Rising Star, Ep. 1.10 Finale

Tonight we crown the winner of the very first Rising Star!!! Who's it going to be? I know who I want it to be. Go Jesse!!!!! Get your apps ready, and make sure to vote Yes for Jesse!!

The singers were seeded according to their overall scores this season. Here are the matchups: Dana vs. Jesse and Austin vs. Audrey Kate (saved by the West Coast). Why bother...let's just have Austin and Jesse fight it out. We know it's going to come down to the 2 boys, don't we?

Dana vs. Jesse
Do we even need to have them sing? This is not even going to be close.

Dana
Basically I have to vote No because she's going against Jesse. Beyond that, I HATE the song "At Last", so that's reason #2 to vote No. Her voice just cracked slightly...reason #3. I see I'm not the only one holding out for Jesse. The song is almost done, and she's only at 20%. I think besides the small crack, she sounded OK, but the song was just too slow and boring, and no one wanted her to beat Jesse.
Score: 30%

On his worst day...30% is way beyond easy. There is NO WAY, and I mean NO WAY he's not beating that pitiful score!

Jesse
The question is...how many seconds will it take for him to blow past 30? And it's about 15 seconds. Ha! Classic Jesse! Perfect song choice and he killed it. Nothing more to say...the guy's a rockstar!
Score: 87%

Woohoo! And it's Jesse for the EASY win! He will now take on the winner of Austin vs. Audrey Kate.

Austin vs. Audrey Kate
Again, do they even need to sing? Austin is going to blow away Audrey Kate. The only thing going against him is that he is singing first and people might not be as willing to vote Yes.

Austin
Love this song! Great song choice! Not many people can sing Gavin DeGraw and do it justice. He killed this! This was such an energetic version of the song. I like that it sounded like Austin, and not just a copy of the original.
Score: 70%

Audrey Kate
Another poor song choice. That's what's going to prevent you from moving on...we see it all the time. If people can't relate to the song or if it doesn't suit you, they're not going to vote for you. I didn't know this song, and she didn't really do anything to make me want to like it. It was very cabaret. I think she sang it pretty well, but it just wasn't doing it for me.
Score: 49%

Well...who didn't see that one coming? I said it before any of them sang that it was going to come down to Jesse vs. Austin. The guys know what they're doing, they know who they are as artists, and they know what songs to sing when it counts to truly connect and show off what they can do.

The Final Round: Jesse vs. Austin
This time, there is no wall, and we won't see the % bar while they are singing! So scary! They flip a coin, and Austin wins the toss. He chooses to perform 2nd...smart choice. Very smart choice.

This is obviously the best matchup for the finale. These 2 have consistently had the highest scores all season long. Should be good!

Jesse
Eek I almost missed the check-in! Whew! Don't even need to hear him sing, he's the one I want to win, so he's got my vote. But...what is this song? He's got me a little scared, he's doing something strange with his voice that we've never heard before. Gotta say it was a little wonky. Thank goodness he got back to sounding like "Jesse". The only things that could hurt him now are: (1) He's singing first and (2) He picked a song that I don't think that many people will know (I didn't know it). I think closing the show that would be enough to win, but with Austin following him...now I'm not so sure. Yikes!

Austin
This song has been done way too many times. It is a crowd favorite, so it's got that going for it. It's a slow building song, so it might not get the votes quick enough, we'll just have to wait and see. Of course, he sang it beautifully. It's now a matter of taste...do you like the hard-core rocker or the pop/country singer/songwriter? He didn't end on a big note, and the song didn't really go anywhere, so I'm not sure that that will be enough.

I kind of feel like they both picked the wrong songs...which is totally unlike both of them! They should have ended on their first songs because they were much stronger. I think both of them could have done better. Out of this whole season, both of these performances are my least favorite. That's disappointing. Still hoping for a Jesse win though! It's going to be close. The only person to beat Jesse all season (if I'm not mistaken) was Austin, so anything can happen. If Jesse doesn't win, the only reason will be song choice, it's as simple as that.

AND THE WINNER IS....JESSE KINCH!!!!!
The scores were Jesse 76% and Austin 61%

As you can see these scores were much lower than what their other weekly scores were. Song choice people!

I'm so excited for Jesse! But, truth-be-told, I would not have minded Austin winning. He was very deserving. I just felt like Jesse just has something special, and he doesn't sound like anyone else. I'm excited to see where his career will take him.

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Rising Star, Ep. 1.9

This is the Semi Finals
The judges votes will only count for 1% this week. The top 3 are moving on to the Finals, while 1 of the eliminated singers tonight will again be saved by the West Coast.

Austin
I love this song, and I think he's going to do pretty well with it. He's starting off really strong, and totally nailing all of the tricky notes. He definitely is capturing the energy needed for this song. Totally loving this performance. His vocal runs are sounding so good tonight. This was a risky song choice for a lot of people, but for him it is totally paying off. LOVED IT!
-All the judges voted yes.
-Score: 81%

Maneepat
Maneepat is the singer who was saved by the West Coast from last week. She picked an EXTREMELY hard song this week. She wasn't great last week, so the chances of her nailing this are not good. She's starting off pretty good...but she isn't to the hard part yet. And there it is...some not so good notes. She did kind of hit the high note of the "chandelier"...but I'm not feeling it. She slowed the song down I think just so she had time to work herself up to the high notes. That's OK, but it totally took away from the song, and you could tell that she was really thinking and trying to get those notes. It just wasn't great.
-Ludacris voted no, but Kesha and Brad voted yes
-Score: 27%

Jesse
Let's show 'em how it's done Jesse! Let's hit the 90% mark! And he's doing "Billie Jean"...this is going to be AWESOME!!! I love his song choices and I love the way he sounds on every song he picks. He is the total package! They were definitely right about him sounding different with this song. He's taking a much quieter approach. I hope people still connect with him the way they have in the past and vote yes! There's the Jesse we've come to love. That grit...just love it! He puts his heart and soul into every performance, and it is just so amazing every time! I think that might be his lowest score yet, but 83% is still pretty darn good.
-all 3 judges voted yes
-Score: 83%

Dana
Absolutely hate what she did to this great Maroon 5 song. Vocally she sounded great, but I hate this slow, cabaret/lounge style singing. Yuck! Not my style at all. Not surprised that she greatly surpassed the very low score of 27% to knock Maneepat out.
-all 3 judges voted yes
-Score: 75%

Audrey Kate
I love this song, and I think it's a good choice for her...right in her wheelhouse. I really like what she did with this song. This is a song you don't hear anyone do on singing reality shows, so it was cool to see this oldie but a goodie come back. She did it great justice, and may have even sounded better than the original. I'm really hoping she can surpass the 75% to knock out Dana. It wasn't quite enough...hoping that the West Coast will save her. She just ran out of time...the bar was raising slowly, just not fast enough.
-all 3 judges voted yes
-Score: 69%

Joshua 
I wish he would have stuck with his original song choice of "Love Me Again" by John Newman. I love that song. But no...Brad had to talk him into doing a country song. And not a song choice that I really like either. I would be shocked if he doesn't pass Dana at 75% to make it an all-guy top 3. This song has been done so many times. Boring! If you're not going to change it up, you just sound like every other country singer out there. No originality. It doesn't matter how good you sing it if it sounds like it's been done 1000 times before. Wow...he didn't quite get there. Apparently there are some other people who thing the same way as I do!
-Ludacris voted no, but Kesha and Brad voted yes.
-Score: 72%

Results:
1. Jesse - 83%
2. Austin - 81%
3. Dana - 75%
4. Joshua - 72%
5. Audrey Kate - 69%
6. Maneepat - 27%

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Rising Star, Ep. 1.8

The Top 8 perform, and 2 will go home. Expert votes are only worth 3%.

Joshua
It was a decent performance, but it didn't blow me away. As usual...he's always good, but not memorable at all.
All of the judges voted Yes.
Score: 71%

Dana 
I really wanted to like this, but her pitch was WAY off! She was really flat. She sounded really nervous. I don't remember her being this shouty before.This song should have been a good choice for her, but she did not have a good night. Ludacris voted no.
Score: 57%

April
She looks great tonight, but she doesn't sound so great. Her quirkiness is wearing thin. It's just not cute any more. I wanted to like this, but it was kind of painful to listen to. The song is supposed to be upbeat and fun, and she kind of made it a little darker, which didn't seem to work.
Brad and Ludacris said no.
Score: 27%

Maneepat
I don't know what everyone's problem is tonight, but they are sounding like this is their first auditions. The song choice was not right and it just wasn't good. Her voice was kind of wavering on the long notes she was trying to hold. The end was better than the beginning, but overall, I wasn't impressed.
Brad and Ludacris said no.
Score: 46%

Audrey Kate
Another awful song choice! Horrible, horrible song! She sang it OK, but because I didn't like the song, I didn't care for her performance.
All 3 experts said yes.
Score: 85%

Austin
Finally a great song choice! This was amazing! I loved the a capella at the beginning! Once the music kicked in, it was even better! His pitch was spot-on. Great, great performance and best of the night, by far! It didn't take long for the wall to raise to get past April's 27%. The bar just kept going up and up and up.
All 3 experts said yes.
Score: 89%

Shameia
I really wanted to vote no, but somehow my check-in swipe didn't take. I didn't care for this performance at all. She shouldn't have made it through last week, but the West Coast saved her. Hopefully, she won't hit the 47% she needs to drop the wall. She picked a great song, but it wasn't right for her. Dang it...she just got enough to stick around. Boo! The good news is that she didn't get a great score, and is now in the hot seat. There is no way that Jesse doesn't get a score over 54%.
All 3 judges said yes.
Score: 54%

Jesse
I voted yes before he even started singing because, yes, he is just that awesome. I have so much faith that he's going to kill it every single time he takes the stage. This was no exception. He barely sang anything and his number was at 30%. Shameia better be worried, because in less than 5 seconds that wall is going up and she is going home! And there it is! How high can he go this time? He might just break all records...there is NO STOPPING this kid! He is just truly awesome!!! Best of the night again! I'm surprised the bar stopped at 88%. Austin actually beat him tonight! He's been beaten for the first time, I'm shocked! Oh well...he's in safely!
Brad voted no!!! What?! He could not have done any better than that!
Score: 88%

The Results
Austin - 89%
Jesse - 88%
Audrey Kate - 85%
Joshua - 71%
Dana - 57%
Shameia - 54%
Maneepat - 46%
April - 27%

Shameia, Maneepat, and April are out...for now. The West Coast will vote to save 1 of them, and bring them back next week.

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Rising Star, Ep. 1.7

The final 13 compete, and only 8 will advance. The top 7 will automatically advance. The west coast will get to save 1 person out of the bottom to make the top 8 for next week.

Macy Kate
I wish she would have started out a little more softly. She started out so hard and with a lot of grit. Her first verse was softer and I think that's how she should have started and then ended with the big, powerful grit. I think the second half was better than the first half. Something just seemed a little bit off. It was OK, but not great. I voted Yes, just because I think she has potential, and it was a decent performance.
-all 3 judges voted Yes
-score: 60%

Shameia
I love this song, and I think it's perfect for her. So much better than her song last week. For song choice alone, and how well it suited her voice, I voted Yes right away. She commanded the stage and she maintained control throughout. She had a couple notes that were a little off, but I enjoyed her performance.
-all 3 judges voted Yes
-score: 76%

Joshua
He did a really nice job on this ballad. He sang with a lot of emotion, and his notes were all on-pitch. Very nice performance.
-all 3 judges voted Yes
-score: 85%

April
This is an interesting song choice for her. I kind of like the things she did to change the song. Her voice is so undeniably good. I love the character in her voice. She doesn't sound like anyone else, which makes her really special.
-all 3 judges voted Yes
-score: 71%

Maneepat
Beautiful song choice, and she sang it so beautifully. I'm not always a fan of this song, but I love the way she sang it. I voted Yes right away, because I could tell it was going to be a really good performance. I loved her long notes. She showed a lot of control.
-Ludacris voted No, but Brad and Kesha voted Yes
-score: 68%

Dana
I don't know this song. I'm not sure it's a good idea to sing a song that not everyone is going to know. So far, I'm not overly impressed. The performance is OK, but it's really dragging and not really going anywhere. I think she's going to run out of time for people to really get excited and want to vote Yes. Her voice cracked at the end, so she didn't really end on a positive note.
-all 3 judges voted Yes
-score: 60%

Alice
This is a great song, but she might have too "nice" of a voice for this song. The original is sung with so much pain. She is singing it more from a happy place, so it has a different feel. I still kind of like it though. Some of her low notes were a little off, but she ended it really well. She added a little bit of grit to it, and it matched more of the feel of the original. Unfortunately, not many other people enjoyed it.
-Kesha was the only judge to vote Yes
-score: 40%

Jesse
Time for my favorite! I absolutely love him! This is a great song for him. His voice is absolutely incredible. It looks like America agrees...another huge score for him tonight! I was really bummed because apparently my swipe to check in didn't take and I missed the check in so I couldn't vote. I'm glad everyone else voted Yes!
-all 3 judges voted Yes
-score: 88%

Megan
I don't care for her song choice. Another song would have been so much better for her. It was too low for her. I wasn't impressed. I don't think this is going to inspire people to vote Yes.
-Ludacris voted No, Kesha and Brad both voted Yes
-score: 32%

Lisa
This was a really good song choice for her. She got a little excited and her high notes wavered a little bit. I like the way she added a reggae feel to the song.  I thought she would be a shoo-in, but now I'm not so sure. The end of the song just wasn't strong enough.
-all 3 judges voted Yes
-score: 59%

Audrey Kate
I absolutely love this song, and it is the PERFECT song choice for her voice. She absolutely nailed it! One of my favorites of the night! She has such a unique sound. I would absolutely buy her music...it's mesmerizing. She has her own unique sound, and it is so cool! Keep that blue bar raising up!
-all 3 judges voted Yes
-score: 65%

Austin
I really hate this song. Another song would have been so much better. He sang it fine, but it was not my favorite performance at all. I think so many people voted for him because of him just getting married.
-all 3 judges voted Yes
-score: 86%

Sonnet
I'm not loving this song choice. I like Audrey Kate so much better, so I'm hoping she doesn't get more than 65%. She hit some very awkward notes, and it was kind of painful. I didn't like some of her fluctuations between the high and low notes. The song wasn't familiar, so that didn't help her either.
-all 3 judges said No
-score: 30%


The Results

• At 40%, Alice is the first one out.
• Megan's 32% was not high enough to make it out of the danger zone of 60%, so she is out.
• Lisa's 59% was so close to the 61% she needed to make it through, but it wasn't close enough to overtake Macy Kate.
• Audrey Kate's last minute surge got her to 65%, that passed up the other Kate...Macy Kate. When voting closed, it looked like she was stuck at 59%, and then suddenly, and with Ludacris's Yes vote, she got up to 65%. I'm sad to see Macy go.
• Austin's very high score of 86% pushed Dana out.

The Standings (as of the East Coast Viewing):
1. Jesse - 88%
2. Austin - 86%
3. Joshua - 85%
4. Shameia - 76%
5. April - 71%
6. Maneepat - 68%
7. Audrey Kate - 65%
8. Dana - 60%
9. Macy Kate - 60%
10. Lisa - 59%
11. Alice - 40%
12. Megan - 32%
13. Sonnet - 30%

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Rising Star, Ep. 1.6

The Duels continue...

Morgan vs. Maneepat

Morgan
I didn't like the part of the song that she started with...it sounded like she was starting in the middle of the song. I think she sounded really flat. I think another song would have been better. I didn't really care for this performance at all. It didn't really get better even at the end when she hit some big notes. It was just not a good or enjoyable performance.
-She got a no from Ludacris, but Brad and Kesha voted yes for some reason
-Score was 45%

Maneepat
Right away you can tell she's better than Morgan. I wouldn't say it was perfect, but it was a better performance. She had a really nice, high, long note that she held for forever. It was a really nice performance. Another song might have been even better.
-She got yeses from Ludacris and Kesha, but Brad said no
-Score was 66%

Winner: Maneepat

Shameia vs. Unselfish

Shameia
She started out very strong. I didn't care for the song choice, but she sang it well. Her voice was very clear and on point. There was a little bit too much vibrato for my taste, but she has the voice for it.
-She got yeses from all 3 judges
-Score was 70%

Unselfish
The first guy did a pretty awful job of channeling the high falsetto of Adam Levine. The harmony that came in did not sound great. The second soloist was a little better. This is obvious that they are not going to pass 70% No way. It is not good at all. Wrong song.
-Nos from Ludacris and Brad, and a yes from Kesha
-Score was 33%

Winner: Shameia

Dana vs. Audrey Kate

Dana
Very interesting song choice, and an interesting one to rearrange and play the guitar with. It kind of worked. I like her voice. She sounds new and fresh. She had great control, and it was beautifully done. It was a little bit on the boring side, and it didn't really go anywhere until the last few notes. The last note was really good.
-She got yeses from Ludacris and Kesha, Brad said no
-Score was 67%

Audrey Kate
I've liked her since her first audition. I love that she started a capella. She was right on pitch, and it was awesome. I love her tone and her quirky voice. Everything was right and perfect with this performance. I hope she can get more than 67%. I'm watching this a week late, so unfortunately, I can't help her with my vote.
-She got yeses from all the judges
-Score was 88%

Winner: Audrey Kate

Karen vs. Joshua

Karen
This started out better than her first performance. However, she hit some really bad and scratchy notes in the middle. It's going downhill very fast. Ouch...this is not good at all. I do not know why the judges are thinking this is good.
-She got yeses from all of the judges (why, why, why?!?)
-Score was 67% (how in the world is this so high?!)

Joshua
He started out with guns blazing. He got my attention right away. He did right to pick a very popular song. It was risky though, because not too many people can do this song and sound anywhere close to as good as the original. I think he pulled it off. I really enjoyed his performance. I want him to win so badly! I sure hope he can pull it off...I wish I could help him with my vote! He is killing it, this is so good!
-He got yeses from Brad and Ludacris and a no from Kesha (only because she didn't want Karen to go home)
-Score was 75%

Winner: Joshua!

One final note...the act with the highest west coast vote will be saved and will compete in the next round, where we're down to the top 13.

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Rising Star, Ep. 1.5

The Duel round continues.

They flip a coin to see who goes first. The public is voting live, and the singer with the most votes wins. The west coast can still vote someone through just like in the auditions.

Gabrielle vs. Macy

Gabrielle
She started out on like Volume 12 and just kept going up from there. I thought she was way over the top. Vocally it was decent, but I think her attitude is out of control and she thinks she's better than she really is. I think the attitude that she showed after her original audition turned people off because they did not vote for her. The judges' scores put her much higher than the public vote.
-She got yeses from all 3 judges
-Score was 49%

Macy
I really like Macy. I like that she tackled this big and difficult song, and played the piano. She shouldn't have to do much to score higher than 49%. I think she killed it! It's climbing and it's climbing, and there goes the wall!
-She got yeses from Ludacris and Kesha, but Brad said no (is he crazy?)
-Score was 80%

Winner: Macy

Sonnet vs. April

Sonnet
She started out really strong. I like her different interpretation of the song, but I didn't care for some of the high note choices. I don't think she nailed all of the high notes she attempted. Parts of it were really good, parts of it were just OK. I'm kind of on the fence. The high notes just didn't do it for me. I'm shocked her % was as high as it was.
-She got yeses from all 3 judges
-Score was 73%

April
Her voice is so unique, and this is an interesting song choice...but one that actually suits her pretty well. I wish she was playing the guitar like in her audition. Some of her low notes aren't quite there. I think she did a good job, but I think she could have brought a little more fun energy at the beginning. It took her too long to get into it. That was a very close battle, and she got it just right at the end.
-She got yeses from all 3 judges
-Score was 76%

Winner: April

Austin vs. Adam

Austin
I love this song, and it's perfect for him. He did an awesome job on this song. It's actually a hard song to sing, and not many people who try to do it, actually do it well. He did. He nailed every part of it. I loved his riffs...they were spot on.
-He got yeses from all 3 judges
-Score was 81%

Adam
He had some pitch problems as the song began. This was just OK for me. I wasn't really blown away. I think a different song might have been better for him. He didn't really bring it the way that Austin did.
-He got yeses from Brad and Kesha, but a no from Ludacris
-Score was 53%!

Winner: Austin

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Rising Star, Ep. 1.4

The audition rounds are done, and now the finalists are going head to head in the Duel round.

They flip a coin to see who goes first. The public is voting live, and the singer with the most votes wins. The west coast can still vote someone through just like in the auditions.

Alice vs. Lisa

Alice
She did a nice job. I wasn't so sure about her song choice, but she made it work. Some parts sounded a little awkward, but overall, it was a pretty decent performance. But the longer it went, the more strained her voice sounded. She was really forcing it a little too much.
-She got yeses from all 3 judges
-Score was 69%

Lisa
She started out really strong. Right away, I knew she was so much better than Alice. Her performance was really awesome! I really enjoyed it! She really rocked it on the end of the song. Unlike Alice, she didn't sound strained, it sounded so good. I do not know what the public was thinking! If she just would have gotten one more judge to vote yes, she would have gotten it! And what makes me even madder is, I wasn't paying attention and I didn't get checked in in time to vote! Grrr!
-She only got a yes from Kesha
-Score was 66%

Winner: Alice

Megan vs. Sarah

Megan
Megan was saved by the west coast. This time she's ditching the harp for the guitar. I like how she changed up this song! I almost didn't recognize what it was! Her voice sounded amazing tonight! I enjoyed this so much more than the harp performance! This might be my favorite rendition of this song ever. I didn't really care for the high-pitched shriek in the middle, but overall, it was a really good performance.
-She got yeses from all 3 judges
-Score was 71%

Sarah
This song has been done so many times. I wish she would have done something else. She sounded pretty much like the original. So, unlike Megan...she wasn't very original herself. She sang it beautifully, but I love people who can change up a song.
-She only got a yes from Brad
-Score was 69%

Winner: Megan

Will vs. Jesse

Will
"Wrecking Ball"...very interesting, but I think I'm gonna love it. I love somebody who takes a chance with a very ironic song choice and totally makes it awesome. I wouldn't say he changed the song a lot, but he sang it really well and he really rocked it out. I liked it! Knowing he's going against Jesse, this is going to be a tough one because I really like them both.
-Kesha and Brad said yes, but Ludacris voted no
-Score was 57%

Jesse
I'm really liking Jesse's chances with only having to beat 57%. He was one of my favorites in the early round. I think his voice is absolutely amazing. That bar started rising so fast, it was ridiculous! Will is good, but this really was no competition at all! I think we are looking at the winner right here! No one can compete with that!
-He got yeses from all three judges
-Score was 90%! -- Highest score of the night, and the most deserved of all 6

Winner: Jesse!!!!!!

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Rising Star, Ep. 1.3

Audition 3 Results

Tonight is, apparently, the last night of auditions. Next week will be a round called "Duels". It sounds similar to The Voice.

Remember, if they get a percentage of yeses above 70% they make it through. The tallies below are for the East Coast. If the West Coast votes 70% yeses, they can still make it through if they don't get it on the first showing on the East Coast.

Singer, Age	My Vote	Brad	Kesha	Ludacris	%
Dana Williams, 24	►	►	►	►	87
Unselfish, 22-25	◄	◄	►	◄	46
Cliff Cody, 39	◄	►	◄	◄	49
Audrey Kate Geiger, 24	►	►	►	►	84
OhMG, 20 and 25	◄	◄	►	◄	33
Gabrielle Nicole, 20	►	►	►	►	90
Karen Hornsby, 36	◄	►	►	►	82
TX3, 23	◄	◄	►	◄	22
Skye Griffin, 26	◄	◄	►	◄	28
Morgan, 17	►	◄	►	►	79

My Thoughts:

Rising Star, Ep. 1.2

Audition #2 Results
Remember, if they get a percentage of yeses above 70% they make it through. The tallies below are for the East Coast. If the West Coast votes 70% yeses, they can still make it through if they don't get it on the first showing on the East Coast.

Singer, Age	My Vote	Brad	Kesha	Ludacris	%
Shameia Crawford, 30	◄	►	►	►	69
April Lockhart, 18	►	►	►	►	85
Austin French, 20	►	►	►	►	87
Triniti, 19-30	►	◄	►	◄	30
Alice J. Lee, 25	►	►	►	►	73
Rye Davis, 25	◄	◄	◄	◄	46
Sonnet Simmons, 33	►	►	►	►	81
Deedra Ervin, 20	◄	◄	◄	◄	26
Will Roth, 24	►	►	►	►	83
Egypt Dixon, 18	◄	◄	►	◄	44
Adam Jaymes, 23	►	►	►	►	87
Megan Tibbits, 26	◄	►	►	◄	68

My Thoughts 

Shameia--I'm not sure why the judges loved her, I did not think she was that good at all. The beginning was especially rough. I can't believe how close that vote was! I'm guessing the West Coast will put her through.

April--I loved her! I love her voice, and the song choice was great. She had a handicap (she's missing part of her arm) and yet she still played the guitar! Wow!

Austin--I love his vibe, and his voice is incredible; he has great control, and his notes were spot on.

Triniti--3 really talented girls! Their harmony was really, really good. The middle girl had a ridiculous range! They could even rap. I'm not sure why they didn't get the votes.

Alice--I did not expect that voice from her! The song was also a surprising choice, but I thought she rocked it!

Rye--He's singing country, so that's one strike against him; his voice is pretty good, but nothing exciting. I'm on the fence with him, but he's just so boring.

Sonnet--Beautiful voice! What an interesting rendition of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game"! I almost didn't know what it was. Those high notes were amazing, and she held them for an insane amount of time. There were a few pitchy spots, but overall, I really enjoyed her performance.

Deedra--He looks and sounds like he's 12 (except for the army uniform). He sounds very nervous and it's causing the notes to kind of be all over the place. The arrangement of this song is so childish, I did not like it at all.

Will--He has a really strong voice. I love his tone and just the slight hint of rasp. This was a perfect song choice for him. There's some different qualities to his voice and it's really cool. My favorite of the night!

Egypt--I wasn't really expecting a rapper. I'm not a fan of this song at all. I guess she sang it well, but it is not my style at all. You could tell she was talented at what she was doing. The score was another really close one. That probably means she might make it through based on the West Coast votes.

Adam--He had a decent voice, but it was just a little too bland. He got stronger as the song went on. At the beginning, the votes were coming in so slowly, I thought there was no way he would get enough. By the end, as his voice just grew and grew, he ended up tying for the highest score of the night.

Megan--You have to respect her taking a chance by playing the harp. Her voice was really good, but I found the harp actually distracting for this song. It probably would have sounded better with a different song. It was so distracting, I couldn't really enjoy her voice all that much. The more she sang, the more pitchy her voice was.

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Rising Star, Ep. 1.1

Welcome to Rising Star! The show with really simple concept, with kind of confusing rules. This show is taking social media interaction to a whole new level, because it's all live!

Josh Groban hosts the show, while Brad Paisley, Kesha and Ludacris serve as judges, or "experts". The 3 judges will be voting live along with America.. 

Groban met with the singers auditioning as they prepared for the show and gave them some mentoring. So, he's not just the host!

Here's the gist, and what you need to know:

• A singer stands behind a huge wall and sings for a minute and 30 seconds
• Viewers at home vote live "Yes" or "No" using the Rising Star app that you can download for free from the Apple, GooglePlay and Windows stores
• Swipe right --> for YES and swipe left <-- for NO
• Viewers must "check in" on the app before EVERY singer
• Note: if a viewer checks in, and does not vote, it counts as a "no" vote
• If the singer gets to 70% yeses, the wall will be raised and they will move on, if they don't they are eliminated
• The judges' scores count for 7%
• The show is live, but when shown on the west coast, those viewers can still vote...if enough of them vote "Yes" for a singer who was eliminated, that singer could be saved

How to Participate:

Once you download the app to your smartphone, and connect to your Facebook account, you're ready to go. For each performance, you'll need to Check In, and then make your Yes or No vote...

Step 1: Swipe to Check In, and wait for the performance to begin

Step 2: Swipe right for YES or left for NO

Step 3: See the live results on your app or on your TV screen