Double Heartache

And so, after another tense and drawn-out Results Show, two of the sweetest contestants this season said their good-byes, leaving us with a Top 6. As time goes by, it gets harder and harder to watch the contestants leave, and watching two of the contestants that I liked the most go home on the same night was just heartwrenching. I'll tell you, there was scarcely a dry eye in the house.

I loved Deidre from the moment I saw her first audition - her version of the Shoop Shoop Song, combined with that killer laugh, and the shots of her mother singing along in invisible support really endeared her to me, not to mention the fact that she's a fellow Pretorianite. I had a great amount of faith in her ability to do very well in this competition, and indeed she did. Making the Top 8 is absolutely nothing to be sneezed at, and I think a few weeks of bad luck combined with high emotions helped contribute to her earlier-than-expected ousting. I take comfort in knowing that she definitely has a bright career ahead of her - whether it is in music or acting, she has the potential to make a very big splash, and she definitely has the advantage of youth on her side. If I ever finish my novel, Deidre will be my first pick to play the main character when it gets turned into a movie ;) And a special note to those I'm sure are reading along: you guys are simply the most amazing people I have met in a very, very long time, and I am thrilled to have gotten the chance to know you. Don't be strangers!

And of course, Deidre wasn't alone in saying goodbye. Making her teary exit was the other real sweetheart of the competition, the beautiful Martelize van Niekerk. Considering she was one of my picks to go home tonight, I can't claim to be surprised, but I am definitely disappointed. She showed some serious talent this year, and I hope that she will continue to pursue her dream. During tonight's press conference, she said that this was "just the beginning", and I'm hoping that her time on Idols opened doors for her. Beautiful (in every single way), talented and extremely likeable, she definitely has a winning combination.

And for the first time, we got a true idea of how the contestants are faring so far. Top 4 consisted of Gift, Karin, V and Nhlanhla, while Ayanda and Nicky joined the eliminated contestants in the bottom 4. I feel confident that Ayanda is number 5; her continued improvement and consistency in turning out breathtaking performances has to have improved her standing. I guess the real surprise is the two wild cards holding on tightly to their chance to win the whole shebang. That in itself has got to feel pretty damn good. However, tonight's Top 4 represent the contestants that I think will actually be the Top 4. I have a feeling Nicky will be next to go. Fanbase or not, she will have to fight very, very hard to best her competitors, and while she has definitely delivered some stunning work, I think her biggest downfall will be her failure to do so consistently. But, as always, anything can happen.

A heads up on next week's theme: The contestants will each be singing two songs - both of which will be Judges' Choice. I also asked whether we could expect another group performance, however I was only answered by a mischievous smile and the promise that surprises are in store. I can hardly wait...

Continuing thoughts

Last night was a good night - both show-wise and on other fronts. First, it was great to be at a live show again; I had really missed being there. I got a chance to sit down and chat with some of the contestants and their families, which was wonderful, although it does sometimes make my job harder. It's not easy to be critical of someone when you actually really like them! But, above everything, I am committed to being objective, and honest.

And, it turns out, some of the contestants have been reading the blog - and more importantly, reading what I say about them. From those that I've praised, to those that I've panned... I was a little nervous when I found this out. Would they be annoyed with me for the less-than-complimentary things I said? Quite the opposite, actually. I got amazing feedback, and was even asked for some one-on-one feedback by one of the contestants that I've been somewhat critical of. It may sound trite and cliche, but I have to say: these contestants are a world apart, and every one of them is a true class act.

I even got a few pictures, though not as many as I would have liked. The press after-party was swarming with people, and a lot of the contestants left sooner than usual. However I did manage to get a few taken, and even managed to snag a few of Heinz Winckler. I'll upload those tomorrow when I get a moment. I'll also try to get some pictures tonight after the results show.

A few things I meant to mention about the show:

I don't know how it sounded on TV, but the band sounded great tonight. Before the show they did a few introductory warm-ups and it was great fun. Kudos to Keith Jay, the warm-up artist. One thing he can definitely do is liven up the crowd and make things fun. And he manages to vary it enough to keep it amusing for people who are there week after week.

And the ugliness that has typically been confined to the forums has started making its way to the live shows. During commercial break, Colin actually had to remind a fan that while cheering for a favorite is a wonderful thing, booing a contestant they don't like is just rude. Way to go, Colin! He earned himself a few brownie points in my book with that one.

All in all, a stellar evening, and one that I enjoyed greatly. From great talent, to great conversation, to just great stuff in general, it was definitely good to be back!

Up, up and away

Yet another high point on the roller coaster track that is Idols, this week's Live Spectacular was a magnificent comeback from last week. (Last week? There wasn't a show last week, was there?)

I'm going to start this week's recap with someone who simply blew me away last night. Someone who has never blown me away before - someone who has never given me goosebumps, chills or teary eyes. Someone who gave me all three last night. Yes, V, I'm talking about you. I was not expecting it in the least, and it's no secret that week in and week out, I've complained about the fact that V has failed to connect to me on an emotional level, and kept me from ranking her as highly as others with weaker vocal talent. I've seen it called a "cheesy ploy" and a gimmick, but to me, it was her most heartfelt performance ever, and for the first time, I felt as if I'd gotten a glimpse into the real V. Absolutely stunning - and even Randall couldn't deny it. And I was nicely surprised by her somewhat casual response to it - his opinion wasn't a big deal when it was negative, and it's not such a big deal when it's positive either.

Another excellent performance for this year's Comeback Kid, Ayanda. I wasn't sure whether she'd be able to get the emotion across effectively enough, but she delivered it perfectly. A sober, subdued physical performance with a heartwrenchingly aching vocals was what was needed, and Ayanda did exactly that. She has come a long way in this competition, and I have a feeling she has plenty more surprises in store.

Karin pepped things up a bit with her Janet Jackson number, as if to further prove that she can do it all, and she did an excellent job doing so. Her opening gave me goosebumps, and she makes it look so effortless to sound so beautiful. And every week, she looks more and more stunning. When I think back to the bundle of nerves and tears who sang us "Never, Never, Never" in her first audition, and realize what she's become, it's staggering. She has come very far, and she is going to go even farther. And there is no denying it: the crowd just loves her.

Ah, Gift, my main man. A very good bounce back from last week's disappointing performance, Gift is definitely back in the game. Capitalizing on his strongest talents, this was an excellent song choice for him, and let him focus on delivering the charismatic, sexy stage performance that makes him so wonderful. Very well done.

And also in the "bounceback" arena was Deidre. As Mara said, she definitely looked the part, and came back from last week's disappointing showing to deliver something fun, funky and energetic. I am really pleased she got this second chance to prove herself, and think she did an amazing job to take that ball and run with it. I'm still concerned, though, and keeping my fingers crossed that last night's performance combined with her fanbase will bring her back from the brink of elimination. No matter what happens, though, she also has a promising career in front of her, and I'm certain that even if tonight proves to be the end of the road, we won't have heard the last from her.

Then there are the more disappointing performances from last night. None of them were bad - this week was definitely nothing to be ashamed of for anyone - but, as always, there have to be a few who don't quite match up to the rest. (Of course, every week, the "whos" and "whys" of this changes!)

Okay, so this week he wasn't reedy. But he felt distant and less than energetic. I'm not sure if it's nerves or overconfidence - either can be dangerous - but I'm starting to feel like he's slipping a bit. I still enjoyed his performance (though I could have done without the opening) and by no stretch of the imagination was it bad - it just wasn't one of tonight's best.

Martelize did a near-perfect vocal rendition of one of Shania Twain's biggest hits, but as Dave alluded to - it was almost too perfect. This was more of what had been a standard V performance - technically, spot on, but emotionally unconvincing. The biggest problem? I don't think she can pull off the sassy, arrogant tone - she's just comes across as so sweet and innocent that it doesn't quite work. She's also been treading a very narrow line, and I'm worried that tonight's failure to really wow might be her ticket out tonight. Again - it was not bad in the least, and I definitely enjoyed it, but she was overshadowed by some overwhelming competitions.

And finally, Nicky, who (at the risk of sounding like a broken record) also didn't do badly, but failed to pull off the song as well as I think she could have. I won't even try to predict her out of the show tonight - she always has a surprise or two up her sleeve, and she just may have a strong enough fanbase to keep her safe.

I can't even begin to guess who will go home tonight. If I had to predict, I see Martelize and Nicky on the chopping block, but there are so many factors at work now that I don't expect to be right. Either way, tonight's double-elimination will be a tough one, and if the past is any indication - probably a shocking one.

(More thoughts later, I'm a little pressed for time at the moment...)

New Poll: Do you want a forum?

This site has had over 4000 visits since August, which is nothing to sneeze at in my book. However there is a rather small number of visitors making comments. What I'm wondering is: would you prefer a general forum for discussing all things Idols? Would you be likely to post in the forum? If there is enough interest, I will set one up. Respond using the poll in the sidebar to the right.

Also, 90% of the responders to the last poll (Would you be interested in a blog following the progress of this year's contestants?) said they'd Definitely be interested. 3% said "Maybe" and 6% indicated they'd only be interested in hearing about the winning contestant. So it looks like I have some work to do ;)

Live at the Live Spectacular

After a long spell of not going to the shows, I'll be attending this week's Live Spectacular and likely the Results Show, and as always, will do my best to take some more pictures!

Talk Back: Song Selection, Double Elimination

The Song Selection is finally up:

Nicky - 'Just A Little', Liberty X
Martelize - 'That Don't Impress Me Much', Shania Twain
Karin - 'Together Again', Janet Jackson
Gift - 'Faith', George Michael
Deidre - 'Baby One More Time', Britney Spears
V - 'Beautiful', Christina Aguilera
Ayanda - 'Nothing Compares To You', Sinead O'Connor
Nhlanhla - 'Every Breath You Take', Puff Daddy

With a theme of video hits, the 8 remaining contestants take on some fairly interesting challenges.

Martelize's choice could prove to be an excellent one. Right in her vocal range, the spunky Shania Twain number should give her a chance to prove she's just as energetic as the rest of them.

Ayanda is going to take on another technically challenging song. Actually, though, I think she has exactly what it takes to make this song work. It could go either way, but Ayanda has proven herself to be full of surprises, and if she pulls this one off, it will be a very important victory for her.

V should have no problem with her Christina Aguilera number, even if it won't do anything to endear her to the judges. She'll have to be careful in her casual disregard for the judges' opinions though - many people tend to take what the judges say to heart, and if she keeps raking in the negative feedback - deserved or not - she could end up hurting herself in the process.

Deidre got her second chance this week, and picked what should be nice safe ground to make it worthwhile. Britney Spears has never struck me as very strong vocally anyway, and Deidre's bright personality should make this number work very well for her.

Gift singing one of George Michael's best numbers (I confess, I am an 80s music nut) and I think he has everything this song needs to work. Not very demanding vocally, this will let him showcase that amazing stage presence. After last week's dismal showing, he really needs to shine this week, and I think this song choice should be the perfect way to do it.

Nhlanhla doing Puff Daddy? Should work very well for him. Hopefully if things don't go well for some reason, he'll try to take the judges' criticisms a little more gracefully. I couldn't help but feel that he was slightly less than gracious after getting some negative feedback last week, and that could really hurt his standing in public opinion. But I don't think he'll have much trouble with this song, and it should suit his voice nicely.

Of all the contestants, Nicky has definitely shown the most growth. I've doubted her many times before, and she's surprised me more than once, so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt this week and say that she could just pull off this Liberty X piece just as well as she did her Evanescence song last week.

And then there's Karin. If anyone has room to play it risky, it's Karin... I'm not so sure how a Janet Jackson number will suit her, but I'm willing to give it a try and see how it goes. Her more up-tempo attempts haven't won me over completely, but she definitely has talent.

And this week it's Double Elimination. So which two people will be going home? Hard to say. Unless Deidre does an amazing job, she is in pretty big danger of going home - and indeed would likely have gone home this week if it weren't for the Telkom problems. I think Ayanda was riding right on her tail, though, so if she doesn't do stunningly with her choice, she could find herself back in KZN next week, as well.

But what do you think? Wise song choices? Who has sealed their fate? Who do you think will be going home next week?

Twists, turns, and rumours galore

Well, yesterday was something of an eventful day for the Idols bunch. From phone exchange problems to casually dropped rumors, to "surprise" endings to the results show, there seemed to be more questions than answers.

First, there was The Burg's column, which I note quickly vanished from the front page, to be replaced by the previous column on the Idols history. The column in general was snipy and angry sounding - from attacks on some unidentified columnist (Frank?) who apparently offended the Burg, to a rather scandalous hint at nasty goings-on behind the stage, blame for which he placed squarely at the feet of Karin. I dropped a quick note to Idols PR to get the scoop, and was reassured that there was nothing to report, and that it was a moment of tension that had been over-exaggerated. The article on the official website's front page seems to bear this out: Karin overheard and misinterpreted something Deidre had said, resulting in a few heated words; Karin the apparently realized her misunderstanding and apologized. They both state that there are no hard feelings, and that all is well between them. Hardly the huge event that it was being made out to be. My biggest problem with this is a columnist whose name is somewhat synonymous with the Idols - and whose words are often taken for gospel by some - made potentially damaging remarks about a contestant without providing any basis for his statements. I'm not even questioning the veracity of what he said; maybe he was there and witnessed it first-hand. But to only give a tiny portion of the story without providing enough information to let readers decide for themselves comes across as intentionally slanted against one particular contestant. Again, maybe that's not the way it was intended, but that's certainly the way it came across to me.

Then there's the results show. While it isn't surprising that the producers made the decision they did, I am a little surprised at the way it was handled. The decision was made in the afternoon to not have an elimination next week; yet voting lines remained open, allowing many people to continue to cast what might essentially be useless votes. For people who vote rabidly for their favorite (I hear tell of people casting over a thousand votes each week for their prized contestant!), this has a definite, and often significant financial implication. They say that it's possible they'll combine this week's votes into next week's but I don't see how that can be feasible either. If the votes weren't valid enough this week, why should they count for next week? Rather scrap the whole week, and start from fresh next week. If it's possible, the most sensible thing to do would be to discount the cost of votes next week, thereby remedying the fact that a lot of people paid for votes that won't count. That said, I wholeheartedly support the decision not to have an elimination this week, in the light of the technical problems, as forging ahead with the elimination would surely have brought an immediate backlash of people saying the voting was fixed. They say the numbers were close enough to imply that the technical problems could have pushed the votes either way, but judging by the fact that the exchange problems were isolated to KwaZulu Natal, I'd imagine that even if they all had gone through, they would only have widened the gap between Ayanda and Deidre (since I feel that they were likely the bottom 2 contestants). At any rate, it's only a temporary reprieve, and next week brings a double elimination. Either way, pretending like this week's Live Spectacular never happened is fine by me... I'd be happy to forget it.

Top 8: Dude, where's the talent?

Week in, week out, we hear what must be the most cliche phrase in Idols history: emotional rollercoaster. Well, I have to say, it's not just the contestants who are riding a rollercoaster. This thing has more ups and downs than a kangaroo on a pogo stick.

After last week's phenomenal performances, I was really anticipating being blown away this week. OK, to be fair, I was blown away - in all the wrong directions.

There wasn't a single performance this week that I would have rated outstanding. There were some very good ones, but only a very few, there were some mediocre ones, and then there were some that were just plain disappointing. Maybe I should have sensed trouble when the band made its reappearance, which I imagine will be the case from now until the end.

It all started with the eagerly-awaited group performance. As I've said, I've heard these guys sing together, and they do it so well. But tonight's group performance was quite the let-down. It felt rushed and uncohesive, and the choices for who sing together were puzzling and unbalanced. There were a few moments of pleasantness, especially during solo parts, but overall, it didn't live up to my expectations at all. But, I still held out hope for the individual performances.

So here's my rundown, in order of appearance.

She's been called Sister Ree, and South Africa's greatest Diva, and she picked a song that suited her talents to a tee. So how is it that Karin failed to give me goosebumps with this performance? While she shone as one of the night's best performances, I don't believe it was her best performance to date - in fact I think it may have been one of her weakest. It got off to a slow and lackluster start, but picked up in the middle enough to reassure me she still has it in her. However, for all of my hopes for this song, she failed to dazzle me, and left me feeling slightly disappointed. She did well enough to outshine most of her competition, and to secure her spot for next week, but I really hope she'll come back next week with one of those powerhouse performances that I've really come to expect from her.

A rollercoaster in her own right, Ayanda has alternated between disappointing me and amazing me. I held out some hope for her, thinking she had a pretty decent chance of really making a splash with Diana Ross' "Mountain High". So far, her best talent has been her energetic, funky stage presence, but tonight it all just seemed a bit off. Her delivery was rushed, her stage performance didn't quite match the song, and her vocal ability was less than excellent. She's walking a fine line, here, and while I'd love to see her go farther, those old doubts about her ability are starting to come back again...

If there is one thing I have to give V credit for, it's consistency. Aside from a disappointing first week, she's given near-perfect vocal performances every single time. However, she's just as consistent in her inability to connect to me. I did quite enjoy her tongue-in-cheek dedication of the song to Randall, confirming what we all knew - that she was basically telling Randall to stuff it. But I found her performance nearly identical to all of her others, so I was a tiny bit puzzled by Randall's sudden turn around. It may have been faint praise, but it's the highest praise she's gotten from him so far. However, in a night of really disappointing performances, V's was one of the better ones, so there's something to be said for that.

I called it the most frequently butchered song in Idols, and tonight didn't do much to alleviate that. I like Nhlanhla, but I had a few problems with his performance tonight. Firstly, the reedy quality in his voice that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago was back in full force tonight. Secondly, there's a reason why men don't sing "Killing Me Softly". I think if he'd changed it to a song about a woman, it might have made a little bit more sense, but there was such a disconnect between hearing the song sung by a man, about a man, that it lost a lot of its emotional weight. And what emotional weight might have been left was erased by his attempts to "hip" the song up. If he'd stuck to a slightly altered cover of the Roberta Flack version, I think he'd have been a lot more successful. He'll still be here next week, I am sure, but I hope he'll take some of the judges' criticism to heart and come back with a song more suited to his abilities.

I know, I know. Deidre battled with voice problems over the past week. Unfortunately, it showed in a very big way tonight. Had she delivered tonight's performance in a first round audition, I don't think she would have made it through. Her voice was weak, wavery and her performance was completely uninspiring. My heart broke for her, knowing that health issues were probably a huge factor this evening, but she has definitely landed herself squarely in the danger zone, and it's very possible that she'll be going home tomorrow. If she's lucky, her fanbase will help save her from this week's bad luck and give her another chance to show us why she belongs up there with the rest of them, but either way, I think her days are numbered. However, even if tomorrow does prove to be the end of the road for her, I think she can bank on a decent career for herself, because she has definitely proven herself to be a talented, energetic singer who is just so easy to love.

Martelize is just as easy to love. She's such a sweetheart, and she really does have a strong talent. However, I think she was once again let down by a combination of song choice and nerves. She fell a little flat on the low notes, and sounded slightly screechy on the high notes. It was a lackluster performance, and considering the fact that I think she's been walking a very fine line these last few weeks, I think she's also facing a very real danger of going home tomorrow.

And then there's Nicky, who I don't think I can make predictions about tomorrow. It wasn't perfect, but she did a damn good job with one of the most technically challenging songs we've heard so far. Oddly enough, I thought it was the low notes that proved to be her weakest this week, but all in all, she did decent justice to "My Immortal", far surpassing my most optimistic expectations about her. The Burg must be just bursting at the seams this week...

And finally, there's Gift. Sexy, smooth, and sultry, I thought he'd nail "Fever". Turns out he seemed to be phoning it in. One of the things I like most about Gift is the fact that he can usually make me feel like he's singing directly to me. Tonight, however, he was distracted, disconnected, and vocally overwhelming, though I have to say that I think the overall sound quality took a sudden, drastic turn for the worse during his performance. There was almost no hint of bass in his voice, leaving him sounding thin and distant. I'll chalk tonight up as a fluke, and pray that his fanbase will see him through to next week, but he definitely can't afford to slip up again.

So who will bid adieu tomorrow night? I don't think it's ever been so difficult to say. While I thought her performance was better than Deidre's this week, I think her lack of such a strong fanbase will be Ayanda's downfall, and once again, she's my prediction for tonight's casualty. My perfect streak was broken last week, though, so we will just have to wait and see what happens...

--

Colin has been flying under my radar a bit last week, not because he's been doing well, necessarily, but more because he hasn't been doing painfully badly. Hints of that old, awkward lack of charisma started creeping back in again, along with yet another embarassing mistake when he called Deidre Martelize. Sure, it can't be easy, being up there live, under the lights, in the boiler room that is the Hippodrome, but my standards for presenter are nearly as high as my standards for the contestants, and I have to say, Colin just does not live up to them. If there is an Idols next year, I really hope they'll look into either a co-presenter, or someone entirely new.

And once again, the band is back. I guess they were out of the picture for the first few weeks because of the sheer volume of contestants that were present, but now that it's been whittled down to a more manageable number, they've reappeared, and will likely be around for the rest of the season. They didn't sound too terrible tonight; indeed, they sounded better than most of the contestants, but I'm reserving judgement on whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. Only time will tell.

All in all, a severely disappointing evening, with some of the worst performances since the Top 24 rounds began. All I can do is hope that this means the rollercoaster is about to ramp back up again, and that next week will bring back some of the talent that we've been enjoying until now.

Talk Back Extra: Follow Up Blog?

You've probably noticed (and hopefully voted in) the current poll asking if you'd be interested in a blog following the progress of this year's contestants. So far, the votes indicate that most people would definitely be interested in one. What I'd like to know is what you'd be interested in seeing. Appearance dates? Reviews of the work they release?

What do you want to see?

Deidre Rumors...

Rumor has it that Deidre has injured her vocal chords and may be pulling out of the competition. I have to stress, at this point, it is only rumor but I am trying to get official confirmation on this. As soon as I know more, I'll let you know.

Thanks to Bat for bringing this to my attention!

Update (That was quick): I've heard back from Idols PR and as of yet, there is no indication of this rumor being true. So for now, we can only chalk it up to being the rumor mill in action, and wait and see what happens.

Talk Back: Song Choices and Who is Going Home?

Finally back online. Turns out my wireless router just up and bit the dust. But, I have my handy-dandy wired router sitting at the ready, so I'm back with this week's Talk Back.

It's Wednesday again, and song choices are up. Thanks to the anonymous poster who left a list of this week's song choices in a comment for me, saving me a little bit of work. This week's theme is "How it Should Be Done", which is an interesting approach. I really like the fact that they'll be doing a group song as well - that should definitely be a treat. Here we go (funny how short this list is starting to look):

Nicky: ''My Immortal'', Evanescence
Martelize: ''Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman'', Bryan Adams
Karin: ''Natural Woman'', Aretha Franklin
Gift: ''Fever'', Peggy Lee
Deidre: ''Strong Enough'', Cher
V: ''Angel'', Robbie Williams
Ayanda: ''Mountain High'', Diana Ross
Nhlanhla: ''Killing Me Softly'', The Fugees

First, I have to start with the obvious. Karin has an excellent song for her this week, and it's the perfect showcase for her voice as well as an opportunity to show a little slow groove. I'm really looking forward to hearing this, and think she might just give Aretha herself a run for her money.

I'm not a big fan of Cher's "Strong Enough". While the Shoop Shoop song was perfect for Deidre, I'm not too sure that she'll be strong enough to handle this one. Could be a very dangerous move for someone who has been teetering on the edge. Flu or not, Deidre has some serious ground to make up, and I think a "safer" song choice might have been a good idea. She needs to get a solid footing again - this is definitely not the time to be taking risks.

Ayanda AKA the Comeback Kid has erased my biggest doubts about her, and based on stellar performances over the last two weeks, I think this song is the perfect vehicle to display her greatest strengths: energy, enthusiasm and an absolutely infectious personality.

I can't help but think that V is thumbing her nose at Randall in a very big way by choosing a Robbie Williams song. It's no secret that Randall has no great love for either Robbie or V. That said, I think she can pull this song off well, but my prediction is that it will be a standard V performance: technically perfect and emotionally empty. I've been wrong before though, so maybe she'll come through.

I really enjoy "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman", even if it does have a horrendously long title. Martelize is sticking to what works best for her, and I think she'll do a good job. Song choice really let her down last week, so falling back to familiar ground is a good idea.

If he straddles the line between Ray Charles and Peggy Lee, Gift could deliver another stunning performance with "Fever". I won't even try to pretend not to be biased; Gift is quickly becoming one of my favorites, and I think that this sexy, sultry number is a perfect fit for the sexiest guy on Sunday night TV.

I'm not sure if Nicky can pull off an understated, delicate song such as "My Immortal". There are a few female artists out there that have amazingly delicate and melodic voices. Sarah McLachlan, Dido, and Jewel come to mind. Evanscence is right in this league, and I haven't seen any sign yet that Nicky can match up to their standards. A technically challenging song that requires an extraordinarily light touch, this song might prove too much for Nicky.

And the song that might be the most frequently butchered song by Idols hopefuls (and basically anybody else who isn't Roberta Flack), Nhlanhla will be taking on Killing Me Softly. I'm undecided on how this will work out - possibly because I'm still undecided on Nhlanhla. Overall, I like him and am impressed with his growth during Idols. As with Gift, if he does a good blend of the Roberta Flack original with the Fugees cover, he has a good chance of making it work.

Then there's the group song, "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" (yes, I know the Idols site lists it as "You're Just Too Good to Be True" but I'm going to be picky and go with its actual name) This should be great fun to see. I've heard the contestants sing together and their voices work extremely well together. I think this will be the highlight of the week.

So who is going home this week? I am still stunned at Kesha's elimination this week. I didn't think she was very likely to make it all the way, given her slowly declining performance since the Top 12 began, but I definitely didn't think she was the weakest performance last Sunday. As Zani pointed out in the comments section, it may just have come down to fanbase, or the lack thereof. But as more and more people go home, the playing field starts to level out a bit, so strong performances will be crucial. Nicky surprised me last week, but I still question her ability to hold her own against some very strong competition, and Deidre also concerns me a bit. At the moment, it's neck and neck, but I'm going to go with the old standby, and say that Nicky is my pick for the most likely to be eliminated come Monday. Of course, as always, Sunday night will be the deciding factor, and if there's one thing that has remained consistent throughout this season, it's that there will always be surprises around the corner...

Suddenly Spectacular

Sunday, of course, is my favorite night of the week. All week long I look forward to the next Live Spectacular, wondering who will shine, who will surprise, and who will trip on the staircase to stardom. Every week, it's been a case of an amazing few standing head and shoulders over their lackluster competition. There was nothing lackluster about this week however, and I'm left with the dilemma of figuring out who I think should go home.

The decision has never been so difficult. Once again, the few I had pegged to go stumbling out of the spotlight proved me wrong. Throughout the show, I kept shaking my head, thinking... Holy #@%!, who the hell am I gonna vote out?

I'll start this week's rundown (in no particular order) with another apology to another contestant. Nicky far surpassed my expectations, and did amazingly well with her version of Tina Turner's "What's Love Got to Do With It?" I was stunned. Maybe she has realized the sheer strength of her competition and decided to bite back and prove that she belongs on that stage. From an energetic performance to spot-on vocals, tonight was easily her best performance to date. I'll admit, I've been one of her biggest doubters from the beginning, but tonight, she definitely showed me that she has the talent. If she remains consistent in her growth, she could last much longer than I would have expected, which is an especially notable achievement for a wild card.

Ayanda, my other "favorite" to get voted out, also shone brightly tonight. Randall nailed it perfectly: her personality just shines through her voice, and the sheer simplicity and beauty of her voice serves songs like this week's "First Time (Ever I Saw Your Face)" and last week's "Over the Rainbow" extremely well. Where so many others are tempted to take the clean lines of such songs and scribble around the edges a bit, Ayanda shows amazing discipline and control and serves them up exactly the way they should be: uncomplicated and pure. Another stellar performance from another wild card.

And filling out the surprise trifecta, there is V, who has not been very high on my list throughout this season. However, tonight's performance was excellent, and even I had to seriously question Randall's motives when he dissed her yet again. That performance was so far from anything Celine Dion could ever hope to deliver that I truly have to wonder if V might not have run over his cat or something. The secret to her success tonight? The fact that her song didn't require so much of an emotional connection as an energetic one, and she brought energy to spare, and I felt she really poured herself into the song (and pushed herself into the next round).

Then there are those who I've always liked. First, I have to ask, did Gift look amazing tonight, or what? Ranking right next to last week's "Love is All Around" he really had the complete package tonight - smoking hot looks, flawless stage performance, and perfect vocal delivery. "Give Me the Night"? Gift took the night.

Of course, he had to share it, because Nhlanhla was shining right there with him. He outshone even Stevie Wonder himself, and did even better than I had expected from him. I could still swear I've heard him sing the song before, but no matter; I could listen to him sing that song over and over again. In fact, if I had a choice, I'd say that tonight's song should definitely be the one Nhlanhla sings for the compilation CD. Apparently he surprised the judges so much that they forgot his name. Dave called him Ayanda (!) and Randall tried to call him Gift. I'll just call him a star, and make it easy on everyone.

Then there were those who have wavered a little in their consistency. Kesha, I'm looking at you. Her performances over the last few weeks were cause for some concern, as the early signs of promise that she displayed started fading rather rapidly. I was uncertain as to how she'd do tonight, but she grabbed the spotlight back once again, and in my mind, secured her spot for next week with ease. Inconsistency could end up being her greatest weakness, though, so if she has hopes of not having to stand on the wrong side of the counter at Quicksilver again, she will have to battle to not only stay as good, but improve as well. Tonight's performance of a challenging Gloria Estefan number ("Reach") was proof that she has it in her. Hopefully she'll prove that she can keep it there.

Of course, the singers aren't the only ones who waffle back and forth. I've been waffling on Karin ever since the beginning. Don't get me wrong, I still believe she has an amazing voice, and I thought she did well with "Close To You", but she didn't do as well as I think she needed to. She has a very strong fanbase, so I don't think she's in any danger (yet) but I'm starting to fall back to my previous position that although she has stunning talent, I don't think she's cut out to win this thing. It won't matter, though, Karin Kortje will very likely have a stunning career in the South African music industry. It's just that I'm starting to realize that her appeal isn't nearly global enough, and I don't think she'll make much of a splash beyond the borders of sub-Saharan Africa.

Of course, every week, there have to be a few in the bottom of the rankings. I'm as amazed as anyone at my choices for this week's weakest performances: Deidre and Martelize.

Deidre has an amazing stage presence, which is likely her biggest strength. Her biggest weakness, though, is her inability to deliver consistently stunning performances. Last week, she blew me away. This week, she left me slightly underwhelmed. While overall, I think she did fairly well, in a night full of so many outstanding showings, she just failed to match up to her competition in my eye. I can't remember now which judge said it, but I agree that she seemed to struggle with the higher notes, going a little thin and breathless. It wasn't bad, not by a long shot, but I'm not sure it was enough to keep her moving forward much farther. With other contestants consistently hitting grand slams week after week, she faces serious risk of being sent home very soon.

And I, for one, am stunned by my choice for tonight's weakest performance. Martelize has been high on my list throughout, but I think the biggest problem with her tonight was song choice. Sure, it was viewer's choice night, but they still had a choice as to which song from the list of suggestions they would pick. I really don't think she picked favorably for herself. She sang it well, and stayed true to her talent, but at this stage of the game, and with even the weakest talents pulling up their bootstraps and outshining the stronger ones, a bad song choice could be the silver bullet. It's for this reason that Martelize is my pick for elimination tomorrow, as much as it pains me to admit it. I truly hope I'm wrong, but I don't sense such a strong fanbase around her as most of the others, and the only way to overcome that is to drive home a mind-blowing performance. Sad to say, I don't think she accomplished that. As they say, a contestant is only as good as their last performance...

A night of extremely difficult choices, and for me, a very surprising turn of events. If you had told me this morning that I'd be picking Martelize to go home, I'd never have believed it. Even now, I don't believe it, and I think it's very possible that I'm very wrong. However, based on this week's performances alone, I think it's Martelize who faces the biggest risk.

I'm going to try and arrange another interview with the eliminated contestant this week, so be sure to check back (and see if I'll be eating my words again).

Talk Back: Viewers' Song Choices; Who's Going Home next week?

Well the line-up for next week is out, and there are some interesting choices here:

Kesha: Reach, Gloria Estefan
Nicky: What’s Love Got To Do With It, Tina Turner
Ayanda: The First Time (Ever I Saw Your Face), Roberta Flack
Gift: Give Me The Night, George Benson
V: River Deep, Mountain High, Tina Turner
Deidre: Bed of Roses, Bon Jovi
Nhlanhla: Signed, Sealed, Delivered], Stevie Wonder
Karin: Close to You, The Carpenters
Martelize: Let The River Run, Carly Simon

The standouts:

Deidre and Bed of Roses are a great match, I think she'll do very well with this song. I can already hear her singing it, which might be a good sign.

Nhlanhla: Signed, Sealed, Delivered... For some reason, I could have *sworn* I had hear Nhlanhla sing this song somewhere along the way. It isn't listed at the site, but I'm thinking this was his solo audition during the Top 70 round. I can very clearly hear him singing it, and seem to remember that it was this song that first caught my attention. Either way, whether he has indeed sung it in the past or not, this is a perfect song for him, perfectly suited to his voice.

Nicky singing "What's Love Got to Do With It?" I think this is a pretty dangerous song choice for her. I really can't see it working. I've been wrong in the past though, so we can only wait and see... But my gut instinct is, she's going home this week.

Ayanda should do fairly well with her Roberta Flack number. She handled last week's song far better than I expected, so I think she might just stay in the game a little bit longer if she does as well this week.

"Close to You" for Karin is an interesting choice. I'm actually a little curious about how she'll do. Normally I have Karin pegged to do as well as she always has but this song is a little bit of a different animal. It will be interesting to see if she can reign her voice in to give this song the light, delicate sweetness that it needs. Not that I doubt that she'll sound great singing it, I just don't know whether she'll do it justice in her interpretation (if that makes any sense at all).

And again, V leaves me wondering if she'll really show us some real soul. Technically the song is easily within her grasp, and again she has the perfect platform to give her performance some emotional weight. She failed to impress me on the emotional front last week, will she do the same again?

Those are the choices that generate the strongest responses from me; the others I am fairly neutral on. And my oft-wrong pre-show prediction for elimination goes to Nicky, but as always, I reserve the right to change that after seeing Sunday's performances.

And as usual, I want to hear from you. What do you think of the song choices? Who do you think will be packing up on Monday night? Talk back by clicking the "Comments" link below!

Talking with Pume...

I had a chance to have a quick chat with Pume this afternoon to get her thoughts on the elimination, being an Idol contestant, and what's in store for her future.

As with Bonolo, one of Pume's strengths is her poise. She seems to be taking her elimination in stride, pointing out that at the end of the day, there are still eight more contestants who will also be eliminated, leaving only one true Idol for 2005. Who would does Pume think will take the title? Her vote goes to Mr. Cool himself, Gift Gwe.

Pume was surprised at being eliminated this week, as she felt she did her very best, and was pleased with her performance. So what went wrong? She thinks maybe it wasn't a matter of her losing votes, but other contestants gaining votes, landing her in the unfortunate position of last. She doesn't appear to have any regrets though, and leaves knowing that she did her best. She says the first thing she did after being eliminated was cry, but her first thought was that she was glad that she was going to be able to escape the Jo'burg heat and get to the beach.

So what's next for Pume? Finishing varsity this year, and possibly taking a gap year next year to focus on her singing. One thing she learned from the Idols experience is that music is what she wants to do, and the music industry is where she belongs. Her heart really lies in R&B and Soul, so that is where she will probably focus her efforts, although she does like Pop music as well.

Finally, I asked her whether she had any advice for future Idols hopefuls. "Live the experience," she says, and to take all the things learned during the competition with them, because those lessons are always going to be helpful, even if they don't win, and can help a contestant make a successful career for themselves even without the Idols crown.

Best of luck to Pume; looking forward to hearing more from her in the future!

Special Feature: Interview with Pume!

I'll be interviewing the most recently eliminated contestant, Pume, this afternoon, so be sure to stay tuned for the scoop on what's next for one of the most powerful voices this season!

It's over now...

Well, I'm 3 for 3 in my predictions so far. Surprising in that I initially didn't expect Pume to go home so soon, and also in that a wild card didn't bite the bullet this week. I can only guess that this is what Colin was getting at when he said we were in for a surprise. So far, though, South Africa seems to be voting fairly wisely, and unfortunately, Pume really did deliver the weakest performance last night.

For a brief moment there, I thought they were going to be incredibly silly and have Pume and Nhlanhla be the two in the hot seat. That would have been a ridiculous decision, of course, and would have made it completely obvious who was going. It definitely was suspenseful though, because after Pume, I have a pretty strong hunch that Nicky was indeed the second-least favorite contestant for the night, randomly chosen or not.

I give it two more weeks... Then things are really going to start getting interesting. There's still two contestants left that I don't think can hold their own against the rest, and I think we'll be saying goodbye to them in the next couple of weeks.

And then how will I ever choose?

Idol Thoughts...

Judging this week was something of a mixed bag. While I think there was an overall improvement in the quality of the comments (for the second week, Randall had some fresh commentary to offer up!) there were a few things that left me scratching my head.

Mara: Gareth told Deidre that her days in the competition were basically numbered. Mara declared Gareth a "sucker" but then summed up by referring to Deidre as "Dead Man Walking". Isn't that exactly what Gareth was saying? And while I don't have any room to talk, because I'm probably guilty of the same thing, Mara just seems determined to damn V with faint praise. "It was okay," she said. I can't deny that V delivered a flawless technical performance, which means, to me, that she did far better than "okay", even if she still failed to grab me emotionally. She does seem to be reigning herself in a bit, though, and isn't going over the top in her praise, and even seems to be buffering her criticisms. All in all, much improved, if a bit puzzling at times.

Randall: First off, he looks absolutely miserable sitting there, as if he'd rather be anywhere else in the world but sitting in that auditorium. Sure, I know the Hippodrome can be unpleasantly hot, but he doesn't look uncomfortable, just totally uniterested. But his somewhat surprised-sounding praise for Deidre (Pretty damn good!) was a highlight of the evening, and for the second week in a row, he's had some fresh commentary to offer up instead of falling back on the standard Randallisms.

Gareth: Continuing to make progress in finding his own voice, and his own opinions, he seemed much more comfortable in standing by his own opinions, and is no longer sounding like Dave's sock puppet.

Dave: He's an impossible read, that man. When he starts with his comments, I can never tell whether it's going to be congratulatory or critical, but all in all, his opinions seem pretty well-founded.

As we near the middle of the final stages, I think it would be a great idea to have some celebrity judges join the panel. It would add a little bit of interest to the show, and break up the repetition, and, well, celebrities never hurt ratings. Get a few big local names to sit up there each week, toss them a little plug about whatever project they're working on, and everybody wins. I think they should start when it gets to the Top 5. Surely there are 5 decent celebrity personalities out there who would be willing to lend a little star power to (and borrow a little publicity from) the Idols effort?

--

As of last night, the voting lines open at the beginning of the show. Some complain that this will give the first contestant an advantage, but I don't see it that way. Each performance will bring its share of "real-time votes". Each contestant will get a number of real-time votes while they're singing either from their die-hard supporters or those they win over with their performance, whether they're first up or last. And the contestants already have established voting numbers, so it's not like someone has to wait for their contestant to come up to start voting for them, if they're so inclined. I read that 25% of the votes cast each week have been cast during the live shows, before the voting lines opened. That's a huge number of missed votes, and a lot of wasted airtime for those casting them. Overall, this strikes me as a good decision, and a completely fair one.

--

In the forums, Steinie mentioned an idea that I rather like: having the Idols sing unpublished numbers. It would be an interesting way of levelling the playing field a bit, and force them to come up with completely original interpretations of previously unheard material. If the contestants worked with Johan to pick suitable selections from a list, and then worked with him in coming up with their take on the piece, and then with Malie on polishing it up, I think it would be a great approach for the weeks when the Idols begin performing more than one number (assume that there will be such a week). One song, judges' choice of something tried and true, the other song, something completely brand new. As these contestants start striking it out on their own, they're going to have to start generating original music; relying solely on stuff that has gone before will ensure a stagnant, uninspiring career.

Surprises around every corner...

Tonight may well have been one of the most surprising nights so far. Some exceeded my expectations, some didn't live up to them, and some met them exactly, but all in all, there were quite a few unexpected happenings in this week's Live Spectacular.

First, I have to start off by saying, I was wrong about Ayanda. I don't think she's going home tomorrow. She has redeemed herself in my eyes, and proven me rather wrong. But before I get into that, let's just do a run down of tonight's performances, good and bad.

For the first time since the Top 24 were chosen, I think I have to rate a performance "awful" tonight. I thoroughly did not enjoy Pume's performance of "It Must Have Been Love". Pume's biggest strength is the power of her voice; her biggest weakness is not knowing how to reign it in. She chose a very delicate song - one that I thoughted suited her range nicely - and turned it into a heavy-handed, overblown mess. I do believe we will be saying goodbye to Pume tomorrow night, which is quite a bit sooner than I originally thought. Her voice ranged from cloudy and thick to sharp and piercing, and overall it was just not an enjoyable experience, and the worst Idols performance since the Top 24 began.

Nicky did slightly better this week than last, but I don't think her vocal ability matches up to other contestants well enough. The judges seemed overall pleased, though, so maybe the difference lied in the difference between live and TV, but I have a feeling they were judging her more on her own standard than on an overall one. She's going to have to fight very hard to stay in this game much longer than a couple of weeks.

Kesha has been one of my favorites throughout the season, and I thought she did well tonight, but it was a rather unremarkable performance in my book. It was a good performance, melodic and well-controlled but it just didn't stand out enough for me. I think she has definitely secured her spot for next week, but she's got a lot of work to do to climb back up into the upper ranks.

V, as predicted, delivered a technically perfect cover of a song. Here's what I've figured out about my aversion to V: she has the same exact physical performance every single week. If I were to turn off the sound, I would have no idea whether she was singing a sad and regretful love song, as she was tonight, or an energetic and sassy Janet Jackson song as she did in her first week. She has a certain repertoire of moves and mannerisms, and uses them each week, and that just doesn't work. Her performance just doesn't reflect the message of the song. In the studio, on a recording, no one will care, but performance wise, she leaves so much to be desired that I think she will end up shutting herself out of this competition.

Nhlanhla handled his song nicely. I like the fact that he just completely eliminated the falsettos and kept it within his range, but I found his voice just slightly too reedy tonight. He has an excellent stage presence, as always, and has a killer sustain, but the tone of his voice was just too thin for me tonight. But he is definitely safe for another week.

Ayanda... Ayanda, what are you doing so far up my list? One of the bigger surprises of the evening (I think my jaw literally dropped), Ayanda pulled off the coup that I was talking about in my "Focus On..." So much so, that I believe she firmly secured herself a spot for this week, and if she keeps it up, for at least a couple more weeks to come. I thought she was a little bit too staccato in parts, and slightly sharp on the sustained notes, but all in all, she did rather well, and did far better than I expected her to. Very nicely done, my friend.

Martelize - Farther down on the list than I expected, but still a fabulous performance. She is sticking with her strength - angsty ballads - and she has great range. However, I found the performance slightly underwhelming, and there was a puzzling near-silence in the middle of the song that left me wondering whether she'd mistimed something, forgotten words, or lost her place... Or if that was just the way it was meant to be. She has an amazing voice, and gave me the only goosebumps for the evening, but the few shortcomings sank her spot in my ratings just a bit.

Karin - Another one who is lower in my rankings than I expected. Delivering one of the night's surprise performances, that girl pulled off some funkiness that I would never have suspected she had in her. This might quiet some of those doubters who thought she was a one-trick pony. However, for all her groove and jive, I thought her vocal performance suffered a bit, and felt weaker than in previous weeks. It was still a stellar job, and she's definitely safe for a while, but I expected much better. But damn, that girl can groove!

Deidre - Another surprise for the evening, I didn't think she'd pull this off so spectacularly. This is one of the songs I heard her practicing that night in the lounge, and I knew she had it in her, but her overall performance was just phenomenal, and she has definitely climbed back up in the rankings a bit. This was her best performance to date, and perfectly suited to her theatrical personality. Extremely well done.

Gift - My favorite of the evening. I thought he looked a bit scraggly in his insert but really liked the clean cut look that he sported this evening. And his performance was all around excellent. He sang the song absolutely perfectly, and I grinned like a fool the entire time. Spotless delivery tonight.

I watched the repeats of the last few live spectaculars again over the weekend and from what I can tell, the sound quality was vastly improved over the past two weeks. I think the problem previously was due to them trying to filter out the noise of the audience too much, and ended up affecting the sound altogether. This week, it was much more consistent, though, which is definitely a good thing.

All in all, a night full of surprises, both good and bad. Now we wait and see what the rest of the country thought...

Focus on... Ayanda

Hailing from Seaview in Kwazulu Natal, where she apparently can't actually see the sea view, Ayanda Mpama is one of the wild cards who bounced back from losing out in viewer votes to get another shot at the Top 12. Though she's stayed in the game this far, I think that was due more to the fact that some of the other contestants were more noticeably weaker, and she has been flying a little bit under the radar. Will she be so lucky again this week? (Hint: There's a reason I picked her for the first "Focus On...")

Her choice of song, to fit the Movie Magic theme, is Judy Garland's "Over the Rainbow". This could be another point on Randall's "Astute Song Choices" post, and I think combined with her relative weakness against the other contestants, this choice of song will contribute to her downfall.

In the group stages, she surprised me with her vocal ability, but since then, she hasn't been holding her own. She has an amazing stage presence, and an absolutely infectious smile, and those two things have helped contribute to her stay so far. But as the weakest talents begin falling out, personality and likeability just aren't going to be enough to secure her spot. "Over the Rainbow" is definitely going to be a make it or break it moment for her. While a clean and simple song, it is one that demands absolute perfection, and a clear, melodic voice. Coming close won't cut it, and if she doesn't nail it, I think it will spell her doom.

At last week's press conference, the question was raised regarding the fact that so far, the wild cards haven't been faring so well in the Top 12 round. Is there a connection? I definitely think there is. At this point, many people have established their favorites, and barring a surprisingly bad showing by that favorite, they're going to keep voting for them. It would be telling, I think, if we could get a glimpse at the numbers for the last 3 weeks, and see what the rankings were. I have a feeling there has been very little change, with most of the shifts being attributed to people moving their votes from an eliminated contestant to someone still in the game. I think most favorites were established during the Top 70 round, and people are sticking by those choices through thick and thin. So the contestants who didn't even get enough votes to secure a place in the Top 3 for their group (Jamie-Lee and Bonolo) have already fallen out, and those who just barely squeaked into the Top 3 (Nicky and Ayanda) now face the challenge of winning over enough viewers to keep them moving forward. To pull that off, they can't just keep doing as well as they have been, or even as well as the other contestants. They'll have to pull off a major coup, and streak past the competition. Does Ayanda have that in her? I don't think she does. I'm always willing to be proven wrong, though, so we can only see what happens.

So here's the quick breakdown of Ayanda, as I see it:

Strengths: Stage Performance, Personality
Weaknesses: Not as strong as the others, questionable versatility
Chance of Staying This Week: 3/10
Chance of Making It All the Way: 1/10

And the good news is...

Although I won't be attending this weekend's shows, I have started making arrangements to interview the eliminated contestant next week. Even better than a few stolen moments after the shows!

I'm starting to think the rumored "beefed up content" on Channel 37 might be just that. True, they ran a 15 minute spot on Jamie-Lee's Idols journey on Monday, but, I think we could use a little bit more. With less than two months left of the season, hopefully things will start picking up soon...

Unfortunately...

Won't be able to attend this week's Live Spectacular or Results Show (last week's trip pushed my transportation budget a bit into the red) but hopefully I'll be able to resume again next week. But even if I can't be there Live, I'll still be watching as usual, and will post my update as normal.

Not being there might be a slightly good thing - it's a lot easier to keep notes when watching it on TV than it is when baking in the Hippodrome ;)

Deidre fans can breathe a little easier...

As Steinie indicated in a comment here, the article that said Deidre was shocked to discover she was the second-least favorite has been edited, and no mention of this is now made. I'll try to get the details in the morning, but in the meantime, it looks as if the panic for Deidre fans may pass.

For now, anyway... ;)

Talk Back Extra: Recommend song choices

As viewers, we can see where contestants go wrong. Whether they struggle to hit the low notes, or crack under the pressure of sustaining those highs, sometimes it's a little bit of a mystery as to what the contestants are thinking when they make their song choices each week. To be fair, they are limited somewhat in their choices; they're given a list of songs that fit in with the theme of the week, and it's first come, first serve, so sometimes the perfect song might be snagged before they get their go.

We don't have any restrictions though, so what songs do you think would suit the contestants to a "T"? Or, what song would you throw at a challenger to test their versatility? Give Karin a little Avril Lavigne maybe? Toss a little Greenday Gift's way?

Talk back, and tell me what you think. (And a special thanks to Bat for the excellent suggestion!)

Talk Back: Make Your Predictions, and sound off on Song Choices

Here's the selections for this Sunday's Live Spectacular with a Movie Magic theme:

Kesha – There You'll Be / Faith Hill (Pearl Harbor)
Nicky – Searchin' My Soul / Vonda Sheppard (Ally McBeal)
Ayanda – Over the Rainbow / Judy Garland (Wizard of Oz)
Gift – Love is All Around / Wet Wet Wet (Four Weddings and a Funeral)
V – Crazy / Patsy Cline (Field of Dreams)
Pume – It Must Have Been Love / Roxette (Pretty Woman)
Nhlanhla – How Deep is Your Love / The Bee Gees (Saturday Night Fever)
Deidre – Holding on for a Hero / Bonny Tyler (Footloose/Shrek)
Karin – Can't Fight the Moonlight / LeAnne Rimes (Coyote Ugly)
Martelize – All By Myself / Jamie O’Neil (Bridget Jones’ Diary)

Some pretty good choices there. I think V is going to nail Crazy into the ground. With such an emotional song, this is her big chance to do some connecting with the audience - we'll see if she makes it happen. I think Gift will smoke "Love is All Around" (do I lose credibility points for confessing that I just love that song?) I'm a little concerned about Nhlanhla's choice. Not that I don't think he can pull it off, but those falsetto bits are going to be tricky. As with Gift's song last week, I'm not sure the song will work without the classic Bee Gees harmonization, but I was surprised last week, so you never know. All By Myself is an excellent choice for Martelize; I think she's definitely capitalizing on that "beautiful angst" that she captures so well. I don't have strong opinions either way on the rest of the choices, but I do think that they are mostly within the contestants' range, so there shouldn't be any painful stretches.

And, seeing as it's Wednesday, it's time to make your predictions... Who do you think will be outed on Monday night? Ayanda has been standing right on the line for a few weeks now, I think, although the announcement that Deidre was second-least-favorite last week throws me for a bit of a curve. However, that will probably ensure that those who are supporting her will throw some serious effort into floating her back above water, so my early prediction is, yet again, Ayanda. Especially with "Over the Rainbow" being a rather difficult song to pull off. But, tell me what you think!

Say goodbye...

Randall keeps going on and on about astute song choices... Unfortunately, Bonolo's choice may have been just a bit too apt. It might have been my imagination, but it seemed to me that as she wrapped up "Say Goodbye", it occured to her just how fitting the song would be if she were to leave.

Of the contestants I've talked to, Bonolo is one of my favorite. If you could see the way her smile lights up her eyes, her face, the room, and the amazing charisma she has, you'd probably understand why. But she handled her elimination with perfect poise and grace, and is confident that she will still be successful in her musical career.

So what's next for Bonolo? Writing her music, and finishing school, she says, "those are the two most important things." Turns out she's pursuing a degree in Media Studies, which might explain the ease and aplomb with which she handles the press. She seems accepting of the fact that she didn't deliver her best on Sunday, and was not surprised by the tonight's events. But she isn't walking away from Idols totally empty-handed; one of the lessons she says she has learned through this experience is that "you can be your own worst enemy."

When asked what advice she would give to future Idols hopefuls, she smiled winningly and said "Believe in yourself."

I believe Bonolo will do very well for herself, in whatever she chooses to pursue.

New Photos are up!

The new pictures are up; more to come tomorrow, along with more peeks behind the scenes.

Gavin's Eleven

Gavin's Eleven

He's better looking that George McClooney, in my opinion, and he's pulling off the biggest heist of them all. In broad spotlight, right under our noses, Gavin Wratten and his current eleven contenders for the Idols throne are busy stealing the hearts of South Africans across the country.

If it isn't clear, I thought last night was the best Idols show yet. Recovering from a less-than-stellar show last week, the Top 11 came back with a vengeance and erased any doubt that they belong on that stage. Maybe I was in a more forgiving mood because the Hippodrome wasn't nearly as hot as last time. (Don't get me wrong, it was still hot, but it was much more tolerable.) But that was only a small factor, and last night I enjoyed the show to the fullest. Even Collin seemed more at ease than in weeks previous (and even made what seemed to be a lighthearted poke at himself for his mistake last week).

It's getting harder and harder to find fault with these contestants, partly because the more I sit and talk with them, the more I end up liking them, and hate to have to criticize. However, I'm all about impartiality, so here's my complete and impartial rundown on last night's events...

The star of the evening was, once again, Karin "South Africa's Greatest Diva" Kortje. Aside from an ever-so-slightly weak intro, she delivered a spotless performance. Toni Braxton is a phenomenal singer who can dig into both ends of the range spectrum without batting an eyelash, but Karin makes it look effortless. She delivers the full package - the emotion, the power, the control. There's little else to say. No matter what happens in this competition, Karin will be around for a long time to come.

Seemingly determined to make Randall eat his words, both of the male competitors also pulled off near-perfect displays. Gift's voice is so bright and clean without a hint of sharpness, and his rendition of All 4 One's "I Swear" was amazing. I have to say, I had a few doubts before he sang... I wasn't sure the song would hold itself without the harmony (one of the complaints that I had about John Michael Montgomery's version). I always thought that the harmony was the key to the song. Gift proved me wrong though, and definitely gained high marks from me for the evening.

Not to be left behind, Nhlanhla delivered an excellent vocal and stage performance. Of all the current contestants, I believe Nhlanhla has the strongest stage presence. He carries himself with such enthusiasm and energy, and gives off that infectious smile, it's hard not to enjoy anything he does. If this keeps up, Randall just may have to eat his words.

Martelize's "Don't Speak" was stuck in my head all evening. I told her so after the show, and she reckoned that was a good sign. She captured the ache and angst of the song perfectly, both vocally and visually, which is critical. She breaks her voice at the exact right spots, in just the right way, adding a layer of sincerity that makes one wonder if she isn't singing it to someone specific.

Bringing back one of my favorite songs from the 90s, Deidre handled "Can't Help Falling In Love With You" very nicely. I think part of her success was that she didn't try to hide the youthful, sweet character of her voice; instead she made the song work as her own. Infusing it with her special brand of bubbly innocence, she carried it off beautifully, and I have to say, I think this was an excellent song choice for her.

And Kesha's "Stay" was also well performed. She handled the tempo changes fairly well, however I found her enunciation a little bit too muddy at times; during some of the more rapid-fire singing bits, words all just ran into each other. Otherwise, her stage presence, her youthful energy and her talent make me certain that she will be in this competition for at least a few more weeks. I did think I detected a very faint hint of a nasally quality, making me wonder if she isn't getting over a cold or something. Just very slight, but it's there.

V stayed true to her gift, and knocked another powerhouse performance out. One thing that strikes me about her is she seems to sing with every ounce of her being. She has an amazing voice, and spotless control at both ends of the scale. Of all the contestants, her sustained notes are consistently the strongest and her stage performance is both polished and poised. However, she still fails to deliver the emotional connection; I still can't figure out what the problem there is. I get the feeling that she blocks out the audience, and peforms to an invisible wall just in front of her. As I've said before, she really is the most personable, outgoing person you could hope to meet, but she seems unable to reflect that in her performances. If she can't rectify that, I don't think she's going to continue on the Idols road for much longer.

Pume did better this week than last, but I still find that she struggles with the low notes. I don't think that picking songs with such wide ranges and such deep lows is going to be to her advantage; hopefully she'll start picking things more suited to her strengths. And she does have strength; when singing within her best range, she delivers loud and powerfully, with excellent clarity and sustain, and perfect control over the higher end of the scale.

I also thought Nicky delivered a nice, clean performance, but still think her stage performance leaves a lot to be desired. Her outfit for the night suited her perfectly, and gave me hope that she'd dug up some energy for her performance to match. However, she stayed firmly rooted to the spot. Maybe this was due to first-up jitters, which are never easy to overcome, but she really needs to work on this if she wants to go much further. I think she's safe for this week, but if she doesn't "up her game" performance wise, she's going to unglue herself from the spotlight and land squarely in yesterday's news.

Before last night's show, I had Ayanda and Bonolo pegged as the biggest risks for the week, and unfortunately, I don't think they did anything to save themselves last night. While neither's performance was terrible, and were decently enjoyable, the disparity between their talent and the rest of the group is just a little too great, and I think they will be neck and neck for this week's elimination. Both of them have such terrific personalities, and deliver excellently in the performance arena, however their vocal talent just doesn't match up. I will be sad to see either go, but if I had to pick, I think Bonolo will be saying goodbye tonight. That's hard for me to say, because as I mentioned earlier in this post, I'm getting to like these contestants more and more, and Bonolo is truly a sweet, amazing person that I really enjoying talking to.

OK, that wraps up the contestant side of things. Now on to the other aspects. I already said that I thought Collin did much better this week; whether that improvement carried over onto the small screen, I don't know, but I hope it did. He just seemed much more at ease, and less awkward, and I hope that this is a sign that things are steadily improving on that front.

And all around pleasant surprises on the judging front. Not much change in Dave, though I've never really had any complaints about him anyway; he really does know his stuff. Gareth seemed to have more of a voice of his own, which is always good. I think he is learning a lot from the other judges, and is starting to figure out how better to express his own thoughts without sounding like a carbon copy of the others. Whether in response to the recent focus on her, or just by coincidence, Mara gave out fair and even-handed criticism and praise, leaving little to be questioned. Whatever the reason, this week was a definite improvement over last week. And in the best turnaround of all, Randall had fresh, interesting comments to deliver for nearly all the contestants. I don't think I heard "The difficulty is..." once during the entire show. And that, my friends, is a very good thing indeed.

I took plenty of pictures, and hope to grab some more tonight. I will be posting them as soon as I can (hopefully that will be soon!) so be sure to check the Photo Shoots blog (link on the sidebar) for some new pics of the Top 11.

All in all, a very good Sunday. They're all busy stealing my heart... hopefully soon one will steal my breath away.

New Subscription Service (again)

The other day I mentioned that I'd added a subscription service. Originally I was using bloglet.com to provide the feed, but after some in-depth research I decided this was not the best choice and switched over to the better-supported and more reliable FeedBlitz. There are a couple of things to note, however: those of you who subscribed using the bloglet form will need to resubscribe to FeedBlitz. I've emailed the Bloglet subscribers to notify them of this change, so if you got that email and haven't either resubscribed using the form on the page or by authorizing me to update the subscription, you won't get feeds until you do. Additionally, unlike the hands-off bloglet approach - in which you simply submitted your email address and automatically would get feeds - the FeedBlitz service does require you to validate your subscription (to deter people from signing up other people against their will, though why anyone would want to do that for this site is beyond me). At any rate: if you want to be notified when Idol Fascination is updated, please make sure you are subscribed to the FeedBlitz feed by entering your email address on the form on the sidebar, and be sure to complete the authentication process.

The FeedBlitz daily email consists of a list of any new posts for the day, with a preview of the first 255 characters included.

Thanks for your patience, and I apologize for any inconvenience.

Face-saving editing

Just watched the results show from last Monday... I have to say, I was a little bit surprised to realize they edited out Colin's monstrous gaffe from the live show, but can definitely understand why they felt the need to.

And all I can say is, damn, do I wish Jamie-Lee had sung as well last Sunday as she did during the results show. Had she given the same performance, I think she'd be safely nestled amongst the other 11... Shoulda, woulda, coulda, eh?

Ugliness on the forums...

Someone asked me once why I didn't just post the things I post here on the forums. The main answer? There is some serious ugliness going on amongst people there.

I confess, at first I just wanted to break away from a lot of the immaturity I saw there. Call me snobby, but I don't suffer the " u r 2 stoopid 2 kno wut u r talkin bout" type comments very lightly. SMS speak is tolerable over the phone, but when you're sitting in front of a full keyboard, I don't see a reason for it. So that was one of the first deterrents from posting on the forum.

Then there's the mudslinging. Yes, I've questioned Mara's partiality myself, but I've never believed that she is racist, only that she has certain favorites that she supports a little bit too wholeheartedly. I've tried to remain fair and partial in my criticisms, and have even pointed out that yes, she did indeed give Martelize high praise on a night where she had little praise for most of the contestants. I opened the floor for debate on the subject, and got viewpoints from both sides.

But the behavior in the forums is astonishing. There are people who I think are simply trolling for a reaction, and saying whatever they can to get a rise out of everyone else. But then there are some who are simply downright mean. It doesn't matter if it's Idols-related or not; if there's room to make a dig at someone, whether based on their looks, their past, or their viewpoints, some people will stop at nothing to use it in their attacks.

A sad example lies in statements I've been reading about Bonolo. From calling her a Sangoma, to ridiculing her appearance, facial expressions, and other immutable qualities about her, there are posters acting absolutely despicably. Hey, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but if you can't express your opinion without resorting to ad hominem attacks against someone, rather keep your opinions to yourself.

Some might argue that the contestants shouldn't go on Idols (or be a judge on the show) if they can't handle the heat. I disagree fully. The purpose of the show is not to present the viewing public the chance to viciously attack those who take part. It's to give a star in the making a chance they otherwise not have gotten, and eventually, provide South Africa with an Idol we can be proud of.

Unfortunately, no matter how proud we may end up being of the eventual winner of this competition, I will always be horribly ashamed of the behavior of some of the people watching it.

Well, let's try this again.

I've been having all sorts of weird problems with the blog over the past 24 hours. New posts have disappeared, comments were only visible some of the time, and the template kept reverting back to a previous version.

I'm really, really hoping this is the end of the difficulties. I don't know if there was a database problem on blogspot's side, but whatever it was, I hope it's better now...

Looking forward to tomorrow, and hope to come back with juicy news and pictures!

Grrr

Grrr