StoneRose Valley

Well, here we are. Tonight we find out the final three to move up into the Top Twelve. Well, the final three voted in.

They opened the show with Katy Perry’s “Hot N Cold”. Not my favorite group song they could have done. I thought they did a tremendous job with the choreography though. That’s a hard thing to do when you can’t see; and they arranged it perfectly so that you hardly realized that they had that issue.

As always, they recapped last night, and I thought they were unjust with a few of the contestants.

Here come the results.

First up, we have Lil. And she’s safe as completely expected!! Plus, we get to listen to her all over again. This gal really does have a tremendous talent in her voice.

Next; Arianna, Taylor, Kendal, Alex, and Scott are called to stand, and only one is through to the top. Of course we are left hanging till after the commercial break. Has to happen sometime, and Fox figures you’re more likely to return (or possibly even sit through the commercials) if you have the great incentive to return such as hearing who the next contestant to progress is.

We are back after the commercial break. Arianna is not in the top twelve. Taylor (are they going to do each one individually?) also is told to sit back down. Alex is next, and is also not in the top. He made the comment that he’d rather lose being himself, and he’s happy with what he decided.
Now we’re down to Kendall and Scott. Kendall will be leaving us; Scott will progress on. So happy for him; I think this is the right decision. No, he is not great, but he is quite good. He has great tone to his voice, and he knows how to work it well-better, in fact, than many we’ve heard in the last couple of weeks. We will definitely see this young man grow in the coming weeks.

More results. Kristen and Nathaniel stand up. My gut tells me that they’re both leaving, standing up so soon by themselves. And I was right.

Taylor and Von are next. And I’m not happy to see him up there right now. Not a good start. Both are given no’s. I’m really dissapointed here.

Now it’s down to Ju’Not and Jorge. I’m going to call it early and say that Ju’Not is the final contestant tonight. But we’ll have to wait till ‘after the commercial break. Not really. And, here I am wrong; Jorge is actually the final contestant.

I guess we don’t get to listen to Jorge again tonight. But we will find out who are the Wild Card Round picks for tomorrow’s show. Yeah! At long last!

My hopes are in Ricky Braddy, Von Smith, Kristen McNamara, Jasmine Murray, Anoop Desai, Jesse Langseth, Tatiana Del Toro, and Ann Marie Boskovich. We’ll see though.

We are told that there will only be eight performing tomorrow night…follows the information that I’ve been able to glean.

Randy reveals one first; and that is Von Smith!!! Yeah, I’m so excited! Very happy about this.

Now Kara reveals one. Jasmine Murray!! The hometown girl! Glad she gets another chance.

Paula announces the decision to bring back Ricky Braddy. Great choice!

So far, so good. Three of my personal picks are through to tomorrow night.

Simon is next; he calls Megan Corkrey. I know a lot of people will be happy with this choice; I just can’t help feeling that there are a few others that deserve the chance just a little more. But I am happy for this girl.

Four more will join the four on the couch. The first one to join them is…..Tatiana Del Toro. I think that she really deserves this chance; Tatiana is an amazing vocalist. She does need to learn to restrain the emotional theatrics a bit first.
Next, Matt Giraud joins the group.
Jesse Langseth also gets to perform tomorrow night.

Only one more spot left. And it’s given to Anoop Desai.

Overall, a good group for tomorrow night. Very dissapointed that we will not see more of Kristen McNamara-I really like that girl and her incredible range.

And…we do get to hear Jorge again; he closes out the show.

So now; all the mysteries of the Wild Card Round are laid open for all to see. It’s going to be another tough night; these last eight are really going to have to fight for the last three spots open. Bring it on.

Time for another poll! You know the drill-cast your vote before tomorrow’s results show starts.

Plus, my personal favorites and highlights from tonights show.

Kristen has killer range!

Lil Rounds ended the night with a definite bang! She basically stole the top girls pick!

I also enjoyed Von Smith…he’s already learning so much; and I really look forward to seeing this guy progress through the weeks…I hope.

And Scott MacIntyre is an incredible man; really. Great voice, and such a sweet guy.

Ryan opens the night with his usual spill….all about the final group…etc…etc…

Ryan and Simon wonders why Simon can’t just pick the songs for the contestants….and Simon mentions how that would make a great song night! Something to think about in future…I hope they do something like this-would be great!

Von Smith has an amazing voice…a very powerful voice. I just want to see him control it. Singing ” You’re All I Need”, I am missing a bit of the big voice notes, but am enjoying him nevertheless. Perhaps, though, he should stay a little true to himself….I know he could do better. Still, a great performance.
Randy said “this is the way to kick off the performance. Better than Hollywood week.”
Kara thought he seemed more comfortable. “It’s not about how high you can go, but doing it with meaning!”
Paula mentioned how hard it is to go first in the night. But, she said, this was a “memorable first.” She also complimented him, saying “you know how to hold back, and when to push forward”.
Simon came out with the compliment to top the others, saying “you remind me of Clay Aiken. You sang very well; much better as Kara said (he meant Randy) than Hollywood”.

Taylor Vaifanua chose “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alecia Keyes. I wasn’t sure when I heard the song choice…she did better than I thought. But I’m not sure this was the best song for her, she could have picked a better one.
Kara said it was obvious that Taylor has a good voice. “I’m still trying to figure out who you are though. What’s it like to go shopping with Taylor. Your performance leaves me a bit cold”.
Paula mentioned how Taylor has such a ‘beautiful gift, beautiful voice’. But added “I just want to see where you can go”.
Simon doesn’t get the shopping thing. “I genuinely couldn’t remember you. It was very generic; a bit bland. You are going to struggle a bit”.
Randy agreed with the others, saying it was “kinda boring. Good voice though”.

Alex Wagner-Trugman has a sweet, funny personality. “I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues” was an interesting song choice for him, but, after hearing him, definetely a good one. Well, the first half was, at least. The second half sounded a bit off pitch.
Paula thought Alex certainly the showman, saying “You gave us our money’s worth; don’t know how much will be spent. But certainly had fun watching you”.
Simon said “we did have fun watching you, just not listening. The growling, along with kicking over the microphone, was just stupid”. To which Alex replied that the mic was a total accident! I do like this guy-as I already mentioned, great personality.
Randy couldn’t finish his sentences. He’s turning into the new ‘Paula’. Moving on…
Kara gave out the positive. “You are you; great choreography by the way”.

Arianna Asfar is singing “The Winner Takes It All”. Big song. But Arianna rose to the occasion. And honestly, not having heard this girl in Hollywood or her audition, this girl wowed me!
Simon thought there was a certain irony in that song, calling it “way too big for you”. Oh, no no no no; I totally do not agree with Simon here. No at all.
Randy said it was not the right song, saying it “wasn’t good”.
Kara recalled the audition; “you were like a beam of sunshine. Tonight was dark and depressing. Be young, touch people. This was too serious and gloomy”.
Paula said she wouldn’t go as far as the others had, saying she thought Arianna “had some bright moments. But the song was too old fashioned”. Paula mentioned that she thought it sometimes better to stick to the melody.

Next up is Ju’not Joyner, singing “Hey There Delilah”. My sister likes him…I’m still trying to make up my mind. I’m afraid he’s going to be forgettable. Or maybe not. The last bit was much better.
Randy commented on how Ju’not switched up the song…calling it a “smart choice; I loved it.”
Kara liked the spin on that song. “You could bust it out even more on the next time. Felt like you were holding back.”
Paula loved the liberties Ju’not took, saying they paid off.
Simon sometimes is sooo…blond. And annoying. Oh, well. Simon thought it was better than he thought it was going to be. But called it “a bit safe”.

Kristen McNamara is up, singing “Give Me One Reason”. I like her gritty sound. There were moments that were both good and bad. Kristen might be another victim of the new format. I think she could definetely get better, we just might not see it. And that last high note! Wow!
Kara called Kristen a great singer, saying “you hit the notes, great tone. Need a little more rock edge though…”
Paula mentioned how Hollywood showed Kristen has big range, and thinks Kristen has only reinforced that!
Simon thought her just a little bit vague, asking “who are you? Odd song choice, but good voice”. He thought Kristen needs to become more comfortable.
Randy thought she tried to do too much.

Nathaniel Marshall is singing something by Meatloaf…“Anything For Love”…?…I wasn’t paying as much attention as I should have…unfortunately because he annoys me. He has a good voice, but I have trouble getting past him to that. I like his voice; really is quite good.
Simon thought some people will quite like that. The majority will not. On a positive note, people will remember you. You are fun, and I like you.
“I like you too” Randy said. “Curious song choice, though. You definitely can sing; but it’s hard to imagine what kind of record you’d make”.
Kara said “the thing is, you have a voice; but if you want to be taken seriously, you need to pick a song to reflect that”.
Paula said he knew she loved him since Hollywood; “you were serious; sang Disturbia and that made you cool! That was a bold choice, this song takes that coolness factor away though”.

Felicia Barton chose another Alicia Keyes song, “No One”. You already know how I feel about Alecia Keyes-great artist, but don’t take her songs on right off. I thought Felicia did a good job. But it’s hard to get people past thinking of those current artists, such as Alicia. Felicia did not stand out to me. I kept thinking of the original artist. Felicia has a good voice…just bad song choice.
Paula thought Felicia’s talent, her gift, is unbelievable. “So glad we brought you back!”
Simon thought the first half was better than the second; also calling it a bit copycat.
Randy said Felicia has an amazing voice. “You have something a little different in your voice than Alicia, go with that.”
Kara said it was “by far your best look. Attitude, presence; noticed you for the first time. You stepped into it!”

Scott MacIntyre chose “Mandolin Rain”. Started off iffy to me, but he more than redeemed it. This guy is amazing! His voice, and his life! Wow! I’m nearly speechless.
Randy is unable to speak for a while due to the cheers. “The parts that were great were really great. I can feel the passion poring out of you. Job well done!” He declared.
Kara admired Scott, “you do what you love; you’re passionate about it, and you don’t have issue’s!”
Paula said she was so happy and proud that Scott made it this far! “You’ve blessed us all with your gift and you’re one of our finest.”
Simon wasn’t crazy about the song, but declared that Scott was growing on him. He thought “there are better singers in this competition, but in a sea of forgettable people tonight, you aren’t. I’m going to be amazed if you don’t sail through tonight”.

Kendall Beard chose “This One’s For The Girls”. She does have a good country sound. I actually like this better than Martina McBride’s…and I’m a huge fan of Martina’s.
Kara thinks she showed big personality, and picked the right lane in country. “But”, she said, “there were some issues with the notes…however, you got that personality that we really like.”
Paula gave her the prize for the best outfit tonight (typical of Paula); saying “I hope you enjoyed it”. (wha-?)
Simon thought Kendall probably did the right thing tonight. “Though honestly, halfway through I couldn’t wait for it to end; was a bit shrilly towards the end. You could have picked a better song. Just not my cup of tea.”
Randy likes country, and thought it a good song choice and that she looked good. But said it “wasn’t your best vocal performance. You did tell us who you were tonight”.

Next up is Jorge Nunez singing “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”, and all I could think of was David Archuleta singing this last year and totally knocking it out of the park. Jorge has talent, though. And I didn’t notice any problems with his pronounciation tonight. Was touching; he really showed his vocal talent tonight…even if he isn’t Archie.
Paula said she is “so proud of you. You took our advice; you worked so hard and sound so good!”
Simon admitted they were wrong to say Jorge shouldn’t sing with an accent, “because why should we? That’s who you are”.
Randy said “it’s the vocals that matter. That wasn’t the perfect vocal, but it was really really good”.
Kara said Jorge was born to sing.

Lil Rounds finishes up the night with “To Be Without You”. I’d forgotten about Lil temporarily; and she has quite the voice. No way she isn’t walking away with the top girls vote. And she would deserve it! Every season there are a few contestants that stand out head and shoulders above the others, and this girl is one of them! Great performance by Lil.
Simon comes to the stand with a grin on his face, calling it brilliant. “Wouldn’t have chosen that song, but I think you have great great prospects in this competition. You are undoubtedly one of the best singers we’ve found so far.”
Randy agreed with Simon. Complimenting Lil with “you kept your swagger; got unbelievable vocals; and we know who you are. I loved it!”
Kara called Lil a “powerhouse”; saying it was great, “you have been steadily you”.
Paula said Lil was “first class. I think we’re going to see you for many more ‘lil rounds’!”

That’s it folks! I’m calling Lil and Scott in safe; with Von rounding it out. But Jorge and Kristen might give Von a run for his money.

Well, my poll indicated that Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, and Megan Corkrey would be our top three tonight…most of you now know that it was almost completely correct…well, two/thirds correct. Adam, Allison, and Kris Allen will all be moving on to the coveted top twelve.

No, I still don’t get all the hype surrounding Adam…maybe it all boils down to personal preference. I did like his performance tonight much more than last nights. And I liked his audition and during Hollywood week he sounded stellar. Maybe that’s why I was so dissapointed last night; because it was just so different than the Adam I had previously seen and enjoyed.

Allison and Kris, to me, didn’t perform as well as they did last night. But they both completely deserve to be in the top twelve…and, upon reflection, so does Adam. Sure, I didn’t enjoy hearing (or seeing) him perform “Satisfaction”, but that doesn’t change the fact that he has incredible range and good vocals. So, yeah, tonight I’m very happy with the results.

I am sorry (though not surprised) that Jasmine did not make it through. The judges did hint that we’d be seeing some of the same faces from tonight in the wild card round…maybe we’ll see Jasmine again?

Speaking of the wild card round…I understand that the following might possiblly be the case: The judges each pick two of their favorites to come back to perform for the wild card round; from which three are then chosen (as in the auditions) to progress up to the final twelve.
Who will be in this wild card round? Well, without having seen the last group, it is certainly too early to tell. But here are a few of my guesses. Ricky Braddy (absolutely), Anoop Desai, Megan Corkrey, Matt Giraud. With possibly one of the following thrown in there somewhere; Tatiana Del Toro, Anne Marie Boskovich, Jasmine Murray, and Jesse Langseth. “But that’s nearly all of them!” you say. Yeah, I know. There’s a lot of talent this year.
Of course, we havn’t heard the last group yet, so as I said, it’s still too early to tell.

And that leads me on; the last group of twelve. They are, in alphabetical order:
Alex Wagner-Trugman
Arianna Asfar
Felicia Barton
Jorge Nunez
Ju’Not Joyner
Kendall Beard
Kristen McNamara
Lil Rounds
Nathaniel Marshall
Scott MacIntyre
Taylor Vaifanua
and Von Smith

My early predictions are that we’ll see (and hear) some great stuff from Lil Rounds, Scott, and Von Smith…those three are going to be hard to beat. But anything is possible (gah-I sound like some cheesy comercial!) at this point. I think Alex and Felicia may come in swinging…and honestly, I don’t remember either Taylor or Arianna, so completely possible that they could take me by surprise.

One things’ for sure, I am (and probably all of the contestants are too) so ready for next week to be over! Then we’ll know our top twelve…but I guess the pressure’s still on then…the consequences aren’t quite so severe, though, in that only one will be leaving per week versus the nine so far.

So much for this week, now we’re on to the next!

As always, I welcome your feedback! (hint, hint–Come on, I know there are a number of you, surely someone has something to say!)

Tonight was tough for many young people. For others, it was the start of the realization of a dream.

Here are the top thirty-six:
Anoop Desai
Von Smith–I think he has a great voice, but is far too dramatic; if he can just tone it down a little.
Alex Wagner Trugman–was one of those who were required to participate in a “sing-off”.
Adam Lambert–No surprise there!
Taylor Vaifanua
Jasmine Murray–Don’t know her personally, but I am really excited to see her progress through this competition; she is, after all, representing my hometown!!
Arianna Asfar
Casey Carlson
Megan Corkrey
Mishavonna Henson
Stevie Wright–this girl was a favorite of mine from the first.
Joanna Pacitti
Kendall Beard
Kristen McNamara–one of the unfortunates picked for the “sing-off”.
Alexis Grace
Scott MacIntyre–I really like this guy.
Lil Rounds–great talent.
Jesse Langseth–another of the “sing-off” victims.
Allison Iraheto
Danny Gokey–Danny is my early pick absolute favorite!! I was so happy to see him progress; and heartbroken with him when Jamar didn’t make it.
Ricky Braddy
Matt Giraud
Jo’not Joyner
Jorge Nunez
Brent Keith
Stephen Fowler
Nick Mitchell aka “Norman Gentle”–I think he is capable of quite a lot…but at the time, I’m under the impression that he’s a joke. Could not believe he made it through when David Osmond did not….
Tatiana Del Toro–She really does have a good voice. I feel sorry for her; she doesn’t seem too well liked. I think she’d find it extremely helpful to tone everything down a bit. Too emotional and loud. But real talent in her voice.
Jackie Tohn
Nathaniel Marshall–another “emotional”. And somebody needs to give him some style advice.
Jeanine Vailes
Kai Kalama
Anne Marie Boskovich
Kris Allen
Matt Breitzke–was in a “sing-off” with Michael Sarver….and both made it through.
Michael Sarver–another of my favorites…he is such a nice, gentlemanly fellow. I fell in love with his voice and who he is.

Those who deserve acknowledgement but didn’t make it through to the top thirty-six:
Cody Sheldon
T.K Hash
Chris Chathem
Regg Beasley
Jenn Korbee
Frankie Jordan
Felicia Barton
Ashley Hollister
Devon Baldwin
Jamar Rogers
Shera Lawrence
Derik Lavers
Jackie Midkiff

*My apologies if I mispelled any names or left anyone out in the acknowledgement.