My Name is Kris and I Blah-g

I’ve been reading the blogs and news sites with critiques about the Top 12 reveal this morning. I am bewildered at why they haven’t a clue as to why Alex Lambert and Lily What’sherface were sent home. Alex, while he has an interesting voice has yet to to let go of his fear and just perform. He stands petrified at the microphone each week and despite being given every opportunity to come out of his shell, he just would never even peek his head out. As for Lily, she made weird faces while she sang. Her voice while folksy and different doesn’t have that mainstream appeal. I don’t see her filling stadiums – coffee shops? Yeah. But that’s about all. I’m no expert but I am not short on opinions. I would most likely never buy their music. I could possibly listen to Alex but he’s such a bump on a log in the personality department that I wouldn’t dream of shelling out money to see him live. Does that mean he wouldn’t ever evolve into a great performer? No. It’s just an indicator that he’s just not ready for this. What America did was put them out of their misery (or ours) sooner rather than later.So, who’s left:Aaron Kelly - I just got back from a visit to Pennsylvania where my late husband was from. To my surprise I saw billboards with this kid’s face up everywhere in my husband’s hometown. Ends up this kid is from there and he’s got a solid local support group that is determined to help him get ahead in this competition. Fortunately for him, he’s made the top 10 with their help, I am sure. Unfortunately for him, he’s got the rest of America that could work against him unless he can stay away from songs that are too big for him. He really risked it this past week with “I’m Already There”…a great song but not one that he should sing. Content wise it wasn’t appropriate for a young kid to sing and style wise it just seemed like a BIG song…too big. Anyway, I think he’s likely to make top 10 but I don’t see him going any further than maybe top 7.Andrew Garcia - Yeah…he’s been kinda disappointing lately. I thought his rendition of Genie in a Bottle, while not as great as Straight Up, wasn’t as bad as the judges let on. I still think he can make something of this and get into the top 4 at least.Casey James - There was no question that Casey would take a spot in the top 12. He’ll be in the top 10 for sure. I think he’ll round out the top 5. I am not sure what he can do differently. He is what he is.Crystal Bowersox - Crystal is the one to beat. She’s been consistently good however I have yet to hear her sing a song a different way. They sound like really good copies of the originals. To seal the deal, she’ll need to pull a David Cook and pick a totally unexpected song and completely change it.Didi Benami - She’s getting a lot better. Her take on Fleetwood Mac’s song this week was her best yet and if she continues to do that, she could see a top 5 spot too. But I question if she’s capable.Katie Stevens - Well, like Andrew, she could have peeked too early or maybe she is a victim to over exposure. It’s very obvious that these elimination shows are way too much for her to take. Maybe things will be different now that the top 12 is in place and the producers and music coaches can focus on less people. I still think she’s got the potential to be one of the last ones standing but as of this point, I don’t think she’s got it in her to win.Lacey Brown - Surprised to see Lacey still chugging along. She’ll be vulnerable pretty much weekly. Unless she can pull out a show stopper, she will be singing for her life until she’s voted off. She will need to work hard to make Top 10.Lee Dewyze - Lee has gotten better each week. I originally said he was “a’ight” but he’s GOOD! I like him more and more as times goes on. I really can see him and Crystal toe to toe in the finale and that could make up for the fact that so far, this season has been beyond dull.Michael Lynche - Michael is great. I can’t help but like him. His singing is fabulous. He isn’t cut from the typical mold and yet, he’s a great entertainer. He has a very nice voice and he could be in it to win it, too. I am thinking he could very well be in the Top 3.Paige Miles - Wow. I am actually surprised she survived this week’s cut. Her performance was super weak. I think she has lots of friends to thank for helping push her into the Top 12. She’s going to need that help to get into the top 10. I have heard some inkling of a great voice in her songs the past couple weeks but she’s another person who has gotten this far under the radar and is lucky to still be here. I am not sure she can get past some of the others to even survive much further than top 9 let alone top 10.Siobhan Magnus - She still bugs me a little but I like her lots more than when the top 24 was announced. Her personality grates on my nerves. I am not sure why. She’s kinda weird. But when she sings, she can SING! It’s really good. There is definitely something there. Top 5?Tim Urban - Cuteness over substance! The thing is that Tim sang for his life this week and delivered his best performance. Like Lacy, he will need to sing like his life depends on it week in and week out. Just the fact that he’s in the top 12 means that he could make top 10 on his looks alone. What does that say about the voters?So, who will be in the coveted Top 10 that goes on tour?? Hmmmm… Well, I think Paige and Tim are the next to go – followed by Lacy, Didi and Aaron. That leaves Siobhan, Andrew, Lee, Crystal, Michael, Katie and Casey left and the order in which they’re voted off will depend upon which week they totally screw up. Right now if I had to pick a top 2 I would pick Lee and Crystal. Based on the performances the past 3 weeks, I pick the following for the top 5 – Crystal, Lee, Michael, Casey and Andrew.

Now that the auditions are over, I guess is time to start talking Idol. I don’t know about the rest of you but for the past couple of seasons I have been underwhelmed. There really hasn’t been that one person (to me) that has stuck out – at least not like Carrie Underwood did way back when and David Archuleta two years ago. Last year my favorite was Danny Gokey and we all know that he went home placing 3rd – not too shabby and his new song is currently one of my favorites. Well done, Danny.This year brings another “the most talented group of kids we’ve ever seen” or so the judges tell us. Um, really? I’m not so sure. I agree for the most part with who they put in despite the limited view we had of most of them. It is true that they seem to give more airtime to certain performers. It’s pretty annoying. There are at least 2 that are in the Top 24 that I have absolutely NO recollection having heard sing. However, I’ll run down them individually. Please keep in mind that these opinions are based on the limited viewing of these guys – some I don’t recall AT ALL so I can’t really forge too much of an opinion. But for now, here they are… Aaron Kelly – Reportedly this kid won at Walt Disney World’s American Idol Experience. I got to see this (not his particular performance but I attended this attraction) and it was really fun. It does a good job of making you feel like you are part of a live AI crowd. So good for him for trying it out and succeeding. I wasn’t sure if someone would actually win there and actually make it to the front of the line to not only audition for the judges and get very far. He did. So cool. However, I’m not that impressed. Yeah. He’s young. Inexperienced (I think..who really knows these days) and he could probably be the next big Disney “thing” but any more than that? Not feeling it. Alex Lambert – I don’t remember him. Well, I sorta do. But what I remember is that things were all messed up for him on Group Day and he got yelled at by that obnoxious chick. I *think* he’s gotten more air time than that but I honestly don’t remember him. He doesn’t stick out. Andrew Garcia – This guy is cool. He has genuine talent with singing and making songs his own. I love his rendition of Paula Abdul’s Straight Up. It was way beyond words better than hers ever could be. It was really good and he will be in the top 10. Ashley Rodriguez – Everyone I have read is singing her praises. Really? Not memorable. Is she good? Did we hear her sing? I dunno. Casey James – He’s CUTE. Seriously. He would have the Ace vote this year just because he makes looking at the TV something very easy to do. The difference between him and Ace though is that he can SING!! And he can play guitar. So, that is enough right there. His voice and style of singing is not what I expected. I honestly expected country music out of him. He probably could sing it. But he’s blues all the way. Top 10 material if anything to get him on the tour so all the girls out there can totally freak out when they see him. Crystal Bowersox – This girl is very talented. It’s raw and uncensored. So are her teeth. Just kidding….she’s going to move forward enough that “her people” will fix that one flaw…She is quite good. Top 10. Didi Benami – She will probably make Top 10 but honestly, the only thing I can remember about her is her crying. Haeley Vaughn – Haeley is cute. I like her. I love the idea of a female black country singer. We need more of those. I am not sure how well she’ll stand up to the pressure of certain genres though. Her speech impediment kinda brings her down. Usually you don’t hear an impediment like that when someone sings. Even the tourettes guy could get through a song and you’d never know. She really needs to work on her annunciation. She won’t win but she could possible make Top 10 because she’s likeable. Janell Wheeler – I honestly don’t know why she’s in the top 24. Cute maybe? We heard many other better singers in my opinion. What we heard from her from Hollywood Week fell flat in my opinion. She wasn’t that good. Jermaine Sellers - I don’t remember him. So I don’t know!

John Park – I only remember his initial audition and it was good. And he sounded different than I pictured him sounding but it was a good different. I would like to see him make Top 10 if only because it would give diversity to the group. Katelyn Epperly – Not to rain on her lil’ sob story parade but who cares? I dunno. That’s really mean. I am sure that it’s not her fault that AI thought that focusing in on her little story about her parents getting divorced would make the rest of us believe that she has a voice that kills. I don’t see it. Her voice is mediocre at best and not anything new. Her review so far? Meh. Katie Stevens – No doubt about it. She can sing. Her voice is very mature. I wish I could sing like her. It’s really good. She’ll make Top 10 even if all the Alzheimers Homes in America vote for her and then forget about it. I know…I stink… Lacey Brown - Good ol’ Lacey.. She so deserves to be in the Top 24 if only because she was totally screwed over last year when AI chose that warbling what’s her name over her. Lacey shows poise and maturity and above all else a great voice. I hope she sticks around a while. Lee Dewyze - I have no idea why he’s in the Top 24 other than to give it some versatility. He’s a’ight.. I suppose but unless he can show some David Cook cajones then I don’t see him getting far much less the Top 10. Lilly Scott – Our female Taylor Hicks, ladies and gentlemen…with out the weird tick, of course. She is ok. I dunno. She doesn’t scream star to me…another MEH. Michael Lynche – Good ol’ Michael…HUGE ol’ Michael. Who cares. He’s got himself a good voice. I read that he almost got himself disqualified because his dad blabbed about him being in the top 24 before it was officially known. That would have sucked. He deserves to be there and despite his papa’s big mouth, the public would have found out anyway…that’s just how it is now.. Michelle Delamor – Who? Yeah…nuff said. She’ll have lots to overcome to make top 10…such as making sure she sings her butt off and stays in front of the camera..nobody will know who she is, remember her or care. Paige Miles - See Michelle’s comment. I have absolutely NO idea about this person. I can’t even remember the sight of her. How fair is that? Siobhan Magnus – She annoys me… I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the nose ring. I don’t know. Maybe it’s how she spells her name (yeah, I know it’s Irish). Randy says a girl will win this year. I am not so sure about that, dawg. Tim Urban - Another, WHO? I feel sorry for some of these guys. I really don’t know how they could even dream of making the Top 10 unless they get equal air time. Todrick Hall - Here’s the difference between Todrick and Tim Urban..I know absolutely NOTHING about Tim Urban  but I know that Todrick is a dancer who thought he’d giving singing a try and was in The Color Purple with Fantasia. How do I know this? They show him on TV all the time!! Is he good enough to win? NO! But he’ll get his face out there for sure. He’ll maybe get a lead on Broadway and not a bit player role. Maybe we should just cut to the chase and go with the top 3 – Andrew, Katie and Crystal…yeah…I’m saying it right here. Now.Tyler Grady – Can we say ew? He weirds me out. Jim Morrison weirded me out too and that’s who they compare him to…him and Mick Jagger…another winner in the creepy rock singer category. He’ll probably make Top 10 just despite me and I’ll probably have to vote him as my bathroom break guy when they go on tour.