American Idol, Ep. 14.27

Top 4 Theme: Home

No Twitter Save this week people...lowest number of votes, you go home! And guess what...this week they are eliminating that person before they sing both songs!

Clark Beckham
"Livin' for the City" by Stevie Wonder
Am I wrong, or did he already sing this song in one of the Hollywood rounds? Maybe it was someone else, but I feel like it was him. Again, not my favorite song choice. I know he loves this stuff, but it just isn't my cup o' tea. I do love to see him jam a little on the piano though. He was really rockin' it out at the end. Vocally he sounded great, and a great rebound from being slightly off his game last week.
My Score: A-

“Your Man” by Josh Tuner
Tackling the famous song that Scotty McCreary auditioned with. Gotta say, I 100% like Clarks' non-country version better! I wonder if John Mayer has covered this version, because this sounds very John Mayer-esque. I actually really liked this! It was poppy, it was jazzy, it had some swagger. It was really cool. His voice sounded amazing. Great choice. I don't care what J. Lo says, I think he made a great choice.  I seriously can't believe all the criticism the judges are giving him for this. I love that Ryan asked him if he regretted the song choice, he came right out and said "no" and the crowd cheered! They called him out saying they don't think he could win with that song, and that it wasn't his gravy. He said he just had to say that he really wants to win the show...and they continued to attack him! Leave my Clark alone! J. Lo said in a very rude tone that he needed to entertain his audience, and Keith said there was a difference between people liking him and liking his music (because they all said they weren't sure that this type of music was what American Idol fans wanted to hear). He stuck up for himself and said he truly believed that people want to hear the music he is doing. I think that various Internet polls would prove his point....he has CONSISTENTLY been in the #1 spot pretty much every single week, and by quite a large margin. I get that they can have their opinion and they are there to give their honest feedback and criticism in order for him to grow and get better. However, I think they were just being rude! They were purposely just picking on him for no reason at all. I don't know where that came from...but I didn't like it one bit and he didn't deserve it! I actually feel like they were kind of sabotaging him. I sure hope this doesn't hurt his chances going forward. Maybe they felt they needed to even the playing field, since they usually have nothing but good comments for him, maybe they thought they needed to just make something up.
My Score: A

Jax
“Empire State of Mind” by Alicia Keys and Jay-Z,
Wow, I don't even recognize this song the way she changed it. It's not even recognizable until she gets to the chorus. The beginning sounded pretty, but she screeched a little more than her normal on the chorus. It was almost like her voice was giving out on her, like maybe she had a cold or something? Regardless, it was still a very nice performance. I have to say as far as song choices go, I think she probably wins the award this season for best song choices.
My Score: B+

“Human” by Christina Perry
I absolutely love this song, it's so beautiful. I think she will either sound really amazing, or if she uses too much of the quirkiness in her voice, it might lose some of the feeling of the song. Her chorus was beautiful. I loved the vibrato in her voice. She used just enough tension in her voice to give it the emotion that this song needs. It was another great performance. The only problem: the back-up singer. Yikes! Turn that person's mic off! She didn't need a back-up singer, we only needed Jax. This is a show about contestants, I hate that they sing with back-up singers. Save that for the finale. I only want to hear the contestant. I don't know what happened this time, but whoever that back-up person was, they totally ruined what could have been a perfect performance.
My Score: A (for Jax), F (for the back-up singer)

Nick Fradiani
“Bright Lights” by Matchbox Twenty
I love this song - it's one of my favorite Matchbox Twenty songs. I always remember getting to hear them perform it live on the Today Show in NYC...good times! He sounded great tonight and gave a really good, upbeat performance. I totally believe him as a rockstar on that chorus. Harry and Keith are right that he looks more comfortable performing every week. He's finally finding his groove, and his confidence is showing. That's one of my favorite Nick performances all season. I'm glad he's sticking around!
My Score: A+

“What Hurts The Most” by Rascal Flatts
I have some questions about whether this is a good song for him or not. If he would have sung it early in the competition, I'm sure it would have flopped. Now that he's "found himself" and his confidence, he could pull off a really good performance. He showed so much more raw emotion than we've ever seen from him! Wow! He was really feeling it! It's amazing to see how far he's come in the last few weeks. He definitely gets the Most Improved award. He commanded that stage, and with no guitar! He would have never been able to do that, even just a couple weeks ago. He would have stood there at the mic looking awkward. But tonight, he truly performed, and it was a beautiful performance. I really hope that the Chris Daughtry syndrome doesn't hit him next week. We all remember when Chris Daughtry was voted out in that 4th spot in Season 5. It was a sad day. Nick is so similar to Chris, so I hope he doesn't end up with the same fate. Although, if he has even half the career success that Chris Daughtry's band Daughtry has had, coming in 4th isn't so bad.
My Score: A+

Rayvon Owen
"Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum
Where did he come up with this song choice? Really, really out there choice for him. And it was a risk that didn't pay off. I don't think it worked for him at all. I will say that the second half fared better than the first half, but he's not going to be winning the show with that performance. I agree with Keith that he should do less of the dramatics and more of the connection and feeling.
My Score: B-

“Believe” by Justin Bieber
This performance proves how well he can sing when he actually has a connection to the song. His voice was so strong on this song, and he almost didn't sound like himself at the beginning. He did slip back into his falsetto and started to kind of shout when he got to the loud chorus. His voice also cracked, which showed how much he was oversinging and forcing it. But it was nice to see him show some true feeling for the song and not just some fake dramatics.
My Score: B+

Bottom 2

Tyanna and Rayvon

Doing things a little differently, and they are eliminating someone halfway through the show.

Going home: Tyanna and Rayvon lives to sing another day...even without the Twitter Save. Wow. I really thought this was his week.

And again, I've totally underestimated Nick's popularity. I keep assuming he's really close to the bottom, but he's safe again. I'm glad I was wrong, because I really like Nick! I guess maybe I was right about people forgetting to vote for Tyanna because of her drastic look change.

Tyanna sang one final time, and it was really, really awful. It was painful. This would have sent her home next week if she didn't get voted out tonight. And I don't think it was just her emotions because she seemed pretty calm and collected when she received the news.

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Survivor, Ep. 30.11

Merica Camp
And then there were 2: Mike and Shirin. Sierra, Dan, and Tyler talk about Mike's demise. They don't think that Mike is right about them being at the bottom of the alliance.

Dan, showing a comforting side (fake?), as Shirin is melancholy over her being assaulted by Will. He sounds sincere about apologizing for what happened at Tribal. He said he didn't know about Shirin's past. VERY interesting that he says this to her face, while he then to the camera, calls her a drama queen who loves to play the victim. He said she is being hypocritical because she called him names as well. Side note: Dan took to social media this week to clear some things up...errr...make himself look ever worse, by pretty much defending everything he's said and continuing to downplay what happened to Shirin. Don't go looking for any Fan Favorite award this season Dan. You can read about what he said here.

Reward Challenge
2 teams of 4 work to lay out planks across barrels and get their whole team across. 4 barrels, 2 planks and some rope is all they get.
Reward: a boat ride, burgers and pie

Blue: Mike, Shirin, Sierra, Rodney
Red: Tyler, Dan, Carolyn, Will

Blue put their barrels on their side, while Red used them upright. Mike literally rolls on his stomach on top of the barrels in a very risky move. They are in the lead for now, but Red catches up and it's tied.

Mike had each leg on a different barrel, and the barrels started rolling and he nearly did a split! Somehow he manages to stay on top. He is literally doing all the work, and Red pulls ahead by 2 barrels.

In a lapse of judgement, Mike puts the end of the planks on the ground, which is a no no, so they have to go back. Sierra says they have to do something, so she gets up and starts walking/rolling the barrel and tells everyone else to do the same. So they all grab a barrel and start rolling. It was working for a little while, but Shirin fell off and then Rodney fell off, so they had to start over. In the meantime, Tyler has crossed the finish line, and behind him came his other 3 team members. So, Red wins.

In a sappy moment, Dan said he felt bad for Rodney because he has not gotten any rewards. Jeff tells him he could give him his reward. Before Dan can say anything, Rodney says "no worries, I'll get mine."

Merica Camp

The Voice, Ep. 8.19 & 8.20

Top 8

I don't normally comment on group numbers, but I have some thoughts on the performances we saw.

Guys: Josh, Sawyer, Cody - "Hey, Brother"
I immediately thought that this would have been a perfect song for either Josh or Sawyer to have done individually. It's a fun, current song that is right in their wheelhouse. However together, it had it's off moments, but overall was actually pretty good. Cody had some MAJOR pitch issues throughout the entire song.

Girls: Koryn, Kimberly, India, Meghan, Hannah - "Wake Me Up"
This was just painful on so many levels. I love this song, but it was not meant for any of these girls, clearly. So many pitch issues, except when the entire group came together and sang in unison. I had an a-ha moment during this performance though. And that is, that EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE GIRLS is an oversinger. Every single one of them, in every single performance, pretty much just screams the entire song. India is a little better than the others, because she's done some pretty nice and restrained songs. But the others, with the biggest offenders being #1 Hannah, #2 Koryn, and #3 Meghan, start out on volume full blast, and then just keep going. It's beginning to get very predictable, and very nauseating.

Hannah - Team Blake
"We Don't Need Another Hero" by Tina Turner
She actually started this song nicely (she must have been guessing what I was going to write above). I still just can't get on board with her voice though. That said, she did what I wanted her to, and she kept this performance dialed down much more than usual. That, I can be happy about. I think this was probably her best performance yet. She used her vocal dynamics only as the song called for.
My Score: A

Joshua - Team Adam
"Fields of Gold" by Sting
I think is a much better song choice for him than we've been singing. I love just hearing him and his guitar. I think vocally, this was one of his strongest performances. He has slipped quite a lot in the past several weeks, and I attribute that 90% to his poor song choices. Clearly with a good song, he can sing beautifully, and so heartfelt. This was a good one. Was it just me or did it seem like he was singing for 10 minutes? Not complaining, it just seemed exceptionally long.)
My Score: A

Kimberly - Team Christina
"Creep" by Radiohead
Great, great song. Very interested to see where she goes with this. Christina says she's adding some jazz to it, so I don't think I'm going to like it. I think she could sing it like the rock song that it is, and still have it sound different than the original. I could have done without all of the incessant banging on the piano. I expected this to be a little more like Jena Irene's version that she did on American Idol last season. This was a very slow version, but she commanded the song like she always done. It wasn't as good as I would have liked, but she is still a vocal perfectionist.
My Score: B

Meghan - Team Blake
"Something" by The Beatles
She just really bores me. There wasn't anything special about this performance. She sings all the notes, I just don't know why I never connect with her. I really just couldn't wait for it to be over.
My Score: B

India - Team Christina
"Over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland
This song has been done, and done too many times.This was as beautiful as any. She looked gorgeous and she really took this over the rainbow. There were a few pitchy notes because she tried to force it a little too much. I liked that she really started it out slow, and she even did some of it a capella. It would have really been compelling if she didn't flub the pitch. But oh man, that ending was incredible.
My Score: A

Sawyer - Team Pharrell
"Simple Man" by Lynryd Skynyrd
This is a great song for him! He's kind of been in a "safe" song slump lately. This should let him really show us what he's made of, and remind of the talented kid we saw in his first audition. I love that just like the song title, it was just simple. His voice came back to him this week. I felt like in the last couple weeks he struggled at parts with his voice and pitch. This was a great performance. Loved it!
My Score: A+

Corey - Team Blake
"When I See You Smile" by Bad English
Blake is right, he needs to do something that will rattle some cages. He's another one who has really been playing things safe. This is a song that you wouldn't think of him doing right away, so I think that's a good thing. This song actually works well as a country song. He had a really nice big note at the end that really ignited the song. He did much better with his pitch in this song. I was a little bit worried for him hearing how off he was in the group performance. But he put that behind him and had a great performance. This seems like it could be a song that he could release and it would do really well. It was a really nice performance.
My Score: A

Koryn - Team Pharrell
"Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keyes
Classic oversinging by Koryn right from the beginning of the song. She sings so intensely with such a strong vibrato. It is REALLY annoying. The girl has a great voice, if she would just stop that incessant vibrato. A little bit is great, but you don't have to sing like you're shaking from below 0 temps at the South Pole. I mean, her vibrato actually manifests itself in physical shaking of her head and hands. I don't know how she can have any voice left when she's done singing the way she screams everything at the top of her lungs for the entire song. The talent is there, I just wish Pharrell would help her gain some control and learn how to use her power strategically.
My Score: B+

We were treated to an awesome performance of my favorite from last season: Matt McAndrew! I still don't know how he lost last season. He proved that if he was on this season, he would be the clear winner. He sounded amazing, and I can't wait to buy his new song, "Counting on Love"! It was so good, I was singing along with it after just one listen! Love you Matt!

Results

Bottom 3: Corey, Hannah, India
Gotta say I really didn't expect any of these 3 to be in the bottom. Surprisingly, Joshua was able to avoid the Bottom 3 after getting the save last week. I'm wondering how long it will take for Meghan to end up in the bottom.

Instant Save: India

Going Home: Hannah (Team Blake) and Corey (Team Blake)

The graphic of Twitter votes showed Hannah holding steady with only 21% of the votes. Between Corey and India it was so close. Corey stayed up by 1% the whole time. They take the graphic down, and Carson said it was the closest vote ever...and India came out on top! Wow, 2 Team Blakers out in one shot. Who thought Meghan would be his last person standing? I know I didn't.

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Dancing with the Stars, Ep. 20.7

Week 7: 10th Anniversary 2-Night Special

Before we get to the dancing this week, I want to fill you in on what has happened to Derek Hough (in case you've been living under a rock and haven't heard). We all know that Derek has suffered an injury in quite a few seasons. He works himself so hard, and it's just inevitable. It is sometimes his back or his neck. Well, last Monday night after the show, he was rehearsing with a few of his former partners in preparation for the big 10th Anniversary Special. In a fluke accident, he nailed his foot on light. Right away, he knew it wasn't good. He's never had a broken bone, but he knew he broke his toe. He then knew he needed to get some ice. Being the person he is, he went to get it himself. Hobbling on one foot, he then suffered another injury - he fell down the stairs and sprained his ankle! Poor guy! He spent the night in the emergency room with his BFF Mark, Mark's dad, and Mark's girlfriend. Since then, he's been receiving all kinds of treatments, and has been able to lose the crutches. Obviously he won't be dancing tonight (Sasha is taking his place), but we don't know about the rest of the season. Derek is never happy on the sidelines, so it's killing him to not be able to participate. If he can dance, he will dance, you can believe that. Wishing him all the best, and hoping for a speedy recovery! We love you Derek! Take care of yourself!

This week, 2 dances. In Round 1 the highest score gets immunity while the rest have a dance-off to save themselves. Also, on another note, they have moved the double elimination to next week instead of this week.

Round 1: Individual Dances

Riker & Allison - Quickstep 
Theme: 1920's baseball
Oh my goodness, he is just too cute! Interesting 20's twist on Jason DeRulo's "Wiggle"...totally an inappropriate song for that era. It worked for this routine though. Dare I say, that I actually liked this version of the song better than the original? That never happens! This version, while the same words, didn't seem as raunchy. I loved watching Riker's face through the whole routine. I actually watched it a second time, and the whole thing was even better the second time. Great choreography from Allison again. It was quick, and I'm hoping he didn't miss any steps! I didn't see any, but Len's a tough one to please. Let's see if Riker gets the first 10 from Len - he sure had an enthusiastic reaction at the judge's table!
Score: 37 (So, surprisingly, Len is the ONLY one to give a 10!)

Chris & Witney - Foxtrot
Theme: 1940's sailor
Unfortunately for this dance, we have to endure a painful Fank Sinatra song. Chris pulls off the look of a sailor very well. I feel like we've seen Chris do a foxtrot before, am I wrong? Or maybe it was a waltz? Regardless, the slow style always suits him better because it's easier for him musically to find the beats. It was a very nice dance. It didn't blow me out of the water, but most of that was due to the song.
Score: 31

Rumer & Val - Jive
Theme: 1960's diner
There is no dance that she can't do. She embodied the 1960's character, and it was just so much fun! She definitely didn't miss a beat or a step. She was spot-on. I just wish they wouldn't have had other dancers on the floor. At the beginning, I couldn't even find her, and it was just a little distracting.
Score: 35

Noah & Sharna - Jazz

American Idol, Ep. 14.26

Top 6: Arena Anthems
Honestly, looking at some of the songs on the list for tonight, I'm really wondering how they consider a song like "Yesterday" or "White Flag" as an arena anthem. I'm not complaining, because I like "Yesterday" and I LOVE "White Flag", but they would not be my idea of an arena anthem. I'm excited for quite a few of these songs, and I'm ECSTATIC that we don't have to worry about a Joey performance this week!

Jax 
Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl”
Overall, this was a pretty good rendition of this song. It was a bit high-pitched for me at times, but she rocked it out. I would have liked to see her change up the song a little bit. It wasn't my favorite performance from her, but it was still good.
My Score: B+

Dido’s “White Flag”
I seriously love this song, so I can't wait to see what she does with it. I like that she stayed fairly close to the original, because it is such a beautiful song. I think this is the best song of the night, by far! Loved, loved, loved it! She did nothing wrong on that song at all.
My Score: A+

Nick Fradiani
Maroon 5’s “Harder to Breathe”
I love this Maroon 5 song. I don't know what happened right at the beginning of the song, it was really awkward. Luckily it only lasted for a tiny bit. I like seeing him do this type of song. It brings out his inner (and outer) Chris Daughtry.
My Score: A-

Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May”
I think this might be better than his first song. This was so well done, and was such a fun performance. His vocals were great and he looked so comfortable singing it. I didn't expect this one to be as good as it was.
My Score: A

Clark Beckham
The Beatles’ “Yesterday”
I wanted to like this more than I actually did. I don't know that it was one of his best vocals. I think there were a few parts that were just a little off. This was simple, and he just stood at the mic--it should have been a little more impactful than it ended up being. I'm glad he has another performance. Regardless, Clark on his worst day is still better than everyone else on their best day. CAN'T WAIT to see what he does with Justin Bieber's "Boyfriend", because there is no way he is singing it exactly like the original.
My Score: B

Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend”
I was right, this is SO different from the original! The only thing the same is the words! OK, now the chorus is familiar. It's strange hearing him sing words so fast! I don't think I like the way he's doing the verses. Maybe it's just because I know the song. But the chorus makes up for it. He TOTALLY rocked the chorus. He actually made his voice sound completely different than we've heard him.
My Score: B+

Tyanna Jones
Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA”
Holy crap...what on earth did Tyanna do to her hair and why?! I don't even know who that is on stage. Seriously. She has long braids down past her shoulders. This girl had a rather short fro for the entire season, and then she changes it up so drastically? Don't get it at all. Not that it looks bad or anything--it actually looks nice on her--it's just such a drastic change. So, to the song, it was fun and nice to see her do something more her age. Vocally it was pretty good. Since she completely changed herself this week physically, will people even know to vote for her if they don't realize that she performed this week?
My Score: B+

Bryan Adams’ “Heaven”
And now with her braids pulled back, she has another completely different look! Very different song choice from the first one. She did a really good job. I just wish she would tone down the vibrato. It can be really distracting at times. There weren't a whole lot of dynamics in this song, she kind of sang it the same the whole way through, with the exception of the note changes at the end of the song. It was good, but a little bland.
My Score: B

Bottom 2
And, was it a surprise to anyone that Quentin and Rayvon are tonight's Bottom 2?

Quentin Alexander
The Doors’ “Light My Fire”
At least he looks happy this week. I think he sang the song way, way too low. Sometimes you couldn't even hear what he was saying. The second half of the song was much better than the first half.
My Score: B-

Florence + The Machine’s “Shake It Out”
I really don't like this song, but surprisingly, I actually like his version more than the original. That long held out note was incredible. And, he might just be back in the game with that performance. He needed that performance if he had any hopes of knocking out Rayvon. I don't know if everyone will forget about what happened last week or not.
My Score: A-

Rayvon Owen 
Sam Smith’s “I’m Not the Only One”
He's going to win a lot of votes for doing this extremely popular, and current song. He had the same kind of "cry" in his voice that Sam Smith does. This might be one of his best performances. And he didn't rely on the falsetto this time, except only used it when the song really called for it. Nice change of pace. He definitely used more of his full voice than we've heard from him in the past.
My Score: A-

Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way”
Oh dear, I don't know if this is going to be enough for Rayvon. He's kind of falling back into the reasons why he has ended up in the Bottom 2 for the last 4 weeks. I like that he tried to go for it, but the vocals were not there at all. He faded in and out of tune. His last "falsetto" note at the end was more of a scream. Yikes...
My Score: C

The Results

So, Quentin's first song was so-so, but the second was really good. Rayvon's song was the best he's sounded all season, but his second song was quite awful. So who get's the save? I thought Rayvon might have it in the bag, especially with Quentin's meltdown last week, but he showed a much more fun and happy personality this week. With his great second performance, it could be enough to dethrone the Instant Save King.

Instant Save: Rayvon...proving yet again that he must have 9 lives, and his fans are Twitter fiends!
Going Home: Quentin

Next Week's Guesses

Should be Bottom 2: Rayvon and Tyanna
Should go Home: Rayvon

Will be Bottom 2: Rayvon and Nick
Will go Home: Rayvon

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Survivor, Ep. 30.10

I am so excited about this episode! Jeff has been hyping this episode (just as he has just about every other episode this season, and he hasn't been wrong yet). We are in for one of the biggest fights at camp that we've ever seen, and we are in for a MAJOR, MAJOR twist in the game that is a first in Survivor history. Can't wait, so let's get to it!

Merica Camp 
Rodney says they need to get Mike out next before he turns on them. Tyler thinks it could be a good idea. Sure, good idea...except...Mike overhears the 4 (Rodney, Carolyn, Tyler, and Will). He might not have heard everything, but he knows he's a target.

Survivor Auction
Each has $500 to spend.

Item #1 (covered) -- goes to Will for $100, and he gets a rolled up note all assume it is a clue). He reads it, and it says "you just bought yourself out of the auction, pack your stuff and head back to camp." OUCH!!!! That's rough!

Item #2 - Fried chicken and waffles -- goes to Shirin for $300

Lots of food items go to Rodney, Jenn and Sierra. Shirin said when she took her reward that she was not playing for clues, she wanted the food. Jeff asked who was there to bid on a clue or advantage. Mike, Dan, Sierra, and Carolyn all raise their hands.

Next item - Advantage, but temptation of loved notes from home. Shirin let everyone know the precedent of this item in the past. Sierra bought it at $20, and then the rest could buy th notes for $20 from each. Dan begged for everyone to do it, and they all agreed. Mike looked a little perturbed. He chose not to buy his note, and everyone was shocked. They were all supposed to do it, so they would have equal money for the advantage when it comes up. Now, Mike has $20 more than everyone else. Well played Mike, well played. So, without opening her letter, Carolyn gives her note back to Jeff. Then, Mike decides to do it anyway. Make up your mind dude! I think you look worse now for caving. Dan purposely told him to go first, and Mike turned away. Dan knows that he can't trust Mike now.

Next up is the advantage. Mike, Dan, and Carolyn all bid $480. they choose rocks to see who gets it. Dan is the winner. Knowing what this advantage is, I don't know if I like him having that much power. I would have liked to see Carolyn get it.

Merica Camp

The Voice, Ep. 8.17 & 8.18

Top 10

Kimberly - Team Christina
"Something's Got A Hold Of Me" by Etta James
This lady really knows how to rock it. I always end up enjoying her performances more than I think I will. But the biggest news of the night is...she's not wearing a tutu for the first time in this entire competition. I won't say that her onesie outfit was better though.
My Score: A-

Joshua - Team Adam
"Hold Back The River" by James Bay
His song choices the past couple weeks are really killing me.  He's got such a nice voice, but I can't stand some of these songs. I did not care for this at all! I don't think this song did anything for his voice, and in fact, he sounded off.
My Score: C

Hannah - Team Blake
"Shout" by Tears for Fears
Very, very interesting song choice. This was not as good as some of her performances have been. It was too low for one thing. Another problem was the way her voice sounded like it was really grating on some of the transitions from higher to lower. I don't think her voice sounded good on this. For anyone else this would have been a great song and could have been a great performance. Most of this was just really painful. She forced it and tried to scream so much of the song that it almost sounded like she was going horse.
My Score: C-

Meghan - Team Blake
"Home" by Marc Broussard
This was a pretty good performance. Her vocals were really good as usual. However, for some reason, I'm just never blown away or excited by her performances like everyone else seems to be.
My Score: B+

Koryn - Team Pharrell
"Make It Rain" by Ed Sheeran
This might have been her best song choice. Her voice sounded incredible, even if she still sings too low for my liking. I actually got goosebumps on this one.
My Score: A-

Deanna Johnson - Team Adam
"Somebody To Love" by Jefferson Airplane
OK, I've had just about enough of this song. First Joey does it on American Idol, and now Deanna. This is an interesting song choice for her - we haven't really heard her sing anything like this. I think it is much better than last week. I think she did an OK job, but I wasn't blown away. Her last note was really, really off.
My Score: B

Rob - Team Christina
"A Song For You" by Donny Hathaway
What is with all of these songs that I don't know? I think the coaches need to go back to picking songs, because some of these song choices are really pathetic. I was so bored by this and I couldn't wait for it to be over.
My Score: C+

Corey - Team Blake
"Unwound" by George Strait
This is so much better than some of the songs he has done in the last couple weeks. I like seeing him do more fun songs. Blake was right to have him drop the guitar for this song. He really let loose and let his personality shine.
My Score: A

Sawyer - Team Pharrell
"Iris" by The GooGoo Dolls
Let's just talk about all of the really amazing things that the amazing Ryan Tedder had to say about Sawyer. That right there tells you that this kid really has something special. This was a lot better than last week's. I think this song is totally in his wheelhouse, and I thnk he did a good job.
My Score: A-

India - Team Christina
"Run To You" by Whitney Houston
I like that she stayed more subdued with this song. She kept her vibrato in check, and this was really beautiful. Girl's got some pipes!
My Score: A

The Results

Bottom 3: Rob, Deanna, Joshua
Instant Save: Joshua
Going Home: Rob (Team Christina) and Deanna (Team Adam)

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Dancing with the Stars, Ep. 20.6

Week 6: Spring Break

Round 1: Individual Dances

Patti & Artem - Quickstep
Patti doing her signature 'moving without moving' routine. She did cross the floor 2 times at a relatively "quick" speed, but in between, it was a lot of filler as usual. She was off-time on the hopping section in the middle. I love Len: "it was the best dance of the night". LOL
Score: 29

Nastia & Derek - Tango
I had flashbacks of an old Derek routine with those lights! He really wasn't kidding when he said he traveled across the floor faster with her than anyone. He whipeed her around like she was nothing, and she was with him every single step of the way. Take note Miss Patti: that's how it's really done. She looked exceptionally gorgeous tonight.
Score: 34

Willow & Mark - Salsa
She looked like she was havin so much fun in this dance! There was so much salsa content, and the lifts were pretty crazy. Such a fun, fast-paced routine.
Score: 34 

Robert & Kym - Jive
Let's hope he found his quick footing after last week's debacle. He did much better this week. He was on the beat most of the time, but I think he did go wrong at least once. Kym didn't hold back, and gave him some pretty difficult choreography. Overall, it was fun and he did a good job.
Score: 28

Noah & Sharna - Rumba

American Idol, Ep. 14.25

Top 7: Classics

Really, American Idol? Really?! Why do 7 people need to sing 2 songs each? Looking at the leaked songs and who's singing them, I'm not really even excited to hear most of them sing 1 of these songs, let alone 2.

Tyanna Jones 
Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers’ “Why Do Fools Fall In Love”
I think I'm going to say this a lot tonight. Hated the song. This was actually just painful. She used way too much vibrato.
My Score: C

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary”
This was clearly a good song choice for her. Much better than the first one. Where did those high notes come from? I didn't know she had that in her. She rocked it out.
My Score: A-

Clark Beckham
Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”
OK, I hate that little scatting thing he did at the beginning. But, the rest of the song was amazing as usual. Judges loved it and really didn't have anything to critique.
My Score: A-

“Moon River” (from Breakfast at Tiffany’s)
Oh Clark, I don't like this song. It is so boring. But oh, that slicked back hair and suit...yummy! If he didn't look so good, and if his voice wasn't so beautiful and soothing, this would be pretty unbearable. DEFINITELY not m favorite...just because of the song. I don't think it was his best vocal, but even when he's not at his best, he still has the best voice in the competition. I don't think this song allowed him to show off his voice at all. (Funny line of the night: Keith said "it was warm and fuzzy like an epidural".)
My Score: B+

Jax

Survivor, Ep. 30.9

Merica Camp - After Tribal
Dan calls Shirin out and says for a fan he can't believe she doesn't know the difference between a flip and a blindside. She said, you're right, you know more than me. He countered with a "you're right Miss Know-it-All". Oh my Dan, just shut up!

Shirin is hoping that Blue will fracture and she is hoping to make a big move to shake things up. She told Mike that she will vote for Mike to win if she's on the jury. Dan said, you bet you will because you WILL be on the jury.

And with that...a BIG storm is moving in.

Jenn said she is OK with being voted out now. Shirin is worried that she might now have to find a new alliance. She approaches Mike and Sierra. He said he would have to be able to trust her. He asked her who she would vote out first. She said Carolyn, because of the people she is close to: Will, Tyler. Mike agrees that there is a minor alliance in their big alliance.

Reward Challenge

The Voice, Ep. 8.15 & 8.16

Top 12: The Live Playoffs continue...

Guest mentor: Reba McIntyre

Hannah - Team Blake
"Edge of 17" by Stevie Nicks
This song is right up Hannah's alley. The dark theatrics suit her very well. She is definitely a performer. She was all over the stage and out in the audience just having a good time. She had big notes and stayed on pitch. I'm not always a fan of what she does, but this was a pretty good performance.
My Score: A-

Brian - Team Adam
"If I Ever Lose My Faith In You" by Sting
This isn't my favorite song choice for him. I don't know if it's going to be dynamic enough to win votes. Even thought it tested his upper register, it seemed like kind of a safe choice. I don't know that he nailed every one of the higher notes. Not my favorite performance of his at all. He normally really impresses me, but this week just seemed really flat.
My Score: B

India - Team Christina
"Take Me To Church" by Hozier
This is going to be interesting. I think her vibrato could go out of control on this song. If she can tame it and keep it reeled in, this could be amazing. She won't be able to touch Matt McAndrew's version from last season. Her opening is really good. Her "amens" are really good.  I actually think this song is a good choice for her because she already has a very dark tone to her voice and this song is really dark. Overall, this is one of her best, I think. I think she got a little off pitch on a couple of the jumps to the high notes, but other than that, it was really good.
My Score: A-

Mia Z. - Team Pharrell
"Miss You" by The Rolling Stones
The bluesy feel to this song is right in her wheelhouse. She was really in the groove. They told her in rehearsals that she needed to work on her words, because she was really hard to understand. She still had that problem live. Some parts were better than others. I know she can sing high, but I don't really think it was necessary to go to the glass-shattering decibels that she did.
My Score: B+

Deanna - Team Adam
"Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" by Hillsong United
I didn't love how her voice sounded at the beginning. Something was off. It was way too quiet...not too sure if it was just because it was so low, or if it was the mic or what. Once she got to the chorus it was better. To me, it sounded like there were a lot of off-pitch notes. This wasn't my favorite of hers.
My Score: B-

Sawyer Fredericks - Team Pharrell
"Imagine" by John Lennon
I was really looking forward to this, because I thought it was a really good song choice for him. I'm always excited to see what he's going to be doing. However, I wasn't loving the first verse for some reason. I think I was missing some of the original song. He gave it a completely different style. I was actually a little underwhelmed with this. I was really hoping for something epic, but it fell kind of short. It was still good, but I didn't feel like he nailed all the notes like he normally does.
My Score: B

Rob - Team Christina
"I Put A Spell On You" by Screamin' Jay Hawkins
I'm actually a fan of this old song, believe it or not. It's been done really well by several singing contestants on various shows. I think it was done last by Jesse Kinch on Rising Star. Rob's version was very good. It was so unexpected from him. He talked about all of the different song styles he's done on the show so far, and this is completely different from any of them. And of course, he had to throw in his signature high falsetto at the end of the song. I think that is probably his best performance.
My Score: A-

Corey - Team Blake
"Why" by Jason Aldean
Something was missing with this performance. I didn't love it for some reason. It seemed really safe and boring. I did like when the music was stripped away and it was just his vocals at the end. It was just OK for me.
My Score: B+

Koryn - Team Pharrell
"Stronger" by Kelly Clarkson
I really, really wish she could contain her vibrato and stop shaking so much when she's singing. She's got so much power and sometimes it's just too overdone. She started out on a level 90 and by the end she had cranked it over 150. I thought she might blow a gasket.
My Score: A-

Joshua - Team Adam
"America" by Simon & Garfunkel
I love that Adam told him to lose the guitar this week. I'm a sucker for the guitar, but I was ready to see Joshua do something different. I wish he was doing a better song. I don't care for this at all. The song was really painful. His vocals were great as usual, but the song sucked.
My Score: B

Meghan - Team Blake
"Girl Crush" by Little Big Town
I wish she would make up her mind. She wanted to get away from country music and do big pop/diva songs. Last week she did kind of a rock song, and now she's back doing country again. Leave it to Blake to bring her back to country. That said, she really sounded great on this song.
My Score: A

Kimberly - Team Christina
"House Of The Rising Sun" by The Animals
I really didn't like Kimberly at the beginning of the competition, but last week and this week, she's actually starting to grow on me a little bit. She really let loose on this song. She gave it so much power and it was so deep and dark.
My Score: A

Results

My best guesses for who is going home? Deanna and Brian. What a turn of events if this happens. Never in the history of The Voice (that I know of) has Adam lost 2 singers in the same night. Unheard of! But, like I've said since the beginning -- Adam has not had the strongest team this season, in fact it's been one of the weakest. Not sure what happened, except that all the good singers didn't choose him! He tried, but Pharrell and Blake are hard to say no to.

So, on to the results...

Bottom 3: Mia Z., Brian, and Deanna
So, looks like I'm pretty close to being 100% correct. They will each perform one more time and hope to be saved. I'm shocked that Mia was in the bottom 3. I think she will absolutely be saved.

All 3 gave really, really good performances. This might be closer than I thought. The voting graphic has both Deanna and Brian at 35% and Mia at 30%...totally not what I expected.

Instant Save: Deanna
Going Home: Brian and Mia

OK, so I was 1 for 2...but so close to getting them both. Had Deanna not sung last, would she still have come out ahead?

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Dancing With The Stars, Ep. 20.5

Week 5: Disney! 
Last season was the first time they used this theme, and it's back again. I'm so excited! Last season they came up with some of the most creative routines that even incorporated them dancing with animated holograms. It also brought out some of the best dancing as well. I loved seeing who was what character. Tonight is sure to be another good one!

And the answer to everyone's question from late last week: Will Julianne still have her pink hair for the show? The answer is: Yes. For pink, it's actually kind of cute on her.

Suzanne & Tony - Jazz 
Lady and the Tramp
Aw, they have the animated lady and the tramp sitting at the next table. Suzanne was so worried about this dance, but I think this style really suits her style really well. Tony did a great job with the choreography. Her heel caught in her dress, and Tony had to help her, and then she definitely forgot some of the dance toward the end. She was looking at him and moving her arms completely wrong. Credit to her though, she was able to keep going and end the dance.
Score: 28

Robert & Kym - Quickstep
Mary Poppins
I can totally see him as Dick Van Dyke. And look at Kym as a blonde Mary Poppins flying through the air! How did I know they would come complete with a crew of chimney sweeps? He looks like he's having so much fun! "Steppin' Time" is the perfect song for a Quickstep don't you think? I think he nailed it performance-wise, but he did have quite a few wrong steps "out of time" instead of "in time". I think it could have even been a little more "quick", but it was a fun dance.
Score: 24

Patti & Artem - Waltz
When You Wish Upon A Star
I loved the beginning with the cool lights on her dress, and then it magically got pulled off of her. And that's about where it ended for me. I've never cared for this song. She lucked out though, this song couldn't be any slower. It was perfect for her to move as slow as humanly possible. She had elegance and grace, but it was about as safe as you can get.
Score: 27

Willow & Mark - Foxtrot
Alice in Wonderland
Leave it to Mark to pull out the rabbit costume...from head to toe. The skit in rehearsal where Mark shrank and she grew giant was really funny! I love that they are dancing to the theme from Johnny Depp's Alice in Wonderland. She played her character really well, and she really looks like she could play Alice. Of course her dance steps are all on point. The whole thing was so creative and fun. Another stellar performance, and I'm so glad she's safe this week. She should be after that near-perfect score last week.
Score: 34

Chris & Witney - Quickstep
Hercules
He's quite convincing in that toga and all of his bulging muscles. He was having such a tough time in rehearsals, so Alfonso stopped by. Who can't have fun when Alfonso is around. And then to get injured in the rehearsal earlier in the day...I hope this isn't a disaster. He didn't seem to be favoring his hurt leg at al. He actually looked like he was having fun...which he didn't in rehearsals. It wasn't the fastest Quickstep in history, but he kept up and looked like he was nailing the steps.
Score: 27

Noah & Sharna - Foxtrot
Aladdin
Sharna makes an absolutely perfect Jasmine. He's not as convincing as Aladdin (they kind of overdid it on the spray tan this week). Sharna is such an amazing coach and motivator for him. I love that she told him to "suck it up princess". He's on a floating magic carpet! I can't get over the awful version of this song. This dance showed off some of his limitations. He was kind of walking from step to step and not really gliding smoothly. there's not much he can do about that though. It was a nice dance overall.
Score: 28

Riker & Allison - Paso Doble
Pirates of the Caribbean - Jack Sparrow
OK, so I love his impression of Jack Sparrow. He nails the voice and mannerisms perfectly. I could listen to him talk like that all day! I mean, he uses his hands and talks and leans the way Johnny Depp does...it's uncanny! He came out so strong and masculine, which is what they have been wanting from him. Those tight turns and arm hooks were great. The music was epic and the dance followed suit. He really whipped her in that death spiral. Oh I hope the judges love this as much as I do! He totally nailed the character, and so did she! And a cannon shot at the end for the big finale. That was so much fun! And the crowd goes wild! That should win him some more votes! We needed this tonight. There have been some really low scores tonight, and he just knocked it out of the park. I sure hope this is going to be perfect 10s across the board with all the great comments.
Score: 38 (10s from Carrie Ann and Bruno...come on Len and Julianne!)

Rumer & Val - Samba
Little Mermaid - Ursula
Interesting rehearsal technique...in the water! I love this song from the movie, "Poor Unfortunate Souls". Green skin is not a good look for Val, and she doesn't look so hot with purple skin. BUT it was all totally the character. That was so much fun! I found quite a few times where there wasn't so much dancing going on, but the dancing they did was really good and so entertaining. Very clever choreography, Val.
Score: 39 (Len was the only holdout from the 10 paddle)

Nastia & Derek - Jazz
Frozen
How incredibly cute was this?! She was so cute and playful. While this didn't really look like a Jazz routine, it was so cleverly choreographed to the song. It's like it came right out of a Disney film and came to life. The way they mouthed the words of the characters talking in the song, was mega adorable. I loved that!
Score: 38 (2 10s from Julianne and Bruno)

The Results

In Jeopardy: Suzanne & Tony, Patti & Artem, Chris & Witney
Can I just say "FINALLY"!!!!! I'm sorry, but it's WAY past time for Patti to be in the bottom, and I'm ready for Suzanne to go too, because there are too many others that I like.

Going Home: Suzanne & Tony
Wow! I am shocked that Chris lives to dance another day! He was at the bottom of the leaderboard last week, and I didn't think he stood a chance against those 2 well-known ladies. I really wish it was Patti going. Suzanne actually deserved to stay because she is by far the better dancer. Oh well. I'm glad Chris gets one more week.

Week 5 Judges' Leaderboard

Rumer & Val - 39
Nastia & Derek - 38
Riker & Allison - 38
Willow & Mark - 34
Noah & Sharna - 28
Chris & Witney - 27
Patti & Artem - 27
Robert & Kym - 24

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American Idol, Ep. 14.24

Top 7: Billboard Hot 100
Guest Mentors: Florida Georgia Line (yuck), and Jason Derulo

Jax - "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga
She did a Lady Gaga song in one of the early rounds, and this is not a huge surprise for her to pick this. It will be interesting to see what she does with it. She really changed up the accompaniment. It was kind of a slowed down, jazzy version. I actually kind of liked it. OK, Joey, take notice: if you're going to do jazz this is how it should sound!
My Score: A

Nick - "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry
Very interesting choice. I like the rock edge he brought to the song. There were a couple places where something just didn't sound quite right, but he really rocked it out. I think practicing in the mirror helped him. Overall, a pretty good performance. That one might gain him a few fans.
My Score: B+

Quentin - "Latch" by Disclosure feat. Sam Smith
I've never been a fan of this song. He sadly sang it very close to the original. If he would have done something different with it, it might have been better. His vocals were really good, but it was really kind of on the boring side...even though it was a bit more upbeat than what he normally does.
My Score: B

Joey - "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus
Thank you Jason Derulo for calling her out on her annoying habits...the crab hands! So, she's going to attempt "Wrecking Ball" and NOT change the arrangement. Hopefully this will make her flaws stand out even more. So, who styled that mop on top of her head tonight? What a frizzy, purple mess! Is she going for the Sia look? Admittedly, parts of this weren't not awful. But if you listen...if you actually listen to the notes she's singing...there was more than one bum note and more than one too many scratchy notes that she just couldn't hit. So, all of that said, the modern song, sung much like the original was a much better way to go than the past 3 weeks or so. It was better, but by no means was this good.
My Score: C+

Clark - "Make It Rain" by Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran--great choice! OK, how incredibly hot does he look right now?! Oh man, those lights, those eyes, that guitar...perfection! Vocals beyond perfection. He just can do no wrong. Interesting choice to bring out the electric guitar on this one. We haven't seen that from him yet. What can't he do, seriously?! Qaasim should take note of Clark's "stank face"...Qaasim's could use some work. Oh man, there are no more words to describe how good that was. LOVE HIM!!!
My Score: A+

Tyanna - "Stay" by Rihanna
I think this going to be a really good performance for Tyanna. This style is where she really shines. Her vocals were really on point. I don't think we've ever heard her so haunting. She was really into the song, and she was actually quivering in places because of her emotions. She said in the video package that she had an emotional connection to the song. The ending of the song was really pretty. This was a big week for her, and I think she's found herself again. I was kind of ready to write her off in this competition. Looks like she's back.
My Score: A

Bottom 2: Rayvon and Qaasim
OK, so my pick to go home this week was Qaasim. I decided to go against the other 3 people in our bracket, who all chose Rayvon as going home. Either I'm going to be the only one right, or I'm going to be the only one wrong and lose out big time. I was hoping it wouldn't come down to the 2 of them, because I think Qaasim, depending on his performance could get a lot of quick Twitter votes if he has a good, upbeat performance..and he's performing second. If anyone can beat Rayvon, I think it's going to be Qaasim. So for the sake of my bracket, I have to hope Rayvon kills it and Qaasim falls flat.

Rayvon - "Set Fire To The Rain" by Adele
This is going to be interesting. He seems to really be straining. I don't love the arrangement. It feels very awkward. He did hit a very big note that was right on. I have to hope that that's enough to get the votes. I don't know.
My Score: B

Qaasim - "Hey Ya" by Outkast
This is the classic Qaasim that got him to where he is right now. And there's that accompanying "stank face" that I wish he would lose. So, his vocals actually sound pretty good. I thought with how upbeat and crazy this song is that he might get out of control. He had just the right amount of crazy and the right amount of good vocals. I'm afraid...I'm very afraid I'm about to lose some major points in my bracket. However, his sort of cocky attitude he is displaying right now may be his downfall.
My Score: A-

OK people, time to #SaveRayvon on Twitter! Help me out!

And the voters save: Rayvon! Even though I actually think his vocals were better than Rayvon's.

Going Home: Qaasim

So, going with my gut and not following the crowd paid off! I jumped into first place by 4 points!

Next Week Predictions

Should Be Bottom 2: Joey, Rayvon
Should Go Home: Joey

Will Be Bottom 2: Quentin, Rayvon
Should Go Home: Rayvon

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Survivor, Ep. 30.8

Merica Camp - After Tribal
I can't believe I actually have to type that crazy tribe name. Blue Collars were stunned and could do nothing but congratulate Jenn on a great move.

Rodney thinks that Mike turned on them and voted for Hali. Will said it was him and he did what he was told. Rodney said Mike thinks he's running things, so once Joe, Hali, Jenn, and Shirin go, they will run things.

Merica Camp
Rodney is learning to control his anger. Like when Joe and his "stooges" try to run everything like controlling the food.

Reward Challenge
Reward: a pizza picnic and ziplining
Challenge: walk on balance beams to collect bags and take them to the other end. First 3 to collect 3 bags move on to Round 2. Then first to finish the puzzle wins.

Mike falls hard! Shirin falls and has to start over. Joe is flying! Meanwhile, Shirin is dangling on the beam like she is doing a gymnastics routine. She is the only who doesn't have 2 bags. Carolyn is also struggling.

3 moving on: Joe, Mike, Hali

I'm actually rooting against Joe on this one...you don't want to win a reward, then have to pick someone to go with you, and then be separated from the rest of the group. Yes, the food is good, but winning has a lot of negatives as well.

It looks like it's between Joe and Hali, while Mike is getting frustrated and falling out of it quickly. Hali and Joe had some wrong pieces, and Mike is catching up.

And it's Joe for the *bittersweet* win. This was one he didn't have to win...I'm worried that when the immunity challenge comes he won't get the win when he needs it.

He makes some excellent choices to join him: Tyler, Will, Carolyn, and Shirin
Rodney said he would love to go, but "graciously" took his name out of the running. Shirin yells "super fan" and Dan said "super fan". Joe picked Shirin because of how absolutely excited she was to be there for this once in a lifetime opportunity. She was stoked.

Mike said Joe winning was devastating because there will most likely be a clue to the hidden immunity idol. Doh! I wasn't even thinking about that! OK, kind of glad that Joe won now!

Reward
They had so much fun on that zipline!

Oh yes! Joe said he wanted more soda, Carolyn said she didn't want more so she gave the bottle to Joe. He saw inside there was a clue and he so carefully chugged the drink and slyly pulled out the clue. Tyler looks at him and said I'll have some of that...he clearly saw him. Tyler said he could have outed him right then and there, but chose to keep quiet.

Merica Camp

The Voice, Ep. 8.14

Live Playoff Results

So, primetime TV was jam-packed tonight at 8:00 -- Survivor, American Idol, and The Voice. Unfortunately, I can only watch/record 2 things at a time, and The Voice results came out on the short end of the stick. So, based on following the live tweets from @NBCTheVoice, here are the results. Sorry if any are incorrect...I did my best to decipher the results amongst all the #hashtags and @ names. So, without further ado, the Top 12:

Team Adam

Voted Through: Joshua and Deanna

Saved by Adam: Brian

Going Home: Nathan and Tonya

My reaction: Love all 3, and these are absolutely the 3 who should have moved on. Definitely the 3 strongest on Team Adam.

Team Blake

Voted Through: Corey and Meghan

Saved by Blake: Hannah

Going Home: Brooke and Sarah

My reaction: Corey was a no-brainer. I'm a little surprised Meghan made it in with votes. I expected Blake to save her if she didn't make it through by votes. I am surprised he saved Hannah over Sarah, but yet, I guess I'm not surprised because he has not hidden the fact that he loves what Hannah does. I am sad to see Brooke go, and I would absolutely switch her with Meghan.

Team Christina

Voted Through: Kimberly and India

Saved by Christina: Rob

Going Home: Lexi and Sonic

My reaction: No, no, no! India doesn't surprise me, and she deserves to be there. Lexi? Why not Lexi?! She was amazing last night! I am absolutely shocked that Sonic didn't get voted in, first of all, and that Christina didn't save her. She seemed like a shoo-in. Her performances are always so big and dynamic. She might be the biggest surprise not to make it to the Top 12. And Rob? I'm not entirely surprised that he made it, but I am surprised he made it over Lexi and Sonic.

Team Pharrell

Voted Through: Sawyer and Mia Z

Saved by Pharrell: Koryn

Going Home: Lowell and Caitlin

My reaction: Pharrell's team was loaded, so we knew we were going to have to lose some good ones here. Sawyer was a no-brainer. Mia Z has been a firecracker, so I'm not shocked that she made it through by votes. I'm on the fence with Koryn. I like Caitlin so much more, and I really wish she would have made it through! I think she had one of the best voices in the competition. So, I would have swapped Caitlin and Koryn. Lowell blew me away last night, but I think voters didn't connect with his crooner style, so I think they might have been worried that he would revert back to that. OK, they might not have been thinking that, but that's what I was thinking. I was thinking that if he would sing like this all the time, I would love him, but the problem is, that's not his normal style, so it is likely he was going to go back to singing Frank Sinatra.

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The Voice, Ep. 8.13

The Live Playoffs, Part 2

Team Adam and Team Christina

I'm expecting for tonight's episode to be not as good as last night's. Adam's and Christina's teams are both weaker than Pharrell's and Blake's.

Tonya Boyd-Cannon - Team Adam
"Take Me To The Pilot" by Elton John
I just don't get excited by anything she does. I've never even heard this song before. The song unfamiliarity didn't help, but I'm just not into her style at all.
My Score: B-

Joshua Davis - Team Adam
"Budapest" by George Ezra
Yes Adam! This is such a good song, that I'm loving right now. He did a slightly different version, but it was still really good. Got my toes a tappin' just like the original. Adam was smart to give him something that is current to make him more relatable.
My Score: A

Sonic - Team Christina
"I'm Going Down" by Mary J. Blige
There's no denying she is an incredible singer, but I just can't get into her style. She sang every note really well, just not my cup o' tea.
My Score: B

Brian Johnson - Team Adam
"At This Moment" by Billy Vera & The Beaters
Wow, Adam really pulled this one out of the woodwork. It may have been released before I was born, but I do know this song...just didn't know who sang it...Billy Vera & The Beaters? Who? Any way, Brian did an awesome job. He hasn't had a bad performance in this whole competition, and yet I'm always surprised by how much I like him. Flawless performance.
My Score: A

Kimberly Nichole - Team Christina
"What's Up" by 4 Non Blondes
What an interesting song choice for her. This is probably the best song choice she's had in the competition. Normally I can't stand her singing, but I actually kind of liked this. As much as it pains me to say it. I still can't handle those stupid tutus she always wears.
My Score: B+

Lexi Davila - Team Christina
"All By Myself" by Celine Dion
She really has such a beautiful voice! I actually hear a lot of similarities to Christina in her voice. She really nailed this performance. Really powerful for such a young girl. I totally got goosebumps (or goosies like J. Lo says) when she hit that extremely high climactic note at the end. That was incredible.
My Score: A

Nathan Hermida - Team Adam
"Chains" by Nick Jonas
Another great song pick from Adam--another one of my favorite songs right now. Was it just me or was he totally off at the beginning. The notes didn't sound right to me. I'm not sure I loved his choice to get really gritty and rough at the end. Then he let me down with the big note right at the climax. He forced it, and it didn't hit strong, it kind of screetched a little bit. Overall it was a pretty good performance, but it also had some problems.
My Score: B

India Carney - Team Christina
"Hurt" by Christina Aguilera
I wish she wouldn't turn every song into an opera. If she could tone down the vibrato, I would really like her. She did a little better with that on this song than some of her other performances. She really belted this out with tons of power. At times, it was just too much, and I heard some pitchy notes.
My Score: B+

Rob Taylor - Team Christina
"Earned It" by The Weekend
Never heard this song before, and I don't care for it at all. He's clearly sticking to what he does best: high falsettos, so high that only dogs can hear. Vocally this was great, but the song was not.
My Score: B

Deanna Johnson - Team Adam
"Down To The River"
Another gospel song! I think she is going to sound amazing on this song. It was so beautiful! What a performance to end the night on.
My Score: A

So that concludes the Top 20 first round of the Live Playoffs. Tomorrow the voting results will reveal the Top 12. 2 singers from each team will advance based on the public vote. Each coach will then save 1 member of their team.

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The Voice, Ep. 8.12: The Live Playoffs

The Live Playoffs Begin!

I have to admit, as good as the season started, I'm less than excited for this round of the competition. There's really only a couple singers out of the 20 who are left who I have any interest in seeing. That's kind of pathetic don't you think? But, I'll try to be optimistic, and who knows, being live might light a fire under some of these middle-of-the-road, predictable singers, and maybe they will surprise us with some epic performances.

Tonight we have Team Pharrell and Team Blake, and tomorrow night will be Team Adam and Team Christina.

Sarah Potenza - Team Blake
"Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
I love how quiet she started the song. It was really beautiful and heartfelt. I would love to see more of that from her. It was a nice, slow build to that powerful ending. There was such a contrast from the beginning to the end of the song. I didn't care for the arrangement of the end of the song, except when she ended it the same way the song started. Probably one of her best performances.
My Score: B+

Caitlin Caporale - Team Pharrell
"Best Thing I Never Had" by Beyonce
She's probably my favorite girl in the competition right now. Her voice is so strong and so clean. She doesn't oversing, and she picks really good songs. I love everything she does. She's also a very good performer and you really believe what she's singing. This was so good. I would have given it an A+, but there was just a couple notes at the end that were a little off, but overall, still a great performance.
My Score: A

Hannah Kirby - Team Blake
"I Feel The Earth Move" by Carole King
I've kind of been on the fence with whether or not I like her voice. She's had a couple good performances, but I didn't really care for last week's, and this weeks wasn't great either, partly because of the song choice. But also, partly just the way she really over sings songs that don't really need to be sung so...I don't even know what word to use to describe the way she sings. By the end, I'm exhausted and ready for the song to be over.
My Score: B

Lowell Oakley - Team Pharrell
"Jealous" by Nick Jonas
Thank you, Pharrell, for choosing a big pop song that is popular right now, instead of the crooner junk he normally sings. This is a great song choice for him. He seriously has never sounded better! This is what he needs to be singing! I knew he had it in him, he just couldn't pick the right songs. I'm so glad the coaches are picking this songs, because this was awesome. He totally nailed all the falsettos in this song. I might even like this better than Nick Jonas's version!
My Score: A+

Mia Z. - Team Pharrell
"Ain't No Sunshine" by Eva Cassidy
This may be an old song, but it's an old song that I actually like. I wasn't totally loving this particular arrangement in certain places. Her vocals were great, but I didn't care for some of the accompanying music. I would have loved for it to just be completely a cappella. I think that would have been so moving.
My Score: A-

Koryn Hawthorne - Team Pharrell

Dancing With The Stars, Ep. 20.4

Week 4: Most Memorable Year (aka "Make Sure You Have Your Kleenex Handy")

Nastia & Derek - Argentine Tango
2008: Bei Jing Olympics; she is dedicating the dance to her parents and is dancing to the song she performed to; "Dark Eyes"

She has gorgeous lines, which is no surprise with her being a gymnast. The lifts were so incredible...like nothing you've ever seen in an Argentine Tango! My word, Derek Hough! How does he continue to top himself after so many years? It had the drama, it had those famous leg hooks, it had everything.
Score: 36 (10 from Bruno!!! 1st 10 of the season!)

Michael & Peta - Rumba
2014: The year he came out as gay, and in doing so he lost his relationship with his dad, who said he was ashamed of him (whom he had recently reconnected with); "I'm Not My Father's Son"

He had some nice lines, but he seemed to do a lot of walking from move to move and not really dancing. I don't know...I just wasn't really feeling this dance. He was so emotional afterward, but I don't know if I saw as much emotion in the dance that I thought I would.
Score: 30

Riker & Allison - Tango
2014-The year his band started to take off (his band is comprised of his siblings); "Shut Up and Dance"

I love this song, it's one of my favorites right now! That is some look with all that red in their costumes. I love that Allison is keeping his hair under control. This dance was fast moving, but still had a lot of intensity. This song is quite a bit more upbeat than most songs used for the Tango, so it was pretty refreshing (I love that Bruno referenced this fact as well, and he was impressed tha the was able to turn it into a proper Tango). I loved it again as usual. He is just awesome.
Score: 34

Robert & Kym - Waltz
2006-The year his mom died of ovarian cancer; "The Last Waltz"

Oh man, such an emotional video package of how much his mother meant to him, and how they used to watch the show together. The only thing to ruin this performance was the awful song (sorry to his mom...this was her favorite song). Nothing overly impressive with this dance, but it was sweet and nice, and he did a good job.
Score: 34

Chris & Witney - Rumba

American Idol, Ep. 14.23

Top 8: Kelly Clarkson Week

New twist this week. We find out who the bottom 2 is. Both will sing, and America will take to Twitter to vote to save their favorite. Only 1 tweet per account will be counted. One person will be saved based on the last minute voting. This is kind of nice for the singers. If they find themselves in the bottom, they get one more chance to have a good performance to save themselves.

I love Kelly, and I love her advice and critiques. Just goes to show how valuable and skilled the former Idols are. They should just have former contestants always be the mentors and judges...seriously.

Nick Fradiani – “Catch My Breath”
Oh Nick...I wanted to love this. The notes at the beginning were so off. It was pretty painful actually. Once he got to the chorus it got a little better, but not much. I don't know what happened to him! He usually doesn't have pitch problems. Kelly is right, this is a very hard song to do. I don't think this was the right one for him to sing, even though he has performed a cover of it with his band. At least he finished strong. Unfortunately, singing in the frist slot, he will be easily forgettable.
My Score: B-

Jax – “Beautiful Disaster”

Survivor, Ep. 30.7

Escameca Camp - After Tribal
Rodney sits by the fire and pouted. Tyler felt bamboozled after coming out on the wrong side of the vote. Mike tries to smooth things over with Rodney. He tried to make him see their side. He said Joaquin was just reeling him in. Rodney said he was working a fake alliance but he was really with blues all the way. Rodney said he would never get trapped in a bromance. Mike said he fell for Rodney's acting because they all thought he was with Joaquin all the way. Rodney thinks what they did was disgusting.

Nagarote Camp
They get treemail that hints at a merge. Carolyn says they should take out the blue collars one by one. They asked Kelly if she had any alliance with them and she said no, not even with Mike. Mmmhmm...let's just see.

MERGE!
The 2 tribes come together, but are confused when they don't see Jeff anywhere. They find a trunk of food and their new purple and black buffs. Will anyone be looking for an idol clue?

Nagarote asked what happened with Joaquin. Carolyn picks up on the fact that power couples are being split up. She knows her alliance with Tyler will not be expected, and she must keep it under wraps.

Next, they head to their "new" camp...and there is nothing left at Excameca! They're stuffed with food, and now they have to rebuild a camp. What an interesting twist! Mike takes over and begins shouting orders.

Mike and Kelly immediately go off to work and talk. She is fully committed to Mike and the blue collars. Mike thinks the 5 of them are strong and only need to pull in 2 more people,

Jenn tells Hali that they don't have Kelly because she saw her with Mike. Hali thinks they can put up with Shirin, so they should try to get all the white collars on their side. Joe is excited to see his fellow no collars.

Rodney talks to Will in hopes of building his own army to take out his former blue collars for what they did to him. He does some fast talking about siding with blue and then dissecting them one by one. Gotta hand it to him, it didn't take him long to figure out a strategy. Problem is, I don't think anyone is truthful in actually going along with this plan. He's going for a very odd final 4 of him, Will, Carolyn and Kelly. Kelly? Doesn't he know that Mike has already claimed her? Apparently going for 2 people he doesn't know (and don't know him) is his plan...because obviously people who know him don't really want anything to do with him right now. If he was really thinking this through clearly, he would be aware that by approaching that many different people from different original alliances, he is runing the risk of them going and telling others what he is planning.

2nd sting of the season: Dan gets stung by a jellyfish (so he says; could have also been a sting ray like Max). Dr. (lifeguard) Jenn to the rescue again! Jenn told him he must put it in boiling water right away, and if he doesn't, she's going to come do it for him. He didn't really think he needed to do that. He said he peed on it, and Jenn said that won't really help (apparently that only works for certain kinds of stings). Shirin looked a little disappointed that she didn't get to pee on it for him. He eventually pours some hot water on it. Quick...if he tries to stick his foot in the water pan...check him for plantar warts!

Merica