's different. He actually starts of the song correctly and with confidence. He sounds like he's having fun and is actually showing some personality on stage. Also, it seems like he took Martina's advice and added some of the soul into the first half of the song. It really works. This is, finally, a great performance from Phil. His voice sounds strong, he's having fun on stage, and he's connecting to the song. Finally! Grade B+
>>Surprisingly good country!<<
Jordin Sparks - "Broken Wing". Well it's definitely gotta be hard singing an artist's song right in front of them but she did it with Gwen as well. I don't think it'll rattle Jordin too much. She sounds great on the opening of the song. I love the softness of the opening and the slow cresendo into the chorus. Wow! Heading into the chorus she really opened up and saaaaaang! This is a phenominal performance. I think it could be one of Jordin's best! She ended the song so strong and had a lot of emotion in her voice. I'm sure Martina is proud. Grade A
>>Sultry. Diva-licious. Powernote.<<
Sanjaya Malakar - "Something To Talk About". It started out just ok. His voice sounds ok. Ok, nevermind it's progressively worse. It sounds horrible, like karaoke gone bad. The song choice is ok but he's getting uninspired with each passing moment. I can't take much more of this. After two great performances it's a pretty he has to stop the momentum. He really needs to go tomorrow. Grade F
>>Literal. Sloppy. Pained/Painful.<<
LaKisha Jones - "Jesus, Take the Wheel" WHOA! I can't believe she's taking on Carrie. This is going to be very interesting. Well, she doesn't sound country at all. You can hear the R&B in her voice. I feel like she's shouting through the chorus and missing notes everywhere. This doesn't sound nearly as good as Carrie's. I think because she's not nailing the song of a very popular Idol she could actually get the boot tomorrow. It'll be very interesting. Not her best performance. Grade C>>Off-Rhythm. Lispy. Flat.<<

Chris Richardson - "Mayberry". Hm, I'm not sure about Mayberry. Rascal Flatts is perfect for him because his voice is higher but not the best song. Wow, his voice really fits! He sounds very similiar to the Rascal Flatts guy. He sounded good all throughout the song. It was fun but not sure it was the best song choice. The song was pretty forgettable. He could have really blown it away with "What Hurts the Most" or something like that. I liked it though. Grade B>>Totally butt-hurt.<<
He looks to be really upset about what the judges are saying. I'm not sure if it's because of everything that happened at Virginia Tech or if he's worried about leaving. Personally, I think that V.Tech really affected his performance tonite. Hopefully he'll have the chance to come back next week and get back on track.

Melinda Doolittle - "Trouble Is A Woman". I've never heard this song before. Not sure what to expect. Damn, her vocals are spot on. She sounds amazing. This is a great song for her. It's fun and fast-paced yet still has actual singing in it. Melinda is having fun performing it. Overall a great performance (once again. Can we expect any less from her?). Grade A
>>Can do anything.<<
Blake Lewis - "When the Stars Go Blue". I've never heard this song either. Hm, not sure how I feel about it. He sounds good but still sounds a little awkward singing this song. However, I do like the control that he's showing on his falsetto notes. He needs to stop lifting his head when he goes for the higher notes. It was an interesting choice. Not my favorite of his but it was good and he sounded good on it. Grade B>>Kinda boring & calculated.<<

Well overall I was pleased with this week. It's always fun to have country week for week. I thought Martina was decent as a mentor. She didn't offer too much really useful advice but was able to help them really focus on the country aspect of it. She did seem to really enjoy being there (unlike Gwen).

Sadly, i think the bottom 3 are going to be Sanjaya, LaKisha and Chris. As much as I think Sanjaya should go home I don't think he will which leaves us to LaKisha and Chris. I'm going to be very sad to see either of them go but I think tomorrow will finally be the shocker episode and LaKisha will be sent home. She's going to fall into the Lisa Tucker box and did poorly on an Idol song so the public will be very unforgiving. I have been saying that LaKisha was going to be the shocker and it's finally going to happen. I'm just sad that LaKisha won't be around for Idol Gives Back next week.>>Bottom 3: same, Going Home: Sanjaya<<

Katharine McPhee Supports Sanjaya

No Kat! No!

“First of all, I think Sanjaya is an absolute phenomenon,” she said in an interview with Jam! Showbiz. ”Every year, there’s something that makes the show even bigger than it was the year before. I’m on the Sanjaya train! I’m like, ‘Go Sanjaya!’”

If not for the show, McPhee also acknowledges shemight not be with us today.

“I do believe American Idol saved my life,” she confessed. “Finally, it felt like doors were opening for me and the dark clouds were separating. Making it to the finals really saved me. I was able to find what I was passionate about, which was important because the things you love in life will eventually overcome the demons.”

And she’s perfectly okay with having to prove herself to a few skeptics.

“There are certain challenges being from American Idol, like the (proving your) legitimacy thing, but there’s much less of that now. Look at Kelly Clarkson and Reuben (Studdard) and Jennifer Hudson — they’ve all sold records and it’s proving that real artists do come out of Idol. I’m grateful for that,” McPhee said.

Fans Love Her, They Really Love Her!

Carrie Underwood once again proved to be an unstoppable force in country music last night when she took on, and beat out, Kenny Chesney, Dixie Chicks, Rascal Flatts and other country superstars at the CMT Awards. Carrie went 3 for 3 winning Best Director of a Video, Best Female Video and Video of the Year for "Before He Cheats". This award show is all based on fan votes so it looks like the people really do love Carrie. Congratulations Carrie! But seriously, what is she wearing? Are those Flashdance socks/legwarmers making a comeback?

You can read the whole article here. [via E! Online]

No Fanjayas at the Dodgers Game

So it looks like Dodgers fans are NOT Fanjayas (and really, who can blame them). Who knew people in LA actually had good taste in music? Star Magazine is reporting about Sanjaya's recent attendance at the Dodgers Game where he was booed by the public.

"He was just sitting there having a good time with his friends, just like a regular person," an eyewitness who was at the game tells Star. "And when the Dodger camera noticed him the camera guy ran over and taped him. Sanjaya's face pops up on the big screen right away. At first he smiled, he seemed to like the attention. But when the entire crowd at the stadium started to boo--and it was loud!--his smile faded a bit and his eyes looked sad. It's like he was trying to keep a fake smile on, but you could tell he was crestfallen. He just kept waving and smiling for a few seconds more then his image went off the screen."

You can read the whole article here.

Kelly Clarkson *UPDATE*

Just wanted to give you all an update on the great new Kelly Clarkson song "Never Again". The album is titled "My December" and will drop this summer. Here is the cover art for the single (lookin' mighty good KC!) and a link to download the full, original version of the song. Enjoy!

Eurovision Song Contest

Most of you know that Idol has been replicated in countries all around the world (Malaysian Idol, Australian Idol, etc.) and was originally a show in the UK called Pop Idol (complete with Simon Cowell as a judge). But apparently there has been a show around MUCH longer called Eurovision which sounds like an amazing project.

Can you believe there is something Idol-related that I didn't even know?

In 1955, the EBU came up with the idea of an international song contest whereby countries, represeted by their respective broadcasters, would participate in one television show, to be transmitted simultaneously in all represented nations. This was conceived during a meeting in Monaco in 1955 by Marcel BEZENÇON, a Frenchman working for the EBU. The competition was based upon the Italian Festival di Sanremo, held for the first time in 1951, and was also seen as a technological experiment in live television: in those days, it was a very ambitious project to join many countries together in a wide-area international network. Satellite television did not exist yet at that time, and the Eurovision Network comprised a terrestrial microwave network. Le Grand-Prix Eurovision de la Chanson Européenne was born!

Without interrpution, the Eurovision Song Contest has been broadcast every year since 1956, which makes it one of the longest-running television programmes in the world. The competition has been broadcast throughout Europe, but also in Australia, Canada, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Jordan, Korea, New Zealand and the United States, even though these countries do not participate.

Here is the music video of the song performed on this year's show from the representative for Greece. His name is Sarbel (just Sarbel...I guess he's like Madonna and only needs one name). Ummm, how do you say "hot" in Greek?

Bucky Covington's Debut CD

Clear Channel is streaming the entire debut CD from Bucky Covington. Take a listen before you buy it on Tues. I haven't had a chance to listen to the whole thing yet but I've liked the little I've heard. It has a very southern-rock, "Friday Night Lights" type feel to it.

Click here to listen to Bucky's album!

Haley Scarnato Likes Used Hair

[via American Idol Worship]

Is it true that you got Katharine McPhee’s old hair extensions from last season?
Yes, that is true. I think it’s cool. They can wash them, so it’s fun. I think it’s cool to wear the hair extensions of Katharine McPhee. She’s Katharine McPhee!

Top 8 - Latin Music Night

So the biggest question for tonite's episode isn't how much clothes will Haley actually be wearing or what Sanjaya's hair is going to look like. The biggest question of the night is "will tonite's episode such as much as the similarly themed 'Gloria Estefan Night' from Season 3?" That episode was such a trainwreck. It was impossible to make those incredibly cheesy songs sound like anything other than a bad cruise ship performance. I'm hoping and praying that tonite's episode doesn't fall into the same category, but the rumor is that some contestants are actually singing Gloria Estefan songs again so we'll see what ends up happening. I don't have high hopes though. As always, I'm typing this up while I'm watching the show so you're getting my initial reactions to everything.
>>I'm just going to add a three word description to the end of Jesse's excellent, detailed recaps. Your friend, [ ryan ]<<

Haha, JLo makes them all sit on the floor while she's sitting in a stool. Such a diva! We'll see how much she's actually able to help.

First up is Melinda Doolittle - "Sway". HAHA "I'm so not sexy!" says Melinda. Hm, is it possible to be bored during a flawless performance? That's how I'm starting to feel about Melinda. You know she's going to come out and sing the hell out of a song flawlessly so when she comes out and does it you get what you expect. There's nothing that gets you excited about hearing something that you weren't expecting. This is another great performance vocally, but the overall performance was just ok. It was missing some personality and I was a little bored. Grade B>>Boring but great.<<
LaKisha Jones - "Conga". OH, HELL TO THE NO! This has got to be one of the worst songs to choose. This song never comes off seriously and just sounds like a huge bucket of cheese. It could be a terrifically horrible performance. Since LaKisha is a master singer she may be able to pull this off. Ugh, again, this is lacking in something. But this time I blame the song. LaKisha sounds fine on it but the song is so horrible that she can't pull herself above it. It sounds like a bad cruise ship performance again. Gloria Estefan music should be banned from Idol. Like Melinda, vocally LaKisha sounded great but the overall performance was just ok. Grade B
Simon got it exactly right, this is not a singer's song it's a performer's song. No one ever sounds good while singing this song.
>>Some more personality.<<
Chris Richardson - "Smooth". I'm becoming a huge Chris fan so I'm excited to hear this. I love this song and I think he can do really, really well with it. It's the perfect type of song for his voice. Oh wow, he doesn't sound good at all in the opening. He doesn't seem to find his stride until he hits the chorus. Hm, from the chorus to the end he sounds alright. The whole performance just seemed to be lacking in star quality. This is definitely one of his weakest performances. Interestingly, his voice has improved greatly. I've noticed over the past couple of weeks that he's really been working on getting rid of that nasality of his voice and because of that he now has a fuller, stronger voice. He sounds a lot better but this performance was still not that great. Grade C+
>>Tried really hard.<<
Haley Scarnato - "Turn The Beat Around". Oh no. This is another Gloria song. And I don't have confidence in Haley to pull it off. Let's see how she does. What's up with the gay remix? This is the perfect version of a cruise ship performance. At least she looks hot. That's all she's got going for her right now. She had at least had fun with the performance. I just wish it was a different song. Grade C
>>What a stripper.<<
Phil Stacey - "Maria Maria". Well, Phil has a nice voice but the song is pretty boring. The crowd doesn't even seem to be into it at all. When Phil goes for some of the power notes his voice breaks a little. I think his voice is getting strained in the competition. It was just a bleh performance. Not good, not bad, just there. Grade C
>>Creepy. Desperate. Whiny.<<
Jordin Sparks - "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You". NOOOOOOO, not another Gloria Estefan song! Jordin is better than that. Yet ANOTHER boring performance. And again, I blame the song. Wow, even Jordin's voice is a little off tonite (on her first big note). She doesn't look very confident with this song nor is she having any fun with it. Grade C
>>Shaky big voice.<<
Blake Lewis - "I Need To Know". He's going to do real good JLo? I guess you really are from "the block". Well, it's nice to actually hear Blake sing a familiar song. It's a great song for his voice. Well, considering what we've seen tonite, this is a really good vocal. He didn't really "Blake-ify" it too much but it was still a really good performance. Best of the night so far. Grade A
>>Sweaty. Monotone. Ambiguous.<<
Sanjaya Malakar - "Besame Mucho". OMG!! First of all, Sanjaya got the pimp spot?! Either this is going to be really good or the producers are trying to showcase just how bad he is by putting him at the end so that's the last thing America hears before voting. There's no getting lost in the shuffle this time. Second, he's singing in spanish?! That's a bold move by him. Wow! He's finally showing the confidence he lacked in the earlier rounds. His voice sounds strong (and it's in tune!). This is a really subtle performance that takes away all of the fluff and playfulness he's been surrounding himself with these past 2 months. There's nothing here except his voice and it actually sounds good! I can't belive he pulled this off. This may actually be the best performance of the night. Holy crap! Grade B+
>>Lucky he's last.<<
I was a little bummed that no one came out and sang "Taco Flavored Kisses" to miss Jennifer Lopez (or, Hennifer Lopez as she pronounces it). I would have died if someone did that. Oh well. Aside from J.Lo's laugh, I can't say she really added anything to show or helped the contestants. She changed Chris' key and that was about it. What's up with these people that are there to help the contestants but don't really know what to do. Other than Lulu, no one has been able to really help the kids this year. We need Barry Manilow back!

As for the them this week, NEVER EVER AGAIN HAVE LATIN MUSIC OR GLORIA ESTEFAN MUSIC. This was just as bad as Season 3's Estefan night.

Bottom 3 will be Chris, Haley and Phil. I am actually very scared that Chris could be going home so I will be sure to vote a lot for him tonight. But I actually think it's going to be Haley. That was a pretty bad, bland performance. Phil's really wasn't any better. It could be a toss-up between the two.

>>Did anyone notice my Idol-crush Tom Lowe sporting the "lucky seven" pony-hawk in the audience tonight? I hope that means I get to see more of him somewhere?

I'm going to be crazy and say the bottom three is LaKisha, Jordin and Phil. This is goodbye for Nosphilatu.<<

Is Idol About the Music or Just Good TV?

LA Times ran an article yesterday about American Idol and what it does for pop music. Is it actually a singing competition that showcases amazing vocals and re-introduces classic songs to a younger generation? Or is it simply a smart TV show that focuses more on the antics and the people to make it entertaining?

"If "American Idol" were really first and foremost a singing competition, as Simon Cowell keeps grousing it is, we'd all be talking about Melinda Doolittle's near-flawless, jazz-inflected performances, for music lovers the true highlight of the No. 1-rated show's sixth season.

Instead, America is engaged in a national debate about Sanjaya Malakar's hair."

To continue reading the article click here.

So which is it, a show that gets America talking about people or a show that really is about the music business? Personally, I think it's both. For me, the show has opened me up to a lot of older, classic songs that I hadn't heard before (and yes, that does say a lot about my exposure to older music.) And you can't deny what the show has done for some of it's breakout stars (i.e. Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood). Idol has definitely made an impact on the current music scene and I am sure it will continue to do so in the future. But the show is also (and sometimes even more) entertaining when discussing each of the contestants. We all have our favorites that we follow and hope will go far. And because of those favorites, we can't believe that other people follow different contestants. Discussing the pros and cons of each of the singers and arguing about who is better is what makes the show fun and interesting. Why do people like Sanjaya so much when clearly Melinda is the best singer of the competition? How can personality win over talent? For these reasons, it'll be very interesting to see how Super Male Voice (Chinese Idol) will do since they're taking all of the extra stuff away and just making the competition about the songs and the voice. It may truly end up being a singing competition, but it might not be very interesting to watch. If American Idol is really just a singing competition then we could have crowned Melinda the winner at her audition. But since there's so much more to the show everyone is on edge trying to figure out what will happen next. That's what makes the show fun. That's what keeps people tuned in. So for me, Idol is a mix of both talent and good tv.

Kelly Clarkson - "Never Again" [Remix]

*NEW SONG ALERT!*

A new single for Kelly Clarkson has just leaked out onto the internet. Strangely enough, the remix (by Dave Aude) is available before the original. If you're interested, click here to download. Below are the lyrics:

"Never Again"

I hope the ring you gave to her
Turns her finger green
I hope when you’re in bed with her
you think of me
I would never wish bad things
But I don’t wish you well
Could you tell
By the flames that burned your words
I never read your letter
Cause I knew what you’d say
Give me that Sunday school answer
Try to make it all okay

Does it hurt
To know ill never be there
bet it sucks
to see my face everywhere
It was you
Who chose to end it like you did
I was the last to know
you knew
exactly what you would do
Don’t say
You simply lost your way
She may believe you
But I never will
Never again
Never again
Never again
Never again

If she really knows the truth
She deserves you
A trophy wife
Oh how cute
Ignorance is bliss
But when your day comes
And he’s through with you
And he’ll be through with you
You’ll die together but alone
You wrote me in a letter
You couldn’t say it right to my face
Give me that Sunday school answer
Repent your self away

Does it hurt

To know ill never be there
bet it sucks to see my face everywhere
It was you
Who chose to end it like you did
I was the last to know
you knew
exactly what you would do
Don’t say
You simply lost your way
they may believe you
But I never will
Never again
Never again
Never again
Never again

Never again will I hear you
Never again will I miss you
Never again will I fall to you
never
Never again will I hear you
Never again will I miss you
Never again will I fall to you
never
Never again will I kiss you
Never again will I want to
Never again will I love you
Never!

Does it hurt
To know ill never be there
Bet it sucks to see my face everywhere
It was you
Who chose to end it like you did
I was the last to know
you knew
exactly what you would do
Don’t say
You simply lost your way
They may believe you
But I never will
I Never Will
I never will
Never again
Never again
Never again
Never again

Are 'American Idol' Singers Too Similar?

One of the more honest and insightful articles about this season of American Idol [via MSNBC Interactive]

...In the end, it isn’t that this season’s top ten are bad, as it seemed like it might be early on, and it isn’t that they’re too good, exactly. It’s that it doesn’t feel like every contestant does the same death-defying stunt of risking elimination every week. If the six apparently doomed performers meet their appropriate fate, there’s no suspense, and if they don’t, there’s no justice. Who knew this show relied on either?

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Kellie Pickler - "I Wonder"

That's my girl!

Diana DeGarmo has always been one of my favorite contestants on American Idol. That big voice coming from such a tiny (white) girl always got me so excited! I'm even one of the few that bought her album, and enjoyed it! Since Idol, Diana has grown into her skin and has been successful on two Broadway shows.

People Magazine recently caught up with her and *WOW*, she looks good:

American Idol Appearance: Season 3 (2004)
How She Did: 2nd place
Diana DeGarmo has kept busy recording an album and starring in the Broadway musical Hairspray. Her latest big accomplishment? Dropping three dress sizes to a size 4!

“The first time I put on size 26 waist jeans, I was jumping around the store,” says DeGarmo, 19, who’s lost the weight by changing her diet (staples include fish and brown rice) and working out four times a week.

There's No Crying in Idol!

China has just released a statement that their upcoming version of Idol, Super Boys Voice, cannot have any crying, vulgarity, screaming fans, criticizing and humiliating comments from the judges, or anything else that would make good television. I guess they thought the previous season, Super Girls Voice, was morally bankrupt and want to avoid that this year. However, if you take all of that out then you're left with nothing but robots singing "healthy and ethically inspiring" songs. That is going to be very boring to watch. I feel for the Chinese. Everything they're taking out is what makes Idol so much fun to watch. It'll be interesting to see if this season has the same amount of popularity as the first.

[via Yahoo! News]

Fake but still hot

A photograph of two American Idol 6 finalists that is making the rounds online offers something a lot more interesting than Sanjaya to talk about: two male contestants who seem to have a very close relationship. However, the picture is not genuine.

The photo shows finalist Blake Lewis sitting on Chris Richardson’s lap backstage; has his arms around Blake, who’s carefully studying his phone or other electronic device.

Their images are real, but the original Getty Images photo shows both men in the same poses, just sitting in separate chairs, as a Towleroad commenter noticed. Someone with Photoshop skills clearly edited the two together using the original, which was taken on Feb. 20, as the source.

[ via: reality blurred]

Top 9 - Tony Bennett/Standards

Blake Lewis - "Mack the Knife". It's pretty hard not to think of Clay Aiken singing this song. This was a great version when Clay sang it. Unfortunately Blake doesn't have the same kind of emotion that Clay had. It seems to be lacking some life. The song also showcases how weak Blake's voice actually is. It's a good voice but without the beatboxing there isn't much there. He could have done so much more. It was just a bleh performance. I think it could have been so much better. Grade B-

Phil Stacey - "Night and Day". I first hear this song last year and fell in love with it. I've heard it in so many different ways that it'll be interesting to see what he does. Hmm.. vocally he sounds awesome but again it seems to be lacking in emotion. As always, his high notes sound great. I just wish he would have put a little more into the performance. The song is all about passion and love but you didn't really get that from his performance. Grade C

Melinda Doolittle - "I've Got Rhythm". Do we really need to say anything more about Melinda? She's amazing and once again gives a perfect performance. She knows how to sell every song she sings. She can transition from soft and playful to powerful belter. She knows just what to do to each song to make it sensational. We all know she's going to win; we're just waiting to see who she's going to beat in the final 2. Grade A

Chris Richardson - "Don't Get Around Much Anymore". I've never heard this song. It'll be interesting to see how he does with something I don't know. I'm liking this. This style seems to suit him really well. It's a little playful and his voice sounds really strong. When he suddenly throws his R&B side in the song really shines. You can tell that he was really having fun with it. I really liked it. Grade A-

Jordin Sparks - "On A Clear Day". I've never heard this song either. It's good and Jordin sounds great but it's lacking a little something. Maybe it's the just the song; it's a little boring. Vocally, she sounds great but it's not the best that she's done. She's still great. She's really becoming a front-runner. Grade B+

Gina Glocksen - "Smile". Again, another song I've never heard. This is a big departure from the "rock" style that Gina was trying to fall into. However, she sounds great on this song. She needs to hit some kind of big note though because vocally it isn't very challenging for her. It's a good performance but might be too much of a departure from her rocker side. How will people react? Grade B-

Sanjaya Malakar - "Cheek to Cheek". Well, this is the type of music that he should be singing. It doesn't require you to be a strong vocalist, just that you can really sell the song. His voice is weak and all over the place but he can definitely have fun with a song and entertain. Finally, after a month and a half of being on the show, he's starting to show some confidence. I think this may be his best performance yet. It was entertaining (but not necessarily good to listen to). Grade C

Haley Scarnato - "Ain't Misbehavin". The performance was just ok. To me it felt very karaoke/cabaret/broadway. It's a good song for her but she just didn't wow at all. I feel like there just isn't anything to say about the performance. That's not a good sign. I think this might be her final week. Grade C

LaKisha Jones - "Stormy Weather". Well, that was a great way to end the show. Once again, LaKiki shows off her big powerful voice and actually shows some emotion and personality in her performance. This will easily throw her back up to the top of the heap. Grade A.

Overall, I thought the week was good. There were some really good performances and we're finally starting to see the parity between all of the contestants. I don't think Tony Bennett really added anything to the show or helped out the singers at all. For being such a legend I dont think he really gave out any outstanding advice.

For the bottom 3 I'm going to Gina, Phil, and Haley. As for who is going home, I think it's going to come down to Phil and Haley. Phil has a great voice but has been having a lot of problems throughout. Haley has a good voice but seems to always be lost in the mix. She's really trying to work the seductress role but I don't think that's going to keep her in. It's really a toss-up but I'm going to go out on a limb and say Phil is the one leaving tomorrow. Haley will just squeak by for one more week.