TeeVee: American Idol Nashville Auditions
American Idol Season 10 (Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8PM on FOX)
Can I just say how much I love the new judging panel? Tonight was a key example. We had Randy trying to throw-down the "Dawg, you should never, ever sing again" line and he totally got scolded by S.Ty afterwards who told him that he "shouldn't tell people their bad", with J.Lo completely conflicted in the middle, "but we shouldn't waste their time, or ours".
I know some people are saying they're too soft, and letting too many contestants through to Hollywood... but I say, screw those people. These early rounds are the rounds to be soft. If they catch your attention, why not give them a chance to make a bigger impression in Hollywood. Do you know how many rounds they have to make it through just to get to the judges!?
Let me break it down for you. In the measly showing of 17,000 people trying out in Nashville... roughly only 100 actually get seen by Randy, J.Lo and S.Ty. The rest are weeded out way before that by auditioning for multiple rounds of AI producers. So out of those 100 people that actually get to sing for the TV judges, about 20 of them are completely horrible and there for those train-wreck segments. So that means about 80 of them have interesting back-stories paired with decent vocals. So I wouldn't mind if they gave them all tickets to Hollywood, just to see if they have what it takes when there's really pressure on the line. So for the judges to pare that down to somewhere between 30-60 ticket winners is pretty darn good, in my opinion.
But let's get to the featured Golden Ticket Winners...
Rob Bolin and Chelsee Oaks - The exes. They used to duet, but have broken up. He's still in love, but she's over it (and has a new bf). They're both 23 years old, and the judges want them back together. They make them duet, "To Love Somebody", then sing separately. He rocks a version of "What's Going On" and then she kills a version of "The Story". They're both good and get Golden Tickets. S.Ty waves them away with a "Get out of here and fall in love all over again", which I'm sure was music to Chelsee's boyfriend's ears... Awkward!
Photo Credit - FOX
Golden Ticket Winner?! Really? Award - Stormi Henley - 19 years old, former Miss Teen U.S.A. (2009) who sang "Father Can You Hear Me", her voice was pretty, but also weak and shallow. J.Lo thought she was beautiful, but didn't have the chops... The boys thought differently and gave her a Golden Ticket.
Photo Credit - FOX
My FAV of the Night - Adrienne Beasley - The 22-year old black girl adopted by white Kentucky farmers. She sings Lady Antebellum's "American Honey" and I was totally hypnotized. The judges dug her too, and gave her a Golden Ticket. My favorite part, her dad asked who was "paying her way" to Hollywood, but then loving replied "Yeah, I'm tickled." How cute is that?
Photo Credit - FOX
Jackie Wilson - The 28-year old blonde that sang "Until You Come Back to Me"... the judges (and I) loved her and S.Ty commented that she "sang it like she had written it", but the biggest thing I remember is her creeptastic kiss with the older gentleman
Photo Credit - FOX
QUICK MAN MONTAGE GETS GOLDEN TICKETS...
Paul McDonald - 25 years old, sang Rod Stewart's "Maggie May"
Jimmie Allen - 25 years old, sang "Sunday Morning"
Danny Pate - 23 years old, got the cheerleader yes from J.Lo
Photo Credit - FOX
Matt Dillard - The 27-year old guy in a black tank and overalls, with the amazingly caring parents that have helped 700 special needs foster children. Then he sings a Josh Grobon song, and fairly well at that. The song choice left the judges confused, with Randy giving a "small yes", J.Lo a "no" and S.Ty handing over the Golden Ticket.
Photo Credit - FOX
Lauren Alaina - Is the 15-year old with the inspirational cousin with a brain tumor, who came in and sang Faith Hill's "; I wasn't as impressed as the judges were, although I thought she was good. They brought in her whole fam and she sang a little duet with S.Ty with his hit "Never Gonna Miss a Thing". She definitely has a great personality, and will be one to watch out for.
Photo Credit - FOX
Now for the BAD...
WHACKEST Audition(s) of the night... was again a tie:
1) Christine McCaffrey - The 27-year old dental assistant with the highest pitch voice that the judges thought would be good for cartoon voice-overs. She sang Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance" barely recognizable, gets a no from all the judges, although she told Seacrest S.Ty gave her a yes. Delusional much? Someone's been taking too many puffs from the laughing gas at work.
Photo Credit - FOX
2) Laytoya "Younique" Moore - the girl in the blue dress that was more excited to pose for the camera, hand out her CD (as in singular) to the judges and squeak her way through a Tamia song. She got a no.
Biggest Waste of Time Award - Allen Lewis - The tattoo artist and "many other things at the same time", sang "Simple Man" for the judges in his best rock-glory voice. He gets a no, but philosphied his way into air-time.
Photo Credit - FOX
Other Train Wrecks Include:
Kameela Merricks - the pint-size girl with a "big voice" that came in and sang Chaka Khan song pretty awfully. She was the audition that Randy tried to be mean, and S.Ty scolded him for it.
The uncontrollable crying guy.
The Question Mark - in a full purple body-suit/mask... really?!
Golden Ticket Winners - Adrienne Beasley, Ashthon Jones, Ben Vredevelt, Bethany Tanner, Brandyn Danielle Neely, Briana Tyson, Charity Mozafari, Charity Vance, Chelsee Oaks, Chase Likens, Chelsea Sorrell, Colton Dixon, Danny Pate, Danielle Lauderdale, Emma Chaney, Gary Ellis, Heather Trabucco, Lauran Alaina, Mallorie Haley, Mary Maples, Matt Dillard, Jackie Wilson, Jill Martin, Jimmie Allen, Kameron Boedeker, Kyle Bennefield, , Kendra Campbell, Kenzi Lewis, Laura Mayo, Mike Brooks, Mikala Jones, Paul McDonald, Perry Johnson, Nicole Pennington, Rob Bolin, Samantha Rucker, Sarah Jane Huskey, Sarinanjoi Crowe, Satin Dansby, Schyler Shadoan, Steven Clawson, Steven Flockhart
Possible others... Jayron Weaver, Jeremiah Flocckhart, Jenna Reed, , Jon Mullins, Joshua Tryon, Megan Pfuger, Schyler Dixon. Briana Tyson, Wade Brown, Velvet Rogers, Jalen Hrris, William Davenport, Taylor Brown
